Electrode structure and wearable device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202280096285.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-27
AI Technical Summary
The electrodes in existing smart wearable devices are not elastic enough, making them uncomfortable for users to wear, with limited movement, and difficult to put on and take off, which affects the quality of signal collection.
An electrode structure is designed, in which multiple electrodes are connected to each other through soft connectors to achieve a large amount of deformation, ensuring that the shape can be flexibly adjusted when fitting with human skin, improving wearing comfort and signal collection quality.
The electrode structure reduces the foreign body sensation when worn, avoids movement constraints, improves the user's convenience in putting on and taking off, and enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of signal collection, ensuring the stability and reliability of the device.
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Figure CN119212621A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Electrode structure and wearable device Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the field of signal acquisition, and in particular to an electrode structure and a wearable device. Background Art
[0002] With people's increasing interest in scientific exercise and physical health, smart wearable devices are experiencing significant growth. Smart wearable devices can monitor human physiological signals (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG)) in real time to monitor the user's physiological condition and provide exercise guidance. Currently, smart wearable devices primarily rely on electrodes to monitor physiological signals such as ECG and EMG. By integrating electrodes into clothing (shirts, pants, bandages, etc.) that adhere to the user's skin, these signals can be collected and analyzed. Due to the limitations of the material used, electrodes often lack optimal elasticity (e.g., poor elasticity). This can cause users to experience discomfort when wearing these wearable devices, such as a foreign body sensation, restricted movements, limited exertion, and difficulty putting on and taking off.
[0003] Therefore, it is hoped to provide an electrode structure that has the characteristics of a large elastic range and adjustability, so that when it is applied to wearable devices to collect physiological signals of the human body, it can ensure that the human body has good wearing comfort.
[0004] Summary of the Invention
[0005] One embodiment of the present application provides an electrode structure, comprising: a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes being flexibly connected to at least another of the plurality of electrodes via at least a connector, and the connector being capable of electrically conducting the connected electrodes.
[0006] One of the embodiments of this specification provides a wearable device, comprising: a wearable portion, including a base that fits the user's body; at least two first electrodes, spaced apart on the base, for fitting the skin to respectively collect physiological signals; and at least two second electrodes, spaced apart on the base and electrically connected to each other via a connector, the at least two second electrodes fitting the skin to provide a reference voltage for the physiological signals.
[0007] One of the embodiments of this specification also provides a wearable device, comprising: a wearable portion, comprising a base that fits the user's body; at least two electrode structures, the at least two electrode structures being arranged at intervals on the base, for fitting the skin to collect physiological signals, wherein each of the electrode structures comprises a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes being electrically connected to at least another of the plurality of electrodes via a connector, and the electrode structures being configured to collect electrical signals from the same target muscle of the user's body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The present application will be further described in the form of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting, and in these embodiments, like numbers represent like structures, wherein:
[0009] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0010] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0011] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0012] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0013] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0014] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0015] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a wearable device according to some embodiments of this specification;
[0016] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a wearable device according to some embodiments of this specification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely examples or embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can apply this application to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without inventive effort. Unless otherwise apparent from the context or otherwise noted, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.
[0018] The embodiment of the present specification provides an electrode structure, which includes a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes is softly connected to at least another of the plurality of electrodes by at least a connector, and the connector can electrically conduct the connected electrodes. The plurality of electrodes in the electrode structure provided in the embodiment of the present specification are softly connected by a connector, and can have a large deformability. In this way, when the electrode structure is applied to a wearable device and fits against human skin to collect physiological signals of the human body (for example, electromyographic signals, electrocardiographic signals, etc.), the large deformability of the electrode structure can meet the user's convenience in putting on and taking off the wearable device when wearing it, and will not restrict the user's movements (stretching hands, lifting legs, bending over, etc.), hinder the user's force, and ensure that the user has a good sense of comfort. In addition, the electrode structure provided in the embodiment of the present specification can reduce the foreign body sensation caused by the electrode structure to the user when the user wears the wearable device electrode structure, while ensuring that the position where the electrode structure is set on the wearable device is not easily damaged. In some embodiments, the deformability of the electrode structure provided in the embodiment of the present specification can refer to the maximum deformation that can be produced by the electrode structure when it is subjected to force and does not suffer irreversible damage (for example, fracture), wherein the deformation of the electrode structure can refer to deformation such as bending and stretching of the electrode structure. In some embodiments, by adjusting the number of connectors provided in a certain direction of the electrode structure provided in the embodiment of this specification, the deformable amount of the electrode structure in that direction can be adjusted, so that the electrode structure can meet the use requirements in more application scenarios. In some embodiments, the deformable amount of the electrode structure can be increased by reducing the elastic coefficient of the electrode structure. It should be noted that the "soft connection" involved in this specification may refer to a connection that can achieve relative displacement (for example, relatively close to or away from each other) or deformation such as cornering between two objects to be connected (for example, two electrodes), and can be restored to its original shape under the action of an external force or under the action of its own elasticity. In some embodiments, the soft connection can be achieved by an elastic member (for example, the wire 520 shown in FIG5 ) connected between the two objects to be connected. The elastic member has a certain elastic deformation capability, and the elastic deformation of the elastic member can drive a relative displacement between the two objects to be connected. In some embodiments, a flexible connection can be achieved by connecting two objects to be connected, having a certain length and capable of being expanded, folded, bent, or curved under the action of an external force to change its redundant length (for example, the wire 620 shown in Figure 6). The expansion or folding of the structural member can cause relative displacement between the two objects to be connected. In some embodiments, the electrode structure provided in the embodiments of this specification can be applied to devices that collect one or more physiological signals, such as smart wearable devices (or wearable devices), medical detection equipment, or signal analysis equipment.In some embodiments, the smart wearable device can be worn on various parts of the human body (for example, calves, thighs, waist, back, chest, shoulders, neck, etc.) to collect physiological signals from various parts of the user's body in different states, and the collected signals can be further processed later. In some embodiments, the smart wearable device may include smart bracelets, smart shoes and socks, smart glasses, smart helmets, smart watches, smart clothes, smart pants, smart backpacks, smart accessories, etc. or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the physiological signal is a detectable signal that can reflect the state of the body, for example, it may include a variety of signals such as respiratory signals, electrocardiogram signals (ECG), electromyography signals, blood pressure signals, and temperature signals.
[0019] The electrode structure provided in the embodiments of this specification will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of the present specification.
