JP7604297B2 - Gas suction and exhaust device, gas information acquisition device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gas suction and exhaust device and a gas information acquisition device.

Microblowers that use piezoelectric elements are known. A microblower is a type of pump that uses a diaphragm that flexes and vibrates when a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element, and is capable of sucking in and expelling gases such as air.

As a microblower, for example, a structure has been proposed that includes a diaphragm having a piezoelectric element, a case that fixes the periphery of the diaphragm and forms a blower chamber between the diaphragm and the case, a first opening provided in a wall of the case facing the center of the diaphragm, and a number of connecting parts provided on the outer periphery of the case that substantially suppress the propagation of vibration from the case to the outside. This microblower discharges compressible fluid from the first opening by applying a voltage of a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element to drive the diaphragm in bending mode (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In a gas suction and exhaust device that uses a microblower, in order to ensure the performance of the microblower, it is necessary to prevent the gas sucked in from leaking from around the microblower.

JP 2013-50108 A

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a gas suction and exhaust device that can suppress gas leakage around the microblower.

This gas suction and exhaust device comprises a microblower which sucks in and exhausts gas, a housing member which houses the microblower, and a sealing member which is arranged in contact with the microblower and the housing member, the housing member comprising a first housing member which is arranged on the gas suction side of the microblower, and a second housing member which is arranged on the gas exhaust side of the microblower, the microblower having a main body and an external connection terminal protruding from the main body, the sealing member being arranged between the main body and the second housing member and covering an outer periphery of a surface of the main body facing the second housing member and an outer periphery of the surface of the second housing member facing the second housing member. the first sealing member arranged to contact a member, a second sealing member arranged between the external connection terminal and the second accommodating member and in contact with the external connection terminal and the second accommodating member, and a ring-shaped third sealing member arranged around the side of the main body and between the external connection terminal and the first accommodating member and in contact with opposing surfaces of the first accommodating member and the second accommodating member, the external connection terminal being sandwiched between the second sealing member and the third sealing member, and a tip side of the external connection terminal passing between the second sealing member and the third sealing member and protruding from the inside of the accommodating member to the outside .

The disclosed technology provides a gas suction and exhaust device that can suppress gas leakage around the microblower.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of a bed in which a gas information acquisition device according to a first embodiment is disposed. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a cover according to the first embodiment. 4A to 4C are plan views illustrating both surfaces of the cover according to the first embodiment. 1 is a plan view illustrating a cover structure according to a first embodiment; 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cover structure according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter (part 2). FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining a method for attaching the adapter to the cover. FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) illustrating a method for attaching the adapter to the cover. FIG. 3 is a diagram (part 3) explaining a method for attaching the adapter to the cover. FIG. 4 is a diagram (part 4) explaining how to attach the adapter to the cover. FIG. 5 is a diagram (part 5) explaining how to attach the adapter to the cover. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the adapter. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modified example of the adapter. 13A to 13C are top perspective views of a modified example of the adapter. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a case of the gas information acquisition device according to the first embodiment. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a case of the gas information acquisition device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a gas suction and exhaust device according to a first embodiment; 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a gas suction and exhaust device according to a first embodiment. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a gas suction and exhaust device according to a first embodiment; 2 is a plan view illustrating a micro-blower of the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a micro-blower of the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view (part 1) that illustrates a bed in which a gas information acquiring device according to a first modified example of the first embodiment is disposed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (part 2) that illustrates a bed in which the gas information acquiring device according to the first modified example of the first embodiment is disposed. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a bed in which a gas information acquiring device according to a second modification of the first embodiment is arranged. FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a modified example of the adapter. FIG. 11 is a perspective view (part 1) illustrating an upper case according to a second embodiment, which is inverted upside down; FIG. 13 is a perspective view (part 2) illustrating the upper case according to the second embodiment, turned upside down. FIG. 11 is a third perspective view showing the upper case according to the second embodiment turned upside down; FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating an upper case according to a second embodiment, turned upside down. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the upper case according to the second embodiment.

Below, a description will be given of a mode for carrying out the invention with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

First Embodiment
[Gas information acquisition device 3]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a bed in which a gas information acquisition device according to the first embodiment is arranged. Referring to Fig. 1, a gas information acquisition device 3 has a gas suction and exhaust device 1 and a cover structure 950. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is housed in a case 300 and cannot be seen from the outside.

In FIG. 1, a mattress is laid on the bed 800, and the top and sides of the mattress are covered with a sheet 810. A cover structure 950 is disposed on a portion of the sheet 810. Note that the bedding such as the bed 800 and the sheet 810, and the waterproof sheet described below are not essential components of the gas information acquisition device 3, but may be included as components of the gas information acquisition device 3.

The cover structure 950 has a cover 900, a tube 910, and elastic bodies 933 and 934. The cover 900 is a member that positions the tube 910, into which one end of the tube 910 can be inserted, and which can house the elastic bodies 933 and 934. The cover structure 950 is formed when one end of the tube 910 is inserted into the cover 900 and the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are housed therein.

One end of the tube 910 is inserted into the cover 900, and the other end is connected to the suction side of the gas suction exhaust device 1. The gas suction exhaust device 1 to which the tube 910 is connected is placed near the bed 800. The gas suction exhaust device 1 is placed, for example, on the floor on which the bed 800 is placed.

The gas suction and exhaust device 1 is a device that sucks in gas near the cover 900 through the tube 910 and acquires information about the sucked gas (such as odor and humidity). For example, when a patient wearing a diaper is lying on the cover 900 of the bed 800, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 sucks in odors associated with the patient's excretion through the tube 910.

The tip side of the tube 910 inserted into the cover 900 is open, so that gas near the cover 900 can be sucked from the tip side of the tube 910. If necessary, one or more holes for sucking gas may be provided on the side of the tube 910 at the portion inserted into the cover 900. Details of the gas suction and exhaust device 1 will be described later.

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the cover according to the first embodiment. Referring to Figure 2, the cover 900 is, for example, made by sewing together an upper member and a lower member, which are made of two overlapping rectangular pieces of cloth, at the positions indicated by the dashed lines. The size of the upper member and the lower member is, for example, approximately 1000 mm x 500 mm.

The cover 900 has a first region 901 and a pair of second regions 903 and 904 that are divided by sewing. The cover 900 does not have to be entirely made of cloth. Examples of materials other than cloth include rubber and vinyl.

The first region 901 is an elongated region in which the tube 910 can be placed. The second regions 903 and 904 are located on both sides of the first region 901 in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the first region 901 is sandwiched between the pair of second regions 903 and 904.

For example, the length of the first region 901 is about 850 to 950 mm, and the width is about 10 mm. A slit 901c that penetrates only the upper member is provided in approximately the center of the first region 901. The slit 901c can be provided, for example, with a length of L1 of about 30 mm, approximately parallel to the direction in which the first region 901 stretches. If the upper member is cloth, it is preferable to sew the periphery of the slit 901c like a buttonhole to prevent the periphery from fraying.

In the cover 900, insertion openings 901a and 901b through which a tube 910 can be inserted are provided on one of the sides of the second regions 903 and 904 located opposite the first region 901. In the example of FIG. 2, the insertion openings 901a and 901b are provided on the side of the second region 904 located opposite the first region 901 (the lower side in FIG. 2).

The side portion in which the insertion openings 901a and 901b are provided includes a first portion in which the upper and lower members are sewn together, and a second portion in which the upper and lower members are not sewn together. The insertion openings 901a and 901b are included in the second portion.

More specifically, the insertion openings 901a and 901b are areas that are not sewn and have slits formed therein. For example, if the length of the side where the insertion openings 901a and 901b are provided is 1000 mm, the length of one slit can be approximately 100 mm.

The tube 910 may be inserted from either the insertion port 901a or 901b. Usually, either the insertion port 901a or 901b is selected, and the tube 910 is inserted from the selected insertion port until it reaches near the center of the longitudinal direction of the first region 901. Only one of the insertion ports 901a and 901b may be provided, or both may be provided.

