JPH0562296B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention operates an oscillator after checking the state of moisture adsorption, and emits an alarm signal by a receiver located in a remote direction. The present invention relates to a diaper that allows a third party to immediately detect when a person relieves themselves and change the diaper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, as society ages and the number of people living longer lives increases due to advancements in modern medicine, there is a tendency for the number of so-called ``sleepy old people'' to increase. It is said that more than 30% of the patients in geriatric hospitals are occupied by the above-mentioned "bedridden elderly," and the disposal of urine and feces is a major problem when caring for these patients. It is thought that if urine in stool can be easily disposed of, it will lead to a reduction in the burden on patients and nurses.

Conventional methods for treating urine are broadly divided into treatment after natural urination using devices such as diapers, and treatment for continuous urination using an indwelling catheter such as a balloon catheter. To further explain the treatment using the orthosis mentioned above, since it is unknown when the patient, elderly person, or infant relieves himself/herself, the nurse may take measures such as changing the diapers of many patients at the same time at different times. The current situation is that

On the other hand, as a means of sensing using the moisture contained in excrement, attempts have been made to install a good electrical conductor such as an electric wire inside the diaper, detect changes in its electrical conductivity, and issue an alarm signal to the outside. In addition, the present applicant has previously provided a means for forming a capacitor in a diaper and quantitatively determining the capacitance of the capacitor based on the amount of water adsorption.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the conventional means as described above, in the former case, that is, when the orthoses are replaced all at once at intervals, some patients may continue to defecate for a long time. This results in discomfort and pain such as diaper rash, coldness, bedsores, etc.

According to the latter method, which utilizes changes in the capacitance of a capacitor, it is possible to determine the amount of moisture adsorbed to the water absorbing layer 2, making it possible to change only the diapers of patients who need them, without causing discomfort to the patient. However, with conventional disposable diapers, it is not possible to immediately know the measurement result, that is, whether or not the diaper is wet enough to require changing, at a remote location such as a nursing center. No oscillator was available that could do this.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to the improvement of conventional disposable diapers as described above, particularly disposable diapers capable of sensing moisture content by utilizing changes in capacitance of capacitors. The aim is to obtain a disposable diaper that activates an oscillator when a change in capacitance is detected, operating a receiver located at a remote location and emitting an alarm signal. a water-impermeable top sheet, a moisture-impermeable back sheet, a water-absorbing layer located between the two sheets, and an oscillator that detects moisture adsorbed on the water-absorbing layer and outputs an alarm signal. In the configuration, two rows of metal layers extending parallel to each other at a constant interval along the longitudinal direction of the diaper are adhered and formed on the same plane of the water-impermeable back sheet facing the water-absorbing layer; An exposed portion reaching the edge of the back sheet is formed in these two rows of metal layers, and an electrically insulating layer is coated on the surface of one of the metal layers, so that both metal layers, an electrically insulating layer, and a water absorption layer are formed. The exposed portions of the two rows of metal layers are clamped and fixed to a pair of clips provided on the lid of a separately prepared waterproof case that can be opened and closed. The lead wire is connected to an oscillator that oscillates by detecting a change in capacitance between the metal layers, and the oscillator is housed in the waterproof case.

Effect With the above structure, a capacitor is formed by the two rows of metal layers and the electrical insulating layer and water absorption layer that coat the surface of the metal layer on one side, and the water absorption layer is formed by the water absorption layer of the capacitor. By measuring the capacitance of the capacitor, which changes depending on the state of moisture adsorption in the water absorption layer located between the metal layers, it is possible to determine the amount of moisture in the water absorption layer. The degree of moisture adsorption inside the layer can be sensed, and since the metal layer is formed parallel to the same plane of the moisture-impermeable back sheet facing the water absorption layer, the metal layer may change depending on the usage conditions. The distance between the two points does not change, allowing stable measurements. Moreover, the oscillator is activated based on the obtained measurement results, activates the receiver installed at a remote location, and activates the alarm, thereby providing an effect that the nurse can immediately be alerted.

