Biological information measurement device

Abstract

To provide a biological information measurement device capable of stably measuring biological information with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A biological information measurement device includes: a fluid bag wound in the circumferential direction of a part to be measured; a pump; a valve; a blood pressure measurement part for measuring a blood pressure of the part to be measured by expanding the fluid bag to compress the part to be measured, or constricting the fluid bag to release compression onto the part to be measured; a first electrode contacting a first part of a person to be measured; a second electrode contacting a second part, connected to the fluid bag, supported by a support member extending in the circumferential direction from an end part in the circumferential direction of the fluid bag, and arranged in a position separated from the end part by a prescribed distance in the circumferential direction; an electrocardiographic measurement part for measuring an electrocardiographic waveform of the person to be measured via the first electrode and the second electrode; a belt part wound around the outer peripheral side of the fluid bag, and fixing the biological information measurement device to the part to be measured; and contact condition stabilizing means for suppressing a change in a contact condition of the second electrode and the second part, brought with a volumetric change in the fluid bag.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a biological information measuring device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, it has become common for individuals to measure their own physical and health information (hereinafter referred to as bioinformation) such as blood pressure values ​​and electrocardiogram waveforms on a daily basis using measuring devices and to utilize the measurement results for health management. As a result, there is an increasing demand for devices that emphasize portability, and many portable measuring devices have been proposed, including portable devices that can measure both blood pressure values ​​and electrocardiogram waveforms (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In Patent Document 1, electrodes are arranged on the back surface (the surface that comes into contact with the user's body) of the main body of a wristwatch-type electrocardiograph.

[0004] In Patent Document 2, electrodes are arranged on the surface (the surface in contact with the user's body) of a belt-like cuff that is wrapped around the user's arm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-6230 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-36843 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the configuration in which the electrodes are arranged on the back surface of the main body, as in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the cuff cannot be arranged on the back surface of the main body, and therefore the pressure applied to the user for blood pressure measurement is insufficient. In the configuration in which the electrodes are arranged on the surface of the cuff, as in the technology described in Patent Document 2, wiring to the electrodes is difficult, and the wiring design must take into account the movement of the electrodes accompanying the expansion of the cuff, resulting in a complex design. In addition, when a rigid electrode is used, it impedes the compression of the air bag provided in the cuff.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a biological information measuring device that has a simple configuration and is capable of stably measuring biological information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a biological information measuring device for measuring a blood pressure and an electrocardiogram waveform of a subject, comprising: A fluid bag that is wrapped around the measurement site of the subject in a circumferential direction; A pump for supplying fluid into the fluid bag; a valve provided in a flow path of the fluid that communicates with the fluid bag; a blood pressure measuring unit that measures blood pressure at the measurement site by supplying the fluid from the pump to expand the fluid bag to compress the measurement site, or by controlling the valve to discharge the fluid in the fluid bag to contract the fluid bag to release the compression on the measurement site; and A first electrode that contacts a first portion of the subject; a second electrode that contacts a second portion of the subject different from the first portion, the second electrode being connected to the fluid bag extending in the circumferential direction, supported by a support member that extends further in the circumferential direction from an end of the fluid bag in the circumferential direction, and disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the end in the circumferential direction; An electrode; an electrocardiogram measuring unit that measures an electrocardiogram waveform of the subject through the first electrode and the second electrode; a belt portion that is wound around the outer periphery of the fluid bag and fixes the vital sign measuring device to the measurement site; a contact state stabilizing means for suppressing a change in a contact state between the second electrode and the second portion due to a change in volume of the fluid bag; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0009] According to this, when a first electrode used for measuring the electrocardiogram waveform of a person to be measured and a second electrode contacting a second part of the person to be measured different from the first part of the person to be measured with which the first electrode contacts are connected to the fluid bag extending in the circumferential direction when a fluid bag wrapped around the part to be measured of the person to be measured in the circumferential direction expands, and supported by a support member extending further in the circumferential direction from the end of the fluid bag in the circumferential direction, and disposed at a position at a predetermined distance in the circumferential direction from this end, the support member may move to the outer diameter side with the expansion of the fluid bag, thereby changing the attitude (contact angle) of the second electrode with respect to the second part of the person to be measured, shifting the contact position, or changing the contact area. Such a change in the contact state between the second electrode and the second part affects the stable measurement of the electrocardiogram waveform. Therefore, by providing a contact state stabilization means for suppressing the change in the contact state of the second electrode with the second part due to the volume change of the fluid bag, a stable measurement of the electrocardiogram waveform can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0010] In the present invention, the contact state stabilization means is an insulating covering portion that covers the second electrode and has an opening through which a part of the second electrode is exposed, A portion of the second electrode exposed from the opening may be in contact with the second portion throughout the entire time before and after the volume change of the fluid bag.

[0011] This makes it possible to realize stable measurement of electrocardiogram waveforms with a simple configuration in which a portion of the second electrode is exposed by covering it with an insulating covering portion.