When both insertion openings 901a and 901b are provided, it is preferable that the insertion openings 901a and 901b are located on opposite sides of the center of one side in a plan view. In other words, it is preferable that the insertion openings 901a and 901b are provided in two locations, one on the left and one on the right. In the example of FIG. 2, one of the insertion openings 901a and 901b is provided at a position that includes one end of one side in a plan view, and the other of the insertion openings 901a and 901b is provided at a position that includes the other end of one side in a plan view.

Note that with respect to the cover 900 and the cover structure 950, a plan view means that the cover 900 and the cover structure 950 are placed on the bed 800 as shown in FIG. 1 and viewed from the normal direction of the top surface of the bed 800.

The cover 900 has two slit-shaped insertion openings 901a and 901b on the left and right. By rotating the cover 900 180 degrees around the vicinity of the slit 901c in a plan view (by flipping the cover left and right), the tube 910 can be pulled out from either the head side or the foot side, regardless of the position of the bed.

By pulling out the tube 910 from either the head side or the foot side, problems associated with installing the tube 910 (such as the tube getting pinched between the bed or mattress and the bed, the tube getting twisted, etc.) are less likely to occur compared to pulling out the tube 910 toward the floor below the bed 800.

The slit-shaped insertion openings 901a and 901b can be formed by sewing the sides of the cover 900 other than the slits, making the work of sewing the cover 900 very easy and making the cover 900 inexpensive.

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating both sides of the cover according to the first embodiment. The upper side of the arrow in Figure 3 is a view from the upper member side, and the lower side of the arrow is a view from the lower member side. As shown in the upper side of the arrow in Figure 3, a slit 901c that penetrates only the upper member may be provided in the approximate center of the first region 901, and as shown in the lower side of the arrow in Figure 3, a slit 901d that penetrates only the lower member may be provided in the approximate center of the first region 901. In this case, even if only the insertion port 901a is provided, by inverting the cover 900 from the upper side to the lower side of the arrow in Figure 3, the tube 910 can be pulled out from either the head side or the foot side regardless of the position where the bed is installed. The same applies when only the insertion port 901b is provided instead of the insertion port 901a.

It is preferable that the lengths of slits 901c and 901d are the same (for example, L1 = 30 mm). This allows the adapter 360, which will be described later, to be inserted from either slit 901c or slit 901d.

Whether to provide both insertion openings 901a and 901b and only slit 901c, or to provide either one of insertion openings 901a and 901b and slits 901c and 901d, can be appropriately selected taking into consideration ease of sewing, etc.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 2, the second region 903 located on one side of the first region 901 in the longitudinal direction is a region having a rectangular planar shape capable of accommodating the elastic body 933. The second region 904 located on the other side of the first region 901 in the longitudinal direction is a region having a rectangular planar shape capable of accommodating the elastic body 934.

In the second region 903, the vicinity of the center of the side opposite the first region 901 is an unsewn region, and serves as an insertion opening 903a for inserting the elastic body 933 into the second region 903. In the second region 904, the vicinity of the center of the side opposite the first region 901 is an unsewn region, and serves as an insertion opening 904a for inserting the elastic body 934 into the second region 904. The insertion openings 903a and 904a are left open and not sewn, but a zipper, hook-and-loop fastener, snap button, etc. may be provided in this portion.

A surplus area may be defined in a part of the first area 901 and the second areas 903 and 904. For example, the area into which the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are not inserted is the surplus area. For example, in the case of FIG. 2, surplus areas 906 and 907 are defined on the sides of the second areas 903 and 904 in the direction in which the tube 910 extends (on both sides of the area into which the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are to be inserted).

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating the cover structure according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cover structure according to the first embodiment, showing a cross section along line A-A in Figure 4. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, in the cover structure 950, one end of the tube 910 is inserted up to the position of the slit 901c near the center of the longitudinal direction of the first region 901 of the cover 900. In addition, the elastic body 933 is housed in the second region 903, and the elastic body 934 is housed in the second region 904.

Elastomers 933 and 934 are low-load elastic bodies made of an easily deformable material such as urethane rubber. Examples of low-load elastic bodies other than urethane rubber include elastomer materials, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber (silicone rubber, urethane rubber, butyl rubber, isoprene rubber, etc.). Here, a low-load elastic body is a soft, moldable material that has elasticity like rubber.

The elastic bodies 933 and 934 may be a gel-like substance, water, hot water, air, etc. By using the elastic bodies 933 and 934 housed in the cover 900 according to the season, a patient on the bed can be placed in a comfortable environment. When water or hot water is housed in the elastic bodies 933 and 934, the second regions 903 and 904 of the cover 900 are formed from a material that does not leak water or hot water. Note that breathability is not required for the second regions 903 and 904.

The elastic body 933 and the elastic body 934 do not have to be made of the same material or have the same shape. For example, if the widths of the elastic body 933 and the elastic body 934 are different, the tube 910 is positioned at a position offset from the center of the cover 900.

In addition, since the elastic body 933 is flexible, it can be easily accommodated in the second region 903 through the insertion opening 903a, which is shorter than the longitudinal direction of the elastic body 933, by deforming it, and once accommodated, it is difficult to come out of the insertion opening 903a. Similarly, since the elastic body 934 is flexible, it can be easily accommodated in the second region 904 through the insertion opening 904a, which is shorter than the longitudinal direction of the elastic body 934, by deforming it, and once accommodated, it is difficult to come out of the insertion opening 904a.

The excess regions 906 and 907 can be tucked under the mattress when the cover structure 950 is placed on the bed 800, for example. For example, in FIG. 1, the cover 900 can be formed slightly longer in the extension direction of the tube, so that the excess regions 906 and 907 can be tucked under the mattress. This can prevent the cover structure 950 from shifting out of position relative to the bed 800. The excess regions 906 and 907 may be used for other purposes. Note that only one of the excess regions 906 and 907 may be provided.

In this way, the cover 900 has at least one of the insertion openings 901a and 901b on one side into which the tube 910 can be inserted. This allows the tube 910 to be easily pulled out to the head side or foot side of the bed 800. In other words, a cover 900 that takes into account the pull-out direction of the tube 910 can be realized.

In addition, by providing both insertion ports 901a and 901b and only slit 901c, or by providing either one of insertion ports 901a and 901b and slits 901c and 901d, the tube 910 can be pulled out from either the head side or the foot side, regardless of the position where the bed is installed.

The cover 900 also has a first region 901 in which a tube 910 that sucks up odors associated with excretion can be placed, and a pair of second regions 903 and 904 located on both sides of the first region 901 in the longitudinal direction and capable of housing elastic bodies 933 and 934. The first region 901 has a structure that serves as a guide for the tube 910, and therefore can prevent the tube 910 from shifting out of position when inserted into the first region 901.

In addition, in the cover structure 950 in which one end of the tube 910 is inserted into the first region 901 of the cover 900 and the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are housed in the second region 903, the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are arranged on both sides of the tube 910. The tube 910 sandwiched between the elastic bodies 933 and 934 is guided by the opposing sides of the elastic bodies 933 and 934, and is therefore less susceptible to the movement of a patient or the like on the bed. In other words, the cover structure 950 suppresses the displacement of the tube 910, and the tube 910 hardly ever deviates from the same position.

In addition, elastic bodies 933 and 934 are arranged on both sides of the tube 910, and the tube 910 is embedded between the elastic bodies 933 and 934, so that a patient on the bed may touch the elastic bodies 933 and 934 but is unlikely to touch the tube 910. Therefore, the patient on the bed will not feel a foreign body sensation, and there is little risk that the tube 910 will be crushed by the patient's buttocks.

In addition, in the cover structure 950, the cover 900, the tube 910, and the elastic bodies 933 and 934 are unitized, so that even when changing the sheets periodically, it is not difficult to remove or attach them.

The tube 910 can suck gas near the cover structure 950 from the tip side of the tube 910 through the slit 901c or the like, but it is preferable to attach an adapter 360 to the tip side of the tube 910 as described below.

Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the adapter. Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of the adapter. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view (part 1) of the adapter. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view (part 2) of the adapter, showing the state in which a tube is inserted into the adapter. Note that Figures 8 and 9 show vertical cross sections passing through the center of a plate-shaped portion 361 (described below) and parallel to a slippage prevention portion 363 (described below).

As shown in Figures 6 to 9, the adapter 360 is a member that can be attached to the end of the tube 910 that is not connected to the gas suction and exhaust device 1. The adapter 360 has a plate-shaped portion 361, a tube insertion portion 362, and a removal prevention portion 363.

The plate-shaped portion 361 is formed, for example, in a disk shape (circular in plan view). This makes it possible to prevent the monitored person from feeling uncomfortable (such as a rough feeling) when sleeping. However, the plate-shaped portion 361 may be a shape other than a disk shape, such as a rectangular shape. The tube insertion portion 362 is an elongated member provided on the underside of the plate-shaped portion 361, extending from the outer periphery to the center of the plate-shaped portion 361. The tube insertion portion 362 is formed, for example, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Note that with respect to the adaptor 360, a plan view refers to a view from the normal direction of the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 of the adaptor 360. The same applies to other adaptors.

One end of the anti-removal portion 363 is continuous with the tube insertion portion 362, extends in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the tube insertion portion 362, and the other end protrudes beyond the outer periphery of the plate-shaped portion 361. At least a portion of the anti-removal portion 363 protruding from the plate-shaped portion 361 is inserted into the first region 901 through the slit 901c. This prevents the adapter 360 from coming off the cover 900.

The maximum length L2 of the adapter 360 is longer than the length L1 of the slit 901c (see FIG. 2, etc.). Here, the maximum length L2 of the adapter 360 is the length of the extension of the central axis of the removal prevention portion 363 from the tip of the plate-shaped portion 361 to the tip of the removal prevention portion 363 when the adapter 360 is viewed in a plan view.

The plate-shaped portion 361 is provided with a gas suction port 361x that opens on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 and extends in a substantially vertical direction from the upper surface to the lower surface. The tube insertion portion 362 is provided with a tube insertion port 362x that opens on the side surface of the tube insertion portion 362, extends in a substantially parallel direction to the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361, and communicates with the gas suction port 361x.

The tube insertion port 362x has a smaller diameter on the side closer to the gas suction port 361x, forming a tube stopper 362y. The tube 910 inserted into the tube insertion port 362x stops at the position of the tube stopper 362y and is held in the tube insertion section 362.

The gas suction port 361x and the tube insertion port 362x communicate with each other to form a flow path that is bent in a generally L-shape in cross section. By inserting a tube 910 into the tube insertion port 362x, gas can be sucked in from the gas suction port 361x and made to flow into the cavity of the tube 910, and reach the sensor 92 (described below).

In the adapter 360, the plate-shaped portion 361, the tube insertion portion 362, and the removal prevention portion 363 are, for example, integrally molded. The adapter 360 can be formed, for example, from natural rubber, synthetic rubber (silicone rubber, urethane rubber, butyl rubber, isoprene rubber, etc.), thermoplastic elastomer, etc. By making the adapter 360 from such a material, it can be easily inserted into the cover 900, and also makes it less likely that the monitored person will feel uncomfortable (such as a rough feeling) when sleeping.

Figures 10 to 14 are diagrams explaining how to attach the adapter to the cover. First, as shown in Figure 10, the tube 910 is inserted into the first area 901 through the insertion port 901a or 901b, and one end of the tube 910 is pulled out from the slit 901c to the upper side of the cover 900. Then, the adapter 360 is prepared.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, one end of the tube 910 is inserted into the tube insertion port 362x of the adapter 360. The tube is inserted until the tip of the tube 910 reaches the tube stopper 362y.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the tube 910 is bent so that the tube insertion section 362 of the adapter 360 is on top, and the removal prevention section 363 of the adapter 360 is inserted through the slit 901c into the first region 901 located on the opposite side of the tube 910.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the tube 910 that has been pulled out of the cover 900 is returned into the first area 901 while the tube insertion portion 362 side of the adapter 360 is lowered to attach the adapter 360 to the cover 900. FIG. 14 shows a plan view of the state in FIG. 13. Here, the tube 910, adapter 360, and cover 900 are all made of soft materials and are easily deformed, so they can be attached in the state shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14.

Thus, the cavity of the tube 910 that serves as the gas flow path extends in a direction parallel to the top surface of the bed 800, but the gas suction port 361x of the adapter 360 converts the gas flow path to a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the bed 800. This ensures that gas present above the bed 800 (in the direction in which the monitored person is lying) can be sucked in reliably. Note that in this application, parallel and perpendicular do not only refer to parallel and perpendicular in the strict sense, but also include cases where the direction is substantially parallel or perpendicular within a range that does not impair the effects of this application.

In addition, because the adapter 360 has a removal prevention portion 363, it can be reliably positioned on the cover 900, and once attached to the cover 900, it is difficult to remove from the cover 900. Furthermore, the length L1 of the slit 901c and the maximum length L2 of the adapter 360 have a relationship of L1 < L2. Therefore, after attachment in the state shown in Figures 13 and 14, the adapter 360 will not come off the cover 900 with normal operations (not operations that forcibly remove the tube from the cover), and air can be stably sucked in from the buttocks side.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a modified adaptor. The adaptor 360A shown in Figure 15 differs from the adaptor 360 (see Figure 8, etc.) in that it has a slit 364 that improves the flexibility of the removal prevention portion 363. The slit 364 is provided between the plate-shaped portion 361 and the removal prevention portion 363 in the thickness direction of the adaptor 360A. The slit 364 is provided approximately parallel to the upper surface of the adaptor 360A, and extends from the outer periphery of the plate-shaped portion 361 to near the center.

By providing slits 364 as in adapter 360A, the flexibility of the removal prevention portion 363 is improved compared to that of adapter 360, as shown below the arrow in FIG. 15. This makes it easier to insert removal prevention portion 363 into slit 901c and attach adapter 360A to the position of cover 900 shown in FIG. 13.

Figure 16 is a plan view of a modified adaptor. As in adaptor 360B shown in Figure 16, instead of or in addition to slit 364, slit 365 may be provided to improve the flexibility of removal prevention portion 363. In plan view, two slits 365 are provided on both sides of removal prevention portion 363 so as to penetrate plate-shaped portion 361. The two slits 365 are arranged to extend from the outer periphery of plate-shaped portion 361 to near the center, and are approximately parallel to the central axis of removal prevention portion 363.

By providing slits 365 as in adapter 360B, the flexibility of the removal prevention portion 363 is improved, as in the case of adapter 360A. This makes it easy to insert the removal prevention portion 363 into the slits 901c and attach adapter 360B to the position of cover 900 shown in FIG. 13.

Figure 17 shows a top perspective view of a modified adaptor. The adaptor 360C shown in Figure 17 is composed of two parts, a first member 360f and a second member 360r. The adaptor 360C has a structure in which the adaptor 360 is divided into two parts approximately at the center. In other words, the adaptor 360C can be divided into a first member 360f that does not include a removal prevention portion 363, and a second member 360r that includes the removal prevention portion 363. The gas suction port 361x and the tube insertion port 362x are included in the first member 360f.

The first member 360f has two cylindrical protrusions 366, and the second member 360r has two grooves 367. When each protrusion 366 fits into the groove 367, the first member 360f and the second member 360r are integrated to form the adapter 360C, as shown below the arrow in FIG. 17.

In this way, the adapter 360C is composed of two parts. Therefore, with the first member 360f and the second member 360r independent, the tube 910 can be inserted into the tube insertion port 362x of the first member 360f, and the removal prevention portion 363 of the second member 360r can be inserted into the slit 901c. Then, by fitting the protrusion 366 of the first member 360f into the groove portion 367 of the second member 360r, it becomes easy to attach the adapter 360C to the position of the cover 900 shown in FIG. 13.

