D E S C R I P T I O N

"Urine measuring device"

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a urine measuring device designed for the monitoring and the measurement of the urine of a patient under observation during a preset time interval, and to a procedure for the measurement of said urine.

Background of the invention

Urine measuring devices are used in hospitals and in other types of centres, such as nursing homes for persons who require special attention, with the aim of collecting and/or analysing the urine of the patients or residents. Usually, urine measuring devices are equipped with a support which is fixed to the bed of the patient and to which a measuring container which collects the discharge of a catheter which carries the urine which comes from the patient is attached.

The measuring container is comprised of one or more measuring chambers which, in the majority of cases, are transparent and are equipped with a corresponding measuring scale by which the quantity of urine collected in the corresponding measuring chamber may be read. Each measuring chamber has an overflow connection leading to a collecting bag, which is removably and replaceably attached to said measuring chamber or to its support, so that it may be removed and/or emptied as necessary.

Before emptying the collecting bag, the urine in the measuring container must first be transferred. Generally, so that the known urine measuring devices may allow the upturning of their measuring containers, the latter must be unhooked from the support and subsequently re-affixed to the same. Among the devices used traditionally for the collection and measurement of the urine of a patient, the one disclosed, for example, in patent EP-A-0008450 appears. In said document a transparent urine collector featuring a measuring scale is disclosed, by which it is possible to verify the total volume of urine collected, or alternatively the hourly diuresis; that is, the average value of the urine passed each hour.

The measuring containers are usually transparent, which allows the

carrying out of a visual examination of the colour and the turbidity of the urine, indicators which, in most cases, herald the presence of infections or the loss of blood due to internal haemorrhage. However, the inspection and monitoring of the volume of urine in this type of collector or container is hindered due to the fact that, although the same is usually manufactured in its entirety from transparent material, it hangs before a dark background, usually under the bed. Furthermore, on the majority of occasions, the doctor has to bend down and even tilt the collector in order to be able to see the level of urine, which may give rise to imprecise or incorrect readings. Thus, it is evident that the manual method described above entails many disadvantages, one of the most important of these being the fact that an observer is required in order to monitor the urine collector with the passage of time. This fact, taking into account the usual lack of time and the scarcity of personnel, makes this a rather impractical method. In patent document DE-PS-3240191 another variant of a urine measuring device is disclosed, which comprises a urine-collecting cavity and an automatic device which, by means of the use of ultrasonics from a transmitter- receiver operating in conjunction with a microprocessor located in a monitoring unit, allows the quantity of urine collected over a set space of time to be known. However, this measuring device, while efficient, is complex and costly to manufacture.

In patent document DE-A-4023336, a device for monitoring the volume of body fluids, such as urine or drainage fluid after a surgical operation is disclosed. With this device, the volume contained in a chamber is determined by means of the influence which the level of fluid exerts on the capacity of a measuring condenser. An assembly such as that described in patent DE-A- 4023336 is also costly and complex. Besides, for a prolonged use of this type of system, it is necessary to clean the chamber and the measuring condenser regularly, as otherwise, the possible formation of sediment may give rise to false results.

In general, it may be stated that the majority of the existing systems proposed for the monitoring and/or measurement of the flow of urine from patients are either complex in their set-up and therefore costly both in their manufacture and when marketed to the public; or alternatively are imprecise and their use is awkward for the health workers in the hospitals.

Thus, at present, there is no urine-measuring device comprising the

minimum single-use components, an indispensable requirement in order to guarantee hygiene in hospitals, and in addition to being reliable in its measurements, should be economical both to manufacture and to market.

With the aim of trying to solve some of the difficulties existing in the State of the Art of different devices, the urine-measuring device of this invention provides novel, efficient solutions which also guarantee the integrity of the measurement and of the patient.

Explanation of the invention With the aim of providing a solution to the problems outlined herein, a urine measuring device is disclosed, particularly applicable to the measurement of the urine passed by a patient during a preset time interval. Said device, which is adapted to be interposed between the tube which catches the urine of the patient and the final urine collection tank or bag, comprises a housing provided with a urine inlet orifice on its upper surface and a urine outlet orifice at the bottom, which is funnel-shaped.