[0012] In addition, in the present invention, the contact condition stabilization means may be the support member that supports the second electrode at a position that can limit the change in the contact condition between the second electrode and the second portion due to movement of the support member accompanying the volume change of the fluid bag to a predetermined range.

[0013] This makes it possible to achieve stable measurement of electrocardiogram waveforms with a simple configuration in which the second electrode is positioned at a predetermined distance from the circumferential end of the fluid bag, so that the change in contact condition between the second electrode and the second portion due to movement of the support member associated with changes in the volume of the fluid bag can be limited to a predetermined range by the support member connected to the fluid bag.

[0014] In addition, in the present invention, the support member may include a second electrode support portion that supports the second electrode, and a hinge portion that supports the second electrode support portion rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

[0015] In this way, the hinge portion provides freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the second electrode support portion in response to movement of the support member due to expansion of the fluid bag, so that changes in the contact condition with the second portion of the second electrode can be suppressed with a simple configuration of the hinge portion and the second electrode support portion.

[0016] In the present invention, the support member may form a part of the belt portion.

[0017] In this way, by forming the support member that supports the second electrode from a part of the belt portion, there is no need to provide a special member for supporting the second electrode, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

[0018] In the present invention, a cross-sectional shape of the second electrode in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction may be a semicircle, an ellipse, an oval, or a curve that is convex toward the second portion.

[0019] In this way, by making the cross-sectional shape of the second electrode in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction a semicircle, an ellipse, an oval, or a curve that is convex toward the second portion, it is possible to suppress sudden changes in the contact condition between the second electrode and the second portion that occur due to the expansion of the fluid bag.

[0020] In the present invention, the fluid bag and the belt portion may be integrally provided.

[0021] This simplifies the configuration of the biological information measuring device and makes it easier to handle.

[0022] In the present invention, a curler including the support member and curved in the circumferential direction of the measurement site is provided, The curler and the belt portion may be provided integrally.

[0023] In this way, by forming the belt portion integral with the curler, the belt portion can be maintained in a curved shape that follows the circumferential direction of the measured part, thereby simplifying the configuration of the bioinformation measuring device and making it easier to handle.

[0024] In the present invention, a third electrode is provided for contacting a third part of the subject and setting a reference potential, the third electrode is supported by the support member together with the second electrode via an insulating member; The contact state stabilizing means may suppress a change in the contact state between the third electrode and the third portion.

[0025] By providing a third electrode in this manner, more stable measurement of electrocardiogram waveforms is possible.

[0026] In the present invention, a contact resistance measuring unit measures a contact resistance between the second electrode and the body of the subject using a third electrode that contacts the first electrode or a third part of the subject and sets a reference potential; a wrapping style determination unit that determines whether the subject is wrapping the belt properly based on the contact resistance; and The above configuration may be adopted.

[0027] This is highly convenient because even before blood pressure measurement begins, the second electrode for measuring the electrocardiogram waveform and the first or third electrode can be used to determine whether the belt is wrapped properly. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a biological information measuring device that has a simple configuration and is capable of stably measuring biological information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external appearance of a biological information measuring device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an external appearance of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment when it is worn. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cuff assembly of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment is used. [Figure 6] 6(A) and (B) are diagrams showing an electrode connection structure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 7(A) and (B) are diagrams showing an electrode connection structure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 8(A) to (C) are diagrams showing the configuration of electrodes according to Modification 1 of Example 1. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a usage state of a biological information measuring device according to a second modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a usage state of the biological information measuring device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11(A) is a diagram showing the configuration of electrodes of a biological information measuring device according to Example 3, and FIGS. 11(B) and (C) are diagrams showing a state in which the biological information measuring device according to Example 3 is used. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a biological information measuring device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram of a biological information measuring device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the wrapping style determination process of the biological information measurement device according to the fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] <Example 1> An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, and the like of the components described in this example are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those alone.

[0032] (Overall configuration of the device) Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are schematic diagrams showing the external configuration of a biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0033] 1 to 3, the biological information measuring device 1 generally includes a main body 100, a cuff assembly 200, and a belt 400, and can measure blood pressure and electrocardiogram waveforms while worn on the wrist T of a subject. The belt 400 includes a hook-and-loop fastener 411 having a hook. The main body 100 is provided with a belt loop 150 having a circular belt loop for inserting the belt 400. When wearing the biological information measuring device 1, the belt 400 is wrapped around the wrist T and then inserted into the belt loop 150, and the hook-and-loop fastener 411 is attached to an arbitrary position of the belt 400 (where a loop for engaging with the hook is formed) to fix it in place. Furthermore, the biological information measuring device 1 has an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) 300 (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) on which wiring is arranged for electrically connecting the electrocardiogram measuring unit 130 of the main body unit 100 to the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 of the cuff assembly unit 200. In this case, the wrist corresponds to the measurement site of the present invention.

