APPARATUS FOR MEASURING A FLOW OF A FLUID, IN PARTICULAR A URINE FLOW

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a flow of a fluid in dependence on time, in particular a urine flow, including an intake funnel; a hose; an ultrasonic flow sensor; an overflow.

The apparatus is characterized in that a first end of the hose is connected to the intake funnel and a second end of the hose is connected to the overflow; the ultrasonic flow sensor is arranged on the hose; the hose is U-shaped.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring a flow of a fluid in dependence on time, in particular a urine flow, comprising an intake funnel; a hose; an ultrasonic flow sensor; an overflow; wherein a first end of the hose is connected to the intake funnel and a second end of the hose is connected to the overflow; the ultrasonic flow sensor is arranged on the hose; the hose is U-shaped.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hose runs straight over a length of at least 10?ID upstream of the ultrasonic flow sensor and over a length of at least 5?ID downstream of the ultrasonic flow sensor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hose is a polymer hose.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic flow sensor is clamped to the hose without a coupling means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a discharge valve, which is arranged on the hose between the ultrasonic flow sensor and the overflow.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a collecting container, which is arranged downstream of the overflow.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the hose has a vertical, upwardly directed outlet opening in the overflow.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake funnel has concentric flow breakers which taper to the outflow portion, and/or has a bent outflow portion.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake funnel has a mesh structure in the outflow portion of the funnel.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a battery or accumulator.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein parts of the apparatus or the entire apparatus have an enclosure.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further has a chair structure or a urinal, wherein the chair structure or the urinal is connected to the intake funnel, or the intake funnel is formed by the chair structure or the urinal, or the mentioned apparatus in a compact structural form is suspended in a toilet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0054] The disclosure will be explained in greater detail below by means of 6 figures and an example.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a setup of the apparatus according to the disclosure;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a setup of the apparatus according to the disclosure with a bent intake funnel;

[0057] FIGS. 3(A) and (B) show a setup of the apparatus according to the disclosure with a chair structure;

[0058] FIGS. 4(A) and (B) show the volume flow over time for two different volume flows;

[0059] FIG. 5(A) shows the absolute deviation of the measured values of a measurement using the apparatus according to the disclosure relative to a weighing measurement; (B) shows the relative deviations of the measurement results;

[0060] FIG. 6(A) shows the absolute deviation of the measured values of a measurement using the apparatus according to the disclosure relative to a weighing measurement for different volume flows; (B) shows the relative deviation of the measurement results.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows a measurement of volume flow which changes over time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a setup of the apparatus 100 according to the disclosure. The intake funnel 10 is connected to a first end of the hose 20. The ultrasonic flow sensor 30 is clamped to the hose 20. Downstream of the ultrasonic flow sensor 30 there is arranged a discharge valve 40, with which the apparatus 100 can be emptied if required. The second end of the hose opens into the overflow 50. The second end of the hose has a vertical, upwardly directed outlet opening 51 in the overflow. The upwardly directed outlet opening is formed by the second end of the hose, which is directed upwards. The apparatus 100 additionally has a collecting container 60 in the form of a vessel.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the apparatus 100 according to the disclosure. The apparatus 100 has the same setup as described in relation to FIG. 1. Only the intake funnel 10 is configured differently than in FIG. 1. The intake funnel 10 has a bent outflow portion 12, so that the axis of the bent outflow portion 12 of the intake funnel deviates from the axis of the conical part of the intake funnel 11. The axes are shown by broken lines in the figure.

[0064] FIG. 3(A) shows a setup of the apparatus 100 according to the disclosure with a chair structure 70. FIG. 3(B) shows an enlarged detail of the setup of the apparatus 100 according to the disclosure. The chair structure 70 is a commode as is known from the specialized trade for sanitation products. The further components of the apparatus are mounted beneath the commode. The intake funnel 10 is arranged in the opening in the seat area of the commode. The intake funnel 10 is connected to the first end of the hose 20. The outlet valve 40 and the ultrasonic flow sensor 30 are arranged on the hose 20. The ultrasonic flow sensor 30 is connected to a data converter 31, which in turn permits a connection to a PC (not shown). The second end of the hose 20 opens into the overflow 60.

[0065] FIG. 7 shows the measurement results of a measurement of a volume flow which changes over time. The curve that rises and falls again shows the flow in ml/s over time. The curve that rises and then runs constantly shows the measured total volume in dependence on time.

[0066] FIGS. 4 to 6 will be explained in greater detail in connection with the exemplary embodiment.

Exemplary Embodiment 1

[0067] In order to validate the apparatus according to the disclosure, comparison measurements were carried out. To this end, a constant volume flow (water, 23? C.) was generated by means of a pump and directed by means of a hose into the funnel. The hose was not kept still, but the intake position was constantly varied slightly in order to simulate a urination process. Defined flows of between 180 ml/min and 2560 ml/min were generated. A reference sensor measured the flow that was generated before it exited into the apparatus according to the disclosure. After passing through the apparatus according to the disclosure, the water was collected in a collecting container for weighing.

[0068] FIGS. 4(A) and (B) shows a measurement signal of the ultrasonic flow sensor for a volume flow of 180 ml/min (FIG. 4(A)) and for a volume flow of 2560 ml/min (FIG. 4 (B)). After the volume flow is stopped, a small post-oscillation of the fluid column is to be observed in the measurement signal in particular in the case of higher flows. The measurement results for the different constant volume flows are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the case of low flows (180 ml/min and 284 ml/min), the measurements show a slightly higher deviation of the flow measurement from the actual flow. In the case of higher flows, however, the measurement error falls constantly to less than 5% (see FIG. 6). The volumes can also reliably be reproduced with the apparatus according to the disclosurethe errors here behave similarly to the case of the flow measurement, which was also to be expected due to the direct relationship between the flow and the volume (see FIG. 5). In FIGS. 5 and 6, the absolute deviation of the measured values of a measurement using the apparatus according to the disclosure relative to a weighing measurement is in each case shown in Figure (A), and the relative deviation of the measurement results is shown in Figure (B).

[0069] By means of the apparatus according to the disclosure, a reliable evaluation of a urination process is therefore possible. The measurement error in the case of low volume flows (?284 ml/min) is still sufficient to make a correct diagnosis in the medical sense. For flows in higher volume flows (>284 ml/min), the error, at <5%, is substantially smaller. The reproduction of a meaningful flow characteristic curve is also possible in this range.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0070] 10 intake funnel [0071] 11 part of the intake funnel [0072] 12 outflow portion of the intake funnel [0073] 20 hose [0074] 30 ultrasonic flow sensor [0075] 31 data converter [0076] 40 discharge valve [0077] 50 overflow [0078] 51 upwardly directed outlet opening [0079] 60 collecting container [0080] 70 chair structure [0081] 100 apparatus