Cuff structure and blood pressure measurement device

Abstract

To provide a cuff structure and a blood pressure measurement device capable of controlling wrinkles to be generated.SOLUTION: A cuff structure used in a blood pressure measurement device includes: one or more air bags that are inflated by fluid; and one or more members that contain the air bags or that are provided to be stacked in the air bag. In at least two of the air bags and the one or more members, folding parts one of which is formed by opening or splitting, and the other of which is formed by opening, splitting, notching, a recess or a groove are provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cuff structure and a blood pressure measuring device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, blood pressure measuring devices used for measuring blood pressure are used as a means for checking health conditions not only in medical facilities but also at home. For example, blood pressure measuring devices measure blood pressure by inflating and deflating a cuff wrapped around the upper arm or wrist of a living body and detecting the pressure of the cuff with a pressure sensor, thereby detecting the vibration of the arterial wall.

[0003] A laminated cuff is known as a cuff used in such blood pressure measuring devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A laminated cuff has a connecting section and a hardened side wall section to prevent lateral bulging, realizing a cuff that can provide efficient compression without changing width even when inflated. On the other hand, a laminated cuff has an issue in that the provision of a connecting section inhibits outward bulging of the gusset section, resulting in a trade-off between compression efficiency and ease of lateral bulging.

[0004] In addition, it is generally difficult to adjust the material strength, i.e., the thickness and hardness of the sheet material that forms the cuff, and the strength of the entire cuff must be adjusted, making it impossible to increase the strength of only the area where lateral swelling is likely to occur. Furthermore, a cuff with a laminated structure has a problem in that it is thick and prone to wrinkles because many sheet materials are laminated. If wrinkles occur in the cuff, the space inside the cuff is divided, which reduces the accuracy of blood pressure measurement.

[0005] In view of this, a conventional method for controlling wrinkles in a cuff is known in which a notch is provided in a partition sheet to control wrinkles (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This technology aims to reduce stress concentration by forming large, curved wrinkles into gentle wrinkles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-224558 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6751462 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the above-mentioned cuff wrinkle control method, when the cuff is wrapped around a measurement site with a small curvature, wrinkles occur in places other than the notches, and the method is not effective enough. Also, when the cuff itself has a thickness, such as the laminated structure described above, the method is not effective enough.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cuff structure and a blood pressure measuring device that are capable of controlling the occurrence of wrinkles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one embodiment, there is provided a cuff structure for use in a blood pressure measuring device, comprising one or more air bags inflated with a fluid, and one or more components contained in the air bags or laminated to the air bags, wherein at least two of the air bags and the one or more components are provided with a folding portion, one of which is formed by an opening or division, and the other of which is formed by an opening, division, notch, recess or groove.

[0010] According to this aspect, the cuff structure has two or more members that are weakened by the bent portion including the opening, so that wrinkles that occur in the curved air bag when the cuff structure is attached to a living body can be controlled. Therefore, the cuff structure can generate desired wrinkles, and it is possible to prevent unintended wrinkles such as excessively deep wrinkles from occurring. Therefore, the cuff structure allows stable blood pressure measurement using a blood pressure measuring device.

[0011] The cuff structure according to one aspect of the present invention includes a curler, which is a member that curves to conform to the circumferential shape of the part of the living body on which the cuff is attached, a pressure cuff that is fixed to the inner surface of the curler and includes the air bag, a back plate, which is a member that is fixed to the inner surface of the pressure cuff, and a sensing cuff that is fixed to the inner surface of the back plate and includes the air bag.

[0012] According to this embodiment, it is possible to control wrinkles in the pressure cuff and the sensing cuff that press against the living body, which are greatly affected by stress concentration and reduced compression efficiency, and blood pressure measurement can be performed stably.

[0013] The cuff structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided, wherein the air bag includes an intermediate sheet member, and the folded portion formed in the air bag is one or more openings formed in the intermediate sheet member and / or a recess formed in a surface of the air bag.

[0014] According to this aspect, the cuff structure can reduce the strength of the air bag at which wrinkles occur, making it easier to control wrinkles that occur in the air bag. As a result, the cuff structure can reduce the effect of the hardness of the air bag on wrinkle control.

[0015] In the cuff structure of the above-mentioned one aspect, the folded portion formed in the back plate is an opening, a division, a notch or a groove formed in the back plate.

[0016] According to this aspect, the cuff structure can reduce the strength of the back plate to which the sensing cuff is fixed, making it easier to control wrinkles that occur in the sensing cuff.