[0034] 3, the main body 100 includes a housing 101, a power supply unit 110, a display unit 111, an operation unit 112, a blood pressure measurement unit 120, an electrocardiogram measurement unit 130, and a first electrode 140. Here, the first electrode 140 includes the entire housing 101 of the main body 100 and operation buttons 1121 and 1122. The configuration of the first electrode 140 is not limited thereto, and it may be a part of the housing 101 or may be an independent structure from the housing 101.

[0035] The power supply unit 110 includes a battery that supplies the power necessary for the operation of the device. The battery may be a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, or a primary battery.

[0036] Display unit 111 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and may include an LED indicator, etc. Operation unit 112 specifically includes operation buttons 1121 and 1122 arranged on the side surface of housing 101 of main body 100. Display unit 111 and operation unit 112 may be integrated into one unit, such as a touch panel display.

[0037] Blood pressure measurement unit 120 is a functional unit that controls cuff assembly unit 200 (described later) and measures the user's blood pressure based on information obtained thereby, and includes control unit 121, calculation unit 122, pump 123, and exhaust valve 124. Control unit 121 and calculation unit 122 are configured, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and may have a storage unit configured by a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown). Here, pump 123 and exhaust valve 124 correspond to the pump and valve of the present invention, respectively.

[0038] The control unit 121 is a functional unit responsible for controlling the blood pressure measurement unit 120, and controls the cuff pressure of the cuff assembly 200 via the calculation unit 122, pump 123, etc., and acquires information for measuring the user's blood pressure from an artery in the wrist T on which the biological information measurement device 1 is attached. The calculation unit 122 measures the blood pressure value based on the information acquired in this manner. The pump 123 and the exhaust valve 124 are in communication with the compression cuff 220 and the sensing cuff 230 (described later) via a flow path 125 through which air flows, and are mechanisms responsible for supplying and discharging air to the compression cuff 220 and the sensing cuff 230.

[0039] The electrocardiogram measuring unit 130 is a functional unit that measures the electrocardiogram waveform of the user based on the potential difference between the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 241 in contact with the surface of the human body, and includes a control unit 131 and a calculation unit 132. The control unit 131 and the calculation unit 132 are configured by the above-mentioned CPU, etc. From the viewpoint of hardware, the control unit 131 and the calculation unit 132 may have a common configuration with the control unit 121 and the calculation unit 122 of the blood pressure measuring unit 120.

[0040] In addition, both the blood pressure measurement unit 120 and the electrocardiogram measurement unit 130 include, in addition to the above-mentioned CPU, RAM, etc., an AD conversion circuit, an amplifier, a filter, etc. (not shown), but since these are configured using known technology, their description will be omitted.

[0041] The cuff assembly 200 includes a curler 210, a pressure cuff 220, a sensing cuff 230, a second electrode 241, a third electrode 242, and a back plate 250. The curler 210 is a base member for holding the pressure cuff 220. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic internal structure of the region of the cuff assembly 200 surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 1. The cuff assembly 200 is configured such that the pressure cuff 220, the back plate 250, and the sensing cuff 230 are layered in this order, with the curler 210 as the outermost layer. Here, the pressure cuff 220 (and the sensing cuff 230) corresponds to the fluid bag of the present invention.

[0042] The compression cuff 220 tightens the wrist T of the attachment part by expanding with air sent from the pump 123, and has the role of applying external pressure to an artery (not shown) present in the wrist T. The sensing cuff 230 (not shown) is a fluid bag for detecting the pressure applied to the part compressed by the compression cuff 220, and measures the pressure applied to the compressed part by detecting the internal pressure of the sensing cuff 230 with a small amount of air therein using a pressure gauge (not shown). The back plate 250 (not shown) is a flexible flat-plate member that is placed between the compression cuff 220 and the sensing cuff 230, and detects the pressure applied to the compressed part when compression is performed by the compression cuff 220. This suppresses excessive bending of the sensing cuff 230 and equalizes the pressure distribution within the sensing cuff 230. Here, air corresponds to the fluid of the present invention.

[0043] Both the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are electrodes that are placed at positions that can come into contact with the surface of the human body. The second electrode 241 functions as an electrode for measuring an electrocardiogram waveform, and the third electrode 242 functions as a GND (ground) electrode that sets a reference potential.

[0044] (Structure of cuff assembly) The structure of the cuff assembly 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 5, which shows the state in which the bioinformation measuring device 1 is worn on the wrist T of a user. In this embodiment, the pressure cuff 220 is provided along the extension direction (direction going around the wrist T) of the curler 210, which is formed in a C-shape and curved in accordance with the circumferential direction of the wrist T. The curler 210 has a first curler part 211 that is longer in the extension direction and a second curler part 212 that is shorter in the extension direction, based on the position where the main body part 100 is provided. The first curler part 211 extends from the main body part 100 located on the back side of the wrist T so as to cover the arterial side of the wrist T. On the other hand, the second curler part 212 extends on the opposite side to the first curler part 211 with respect to the circumferential direction of the wrist T. The pressure cuff 220 is provided along the first curler part 211 of the curler 210, and a tip 220a of the pressure cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) is located near the tip 211a in the extension direction of the first curler part 211. The pressure cuff 220 is also provided along the second curler part 212, continuing from the first curler part 211 side, but a tip 220b of the pressure cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the second curler part 212) is located away from the tip 212a in the extension direction of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210. The curler 210 corresponds to the curler of the present invention.

