JP7378249B2 - Drip monitoring sensor and drip monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to drip monitoring sensors and drip monitoring systems.

2. Description of the Related Art Infusion devices equipped with drip tubes are used to administer liquids such as nutrients and medicinal solutions to living organisms such as patients. The infusion device includes an infusion tube, an infusion tube, various medical devices, and the like, and these form a route (infusion line) for transporting liquid. The infusion tube is equipped with a clamp and an infusion pump for adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the infusion line.

2. Description of the Related Art A drip monitoring sensor for monitoring a liquid falling inside a drip tube included in the above-mentioned infusion device or the like is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Specifically, the drip monitoring sensor described in Patent Document 1 includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element arranged so that the optical axis lies within a single plane, and when a droplet falls inside the drip tube, the light-receiving element changes the output voltage generated by the droplet, which allows the droplet to be detected.

JP 2017-202259 Publication

The drip monitoring sensor is used while attached to the drip tube, but depending on the position where it is attached, it may not be possible to accurately detect droplets. However, Patent Document 1 does not describe detecting the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor on the drip tube.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a drip monitoring sensor and a drip monitoring system that can detect the attachment position of the drip monitoring sensor to the drip barrel.

A drip monitoring sensor according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a drip monitoring sensor that can be attached to a drip tube, monitors a liquid falling inside the drip tube, and is capable of emitting light toward the liquid. a light emitting section, a light receiving section capable of receiving light emitted by the light emitting section and outputting a light reception signal according to the received light, and mounting of the drip monitoring sensor on the drip tube based on the light reception signal. and a control unit that calculates information regarding the position.

As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the device further includes a notification unit that reports information regarding the mounting position calculated by the control unit.

As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit determines whether the mounting position is appropriate as information regarding the mounting position.

As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the notification unit reports information regarding whether the mounting position is appropriate.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit determines that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor on the drip tube is inappropriate when a change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is detected for a predetermined period of time or more. do.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the light receiving section is configured with a plurality of light receiving elements, and the control section is configured to: A vertical distance from the droplet outlet of the drip barrel to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor is calculated.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the light receiving section is configured with a plurality of light receiving elements, and the control section is configured such that a time difference between changes in the amount of received light indicated by light receiving signals from the plurality of light receiving elements is set to a predetermined value. If the time difference is greater than or equal to the time difference, it is determined that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor on the drip barrel is inappropriate.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the light receiving section includes two light receiving elements.

As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the notification unit notifies the information regarding the mounting position only within a predetermined time after detecting the start of the work of mounting the drip monitoring sensor on the drip barrel.

A drip monitoring system according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a drip monitoring sensor that can be attached to a drip tube, and a control device, wherein the drip monitoring sensor monitors the inside of the drip tube. The control device includes a light emitting section capable of emitting light toward a falling liquid, and a light receiving section capable of receiving the light emitted by the light emitting section and outputting a light reception signal according to the received light. , a control unit that calculates information regarding a mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor in the drip barrel based on the light reception signal.

According to the drip monitoring sensor and drip monitoring system of the present disclosure, it is possible to detect the attachment position of the drip monitoring sensor to the drip tube.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the infusion device in which the drip monitoring sensor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is attached to the drip barrel. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the infusion device of FIG. 1, and a front view of the drip monitoring sensor and drip tube shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the drip monitoring sensor shown in FIG. 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the attachment state of the drip monitoring sensor to the drip tube. It is a figure which shows an example of the attachment state of the drip monitoring sensor to the drip tube. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor in the wearing state of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor in the wearing state of FIG. 4B. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the control unit in FIG. 3. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the mounting state of the drip monitoring sensor based on 2nd Embodiment with respect to the drip tube. It is a figure which shows an example of the mounting state of the drip monitoring sensor based on 2nd Embodiment with respect to the drip tube. It is a figure which shows an example of the mounting state of the drip monitoring sensor based on 2nd Embodiment with respect to the drip tube. 7A is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor in the wearing state of FIG. 7A. FIG. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor in the attached state of FIG. 7B. FIG. 7C is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor in the wearing state of FIG. 7C. It is a figure which shows the simulation result which shows the relationship between the falling distance of a droplet, and a falling speed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which the control part of the drip monitoring sensor concerning 2nd Embodiment performs. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an infusion monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Common components in each figure are designated by the same reference numerals. In this specification, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction when the drip tube 110 is used on a living body, which will be described later, and the upper direction refers to the direction in which the dripping part 111 is located when viewed from the discharge part 112 (i.e., in FIG. "upward" and "downward" mean the opposite direction.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an infusion device 100 in which an infusion monitoring sensor 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is attached to an infusion barrel 110. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1, and is a front view showing the drip monitoring sensor 1 and the drip barrel 110. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the drip monitoring sensor 1. As shown in FIG. The arrows shown in FIG. 3 indicate the direction in which electrical signals flow.

The drip monitoring sensor 1 is a sensor that monitors the liquid falling inside the drip tube 110. As shown in FIG. 1, the drip monitoring sensor 1 of this embodiment is used while being attached around a drip barrel 110. As shown in FIG. 1, the drip barrel 110 constitutes, for example, a part of the infusion device 100.

