Urine collection tool

Abstract

This urine collection tool includes: a recessed cup holding part 51 capable of holding a container body 70 of a urine sample cup; and attachment parts (band parts 52, 53) provided on the outer peripheral side of the cup holding part for attachment to a seating type toilet bowl. The cup holding part and the attachment parts are formed of a water-disintegrable and / or water-soluble member. In a state where the attachment parts are attached to the toilet bowl, the cup holding part is positioned at the upper opening of the toilet bowl body of the toilet bowl that receives urine, in a plan view, and is configured to allow urination toward the container body of the urine sample cup in a state of being held by the cup holding part.

Description

Urine Collection Tool

[0001] The present invention relates to a urine collection tool that is useful when collecting urine using, for example, a urine collection cup or the like at various places such as homes, medical institutions and other various locations.

[0002] For example, when collecting urine for a urine test at a medical institution or the like, a disposable urine collection cup or the like is used. A user holds the urine collection cup by hand and urinates such that urine accumulates in the urine collection cup. For the urine collection cup, for example, a paper cup, a plastic container, or the like is used.

[0003] In addition, urine tests in various medical examinations including health checkups and full-body medical checkups require collection of urine immediately after waking up in the morning, so urine collection is performed outside medical institutions such as at home. As a urine collection tool used when collecting urine at home or the like, a plastic urine collection tool that can be stored compactly when not in use by being folded flat, such as the foldable urine collection container disclosed in Patent Document 1, is used. A user supplies urine collected with the urine collection tool to a separately prepared test tube-shaped container, and attaches a lid to the opening of the container to close it.

[0004] A plastic urine collection cup includes a cup-shaped container body that is open at the top, and a lid member that closes the opening of the container body, and some lid members are fixed to the container body by a screw mechanism. After collecting urine in the container body with the lid member removed, a user screws and fixes the lid member to the upper opening of the container body. This plastic urine collection cup serves both as a urine collection tool and a submission container.

[0005] Registered Utility Model No. 3088494

[0006] Conventional urine collection devices, such as paper or plastic urine collection cups and the urine collection container disclosed in Patent Document 1, are generally unisex. In all cases, the user holds the cup portion of the urine collection device directly in their hand and brings the device to a designated position at the moment of urination, allowing urine to collect in the cup. As a result, urine can accidentally get on the hands or clothes, posing a hygiene problem. This tendency is particularly high for women, who urinate while sitting on the toilet seat, as they collect urine in an unnatural posture. Recently, the proportion of men who urinate while sitting on Western-style toilets has also increased, leading to similar problems.

[0007] Furthermore, collecting urine for the above tests requires collecting a midstream urine sample, and positioning the urine collection device appropriately during urination is cumbersome, especially for women, and increases the risk of urine getting on hands or other parts of the body.

[0008] The problems described above are presented as independent issues, and the present invention is not necessarily required to solve all of them; it is sufficient if at least one problem is solved. Furthermore, the invention intends to obtain rights to the configuration for solving this problem independently through divisional applications, amendments, etc.

[0009] (1) The urine collection device according to the present invention comprises a concave cup-holding portion capable of holding a urine sample cup, and an attachment portion provided on the outer circumference of the cup-holding portion for attachment to a seated toilet, wherein the cup-holding portion and the attachment portion are formed of a water-soluble and / or water-soluble material, and with the attachment portion attached to the toilet, the cup-holding portion is located in a plan view at the upper opening of the toilet body that receives urine from the toilet, and is configured to allow urination toward the urine sample cup held in the cup-holding portion.

[0010] This design allows the urine collection cup to be attached to a toilet seat, enabling the user to urinate into the cup without having to hold it. This eliminates the risk of soiling the user's hands with urine during collection.

[0011] (2) The cup holding portion comprises a first recess that is recessed downward and a second recess that is further recessed at the bottom of the first recess, the internal shape of the second recess having dimensions corresponding to the external shape of the lower side of the urine sample cup, and the cup holding portion is configured to hold the urine sample cup when the lower side of the urine sample cup is inserted into the second recess.

[0012] In this way, by inserting the lower part of the urine sample cup into the second recess, the urine collection device can stably hold the urine sample cup.

[0013] (3) The bottom of the first recess may have a first hole. In this way, urine that does not enter the urine collection cup and accumulates in the first recess is smoothly and quickly discharged to the outside through the first hole. After urination, when the urine collection cup is removed from the cup holder, there is little to no urine accumulated in the cup holder, so when removing the urine collection device from the toilet bowl, the chances of urine accumulated in the cup holder getting on your hands are minimized.

[0014] (4) The bottom of the second recess may have a second hole. In this way, after the cup is removed from the cup holder, the urine that has flowed into and accumulated in the second recess can be smoothly and quickly discharged to the outside through the second hole.

[0015] (5) The cup holder should be configured to hold the urine sample cup at an angle towards the rear when attached to the toilet. This way, the opening of the urine sample cup faces the user sitting on the toilet, making it easier to supply urine to the urine sample cup.