[0045] In this way, the electrode support part 2121, which does not have the pressure cuff 220 provided on the inside, is provided on the tip side of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210. FIG. 6(A) is a perspective view of the bioinformation measuring device 1 seen from the outside of the electrode support part 2121, and FIG. 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the part surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 6(A) seen from a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged on the inside of the electrode support part 2121. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are made of a conductive member such as stainless steel, each of which has a substantially semicircular cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction and a shape obtained by dividing an oval shape in the circumferential direction, and are arranged at a predetermined interval in the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 6(A), an FPC 300 is arranged from the main body part 100 toward the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 along the second curler part 212 of the curler 210. The end of the FPC300 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the second curler part 212) is connected to the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 by the contact pins 310 and 320 on the leaf springs. FIG. 7(A) is a diagram showing a part of the internal structure of the main body part 100 as viewed from the front of the display part 111 of the biological information measuring device 1, and FIG. 7(B) is a diagram showing the connection structure between the board 160 and the FPC300 in a cross section passing through the centers of the pogo pins 161 and 162. As shown in FIG. 7(A) and FIG. 7(B), the board 160 accommodated inside the main body part 100 and the FPC300 are electrically connected by the pogo pins 161 and 162. In FIG. 6(A), FIG. 6(B), FIG. 7(A), and FIG. 7(B), configurations not necessary for the description are omitted as appropriate.

[0046] As described with reference to Fig. 5(A), in this embodiment, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed beyond the tip 220b in the circumferential direction of the compression cuff 220 (extension direction of the second curler part 212) and at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the tip 220b. The belt part 400 is wrapped around the wrist T on the outer circumferential side of the curler 210, the belt loop part 150 is inserted and fixed with a hook-and-loop fastener 411. Fig. 5(A) shows the state before the compression cuff 220 is inflated, and Fig. 5(B) shows the state after the compression cuff 220 is inflated. In this way, when the compression cuff 220 disposed on the inside is inflated, the C-shaped curler 210 is pushed open and pushed outward toward the outer diameter side. However, in the biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are provided on the electrode support part 2121 that extends beyond the tip part 220b in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the second curler part 212) of the inflated pressure cuff 220. Therefore, even if the base end part 2121a of the electrode support part 2121 moves to the outer diameter side with the inflation of the pressure cuff 220, the movement and posture change of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the base end part 2121a are limited to a predetermined range, so that the change in the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T is suppressed. Here, the change in the contact state refers to the change in the contact state such as the contact position, contact angle, contact area, etc. between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T. 4(A) and (B), the pressure cuff 220 arranged inside the tip portion 211a of the first curler part 211 of the curler 210 is located outside the electrode support portion 2121 of the curler 210, so that the electrode support portion 2121 is pressed to the inner diameter side by the expansion of the pressure cuff 220. This pressing of the pressure cuff 220 to the inner diameter side also increases the contact pressure of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 with the wrist T, so that the change in the contact state of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 with the wrist T is further suppressed. Depending on the thickness of the wrist T, the tip 220a of the compression cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) may not reach the outer diameter side of the electrode support part 2121, but even in such a case, the belt part 400 wrapped around the wrist T suppresses movement of the electrode support part 2121 toward the outer diameter side, so that movement and change in posture of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 due to the expansion of the compression cuff 220 are suppressed, and change in the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T is suppressed. Here, the electrode support part 2121 corresponds to the support member and contact state stabilizing means of the present invention. The expansion of the compression cuff 220 corresponds to the volume change of the fluid bag of the present invention.

[0047] The shape of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 is not limited to a semicircular shape in the cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. 5, but may be another curved shape such as a semi-elliptical shape, a semi-oval shape, or a curve that is convex toward the wrist T.

[0048] (Measurement of biological information) To measure biological information using the biological information measuring device 1 having the above configuration, first, the cuff assembly 200 and the belt 400 are wrapped around the wrist T with the main body 100 facing the back of the hand. Then, the belt 400 is passed through the belt loop 150 and folded back, and the hook-and-loop fastener 411 of the belt 400 is attached to an arbitrary position of the belt 400, thereby wearing the biological information measuring device 1 on the wrist T. At this time, the sensing cuff 230 is worn so as to be located on the palm side of the wrist T.

[0049] Then, the measurement is started by operating the operation button 1121 (or 1122). Specifically, air is injected into the compression cuff 220 to inflate it, thereby compressing the wrist T (artery), and the artery is occluded to temporarily stop the blood flow. Then, air is gradually discharged from the compression cuff 220 to contract it, releasing the compression and returning the blood flow in the artery, and the pressure at that time is measured by the sensing cuff 230. That is, blood pressure measurement is performed by the so-called oscillometric method.

