System and a method for measurement of momentary urine flow and urine volume, and the analysis of urine flow properties
Inventors
SWAN, Matthew • HIDAS, Gil • Jenkins, Andrew C.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11369298-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring the flow rate of urine, including an encasement, configured to encase components of the apparatus; a receptacle bowl attached to the encasement, configured to be placed over a toilet bowl or seat, and direct fluid through a single point of exit to a fluid flow guide; the fluid flow guide, configured to transfer fluid from the receptacle bowl to an impeller; the impeller, configured to rotate along a rotation axis, wherein the impeller includes a plurality of blades, configured to receive the urine from the flow guide, and thereby rotate the impeller at a speed correlating with the flow rate of the urine; and an angular velocity sensor, configured to produce electric signals that correlate with the angular velocity or angular position of the impeller.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring flow rate of urine using an encasement that houses the components of the apparatus. A receptacle bowl is attached to the encasement and is configured to be placed over a toilet bowl or seat, and the receptacle bowl directs fluid through a single point of exit to a fluid flow guide, which transfers the fluid from the receptacle bowl to an impeller.
The impeller is configured to rotate along a rotation axis and includes a plurality of blades configured to receive the urine from the fluid flow guide. The impeller rotates at a speed that correlates with the flow rate of the urine, and an angular velocity sensor is configured to produce electric signals that correlate with angular velocity or angular position of the impeller, including electrical sensing using a rotary encoder mounted to a shaft.
In additional embodiments, the impeller includes light emitting diode (LED) light sources located radially on a distal end of the impeller. A stationary photodiode sensor senses light emitted from the LEDs during proximate passage during rotation to produce the electrical signals, and further embodiments provide concentric steps to prevent upward side flow and curved blades that create a concavity having a defined volume to capture, retain, and release fluid when collected mass exceeds rotating friction.
Claims Coverage
The provided material includes four independent claims, each centered on measuring urine flow rate by correlating impeller rotation with urine flow and producing electric signals from an angular velocity or angular-position sensor. Across the independent claims, two major groups of inventive features appear: a common impeller/flow-path architecture with electrical angular sensing, and claim-specific refinements to the sensing modality or fluid-directing geometry.
Urine receptacle-to-impeller flow path with single point of exit
The apparatus includes an encasement, a receptacle bowl attached to the encasement and configured to be placed over a toilet bowl or seat, and configured to direct fluid through a single point of exit to a fluid flow guide; the fluid flow guide transfers the fluid from the receptacle bowl to an impeller.
Impeller rotation speed correlating with urine flow rate
The apparatus includes an impeller configured to rotate along a rotation axis, wherein the impeller comprises a plurality of blades configured to receive the urine from the flow guide and thereby rotate the impeller at a speed correlating with the flow rate of the urine.
Angular velocity sensor producing electric signals correlated to impeller motion
An angular velocity sensor configured to produce electric signals correlated with angular velocity or angular position of the impeller, including a rotary encoder mounted to a shaft and configured to sense rotation of the shaft and responsively to the sensed rotation to produce the electrical signals.
LED and stationary photodiode angular sensing
The impeller comprises a plurality of LED light sources located radially on a distal end of the impeller, and the angular velocity sensor comprises a stationary photodiode sensor configured to sense light emitted from the LEDs during proximate passage of the LEDs during rotation of the impeller to produce the electrical signals.
Concentric steps for minimal delay directing to the single point of exit
The receptacle bowl further comprises concentric steps configured to prevent the fluid from flowing upwards along sides of the bowl and direct the fluid towards the bowl’s single point of exit with minimal delay.
Curved blade concavities retaining fluid until rotating friction is exceeded
The impeller blades are curved to create a concavity having a defined volume enabling the impeller blades to capture fluid therein and retain the fluid on the impeller until mass of the collected fluid exceeds rotating friction of the impeller, and the impeller is made to rotate.
Across the independent claims, urine flow rate measurement is covered by directing urine from a toilet-mounted receptacle bowl through a fluid flow guide to an impeller whose rotation speed correlates with urine flow. The claims further require an angular velocity sensor that produces electric signals correlated with angular velocity or angular position, implemented either as a rotary encoder on a shaft, or as LEDs on the impeller with a stationary photodiode sensor. Additional claim-specific coverage includes receptacle bowl concentric steps to prevent upward side flow and impeller curved blades with concavities that retain fluid until collected mass exceeds rotating friction.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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