[0017] The cuff structure according to one aspect of the present invention is provided such that the curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate and the sensing cuff are formed long in one direction, and the folding portions provided on at least two of the curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate and the sensing cuff are arranged in a row in the one direction.

[0018] According to this aspect, the cuff structure has a plurality of bent portions aligned in one direction, which can disperse wrinkles that occur in the air bag. By dispersing the wrinkles, the cuff structure can prevent deep wrinkles from occurring.

[0019] The cuff structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided such that the folding portions provided on at least two of the curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate and the sensing cuff are arranged to at least partially overlap adjacent folding portions in the stacking direction, and / or are offset in one direction from adjacent folding portions in the stacking direction.

[0020] According to this aspect, by at least partially overlapping the bent portions provided on two or more members, wrinkles can be generated at a targeted predetermined position. In addition, by shifting the bent portions provided on two or more members, wrinkles can be finely dispersed. In this way, the cuff structure can arbitrarily set the positions and number of wrinkles by the arrangement of the bent portions.

[0021] According to one aspect, there is provided a blood pressure measuring device comprising the cuff structure of the above-mentioned one aspect, a device body fixed to the cuff structure, and a band provided on the device body and fixing the cuff structure.

[0022] According to this aspect, by using a blood pressure measurement device having the above-mentioned cuff structure, it is possible to suppress variation in the occurrence of wrinkles due to the state of wearing and the shape of the wrist, and to suppress variation in blood pressure measurement accuracy caused by wrinkles. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cuff structure and a blood pressure measurement device that are capable of controlling the occurrence of wrinkles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a blood pressure measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the blood pressure measuring device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the blood pressure measuring device when worn on the wrist. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the blood pressure measuring device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a cuff structure used in the blood pressure measuring device, in a developed state, as viewed from the side. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a cuff used in the cuff structure. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the cuff. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the cuff. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a folding portion used in the cuff structure. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the bending portion. [Figure 22] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic unfolded configuration of a folding portion used in the cuff structure. [Figure 23] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic unfolded configuration of a folding portion used in the cuff structure. [Figure 24] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the evaluation results of the cuff structure in comparison with a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, an example of a blood pressure measuring device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0026] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a blood pressure measurement device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the blood pressure measurement device 1. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the blood pressure measurement device 1 in a state where it is worn on a wrist 300. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a device body 3 of the blood pressure measurement device 1.

[0027] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic side view of the configuration of the cuff structure 4 used in the blood pressure measuring device 1 in an unfolded state. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure cuff 52 and a sensing cuff 54 as cuffs used in the cuff structure 4. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the pressure cuff 52. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the sensing cuff 54. FIGS. 9 to 21 are diagrams showing schematic examples of bent portions 55 provided in each member of the cuff structure 4. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing an evaluation result of the cuff structure 4 in comparison with a comparative example.

[0028] The blood pressure measurement device 1 is an electronic blood pressure measurement device that is attached to a living body. In this embodiment, the blood pressure measurement device 1 is a wearable device that is attached to a wrist 300 as shown in Fig. 3. The blood pressure measurement device 1 is an electronic blood pressure measurement device that has a mode of measuring blood pressure from arteries 311, 312 of the wrist 300, for example.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a blood pressure measuring device 1 includes, for example, a device body 3, a cuff structure 4, and a band 5.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the device main body 3 includes, for example, a housing 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, a pump 14, an acceleration sensor 15, a valve 16, a pressure sensor 17, a battery 18, a communication unit 19, a charging circuit unit 21, a memory 22, and a processor 23.

[0031] The housing 11 is a case that houses the components of the device main body 3. The housing 11 houses, for example, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, a pump 14, an acceleration sensor 15, a valve 16, a pressure sensor 17, a battery 18, a communication unit 19, a biosensor 20, a charging circuit unit 21, a memory 22, and a processor 23. The housing 11 also houses, for example, a fluid circuit 24. Note that the fluid circuit 24 may include, for example, a tube or a flow path plate that forms a flow path for the fluid supplied from the pump 14 to the cuff structure 4, components such as a fluid resistor that controls the supply amount and pressure of the fluid supplied to the cuff structure 4, and a check valve that controls the flow direction of the fluid.

[0032] The housing 11 includes, for example, an outer case 31 , a windshield 32 that covers an upper opening of the outer case 31 , and a back cover 33 that covers the lower part of the outer case 31 .