[0050] During the blood pressure measurement, when the wrist T is compressed by the compression cuff 220, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are in contact with (pressed against) the surfaces T1 and T2 (see FIG. 5(A)) of the wrist T. Therefore, by touching the first electrode 140 provided on the housing 101 of the main body 100 with the fingers of the hand on which the biological information measuring device 1 is not attached, it is possible to measure an electrocardiogram waveform by a so-called I-induction method based on the potential difference between the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 241. Here, the fingers of the hand on which the biological information measuring device 1 is not attached correspond to the first part of the present invention, and the surfaces T1 and T2 of the wrist T correspond to the second part and the third part of the present invention, respectively.

[0051] As described above, the biological information measuring device 1 according to the present embodiment is a type worn on the wrist T. This portable device makes it possible to accurately measure blood pressure and electrocardiogram waveforms simultaneously.

[0052] (Variation 1) 8(A) and 8(B) are diagrams showing the electrode support part 2121 of the curler 210 on which the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are provided, as viewed from the inside. In the first embodiment, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged apart from each other, but as shown in FIG. 8(A), a separator 260 made of an insulating material may be arranged between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242. In this way, by arranging the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 with the separator 260 in between, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 can be insulated from each other and the distance between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 can be reduced. In this case, in FIG. 5(A), the second electrode 241 is arranged on the left side and the third electrode 242 is arranged on the right side, but the positions of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 may be interchanged, and the second electrode 241 may be arranged on the right side and the third electrode 242 on the left side. Here, the separator 260 corresponds to the insulating member of the present invention.

[0053] The arrangement direction of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 is not limited to the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. As shown in Fig. 8(B), the second electrode 241 may be arranged on the base end side (lower side in Fig. 8(B)) and the third electrode 242 may be arranged on the tip end side along the circumferential direction, and a separator made of an insulating material may be arranged between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242.

[0054] 8(C) shows a modified example in which the third electrode 242 is omitted and only the second electrode 241 is provided on the electrode support portion 2121. By omitting the third electrode 242 that functions as a GND electrode in this manner, it is possible to reduce the number of components and simplify the structure.

[0055] (Variation 2) 9 is a side view showing a configuration of a biological information measuring device 11 according to a modified example 2 of Example 1. The same components as those in the biological information measuring device 1 according to Example 1 are given the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The biological information measurement device 11 has a similar configuration to the biological information measurement device 1, except for the arrangement of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242.

[0056] In the biological information measuring device 1, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged on an electrode support part 2121 provided on the tip side of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210, whereas in the biological information measuring device 11 relating to variant example 2, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged on an electrode support part 2111 provided on the tip side of the first curler part 211 of the curler 210.

[0057] In the biological information measuring device 11, the tip 220a of the pressure cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) is located at a predetermined distance from the tip 211a of the curler 210 in the extension direction. The first curler part 211 of the curler 210 extends along the first curler part 211 beyond the tip 220a of the pressure cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) arranged inside the curler 210, and an electrode support part 2111 is provided at a position of the curler 210 beyond the tip 220a of the pressure cuff 220. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged inside the electrode support part 2111. In the biological information measuring device 11, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are made of a conductive member such as stainless steel having a substantially semicircular cross section in the circumferential direction and an oval shape in the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction, and are arranged side by side in the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. Although not shown in the figure, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are electrically connected to the substrate 160 housed inside the main body portion 100 via the FPC 300 .

[0058] In this manner, in the present modified example 2, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed around the compression cuff 220. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed at a position beyond the tip 220a in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) and spaced a predetermined distance from the tip 220a. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the belt part 400 is wrapped around the wrist T on the outer circumferential side of the curler 210, the belt loop part 150 is inserted, and the pressure cuff 220 is fixed by the hook-and-loop fastener 411, and the pressure cuff 220 is not inflated. When the pressure cuff 220 disposed on the inner side is inflated, the C-shaped curler 210 is pushed outward and moves to the outer diameter side, as described with reference to FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 5(B). However, in the biological information measuring device 11 according to the present modified example 2, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are provided on the electrode support part 2111 that extends beyond the tip 220a in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) of the inflated pressure cuff 220. Therefore, even if the base end 2111a of the electrode support portion 2111 moves to the outer diameter side with the expansion of the compression cuff 220, the movement and posture change of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the base end 2111a are suppressed, so that the change in the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T is suppressed. In FIG. 9, the compression cuff 220 arranged at the tip end 212a of the second curler portion 212 of the curler 210 is located on the outer diameter side of the electrode support portion 2111 of the curler 210, so that the electrode support portion 2111 is pressed to the inner diameter side by the expansion of the compression cuff 220. This pressing of the compression cuff 220 to the inner diameter side also increases the contact pressure of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 with the wrist T, so that the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T is further suppressed. Depending on the thickness of the wrist T, there may be cases where the tip 220b of the compression cuff 220 in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the second curler part 212) does not reach the outer diameter side of the electrode support part 2111, but even in such cases, the belt part 400 wrapped around the wrist T prevents the electrode support part 2111 from moving toward the outer diameter side, so that the movement and posture change of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 due to the expansion of the compression cuff 220 is limited to a predetermined range, and changes in the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T are suppressed. Here, the electrode support part 2111 corresponds to the support member and contact state stabilization means of the present invention.

