Toilet volatile organic compound analysis system for urine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918362-B2
Application number	US-201615250039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

An in-toilet urine sampling and measurement system is disclosed. One or more toilet sensors trigger volatilization, measurement, and analysis of volatile compounds in a urine sample. Volatile urine compounds may be concentrated, measured, and analyzed by a measurement system attached to a toilet bowl. A volatilizer system may use heat generated from one or more measurement devices to assist in volatilization of the urine sample.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An in-toilet urinalysis system comprising:
a toilet bowl comprising a receptacle, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a urine sample;
a urine volatilizer system, wherein the urine volatilizer system is attached to the toilet bowl and comprises a heater configured to generate heat, wherein the heat generated by the heater volatilizes at least a portion of the urine sample;
one or more measurement devices comprising a processor, wherein the one or more measurement devices include a light source or a processor that generates heat, measurement devices generate heat, wherein the one or more measurement devices is attached to the toilet bowl; and
a trigger sensor, wherein when the trigger sensor senses urination by a user, the trigger sensor actuates the one or more measurement devices causing the one or more measurement devices to conduct measurements of volatile organic compounds released from the urine sample followed by analysis of the measurements by the processor;
wherein the system is configured to remove heat from the light source or the processor to assist the urine volatilizer system in volatizing the urine sample.

2. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the urine sample, wherein the heater maintains the urine sample between 90 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the volatilizer system comprises: a liquid absorbing material with high gas permeability, a vacuum generator, or a bubbler.

4. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a concentrator or pre-concentrator that adsorbs or absorbs the volatile organic compounds of the urine sample.

5. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 4 , wherein the heater comprises an inductive heater which directly heats the concentrator or pre-concentrator.

6. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver, wherein the measurements of volatile organic compounds collected by the one or more measurement devices are locally stored and the transceiver transmits the plurality of measurements to a remote device only after a user uses the toilet 10 times.

7. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 5 , wherein the heater heats the concentrator or pre-concentrator to a temperature of between 90 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more measurement devices include one or more of: a metal oxide (MOX) sensor, an electrochemical sensor, a mass spectrometer, an acoustic resonator, a refractometer, a spectrometer, a gas chromatograph, or a liquid chromatograph.

9. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger sensor is one or more of: a temperature sensor, a force sensor, a light sensor, a pH sensor, a motion sensor, a camera, a thermal imaging sensor, a button, an acoustic sensor, or a gas sensor.

10. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver, wherein the measurements of volatile organic compounds collected by the one or more measurement devices are locally stored and the transceiver transmits measurement trends to a remote device only after a user uses the toilet 10 times.

11. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver, wherein the measurements of volatile organic compounds collected by the one or more measurement devices are locally stored and the transceiver transmits measurement trends to a remote device only after a user uses the toilet 30 times.

12. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the volatile organic compounds include one or more of: alcohols, ketones, alkanes, alkenes, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, ethers, pyrroles, nitriles, or aromatics.

13. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust port which exhausts volatile organic compounds after measurement is complete.

14. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more measurement devices comprise an array of sensing elements.

15. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 13 , wherein the exhaust port is located on an exterior surface of the toilet such that a canine olfactory gland or a removable collection device is configured to access the exhaust port.

16. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more measurement devices comprise a liquid chromatography column, a micro liquid chromatography column, a gas chromatography column or a micro gas chromatography column.

17. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more measurement devices comprise a urine analysis spectrometer.

18. The in-toilet urinalysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver, wherein the transceiver transmits the measurements collected by the one or more measurement devices to a cloud based medical health system each time a toilet user urinates in the toilet bowl.

19. An in-toilet urinalysis system comprising:
a toilet bowl comprising a receptacle, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a urine sample;
a urine volatilizer system, wherein the urine volatilizer system is attached to the toilet bowl and comprises a heater configured to generate heat, wherein the heat generated by the heater volatilizes at least a portion of the urine sample;
an electrophoresis column or a micro electrophoresis column comprising a processor, wherein the electrophoresis column or the micro electrophoresis column generates heat, wherein the electrophoresis column or micro electrophoresis column is attached to the toilet bowl;
a trigger sensor, wherein when the trigger sensor senses urination by a user, the trigger sensor that actuates the electrophoresis column or the micro electrophoresis column causing the electrophoresis column or the micro electrophoresis column to conduct measurements of volatile organic compounds released from the urine sample followed by analysis of the measurements by the processor; and
wherein the heat generated from the electrophoresis column or the micro electrophoresis column is used in a heat exchange system to provide heat to the urine volatilizer system for volatizing the urine sample.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Butala Steven
• Swenson Ben
• Kim Gayun
• Larsen Joshua
• Reynolds Jared
• Fox Joe
• Price Cameron
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Butala Steven
• Swenson Ben
• Kim Gayun
• Larsen Joshua
• Reynolds Jared
• Fox Joe
• Price Cameron

Classifications

• E03D11/13

  Parts or details of bowls; Special adaptations of pipe joints or couplings for use with bowls {, e.g. provisions in bowl construction preventing backflow of waste-water from the bowl in the flushing pipe or cistern, provisions for a secondary flushing, for noise-reducing} · CPC title

• E03D2201/00

  Details and methods of use for water closets and urinals not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B5/207

  Sensing devices adapted to collect urine · CPC title

• G01N1/405

  by adsorption or absorption · CPC title

• G01N33/493

  urine · CPC title