[0033] The outer case 31 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, a rectangular tube shape, a polygonal tube shape, or the like. In this embodiment, an example in which the outer case 31 is formed in a rectangular tube shape is shown. The outer case 31 has a loop portion 31a provided on one surface of the outer circumferential surface. The loop portion 31a is a rectangular annular member having an opening that is long in one direction through which the band 5 can be inserted in order to pass the band 5 through and fold the band 5 back. The loop portion 31a is formed integrally with the outer case 31. The windshield 32 is a glass plate having a shape similar to the outer circumferential edge shape of the outer case 31, which is rectangular in this embodiment. Note that the windshield 32 is not limited to a glass plate as long as it is a transparent or translucent material. The back cover 33 closes the bottom of the outer case 31. Note that the housing 11 may be configured not to have the back cover 33, and the bottom of the outer case 31 may be closed by a curler 51 (described later) of the cuff structure 4 fixed to the housing 11.

[0034] The display unit 12 is disposed directly below the windshield 32. The display unit 12 is electrically connected to the processor 23. The display unit 12 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence display. The display unit 12 displays various information including date and time, blood pressure values ​​such as systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, measurement results such as heart rate, and information such as the charging status and remaining amount of the battery 18. The display unit 12 is formed, for example, in the same shape as the windshield 32 in a planar view.

[0035] The operation unit 13 is configured to be able to input commands from the user. The operation unit 13 includes, for example, a plurality of buttons 41 provided on the housing 11, a sensor that detects the operation of the buttons 41, and a touch panel 43 provided on the display unit 12 or the windshield 32. The operation unit 13 converts commands operated by the user into electrical signals. The sensor and the touch panel 43 are electrically connected to the processor 23 and output the electrical signals to the processor 23.

[0036] The pump 14 is, for example, a piezoelectric pump. The pump 14 compresses, for example, air as a fluid, and supplies the compressed air to a pressure cuff 52 and a sensing cuff 54 (described later) of the cuff structure 4 through a fluid circuit. The pump 14 is electrically connected to the processor 23.

[0037] The acceleration sensor 15 is, for example, a three-axis acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor 15 measures, for example, acceleration and outputs an analog signal. The acceleration sensor 15 is connected to the processor 23 via, for example, an A / D conversion circuit.

[0038] The valve 16 is, for example, an on-off valve. The valve 16 opens and closes a fluid circuit connecting the pump 14 and the cuff structure 4 and / or a fluid circuit connecting the cuff structure 4 and a standby. The valve 16 is electrically connected to the processor 23. For example, the valve 16 is opened and closed under the control of the processor 23.

[0039] As a specific example, the valve 16 is a safety valve that releases air supplied to a pressure cuff 52 and a sensing cuff 54 (described later) of the cuff structure 4 to the atmosphere. The valve 16 is switched to a closed state by being controlled by the processor 23 when supplying air to the pressure cuff 52 and the sensing cuff 54 during blood pressure measurement, for example. The valve 16 is also switched from a closed state to an open state by being controlled by the processor 23 when exhausting the pressure cuff 52 and the sensing cuff 54. The valve 16 may be formed so that the opening degree can be adjusted. The valve 16 may be provided on the fluid circuit 24, or may be provided integrally inside the housing of the pump 14.

[0040] The pressure sensor 17 is provided in, for example, the fluid circuit 24. The pressure sensor 17 detects the pressure of the pressure cuff 52 and / or the sensing cuff 54. For example, the pressure sensor 17 detects the pressure of the sensing cuff 54. The pressure sensor 17 is electrically connected to the processor 23 via, for example, an A / D conversion circuit, converts the detected pressure into an electrical signal, and outputs it to the processor 23.

[0041] The battery 18 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The battery 18 is electrically connected to the processor 23. The battery 18 supplies power to the processor 23. The battery 18 supplies driving power to each component of the processor 23, as well as to the display unit 12, the operation unit 13, the pump 14, the acceleration sensor 15, the valve 16, the pressure sensor 17, and the communication unit 19 via the processor 23.

[0042] The communication unit 19 is configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving information wirelessly and / or wired to and from an external device. The communication unit 19 is, for example, a wireless communication module that complies with a wireless communication standard. The communication unit 19 transmits, for example, information controlled by the processor 23 and information such as measured blood pressure values ​​and pulse rates to the external device, and also receives a program for software update from the external device and sends it to the control unit. In this embodiment, the external device is, for example, an external terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a smart watch.