[Gas suction and exhaust device 1, tube 910]
Here, the gas suction and exhaust device 1, the tube 910, etc. will be described in detail.

Figure 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the case of the gas information acquisition device according to the first embodiment. Figure 19 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the case of the gas information acquisition device according to the first embodiment.

The gas information acquisition device 3 is a device in which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 arranged in the case 300 sucks in gas in the measurement area through a tube 910 with one end inserted into the cover 900, exhausts the sucked gas toward a sensor 92 possessed by the gas suction and exhaust device 1, and acquires gas information (such as odor and humidity) by the sensor 92. In this embodiment, the gas to be detected is air.

Specifically, as shown in Figs. 18 and 19, in the gas information acquisition device 3, a part of the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is housed inside a box-shaped case 300. The case 300, which is the housing, has, for example, a plate-shaped lower case 310 and a square-shaped upper case 320. The size of the case 300 is, for example, about 100 mm long x 70 mm wide x 40 mm high.

The upper case 320 has, for example, four side walls and an upper plate that closes the upper sides of the four side walls. The four side walls are, for example, formed integrally with the upper plate. The lower case 310 is a lower plate that closes the lower sides of the four side walls. Note that the upper case 320 may be plate-shaped, and the lower case 310 may be square-shaped with four side walls and a lower plate that closes the lower sides of the four side walls. The lower case 310 and the upper case 320 are, for example, formed from ABS resin or the like, and are fixed with screws or the like.

The gas suction and exhaust device 1 has a tube fitting 70 to which a tube 910 for suctioning gas can be attached and detached. One end of the tube fitting 70 is inserted into a hollow protrusion 51 provided on the gas suction side of the upper case 50, and the tube fitting 70 is attached and detached to the protrusion 51.

Specifically, one end of the tube fitting 70 is inserted into a through hole 52 (see FIG. 21 for details) formed in a protruding portion 51 of the upper case 50, which is the suction side of the gas suction and exhaust device 1. The other end of the tube fitting 70 passes through a through hole provided in the upper case 320 and protrudes in a substantially horizontal direction from the side of the upper case 320. Therefore, the tube fitting 70 can be freely attached and detached from the outside of the case 300.

In addition, a part or all of the protrusion 51 may protrude from the upper case 320 together with the other end side of the tube fitting 70. In the gas suction and exhaust device 1, the part other than the part protruding from the upper case 320 is housed within the case 300.

In the gas information acquisition device 3, the tube 910 is a hollow tubular member with one end inserted into the cover 900, and the other end is attached to the tube fitting 70. In other words, the tube 910 extends from the case 300 to above the bed 800, which is the measurement area for gas information.

The cavity of the tube 910 becomes part of the gas flow path. The tube 910 is formed from an elastic material such as rubber or vinyl. The inner and outer diameters of the tube 910 can be appropriately determined as needed, but are, for example, about a few mm.

The tube fitting 70 is a member for connecting the tube 910. For example, when connecting the tube 910, the tube 910 is fixed simply by inserting it into the tube insertion port 71. When removing the tube 910, the tube 910 can be removed by pulling the tube 910 while pressing the release portion 72 provided on the tube insertion port 71 side.

The gas information acquisition device 3 is used, for example, near a bed 800 placed in a hospital. For example, consider a case where a patient wearing a diaper is lying on the bed 800 as a person to be monitored.

In this case, when the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is operated constantly or intermittently in the gas information acquisition device 3, gas near the patient's buttocks is sucked in through the tube 910 inserted into the cover 900. The sucked in gas is detected by the sensor 92 of the gas suction and exhaust device 1.

By analyzing the detection results of the sensor 92 with an analysis device arranged outside the gas information acquisition device 3, information on the air near the patient's buttocks can be reliably acquired via the tube 910. For example, if an odor sensor is used as the sensor 92, information on the odor of the air near the patient's buttocks can be reliably acquired via the tube 910. Also, if a humidity sensor is used as the sensor 92, information on the humidity of the air near the patient's buttocks can be reliably acquired via the tube 910.

For example, by analyzing odors with an analyzer placed outside the gas information acquisition device 3, it is possible to easily detect whether excretion (urination or defecation) has occurred on the bed 800. When the analyzer detects that excretion has occurred on the bed 800, it communicates the detection result to a nurse at the hospital by sound or flashing light, etc., so that the nurse can know, for example, when to change the diaper of the patient lying on the bed 800. As a result, the diaper can be changed in a short time after excretion, so the patient spends less time unsanitary and less time uncomfortable. The nurse can also change the diaper smoothly because it is not one that has been left out for a long time. Hygiene can also be ensured.

Figure 20 is a perspective view illustrating the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment. Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment, showing a vertical cross section cut through the center of the gas suction and exhaust device 1. Figure 22 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment.

Referring to Figures 20 to 22, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 mainly comprises a lower case 10, a microblower 20, an upper case 50, a filter unit 60, a tube fitting 70, and a wiring board 91. The lower case 10 and the upper case 50 are housing members that house the microblower 20. Note that the gas suction and exhaust device 1 does not necessarily have to include the wiring board 91 and its mounted components. In that case, the wiring board 91 and its mounted components can be mounted on the wiring board 401 described below.

The gas suction and exhaust device 1 is a device that draws in gas from the upper case 50 side and exhausts it to the lower case 10 side by driving the piezoelectric element of the microblower 20, and detects odors, moisture, etc. with the sensor 92.

The gas to be sucked in and exhausted is typically air. The gas to be sucked in and exhausted may be oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), formaldehyde, alternative fluorocarbons, various gases, etc. The various gases include flammable gases, toxic gases, semiconductor material gases, inert gases, city gas, LP gas, etc.

In this embodiment, for convenience, in the gas suction and exhaust device 1, the upper case 50 side is referred to as the upper side or one side, and the lower case 10 side is referred to as the lower side or the other side. In addition, the surface of each part facing the upper case 50 is referred to as the one side or top surface, and the surface facing the lower case 10 is referred to as the other side or bottom surface. However, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 can be used upside down, or placed at any angle. In addition, in the gas suction and exhaust device 1, a planar view refers to viewing an object from the normal direction of the top surface of the upper case 50, and a planar shape refers to the shape of an object viewed from the normal direction of the top surface of the upper case 50. Each part of the gas suction and exhaust device 1 will be described below.

[Lower case 10, upper case 50, filter unit 60, tube joint 70]
The lower case 10 is disposed on the gas exhaust side of the microblower 20. The lower case 10 is a plate-like member made of, for example, ABS resin or the like, and has a protruding portion 11 formed on the lower surface thereof, protruding to the side opposite the microblower 20. The protruding portion 11 has a through hole 12 formed therein, which serves as a flow path for exhausting gas from the microblower 20.

A recess 13x is provided in the approximate center of the upper surface of the lower case 10, in which the main body 21 of the microblower 20 is disposed. A recess 13y is provided in the radial direction of the upper surface of the lower case 10, in which the external connection terminal 22 of the microblower 20 is disposed. For example, the recess 13x and the recess 13y are connected to each other. A recess 13z is provided on the upper surface of the lower case 10, surrounding the outside of the recess 13x, and connected to the recess 13y. Six through holes 14 are formed on the outer periphery of the lower case 10, into which screws are inserted to fix the lower case 10 to the upper case 50.

The gas suction and exhaust device 1 has a microblower 20 and sealing members 41-43 arranged in contact with the lower case 10 or the upper case 50. The sealing members 41-43 are members capable of suppressing gas leakage around the microblower 20. The sealing members 41-43 are formed from an elastically deformable material. Here, elastic deformation refers to deformation within a certain range of an object that is deformed by applying a force to the object and returns to its original shape when the force is removed.

Examples of materials for the sealing members 41 to 43 include low-resilience cushions (urethane foam), silicone rubber sheets, gel sheets, etc. The sealing members 41 to 43 may be made of the same material or different materials. The specific arrangement of the sealing members 41 to 43 is described below.