In essence, the device is characterised because it also comprises a rotating body, located inside the housing, and equipped with at least two cavities, a locking system, adapted in order to prevent the rotating body from turning and to maintain the same in a position in which all the urine which enters the housing is deposited only in the cavity which is arranged immediately below the urine inlet orifice of the housing; a detection system which generates a signal when the level of the urine in the receiving cavity surpasses a preset level, which will deactivate the locking system, allowing the rotating body to turn until a cavity adjacent to this receiving cavity is arranged immediately below the urine inlet orifice in the housing; and a monitoring system, which counts the number of signals generated by the detection system during the preset period of time, and therefore the number of times that the urine collected in the cavities has surpassed the level established, equivalent to the total volume and/ or the flow of the urine passed.

The aforementioned device is especially designed so that it may be connected between the patient's urine catching tube and the conventional collection bags.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, said collecting cavities are arranged on the rotating body in such a way that, when the locking system is deactivated, the rotating body turns automatically due to the effect of

the weight of the urine held in the receiving cavity.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the rotating body comprises a body which swings between two stable extreme positions A and B, equipped with two equal cavities, separated by a division which coincides with a plane of symmetry and on which the swing axis of the rotating body is arranged, said cavities being arranged so that when one of them is in the position in which all the urine which enters the housing is collected in its interior, the other cavity is arranged so that all the urine which it contained is emptied, by gravity, into the lower part of the housing, from where it is drained through the outlet orifice.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the locking system comprises at least one electromagnet adapted so that it may exert a force of magnetic attraction on a metallic element arranged in its proximity, such as a metallic element arranged on each of the cavities of the rotating body, said force being sufficient to prevent the turning movement of said rotating body.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the locking system comprises at least one movable mechanical stop which prevents relative movement between the rotating body and the housing. In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the detection system comprises at least one pair of electrodes connected to a power source, and which are inserted into the mouth of the receiving cavity when said cavity is arranged in the position in which all the urine which enters the housing is collected inside this cavity, in such a way that when the tips of said electrodes are submerged in the urine collected in said cavity, the electrodes are short- circuited and the signal which deactivates the locking system is generated.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the monitoring system comprises a visual display unit, likewise an optical and acoustic warning device. In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the monitoring system comprises a rotation counter which counts the number of turns of the rotating body.

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the monitoring system comprises an impulse counter which counts the number of swings carried out by the swinging body.

With the aim of providing a solution to the problems outlined herein, a

procedure for measuring the volume of urine passed by a patient during a preset time interval is also disclosed, which consists of the temporary collection of urine in a collection bag equipped with an inlet orifice for the ingress of urine from the patient through a catching tube. In essence, the procedure is characterised because partial volumes of urine are collected in one or more cavities, of known volumes adapted to this end, which automatically receive the urine and drain it to the collecting bag; and the total volume of urine in the collecting bag is calculated by means of a counting device which records the number of cavities filled and/or the number of times a particular cavity has been filled and drained.

In accordance with another characteristic of the procedure which is the object of this invention, the recording of the number of cavities filled and/or the number of times a particular cavity has been filled and drained consists of the detection and counting of a signal or electrical impulse, generated by a detection system when the level of urine in each of the cavities is at maximum, and received by the counting device.

The procedure for measuring the volume of urine passed by a patient is characterised also because the total volume of urine is determined by the product of the partial volume of a cavity multiplied by the number of electrical impulses received and counted by the counting device.

Brief description of the drawings

In the attached drawings, by way of a non-limitative example, a preferred embodiment of the urine measuring device which is the object of this invention is portrayed. In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic portrayal of the urine measuring device in accordance with the invention, when the swinging body is in its stable position A, and

Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are schematic views of the housing of the device in Figure 1 , in which the sequence of movements executed by the rotating body from its stable position A to its opposite stable position B may be seen.

Detailed description of the drawings

A urine measuring device 1 in accordance with the invention, as portrayed in Figure 1 , is interposed between a urine catching tube 3 coming from the patient, and a final urine collecting bag 4. Said device 1 is comprised of a housing 2 equipped with two orifices, one urine inlet orifice 2a located on its upper surface and one urine outlet orifice 2b, located at the bottom. The housing 2 is shaped like a funnel in order to facilitate the draining of the urine, which collects in the collecting bag 4.

Said housing 2 is an airtight container equipped with an inlet for the urine of the patient through said inlet orifice 2a and an outlet for the draining of the urine into the collecting bag 4 through said outlet orifice 2b.

As is portrayed in Figure 1 , the device 1 is comprised of a rotating body 5, located inside the housing 2. Said rotating body 5 is equipped with two cavities 5a and 5b. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a locking system 6, a detection system 7 and a monitoring system 8 which are described below.