[0021] As shown in FIG1 , the electrode structure 100 may include a plurality of electrodes 110, each of the plurality of electrodes 110 being softly connected to at least one other of the plurality of electrodes 110 via a connector 120, and the connector 120 may electrically conduct the connected electrodes. As an exemplary illustration, each of the plurality of electrodes 110 has one or more adjacent electrodes 110, and each electrode 110 may be softly connected to one or more of the adjacent electrodes 110 via a connector 120. It will be understood that the “adjacent electrodes” mentioned in the embodiments of this specification refer to two or more electrodes adjacent to each other in a specific direction, for example, each electrode has one or more adjacent electrodes along the first direction shown in FIG1 , and each electrode also has one or more adjacent electrodes along the second direction shown in FIG1 . In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1 , each electrode 110 may be softly connected to all adjacent electrodes 110 via a connector 120. Among them, all electrodes 110 adjacent to a particular electrode 110 may include all electrodes 110 adjacent to the electrode 110 along the first direction and all electrodes 110 adjacent to the electrode 110 along the second direction. In some embodiments, when all electrodes 110 are electrically conductive, each electrode 110 may be flexibly connected to only some of the electrodes 110 adjacent to it via connectors 120. By flexibly connecting each electrode 110 to one or more adjacent electrodes 110 via conductive connectors 120, on the one hand, the contact area between the electrode structure 100 and the human skin is increased, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, the deformability of the electrode structure 100 can be increased, ensuring a better sense of comfort when applied to the human skin to collect physiological signals. In some embodiments, the first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction. For example, the electrode structure 100 may be used to adhere to the human skin to collect electromyographic signals. The first direction may be the length direction of the muscle fibers, and the second direction may be a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the muscle fibers. As an example only, the electrode structure 100 can be fitted to the position of the leg muscles of the human body, in which case the first direction can be the axial direction of the leg, and the second direction can be the circumferential direction of the leg. The electrode structure 100 can also be fitted to the position of the waist muscles of the human body, in which case the first direction can be the axial direction of the lumbar spine, and the second direction can be the circumferential direction of the waist.
[0022] In some embodiments, the multiple electrodes 110 can be arranged in a rectangular array as shown in FIG1 , or in an annular or circular array. In some embodiments, the multiple electrodes 110 can be irregularly distributed. For example, a larger number of the multiple electrodes 110 can be concentrated in locations where monitoring is more difficult or requires particular attention, while a smaller number of the multiple electrodes 110 can be dispersed in other locations. For ease of explanation, this specification will primarily describe an electrode structure in which the multiple electrodes are arranged in a rectangular array.
[0023] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1 , the electrode structure 100 may further include a substrate 130 , and a plurality of electrodes 110 may be arranged on the substrate 130 along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The electrode structure 100 may have different amounts of deformability in the first direction and the second direction, respectively. In some embodiments, the electrode structure 100 has different elastic coefficients in the first direction and the second direction, respectively, such that the electrode structure 100 has different amounts of deformability in the first direction and the second direction, respectively. Specifically, the elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction is a first elastic coefficient, and the elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction is a second elastic coefficient. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1 , the number of electrodes 110 distributed in each row along the first direction in the electrode structure 100 may be the same as the number of electrodes 110 distributed in each column along the second direction in the electrode structure 100. In some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 distributed in each row along the first direction in the electrode structure 100 may also be different from the number of electrodes 110 distributed in each column along the second direction in the electrode structure 100. For example, the number of electrodes 110 distributed along the first direction in each row of the electrode structure 100 may be greater than or less than the number of electrodes 110 distributed along the second direction in each column of the electrode structure 100. In some embodiments, the substrate 130 may be made of a flexible insulating material (e.g., resin, soft PVC, silicone), and may be rectangular, circular, or other irregular shapes. In some embodiments, the electrode 110 may be fixedly connected to the substrate 130 by means of gluing, snapping, welding, or the like. In some embodiments, when the electrode structure 100 is applied to a wearable device, the substrate 130 may be a part of a wearable portion of the wearable device for the user to wear (e.g., a top, pants, belt, strap, etc.), or may be provided separately from the wearable portion, and then fixedly connected to the surface of the wearable portion that fits the user's body by means of gluing, snapping, welding, or the like, so that the electrode structure 100 can be fixed to the wearable portion and fit the user's skin to collect physiological signals. In some embodiments, the deformability of the substrate 130 (or the deformability of the wearable portion) can be consistent or substantially consistent with the deformability of the connector 120. This can reduce the discomfort caused by the electrode structure to the user when the wearable device is worn, while ensuring that the location where the electrode structure 100 is set on the wearable portion is not easily damaged. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the electrode structure 100 may not include the substrate 130, and each electrode 110 can be flexibly connected to one or more adjacent electrodes 110 only through the connector 120.
[0024] In some embodiments, the electrode 110 can be a sheet-like structure. The shape of the electrode 110 can be regular, such as circular, elliptical, rectangular, or diamond, or other irregular shapes. In some embodiments, the electrode 110 can be made of a single material, such as a metal fabric electrode, a conductive silicon electrode, a hydrogel electrode, or a metal electrode. Preferably, the electrode 110 can be a metal fabric electrode or a conductive silicon electrode. Metal fabric electrodes have a lower resistivity. When the electrode structure 100 is applied to human skin to collect physiological signals, the impedance of the metal fabric electrode and the contact impedance between the metal fabric electrode and the skin are also lower. The thinner the metal fabric electrode, the lower its impedance and the contact impedance between the metal fabric electrode and the skin. In some embodiments, the lower the contact impedance between the electrode 110 and the skin, the lower the contact impedance between the electrode structure 100 and the skin, and the higher the intensity of the collected physiological signals. In some embodiments, when using metal fabric electrodes to collect physiological signals, the thickness of the metal fabric electrode can be 10 μm to 5 mm. Preferably, the thickness of the metal fabric electrode can be 100 μm to 3 mm. More preferably, the thickness of the metal fabric electrode can be 500 μm to 2 mm. In some embodiments, the electrode 110 can also be an electrode formed by superimposing different materials, such as an electrode composed of a metal fabric material and a conductive silicon material. Not only is the contact impedance between the electrode and the skin small, but the conductive silicon in contact with the skin has the advantages of being skin-friendly and washable, thereby avoiding the discomfort caused to the human body by the contact between the electrode and the skin.
[0025] In some embodiments, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction can be adjusted by controlling the size of the electrode 110, thereby adjusting the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first and / or second directions. In some embodiments, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction can be adjusted by controlling the ratio of the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction to the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the second direction. In some embodiments, when the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction is greater than the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the second direction, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction is less than the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction, and the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction is greater than the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction. In some embodiments, the ratio between the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction and the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the second direction can be 0.1 to 10. In some embodiments, the ratio between the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction and the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the second direction can be 0.5 to 9. In some embodiments, the ratio between the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction and the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the second direction can be 1 to 8. In some embodiments, the ratio of the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction to the maximum dimension of the second direction can be designed according to the elasticity requirements of the electrode structure 100 in the application scenario. For example, when the electrode structure 100 is in contact with human skin, the smaller deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction has a significant effect on improving the comfort of the human body. Therefore, the ratio of the maximum dimension of the electrode 110 in the first direction to the maximum dimension of the second direction can be designed to be larger.