The microblower 20 has a main body 21 and an external connection terminal 22 protruding from the main body 21. A flat, frame-shaped sealing member 41 is placed in the recess 13x, and the main body 21 of the microblower 20 is placed on the sealing member 41. Here, "flat" refers to a member that is wider than it is thick.

More specifically, the sealing member 41 is disposed between the main body 21 of the microblower 20 and the lower case 10 so as to contact the outer periphery of the lower surface (the surface facing the lower case 10) of the main body 21 and the lower case 10. The upper surface of the lower case 10 and the upper surface of the microblower 20 are approximately flush with each other. The sealing member 41 prevents air leakage from the mating surface between the microblower 20 and the lower case 10.

A rectangular sealing member 42 is disposed in the recess 13y, and the external connection terminal 22 of the microblower 20 is disposed on the sealing member 42. In other words, the sealing member 42 is disposed between the external connection terminal 22 and the lower case 10, and contacts the external connection terminal 22 and the lower case 10.

A ring-shaped sealing member 43 is disposed in the recess 13z, surrounding the periphery of the side surface of the main body 21 of the microblower 20. In other words, the sealing member 43 is an annular member that is disposed around the periphery of the side surface of the main body 21 and between the external connection terminal 22 and the upper case 50, and contacts the opposing surfaces of the lower case 10 and the upper case 50. The sealing member 43 is, for example, an O-ring.

The external connection terminal 22 is sandwiched between sealing members 42 and 43, and the tip side of the external connection terminal 22 passes between the sealing members 42 and 43 and protrudes from the inside to the outside of the lower case 10. This allows electrical connection between the piezoelectric element 215a (described later) that constitutes the microblower 20 and a circuit provided outside the gas suction and exhaust device 1. The sealing members 42 and 43 are sealing members that prevent gaps from occurring between the external connection terminal 22 of the microblower 20 and the lower case 10 and upper case 50.

The upper case 50 is disposed on the gas suction side of the microblower 20. The upper case 50 is a plate-shaped member formed of ABS resin or the like, and has a protrusion 51 formed in the approximate center of the upper surface that protrudes toward the opposite side to the lower case 10. A through hole 52 that serves as a flow path for sucking in gas is formed in the approximate center of the protrusion 51. An annular step portion 52x is formed inside the through hole 52. For example, six recesses 53 (spot facing portions) are formed on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the upper case 50, and six through holes 54 are formed in each recess 53, into which screws are inserted to fix the upper case 50 to the lower case 10.

The lower case 10 and the upper case 50 are fixed with screws 80, sandwiching the microblower 20 and the sealing member 43, but since they are not glued together, they can be replaced by removing the screws 80 and disassembling them.

The filter unit 60 is disposed on the gas suction side of the microblower 20. The filter unit 60 is inserted into the through hole 52 of the upper case 50. The filter unit 60 has, for example, a filter 61 and a filter support 62. The filter support 62 is, for example, fixed to the outer periphery of the filter 61 on the microblower 20 side by double-sided tape. The double-sided tape can be, for example, of the same shape as the filter support 62.

In the filter unit 60, the outer periphery of the filter support 62 is positioned in the step portion 52x within the through hole 52. In other words, the step portion 52x holds the outer periphery of the filter unit 60. The filter unit 60 is not fixed with adhesive or the like. In other words, the filter unit 60 is held in the step portion 52x in a detachable state.

The filter 61 is, for example, circular. The filter 61 is a member that prevents dust and dirt from entering the inside of the gas suction and exhaust device 1, and is preferably capable of removing submicron-level dust and dirt. The filter 61 can be made of, for example, polyester, polyethylene, rayon, polypropylene, etc., but any material can be used as long as it has the above-mentioned functions. The filter support 62 is, for example, ring-shaped. The filter support 62 is made of, for example, a polyimide film. The filter support 62 side is the gas exhaust side.

The filter support 62 may be provided as necessary. For example, if the strength of the filter 61 is sufficient, the filter support 62 does not need to be provided. Alternatively, if the strength of the filter 61 is insufficient, the filter support may be provided on both sides of the filter 61.

The gas sucked in from the upper case 50 side is exhausted to the lower case 10 side via the filter unit 60. By arranging the filter unit 60 on the gas suction side (upper case 50 side) of the microblower 20, it is possible to prevent dust and dirt from entering the inside of the gas suction and exhaust device 1.

One end of the tube fitting 70 is inserted into the through hole 52 of the upper case 50. For example, a female thread is formed on the inner wall of the through hole 52, and a male thread is formed on the part of the tube fitting 70 that is inserted into the through hole 52, and the two are screwed together. When the tube fitting 70 is attached to the protrusion 51, the filter unit 60 is positioned within the protrusion 51 on the side closer to the microblower 20 than the tube fitting 70.

As described above, the filter unit 60 is held in the step portion 52x in a detachable state. Also, as described above, the tube fitting 70 protrudes from the side of the upper case 320. Therefore, if the filter unit 60 becomes clogged, the filter unit 60 can be easily replaced without opening the case 300 by removing the tube fitting 70 that is screwed into the upper case 50. For example, by periodically replacing the filter unit 60, a specified amount of air can be consistently sucked in from the microblower 20, and gas information (e.g., odor) can be accurately obtained.

[Microblower 20]
Fig. 23 is a plan view illustrating the microblower of the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the microblower of the gas suction and exhaust device according to the first embodiment, showing a cross section along line BB in Fig. 23.

Referring to Figures 23 and 24, the microblower 20 is a device that drives a piezoelectric element to suck in and expel gas, and has a main body 21 and an external connection terminal 22. The size of the main body 21 is, for example, approximately 20 mm long x 20 mm wide x 2 mm high.

The main body 21 has an outer case 211 and an inner case 212. The outer case 211 covers the outside of the inner case 212 without contacting it with a specified gap. The outer case 211 has a cylindrical cavity 211a that is open at the top, and the circular inner case 212 is housed in the cavity 211a with a specified gap.

The inner case 212 is elastically supported on the outer case 211 via, for example, spring connectors 214. A gas inflow passage 217a is formed between the outer case 211 and the inner case 212. A plurality of spring connectors 214 (four in the example of Figs. 23 and 24) are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction between the inner wall of the outer case 211 and the outer wall of the inner case 212.

The top of the inner case 212 is open, and a vibration plate 215 is fixed to close the opening of the inner case 212, forming a first blower chamber 216 between the inner case 212 and the vibration plate 215. The vibration plate 215 has a unimorph structure in which a piezoelectric element 215a made of piezoelectric ceramic is attached to the center of a diaphragm 215b made of a thin elastic metal plate. By applying a voltage of a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element 215a, the entire vibration plate 215 is resonantly driven in bending mode. The piezoelectric element 215a is fixed, for example, to the surface of the diaphragm 215b opposite the first blower chamber 216 side.

In the inner case 212, the wall 212a facing the vibration plate 215 constitutes one wall surface of the first blower chamber 216. A through hole 212b that connects the inside and outside of the first blower chamber 216 is formed in the part of the wall 212a facing the center of the vibration plate 215. A wall 211b is provided in the part of the outer case 211 facing the wall 212a, and a through hole 211c is formed in the center of the wall 211b, i.e., in the part facing the through hole 212b. The through hole 211c serves as a gas discharge port. A predetermined inflow space 217b is formed between the wall 211b and the wall 212a, and the inflow space 217b constitutes a part of the inflow passage 217a described above. The inflow space 217b has the role of guiding the gas introduced from the inflow passage 217a to the vicinity of the through holes 212b and 211c.

A wall portion 219 is provided on the upper surface of the outer case 211, i.e., on the opposite side of the vibration plate 215 from the first blower chamber 216, to form the second blower chamber 218 between the vibration plate 215. The wall portion 219 is, for example, a lid member fixed to close the opening at the upper end of the outer case 211. An opening portion 219a is formed in the center of the wall portion 219 to connect the outside to the second blower chamber 218.