[0016] (6) The mounting portion may have bands extending to the left and right. This allows the urine collection device to be securely attached to the toilet bowl, and the attached urine collection device can securely hold the urine sample cup.

[0017] (7) The band portions extending to the left and right may be configured to have an adhesive layer for attachment to the toilet bowl. In this way, the band portions extending to the left and right can be easily fixed to the toilet bowl using the adhesive layer. For example, double-sided adhesive tape may be used for the adhesive layer.

[0018] (8) The device may be attached to the toilet bowl using only the bands that extend to the left and right. In this way, the urine collection device can be attached to any position in the front-to-back direction of the toilet bowl with a simple configuration. The user can attach the urine collection device to an appropriate position according to their sitting position on the toilet bowl, the size of the toilet bowl, etc. As a result, they can easily and reliably urinate into the urine collection cup.

[0019] (9) The bottom surface of the cup holder should be flat. When the urine sample cup is set in the cup holder, the urine sample cup will stand upright along the bottom surface, making it easier for the user to urinate into the urine sample cup.

[0020] (10) The mounting portion comprises a sheet-like portion, the sheet-like portion having a first portion extending in a first direction from the periphery of the cup-holding portion, and second portions extending to the left and right sides in a second direction intersecting the first direction from the periphery of the cup-holding portion, the cup-holding portion can be positioned in a urine-collection position above the toilet bowl body with the first portion attached to the front of the outer peripheral surface of the toilet bowl body of the toilet bowl, such that the cup-holding portion and the second portion are positioned above the toilet seat portion of the toilet bowl, and the sheet-like portion is configured such that, with the cup-holding portion positioned in the urine-collection position, the second portions located to the left and right of the cup-holding portion contact the upper surface of the toilet seat portion, respectively, and support the cup-holding portion.

[0021] This method increases the surface area of ​​the mounting area, allowing it to be securely attached to the toilet bowl and stably hold the urine sample cup in place.

[0022] (11) With the first part attached to the front outer surface of the toilet bowl body such that the cup holding part and the second part are positioned above the toilet seat part of the toilet bowl, the urine collection position and the cup holding part can be displaced from above the toilet bowl body toward the front from the urine collection position.

[0023] In this way, the user can sit on the toilet, position the collection device appropriately, and collect a midstream urine sample.

[0024] (12) The first portion of the sheet-like part may have an adhesive layer. In this way, the user can securely fix the urine collection device to the toilet bowl without having to prepare a separate adhesive tape or other fixing material.

[0025] The present invention can achieve at least one of the following effects: The user can collect urine without holding the urine collection cup in their hand. It can prevent urine from getting on the user's hand.

[0026] (a) is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention, and (b) is a side view thereof. (a) is a diagram showing the container body of the urine sample cup held by the urine collection device, and (b) is a side view of the urine collection device with the container body attached. This diagram shows the urine collection device of the first embodiment separated at the cut-out section. (a) is a diagram showing the usage state of the second embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing the state with the container body attached to the urine collection device. This is a side view showing the usage state (with the container body attached) of the urine collection device of the second embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention. This is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention. This is a side view thereof. This is a plan view showing the state with the container body attached. This is a side view thereof. This diagram shows an example of a second usage mode of the urine collection device of this embodiment. This diagram shows an example of a first usage mode of the urine collection device of this embodiment. This diagram shows an example of the usage state of the urine collection device of this embodiment. This diagram shows an example of the usage state of the urine collection device of this embodiment. (a) is a plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention, and (b) is a side view thereof. This figure shows an example of the usage state of the urine collection device of this embodiment. (a) is a side view showing a fifth embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention, and (b) is a side view showing an example of the usage state thereof. This is a side view showing a sixth embodiment of the urine collection device of the present invention.

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto, and various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0028] Figure 1 shows a preferred first embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the urine collection device 50 includes a cup-holding portion 51 having a concave portion, first band portions 52 provided on the left and right sides of the cup-holding portion 51, a second band portion 53 provided on the front side of the cup-holding portion 51, and so on. In addition, although there is no band portion on the rear side of the cup-holding portion 51, it is provided with a protruding piece-shaped portion 54 that extends outward in an overhang shape.

[0029] As described later, the urine collection device 50 is used with the container body 70 of the urine collection cup attached to the cup holder 51 during urine collection. This urine collection device 50 can be attached to the toilet bowl or toilet seat of a seated toilet. This allows the user to collect urine by urinating towards the container body 70 of the urine collection cup, which is supported by the urine collection device 50, without having to hold the container body 70 of the urine collection cup directly with their hand.

