US005730.149A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,730,149 Nakayama et al. 45 Date of Patent: Mar. 24, 1998 54. TOILET-BOWL-MOUNTED URINALYSIS FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS UNIT 59-217844 12/1984 Japan. 60-117155 6/1985 Japan. 75 Inventors: Chiaki Nakayama; Kuniaki 63-629 2/1988 Japan. Shinohara; Takanori Matsuno; Toshio 1-136573 9/1989 Japan. Koguro; Hiroshi Tsuboi; Yukihiro 2-193054 7/1990 Japan. Fukuda; Naoki Sato, all of 3-139334 6/1991 Japan. Kita-kyushu, Japan 4-77662 3/1992 Japan. 4-366743 12/1992 Japan. 73) Assignee: Toto Ltd., Fukuoka, Japan 5-7767 2/1993 Japan. 5-19341 4/1993 Japan. 21 Appl. No.: 507,420 5-30764 4/1993 Japan. 6-87400 3/1994 Japan. 22 PCT Filed: Dec. 27, 1994 6-230006 8/1994 Japan. 6-258315 9/1994 Japan. 86 PCT No.: PCT/P94/02264 6258316 9/1994 Japan. S371 Date: Nov. 3, 1995 7-35745 2/1995 Japan. Primary Examiner-Max Hindenburg & 102(e) Date: Nov. 3, 1995 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, 87 PCT Pub. No.: WO95/18373 Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P. PCT Pub. Date:Jul. 6, 1995 57 ABSTRACT 30 Foreign Application Priority Data A toilet bowl-mounted urinalysis unit (14) adapted to be Dec. 30, 1993 JP Japan ... readily mounted to a standard water closet bowl fixture (12) Dec. 30, 1993 JP Japan ... for sampling and analysis of urine at a toilet. The unit (14) Dec. 30, 1993 (JP Japan ... includes a substantially self-contained housing (22) which is Dec. 30, 1993 JP Japan ... designed to be mounted on the upper surface of the standard Mar 31, 1954 JP Japan O. 6087359 bowl fixture (12) between the bowl (16) and the flushing water supply section (18). Hinged to the housing (22) is a (51 Int. Cl. .................. A61B 5/00 toilet seat (24) to which is mounted a urine sampling device 52 U.S. Cl. .......................................... 128/760; 128/771 (26) designed such that urine excreted into the bowl (16) is 58) Field of Search ................................... 128/760, 771; sampled in mid-air within the inner space of the bowl. The 4/314, 661: 73/864.81-864.85 housing (22) receives a urinalysis device (50) with a polaro graphic flow cell and a syringe pump (52) for transferring a 56) References Cited urine sample to the flow cell together with a carrier liquid. The polarographic flow cell has a working electrode sup U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS porting an enzyme. In one embodiment, a reservoir for the 4,636,474 1/1987 Ogura et al.. carrier liquid is received within the housing (22). In another 4,860,767 8/1989 Maekawa . www. embodiment, the carrier liquid reservoir (402) is mounted to 4,901,736 2/1990 Huang ..................................... 128/760 a toilet lid. Amethod for reforming a toilet equipped with a 4,961431 10/1990 Ikenaga et al. 4,962,550 10/1990 Ikenaga et al. standard bowl fixture (12) into a toilet equipped with a 4,982,741 1/1991 Saito et al., urinalysis function is also provided wherein a prefabricated 5,073,500 12/1991 Saito et al.. toilet seat assembly (28) having the urine sampling device 5,111,539 5/1992 Hiruta et al., (26) incorporated in advance into the toilet seat (24) is used. 5,184,359 2/1993 Tsukamura et al.. 5,198,192 3/1993 Saito et al. .............................. 128/760 79 Claims, 25 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 1 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar 24, 1998 Sheet 2 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 2 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 3 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 4 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 5 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar 24, 1998 Sheet 6 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 7 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 7 of 25 5,730,149 0609|79| 99||Z9|87|| U.S. Patent Mar 24, 1998 Sheet 8 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 9 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 10 XI !