The volume of the second blower chamber 218 and the opening area of the opening 219a are set so that a pseudo-resonant space can be formed in association with the vibration of the diaphragm 215. The second blower chamber 218 and the inflow passage 217a are interconnected. Therefore, the gas that flows into the second blower chamber 218 through the opening 219a is supplied to the inflow space 217b through the inflow passage 217a.

In the microblower 20, when an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency is applied to the piezoelectric element 215a via the external connection terminal 22, the vibration plate 215 is resonantly driven, and the volume of the first blower chamber 216 changes periodically. When the volume of the first blower chamber 216 increases, the air in the inflow space 217b is sucked into the first blower chamber 216 through the through hole 212b. Conversely, when the volume of the first blower chamber 216 decreases, the air in the first blower chamber 216 is exhausted into the inflow space 217b through the through hole 212b.

Since the vibration plate 215 is driven at high frequency, the high-speed, high-energy gas flow discharged from the through-hole 212b into the inflow space 217b passes through the inflow space 217b and is discharged from the through-hole 211c. At this time, the gas is discharged from the through-hole 211c while drawing in the surrounding gas in the inflow space 217b. Therefore, a continuous gas flow is generated from the inflow passage 217a toward the inflow space 217b, and the gas is continuously discharged from the through-hole 211c as a jet. The gas flow is indicated by arrows in FIG. 24.

[Wiring board 91, etc.]
20 to 22, a sensor 92, an IC 93, a connector 94, etc. are mounted on the wiring board 91. The wiring board 91 is fixed by screws 81 to a columnar spacer 95 protruding from the lower surface of the lower case 10 on the side opposite to the upper case 50.

The sensor 92 is disposed on the gas exhaust side of the microblower 20 and has the function of acquiring gas information. In this embodiment, the sensor 92 is disposed on the gas exhaust side of the protrusion 11 of the lower case 10 and acquires information on the gas exhausted from the through-hole 12. The through-hole 12 may be enlarged in diameter so that the sensor 92 is disposed within the through-hole 12. In this case, the side of the sensor 92 is surrounded by the inner wall of the through-hole 12, thereby improving the detection power of the sensor 92. In addition, two or more through-holes through which the sensor 92 acquires gas information may be provided.

The sensor 92 is, for example, an odor sensor that detects the odor of the gas as information about the gas discharged from the through-hole 12. As the odor sensor, for example, a well-known sensor such as a semiconductor type or a quartz crystal type can be used. The sensor 92 may be a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, or another type of sensor. Two or more sensors 92 may be mounted on the wiring board 91.

The wiring board 91 is a resin board such as a glass epoxy board, a silicon board, a ceramic board, or the like, on which a wiring pattern and component mounting lands are formed. The wiring board 91 is provided with a connector 94 and wires for inputting and outputting signals from and to the outside of the gas suction and exhaust device 1. The wiring board 91 may be equipped with an IC 93 including a circuit for driving the piezoelectric element 215a. Two or more ICs 93 may be mounted on the wiring board 91.

By equipping the gas suction and exhaust device 1 with a sensor 92, it becomes possible to easily detect the odor, humidity, etc. of the gas.

In this way, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 uses a microblower that drives a piezoelectric element to suck in and exhaust gas, so it can be made smaller than conventional pumps that drive motors, etc. As a result, it is possible to make the gas information acquisition device 3, which consists mainly of the gas suction and exhaust device 1, smaller.

To ensure the performance of the microblower 20, it is necessary to take measures to prevent air leakage from the mounting portion. Therefore, in the gas information acquisition device 3, a sealing member 41 is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the underside of the main body 21 of the microblower 20 and the lower case 10, eliminating the gap between the main body 21 and the lower case 10 and reducing air leakage.

Because the microblower 20 is a precisely manufactured device, it should not be subjected to any load. For this reason, it is preferable that the contact area between the sealing member 41 and the main body 21 of the microblower 20 be the outer periphery of the main body 21 so as not to apply a load to the piezoelectric element inside the main body 21.

Furthermore, in the gas information acquisition device 3, a sealing member 43 is sandwiched in the gap between the mating surfaces of the lower case 10 and the upper case 50, where the microblower 20 is disposed, thereby eliminating the gap between the lower case 10 and the upper case 50 and reducing air leakage. A sealing member 42 is also disposed in the portion where the external connection terminal 22 of the microblower 20 is pulled out to the outside, and the external connection terminal 22 is sandwiched between the sealing member 42 and the sealing member 43, eliminating the gap and reducing air leakage.

By incorporating these air leakage countermeasures, the microblower 20 can send the air sucked in through the tube 910 to the sensor 92 without leakage, so gas information (e.g., odor) can be obtained accurately.

Generally, micro-blower are attached to the case with double-sided tape, but when using double-sided tape, if the micro-blower is attached even slightly off-position, it is necessary to peel the micro-blower off the double-sided tape. This reduces the performance of the micro-blower and causes the expensive device to be discarded, resulting in a huge loss. The gas information acquisition device 3 does not use double-sided tape to attach the micro-blower 20, so this problem does not occur.

In addition, because the gas suction and exhaust device 1 uses only one tube, the number of microblowers to be connected and other parts and electrical circuits used can be reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the gas information acquisition device 3. Furthermore, the miniaturization of the gas information acquisition device 3 also improves the freedom of where the gas information acquisition device 3 is installed.

In addition, because the gas suction and exhaust device 1 uses only one tube, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount (length) of tubes used compared to conventional devices that used around six tubes, which offers price benefits.

In addition, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 uses only one tube, which simplifies the configuration of the gas suction and exhaust device 1 and makes maintenance easier.

The gas suction and exhaust device 1 may be equipped with a sensor that detects clogging of the filter 61 of the filter unit 60 (amount of gas suction). An example of such a sensor is a strain gauge. The strain gauge can also detect information about the tube 910 (such as crushing, bending, and blocked holes).

In other words, the gas sucked by the microblower 20 applies a load to the strain gauge. This causes the strain gauge to deform, changing the resistance value of the resistor in the strain gauge. By measuring the change in resistance value of the resistor, the clogging state of the filter 61 and the state of the tube 910 can be detected.

First Modification of the First Embodiment
In the first modification of the first embodiment, an example is shown in which an attachment part is provided on the outside of the case to attach the case to an external member. Note that in the first modification of the first embodiment, the description of the same components as those in the already described embodiment may be omitted.

Figure 25 is a perspective view that shows a schematic diagram of a bed in which a gas information acquisition device according to Variation 1 of the first embodiment is placed. Referring to Figure 25, gas information acquisition device 3A differs from gas information acquisition device 3 (see Figure 1, etc.) in that case 300 is attached to the handrail of bed 800 by attachment portion 340.

The mounting portion 340 is formed, for example, from metal or resin, and is attached to one side of the case 300 with screws or the like. The mounting portion 340 is, for example, a hook-shaped member. Note that the mounting portion 340 is not limited to a hook-shaped member, and may be, for example, a belt-shaped member. Alternatively, the mounting portion 340 may be a protruding portion that protrudes outward from the case 300, and the protruding portion may fit into a hole provided in the handrail of the bed, or may be any other shape.

In this way, by attaching the case 300 to the handrail or the like of the bed 800 using the attachment portion 340, the risk of the tube 910 getting caught when the monitored person gets up or down from the bed 800 can be reduced, and the risk of dust and the like adhering to the tube 910 can be reduced compared to when placed on the floor. In addition, the entire gas information acquisition device 3A can be moved together with the bed 800. This eliminates the need for installation work such as inserting and removing the tube 910 when moving, and also prevents the tube 910 from being crushed or caught by the feet (wheels) of the bed 800 when moving the bed 800.

In addition, the bed 800 is frequently tilted or raised and lowered using a remote control. For this reason, when the case 300 is placed on the floor, the tube 910 must be made longer in advance, which can easily lead to problems such as the tube 910 getting caught. However, by arranging the case 300 integrally with the bed 800 using the attachment portion 340, the length of the tube 910 can be optimized, thereby preventing this type of problem.