[0030] The urine collection cup used in this embodiment comprises a plastic, top-opening, cup-shaped container body 70, as shown in Figure 2, and a lid member (not shown) that closes the opening of the container body 70. The lid member is configured to be detachably attached to the container body 70. The container body 70 is substantially cylindrical with a gently tapering lower end and has a first threaded portion on the upper side of its outer circumference. The lid member has a disc-shaped top plate corresponding to the opening of the container body 70 and a side wall portion that hangs downward from the outer edge of the top plate portion, and a second threaded portion on the inner circumference of the side wall portion that fits into the first threaded portion provided on the container body 70. By placing the lid member over the top of the container body 70 and tightening the first and second threaded portions, the lid member is fixed to the top of the container body 70 and the urine collection cup is sealed. The lid member can be removed from the container body 70 by loosening the first and second threaded portions.

[0031] The cup-holding portion 51 includes a first recess 61 that is recessed downward from the outer edge, and a second recess 62 that is further recessed in the center of the bottom portion 61a of the first recess 61. The upper opening of the first recess 61 is substantially rectangular in plan view, with its four corners formed in an arc shape. The first recess 61 also has a substantially truncated pyramidal shape that tapers towards the bottom. On both the left and right sides of the bottom portion 61a of the first recess 61, there are two first holes 63, each spaced at a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction.

[0032] The second recess 62 is substantially cylindrical with a gently tapering lower end, and its bottom portion 62a is a substantially circular plane. The bottom portion 62a is positioned parallel to the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 61. The inner diameter of the bottom portion 62a of the second recess 62 is slightly shorter than the inner diameter of the upper opening, but it is positioned concentrically in a plan view, and the center line extending vertically from the second recess 62 is perpendicular to the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 61. In other words, the cylindrical second recess 62 is formed to extend straight downward. The bottom portion 62a of the second recess 62 is also provided with a second hole 65. In this embodiment, two holes are provided, but the number and position of installations can vary. It is also possible to omit one or both of the first hole 63 and the second hole 65, but it is preferable to provide both.

[0033] The inner diameter of the second recess 62 is made approximately equal to the outer diameter of the container body 70 of the urine collection cup. The container body 70 is made insertable into the second recess 62, and the bottom 71 of the container body 70 is made contact with the bottom 62a of the second recess 62.

[0034] In this embodiment, the inner diameter and shape of the second recess 62 are set to substantially match the outer diameter and shape of the circumferential surface of the container body 70. Therefore, since the outer diameter of the bottom 71 of the container body 70 is smaller than the inner diameter of the upper side of the second recess 62, the container body 70 can be smoothly inserted into the second recess 62, and the bottom 71 of the container body 70 can be easily pushed in until it contacts the bottom 62a of the second recess 62. When the bottoms 62a and 71 are in contact in this way, the inner circumferential surface of the second recess 62 contacts and holds the outer circumferential surface of the container body 70.

[0035] Furthermore, the depth of the second recess 62 should be such that the container body 70 inserted into the second recess 62 is supported by the second recess 62 without tipping over.

[0036] Furthermore, the depth of the cup-holding portion 51, that is, the length from the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 61 to the bottom 62a of the second recess 62, should be equal to or longer than the height of the container body 70. In this way, when the container body 70 is set in the second recess 62, the upper end of the container body 70 is flush with (see Figure 2) or lower than the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 61, so as not to protrude above the cup-holding portion 51.

[0037] In this embodiment, the cup holding portion 51 and the first band portion 52 and second band portion 53 may be made of laminated paper, for example, water-soluble paper that decomposes in water or water-soluble paper that dissolves in water, by laminating multiple sheets of such paper. In addition, at least the cup holding portion 51 may have a film material laminated in addition to the water-soluble paper. The film material is a water-soluble film material, but has the function of not dissolving in water for a predetermined time. As a result, if urine is urinated into the cup holding portion 51 and urine accumulates in the space between the outer surface of the container body 70 and the inner wall surface of the cup holding portion 51, the film material will not immediately dissolve or tear, but will maintain the concave shape of the cup holding portion 51. Therefore, the second recess 62 can continue to hold the container body 70. Furthermore, since the film material and water-soluble paper are water-soluble materials, and water-soluble paper is a material that decomposes in water, the urine collection device 50 can be flushed by simply discarding it in the toilet bowl. Furthermore, it is advisable to apply a hydrolysis regulator to the surface of the cup holding portion 51, etc., to adjust the time it takes for the material to dissolve or decompose in water. The hydrolysis regulator may also be applied to the surface of the first band portion 52 or the second band portion 53, etc.

[0038] The water-soluble film material can be, for example, a resin film material, such as a PVA-based resin film. The PVA-based resin should preferably have excellent cold water (e.g., 5°C) solubility. This is advantageous because when the urine collection device is disposed of in the toilet, it dissolves easily in the water stored in the toilet bowl or in the drained water.

[0039] Furthermore, the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53 are further provided with an adhesive layer 55 formed on the lower surface of their respective tip ends (the side away from the cup holding portion 51). This adhesive layer 55 is also preferably made of a water-soluble material. The adhesive layer 55 is covered with release paper before use.

