KR20080049463A - Breath test device - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided an expiratory testing device capable of measuring the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood. The breath test apparatus is a carbon monoxide sensor that detects the concentration of carbon monoxide from the exhalation, and an exhalation inlet that provides an exhalation to the carbon monoxide sensor with a bent structure as a whole. And an exhalation inlet having an outlet connected to the carbon monoxide sensor between the intake port and the auxiliary outlet for controlling the inlet, a control unit for converting the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood from the concentration, and a display unit for displaying the amount of carboxyhemoglobin. .

Description

Apparatus for testing breath

1 is a perspective view of a breath test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the breath test apparatus of FIG. 1.

3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the exhalation inlet of FIG.

4 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating the second pressure adjusting unit of FIG. 3.

5 is a graph schematically showing the pressure of the exhalation flowing into the housing over time.

6 is a graph schematically showing the amount of current detected by the carbon monoxide sensor of FIG. 1 according to the concentration of carbon monoxide.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: housing 12: handle portion

20: display unit 22: display panel

24: light emitting portion 30: switch portion

32: power switch 34: start switch

36: calibration switch 38: sound switch

40: exhalation inlet 42: first tube

44: first pressure regulator 46: second tube

48: second pressure adjusting portion 48a: support

48b: associative film 50: carbon monoxide sensor

52: Amplifier 54: A / D Converter

60: control unit 70: pressure sensor

80: memory unit 100: breath test apparatus

The present invention relates to a breath test apparatus, and more particularly to a breath test apparatus capable of measuring the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood.

With the recent economic development and the increase of welfare facilities, the desire for a healthier and more affluent life is increasing. Carbon monoxide (CO), which is produced when smoking cigarettes, has a binding strength of about 200 times more than oxygen to hemoglobin, and thus does not supply enough oxygen to the brain that requires much oxygen, which reduces memory and concentration. Accordingly, various efforts for smoking cessation have been made in Korea.

In general, there is a constant correlation between exhalation, the concentration of carbon monoxide in exhalation, and the amount of cigarette smoke actually inhaled while smoking. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a breath test apparatus that can measure the carbon monoxide in the blood and immediately know what percentage of the carbon monoxide-bound blood, carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). These breath test devices can motivate people who want to quit smoking, and if they quit or quit smoking, carbon monoxide levels would be reduced immediately, which would help them to continue smoking.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a breath test apparatus that can measure the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood.

Technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, the breath test apparatus, a carbon monoxide sensor for detecting the concentration of carbon monoxide from the exhalation, and having an overall bent structure as a exhalation inlet for providing the exhalation to the carbon monoxide sensor, An exhalation inlet having an inlet for allowing a user to breathe at one end, an auxiliary outlet for adjusting the pressure of the exhalation at the other end, an outlet connected to the carbon monoxide sensor between the inlet and the auxiliary outlet, and blood from the concentration And a control unit for converting the amount of carboxyhemoglobin, and a display unit for displaying the amount of carboxyhemoglobin.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a breath test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a breath test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the breath test apparatus of FIG. 1.

1 and 2, the breath test apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a carbon monoxide sensor 50 for measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide from the exhalation inlet 40 and the expiration of the user's exhalation ), A control unit 60 for calculating the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood from the concentration of carbon monoxide, a display unit 20 for displaying the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, and a switch for turning on / off the operation of the breath test apparatus 100. The unit 30 is included.

The breath test apparatus 100 includes a housing 10 in which a carbon monoxide sensor 50, a control unit 60, a display unit 20, and a switch unit 30 are formed as a whole, and an exhalation inlet unit 40 coupled to the housing 10. ). The handle part 12 is formed in the housing 10 so that a user easily grasps the housing 10.