The drip monitoring sensor 1 includes a light emitting section 10 that can emit light toward a liquid such as a drug solution falling inside the drip barrel 110, and a light receiving section 30 that can receive the light emitted by the light emitting section 10. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the light emitting unit 10 is configured to be able to irradiate incident light L1 toward a liquid such as a medical solution falling inside the drip tube 110, and the light receiving unit 30 is configured to be able to receive attenuated transmitted light L2 generated by absorption and/or refraction of incident light L1 by the liquid.

The drip monitoring sensor 1 further includes a control unit 50 that calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip barrel 110. The light receiving section 30 outputs a light reception signal corresponding to the received light to the control section 50. The control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip barrel 110 based on the light reception signal.

The drip monitoring sensor 1 further includes a notification section 80. The notification unit 80 reports information regarding the mounting position calculated by the control unit 50. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the notification section 80 is constituted by a light emitting element, and reports information by emitting light. However, the form of the notification section 80 will be described in detail later, but is not limited to this.

The infusion device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is used to administer liquids such as nutrients and medicinal solutions to a living body such as a patient. The infusion device 100 forms an infusion line for transporting liquid to a living body. Specifically, the infusion device 100 includes an infusion container 101 such as an infusion bag containing a liquid, an infusion barrel 110 that allows the flow rate of the liquid supplied from the infusion container 101 to be visually checked, and an indwelling needle placed in a living body. The infusion tube 102 includes a connector 102 that can be connected to a device, etc., and a plurality of infusion tubes 103 that connect these components. The infusion line is formed by an infusion container 101, an infusion tube 110, a connector 102, and an infusion tube 103. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the infusion device 100 further includes a clamp 104 attached to the infusion tube 103 and an infusion pump 105 for adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the infusion line.

As shown in FIG. 2, the drip tube 110 includes a dripping section 111 that introduces the liquid transported from upstream of the infusion line into an internal dripping chamber 113, and a dripping section 111 that discharges the liquid in the dripping chamber 113 downstream of the infusion line. It includes a discharge part 112 and a peripheral wall part 114 that partitions the peripheral surface of the dripping chamber 113. The peripheral wall portion 114 includes at least a portion thereof a light transmitting portion formed of a light transmitting material. Specifically, the light transmitting portion of the peripheral wall portion 114 is provided at least at a position above the liquid level of the stored liquid 117, which will be described later.

The liquid transported to the drip tube 110 falls as a falling droplet 116 from the droplet outlet 111a of the dripping part 111, and is stored as a stored liquid 117 in the dripping chamber 113. The discharge part 112 discharges a part of the stored liquid 117. Thereby, the stored liquid 117 is maintained at an appropriate amount.

The drip monitoring sensor 1 is used to monitor the falling droplet 116 falling inside the dripping chamber 113 inside the drip tube 110. As shown in FIG. 2, the drip monitoring sensor 1 of the present embodiment sandwiches the peripheral wall 114 of the drip tube 110 at the position of the light transmitting part located above the liquid level of the stored liquid 117. It is installed like this.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drip monitoring sensor 1 of this embodiment includes a light emitting section 10, a light receiving section 30, a control section 50, a storage section 60, an amplification section 70, and a notification section 80.

The light emitting unit 10 can irradiate the incident light L1 through the light transmitting part of the peripheral wall part 114 toward the falling droplet 116 falling inside the dripping chamber 113 of the drip tube 110. The light emitting unit 10 is configured with a light emitting element that emits light, such as one or more LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or LDs (Laser Diodes). In this embodiment, the following description will be made assuming that the light emitting section 10 is constituted by one LED.

The light receiving section 30 can receive the light emitted by the light emitting section 10. In this embodiment, the light receiving unit 30 is capable of receiving attenuated transmitted light L2 generated by the incident light L1 from the light emitting unit 10 being absorbed and/or refracted by the falling droplet 116. However, the light receiving unit 30 may detect reflected light generated when the incident light L1 from the light emitting unit 10 is reflected by the falling droplet 116. The light receiving section 30 is composed of, for example, one or more light receiving elements such as a PT (Photo Transistor) or a PD (Photo Diode). In this embodiment, the following description will be made assuming that the light receiving section 30 is constituted by one PT.

The light receiving section 30 outputs a light reception signal based on the received light including the transmitted light L2 to the control section 50 via the amplification section 70. As shown in FIG. 2, in the drip monitoring sensor 1 of this embodiment, the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30 are located in the same horizontal plane H.

The control unit 50 controls and manages the entire drip monitoring sensor 1, including each functional part of the drip monitoring sensor 1. The control unit 50 is configured to include at least one processor. The control unit 50 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program that defines a control procedure, or a dedicated processor specialized for processing each function. Such a program is stored in the storage unit 60 or a storage medium external to the drip monitoring sensor 1.

The control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip barrel 110 based on the light reception signal from the light receiving unit 30. The control unit 50 may determine whether or not the mounting position is appropriate based on the information regarding the mounting position. Details of the calculation process of information regarding the mounting position by the control unit 50 will be described later. The control unit 50 outputs the calculation result of information regarding the mounting position to the notification unit 80. Further, the control unit 50 detects the falling droplet 116 based on the light reception signal from the light reception unit 30.