[0040] Furthermore, the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53 are provided with a cut-off portion 56 at their tip. This cut-off portion 56 may be formed, for example, from a perforation. By cutting along the cut-off portion 56, the portion to which the adhesive layer 55 is attached is separated from the cup holding portion 51, as shown in Figure 3.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a border 57 is formed around the cup holding portion 51, the first band portion 52, and the second band portion 53, in which high-pressure linear elements appear in a dashed line pattern. Although not shown in the figures, a grid or other pattern can be formed across the entire surface of the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53, in which high-pressure linear elements appear in a dashed line pattern. By forming such perforations, the laminated urine collection device 50 becomes less likely to peel off, and the strength of the cup holding portion 51 and / or band members during use is adjusted. On the other hand, applying high pressure may cause some parts to break, creating perforations, and such perforations promote water penetration. Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the perforation pattern, and by adjusting the thickness and pitch of the dashed lines, the rate at which the urine collection device dissolves in water can be adjusted.

[0042] In the urine collection device 50 shown in Figure 1, the rim 57 prevents the water-soluble / water-dissolving paper constituting the urine collection device 50 from peeling off, thus ensuring the strength of the cup holding portion 51, the first band portion 52, and the second band portion 53. Furthermore, the rate of dissolution in water can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of grid-like patterns in which high-pressure linear elements appear as dashed lines, and by adjusting the thickness and pitch of the dashed lines.

[0043] In manufacturing the urine collection tool 50 of the present embodiment, the urine collection tool can be manufactured by appropriately stacking predetermined material sheets such as water-soluble paper and / or water-disintegrable paper and film material, punching the stacked sheets into a desired shape, and simultaneously molding the same by hot pressing. It is preferable that at least one of a disinfectant, a deodorant, a deodorizing agent and a fragrance is included (impregnated) in the urine collection tool 50 in a pre-step of hot pressing, simultaneously with hot pressing, or in a post-step of hot pressing.

[0044] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the external shape of the urine collection tool 50 is formed into a shape themed on a predetermined character. For example, the shape may be that of an animal, and in the present embodiment, the shape imitates the face of an elephant, which is an example of an animal. Specifically, the cup holding portion 51 is regarded as the face portion of the elephant, the first band portions 52 arranged on the left and right correspond to the elephant's ears, the second band portion 53 corresponds to the elephant's nose, and the protruding piece-shaped portion 54 located on the rear side corresponds to the elephant's head portion. The outer peripheral edge of the first band portion 51 represents an appropriate curved portion imitating an ear, and a large hole 52a is provided in the center to form a shape imitating an ear hole.

[0045] Moreover, the inner peripheral shape of the hole 52a is formed as a shape having an appropriate curved portion matching the ear hole. Furthermore, combined with the fact that an elephant's ears are large, the outer shape of the first band portion 52 is enlarged, and the distal end frame portion 52b can be extended relatively long in the front-rear direction. Since the adhesive layer 55 is formed on the lower surface of the distal end frame portion 52b, the adhesive layer 55 can be formed in an elongated shape, so that when attaching the first band portion 52, adhesion can be achieved over a long section while securing an adhesive area, and the cup holding portion 51 can be supported in a stable posture. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the large hole 52a is provided in the first band portion 52, the total amount of paper is reduced, resulting in a structure in which paper jamming is less likely to occur. And since the hole 52a imitates an ear hole, it can be enlarged without a sense of discomfort, which is advantageous.

[0046] Since an elephant's trunk is thick and long, the second band portion 53 can also be formed to be wide and have a certain length without a sense of discomfort. Further, the outer peripheral edge of the protruding piece-like portion 54 is formed into a gentle curvature when it is regarded as a head. When the face portion is used as a reference, the ears are positioned on the left and right sides, and the nose is located in front of the face and extends toward the user, so it can be intuitively understood that the second band portion 53 is the front side of the urine collecting tool 50. Furthermore, by providing the protruding piece-like portion 54 corresponding to the head, it can be understood that the second band portion 53 is the front side also in contrast thereto.

[0047] It should be noted that the shape of the urine collecting tool 50 is not limited to those imitating elephants or other characters, and various shapes and forms can be used. In addition, the first band portions 52 extending left and right may have a geometric shape such as a rectangular shape or a planar square shape, and the cup holding portion 51 may be supported only by the first band portions 52 extending left and right without providing the second band portion 53.

[0048] Next, a urine collection process using the urine collecting tool 50 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Although FIG. 4 shows the urine collecting tool 50 of a second embodiment which will be described later, since the urine collection process has common parts, the description will be given with reference to the common parts also in the present embodiment.