In FIG. 25, the case 300 is attached to the handrail of the bed 800 by the attachment part 340 so that the longitudinal direction of the case 300 is oriented horizontally. However, as shown in FIG. 26, the case 300 may be attached to the handrail of the bed 800 by the attachment part 340 so that the longitudinal direction of the case 300 is oriented vertically.

25 and 26, it is preferable to provide multiple screw positions so that the direction in which the mounting part 340 is attached to either side of the case 300 can be changed by 90 degrees. In FIG. 26, the tube 910 is connected to the case 300 through a through hole provided in the handrail of the bed 800.

In this way, it is preferable that the mounting portion 340 can be mounted at multiple angles on the outside of the case 300. Of course, changing the mounting angle by 90 degrees is just one example, and it may be changed to an angle other than 90 degrees.

<Modification 2 of the First Embodiment>
In the second modification of the first embodiment, an example in which a waterproof sheet is placed on the bed is shown. Note that in the second modification of the first embodiment, the description of the same components as those in the embodiments already described may be omitted.

Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing a bed in which a gas information acquisition device according to the second modification of the first embodiment is arranged. Referring to Fig. 27, a sheet 810 is arranged on a bed 800, as in Fig. 1, and a cover structure 950 is arranged on a partial area on the sheet 810. Furthermore, a waterproof sheet 850 is arranged on the sheet 810 so as to cover the cover structure 950.

By placing the waterproof sheet 850 so as to cover the cover structure 950, even if dirt occurs on the bed, it is possible to replace the waterproof sheet 850, eliminating the need to replace the cover structure 950. In other words, the frequency of maintenance of the cover structure 950 can be significantly reduced. Note that the waterproof sheet 850 may have a structure in which multiple layers are stacked in order to improve waterproof performance.

Specifically, the waterproof sheet 850 has a three-layer structure in which, for example, a polyester layer, a heat-resistant polyurethane layer, and a polyester layer are laminated in that order. This structure does not allow moisture such as urine to pass through to the bottom, so the bed 800 will not be soiled, but it also does not allow air to pass through easily.

When using the adaptor 360 shown in FIG. 6 etc., if the elastic bodies 933 and 934 of the cover structure 950 are made of breathable materials (e.g., urethane sheets, etc.), the adaptor 360 will not draw in much air on the buttocks side, but will instead draw in air near the elastic bodies 933 and 934, since the waterproof sheet 850 is located near the gas suction port 361x of the adaptor 360.

In this case, air from the mattress side (opposite the buttocks) is sucked in, resulting in less information on the odor of feces or urine, which may lead to false detection in some cases. For this reason, it is preferable to use a material that is less breathable (or has no breathability) than the waterproof sheet 850, such as a polyethylene material or a rubber foam material, for the elastic bodies 933 and 934. Alternatively, the elastic bodies 933 and 934 may be made of a breathable material that has been subjected to heat lamination or the like to make it less breathable (or have no breathability) than the waterproof sheet 850.

The breathability can be measured, for example, by a specific measurement method specified in JIS L 1096 (breathability test).

Furthermore, it is preferable to use a material for the cover 900 that is less breathable (or has no breathability) than the waterproof sheet 850, such as nylon (registered trademark), polyester, rayon, rubber foam, or pile laminate material. Furthermore, the size of the buttocks (area near the buttocks) excluding the gas suction port 361x of the adapter 360 on the cover 900 may be laminated with polyvinyl chloride or the like using an iron or the like to make the area less breathable than the waterproof sheet 850.

By performing one or more of these steps, air can be steadily drawn in from the waterproof sheet 850, which has poor breathability. This allows air to be steadily drawn in from the buttocks area, making it possible to detect excretion, etc.

As shown in FIG. 28, it is also effective to attach double-sided tape 368 to the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 of the adapter 360 so as not to block the gas suction port 361x. By attaching the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 to the lower surface of the waterproof sheet 850 with double-sided tape 368, the two are in close contact with each other, allowing air to be stably sucked in from the waterproof sheet 850, which has poor breathability. This makes it possible to stably suck in air from the buttocks side and detect excretion, etc.

When the waterproof sheet 850 is placed to cover the cover structure 950 and an adapter 360 is used, it is preferable that the color of the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 of the adapter 360 is a different color from that of the waterproof sheet 850. This is because the position of the adapter 360 can be confirmed even when viewed from above the waterproof sheet 850. The color of the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 361 of the adapter 360 can be a dark color, such as black. The same applies when an adapter other than the adapter 360 is used.

Second Embodiment
In the second embodiment, an example of a gas information acquiring device in which soundproofing measures are taken inside a case will be described. Note that in the second embodiment, the description of the same components as those in the embodiments already described may be omitted.

In the gas suction and exhaust device according to the second embodiment, in case 300, upper case 320A is used instead of upper case 320. Figure 29 is a perspective view (part 1) of the upper case according to the second embodiment, shown upside down, showing the state in which no parts are attached to upper case 320A.

As shown in FIG. 29, the upper case 320A is formed, for example, in a box shape with four side walls and a top plate (the lower side in FIG. 29) like the upper case 320. Note that the upper case 320A may be plate-shaped, and the lower case 310 may be formed in a box shape with four side walls and a bottom plate that closes the bottom of the four side walls. The bottom case 310 and the upper case 320A are formed, for example, from ABS resin, and are fixed with screws, etc.

Through holes 321, 322, and 323 are provided in the side walls of upper case 320A, and three through holes 324 are provided in the top plate (lower surface in FIG. 29). In addition, one boss 326 for fixing the board and four bosses 327 for fixing the lower case are provided on the top plate (lower side in FIG. 29) of upper case 320A. In addition, a separation wall 325 is provided inside case 300, for example on the side of upper case 320A, to separate a first area in which gas suction and exhaust device 1 is arranged from a second area in which wiring board 401 is arranged.

The height of the side walls of upper case 320A and the height of separation wall 325 are approximately equal, based on the top surface of upper case 320A (the lower side in FIG. 29). Note that a plan view of case 300 refers to a view from the normal direction of the top surface of upper case 320 or 320A.

Figure 30 is a perspective view (part 2) of the upper case according to the second embodiment, shown upside down, with components attached to the upper case 320A.

As shown in FIG. 30, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 and the wiring board 401 electrically connected to the gas suction and exhaust device 1 are arranged inside the upper case 320A. The lower case 310 is fixed to the upper case 320A with screws or the like, so that a part of the gas suction and exhaust device 1 and the wiring board 401 are housed in the case 300, which is the housing.

The gas suction exhaust device 1 is disposed in the first area surrounded by the side wall of the upper case 320A and the separation wall 325. The tube fitting 70 of the gas suction exhaust device 1 is inserted into the through hole 321 and a part of it protrudes from the side of the upper case 320A. The gas suction exhaust device 1 is electrically connected to the wiring board 401 via the flexible board 404.

In the example of FIG. 30, the separation wall 325 is generally U-shaped in plan view, the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is fixed to one side wall constituting the upper case 320A, and the gas suction and exhaust device is surrounded by the one side wall and the separation wall 325 in plan view.

The upper end (lower side in FIG. 30) of the separation wall 325 contacts the upper plate of the upper case 320A. Furthermore, when the lower case 310 is attached to the upper case 320A in the state shown in FIG. 30, the lower end (upper side in FIG. 30) of the separation wall 325 contacts the lower case 310. As a result, the first area in which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is disposed is defined by one side wall of the upper case 320A, the separation wall 325, the upper plate of the upper case 320A, and the lower case 310. Note that the separation wall 325 is not limited to being approximately U-shaped in plan view, and may be, for example, approximately I-shaped in plan view.

A power jack 402, a power switch 403, and LEDs, ICs, connectors, etc. (not shown) are mounted on the wiring board 401. A portion of the power jack 402 is exposed to the outside from the through hole 322, and a portion of the power switch 403 is exposed to the outside from the through hole 323. In addition, the LED (not shown) is mounted in a position visible from the outside of the through hole 324.