[0043] In this embodiment, the communication unit 19 and the external terminal may be directly connected or may be connected via a network. The communication unit 19 and the external terminal may be connected via a mobile communication network such as 4G or 5G, or a wireless communication line such as Wimax or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication unit 19 and the external device may be connected by a wireless communication means such as BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy), NFC (Near Field Communication), or infrared communication. The communication unit 19 may have, in addition to a wireless communication module, a general-purpose connector such as a micro USB (Universal Serial Bus) or a dedicated connector for the blood pressure measurement device 1, and may be connected to the external terminal directly or via a wired communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network) connection by various cables such as a USB cable. For this reason, the communication unit 19 may be configured to include a plurality of communication means such as a wireless antenna and a micro USB connector. The connector for wired communication may be a dedicated connector for the blood pressure measurement device 1.

[0044] The biosensor 20 is formed to be capable of detecting bioinformation by contacting or facing the wrist 300. The biosensor 20 converts the detected bioinformation into an electric signal and outputs it to the processor 23. The biosensor 20 may be, for example, a sensor that measures a physical quantity such as a heart rate or a body temperature, or may be a sensor that measures a chemical value such as a blood glucose level or a blood oxygen concentration. For example, the biosensor 20 is provided on the back cover 33 of the housing 11 and / or on a curler 51 (to be described later) of the cuff structure 4. In the present embodiment, an example in which the biosensor 20 is provided on the curler 51 is shown. Note that the blood pressure measurement device 1 may not have the biosensor 20.

[0045] The charging circuit unit 21 includes, for example, an antenna unit 211, a power receiving unit 212, and a charging unit 213. The charging circuit unit 21 charges the battery 18 by wireless power supply. For example, the charging circuit unit 21 receives transmission power transmitted from the antenna unit 103 of the power transmitting device 100 provided externally, and charges the battery 18.

[0046] The antenna unit 211 receives the transmitted power from the antenna unit of the power transmitting device. The antenna unit 211 is, for example, a power receiving coil serving as a power receiving resonant circuit. The antenna unit 211 supplies the received power to the power receiving unit 212. The power receiving surface of the antenna unit 211 is formed in a flat shape. The antenna unit 211 is disposed, for example, within the housing 11. As a specific example, the antenna unit 211 is disposed adjacent to the display unit 12 on the opposite side of the windshield 32 of the display unit 12 within the housing 11. The antenna unit 211 includes, for example, a resonant capacitor, and constitutes a power receiving resonant circuit.

[0047] Power receiving unit 212 rectifies the power received by antenna unit 211 and supplies it to charging unit 213. As a specific example, power receiving unit 212 rectifies the received power supplied from antenna unit 211 and converts it from AC to DC. For example, power receiving unit 212 includes a rectifier circuit and a control circuit, controls the operation of the rectifier circuit by the control circuit, and outputs the rectified DC power to charging unit 213.

[0048] The charging unit 213 supplies the power supplied from the power receiving unit 212 to the battery 18 as charging power. For example, the charging unit 213 converts the power supplied from the power receiving unit 212 into a predetermined current value and voltage value and supplies the power to the battery 18. In addition, for example, the charging unit 213 may have a circuit that outputs the charging state of the battery 18 to the power receiving unit 212 and / or the processor 23.

[0049] The memory 22 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory). The memory 22 stores various data. For example, the memory 22 pre-stores, in a changeable manner, various program data such as programs and applications for controlling the entire blood pressure measuring device 1 and the pump 14, setting data for setting various functions of the blood pressure measuring device 1, calculation data for calculating a blood pressure value and a pulse rate from the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 17, and the like.

[0050] The processor 23 controls the operation of the entire blood pressure measuring device 1 and the operation of the pump 14 and the valve 16 based on the programs stored in the memory 22, and executes predetermined operations (functions). The processor 23 also executes predetermined calculations, analyses, processing, etc. according to the loaded programs. The processor 23 is a calculation device such as a CPU. The processor 23 may include, for example, a main CPU and a sub-CPU. The processor 23 also displays the status and results of the various executed operations and the calculations, analyses, processing, etc. on the display unit 12 by a program or an application.

[0051] Cuff structure 4 includes, for example, curler 51, pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, sensing cuff 54, and folded portion 55. Cuff structure 4 is configured by laminating curler 51, pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, and sensing cuff 54. Furthermore, cuff structure 4 has folded portion 55 formed in at least two of the multiple members constituting cuff structure 4, namely curler 51, pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, and sensing cuff 54. Furthermore, for example, cuff structure 4 may have folded portion 55 formed in multiple members constituting pressure cuff 52 and / or sensing cuff 54, for example, sheet members 75, 85 and intermediate sheet members 76, 86 described below.