[0049] First, prior to use, the user peels off the release paper from the adhesive layer 55 provided at the ends of the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53 of the urine collection device 50, and attaches and fixes them to the designated positions on the toilet seat portion 43 (see Figure 4(a)). That is, for example, the user first attaches the adhesive layer 55 at the end of the second band portion 53, from which the release paper has been peeled off, to the upper surface on the front side of the toilet seat portion 43. Then, in that state, the user attaches the adhesive layer 55 at the end of the first band portion 52 to the upper surfaces on the left and right sides of the toilet seat portion 43. As a result, the cup holder portion 51 is suspended from the toilet seat portion 43 by the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53. In this suspended state, the cup holder portion 51 is positioned lower than the ends of the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53. In other words, the second band portion 53 has an upward slope that rises from the cup holding portion 51 towards the tip, resembling an elephant's trunk, and the first band portion 52 also has an upward slope that rises from the cup holding portion 51 towards the tip. Furthermore, when the urine collection device 50 is attached to a predetermined position on the toilet seat portion 43, the dimensions and shapes of each band portion and the cup holding portion 51 are set so that the center of the cup holding portion 51 is located in front of the center of the toilet seat portion 43 in the front-to-back direction.

[0050] Next, the user attaches the urine collection device 50 to the toilet bowl body 41 (toilet seat portion 43) of the toilet bowl 40 in this manner, and then sets the container body 70 in the second recess 62 of the cup holding portion 51 (see Figure 4(b)).

[0051] As described above, the urine collection device 50 is attached to the toilet seat 43, and the container body 70 is set in the second recess 62. The user then sits on the toilet seat 43 and urinates into the container body 70. The urine urinated by the user is then collected in the container body 70. At this time, the container body 70 is held by the urine collection device 50 and positioned in a predetermined location within the toilet bowl 41, so the user does not need to grasp the urine collection device 50. Therefore, the user can collect urine without getting their hands dirty by urinating into the container body 70.

[0052] Furthermore, some of the urinated urine may not enter the container body 70. In such cases, it will accumulate in the first recess 61 or the second recess 62 of the cup holding portion 51. In addition, some of the urine stored in the cup holding portion 51 will be discharged to the outside through the first hole 63 provided in the bottom portion 61a of the first recess 61.

[0053] Furthermore, any liquid such as urine that enters the second recess 62 is discharged to the outside through the second hole 65 and reaches the toilet bowl body 41. Thus, any urine that does not enter the container body 70 is discharged to the outside through the second hole 65.

[0054] After urination, the user can get off the seated toilet 40 (toilet seat portion 43), remove the container body 70 from the second recess 62 of the urine collection device 50, and close the opening of the container body 70 by attaching the lid member to the container body 70.

[0055] Afterward, the user cuts the cut-off sections 56 provided on the first band section 52 and the second band section 53 of the urine collection device 50, removes the cup holder section 51 and a portion of the first band section 52 and the second band section 53 (the part connected to the cup holder section 51) from the toilet seat section 43, drops the removed urine collection device 50 directly into the toilet bowl 41, and can dispose of it by flushing. Furthermore, the tip portions of the first band section 52 and the second band section 53 that remain on the toilet seat section 43 along with the adhesive layer 55 after being cut off are flat, sheet-like, and can be easily peeled off. After peeling them off, they can be dropped directly into the toilet bowl 41 and disposed of by flushing.

[0056] Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. The urine collection device 50 of this embodiment has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, but the configuration of the second recess 62 is different. That is, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the second recess 62 is made capable of supporting the container body 70 in an obliquely tilted position. The oblique direction should be such that the lower side is forward and the upper side is backward, that is, tilted towards the user sitting on the toilet seat 43.

[0057] As a result, the bottom 62a is sloped downward on the rear side, and the bottom 62a becomes an inclined surface that faces the upper opening of the first recess 61 at a predetermined angle. Furthermore, the vertical center line of the second recess 62, that is, the normal line to the bottom 62a extending from the center of the bottom 62a, is set to extend diagonally forward from the center of the upper opening of the first recess 61. Therefore, as shown in Figures 4(b) and 5, the container body 70 stored in the second recess 62 is in a position tilted to the side along the slope of the second recess 62 and the bottom 62a. In this way, the upper opening of the container body 70 faces the user sitting on the toilet seat 43, making it easier to urinate into the container body 70.

[0058] Furthermore, a second hole 65 is provided in the center of the bottom 62a of the second recess 62. Liquids such as urine that enter the second recess 62 are discharged to the outside through the second hole 65 and reach the toilet bowl body 41. Thus, any urine that does not enter the container body 70 is discharged to the outside through the second hole 65.

[0059] Since the configuration and effects described above are the same as those of the first embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0060] Figures 6 to 11 show a third embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. Figures 6 and 7 show the unused state of the urine collection device 80 of this embodiment when it is distributed to a user, etc., Figures 8 and 9 show the state with the urine collection cup container body 70 attached, Figure 10 shows the usage of the urine collection device 80 of this embodiment when urine is collected by attaching it to a toilet bowl 40, and Figure 11 shows the usage of the urine collection device 80 of this embodiment before urine collection by attaching it to a toilet bowl 40.