The microblower 20 provided in the gas suction and exhaust device 1 starts sucking in air when the piezoelectric element 215a is driven, but the noise made when the piezoelectric element 215a is driven is so small that it cannot be heard. However, the sucked in air generates a "wind noise." The gas suction and exhaust device 1 detects excretion, etc., by sucking in air for one second every eight seconds, for example, but the "wind noise" generated periodically only during suction can be bothersome. In particular, at night, when surrounding noise is very small, the "wind noise" is even more bothersome.

In this embodiment, the interior of the case 300 is separated by a separation wall 325 into a first area in which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is disposed, and a second area in which the wiring board 401 is disposed. As a result, when the lower case 310 and the upper case 320A are fixed, the area in which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is disposed can be almost sealed by the lower case 310, the upper case 320A, and the separation wall 325. By providing the separation wall 325 that almost seals the first area in which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is disposed, the "wind noise" generated when the microblower 20 sucks in air can be reduced and made less likely to be transmitted to the outside of the case 300.

Figure 31 is a perspective view (part 3) of the upper case according to the second embodiment, shown upside down, showing the state in which parts are attached to the upper case 320A. Figure 32 is a plan view of the upper case according to the second embodiment, shown upside down, showing the state in which parts are attached to the upper case 320A.

As shown in Figures 31 and 32, in the first region, a sound absorbing sheet 328 may be placed between the surface of the separation wall 325 exposed in the first region and the gas suction and exhaust device 1. The sound absorbing sheet 328 may be placed, for example, between the surface of the separation wall 325 exposed in the first region and a guide 329. The guide 329 may not be provided, and the sound absorbing sheet 328 may be attached to the surface of the separation wall 325 exposed in the first region with double-sided tape or the like.

By disposing the sound absorbing sheet 328 in the first region, the "wind noise" generated when the microblower 20 draws in air can be further reduced, making it even less likely to be transmitted to the outside of the case 300. From the viewpoint of improving the soundproofing effect, it is preferable to dispose the sound absorbing sheet 328 so that it is in contact with the entire surface of the separation wall 325 exposed in the first region. In addition, it is preferable that the sound absorbing sheet 328 is of a deodorizing type.

The material for the sound-absorbing sheet 328 can be, for example, a sound-absorbing material made of a porous material such as soft urethane foam or glass wool. Since sound-absorbing materials have a variety of characteristics, it is preferable to analyze the frequency of the "wind noise" and select a material that can effectively absorb that frequency. It is also possible to optimize the sound-absorbing characteristics to suit the hearing of the person using the gas suction and exhaust device 1.

As shown in FIG. 33, the upper case 320B may have a separate mounting plate 330 to which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is attached in advance, and may be configured to be attachable to an opening 320x provided in one side wall of the upper case 320B. The opening 320x may be provided, for example, so as to expose the entire first region. Note that in FIG. 33, the mounting plate 330 is illustrated as being transparent, but it is not necessary to use a transparent material as the mounting plate 330. The mounting plate 330 may be formed, for example, from ABS resin or the like.

The mounting plate 330 is attached, for example, with screws or the like so as to close the opening 320x of the upper case 320B. The mounting plate 330 is fixed so as to close the opening 320x, and constitutes at least a part of one side wall of the upper case 320B. The mounting plate 330 may be fixed so as to close the opening 320x, and constitute the entirety of one side wall of the upper case 320B.

In this way, the mounting plate 330 to which the gas suction and exhaust device 1 is attached in advance is made a separate body and attached to the upper case 320B, making it easy to install the gas suction and exhaust device 1.

A sound pressure sensor that measures the sound pressure generated by the case 300 may be installed on the outside of the case 300. By detecting that the level of the sound pressure sensor exceeds a specified value, it is possible to know that an abnormality has occurred in the state of the air being sucked in from the tube 910, and to inform the user that proper detection is not being performed.

Although the preferred embodiments have been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

For example, in each embodiment and its modified examples, the measurement area is on the bed, but the measurement area is not limited to the bed and may be on any bedding on which the person to be monitored (care recipient, patient, etc.) can lie. Examples of bedding include beds, futons, mattresses, sheets, cushioning materials, and similar items.

1 Gas suction and exhaust device, 3, 3A Gas information acquisition device, 10 Lower case, 11 Protrusion 12, 14, 54 Through hole, 13x, 13y, 13z Recess, 20 Microblower, 21 Main body, 22 External connection terminal, 41, 42 Sealing member 43 O-ring, 50 Upper case, 51 Protrusion, 52 Through hole, 52x Step, 60 Filter unit, 61 Filter, 62 Filter support, 70 Tube fitting, 71 Tube insertion port, 72 Opening, 80, 81 Screw, 91 Wiring board, 92 Sensor, 93 IC, 94 Connector, 211 Outer case, 211a Cavity, 211b, 212a, 219 Wall, 211c, 212b Through hole, 212 Inner case, 214 Spring connecting portion, 215 vibration plate, 215a piezoelectric element, 215b diaphragm, 216 first blower chamber, 217a inlet passage, 217b inlet space, 218 second blower chamber, 219a opening, 300 case, 310 lower case, 320, 320A, 320B upper case, 320x opening, 321, 322, 323, 324 through hole, 325 separation wall, 326, 327 boss, 328 sound absorbing sheet, 330 mounting plate, 340 mounting portion, 360, 360A, 360B, 360C adapter, 361 plate portion, 361x gas suction port, 362 tube insertion portion, 362x tube insertion port, 362y tube stopper, 363 Slip prevention part, 364, 365 slit, 360f first member, 360r second member, 366 protrusion, 367 groove, 368 double-sided tape, 401 wiring board, 402 power jack, 403 power switch, 404 flexible board, 800 bed, 810 sheets, 850 waterproof sheet, 900 cover, 901 first area, 901a, 901b, 903a, 904a insertion port, 901c, 901d slit, 903, 904 second area, 906, 907 excess area, 910 tube, 933, 934 elastic body, 950 cover structure

Claims (9)

A microblower that sucks and exhausts gas;
A housing member that houses the microblower;
a sealing member disposed in contact with the microblower and the housing member ,
the housing member includes a first housing member disposed on a gas suction side of the micro-blower and a second housing member disposed on a gas discharge side of the micro-blower,
The microblower has a main body and an external connection terminal protruding from the main body,
the sealing member includes: a first sealing member disposed between the main body and the second accommodating member so as to contact an outer periphery of a surface of the main body facing the second accommodating member and the second accommodating member; a second sealing member disposed between the external connection terminal and the second accommodating member and in contact with the external connection terminal and the second accommodating member; and a ring-shaped third sealing member disposed around a side surface of the main body and between the external connection terminal and the first accommodating member and in contact with opposing surfaces of the first accommodating member and the second accommodating member,
A gas suction and exhaust device in which the external connection terminal is sandwiched between the second sealing member and the third sealing member, and the tip side of the external connection terminal passes between the second sealing member and the third sealing member and protrudes from the inside to the outside of the accommodating member . The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is made of an elastically deformable material. The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for acquiring information about the gas. 4. The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor is an odor sensor that detects an odor of the gas as information about the gas. The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter unit disposed on a gas suction side of the microblower. A tubular member for sucking the gas is provided with a detachable joint,
The joint is detachably attached to a hollow protruding portion provided on the gas suction side of the containing member by inserting one end side of the joint into the hollow protruding portion,
The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 5 , wherein the filter unit is disposed within the protruding portion on a side closer to the microblower than the joint is. The gas suction and exhaust device according to claim 6 ,
A housing that houses a part of the housing member,
The other end of the joint protrudes from the housing,
The gas information acquisition device, wherein the joint is freely attachable and detachable from the outside of the housing. The gas information acquiring device according to claim 7 , wherein the tubular member is attached to the joint and extends to a measurement area for the gas information. The gas information acquiring device according to claim 8 , wherein the measurement area is on a bedding.

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