Furthermore, the oscillator that detects changes in capacitance between metal layers and oscillates is housed in a waterproof case that can be opened and closed with a clip attached to the lid, so when connecting this oscillator to the diaper, By clipping the clip attached to the lid to the exposed portion extending from the two rows of metal layers to the end of the back sheet, the metal layer and the oscillator are connected, and the oscillator is connected to the exposed portion that extends from the two rows of metal layers to the end of the back sheet. Operability can be improved.

Further, by housing the oscillator in a waterproof case, the oscillator can be kept highly watertight during normal use, and the entire device can be made more compact.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the disposable diaper according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a water-permeable top sheet, 2 is a water-absorbing layer, and 3 is a water-impermeable back sheet. The top sheet 1 is a nonwoven fabric such as rayon, polypropylene, or polyester fiber with a basis weight of 10 to 30 g/m ² or a debossed and porous plastic film with a thickness of 50 μm or less.
is a structure made of cotton-like pulp, tissue paper, super absorbent polymer, etc., and the back sheet 3 is a plastic film of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, etc. with a thickness of 30 μm or less. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two rows of metal layers 4 and 5 are adhered and formed on the same plane of the back sheet 3 facing the water absorption layer 2 and the back sheet 3.
The metal layers 4 and 5 are made of materials such as aluminum, zinc, copper, and tin that are adhered to the back sheet 3 in the form of a thin film by lamination or vapor deposition, and are formed at regular intervals along the longitudinal direction of the diaper. They are held and extended in parallel. The surface of the metal layer 5 on one side of the metal layers 4 and 5 is covered with an electrically insulating layer 6 as shown in FIG. The metal layers 4 and 5 are formed so as to reach the ends of the back sheet 3, and the exposed parts 7 and 8 are led out and connected to a separately provided measuring device to measure the capacitance.

The metal layers 4 and 5 preferably have a width of about 3 mm to 30 mm, and have a length of at least 50% of the total length of the diaper. In addition, when laminating the metal layers 4 and 5 on the back sheet 3, the thickness
It is preferable to use a metal foil with a thickness of 5 μm to 15 μm, and when forming using a vapor deposition method, it is desirable to perform vacuum vapor deposition under a high vacuum of 1×10 ⁻² Torr or more. The electrical insulating layer 6 is made of silicone resin, acrylic resin, polyamide resin, nitrile rubber, wax, sodium silicate, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, etc.
It is sufficient to form a thin film of 5 μm or less.

According to the above configuration, a capacitor is formed by the two rows of metal layers 4 and 5, the electrical insulating layer 6, and the water absorption layer 2, and the water absorption layer 2 functions as a part of the capacitor. Since the capacitance of the capacitor changes depending on the amount of water adsorbed by the water absorption layer 2, if the change in capacitance is measured using a measuring device connected to the exposed parts 7 and 8 as described above, it is possible to determine the amount of water absorbed. The amount of moisture adsorbed to the layer 12, ie, the degree of wetness of the diaper, is determined quantitatively.

Next, an example of mounting a small oscillator will be explained based on FIG. That is, the male shapes 10, 10 and the female shapes 11, 1 are attached to the lids 9a, 9b of the waterproof case 9, which are prepared separately.
1, forming a pair of male clips 10, 1
0 (or female type 11, 11), lead wires 12, 12 are fixed at one end to
The other end of 12 is connected to an oscillator 13. A clip with a male mold 10 and a female mold 11 as a set is attached to the back sheet 3.
The metal layer 4,
5 and the oscillator 13 are electrically connected. As the waterproof case 9, a bag body made of synthetic or artificial leather is used to improve sealing performance, and the clips are plated with nickel or chrome to provide a rust-resistant structure. Incidentally, in order to improve the contact between the clip and the metal layers 4 and 5, it is also possible to provide a protrusion on the side of the clip for pressure bonding.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of the oscillator 13, which includes a built-in button-type battery 14 and a resistor 15.
The oscillation circuit 16 and the terminals 17, 1 connected via
7 and a switch 18. The oscillation output of this oscillation circuit 6 is transmitted to a receiver 19 located at a remote location, and is configured to operate an alarm 21 via an amplifier 20.

To measure the capacitor formed in the diaper as described above, the AC bridge method, parallel resonance method, series resonance method, etc. specified in JIS-C5102 (Testing method for fixed capacitors for electronic equipment) are used.
Both can be measured by known circuit means. By detecting changes in the capacitance of the capacitor, the amount of water adsorbed into the water absorption layer 2 can be determined.