[0052] Specific examples of the cuff structure 4 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and 5 to 23. As shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5, the cuff structure 4 includes a curler 51, a pressure cuff 52, a back plate 53, a sensing cuff 54, and a plurality of bent portions 55 formed in each of the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54.

[0053] One end of curler 51 is fixed to the wrist side of housing 11, for example. Curler 51 is formed in a band shape that curves to follow the circumferential direction of wrist 300. Curler 51 is made of a resin material. Curler 51 also has a decorative sheet 51a such as an outer cloth that is attached to the outer peripheral surface side by welding, adhesion, integral molding, or the like to improve design. Curler 51 has a hardness that provides flexibility and shape retention. Here, flexibility refers to the shape of curler 51 deforming in the radial direction when an external force of band 5 is applied to curler 51. Shape retention refers to the ability of curler 51 to maintain a previously formed shape when no external force is applied. That is, curler 51 is formed of a resin material that is not compressively deformed or does not omit compressive deformation, but is formed of a hardness that allows elastic deformation such as bending deformation that changes the shape, particularly the curvature of the curved portion. Therefore, curler 51 is formed to be elastically deformable in response to application of an external force, so that the internal space in which wrist 300 is placed becomes larger or smaller in accordance with the shape of the wrist on which it is worn.

[0054] Curler 51 is formed so that one side from the portion fixed to housing 11 is longer than the other side. Both ends of curler 51 are formed to a length and shape such that they are positioned on one side of wrist 300 between the palm side and the back side of wrist 300 when curler 51 is worn on either wrist 300 with the longest circumference or wrist 300 with the shortest circumference among the users who are expected to wear it. Curler 51 may be curved all along the longitudinal direction to follow the shape of wrist 300, or a portion may be formed in a flat plate shape.

[0055] As a specific example, curler 51 is fixed to, for example, outer case 31 or back cover 33 of housing 11. Curler 51 also includes fixed portion 61 having a portion fixed to back cover 33 formed in a flat plate shape, a first curved portion 62 provided at one end of fixed portion 61 and curved with a predetermined radius of curvature, and a second curved portion 63 provided at the other end of fixed portion 61 and curved with a predetermined radius of curvature.

[0056] The first curved portion 62 is formed to have a length from the fixed portion 61 to one side of the wrist 300. In addition, for example, a biosensor 20 is provided on the inner surface on the end side of the first curved portion 62. The second curved portion 63 is formed to have a length from the fixed portion 61 to the other side of the wrist 300, beyond the palm side of the wrist 300, to one side of the wrist 300 where the end of the first curved portion 62 is located.

[0057] For example, one of the end of the first curved portion 62 and the end of the second curved portion 63 is located radially outward from the other. As a specific example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the end of the second curved portion 63 is located radially outward from the end of the first curved portion 62. Also, for example, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 2, in a state before an external force is applied to the curler 51, the end of the second curved portion 63 may be located radially outward from the end of the first curved portion 62 and separated from it in the circumferential direction, so that the ends of the first curved portion 62 and the second curved portion 63 are separated from each other.

[0058] For example, the lengths of the first curved portion 62 and the second curved portion 63 are such that, when the blood pressure measuring device 1 is worn on the wrist 300 having the longest circumference among the wrists 300 on which the blood pressure measuring device 1 is expected to be worn, the second curved portion 63 faces a portion of the wrist 300 where the two arteries 311, 312 are present, the second curved portion 63 is disposed on a part of the side of the wrist 300, and the end of the first curved portion 62 and the end of the second curved portion 63 are spaced apart. Here, the two arteries 311, 312 are the radial artery 311 and the ulnar artery 312.

[0059] Furthermore, for example, the lengths of the first curved portion 62 and the second curved portion 63 are such that when the blood pressure measuring device 1 is worn on the wrist 300 having the shortest circumference among the wrists 300 on which the blood pressure measuring device 1 is intended to be worn, the second curved portion 63 faces the area of ​​the wrist 300 where the two arteries 311, 312 are located, and the first curved portion 62 and the second curved portion 63 overlap on the side of the wrist 300.

[0060] Such curler 51 has the greatest curvature at the boundary (ridge) between fixed portion 61 and first curved portion 62 and at the boundary (ridge) between fixed portion 61 and second curved portion 63.