[0026] In some embodiments, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction can be adjusted by controlling the number and area of the electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 and the ratio of the total area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110 to adjust the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second direction.
[0027] In some embodiments, the greater the number of electrodes 110, the greater the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction, and the smaller the deformation of the electrode structure 100. As an example, if the total area of the electrode structure 100 is constant, the greater the number of electrodes 110, the smaller the spacing between adjacent electrodes 110, the smaller the length of the connector 120 connecting the adjacent electrodes 110 (for example, the maximum dimension of the connector 120 along the first direction or the maximum dimension along the second direction), the greater the elastic coefficient of the connector 120, the smaller the deformability of the connector 120, and the smaller the deformation of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second direction. To ensure that the electrode structure 100 has a large deformation, in some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 can be 2 to 1000. In some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 can be 10 to 1000. In some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 can be 20 to 1000. In some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 may be 100 to 1000. In some embodiments, the number of electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 may be 500 to 1000. It should be noted that the number of electrodes shown in FIG1 is for example only and is not intended to be limiting.
[0028] In some embodiments, the smaller the area of each electrode 110 in the electrode structure 100, the smaller the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction or the second direction. As an exemplary illustration, when the total area of the electrode structure 100 is constant, the smaller the area of the electrode 110, the larger the spacing between adjacent electrodes 110 may be, the longer the length of the connector 120 connected between adjacent electrodes 110 (for example, the maximum dimension of the connector 120 along the first direction or the maximum dimension of the connector 120 along the second direction) will be, the smaller the elastic coefficient of the connector 120, the greater the deformability of the connector 120, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second direction. In order to ensure that the electrode structure 100 has a large deformability, in some embodiments, the area of each electrode 110 in the electrode structure 100 can be 1mm 2 ~20mm 2 In some embodiments, the area of each electrode 110 in the electrode structure 100 may be 2 mm 2 ~18mm 2 In some embodiments, the area of each electrode 110 in the electrode structure 100 may be 2 mm 2~15mm 2 In some embodiments, the area of each electrode 110 in the electrode structure 100 may be 2 mm 2 ~10mm 2 .
[0029] In some embodiments, the greater the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110, the smaller the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second direction. As an example, the greater the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110, the greater the spacing between adjacent electrodes 110 may be, the greater the length of the connector 120 connected between adjacent electrodes 110 (for example, the maximum dimension of the connector 120 in the first direction or the maximum dimension of the connector 120 in the second direction), the smaller the elastic coefficient of the connector 120, the greater the deformability of the connector 120, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and / or the second direction. Among them, the area of the electrode structure 100 can refer to the area of the overall shape presented by the electrode structure 100. To ensure that the electrode structure 100 has a large deformability, in some embodiments, the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110 may be 1 to 1000. In some embodiments, the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110 may be 2 to 100. In some embodiments, the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110 may be 2 to 10. In some embodiments, the ratio of the area of the electrode structure 100 to the sum of the areas of all electrodes 110 may be 4 to 10.
[0030] In some embodiments, the amount of deformation of the electrode structure in the first direction and / or the second direction can be adjusted by controlling the number of connectors provided along the first direction and the number of connectors provided along the second direction. In some embodiments, the first elastic coefficient in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction can be adjusted by controlling the number of connectors provided along the first direction and the number of connectors provided along the second direction, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the amount of deformation of the electrode structure in the first direction and / or the second direction.
[0031] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1 , the number of connectors 120 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 100 can be the same as the number of connectors 120 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 100, and the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction can be the same or substantially the same, so that the deformability of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and the deformability in the second direction can be the same or substantially the same. In some embodiments, the first elastic coefficient (deformability) of the electrode structure 100 in the first direction and the second elastic coefficient (deformability) of the electrode structure 100 in the second direction being substantially the same can mean that the difference between the first elastic coefficient and the second elastic coefficient is within 1% to 10%. Specifically, as shown in FIG1 , each row of adjacent electrodes 110 distributed along the first direction are connected by a connector 120, and each column of adjacent electrodes 110 distributed along the second direction are connected by a connector 120, wherein the number of connectors 120 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 100 and the number of connectors provided along the second direction of the electrode structure are both 12. In some embodiments, when all electrodes 110 are electrically conductive, only two adjacent electrodes 110 distributed along the first direction in the electrode structure 100 may be connected by a connector 120, and only two adjacent electrodes 110 distributed along the second direction may be connected by a connector 120, as long as the number of connectors 120 provided in the first direction of the electrode structure 100 is the same as the number of connectors 120 provided in the second direction of the electrode structure 100. Among them, electrical conductivity between all electrodes 110 can be understood as any two electrodes 110 in the electrode structure 100 can be directly or indirectly connected through one or more connectors 120 to achieve electrical conductivity. It should be noted that the number of electrodes 110 and connectors 120 shown in Figure 1 is only for example and is not intended to be limiting. When the number of electrodes in the electrode structure is other numbers, the number of connectors provided in the first direction and the number of connectors provided in the second direction of the electrode structure can be designed with reference to how the number of connectors 120 provided in the first direction and the number of connectors 120 provided in the second direction of the electrode structure 100 are designed.
[0032] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of the present specification.
[0033] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the number of connectors 220 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 200 may be greater than the number of connectors 220 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 200, and the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction may be greater than the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the second direction, so that the deformability of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction may be less than the deformability of the electrode structure 200 in the second direction. The electrode 210, connector 220, and substrate 230 in the electrode structure 200 are similar to the electrode 110, connector 120, and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, respectively. For more descriptions of the electrode 210, connector 220, and substrate 230 in the electrode structure 200, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the electrode 110, connector 120, and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, which will not be repeated here.