The exhalation inlet 40 has an overall curved structure, for example, an L shape, and has an inlet for breathing the user into one end of the exhalation inlet 40 and an auxiliary outlet for adjusting the pressure of exhalation at the other end. And an outlet connected to the housing 10 between the inlet and the auxiliary outlet. Specifically, the exhalation inlet 40 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating the exhalation inlet of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating the second pressure adjusting unit of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, the exhalation inlet 40 is connected to a first tube 42 through which a user connects his or her breath and a first pressure control connected to the first tube 42 to control exhalation pressure primarily. It is connected to the portion 44, the first pressure adjuster 44, the second tube 46 of the shape bent so that the direction of exhalation is changed, and the second tube 46 is connected to secondary pressure exhalation And a second pressure regulator 48 to adjust.

In this case, the first tube 42 serves as an intake port through which the user breathes, and may be formed, for example, in a straight cylinder shape and may be used interchangeably for each user.

The second tube 46 has a T-shape, for example, the first pressure adjusting part 44 is coupled to one side of the second tube 46, and the second pressure is connected to the other side of the second tube 46. The adjuster 48 is coupled. Here, the first pressure adjusting unit 44 is interposed between the first tube 42 and the second tube 46. The second tube 46 has a structure in which one side connected to the first tube 42 is bent so as to change the direction of exhalation provided from the first tube 42, for example, at a right angle. The other side of the second tube 46 connected to the second pressure control unit 48 serves as an auxiliary outlet for adjusting the pressure of the exhalation, and exhales through the outlet of the second tube 46 connected to the housing 10. This carbon monoxide sensor 50 is provided.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first pressure adjusting part 44 has a tube shape as a whole, and a support 48a is formed to allow air to flow across the inside of the tube, and on one surface of the support 48a through which exhalation is discharged. Flexible film 48b is formed. A part of the flexible film 48b is fixed to the support 48a, and the flexible film 48b opens and closes the inside of the tube to maintain a constant pressure of exhalation in the tube. That is, if the pressure of exhalation in the tube is higher than the reference pressure, the flexible film 48b opens the tube to lower the pressure in the tube, and if the exhalation pressure in the tube is lower than the reference pressure, the flexible film 48b closes the tube It acts to increase the pressure inside. Thus, the exhalation is provided to the carbon monoxide sensor 50 at a constant pressure, whereby the precision of the carbon monoxide sensor 50 can be improved.

Since the configuration and function of the second pressure regulator 48 are substantially the same as the first pressure regulator 44, the description thereof is omitted.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the carbon monoxide sensor 50 detects carbon monoxide from the exhalation provided through the exhalation inlet 40 to generate a carbon monoxide concentration value. The concentration value output from the carbon monoxide sensor 50 is amplified by the signal through the amplifier 52. Since the amplified signal is an analog signal, it is then transferred to the A / D converter 54 and converted into a digital signal.

Carbon monoxide sensor 50 used in the present embodiment may be composed of an electrochemical carbon monoxide gas sensor. The operating principle of the carbon monoxide sensor 50 will be described as follows. Carbon monoxide gas diffused from the exhalation is decomposed at the sensing electrode as shown in Scheme 1 to form protons (H ⁺ ). Protons move through the electrolyte and arrive at the counter electrode to form water (H ₂ O), as shown in Scheme 2 below. The sensing electrode and the counter electrode are spaced apart from each other with an electrolyte interposed therebetween, and the carbon monoxide sensor 50 is provided with a reference electrode for forming a reference voltage in the cell. By such an electrochemical reaction, a current flows between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode. At this time, the current is proportional to the concentration of carbon monoxide in the exhalation, it is possible to detect the concentration of carbon monoxide by measuring the current.

Scheme 1

_{CO + H 2 O → CO 2} + 2H + + 2e -

Scheme 2

^{2H + + 2e - + 1 /} 2O 2 → H 2 O

As the electrolyte used in the carbon monoxide sensor 50, a liquid electrolyte or a solid electrolyte such as an acid or a base may be used. As the solid electrolyte, for example, Nafion (Nafion ^® , Dupont) having high proton conductivity can be used. Nafion is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluorinated vinyl ether. Since Nafion has a property of changing its proton conductivity according to relative humidity, it is preferable to always maintain constant relative humidity at about 100% by placing distilled water under the solid electrolyte when Nafion is used as the solid electrolyte.