[0059] In the second modification, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 may have the same configuration as that of the first modification shown in FIGS.

[0060] <Example 2> Second Embodiment A biological information measuring device 12 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the configuration of a biological information measuring device 12 according to the second embodiment. 10, in the biological information measuring device 12, only first curler portion 211 of curler 210 that extends from main body portion 100 to cover the arterial side of wrist T is shown, but second curler portion 212 that extends on the opposite side to first curler portion 211 in the circumferential direction of wrist T and has an appropriate extension may be provided. Also, in FIG. 10, pressure cuff 220 is provided only on the inner circumferential side of first curler portion 211 with respect to main body portion 100, but it may be provided to an appropriate position in the circumferential direction of wrist T depending on the configuration of curler 210.

[0062] In the biological information measuring device 12, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed on an inner circumferential surface 412 of an electrode support part 410 on the opposite side to an end part 401 of the belt part 400 on the main part 100 side. The electrode support part 410 of the belt part 400 is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from a tip part 220a in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) of the compression cuff 220. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are electrically connected to a substrate 160 accommodated inside the main part 100 by an FPC provided on the belt part 400.

[0063] 10 shows the state before the pressure cuff 220 is inflated. When the pressure cuff 220 is inflated, the C-shaped curler 21 is inflated as described with reference to FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B). Since the first curler part 211 is pushed outward and moves to the outer diameter side, the belt part 400 and the electrode support part 410 wound around the outer periphery of the curler 210 also move to the outer diameter side. However, in the vital information measuring device 12, the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are provided on the electrode support part 410 that extends beyond the tip part 220a in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the first curler part 211) of the expanding compression cuff 220. Therefore, even if the base end part 410a of the electrode support part 410 moves to the outer diameter side with the expansion of the compression cuff 220, the movement and posture change of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the base end part 410a are limited to a predetermined range, so that the change in the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T is suppressed.

[0064] Here, the electrode support portion 410 constituting a part of the belt portion 400 corresponds to the support member and contact state stabilizing means of the present invention. This embodiment can be combined with each of the embodiments described later. In addition, the vital information measuring device 12 shown in Fig. 10 is provided with the curler 210, but the curler 210 may be omitted.

[0065] <Example 3> A biological information measuring device 13 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] In the vital information measuring device 13, the configuration of the electrode support part 2112 provided on the circumferential tip side of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210, and the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 is different from that of the vital information measuring device 1, but the other configurations are common.

[0067] In the biological information measuring device 13 as well, the electrode support part 2122 is provided on the tip side in the extension direction of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210. Moreover, the electrode support part 2122 extends beyond the tip part 220b in the circumferential direction of the compression cuff 220 provided on the inside of the curler 210. The second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed inside the tip part 2122a of the electrode support part 2122, but can be disposed at an appropriate position from the tip part 220a in the circumferential direction of the compression cuff 220.

[0068] 11(A) is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 according to Example 3 and the insulating coating 270 in a cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 11(A), the base end side (the electrode support portion 2112 side or the outside) of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 is covered with the insulating coating 270. Therefore, only the parts of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 exposed from the opening 271 (shown by the dotted line in FIG. 11(A)) formed by the insulating coating 270 are in electrical contact with the wrist T. That is, the insulating coating 270 has a function of limiting the contact parts of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 with the wrist T. The area of ​​the insulating coating 270 and the opening 271 may vary depending on the shapes of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242, the circumferential length of the electrode support portion 2122, the thickness of the compression cuff 220 before and after inflation, etc., but is set so that the exposed parts of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 from the opening 271 contact the wrist T in common before and after inflation of the compression cuff 220 when the vital information measuring device 13 is worn on the wrist T. When the height of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 protruding inward from the electrode support portion 2122 is defined from the base end side (electrode support portion 2122 side) to the inside, the height of the insulating coating 270 from the base end side may be different between the tip side in the circumferential direction and the base end side (main body portion 100 side) in the circumferential direction, and can be set to be low on the tip side in the circumferential direction and high on the base end side in the circumferential direction.