[0061] The unused urine collection device 80 comprises a cup-holding portion 81 having a concave portion for holding the container body 70 of the urine collection cup, and a flat sheet-like portion 82 extending outward from a predetermined portion on the upper edge of the cup-holding portion 81. The cup-holding portion 81 and the sheet-like portion 82 are manufactured by molding a single sheet-like material under heating conditions and are integrated together. Furthermore, the urine collection device 80 may be constructed from a laminate of water-soluble or water-soluble paper or film, similar to the first and second embodiments.

[0062] The cup-holding portion 81 is formed on a circular base. Specifically, the upper opening is approximately elliptical, and includes a first recess 91 in the shape of an elliptical frustoconical shape that tapers from the outer edge to the lower end, and a second recess 92 that is further recessed in the center of the bottom 91a of the first recess 91. On both the left and right sides of the bottom 91a of the first recess 91, there are two third holes 93, each spaced at a predetermined distance in the front-to-back direction.

[0063] The second recess 92 is substantially cylindrical with a gently tapering lower end, and its bottom portion 92a is a substantially circular plane. The bottom portion 92a is positioned parallel to the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 91. The inner diameter of the bottom portion 92a of the second recess 92 is slightly shorter than the inner diameter of the upper opening, but they are arranged concentrically in a plan view, and the center line extending vertically from the second recess 92 is perpendicular to the opening surface of the upper opening of the first recess 91. In other words, the cylindrical second recess 92 is formed to extend straight downward. Furthermore, the dimensions and shape of the inner circumferential surface of the second recess 92 should substantially match the dimensions and shape of the outer circumferential surface of the container body 70 into which it is installed. The configuration of this second recess 90 should be substantially the same as that of the second recess 62 in the first embodiment.

[0064] In this embodiment as well, the second recess 92 is arranged at an angle as in the second embodiment, so that the bottom 92a is angled downwards towards the rear when the urine collection device 80 is attached to the toilet seat portion 43 of the toilet bowl body 41, and the bottom 92a is an inclined surface that faces the upper opening of the first recess 91 at a predetermined angle. In this way, the urine collection device 80 can be held with the container body 70 tilted toward the rear, and the upper opening of the container body 70 can be held facing the user sitting on the toilet bowl 40.

[0065] Furthermore, the upper edge of the cup-holding portion 81 of the urine collection device 80 is provided with a projection-like portion 81a that protrudes outward in an overhang-like manner. The projection-like portion 81a is formed to extend horizontally, that is, in a direction parallel to the bottom portion 91a of the first recess 91. As a result, the projection-like portion 81a acts as a kind of rib, reinforcing the side wall portion 91b of the first recess 91, preventing it from bending, and maintaining the inclined surface state.

[0066] The sheet-like portion 82 is substantially rectangular in shape and is formed to connect to approximately half of the rear side of the upper edge of the cup-holding portion 81. The width of the sheet-like portion 82 is longer than the length of the cup-holding portion 81 in the minor axis direction, and the sheet-like portion 82 protrudes to the left and right sides of the cup-holding portion 81. The sheet-like portion 82 has a first portion 82a that extends rearward from the periphery of the cup-holding portion 81 (an example of a first direction), and a second portion 82b that extends to both the left and right sides in a second direction that intersects the first direction from the periphery of the cup-holding portion 81.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cup-holding portion 81 is provided with a border in which high-pressure wire elements 85 appear in a dashed line pattern along the outer edge of the protruding portion 81a and at appropriate positions on the sheet-like portion 82. By alternately forming these high-pressure wire elements and unpressurized portions, the urine collection device 80, which is manufactured by laminating multiple sheets of material, becomes less prone to peeling, and the strength of the urine collection device 80 (protruding portion 81a) and the sheet-like portion 82, etc., during use is adjusted.

[0068] On the other hand, applying high pressure can cause parts of the laminated sheet pieces to rupture, creating perforations, which facilitate water penetration. Therefore, the rate at which the urine collection device dissolves in water can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of perforations, or by adjusting the thickness and pitch of the dashed lines.

[0069] The urine collection device 80 with the above configuration can be attached to the toilet bowl 40, for example, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. That is, the sheet-like portion 82 of the urine collection device 80 is attached to the front outer surface of the toilet bowl body 41. At this time, the cup-holding portion 81 is positioned above, and the front portion of the sheet-like portion 82, i.e., the cup-holding portion 81 side of the first portion 82a, is positioned so that a predetermined length protrudes above the toilet seat portion 43. Then, the front portion of the first portion 82a of the sheet-like portion 82 is folded down towards the toilet seat portion 43 and brought into contact with the seat surface of the toilet seat portion 43.

[0070] In this state, if the sheet-like portion 82 is folded 180 degrees towards the front at a predetermined position on the toilet seat portion 43, and the cup-holding portion 81 is positioned outside the opening 43a of the toilet seat portion 43 in an inverted position with the bottom 92a of the second recess 92 of the cup-holding portion 81 facing upward, then, for example, if the user sits on the toilet seat portion 43 and urinates, the urine will accumulate in the toilet bowl body 41 without coming into contact with the cup-holding portion 81. By setting the urine collection device 80 to the first state during the initial urination, the user can urinate without collecting the initial urine.