[0034] In some embodiments, by ensuring that each row of the electrode structure 200 is distributed along the first direction and that two adjacent electrodes 210 are connected by a connector 220, and that some rows of the electrode structure 200 are distributed along the second direction and that two adjacent electrodes 210 are connected by a connector 220, the number of connectors 220 provided in the first direction of the electrode structure 200 can be greater than the number of connectors 220 provided in the second direction of the electrode structure 200, so that the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction is greater than the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the second direction, resulting in the deformability of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction being less than the deformability of the electrode structure 200 in the second direction. Specifically, when the number of rows of the electrode structure 200 distributed along the first direction and connected by the connectors 220 is greater than the number of columns of the electrode structure 200 distributed along the second direction and connected by the connectors 220, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction can be greater than the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 200 in the second direction, thereby making the deformability of the electrode structure 200 in the first direction less than the deformability in the second direction. As an exemplary illustration, as shown in FIG2 , the number of connectors 220 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 200 is 12, and the number of connectors 220 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 is 6. The 12 connectors 220 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 200 can be used to connect all two adjacent electrodes 210 in the first direction of the electrode structure 200, and three of the six connectors 220 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 can be used to connect the four electrodes 210 in the first column from left to right of the electrode structure 200, and the other three connectors 220 can be used to connect the four electrodes 210 in the last column from left to right of the electrode structure 200. In some embodiments, the number of connectors 220 arranged along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 can be 3. When all electrodes 210 are electrically conductive, the 3 connectors 220 can be used to connect the 4 electrodes distributed in the same column in the electrode structure 200, or to connect two adjacent electrodes 210 distributed in different columns in the electrode structure 200, respectively, wherein 4 of the electrodes 210 connected by the 3 connectors 220 are distributed in different rows.For example, when all electrodes 210 are electrically conductive, the first connector 220 of the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 210 distributed in the first column, the second connector 220 of the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 210 distributed in the second column, and the third connector 220 of the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 210 distributed in the third column. Among the electrodes 210 connected by the three connectors, four electrodes 210 need to be distributed in different rows to ensure electrical conductivity between all electrodes 210. In some embodiments, when all electrodes 210 are electrically conductive, the number of connectors 220 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 can be greater than three and less than the number of connectors 220 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 200. For example, the number of connectors 220 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 can be four, five, six, seven, etc. In some embodiments, provided that all electrodes 210 are electrically conductive, only a portion of the electrodes 210 in the electrode structure 200 may be distributed along the first direction and connected to adjacent electrodes 210 via connectors 120, as long as the number of connectors 220 disposed along the first direction is greater than the number of connectors 220 disposed along the second direction. It will be appreciated that each row of electrodes 210 in the electrode structure 200 may refer to a plurality of electrodes 210 distributed along a direction parallel to the first direction and in the same straight line in the electrode structure 200, and each column of electrodes 210 in the electrode structure 200 may refer to a plurality of electrodes 210 distributed along a direction parallel to the second direction and in the same straight line in the electrode structure 200. It should be noted that the number of electrodes 210 and connectors 220 shown in Figure 2 is only for example and is not intended to be limiting. When the number of electrodes in the electrode structure is other numbers, the number of connectors set along the first direction and the number of connectors set along the second direction of the electrode structure can be designed with reference to the number of connectors 220 set along the first direction and the number of connectors 220 set along the second direction of the electrode structure 200.
[0035] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of the present specification.
[0036] In some embodiments, the number of connectors 320 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 may be less than the number of connectors 320 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 300, and the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 300 in the first direction may be greater than the elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 300 in the second direction, so that the deformability of the electrode structure 300 in the first direction may be greater than the deformability in the second direction. The electrode 310, connector 320, and substrate 330 in the electrode structure 300 are similar to the electrode 110, connector 120, and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, respectively. For more descriptions of the electrode 310, connector 320, and substrate 330 in the electrode structure 300, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the electrode 110, connector 120, and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, which will not be repeated here.
[0037] In some embodiments, by making each column of the electrode structure 300 distributed along the second direction and connecting two adjacent electrodes 310 via a connector 320, and partially distributing along the first direction and connecting two adjacent electrodes 210 via a connector 320, the number of connectors 320 provided along the second direction of the electrode structure 300 can be greater than the number of connectors 320 provided along the first direction of the electrode structure 300, so that the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 300 in the first direction is less than the second elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 300 in the second direction, resulting in the electrode structure 300 being deformable in the first direction being greater than the second elastic coefficient in the second direction. Specifically, when the number of rows distributed along the first direction and connected by the connectors 320 in the electrode structure 300 is less than the number of columns distributed along the second direction and connected by the connectors 320 in the electrode structure 300, the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 300 in the first direction can be less than the second elastic coefficient in the second direction of the electrode structure 300, so that the electrode structure 300 is deformable in the first direction being greater than the second direction. As an exemplary illustration, as shown in FIG3 , the number of connectors 320 disposed along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 is 6, and the number of connectors 320 disposed along the second direction of the electrode structure 300 is 12. Specifically, the 12 connectors 220 disposed along the second direction of the electrode structure 200 can be used to connect all two adjacent electrodes 210 in the second direction of the electrode structure 200, and three connectors 320 of the connectors 320 disposed along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 can be used to connect the four electrodes 310 in the first row from top to bottom of the electrode structure 300, and the other three connectors 320 can be used to connect the four electrodes 310 in the last row from top to bottom of the electrode structure 300. In some embodiments, the number of connectors 320 arranged along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 can be three. When all electrodes 310 are electrically conductive, the three connectors 320 can be used to connect the four electrodes 310 distributed in the same row of the electrode structure 300, or to connect two adjacent electrodes 310 distributed in different rows of the electrode structure 300, respectively, wherein four of the electrodes 210 connected by the three connectors are distributed in different columns. For example, when all electrodes 310 are electrically conductive, the first connector 320 among the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 310 distributed in the first row, the second connector 320 among the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 310 distributed in the second row, and the third connector 320 among the three connectors 220 can be used to connect two adjacent electrodes 310 distributed in the third row. Among them, four electrodes 210 among the electrodes 310 connected by the three connectors need to be distributed in different columns to ensure electrical conductivity between all electrodes 310.In some embodiments, while all electrodes 310 are electrically conductive, the number of connectors 320 disposed along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 may be greater than three and less than the number of connectors 320 disposed along the first direction of the electrode structure 300. For example, the number of connectors 320 disposed along the first direction of the electrode structure 300 may be four, five, six, seven, or the like. In some embodiments, while all electrodes 310 are electrically conductive, only some of the electrodes 310 disposed along the second direction in the electrode structure 300 may be connected by connectors 120, as long as the number of connectors 320 disposed along the first direction is less than the number of connectors 220 disposed along the second direction. It is understood that each row of electrodes 310 in the electrode structure 300 may refer to a plurality of electrodes 310 disposed along a direction parallel to the first direction and in the same straight line in the electrode structure 300. It should be noted that the number of electrodes 310 and connectors 320 shown in Figure 3 is only an example and is not intended to be limiting. When the number of electrodes in the electrode structure is other numbers (for example, 100, 200, 500, 1000, etc.), the number of connectors set along the first direction and the number of connectors set along the second direction of the electrode structure can be designed with reference to the number of connectors 320 set along the first direction and the number of connectors 320 set along the second direction of the electrode structure 300.
[0038] Each electrode (e.g., electrode 110, 210, or 310) in the electrode structure (e.g., electrode structure 100, 200, or 300) provided in the embodiments of this specification is flexibly connected to one or more adjacent electrodes at least through a connector (e.g., connector 120, 220, or 320), has a large deformation range, and can ensure that the human body has a good sense of comfort when used to collect physiological signals from the human skin. In some embodiments, the connector may include a conductive structure, the conductive structure has conductivity, and each of the multiple electrodes is connected to at least another of the multiple electrodes through the conductive structure, so that the two connected electrodes are electrically conductive and can undergo relative displacement. In some embodiments, in order to enable the conductive structure and the electrode to better adapt to different size and shape requirements, the natural length of the conductive structure is greater than the initial spacing between the connected electrodes. In some embodiments, in order to enable the natural length of the conductive structure to cooperate with the tensile deformation of the electrode structure, and considering that the stretching amount of the electrode structure will not be too large, the ratio between the natural length of the conductive structure and the connected electrode can be 1.5 to 10.