--- 228 2O 2K 238236 234 240 240 s 52 218 t 214 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 10 of 25 5,730,149 FIG 11 24OB 24OC 24OD 24OE 240A 224, 230 24OF U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 11 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 12 of 25 5,730,149 N al P YEZ ZZ , 5NZZ (ZKZZZZZEN \ \, N N NNW 28O 262 FIG. 15 298 NS(?zaal" 258 268 FIG. 16 POTENTIOSTAT U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 14 of 25 5,730,149 S(N / rasn s U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 15 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 19 START URNALYSIS START SWITCH ON DRIVE SWING ARM & POSITION SAMPLNG VESSEL DISCARD EXCESSIVE URINE ATION WASH SYRINGE URINE DETECTED DRAW CARRIER LIOUD DRAW U NJECT CARRIER Draw uRNE LIOUD URNALYSIS & DISPLAY SAMPLE CLEANSING OF SAMPLNG VESSEL U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 16 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 20 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 17 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 18 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 19 of 25 5,730,149 FIG. 23 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 20 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 21 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 22 of 25 5,730,149 sa O d S S U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 23 of 25 5,730,149 | Z Z99999*729 ©()()()()()) (KOESOESNo.te z-Z SUN-SINOENONTSTSTON No.789p. U U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 24 of 25 5,730,149 U.S. Patent Mar. 24, 1998 Sheet 25 of 25 5,730,149 „% 2,4 62’91)I 709 5,730,149 1. 2 TOLETBOWL-MOUNTED URNALYSS standard-type toilet bowls, it is difficult to produce them via UNIT the mass production process. As a result, these systems are too expensive to be installed widely in regular households This application is a 371 of PCT/JP94/02264 filed on and offices. Dec. 27, 1994. Another disadvantage is the difficulty in obtaining a good 1. Technical Field urine specimen since residual flushing water remaining in The present invention relates to a toilet provided with a the urine sampling cavity of the bowl surface after flushing urine analysis function which is capable of sampling and of the bowl tends to dilute the fresh urine to be sampled. analyzing, in situ, urine excreted by the individuals at atoilet Similarly, the fresh urine sample is susceptible to contami installed in residences, offices or other facilities. More specifically, the present invention relates to a toilet bowl 10 nation by residual urine and feces since the urine sampling mounted urinalysis unit which is adapted to be mounted to section is formed on the bowl surface. a standardized water closet bowl fixture commercially avail JP-A-3-139334 of Matsushita Denko K.K. discloses a able on the market. The present invention is also concerned urine sampling and analyzing apparatus having a wheeled with a method for converting a toilet equipped with a main body which is intended to be pulled aside of the toilet standard toilet bowl fixture to a toilet having a urinalysis 15 bowl fixture when in use and to be moved away into a function. non-obstructive location Such as the corner of the toiletroom 2. Background Art when not in use. The main body supports a urine sampling In view of the trends for longevity of the individuals, the cup in a telescoping fashion so that, when urine is to be importance of health care and maintenance has been receiv sampled, the urine sampling cup is moved into the bowl ing increasing attention. As urine is an important source of 20 through a gap defined between the toilet bowl and the toilet information that represents the health conditions of an seat. A testing strip is dipped into the urine sample sampled individual, various dysfunction such as pancreatic disorders by the sampling cup and is tested for urinalysis. (typically, diabetes), hypohepatia, and kidney disorders can The advantage of this apparatus is that urine can be be detected advantageously in a non-invasive manner by sampled by using a standard-type toilet bowl fixture. performing quantitative analysis of certain urine 25 However, the problem involved in this apparatus is that constituents, such as glucose, protein, urobilinogen, occult the wheeled main body as placed on the toilet floor occupies blood and other substances. Accordingly, proposed in the art the toilet floor and therefore hinders cleaning of the toilet as are toilets having a urinalysis function which are capable of well as routine use of the toilet for the purposes of excretion. performing sampling and analysis of urine so as to assist the Handling and manipulation of the apparatus is cumbersome individuals in rendering their health check by making use of 30 because, each time the apparatus is used, the main body must toilets provided in residences, offices and other facilities. be moved toward and away from the toilet bowl in order to For instance, JP-A-59-217844 of Toto Ltd., U.S. Pat. No. position the apparatus in a non-obstructive location after 4,961431 to Ikenaga et al., U.S. Pat.