Ag, AgO, Ru, RuO 2, Pt, or Pt / Ru alloy may be used as an electrode such as a sensing electrode, a counter electrode, a reference electrode, or the like.

Through the carbon monoxide sensor 50, the amplifier 52, and the A / D converter 54, a digital signal for the carbon monoxide concentration value during the exhalation is transmitted to the controller 60. The controller 60 converts the carbon monoxide concentration value input from the carbon monoxide sensor 50 into the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood and outputs the same to the display unit 20. Carbon monoxide concentration in the exhalation and the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood have a linear quantitative relationship ["Carbon monoxide in breath in relation to smoking and carboxyhaemoglobin levels" N. J. Wald et. al., Thorax, 36 (1981) pp. 366]. Therefore, such a linear quantitative relationship is stored in the memory unit 60, and the control unit 60 compares the carbon monoxide concentration value input from the carbon monoxide sensor 50 with the linear quantitative relationship input from the memory unit 60 in the blood. The amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) is calculated and output to the display unit 20. In addition, the control unit 60 outputs a control signal indicating the smoking level to the display unit 20 according to the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood.

The display unit 20 displays a predetermined amount of light according to the display panel 22 displaying the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) input from the controller 60 in letters or numbers, and the control signal input from the controller 60. And a light emitting part 24 for emitting. The light emitting unit 24 may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), and according to the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), for example, a blue light emitting diode, an orange to represent a non-smoker, a smoker, and a smoke addict. It may be composed of a light emitting diode and a red light emitting diode.

Although not shown, the control unit 60 outputs a control signal to the sound output unit (not shown), and the sound output unit outputs the sound stored therein through the speaker to provide the user with the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood. You can also tell.

The exhalation inlet 40 may be formed with a pressure sensor 70 for measuring the pressure of the exhalation flowing into the housing 10. The pressure sensor 70 may be constituted by, for example, a piezo actuator.

5 is a graph schematically showing the pressure of the exhalation flowing into the housing over time. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the pressure of exhalation begins to increase as time passes, and when the saturation time Ts is reached, the first pressure adjusting unit 44 and the second pressure control of the exhalation inlet 40 are adjusted. The pressure of the exhalation flowing into the housing 10 by the portion 48 is to maintain a constant saturation pressure (Ps). The control unit 60 receives the pressure value of the exhalation from the pressure sensor 70, the carbon monoxide concentration value input from the carbon monoxide sensor 50 from the moment the exhalation pressure reaches the saturation pressure (Ps) blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) To the amount of. Since the carbon monoxide sensor 50 operates normally when the exhalation pressure is between the reference pressure Po and the saturation pressure Ps, the controller 60 controls the reference pressure Po and the saturation pressure Ps from the pressure sensor 70. Take time data (To, Ts) between) and extract the carbon monoxide concentration value during the interval. The reference pressure Po may have a different value according to the specification of the breath test apparatus 100 and may have, for example, a value of 90% or more of the saturation pressure Ps.

As such, when the control unit 60 extracts the carbon monoxide concentration value based on the exhalation pressure value from the pressure sensor 70, the exhalation due to the failure of the first pressure adjusting unit 44 and the second pressure adjusting unit 48 is performed. When the pressure exceeds the saturation pressure Ps, a failure or error message may be output to the display unit 20.

In addition, the controller 60 may output a warning message to the display unit 20 when the exhalation pressure of the user is lower than the reference pressure Po.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whether the carbon monoxide concentration value output from the carbon monoxide sensor 50 using the pressure sensor 70 is valid, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, even if there is no pressure sensor 70, when the carbon monoxide concentration value is maintained at a constant value, the control unit 60 may extract the value and convert it to the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood.