[0039] In some embodiments, the conductive structure may be an elastic conductive structure that is elastically extendable along its axial direction. The elastic extendability of the conductive structure along its axial direction may mean that the conductive structure can extend or shorten along its axial direction under the action of an external force and can return to its original length after the external force disappears. In some embodiments, the conductive structure may have a deformability that can directly affect the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient in the second direction. The deformability of the conductive structure may refer to the percentage difference between the maximum length of the conductive structure after elastic extension along the axial direction when the conductive structure is about to undergo plastic deformation (or fracture) and the initial length of the conductive structure. In some embodiments, the greater the deformability of the conductive structure, the smaller the first elastic coefficient of the electrode structure 500 in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient in the second direction, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 500 in the first direction and / or the second direction. In some embodiments, the deformability of the conductive structure may be 5% to 200%. In some embodiments, the deformability of the conductive structure may be 20% to 200%. In some embodiments, the deformability of the conductive structure may be 50% to 200%. In some embodiments, the conductive structure may be deformable by 100% to 200%.
[0040] In some embodiments, the conductive structure and the electrodes may be separate structures, and the ends of the conductive structure may be connected to the two electrodes by bonding, welding, detachable connection, etc. In some embodiments, the ends of the conductive structure and the two electrodes are connected by plugging. In some embodiments, the ends of the conductive structure may be provided with contact pins, and the electrodes may be provided with sockets, and the contact pins are inserted into the sockets to achieve plug-in connection between the ends of the conductive structure and the electrodes, or the ends of the conductive structure may be provided with sockets, and the electrodes may be provided with contact pins. In some embodiments, the ends of the conductive structure and the two electrodes are connected by snap-fitting. In some embodiments, the ends of the conductive structure may be provided with bumps, and the electrodes may be provided with slots, and the bumps are inserted into the slots to achieve snap-fit connection between the ends of the conductive structure and the electrodes, or the ends of the conductive structure may be provided with slots, and the electrodes may be provided with bumps. The detachable connection between the conductive structure and the electrodes allows the electrode structure to be freely assembled and disassembled to adapt to different size and shape requirements. When such an electrode structure is applied to a wearable device, the size and deformation of the electrode structure can be changed to make the wearable device suitable for adults or children. In some embodiments, the plurality of electrodes can be divided into two groups, wherein one group of electrodes (which may be referred to as the first electrode group) is fixedly disposed on the wearable portion of the wearable device, and the other group of electrodes (which may be referred to as the second electrode group) is detachably connected to the wearable portion of the wearable device. In some embodiments, the electrodes in the second electrode group have electrode plugs (e.g., the aforementioned contact pins, bumps, and other structures), and accordingly, an electrode interface (e.g., the aforementioned jacks, card slots, and other structures) is provided on the wearable device. The electrode plugs and the electrode interface connect and disconnect the electrodes to the wearable device by plugging and unplugging. In this way, the second electrode group can be arbitrarily connected to wearable devices of different sizes to achieve more possible uses. At the same time, since the second electrode group can be reused, the wearable device can also be replaced at a lower cost. In some embodiments, the second electrode group may include at least two electrodes, and the electrodes in the second electrode group are connected to each other through a conductive structure. In some embodiments, the plurality of electrodes may not include the first electrode group, so that all electrodes on the wearable device are detachable electrodes.
[0041] The conductive structure is the key to improving the elastic coefficient of the electrode structure. The conductive structure in the embodiments of this specification will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0042] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification.
[0043] In some embodiments, the conductive structure in the embodiments of this specification may include the connecting electrode 420 shown in FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4 , each of the multiple electrodes 410 in the electrode structure 400 is flexibly connected to at least one of the multiple electrodes 410 via the connecting electrode 420, and the connecting electrode 420 can electrically connect the connected electrodes 410. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4 , each of the multiple electrodes 410 can be flexibly connected to all adjacent electrodes 410 via the connecting electrode 420. In some embodiments, if all electrodes 410 are electrically conductive, each electrode 410 can also be flexibly connected to at least one adjacent electrode 410 via the connecting electrode 420. The electrodes 410 and substrate 430 in the electrode structure 400 are similar to the electrodes 110 and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, respectively. For more information about the electrodes 410 and substrate 430 in the electrode structure 400, please refer to the relevant description of the electrodes 110 and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, and will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, connecting electrode 420 can be a connecting component that can function as a conductive medium, similar to electrode 410, and connects two adjacent electrodes 410. In some embodiments, connecting electrode 420 and electrode 410 can be made of the same or different materials. In some embodiments, connecting electrode 420 can both electrically connect adjacent electrodes 410 and perform the same function as electrode 410, namely, collecting electromyographic signals when attached to human skin.
[0044] In some embodiments, by controlling the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 in the first direction and / or the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 in the second direction, the connecting electrode 420 can achieve a flexible connection between the connected electrodes 410. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the first direction in the electrode structure 400 is greater than its maximum dimension in the second direction. The greater the ratio between the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the first direction and its maximum dimension in the second direction, the smaller the elastic modulus of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the first direction, the smaller the first elastic modulus of the electrode structure 400 in the first direction, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 400 in the first direction. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the second direction in the electrode structure 400 is smaller than its maximum dimension in the second direction. The smaller the ratio between the maximum dimension of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the second direction and its maximum dimension in the second direction, the smaller the elastic modulus of the connecting electrode 420 arranged along the second direction, the smaller the second elastic modulus of the electrode structure 400 in the second direction, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 400 in the second direction. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension in the second direction of the connecting electrodes 420 arranged along the first direction in the electrode structure 400 is smaller than the maximum dimension in the second direction of the electrodes 410 distributed along the first direction. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension in the first direction of the connecting electrodes 420 arranged along the second direction in the electrode structure 400 is smaller than the maximum dimension in the first direction of the electrodes 410 distributed along the second direction.
[0045] In some embodiments, the connecting electrode 420 and the electrode 410 can be a separate structure, and the two ends of the connecting electrode 420 can be connected to the two adjacent electrodes 410 by bonding, welding, or the like. In some embodiments, the two ends of the connecting electrode 420 can be detachably connected to the two electrodes. In some embodiments, the two ends of the connecting electrode 420 are plugged into the two electrodes 410. In some embodiments, the two ends of the connecting electrode 420 are snapped into the two electrodes 410. For detailed instructions on plugging and snapping, please refer to the conductive structure section. In some embodiments, to better adapt the connecting electrode 420 and the electrode 410 to different size and shape requirements, the natural length of the connecting electrode 420 is greater than the initial spacing between the connected electrodes. In some embodiments, to better adapt the connecting electrode 420 and the electrode 410 to different size and shape requirements, the connecting electrode 420 can be a flexible electrode. In some embodiments, the axial deformability of the connecting electrode 420 is 5% to 200%.