The locking system 6 is adapted in order to prevent the turning of the rotating body 5 and to maintain it in a position in which all the urine which enters the housing 2 collects only in the cavity 5a or 5b which is arranged immediately below the inlet orifice 2a of the housing 2. The detection system 7 generates a signal when the level of urine collected in the receiving cavity 5a or 5b surpasses a preset level. This signal deactivates the locking system 6, thus allowing the rotating body 5 to turn until a cavity 5b or 5a, adjacent to the previously collecting cavity 5a or 5b, is arranged immediately below the urine inlet orifice 2a. The new cavity 5b or 5a is now arranged in its position for collecting urine.

The monitoring system 8 counts the number of signals generated by the detection system 7 during a set measuring time interval, and therefore the number of times that the urine collected in cavities 5a or 5b has surpassed the set level. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the total volume of urine passed. Cavities 5a and 5b of the rotating body 5 are arranged in such a way that when said locking system 6 is deactivated, the rotating body 5 turns automatically due to the effect of the weight of the urine contained therein.

In the embodiment portrayed in Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, a sequence of the operation of the device 1 is shown. In the case shown, the rotating body 5 consists of a swinging body 50, swinging between two stable extreme positions A and B. The swinging body 50 itself is comprised of two equal

cavities 5a and 5b, separated by a partition 55, which coincides with a plane of symmetry and on which the swing axis 56 of the rotating body 5 is arranged. Said cavities 5a and 5b are arranged in such a way that when one of them, cavity 5a or 5b, is arranged so that all the urine which enters the housing is collected inside said cavity, that is, in position A of Figures 2a and 2b or in position B of Figure 2d respectively, the other cavity 5b or 5a respectively is arranged so that all the urine which it contained is poured by gravity into the lower portion of the housing 2, from where it is drained through the outlet orifice 2b. It has been noted that when the rotating body 5 is comprised of a swinging body 50 swinging between two stable extreme positions (A and B), in order that the cavity 5a or 5b which is collecting the urine may be correctly arranged, it is preferable that said body 50 should be of a configuration whereby its centre of gravity may be higher than the point of the same at which the swing axis 56 will be attached.

As may be seen in Figure 1 , the locking system 6 is comprised of two electromagnets 6a and two metallic elements 6b, each of the latter arranged in one of the cavities 5a and 5b of the rotating body 5. Said electromagnets 6a exert a magnetic attracting force on a corresponding metallic element 6b disposed in its proximity and prevents the turning movement when one of the cavities 5a or 5b is being filled.

The two metallic elements 6b of the locking system 6 also act as mechanical stops which prevent relative movement between the rotating body 5 and the housing 2. In this way, it may be assured that the swinging body 50 will only swing between two stable extreme positions, A and B.

It is also foreseen, in a variation which is not portrayed, that the locking system 6 may consist only of movable mechanical stops arranged in cavities 5a and/or 5b, which are complementary to sockets located in the proximity of said cavities 5a and/or 5b. Similarly, said sockets may be located in cavities 5a and 5b, being complementary to mechanical stops located in their proximity.

The detection system 7 portrayed in Figures 1 and 2a to 2d is comprised of a pair of electrodes 7a and 7b connected to a power source. Said electrodes 7a and 7b are inserted into the mouth 10 of the collecting cavity 5a or 5b when said cavity is in the position in which all the urine which enters the housing 2 is collected in its interior, that is, in the extreme stable position A or B. When the ends of said electrodes 7a and 7b are submerged in the urine collected in

cavity 5a or 5b, the same electrodes 7a or 7b respectively are short-circuited, generating a signal which deactivates the locking system 6.

In the situation portrayed in Figure 2b, the electrodes 7a are submerged in the urine collected in cavity 5a, and this fact causes a signal which deactivates the locking system 6 and causes the swinging body 50 to start to swing, as may be seen in Figure 2c. The swinging action stops when the locking system 6 acts, by means of the metallic stops 6b and due to the deactivation of said short-circuit signal, which reactivates the electromagnets 6a of the locking system 6. These electromagnets 6a once again attract and immobilise the swinging body 50 in an extreme stable position, in this case in position B.

It should be mentioned that the monitoring system 8 of the device 1 is comprised preferably of a visual display unit and an optical and acoustic warning system, which facilitate both the reading and the taking and recording of data by the healthcare personnel. It should preferably also include an internal clock (not portrayed).

The monitoring system 8 may determine the volume of urine passed because it also comprises an impulse counter, not portrayed, which counts the number of swings executed by the swinging body 50. Besides, in another variation, not portrayed, the monitoring system 8 may comprise a counter which counts the number of turns of said rotating body 5.

