JP5249665B2 - Breath test device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a breath test apparatus.

  Recently, by measuring the trace components contained in exhaled breath, it has become possible to understand the human health and genetic characteristics. For example, by measuring the concentration of hydrogen gas in exhaled breath, using the action of the intestinal flora and the substrate, diagnosis of carbohydrate absorption deficiency (lactose, sucrose, fructose, etc.), mouth-cecal (small intestine) transit time It can be used for the measurement of gastrointestinal tract, abnormal growth of intestinal bacteria, diagnosis of small intestinal mucosal disorder, and the like.

  For such breath analysis, a dedicated analyzer is used. However, when the previous sample is present in the measurement device, the analysis value cannot naturally be obtained.

  For this reason, when the measurement is completed, the inside of the apparatus is cleaned with air or the like.

  However, since the pipes and tubes from the mouthpiece to the apparatus for blowing exhaled air into the apparatus are not included in this cleaning process, this part is not cleaned. Therefore, the previous sample remaining in this portion is included in the next sample as a contaminant (contamination).

  To prevent this, the tube must be replaced each time. This is both time consuming and expensive.

  Therefore, an exhalation test apparatus capable of automatically washing the above-described sample introduction tube portion is provided.

  In view of the current situation, the present inventor has completed the breath test apparatus of the present invention as a result of earnest research, and the feature thereof is an apparatus for testing human breath, a sample breath inlet, A pump for sucking gas, a suction line from the sample breath introduction port to the pump, a measurement part through which the sample passes, an internal line from the pump to the measurement part, a release for releasing the gas from the measurement part to the atmosphere A cleaning gas introduction line is connected to the suction line, and the cleaning line is connected to a position farther from the pump than the cleaning gas introduction line connection portion of the suction line from the release line. It is in.

  Exhalation as used in this application is used in a broad sense. Any gas that exits the mouth is called exhalation, whether or not it comes from the alveoli.

  The exhalation test here means measuring the concentration of a substance contained in exhaled breath, and the substance is not limited. For example, hydrogen, ammonia, methane and others.

  As for the sample breath, it is free whether the subject blows the breath directly into the apparatus, is sucked by a pump, or is introduced into another container (such as a bag) once. Therefore, the sample exhalation inlet refers to the connection port or mouthpiece of the container from which the exhalation is collected.

  The pump may be a normal pump, and it is sufficient if it has a capacity capable of slowly sucking out an amount of exhaled air.

  The suction line is a path from the sample exhalation inlet to the pump, and may be any metal pipe or plastic tube. The suction line is provided with a first valve to switch the gas sucked into the pump. This first valve may be a simple electromagnetic valve or the like.

  The measurement unit consists of a separation column and a sensor unit. The separation column may be for ordinary gas analysis, and an appropriate one may be selected depending on the gas to be analyzed. In short, a normal separation column or the like may be used. The sensor unit measures the separated gas qualitatively or quantitatively and emits a measurement value as an electrical signal.

  The internal line is a passage from the pump to the measurement unit, and may be anything similar to the suction line. This line may be provided with a dryer for dehydrating the sample entering the measuring section. For this, a material filled with an adsorbent is sufficient.

  The release line is a passage from the measurement unit to the opening for releasing the atmosphere, and may be the same as described above. A third valve is provided in the release line. This also determines whether or not the gas from the measurement unit is released to the atmosphere. All of the valves may be the electromagnetic valves described above.

  The cleaning gas may be atmospheric air, but other gases may be used when the air is contaminated. The cleaning gas introduction line introduces the cleaning gas into the suction line, and may be connected to an appropriate position of the suction line. The cleaning gas introduction line is switched by providing a second valve. Moreover, you may provide an above-described dryer in this line. This is to reduce the load on the internal line dryer.

  The washing line is a passage connected from the release line to the sample inlet, and this is a major feature of the present invention. A fourth valve is also provided in this line to switch the passage.

  Further, the first valve and the second valve can be made one by using a three-way valve. Further, a four-way valve including a connecting portion of the cleaning line may be used.

  Further, the third valve and the fourth valve may be made one by using a three-way valve.

  Moreover, although opening and closing of each valve and operation of the pump can be performed manually, it is preferable to automatically control them by a computer or the like. In that case, each valve and pump are electrically connected to the controller.

The breath test apparatus of the present invention has the following effects.
By switching the valve, the exhalation introduction passage can also be cleaned, so there is no contamination of the previous measurement. Therefore, more accurate measurement can be performed.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram showing the principle and gas flow of the breath test apparatus 1 of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a cleaning process. The cleaning air passes through the second valve 2, passes through the pump 3 and the measurement unit 4, passes through the fourth valve 5, and is discharged from the sample breath introduction port 6. As a result, most of the sample breath introduction line can be cleaned. At this time, the first valve 7 and the third valve 8 are closed.