[0071] Next, at an appropriate time during urination, the sheet-like portion 82, which had been folded towards the front to assume the first configuration, is returned to the opposite side, displacing it to the second configuration (see Figure 10) in which the cup-holding portion 81 is located inside the toilet seat portion 43, i.e., inside the opening 43a.

[0072] In this second embodiment, the container body 70 is inserted into the second recess 92 of the urine collection device 80 and set so that the container body 70 is supported by the second recess 92. The user then sits on the toilet seat 43 facing the container body 70 and urinates. As a result, the intermediate urine is collected in the container body 70. In this second embodiment, the second portions 82b of the sheet-like portions 82 located on the left and right sides of the cup-holding portion 81 contact the toilet seat 43, so the cup-holding portion 81 is supported by its second portions 82b.

[0073] Furthermore, some of the urinated urine may not enter the container body 70. In such cases, it will accumulate in the first recess 91 or the second recess 92 of the cup-holding portion 81. In addition, some of the urine stored in the cup-holding portion 81 will be discharged to the outside through the third hole 93 provided in the bottom 91a of the first recess 91.

[0074] After urination, the user can get off the seated toilet 40 (toilet seat portion 43), remove the container body 70 from the second recess 92 of the urine collection device 50, and close the opening of the container body 70 by attaching the lid member to the container body 70.

[0075] Afterward, the user can remove the urine collection device 80 from the toilet seat 43, drop the removed urine collection device 80 directly into the toilet bowl 41, and dispose of it by flushing it with water.

[0076] Furthermore, of the first portion 82a and the second portion 82b of the sheet-like portion 82, the portion that comes into contact with the toilet seat portion 43 in both the first and second embodiments should be adhered to the toilet seat portion 43. In this way, the displacement of the first and second embodiments can be performed appropriately, and the cup holding portion 81 can be positioned in an appropriate location in each embodiment.

[0077] For attaching the above-mentioned toilet bowl body 41 and toilet seat 43, it is preferable to pre-apply an adhesive layer to a predetermined position on the sheet-like portion 82. This adhesive layer should also be made of a water-soluble material, and the adhesive layer should be covered with release paper before use. In this way, when the user attaches the urine collection device 80 to the toilet bowl 40, they can easily peel off the appropriate release paper, expose the adhesive layer, and attach it to the appropriate position on the toilet bowl 40.

[0078] In this embodiment, the user switches between the first and second modes during urination, urinating the initial urine directly into the toilet bowl 41 and then urinating the intermediate urine into the container 70. However, the usage mode is not limited to this, and the second mode may be used from the beginning. In this case, the user should remove the urine collection device 80 when urinating the initial urine and urinate towards the toilet bowl 41.

[0079] In the embodiment described above, when the urine collection device 50 is attached to the toilet seat portion 43, the bottom surface of the cup holding portion 51 does not come into contact with the toilet bowl body 41, and is sized and shaped so that it is suspended in mid-air. Figure 12(a) is a schematic diagram showing this state (mainly the portion of the second recess 62 that houses the container body 70 of the cup holding portion 51 is depicted). The present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in Figure 12(b), it is preferable to configure the cup holding portion 51 so that a part or one side of the bottom 62a of the second recess 62 contacts the inner surface of the toilet bowl body 41. In this way, the container body 70 inside the cup holding portion 51 is supported by the toilet bowl body 41 via the cup holding portion 51, the load on the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53 is reduced, and the container body 70 can be held stably.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, it is preferable to configure the bottom 62a of the second recess 62 of the cup holding portion 51 to be in overall contact with the inner surface of the toilet bowl body 41. In this way, the container body 70 inside the cup holding portion 51 is firmly supported by the toilet bowl body 41 via the cup holding portion 51, reducing the load on the first band portion 52 and the second band portion 53, and allowing the container body 70 to be held more stably.

[0081] These points have been explained based on the configurations of the first and second embodiments, but the same applies to the third and subsequent embodiments.

[0082] Figures 14 and 15 show a fourth embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, building upon the first and second embodiments, the cup holding portion 51 is supported only by the first band portions 52 extending to the left and right of the cup holding portion 51, without providing the second band portion 53. Although not shown, an adhesive layer 55 is provided on the lower surface of the tip end of the first band portion 52, similar to the embodiments. For example, by attaching the adhesive layer 55 to the toilet seat portion 43, the urine collection device 50 is held in place by a seated toilet.