[0046] In some embodiments, the connecting electrode 420 and one or both of the electrodes 410 to which it is connected can be an integral structure, or the connecting electrode 420 can be regarded as a part of the electrode 410. In some embodiments, the electrode structure 400 can be an integral structure, that is, all electrodes 410 and the connecting electrode 420 in the electrode structure 400 are of an integral design, and there is no need to connect the electrodes 410 and the connecting electrodes 420 by other connection methods. As an exemplary illustration, an entire electrode sheet can be hollowed out (for example, laser cutting, stamping, etc.) to obtain a plurality of integrated electrodes 410 and connecting electrodes 420, that is, the electrode structure 400. In some embodiments, the hollowed-out electrode sheet can form a grid structure, and the electrode sheet has a plurality of meshes arranged regularly or irregularly. The thinner portion (smaller in the first direction and the second direction or smaller in the first direction in the second direction) on the electrode sheet is the connecting electrode 420, and the thicker portion (larger in the first direction and the second direction or larger in the first direction in the second direction) on the electrode sheet is the electrode 410. It should be noted that the connecting electrode 420 is applicable not only to the electrode structure 400 shown in FIG. 4 , that is, the connecting member 120 in the electrode mechanism 100 , but also to the connecting member 220 in the electrode structure 200 and the connecting member 320 in the electrode structure 300 .
[0047] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification.
[0048] In some embodiments, the conductive structure in the embodiments of this specification may include a wire 520 shown in FIG5 . In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , each of the multiple electrodes 510 in the electrode structure 500 is flexibly connected to at least one of the multiple electrodes 510 via a wire 520, and the wire 520 can electrically connect the connected electrodes 510. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , each of the multiple electrodes 510 can be flexibly connected to all adjacent electrodes 510 via a wire 520. In some embodiments, if all electrodes 510 are electrically conductive, each electrode 510 can also be flexibly connected to at least one adjacent electrode 510 via a wire 520. The electrodes 510 and substrate 530 in the electrode structure 500 are similar to the electrodes 510 and substrate 530 in the electrode structure 100, respectively. For more descriptions of the electrodes 510 and substrate 530 in the electrode structure 500, reference can be made to the descriptions of the electrodes 110 and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, and are not repeated here. In some embodiments, the conductive wire 520 may be a linear structure having a certain conductivity.
[0049] In some embodiments, in order to ensure that the wire 520 can achieve a flexible connection between the connected electrodes 510, the wire 520 is elastically stretchable along its axial direction. The elastic stretchability of the wire 520 along its axial direction can refer to that the wire 520 can be extended or shortened in the axial direction under the action of an external force and can return to its initial length after the external force disappears. In some embodiments, the material of the wire 520 can include at least one of a fiber plated with a conductive metal, a fiber deposited with a conductive substance, and a polymer mixed with a conductive substance. Exemplary conductive metals include gold, silver, iron, and copper. Exemplary conductive substances include conductive metals, carbon, and graphene. These materials can ensure that the wire 520 has the ability to electrically conduct the connected electrodes 510, and can also allow the wire 520 to have the ability to elastically stretch along its axial direction.
[0050] In some embodiments, the wire 520 and the electrode 510 may be a separate structure, and both ends of the wire 520 may be connected to two adjacent electrodes 510 by bonding, welding, etc. In some embodiments, both ends of the wire 520 may be detachably connected to the two electrodes 510.
[0051] In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can directly affect the first elastic coefficient in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient in the second direction of the electrode structure 500. In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can be the percentage of the difference between the maximum length of the wire 520 after elastic elongation in the axial direction when the wire 520 is about to undergo plastic deformation (e.g., fracture) and the initial length of the wire 520. In some embodiments, the greater the deformability of the wire 520, the smaller the first elastic coefficient in the first direction and / or the second elastic coefficient in the second direction of the electrode structure 500, and the greater the deformability of the electrode structure 500 in the first direction and / or the second direction. In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can be 5% to 200%. In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can be 20% to 200%. In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can be 50% to 200%. In some embodiments, the deformability of the wire 520 can be 100% to 200%. It should be noted that the wire 520 is applicable not only to the electrode structure 500 shown in FIG5 , that is, to the connector 120 in the electrode structure 100 , but also to the connector 220 in the electrode structure 200 and the connector 320 in the electrode structure 300 . In some alternative embodiments, the wire 520 may be a liquid wire formed of a liquid conductor. In this case, adjacent electrodes 510 are connected via the liquid wire, which can provide a better soft connection effect.
[0052] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrode structure according to some embodiments of this specification.
[0053] In some embodiments, the connector (e.g., connector 120, 220, or 320) in the embodiments of this specification may include a wire 620 as shown in FIG6. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, each of the plurality of electrodes 610 in the electrode structure 600 is flexibly connected to at least one of the plurality of electrodes 610 via a wire 620, and the wire 620 can electrically connect the connected electrodes 610. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, each of the plurality of electrodes 610 can be flexibly connected to all adjacent electrodes 610 via a wire 620. In some embodiments, if all electrodes 610 are electrically conductive, each electrode 610 can also be flexibly connected to at least one adjacent electrode 610 via a wire 620. The electrodes 610 and substrate 630 in the electrode structure 600 are similar to the electrodes 110 and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, respectively. For more descriptions of the electrodes 510 and substrate 530 in the electrode structure 500, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of the electrodes 110 and substrate 130 in the electrode structure 100, and will not be repeated here.
[0054] In some embodiments, to ensure that the wire 620 can achieve a flexible connection between the connected electrodes 610, the natural length of the wire 620 can be greater than the initial spacing between the connected electrodes 610. The natural length of the wire 620 can refer to the length of the wire 620 after it is stretched into a straight line, and the initial spacing between the connected electrodes 610 can refer to the spacing between two adjacent electrodes 610 connected by the wire 620 when the electrode structure 600 is not deformed by an external force (e.g., stretching or bending in the first or second direction). In some embodiments, by making the natural length of the wire 620 greater than the spacing between the connected electrodes 610, when the wire 620 is connected between two adjacent electrodes 610, the wire 620 can include at least one bend. When the substrate 630 is stretched by a force in the first or second direction, the bend of the wire 620 can unfold, thereby reducing the resistance to the tensile deformation of the substrate 630, thereby achieving a flexible connection between the connected electrodes 610. In some embodiments, the ratio of the natural length of the wire 620 to the connected electrode 610 can be 1.5 to 10. In some embodiments, the ratio of the natural length of the wire 620 to the connected electrode 610 can be 2 to 10. In some embodiments, the ratio of the natural length of the wire 620 to the connected electrode 610 can be 5 to 10. In some embodiments, the wire 620 can be made of a rigid material with a certain conductivity. For example, the material of the wire 620 can be a metal material such as gold, silver, iron, or copper. In some embodiments, the wire 620 can also be made of the same material as the wire 520. It should be noted that the wire 620 is not only applicable to the electrode structure 600 shown in Figure 6, that is, the connector 120 in the electrode mechanism 100, but can also be applicable to the connector 220 in the electrode structure 200 and the connector 320 in the electrode structure 300.