The storage unit 60 can be configured with a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The storage unit 60 stores, for example, various information, a program for operating the drip monitoring sensor 1, and the like. Specifically, the storage unit 60 stores threshold values and the like used by the control unit 50 to calculate information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1. The storage unit 60 may also function as a work memory.

The amplification section 70 is composed of, for example, an amplification circuit, and amplifies the light reception signal from the light reception section 30 and outputs it to the control section 50.

The notification unit 80 notifies the outside of information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 calculated by the control unit 50. When the control unit 50 determines whether the mounting position is appropriate, the notification unit 80 notifies information regarding whether the mounting position is appropriate. The notification unit 80 may be configured in any manner that can notify information to the outside. For example, the notification section 80 is configured with a light emitting element, and may output information to the outside based on the color of the emitted light, the lighting state, the blinking state, or the like. Further, for example, the notification section 80 is configured with a speaker, and may output information to the outside by sound such as an alarm sound or a voice announcement. For example, the notification unit 80 may be configured using a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL display (OELD), or an inorganic electro-luminescence display (IELD). The information can be output to the outside using various displays. Further, for example, the notification section 80 is configured with a vibrator, and may output information to the outside according to a vibration pattern. The notification unit 80 may be configured in a manner other than the specific example shown here. Further, the notification unit 80 may be configured by combining a plurality of aspects.

Here, a preferred mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 with respect to the drip tube 110 will be explained. The higher (upper) the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted on the drip tube 110, the more preferable it is.

If the drip monitoring sensor 1 is installed at a low position on the drip barrel 110 (for example, at a height close to the liquid level of the stored liquid 117), the falling droplet 116 dropped from the droplet outlet 111a of the dripping part 111 will be If the droplet splashes on the surface of the stored liquid 117, there is a high possibility that the drip monitoring sensor 1 will detect the splashed liquid as the falling droplet 116, which is an erroneous detection. The higher the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted on the drip barrel 110, the smaller the risk of detecting liquid splashing.

Furthermore, if the drip monitoring sensor 1 is installed at a low position on the drip barrel 110, when the liquid that has adhered to the peripheral wall 114 due to liquid splashing or the like drips down from above along the inner wall of the peripheral wall 114. , there is an increased possibility that an erroneous detection in which the drip monitoring sensor 1 detects the liquid as a falling droplet 116 will occur. The higher the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted on the drip barrel 110, the more likely that even if liquid adheres to the peripheral wall 114, the liquid that drips down the peripheral wall 114 will be less likely to be attached to the drip tube 110. less likely to pass through higher elevations.

Furthermore, if the drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached to a low position on the drip tube 110, there is a possibility that an erroneous detection will occur in which the drip monitoring sensor 1 detects the stored liquid 117 when the drip tube 110 is tilted. It increases. The higher the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted on the drip barrel 110, the lower the possibility that the drip monitoring sensor 1 will detect the stored liquid 117 even if the drip barrel 110 is tilted.

Furthermore, if the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted at a low position on the drip tube 110, if the drip tube 110 is tilted, the falling droplet 116 will come into contact with the peripheral wall 114 before reaching the drip tube monitoring sensor 1. There are cases. In this case, since the falling droplet 116 does not fall to the position where the drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached, the possibility that the drip monitoring sensor 1 will not be able to detect the falling droplet 116 increases. The higher the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted on the drip tube 110, the more likely the falling droplet 116 will come into contact with the peripheral wall 114 before reaching the drip tube 110 even if the drip tube 110 is tilted. becomes low, and as a result, the possibility that the falling droplet 116 cannot be detected becomes low.

For the above reasons, it is preferable for the drip monitoring sensor 1 to be installed at a higher position in the drip tube 110. However, if the mounting position is too high and the horizontal plane H including the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30 is placed at a position higher than the tip of the dripping section 111, the drip monitoring sensor 1 cannot detect the falling droplet 116. . For example, when the horizontal plane H including the light emitting part 10 and the light receiving part 30 is approximately the same height as the tip of the dripping part 111 (droplet outlet 111a), the drip monitoring sensor 1 is formed at the tip of the dripping part 111. Therefore, the falling droplet 116 cannot be detected properly.

Therefore, the drip monitoring sensor 1 according to the present disclosure detects the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 on the drip barrel 110, and issues a notification if the mounting position is not appropriate. These processes are controlled by the control unit 50.

Next, details of the calculation process of information regarding the mounting position, which is executed by the control unit 50, will be described.

4A and 4B are diagrams each showing an example of a state in which the drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached to the drip barrel 110. Specifically, FIG. 4A shows an example where the drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached to the drip barrel 110 at an appropriate mounting position, and FIG. 4B shows an example where the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted above the appropriate mounting position. An example is shown in which the drip tube 110 is attached to an inappropriate attachment position. In addition, in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the drip tube 110 and the drip monitoring sensor 1 are partially simplified and shown.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the attached state of FIG. 4A. In FIG. 5A, the vertical axis indicates droplet detection intensity, and the horizontal axis indicates time. The droplet detection intensity is an index calculated according to a change in the amount of light received by the light receiving section 30. In FIG. 5A, time _t1 is the time when the drip monitoring sensor 1 starts detecting the falling droplet 116 (detection start time), and time _t2 is the time when the drip monitoring sensor 1 no longer detects the falling droplet 116. (detection end time).