[0083] Furthermore, the cup holder portion 51 includes a first recess 61 and a second recess 62 that is further recessed at a predetermined position on the bottom 61a of the first recess 61. The predetermined position for forming this second recess 62 is shifted to the rear. As a result, the container body 70 of the urine collection cup, which is placed in the second recess 62 of the urine collection device 50 attached to the toilet seat portion 43, is located closer to the user sitting on the toilet seat portion 43, making it easier to collect the urinated urine in the container body 70.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom 62a of the second recess 62 is made deeper on the rear side. As a result, when the container body 70 is placed in the second recess 62 as shown in the figure, the container body 70 assumes an inclined position tilted backward. The opening of the container body 70 faces diagonally backward, making it easier to put urine in. In addition, the shape of the circumferential surface 62b of the second recess 62 is made inclined on the rear side. This makes it easier for the container body 70 to maintain an inclined position tilted backward. Note that the other configurations and effects are the same as in the embodiments described above, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding members and parts, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0085] Figure 16 shows a fifth embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, similar to the fourth embodiment, the second band portion 53 is omitted, and the cup holding portion 51 is supported only by the first band portion 52. In this embodiment, the bottom portion 62a of the second recess 62 is a flat surface parallel to the opening of the first recess 61. As a result, when the first band portion 52 is attached to the toilet seat portion 43 and the urine collection device 50 is attached to the toilet bowl, the bottom portion 62a of the second recess 62 can be made horizontal. Therefore, the container body 70 set in the second recess 62 can be in a vertically upright position. In this embodiment, the shape of the circumferential surface 62b of the second recess 62 is inclined on the rear side, similar to the fourth embodiment, but the entire shape may be straight and upright. The other configurations and effects are the same as in the embodiments described above, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding members and parts, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0086] Figure 17 shows a sixth embodiment of the urine collection device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the cup holding portion 51 is composed of a first recess 61 having an inner shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the container body 70. This shape allows for a simple configuration. The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the embodiments described above, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding members and parts, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0087] 50: Urine collection device 51: Cup holding part 52: First band part 53: Second band part 54: Projection-shaped part 55: Adhesive layer 56: Cut-out part 57: Rimming 61: First recess 62: Second recess 63: First hole part 65: Second hole part 70: Container body 71: Bottom part 80: Urine collection device 81: Cup holding part 82: Sheet-like part 82a: First part 82b: Second part 85: Wire element 90: Second recess 91: First recess 92: Second recess 93: Third hole part

Claims

1. A urine collection device comprising: a concave cup-holding portion capable of holding a urine sample cup; and a mounting portion provided on the outer circumference of the cup-holding portion for attachment to a seated toilet; wherein the cup-holding portion and the mounting portion are formed of a water-soluble and / or water-soluble material; and, with the mounting portion attached to the toilet, the cup-holding portion is located in a plan view at the upper opening of the toilet bowl body that receives urine from the toilet bowl, and is configured to allow urination toward the urine sample cup held in the cup-holding portion.

2. The urine collection device according to claim 1, wherein the cup holding portion comprises a first recess that is recessed downward and a second recess that is further recessed at the bottom of the first recess, the internal shape of the second recess having dimensions corresponding to the external shape of the lower side of the urine collection cup, and the cup holding portion is configured to hold the urine collection cup when the lower side of the urine collection cup is inserted into the second recess.

3. The urine collection device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom of the first recess has a first hole.

4. The urine collection device according to claim 3, having a second hole at the bottom of the second recess.

5. The urine collection device according to claim 1, wherein the cup holding portion is configured to hold the urine sample cup at an inclined position toward the rear when attached to the toilet bowl.

6. The urine collection device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portion has band portions extending to the left and right.

7. The urine collection device according to claim 6, wherein the band portion extending to the left and right has an adhesive layer for attachment to the toilet bowl.

8. The urine collection device according to claim 7, which is configured to be attached to the toilet bowl only by the band portions extending to the left and right.

9. The urine collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the bottom surface of the cup-holding portion is a flat surface.

10. The mounting portion comprises a sheet-like portion, the sheet-like portion having a first portion extending in a first direction from the periphery of the cup-holding portion, and second portions extending to both the left and right sides in a second direction intersecting the first direction from the periphery of the cup-holding portion, the cup-holding portion can be positioned in a urine-collection position above the toilet bowl body with the first portion attached to the front of the outer peripheral surface of the toilet bowl body of the toilet bowl, the sheet-like portion is configured such that, with the cup-holding portion and the second portion positioned above the toilet seat portion of the toilet bowl, the cup-holding portion can be positioned in a urine-collection position above the toilet bowl body, and the sheet-like portion is configured such that, with the cup-holding portion positioned in the urine-collection position, the second portions located to the left and right of the cup-holding portion contact the upper surface of the toilet seat portion, respectively, and support the cup-holding portion.

11. The urine collection device according to claim 10, wherein the first portion is attached to the front outer surface of the toilet bowl body such that the cup holding portion and the second portion are positioned above the toilet seat portion of the toilet bowl, and the urine collection position and the cup holding portion are configured to be displaceable from above the toilet bowl body toward the front.

12. The urine collection device according to claim 11, wherein the first portion of the sheet-like part has an adhesive layer.

Images