[0055] The embodiments of this specification also provide a wearable device that can be worn on a human body to collect physiological signals of the human body and ensure that the human body has a good sense of comfort. The wearable device provided in the embodiments of this specification will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0056] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a wearable device according to some embodiments of this specification.
[0057] As shown in Figure 7, the wearable device 700 may include a wearable portion 710, at least two first electrodes 720, and at least two second electrodes 730. The wearable portion 710 may include a substrate 711, and at least two first electrodes 720 may be spaced apart and arranged on the substrate 711 for attaching to the skin to respectively collect physiological signals (e.g., electromyographic signals, electrocardiographic signals, etc.), and at least two second electrodes 730 may be spaced apart and arranged on the substrate 711 and electrically connected thereto via a connector 740 to provide a reference voltage for the collected physiological signals.
[0058] The wearable portion 710 can be used to be worn on the user's body. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 710 can be a top (for example, a T-shirt, a vest, a vest, a jacket, etc.), which is worn on the upper body of the user. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 710 can be trousers (for example, trousers, shorts, etc.), which are worn on the lower body of the user. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 710 can also be a leg ring or a belt, which is worn on the legs or waist of the user, respectively. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 710 can also be a bracelet, a helmet, etc., which is worn on the hands or head of the user, respectively. In some embodiments, the base 711 can refer to the surface of the wearable portion 710 that fits the user's body. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 710 can have a deformable amount that is consistent or substantially consistent with that of the first electrode 720 and / or the second electrode 730, so as to ensure that the portion of the wearable portion 710 on which the first electrode 720 and / or the second electrode 730 are provided is not easily damaged.
[0059] In some embodiments, when the user wears the wearable portion 710, at least two first electrodes 720 can be attached to both sides of the user's midsagittal plane. For example, at least two first electrodes 720 can be attached to the user's chest, waist, etc. on both sides of the midsagittal plane, or at least two first electrodes 720 can be attached to the user's left hand and right hand, left leg or right leg, etc. In some embodiments, at least two first electrodes 720 can be symmetrical relative to the user's midsagittal plane, which helps to eliminate or suppress the interference of noise (e.g., motion artifacts) in the collected physiological signals (e.g., electrocardiogram signals) and improve the quality of physiological signals. In some embodiments, at least two first electrodes 720 may also be asymmetrical relative to the user's midsagittal plane. In some embodiments, the user's midsagittal plane can refer to a plane passing through the midline of the user's body, wherein the midline of the user's body can be determined based on a line from the tip of the user's nose to the middle of the two nipples, a line from the middle of the two nipples to the middle of the umbilicus in the abdomen, or a line from the middle of the umbilicus in the abdomen to the middle of the pubic symphysis joint.
[0060] In some embodiments, when at least two first electrodes 720 are used to collect electromyographic signals, at least two first electrodes 720 can be attached to the skin along the direction of the user's muscle fibers. In some embodiments, the first electrode 720 can be a whole electrode. For example, the first electrode 720 can be similar to the electrode in the embodiment of this specification (for example, electrode 110, 210, 310, 410, 510 or 610). In some embodiments, the first electrode 720 can be an electrode structure provided in the embodiment of this specification (for example, electrode structure 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600). The electrode structure provided in the embodiment of this specification can have a large amount of deformability. When it is provided on the wearable portion 710 and attached to the user's skin, it can ensure that the user's movements will not be constrained and the force will not be hindered, so that the user has a better sense of comfort and is easy for the user to put on and take off. The user has a better sense of comfort.
[0061] In some embodiments, the at least two second electrodes 730 can serve as reference ground electrodes and provide a reference voltage for the physiological signals collected by the at least two first electrodes 720, thereby facilitating the elimination or suppression of noise interference (e.g., motion artifacts, power frequency, etc.) in the physiological signals and improving the quality of the physiological signals. For example, during the amplification process of the signals collected by the first electrodes 720, the voltage generated by the second electrodes 730 can serve as a reference voltage for the amplifier.
[0062] In some embodiments, when the user wears the wearable portion 710, at least two second electrodes 730 can be symmetrical with respect to the user's midsagittal plane, so that the consistency of the deformable amount (or elasticity) of the wearable portion 710 on both sides of the user's midsagittal plane can be improved, thereby being beneficial to the noise (for example, motion artifacts) in the physiological signals collected by the at least two first electrodes 720, and improving the quality of the physiological signals. In some embodiments, the second electrode 730 can be a whole electrode. For example, the second electrode 730 can be similar to the electrode in the embodiments of this specification (for example, electrode 110, 210, 310, 410, 510 or 610). It can also be the electrode structure provided in the embodiments of this specification (for example, electrode structure 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600).
[0063] In some embodiments, the connector 740 can not only realize the electrical connection between the at least two second electrodes 730 and maintain a uniform reference low voltage, but also realize the soft connection between the at least two second electrodes 730 connected thereto, so that the overall structure formed by the at least two second electrodes 730 and the connector 740 connected therebetween can have a large amount of deformability. When it is set on the wearable portion 710 and fits the user's skin, it ensures that the user's movements will not be constrained and the force will not be hindered, so that the user has a better sense of comfort and is easy for the user to put on and take off. In some embodiments, the connector 740 can be similar to the connector in the embodiments of this specification (for example, connector 120, 220 or 320). Further, the connector 740 can be the connecting electrode 420 shown in Figure 4, the wire 520 shown in Figure 5, or the wire 620 shown in Figure 6. For more description of the connector 740, please refer to the relevant description of the connecting electrode 420 shown in Figure 4, the wire 520 shown in Figure 5, or the wire 620 shown in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.
[0064] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a wearable device according to some embodiments of this specification.
[0065] As shown in Figure 8, the wearable device 800 includes a wearable portion 810 and at least two electrode structures 820. The wearable portion 810 includes a substrate 811 that fits the user's body, and at least two electrode structures 820 can be arranged at intervals on the substrate 811 to fit the skin and collect physiological signals. The wearable portion 810 and the substrate 811 can be similar to the wearable portion 710 and the substrate 711 in the wearable device 700, respectively. For more descriptions of the wearable portion 810 and the substrate 811, please refer to the relevant descriptions of the wearable portion 710 and the substrate 711 in the wearable device 700, which will not be repeated here.