The mounting state shown in FIG. 4A is an example in which the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted at an appropriate mounting position where the falling droplet 116 can be detected. In this case, the drip monitoring sensor 1 detects the falling droplet 116 that falls naturally. The drip monitoring sensor 1 detects the falling droplet 116, as shown in FIG. 5A, while the falling droplet 116 passes through the horizontal plane H that includes the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30.

FIG. 5B is a diagram showing changes in the droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the attached state of FIG. 4B. In FIG. 5B as well, the vertical axis indicates the droplet detection intensity, and the horizontal axis indicates time. In FIG. 5B, time _t3 is the time when the drip monitoring sensor 1 starts detecting droplets (detection start time), and time _t4 is the time when the drip monitoring sensor 1 stops detecting droplets (detection start time). end time).

The mounting state shown in FIG. 4B is an example in which the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted at an inappropriate position above an appropriate mounting position where the falling droplet 116 can be detected. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, the horizontal plane H including the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30 is at the same height as the droplet before falling, which is formed at the droplet outlet 111a of the dripping section 111. The drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached to the drip tube 110 at the position. In this case, the drip monitoring sensor 1 detects a droplet that is forming at the droplet outlet 111a before falling naturally. In this way, when the drip monitoring sensor 1 is detecting droplets that are being formed at the droplet outlet 111a, it is not possible to properly detect the falling droplets 116. In this embodiment, the control unit 50 detects whether or not the drip monitoring sensor 1 is mounted at an inappropriate mounting position as described above, as a process for calculating information regarding the mounting position.

Comparing FIGS. 5A and 5B, the graph of the detection intensity detected when the drip monitoring sensor 1 is installed at an appropriate position is different from that when the drip monitoring sensor 1 is installed at an inappropriate position. The time from the detection start time to the detection end time is short compared to the graph of the detection intensity. Using this property, the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 is inappropriate, for example, when the time from the detection start time to the detection end time is longer than the predetermined time Ta. At this time, the predetermined time Ta, which serves as a reference value for the control section 50 to determine whether the mounting position is appropriate or inappropriate, is stored in the storage section 60 in advance, for example. The predetermined time Ta may be set, for example, as the maximum time that is expected to be detected when a droplet falls naturally, or as a time that is longer than the maximum time. However, in order to perform detection with higher accuracy, it is preferable that the predetermined time Ta be closer to the time when a droplet is expected to be detected when it falls naturally.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 50 in this embodiment. The flow shown in FIG. 6 may be started when an operator such as a medical worker performs a predetermined input operation on the drip monitoring sensor 1, for example. The predetermined input operation may be an input operation related to starting the work of attaching the drip monitoring sensor 1 to the drip tube 110. The predetermined input operation may be, for example, an input operation that turns on the power of the drip monitoring sensor 1, or an input operation that causes the drip monitoring sensor 1 to start calculating information regarding the mounting position. It may also be an input operation that causes the monitoring sensor 1 to start detecting droplets. For example, the operator performs a predetermined input operation with the drip monitoring sensor 1 attached to the drip tube 110, or performs a predetermined input operation and then attaches the drip monitor sensor 1 to the drip tube 110.

When a predetermined input operation is performed on the drip monitoring sensor 1, the light emitting unit 10 starts emitting light under the control of the control unit 50, for example, and the light receiving unit 30 starts receiving the light emitted by the light emitting unit 10. . The light receiving section 30 outputs a light receiving signal according to the received light.

The control unit 50 acquires the light reception signal output by the light reception unit 30 (step S11).

The control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip tube 110 based on the light reception signal acquired in step S11. Specifically, the control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position, for example, through the process of step S12.

That is, the control unit 50 determines whether the change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 30 is longer than the predetermined time Ta (step S12). The length of change in the amount of received light is the length of time from the detection start time to the detection end time, as described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

If the change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 30 is less than the predetermined time Ta (No in step S12), the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is appropriate (step S13).

On the other hand, if the change in the amount of light received by the light receiving section 30 continues for more than the predetermined time Ta (Yes in step S12), the control section 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate (step S14). In this case, in the drip monitoring sensor 1, as shown in FIG. 4B, the horizontal plane H including the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30 is at the same height as the droplet before falling that is formed at the droplet outlet 111a. It is in a state where it is attached to the drip tube 110 at the position.

When the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate, the notification unit 80 notifies information regarding the mounting position as a result of the determination (step S15). The operator can know from the notification from the notification unit 80 that the mounting position is inappropriate. In this case, the operator can adjust (lower in this example) the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 on the drip tube 110. Thereby, the drip monitoring sensor 1 can be attached to the drip tube 110 at an appropriate position.