Although not shown, the breath test apparatus 100 may further include a power supply unit (not shown) for providing power. The power supply unit is installed inside the breath test apparatus 100 to provide a predetermined voltage power to each component included in the breath test apparatus 100. For example, a power supply may use a commercially available battery.

The switch unit 30 includes a power switch 32 for turning on / off the power supply unit, a start switch 34 for notifying the start of exhalation inspection, a calibration switch 36 for adjusting the sensitivity of the carbon monoxide sensor 50, and a sound. And an acoustic switch 38 for turning on and off the output.

The power switch 32 serves to turn on / off the entire exhalation inspection apparatus 100 by turning on / off the operation of the power supply unit.

When the user wants to start the test by breathing through the exhalation inlet 40, the start switch 34 is pressed to notify the start of the test to each component included in the exhalation test apparatus 100.

6 is a graph schematically showing the amount of current detected by the carbon monoxide sensor of FIG. 1 according to the concentration of carbon monoxide. As shown in FIG. 6, when the concentration of carbon monoxide is 0 ppm in the initial state, no current is detected in the carbon monoxide sensor. In addition, when a current of A μmA is detected from the carbon monoxide sensor, there is a linear correlation that the concentration of carbon monoxide becomes B ppm.

However, as the user uses the aerobic inspection apparatus 100 several times, even when the concentration of carbon monoxide is 0 ppm, current is detected from the carbon monoxide sensor or carbon monoxide sensor is deteriorated so that the current of A μmA flows from the carbon monoxide sensor. It may happen that the concentration is not exactly B ppm.

1 and 2, the calibration switch 36 serves to adjust the sensitivity of the carbon monoxide sensor 50. The carbon monoxide-free air is blown into the exhalation inlet 40 and the calibration switch 36 is pressed while operating the carbon monoxide sensor 50. At this time, the current flowing through the carbon monoxide sensor 50 is corrected to be 0 μmA. In addition, when the user presses the calibration switch 36 while blowing carbon monoxide having a concentration of B ppm supplied to the exhalation inlet 40 and operating the carbon monoxide sensor 50, the current flowing through the carbon monoxide sensor 50 is corrected by A micrometer A is made.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but may be manufactured in various forms, and having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

According to the breath test apparatus according to the present invention as described above, it is convenient to carry and can accurately measure the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood from exhalation. In addition, the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood can be measured from time to time during quitting, which can give a strong motivation for quitting.

Claims (5)

A carbon monoxide sensor for detecting the concentration of carbon monoxide from exhalation; An exhalation inlet having a bent structure and providing the exhalation to the carbon monoxide sensor as a whole, an inlet for breathing the user at one end, an auxiliary outlet for adjusting the pressure of the exhalation at the other end, between the inlet and the auxiliary outlet An exhalation inlet having an outlet connected to the carbon monoxide sensor; A control unit for converting the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood from the concentration; And Exhalation device comprising a display unit for displaying the amount of carboxyhemoglobin. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhalation inlet, A first tube through which the user breathes, A first pressure adjusting part connected to the first tube to adjust the pressure of the exhalation; A second tube connected to the first pressure adjusting part and bent to change the direction of exhalation; Exhalation inspection device connected to the second tube including a second pressure control unit for adjusting the pressure of the exhalation. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second pressure adjusting unit, A support formed to traverse the inside of the tube and allow air to flow therethrough; Exhalation inspection device comprising a flexible film formed on one surface of the support to open and close the tube. The method of claim 2, Exhalation inspection device further comprises a calibration switch for adjusting the sensitivity of the carbon monoxide sensor. The method of claim 4, wherein The breath test apparatus further includes a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the exhalation in the exhalation inlet, And the control unit detects the concentration of the carbon monoxide from the carbon monoxide sensor when the pressure of the exhalation is between a reference pressure and a saturation pressure.

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