Said monitoring system 8 may carry out multiple programmed functions or calculations. One of them, for example, consists of the determination of the calculation of the flow of urine, using the data available, which are volumes and hourly diuresis (volumes and collecting times).

By means of the execution of the different functions foreseen, at any moment the collecting time, the volume collected, and therefore the flow of urine passed may be displayed.

The device 1 is preferably equipped with a connection (not portrayed) adapted to connect the device 1 directly to the alternating current of the conventional electricity network. Alternatively, the device 1 may be self- contained, being equipped with dry or rechargeable batteries.

The procedure for measuring the volume of urine passed by a patient during a preset time interval, which is carried out in the example portrayed, consists, in general terms, of the temporary collection of urine in a collecting bag 4. Said bag 4 is equipped with an inlet 41 for the collection of the urine of

the patient through a collecting tube 3, and optionally with an outlet for the draining of the same.

In said measuring procedure, a collection of partial volumes of urine is first carried out in two cavities 5a and 5b adapted to this end and whose volume is known, for example 5 cm ³ each. Next, the urine received is drained automatically into the collecting bag 4.

In the case portrayed in Figures 2a to 2d, the draining of the partial volumes of urine is carried out by means of the automatic deactivation of the locking system 6 when electrodes 7a or 7b are short-circuited on being submerged in the urine. This happens, as has been detailed above, when the level of urine reaches its maximum level inside cavities 5a or 5b.

Finally, the total volume of urine in the collecting bag 4 is calculated by means of a counting device, not portrayed, which records the number of cavities 5a and 5b which have been filled. Alternatively, the number of times that a particular cavity 5a or 5b has been filled and drained may be recorded. In this way, by means of addition and/or multiplication of the known partial volumes, the value of the total volume of urine contained in the collecting bag 4 is obtained.

In a more detailed manner, the recording of the number of cavities 5a or 5b which have been filled and/or the number of times a particular cavity 5a or

5b has been filled and drained, consists of the detection and counting of the signals or electrical impulses, generated by the detection system 7 when the level of urine in each of cavities 5a or 5b is at its maximum. Said signal is received by the counting device. From this record, the volume of urine passed by a patient is determined by the product of the partial volume of one cavity 5a or 5b multiplied by the number of electrical impulses received and counted by said counting device.

Said total volume is memorised and recorded in the monitoring system 8, which is where the counters are usually located, it being possible to access the value of the total volume at any time, for example by means of the visual display unit.

Moreover, it is foreseen that the different cavities 5a and 5b of the rotating body 5 may be equipped with a corresponding measuring scale by which the quantity of urine collected in the same may be read. This measuring scale allows the final volume passed to be known more exactly.

It should be mentioned that the level detectors of the detection system

7, which in the example portrayed consist of a pair of electrodes 7a and 7b, may be replaced by photoelectric detectors which avoid, to advantage, direct contact with the urine.

The device 1 is especially designed so that the housing 2 should be for single use only; that is to say, that it should serve for a single patient for a few days; on the contrary, the monitoring system 8 is foreseen to have a prolonged use for several patients. This being so, the monitoring system 8 may be housed in a body which is independent from the housing 2, being connected to this by means of a system of electrical grips. The body which houses the monitoring system 8 is therefore the part which is affixed permanently to the patient's bed by means of a universal system of clamps or hooks.

Also, in order to guarantee the safety of the patient against infections, or to guarantee the integrity of the urine collected, if this is to be analysed, it is foreseen that the housing 2 shall comprise at least one antimicrobial filter at the points of connection of the respective elements which make up the device 1. Furthermore, as is usual, standard collecting bags 4 are used, preferably also equipped with anti-microbial filters.

The housing 2, which has been conceived as a fungible element of the device 1 , is preferably made of plastic material with easily-manufactured metallic inserts of very simple design. It is therefore inexpensive, both in its manufacture and in its purchase by the end-users.

On the other hand, the monitoring system 8 has been conceived as a reusable assembly, also with the intention of reducing costs.

Evidently, this technical solution of endowing a urine measuring device 1 with a rotating body 5 is applicable to various forms and measurements. Thus, said rotating body 5 may consist of a cylindrical body with cavities 5a and 5b distributed as circular sectors throughout the plane of the cylinder, being equipped with mouths 10 made in the lateral wall of said cylindrical rotating body 5. The urine measuring device 1 , adapted so as to receive said urine and to establish the quantity passed by a patient, being sufficiently described herein, anything which does not alter the essence of the same should be considered as the object of this invention.