If the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate, it may repeatedly execute the flow shown in FIG. 6 . In this manner, the operator can adjust the mounting position until the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is appropriate.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, it has been explained that the control unit 50 notifies the determination result when it is determined that the mounting position is inappropriate. However, the control unit 50 may notify the determination result when determining that the mounting position is appropriate. In this case, the operator can know from the notification from the notification section 80 that the mounting position is appropriate. The control unit 50 may separately notify whether the mounting position is appropriate or inappropriate so that the operator can recognize it.

As described above, according to the drip monitoring sensor 1 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip barrel 110 based on the light reception signal received from the light receiving unit 30. . Therefore, the attachment position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 to the drip tube 110 can be detected. In particular, in this embodiment, the drip monitoring sensor 1 can determine whether the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 in the drip tube 110 is inappropriate based on the light reception signal.

Note that, for example, when the drip monitoring sensor 1 is attached to the drip tube 110 further above the position shown in FIG. 4B and the horizontal plane H intersects the dripping part 111, the drip monitoring sensor 1 is not detected. In this case as well, it can be said that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 is inappropriate. Therefore, even if no droplet is detected for a predetermined period of time, that is, even if the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 30 does not change, the control unit 50 of the drip monitoring sensor 1 sends an alert from the notification unit 80. You may notify that. Further, when the drip monitoring sensor 1 detects the dripping part 111 (a light shielding object with low transparency), that is, when the amount of light received at the light receiving part 30 continues to decrease significantly for a predetermined period of time or more (for example, FIGS. 5A and 5 In the graph shown in 5B, when the detection intensity exceeds a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period of time or more, the notification unit 80 may notify that fact. Thereby, the operator can recognize that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 1 is inappropriate and can adjust the mounting position.

(Second embodiment)
FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams each showing an example of a state in which the drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the second embodiment is attached to the drip barrel 110. The configuration according to the second embodiment will be explained while omitting the explanation of the same points as the first embodiment as appropriate.

The drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the second embodiment is different from the drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the first embodiment in that the light receiving section 30 is composed of two light receiving elements (for example, PT). That is, the light receiving section 30 of the drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the present embodiment is constituted by a first light receiving element 30a and a second light receiving element 30b.

The first light-receiving element 30a and the second light-receiving element 30b are provided in plane-symmetrical positions with respect to the horizontal plane H passing through the light emitting part 10 in a state where the drip monitoring sensor 2 is attached to the drip barrel 110. The distance W between the first light-receiving element 30a and the second light-receiving element 30b may be appropriately determined within a range in which a time difference, which will be described later, can be detected, and is, for example, 3 to 4 mm. The interval W is stored in the storage unit 60 in advance, for example. The other configuration of the drip monitoring sensor 2 is the same as that of the drip monitoring sensor 1 according to the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

7A to 7C are diagrams showing how the drip monitoring sensor 2 is mounted at different heights. Comparing FIGS. 7A to 7C, in FIG. 7A, the drip monitoring sensor 2 is installed at the highest position, and in the order of FIGS. 7B and 7C, the position where the drip monitoring sensor 2 is installed becomes lower. As mentioned above, the higher the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2, the better. Therefore, the mounting position shown in FIG. 7B is preferable to the mounting position shown in FIG. 7C, and the mounting position shown in FIG. 7A is the highest among these figures. Most preferred.

8A to 8C are diagrams showing changes in droplet detection intensity by the drip monitoring sensor 2 in the attached states of FIGS. 7A to 7C, respectively. In FIGS. 8A to 8C, changes in the detection intensity of droplets are shown in two levels, upper and lower, respectively. The upper row shows the droplet detection intensity by the first light receiving element 30a, and the lower row shows the droplet detection intensity by the second light receiving element 30b. In FIGS. 8A to 8C, the vertical axis indicates droplet detection intensity, and the horizontal axis indicates time.

Referring to FIGS. 8A to 8C, in each case, the falling droplet 116 is detected by the first light receiving element 30a, and then the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b. However, the time from when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the first light receiving element 30a to when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b is longer as the drip monitoring sensor 2 is mounted at a lower position. Becomes shorter.

Here, the time of the peak of the detection intensity is defined as the time of detection of the falling droplet 116 by the light receiving element. However, the detection time may be the detection start time of the detection intensity or the detection end time. At the mounting position shown in FIG. 7A, the time at which the falling droplet 116 is detected by the first light receiving element 30a is set to _t11 , the time at which the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b is set to _t12 , and the time at which the falling droplet 116 is detected by the first light receiving element 30a is set to t12. The time difference between when the falling droplet 116 is detected and when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b is defined as T ₁₀ (=t ₁₂ −t ₁₁ ). Similarly, at the mounting position shown in FIG. 7B, the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a is set as _t21 , the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b is set as _t22 , and the first light receiving element 30a detects the falling droplet 116 as t22. The time difference between when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the element 30a and when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b is defined as T ₂₀ (=t ₂₂ −t ₂₁ ). Similarly, at the mounting position shown in FIG. 7C, the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a is set as _t31 , the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b is set as _t32 , and the first light receiving element 30a detects the falling droplet 116 as t32. The time difference between when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the element 30a and when the falling droplet 116 is detected by the second light receiving element 30b is defined as T ₃₀ (=t ₃₂ −t ₃₁ ). In this case, since the speed of the falling droplet 116 increases as time passes after it starts falling, T ₁₀ >T ₂₀ >T ₃₀ holds true.