  Next, FIG.1 (b) shows the place which each valve switches and is performing the measurement process. The sample exhalation passes through the first valve 7 from the sample exhalation inlet 6, passes through the pump 3 and the measurement unit 4, and is released into the atmosphere via the third valve 8. Thus, measurement of a sample, that is, analysis of a specific component in exhaled breath is performed.

FIG. 2 shows a more specific diagram.
First, the room air inlet 11 for cleaning passes through the air dryer 12 and is connected to the first port 15 of the first three-way valve 14 from the air inlet line 13. In addition, the second port 16 of the first three-way valve 14 passes through a suction pump 17, passes through a sample dryer 18, and communicates with a separation column 19. The column 19 passes through the sensor 20 and is connected to the first port 22 of the second three-way valve 21. The second port 23 of the second three-way valve 21 is open to the atmosphere.

  The third port 24 of the second three-way valve 21 communicates with the third port 25 of the first three-way valve by piping. The sample introduction line 26 is connected to the third port 25 of the first three-way valve described above. Here, although it is connected to another port 27, it is actually the third port itself because it is connected to the third port 25. In this example, the tip of the sample introduction line 26 is a connection port 28 to which a breath collection bag is attached.

The first three-way valve 14, the second three-way valve 21, and the pump 17 are connected to a timer (which may be a computer) 29 and are operated by signals thereof.
The analysis value from the sensor 20 can be sent to another computer 30.

In this example, the operation will be described.
First, when the power switch is turned on, the open / close state of each valve is the state shown in FIG. When the power is turned on, the pump is operated and the room air is sent to the column and the sensor and waits for the temperature of the sensor unit to rise. When the temperature is raised to a predetermined temperature, a display lamp or the like is used for display. Then, an exhalation collection bag is attached to the sample introduction port (connection port 28). Of course, you may attach beforehand.

  Then, the button for starting suction is pressed. When this button is pressed, various valves are switched to the state shown in FIG. Then, the sample breath is measured in this state for a certain time (usually about 10 to 20 seconds). The measured value is sent to a computer or printed out by a printer or the like.

When the predetermined time elapses, each valve is again switched to the initial state by a signal from the timer 29.
This completes the measurement.

  Further, a flow rate adjusting valve may be provided between the pump 17 and the dryer 18 in this example. Since the amount to be introduced into the column varies depending on the column packing amount and the like, the amount to be introduced is adjusted.

In addition, the sample exhalation normally requires only exhalation in the alveoli, and preferably does not contain gas in the oral cavity (dead space) (referred to as end exhalation). Therefore, it is preferable to collect only end exhalation in the exhalation collection container.
When the sample inlet of the present invention is a mouthpiece and sucks exhaled air directly from a subject, it is preferable to discard the exhaled gas for the first few seconds and introduce only the end exhaled gas into the column.

  This is because a three-way valve is provided on the downstream side of the pump 17 to discard the dead space (usually said to be about 150 cc for adults). For example, for 5 seconds (depending on the capacity of the pump) After releasing from the three-way valve to the atmosphere and after 5 seconds, the three-way valve is switched and introduced into the measurement column.

It is a schematic flowchart which shows the principle of this invention breath test | inspection apparatus 1, and the flow of gas. It is a schematic flowchart which shows one example of this invention exhalation collection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Invention breath test apparatus 2 2nd valve 3 Pump 4 Measuring part 5 4th valve 6 Sample breath introduction port 7 1st valve 11 Indoor air introduction port 12 Air dryer 13 Air introduction line 14 1st three-way valve 15 1st port Flow meter 16 Second port 17 Suction pump 18 Sample dryer 19 Column 20 Sensor 21 Second three-way valve 22 First port 23 Second port 24 Third port 25 Third port 26 of the first three-way valve Sample introduction line 27 Port 28 Sample introduction connection port 29 Timer 30 Computer

Claims (1)

A device for inspecting human breath, comprising a sample breath inlet, a pump for sucking gas, a suction line from the sample breath inlet to the pump, a measurement section through which the sample passes, and the measurement from the pump In the internal line to the part, having a release line for releasing the gas from the measurement part to the atmosphere,
The cleaning gas introduction line to the suction line connected, connecting the cleaning line from the disengagement line farther from the pump than the cleaning gas introduction line connection of the suction line, and further,
On the suction line, a first valve between the cleaning line connection part and the cleaning gas introduction line connection part, a second valve on the cleaning gas introduction line, and an air release side from the cleaning line connection part of the release line And a third valve and a fourth valve in the washing line.

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