A small oscillator 13 at one end of the diaper worn by the patient.
The metal layers 4 and 5 are sandwiched between the male molds 10 and 10 and the female molds 11 and 11 of the waterproof case 9 which has built-in, and are fixed with clips provided on the lids 9a and 9b, and the switch 18 Turn on. When moisture flows into the water absorption layer 2 in this state, the capacitance between the metal layers 4 and 5 changes, so the battery 14
An oscillation output is generated from the oscillation circuit 16. A receiver 19 installed in a nurse center etc. receives this oscillation output.
The patient's urinary condition can be confirmed by receiving the signal and activating the alarm 21 via the amplifier 20. Note that, as the alarm device 21, it is of course possible to use an alarm lamp in addition to a buzzer.

Effects of the Invention The structure and operation of the disposable diaper capable of sensing moisture content according to the present invention has been explained in detail above, and by using the present invention, various advantages and effects described below can be brought about. I can do it.
That is, the configuration of the diaper itself can be obtained relatively easily,
In addition, by strongly adhering two parallel rows of metal layers between the back sheet and the water absorbing layer by laminating or vapor deposition, wire breakage can occur due to bending when worn or movement of the human body. There's nothing to do,
Moreover, since the distance between the metal layers constituting the electrodes of the capacitor does not change depending on the usage conditions, there is no fluctuation in the measured capacitance, and accurate measurement results can always be obtained. Moreover, based on the operation of the oscillator, the name of the patient who has used the toilet can be immediately recognized even in a nursing center located in a remote location, so it is natural to change the patient's diaper without causing discomfort to the patient and for hygiene purposes. Also, favorable usage conditions can be obtained. Since the oscillator is housed in a completely waterproof case, it can be kept highly watertight even when used on a patient's bed during long-term care, especially in high humidity conditions, and there is no risk of malfunction. . In addition, the waterproof case and oscillator can be made smaller, so they do not get in the way when wearing a diaper.Moreover, the oscillator, which detects changes in capacitance between metal layers and oscillates, can be clipped onto the lid. It is housed in an attached waterproof case that can be opened and closed, so to connect this oscillator to the diaper,
The metal layer and the oscillator can be connected to each other by simply attaching a clip attached to the lid of the case to the exposed part formed from the two rows of metal layers to the edge of the back sheet. It is possible to improve the operability when changing diapers. Therefore, even in cases where a large number of patients have to be taken care of, such as in a hospital or nursing home, a small number of nurses can take care of a large number of patients because diapers can be changed quickly. It has the effect of making it possible to see. Furthermore, after use, the waterproof case can be removed and the diaper alone can be incinerated, making it extremely effective to use primarily as a disposable diaper.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a disposable diaper capable of sensing moisture according to the present invention, and FIG.
3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the small oscillator adopted in the present invention and its housing case.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a small oscillator. 1...Top sheet, 2...Water absorption layer, 3...Back sheet, 4, 5...Metal layer, 6...Electric insulation layer,
7, 8...Exposed part, 9...Waterproof case, 10...
...Male type, 11...Female type, 12...Lead wire, 13
...oscillator, 14...battery, 16...oscillation circuit,
18...Switch, 19...Receiver, 20...Amplifier, 21...Alarm.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A moisture-permeable top sheet, a moisture-impermeable back sheet, a water-absorbing layer located between the two sheets, and an alarm signal by detecting moisture adsorbed on the water-absorbing layer. In a configuration comprising an oscillator that outputs a At the same time, an exposed portion is formed in the two rows of metal layers that reaches the edge of the back sheet, and an electrically insulating layer is coated on the surface of the metal layer on one side. It has a structure in which a capacitor is formed by a layer, an electrical insulating layer, and a water absorption layer, and the exposed portions of the two rows of metal layers are attached to a pair of clips attached to the lid of a separately made waterproof case that can be opened and closed. The clip is clamped and fixed, and a lead wire led out from the clip is connected to an oscillator that oscillates by detecting a change in capacitance between the metal layers, and the oscillator is housed in the waterproof case. An oscillating device that can detect the amount of moisture in disposable diapers.