Utilizing this property, the control unit 50 adjusts the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a of the dripping part 111 to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 based on the time difference in the change in the amount of received light indicated by the light reception signal of each light receiving element. The distance in the direction can be calculated. Here, the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 can be the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the representative point of the drip monitoring sensor 2. The representative point can be determined as appropriate, and can be one point on the horizontal plane H, for example.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing simulation results showing the relationship between droplet falling distance and falling speed. Specifically, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the speed (falling speed) of the falling droplet 116 in relation to the distance (falling distance) of the falling droplet 116 from the droplet outlet 111a. The drip monitoring sensor 2 may store the simulation results shown in FIG. 9 in the storage unit 60.

The control unit 50 can calculate the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 using the simulation results shown as an example in FIG. Specifically, the control unit 50 controls the time difference T between the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a and the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b, and the difference between the first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b. The falling speed of the falling droplet 116 is calculated using the distance W between the two light receiving elements 30b. The control unit 50 can calculate the falling speed V (=W/T) by dividing the interval W by the time difference T. Then, the control unit 50 determines the falling distance at the calculated falling speed V with reference to the simulation results shown in FIG. The determined falling distance is the distance in the vertical direction from the droplet outlet 111a to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2. In this way, the control unit 50 can calculate the distance in the vertical direction from the droplet outlet 111a to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2.

Note that the simulation results shown in FIG. 9 are only an example. The relationship between the falling distance and the falling speed of the falling droplet 116 may vary because air resistance varies depending on, for example, the volume of the falling droplet 116. Therefore, the storage unit 60 may store simulation results corresponding to the drip tube 110 and/or the falling droplets 116, and the control unit 50 uses the appropriate simulation results to allow the drip to be dripped from the droplet outlet 111a. The vertical distance to the mounting position of the monitoring sensor 2 can be calculated.

Using the above-mentioned property, the control unit 50 controls the drip monitoring sensor for the drip tube 110 based on the time difference in the change in the amount of light received indicated by the light reception signal of each light receiving element, when the time difference is less than or equal to a predetermined time difference Ts. It can be determined that the mounting position of No. 2 is inappropriate (too low). The predetermined time difference Ts can be determined as appropriate depending on the size of the drip tube 110, the manner of use, and the like. The predetermined time difference Ts may be stored in the storage unit 60 in advance, for example.

For example, if the fall distance is 10 mm or more, it is determined that the mounting position is inappropriate. In this case, if the falling speed is faster than the falling speed Vs shown in the simulation results of FIG. 9, the mounting position falls within an inappropriate range. Therefore, the control unit 50 determines that the time difference T between the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a and the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b is a predetermined time difference Ts (=W/Vs). In the following cases, it can be determined that the mounting position is inappropriate. On the other hand, if the time difference T between the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a and the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b is larger than the predetermined time difference Ts, the control unit 50 determines that the attachment is not performed. It can be determined that the position is appropriate.

The control unit 50 calculates the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2, calculated as described above, and/or information regarding whether the mounting position is appropriate. The notification can be made from the notification unit 80. The notification allows the operator to recognize information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2.

Also in this embodiment, the processes described in the first embodiment with reference to the flow of FIG. 6 can be used in combination. By combining the processes described in the first embodiment with reference to the flowchart of FIG. It is possible to detect inappropriate mounting positions in both cases where the mounting position is lower than the predetermined position.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the control unit 50 of the drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the second embodiment. Similar to the flow shown in FIG. 6, the flow shown in FIG. 10 may be started when an operator such as a medical worker performs a predetermined input operation on the drip monitoring sensor 2, for example.

When a predetermined input operation is performed on the drip monitoring sensor 2, the light emitting unit 10 starts emitting light under the control of the control unit 50, for example, and the first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b of the light receiving unit 30, The light emitting unit 10 starts receiving the light emitted. The first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b output a light receiving signal according to the received light.

The control unit 50 acquires the light reception signals output by the first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b (step S21).

The control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 in the drip tube 110 based on the light reception signal acquired in step S21. Here, the control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position by processing from step S22 to step S28.

That is, the control unit 50 determines whether the change in the amount of light received by the first light receiving element 30a or the second light receiving element 30b is longer than the predetermined time Ta (step S22). The length of change in the amount of received light is the length of time from the detection start time to the detection end time, as described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

If the change in the amount of light received by the first light-receiving element 30a or the second light-receiving element 30b continues for a predetermined time Ta or longer (Yes in step S22), the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate (step S28). .

If the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate, the notification unit 80 notifies information regarding the mounting position as a result of the determination (step S29). The operator can know from the notification from the notification section 80 that the mounting position is inappropriate. In this case, the operator can adjust (lower in this example) the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 on the drip barrel 110. Thereby, the drip monitoring sensor 2 can be attached to an appropriate position on the drip barrel 110.