[0069] FIG. 11B shows a compression cuff 220, a curler 210, and a belt portion 400 around the wrist T. 11(C) shows a state in which the pressure cuff 220 is not inflated after the hook-and-loop fastener 411 of the belt part 400 inserted through the belt loop part 150 is fixed, and FIG. 11(C) shows a state in which the pressure cuff 220 is inflated from the state shown in FIG. 11(B). In the state shown in FIG. 7(C) in which the pressure cuff 220 is inflated, compared to the state shown in FIG. 7(B) before the pressure cuff 220 is inflated, the base end part 2112a of the electrode support part 2112 is pulled in the outer diameter direction, and the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 rotate clockwise in the figure. In this way, the contact range between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T may change before and after the inflation of the pressure cuff 220. However, the portions of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 exposed from the opening 271 are in electrical contact with the wrist T both before and after the inflation of the pressure cuff 220, and therefore the contact portions between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T do not change due to the inflation of the pressure cuff 220. That is, the portions of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 that contact the wrist T only at one stage of the inflation of the pressure cuff 220 can be covered with the insulating coating 270 to be insulated from the wrist T and not in electrical contact with the wrist T. Here, the insulating coating 270 and the opening 271 correspond to the covering portion and the opening of the present invention, respectively. Also, the insulating coating 270 and the opening 271 correspond to the contact state stabilization means of the present invention.

[0070] By providing such an insulating coating 270, the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T can be stabilized regardless of the inflation of the pressure cuff 220. Furthermore, by providing such an insulating coating 270, even when the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are disposed at a position close to the tip end 220a beyond the tip end 220a in the circumferential direction (extension direction of the second curler part 212) of the pressure cuff 220, the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T can be stabilized. However, the insulating coating 270 in this embodiment 3 can also be applied to the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 in the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first modification of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the insulating coating 270 in this embodiment 3 can also be applied to the case where the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are provided on the electrode support part 2112 extending to the tip end of the first curler part 211 of the curler 210 as in the biological information measuring device 13 according to the second modification of the first embodiment.

[0071] <Example 4> A biological information measuring device 14 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0072] In the biological information measuring device 14 of this embodiment, the configuration of the electrode support part 2123 of the curler 210 on which the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 are arranged is different from that of the biological information measuring device 1 of Example 1, but the other configurations are common.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 12, the electrode support part 2123 is connected to the tip of the second curler part 212 of the curler 210 by a hinge part 2124 that can rotate around an axis perpendicular to the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 5(B), the electrode support part 2121 of the curler 210 can be deformed by the expansion of the compression cuff 220. By connecting the electrode support part 2123 to the second curler part 212 of the curler 210 via the hinge part 2124, deformation due to the expansion of the compression cuff 220 is permitted, so that it is possible to prevent the contact state between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T from becoming unstable due to the rigidity of the electrode support part 2123. Here, the electrode support part 2123 corresponds to the support member and the second electrode support part of the present invention, and the electrode support part 2123 and the hinge part 2124 correspond to the contact state detection means of the present invention.

[0074] In the above-described biological information measuring device 14, the hinge portion 2324 is provided only at one location between the tip of the second curler portion 212 of the curler 210 and the electrode support portion 2123. Hinge portions that can also rotate in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction may be provided at multiple locations along the circumferential direction of curler 210, or hinge portions may be arranged along the entire circumferential direction of curler 210, like a wristwatch band.

[0075] <Example 5> A biological information measuring device 15 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0076] The hardware configuration of the biological information measuring device 15 according to the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the first to fourth embodiments. FIG. 13 shows a functional block diagram of the biological information measuring device 15 according to the present embodiment. The biological information measuring device 15 is different from the biological information measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in the block configuration of the calculation unit 132 of the electrocardiogram measuring unit 130 and the control unit 121 of the blood pressure measuring unit 120. In the biological information measuring device 15, the calculation unit 132 includes a contact resistance measuring unit 1321, and the control unit 121 includes a belt snugness determining unit 1221. The functions of the contact resistance measuring unit 1321 and the belt snugness determining unit 1221 will be described later. Here, the contact resistance measuring unit 1321 and the belt snugness determining unit 1221 correspond to the contact resistance measuring unit and the belt snugness determining unit of the present invention, respectively.

[0077] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of belt fit determination processing in the biological information measuring device 15. First, the user wears the vital information measuring device 15 to start blood pressure measurement (step S1). Specifically, the user wraps the pressure cuff 220, curler 210, and belt part 400 around the wrist T, inserts the belt part 400 into the belt loop part 150, fixes the belt part 400 with the hook-and-loop fastener 411, takes a predetermined measurement posture, presses the measurement switch, and touches the first electrode 140 with the fingers of the hand opposite to the hand on which the vital information measuring device 15 is worn.

[0078] Next, the contact resistance measuring unit 1321 measures the contact resistance between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 and the wrist T by electrical continuity between the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 (step S2). At this time, the contact resistance may be measured by electrical continuity between the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 141. In addition, the part of the subject's body where the contact resistance is measured is not limited to the wrist T.