[0066] The electrode structure 820 may include a plurality of electrodes 821, each of the plurality of electrodes 821 and at least one other of the plurality of electrodes 821 may be electrically connected via a connector 822, and the electrode structure 820 may be used to collect electrical signals from the user's body (e.g., electrical signals from the same target muscle). The electrode 821 may be similar to the electrode 110 shown in FIG. 1 , and for more descriptions of the electrode 821, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the electrode 110, which will not be repeated herein. In some embodiments, physiological signals may be determined based on electrical signals from target muscles corresponding to at least two electrode structures 820. As an exemplary illustration, at least two electrode structures 820 may collect different electrical signals at different locations of the same target muscle of the user's body (e.g., at different locations along the direction of the muscle fibers). The electrical signals may be the electrical potentials of the corresponding target muscles, and the potential difference between different locations of the target muscles may be used to reflect the force exerted by the target muscles by determining the potential difference. In some embodiments, at least two electrode structures 820 may be symmetrically or asymmetrically fitted on both sides of the user's body about the midsagittal plane of the user's body. In some embodiments, the electrode structure 820 may have the same or substantially the same deformability as the wearable portion 810, thereby ensuring that the portion of the wearable portion 810 where the electrode structure 820 is provided is not susceptible to damage.
[0067] In some embodiments, the electrode structure 820 may be similar to the electrode structure provided in the embodiments of this specification (e.g., electrode structure 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600). For example, as shown in FIG8 , the electrode structure 820 may be similar to the electrode structure 100. For more descriptions of the electrode structure 820 and the electrode 821, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the electrode structure 100 shown in FIG1 , the electrode structure 200 shown in FIG2 , the electrode structure 300 shown in FIG3 , the electrode structure 400 shown in FIG4 , the electrode structure 500 shown in FIG5 , or the electrode structure 600 shown in FIG6 , which will not be repeated here. Among them, the connector 822 can be similar to the connector in the embodiment of this specification (for example, connector 120, 220 or 320). Furthermore, the connector 822 can be the connecting electrode 420 shown in Figure 4, the wire 520 shown in Figure 5, or the wire 620 shown in Figure 6, so as to achieve a soft connection between the electrodes 821 connected to the connector 822, so that the electrode structure 820 has a large amount of deformability (or elasticity). When it is set on the wearable part 810 and fits the user's skin, it ensures that the user's movements will not be restricted and the force will not be hindered, so that the user has a better sense of comfort and is easy for the user to put on and take off. For more descriptions about the connector 822, please refer to the relevant descriptions of the connecting electrode 420 shown in Figure 4, the wire 520 shown in Figure 5, or the wire 620 shown in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.
[0068] In some embodiments, the electrode structure 820 may further include a substrate 823, and a plurality of electrodes 821 may be arranged on the substrate 823 at intervals along the first direction and the second direction, respectively. In some embodiments, the substrate 823 may be a portion of the substrate 811. In some embodiments, the substrate 823 may be disposed independently of the substrate 811. For example, a surface of the substrate 823 facing away from the electrodes 821 may be connected to the substrate 811, thereby connecting the electrode structure 820 to the substrate 811. For further description of the substrate 823, reference may be made to the description of the substrate 130 shown in FIG. 1 , and will not be repeated here.
[0069] The basic concepts have been described above. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not limit the present application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and amendments to the present application. Such modifications, improvements, and amendments are suggested in the present application and remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present application.
[0070] At the same time, this application uses specific terms to describe the embodiments of this application. For example, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a certain feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or multiple times in different locations in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this application may be appropriately combined.
[0071] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the presentation of this application and thus facilitate understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments of this application sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not mean that the subject matter of this application requires more features than those recited in the claims. In fact, an embodiment may have fewer features than all of the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.
[0072] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this application are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of this application. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this application. Therefore, by way of example and not limitation, alternative configurations of the embodiments of this application may be considered consistent with the teachings of this application. Accordingly, the embodiments of this application are not limited to the embodiments explicitly introduced and described in this application.
Claims
1. An electrode structure comprising: A plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes is flexibly connected to at least another of the plurality of electrodes via at least a connector, and the connector can electrically conduct the connected electrodes.
2. The electrode structure according to claim 1, wherein: The connecting member includes a conductive structure, and the flexible connection is achieved between each of the plurality of electrodes and at least another one of the plurality of electrodes via the conductive structure.
3. The electrode structure according to claim 2, wherein: The conductive structure may be deformed by 5% to 200% along its axial direction.
4. The electrode structure according to claim 2, wherein: The natural length of the electrically conductive structure is greater than the initial spacing between the connected electrodes.
5. The electrode structure according to claim 4, wherein: The ratio of the natural length of the conductive structure to the initial distance between the connected electrodes is 1.5-10.
6. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The conductive structure is detachably connected to the connected electrode.
7. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein: The conductive structure is plugged into the connected electrode.
8. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein: The conductive structure includes a wire, and the flexible connection between each of the plurality of electrodes and at least another one of the plurality of electrodes is achieved through at least one of the wires, and the wires can electrically conduct the connected electrodes.
9. The electrode structure according to claim 8, wherein: The material of the conductive wire includes at least one of a fiber plated with a conductive metal, a fiber deposited with a conductive substance, and a high molecular polymer mixed with a conductive substance.
10. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein: The conductive structure includes connecting electrodes. The flexible connection is achieved between each of the multiple electrodes and at least another one of the multiple electrodes via at least one connecting electrode. The connecting electrodes can electrically conduct the connected electrodes.
11. The electrode structure according to claim 10, wherein: The connecting electrode and the plurality of electrodes are an integrated structure.
12. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein: A ratio between a maximum dimension of each electrode in the first direction and a maximum dimension in the second direction is 0.1 to 10; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
13. The electrode structure according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein: The electrode structure further includes a substrate, and the plurality of electrodes are arranged on the substrate along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The electrode structure has different elastic coefficients in the first direction and the second direction, respectively.
14. The electrode structure according to claim 1, wherein: The area of each of the plurality of electrodes is 1 mm 2 ~20mm 2 .
15. The electrode structure according to claim 1, wherein The ratio of the area of the electrode structure to the sum of the areas of the plurality of electrodes is 1 to 1000.
16. A wearable device comprising: a wearable portion, comprising a base configured to conform to the user's body; at least two first electrodes, spaced apart and arranged on the substrate, for adhering to the skin to respectively collect physiological signals; as well as At least two second electrodes are arranged on the substrate at intervals and electrically connected via a connector. The at least two second electrodes adhere to the skin to provide a reference voltage for the physiological signal.
17. The wearable device according to claim 16, wherein: When the user wears the wearable portion, the at least two second electrodes are symmetrical with respect to the midsagittal plane of the user.
18. A wearable device comprising: a wearable portion, comprising a base configured to conform to the user's body; At least two electrode structures are arranged on the substrate at intervals and are used to adhere to the skin to collect physiological signals, wherein: Each of the electrode structures includes a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically connected to at least another of the plurality of electrodes via a connector, and the electrode structure is configured to collect electrical signals from the same target muscle of the user's body.
19. The wearable device according to claim 18, wherein: At least some of the multiple electrodes are detachably connected to the wearable portion.
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