On the other hand, if the change in the amount of light received by the first light receiving element 30a or the second light receiving element 30b is less than the predetermined time Ta (No in step S22), the control unit 50 moves to step S23.

The control unit 50 calculates the time difference T between the detection times of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b (step S23). Specifically, the control unit 50 calculates the time difference T by calculating the difference between the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the second light receiving element 30b and the detection time of the falling droplet 116 by the first light receiving element 30a. calculate.

Next, the control unit 50 calculates the falling speed V of the falling droplet 116 (step S24). Specifically, the control unit 50 calculates the falling speed V by dividing the distance W between the first light receiving element 30a and the second light receiving element 30b by the time difference T.

Then, the control unit 50 calculates the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the drip monitoring sensor 2, as information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 (step S25). Specifically, the control unit 50 refers to the simulation result showing the relationship between the falling distance and the falling speed of the droplet shown as an example in FIG. The vertical distance from the discharge port 111a to the drip monitoring sensor 2 can be calculated.

Further, the control unit 50 determines whether the time difference T calculated in step S23 is less than or equal to a predetermined time difference Ts as a threshold (step S26).

When the control unit 50 determines that the time difference T is larger than the predetermined time difference Ts (No in step S26), the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 in the drip tube 110 is appropriate (step S27).

On the other hand, when the control unit 50 determines that the time difference T is less than or equal to the predetermined time difference Ts (Yes in step S26), the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 on the drip tube 110 is inappropriate (step S28). ).

If the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate, the notification unit 80 notifies information regarding the mounting position as a result of the determination (step S29). The operator can know from the notification from the notification unit 80 that the mounting position is inappropriate. In this case, the operator can adjust (in this example, raise) the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 on the drip tube 110. Thereby, the drip monitoring sensor 2 can be attached to an appropriate position on the drip barrel 110.

If the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is inappropriate, it may repeatedly execute the flow shown in FIG. 10 . In this manner, the operator can adjust the mounting position until the control unit 50 determines that the mounting position is appropriate.

In the example shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 50 may notify the determination result when determining that the mounting position is appropriate. In this case, the operator can know from the notification from the notification section 80 that the mounting position is appropriate. The control unit 50 may separately notify whether the mounting position is appropriate or inappropriate so that the operator can recognize it.

The flow described with reference to FIG. 10 is only an example, and the control unit 50 does not need to execute some of the processes. For example, the control unit 50 does not need to execute the process of step S22. For example, the control unit 50 does not need to execute either the processing from step S24 to S25 or the processing from step S26 to step S28.

In this way, also in the drip monitoring sensor 2 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 50 calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 in the drip tube 110 based on the light reception signal received from the light receiving unit 30. I can do it. In this embodiment, the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the drip monitoring sensor 2 is used as information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2, using the time difference T between changes in the amount of light received indicated by the light reception signals from the two light receiving elements. It is possible to calculate the distance in the direction and determine whether the mounting position is appropriate.

In addition, in this embodiment, the example in which the light receiving section 30 is provided with two light receiving elements has been described, but the light receiving section 30 may be provided with three or more light receiving elements. It is preferable that the three or more light receiving elements are arranged so as to be located in the vertical direction when the drip monitoring sensor 2 is attached to the drip tube 110. When the light receiving unit 30 includes three or more light receiving elements, the control unit 50 uses the time difference between the detection times of the falling droplet 116 by the three or more light receiving elements to implement the same principle as described in this embodiment. Information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 2 can be calculated using the .

Note that also in the drip monitoring sensor 1 according to the first embodiment, the distance in the vertical direction from the droplet outlet 111a to the drip monitoring sensor 1 can be calculated. Specifically, the control unit 50 determines that the length of time during which the falling droplet 116 is detected by the light receiving unit 30 changes depending on the falling distance. Therefore, the drip monitoring sensor 1 according to the first embodiment also uses the principle explained in the second embodiment based on the time difference between the detection start time and the detection end time of the falling droplet 116 detected by the light receiving unit 30. Thus, the vertical distance from the droplet outlet 111a to the drip monitoring sensor 1 can be calculated.

In each of the embodiments described above, the drip monitoring sensor 1 or the drip monitoring sensor 2 detects an input operation related to the start of the mounting work on the drip tube 110 as a predetermined input operation, and then performs the mounting only within a predetermined time. Information regarding the location may also be reported. The detection status of the falling droplet 116 by the control unit 50 of the drip monitoring sensor 1 or the drip monitoring sensor 2 may change depending on the usage environment of the drip monitoring sensor 1 or the drip monitoring sensor 2. If an erroneous detection occurs due to a change due to the influence of , and a notification is output from the notification unit 80, a patient receiving an intravenous drip may feel anxious. Therefore, by notifying information regarding the attachment position only within a predetermined period of time after detecting an input operation related to the start of attachment work to the drip tube 110, it is possible to avoid notifications due to false detection after the start of use. This can be prevented and the patient can be prevented from feeling anxious. The predetermined time can be set as appropriate in view of this purpose, and specifically, it can be set as the time assumed for the work of attaching the drip monitoring sensor 1 or the drip monitoring sensor 2 to the drip tube 110.