[0079] Then, the belt tightness determiner 1221 determines whether the contact resistance is equal to or less than a threshold value and whether the variation in the contact resistance for a predetermined time period is equal to or less than a threshold value (step S3). At this time, if the contact resistance is below the threshold value and the variation in contact resistance over a specified time period is below the threshold value, the belt snugness determination unit 1221 determines that the belt is snugly wrapped, i.e., that the belt portion 400 is snugly wrapped around the wrist T and the vital information measuring device 15 is worn appropriately (step S4), and the control unit 121 closes the exhaust valve 124 and drives the pump 123 to start pressurization by the compression cuff 220 and the sensing cuff 230 (step S5). On the other hand, if the contact resistance exceeds the threshold value or the variation in the contact resistance for a predetermined time exceeds the threshold value, the belt tightness determination unit 1221 determines that the belt 400 is loosely wrapped around the wrist T, that is, that the vital sign measuring device 14 is not properly worn (step S6), and the control unit 121 performs loose wrapping processing (step S7). As the loose wrapping processing, the display unit 111 may display that the belt 400 is not tightly wrapped around the wrist T and that the contact state of the electrodes is not proper. After such a display is made, pressure application by the pressure cuff 220 or the like may be started, or the user may be prompted to rewrap the belt 400 without starting pressure application. As the loose wrapping processing, pressure application by the pressure cuff 220 or the like may be started without displaying that the belt 400 is not tightly wrapped. In addition, during the loose winding process, the display unit 111 displays a message or mark to that effect. The display may be a flashing lamp or a light in a predetermined color, or a voice output unit may be provided to output a voice message to that effect.

[0080] In this way, the configuration of the second electrode 241 and the third electrode 242 for measuring an electrocardiogram waveform can be used to determine whether the belt portion 400 is wrapped properly when measuring blood pressure, so that it is possible to determine whether the belt portion 400 is wrapped properly even before blood pressure measurement begins, which is highly convenient.

[0081] In the biological information measuring devices 1, 11 to 15 according to the above-mentioned Examples 1 to 4, the belt part 400, the pressure cuff 220, and the curler 210 are configured separately, but the belt part 400 and the pressure cuff 220 may be configured integrally, or the belt part 400 and the curler 210 may be configured integrally. In this way, the device configuration is simplified and handling is facilitated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15... Biological information measuring device 241...Second electrode 242...Third electrode 2111, 2121... Electrode support part

Claims

1. A biological information measurement device for measuring blood pressure and electrocardiogram waveform of a subject, a fluid bag that is wrapped around the measurement site of the subject in a circumferential direction; a pump for supplying fluid into the fluid bag; a valve provided in a flow path of the fluid that communicates with the fluid bag; a blood pressure measurement unit that measures the blood pressure at the measurement site by supplying the fluid from the pump to expand the fluid bag to compress the measurement site, or by controlling the valve to discharge the fluid in the fluid bag to contract the fluid bag to release the compression on the measurement site; and a first electrode in contact with a first portion of the subject; a second electrode that contacts a second portion of the subject that is different from the first portion, the second electrode being connected to the fluid bag that extends in the circumferential direction, supported by a support member that extends further in the circumferential direction from an end of the fluid bag in the circumferential direction, and disposed at a predetermined distance in the circumferential direction from the end; an electrocardiogram measurement unit that measures an electrocardiogram waveform of the subject through the first electrode and the second electrode; a belt portion that is wound around the outer periphery of the fluid bag and fixes the biological information measurement device to the measurement site; a contact state stabilizing means for suppressing a change in a contact state between the second electrode and the second portion due to a change in the volume of the fluid bag; A biological information measuring device comprising:

2. the contact state stabilization means is an insulating covering portion that covers the second electrode and has an opening through which a part of the second electrode is exposed, The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the second electrode exposed from the opening contacts the second portion throughout the volume change of the fluid bag.

3. The biological information measuring device described in claim 1, characterized in that the contact state stabilization means is a support member that supports the second electrode at a position that can limit the change in the contact state between the second electrode and the second portion due to movement of the support member accompanying the volume change of the fluid bag to a predetermined range.

4. The biological information measuring device of claim 1, characterized in that the support member includes a second electrode support portion that supports the second electrode, and a hinge portion that supports the second electrode support portion rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

5. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the support member constitutes a part of the belt portion.

6. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of the second electrode in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction is a semicircle, an ellipse, an oval, or a curve that is convex toward the second portion.

7. 2. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid bag and the belt portion are integrally provided.

8. a curler including the support member and curved in the circumferential direction of the measurement site, 2. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the curler and the belt portion are integrally provided.

9. a third electrode that contacts a third part of the subject and sets a reference potential; the third electrode is supported by the support member together with the second electrode via an insulating member; 9. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the contact state stabilizing means suppresses a change in the contact state between the third electrode and the third portion.

10. a contact resistance measuring unit that measures contact resistance between the second electrode and the body of the subject using a third electrode that contacts the first electrode or a third part of the subject and sets a reference potential; a wrapping style determination unit that determines whether the subject is wrapping the belt properly based on the contact resistance; 9. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

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