The present disclosure can also be configured as a system including a drip monitoring sensor and a control device. FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the drip monitoring system 3 when the present disclosure is configured as a system. As shown in FIG. 11, the drip monitoring system 3 includes a drip monitoring sensor 4 and a control device 5. The control device 5 can be configured by, for example, a server device or a terminal device such as a computer. The drip monitoring sensor 4 and the control device 5 are connected to each other through wired or wireless communication so that they can communicate information with each other.

The drip monitoring sensor 4 includes a light emitting section 10, a light receiving section 30, an amplifying section 70, a control section 50a, and a communication section 90a. The functions of the light emitting section 10, the light receiving section 30, and the amplifying section 70 are the same as in the above embodiment. In the drip monitoring system 3, the control section 50a included in the drip monitoring sensor 4 controls the light emitting section 10 and the light receiving section 30, and acquires a light reception signal from the light receiving section 30 via the amplifying section 70. The control unit 50a transmits information on the light reception signal to the control device 5 via the communication unit 90a, which is a communication interface.

The control device 5 includes a control section 50b, a storage section 60, a notification section 80, and a communication section 90b. The functions of the storage section 60 and the notification section 80 are similar to those in the above-described embodiment. The control device 5 receives information on the light reception signal from the drip monitoring sensor 4 via the communication unit 90b, which is a communication interface. The control unit 50b determines the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor 4 in the drip barrel 110 by performing the same processing as in the first and second embodiments described above using information on the light reception signal received by the communication unit 90b. The information regarding the mounting position may be calculated and the information regarding the mounting position may be notified from the notification unit 80. In this way, the present disclosure can be configured as an infusion monitoring system 3.

The drip monitoring sensor and drip monitoring system according to the present disclosure are not limited to the specific configurations and steps shown in the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

The present disclosure relates to drip monitoring sensors and drip monitoring systems.

1, 2, 4: Infusion monitoring sensor 3: Infusion monitoring system 5: Control device 10: Light emitting unit 30: Light receiving unit 30a: First light receiving element 30b: Second light receiving element 50, 50a, 50b: Control unit 60: Storage unit 70: Amplification section 80: Notification section 90a, 90b: Communication section 100: Infusion device 101: Infusion container 102: Connector 103: Infusion tube 104: Clamp 105: Infusion pump 110: Infusion tube 111: Dripping section 111a: Droplet outlet 112: Discharge section 113: Dripping chamber 114: Surrounding wall section 116: Falling droplet 117: Storage liquid H: Horizontal surface L1: Incident light L2: Transmitted light

Claims (8)

A drip monitoring sensor that can be attached to a drip tube and monitors liquid falling inside the drip tube,
a light emitting unit capable of emitting light toward the liquid;
a light receiving unit capable of receiving light emitted by the light emitting unit by a plurality of light receiving elements , and outputting a light reception signal according to the received light;
and a control unit that calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor in the drip barrel based on the light reception signal ,
The control unit includes:
Calculating the vertical distance from the droplet outlet of the drip tube to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor based on the time difference in the change in the amount of received light indicated by the light reception signals from the plurality of light receiving elements;
A drip monitoring sensor that determines whether or not the mounting position is appropriate as information regarding the mounting position . The drip monitoring sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that reports information regarding the mounting position calculated by the control unit. The drip monitoring sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the notification section reports information regarding whether or not the mounting position is appropriate. Any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit determines that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor on the drip tube is inappropriate when a change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is detected for a predetermined period of time or longer. The drip monitoring sensor according to item (1) . A drip monitoring sensor that can be attached to a drip tube and monitors liquid falling inside the drip tube,
a light emitting unit capable of emitting light toward the liquid;
a light receiving unit capable of receiving light emitted by the light emitting unit by a plurality of light receiving elements, and outputting a light reception signal according to the received light;
and a control unit that calculates information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor in the drip barrel based on the light reception signal,
The control unit includes :
If the time difference in the change in the amount of received light indicated by the light reception signals from the plurality of light receiving elements is less than or equal to a predetermined time difference, it is determined that the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor in the drip tube is inappropriate;
A drip monitoring sensor that determines whether or not the mounting position is appropriate as information regarding the mounting position . The drip monitoring sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the light receiving section includes two light receiving elements. The drip monitoring sensor according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein the notification unit notifies the information regarding the mounting position only within a predetermined time after detecting the start of the work of mounting the drip monitoring sensor on the drip tube. . A drip monitoring system comprising a drip monitoring sensor that can be attached to a drip tube, and a control device,
The drip monitoring sensor includes a light emitting part that can emit light toward the liquid falling inside the drip tube, and a plurality of light receiving elements that can receive the light emitted by the light emitting part. a light-receiving section that outputs a light-receiving signal according to the received light signal;
Based on the light reception signal, the control device determines whether the mounting position is appropriate as information regarding the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor in the drip barrel , and determines whether or not the mounting position is appropriate based on the light reception signal from the plurality of light receiving elements. comprising a control unit that calculates a vertical distance from the droplet outlet of the drip tube to the mounting position of the drip monitoring sensor based on the time difference in the change in the amount of received light indicated by the signal;
Infusion monitoring system.

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