[0061] The pressure cuff 52 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the curler 51 by double-sided tape, adhesive, heat welding, or the like. The pressure cuff 52 is provided at least in a region of the second curved portion 63 where the artery of the wrist 300 is present. As a specific example, the pressure cuff 52 is provided in a longitudinal region of the curler 51 from the fixed portion 61 side of the first curved portion 62 including the ridges of the fixed portion 61 and the first curved portion 62 to the end side of the second curved portion 63. The pressure cuff 52 fits along the inner surface of the curler 51 and has the largest curvature at the boundary between the fixed portion 61 and the first curved portion 62 and the boundary between the fixed portion 61 and the second curved portion 63.

[0062] Press cuff 52 is fluidly connected to pump 14 via a fluid circuit. One main surface of press cuff 52 is fixed to the inner surface of curler 51. For example, press cuff 52 is attached to the inner surface of curler 51 with double-sided tape or adhesive. When press cuff 52 inflates, it presses against the back side of wrist 300 and presses back plate 53 and sensing cuff 54 towards wrist 300.

[0063] The pressure cuff 52 includes, for example, one or more air bags 71, and a connector such as a nipple that is provided on the air bag 71 and connected to the fluid circuit 24. Here, the air bag 71 is a bag-like structure, and in this embodiment, the blood pressure measuring device 1 is configured to use air by the pump 14, so an air bag will be used for the description, but when a fluid other than air is used, the bag-like structure may be a fluid bag that is inflated by the fluid. The air bag 71 is formed into a rectangular bag shape that is long in one direction.

[0064] For example, air bag 71 includes a plurality of sheet members 75 and a single intermediate sheet member 76 having an opening 76a formed in at least a portion thereof. By fixing the plurality of sheet members 75 and the single or multiple intermediate sheet members 76 by thermal welding or the like, air bag 71 is formed into a bag shape in which an internal space is partitioned by intermediate sheet member 76 and is partitioned into two chambers that are fluidly connected by intermediate sheet member 76.

[0065] Air bag 71 has, for example, a cuff structure in which the side walls are recessed in a Σ shape. Air bag 71 has a pair of main walls 71a in the thickness direction, each formed by a part of each sheet member 75, and a pair of side walls 71b in the short side direction, formed by the ends of each sheet member 75 in the short side direction.

[0066] Sheet member 75 forms, for example, a pair of main walls 71a in the thickness direction of air bag 71 and a part of a pair of side walls 71b of air bag 71. Side walls 71b are recessed in a Σ shape toward the inside of air bag 71 at the center side in the thickness direction of air bag 71 (radial direction of curler 51).

[0067] When a single air bag 71 is provided in pressure cuff 52 as shown in Fig. 6, curler 51 and back plate 53 are fixed to main wall 71a. When a plurality of air bags 71 are provided in pressure cuff 52 as shown in Fig. 7, the plurality of air bags 71 are integrally formed by stacking, and curler 51 is fixed to one main wall 71a of the air bag 71 at one end in the thickness direction among the plurality of air bags 71, and back plate 53 is fixed to a part of one main wall 71a of the air bag 71 at the other end in the thickness direction. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, main walls 71a of adjacent air bags 71 among the plurality of air bags 71 are integrally fixed by welding or the like or are shared, and one or more openings 75a are formed therein that fluidly communicate the adjacent air bags 71. In other words, as shown in FIG. 7, a sheet member 75 forming the opposing main walls 71a of adjacent air bags 71 or a shared main wall 71a has one or more openings 75a that fluidly connect the adjacent air bags 71.

[0068] A plurality of sheet members 75 are welded together to form air bag 71 having a pair of main walls 71a and a pair of side walls 71b. Here, one air bag 71 may be formed from two sheet members 75, or from three or more sheet members 75, for example, four sheet members 75 each constituting each of the main walls 71a and each of the side walls 71b. That is, the number of sheet members 75 for forming air bag 71 is not limited.

[0069] In addition, when multiple air bags 71 are stacked together, the sheet members 75 forming the main walls 71a of adjacent air bags 71 may be welded together, or the main walls 71a of adjacent air bags 71 may be formed from a single sheet member 75, and adjacent air bags 71 may share a single main wall 71a.

[0070] The intermediate sheet member 76 is provided at the innermost portion of the side wall 71b. The intermediate sheet member 76 divides the inside of the air bag 71 into two chambers (spaces) in the thickness direction of the air bag 71. The intermediate sheet member 76 is also formed with one or more openings 76a that fluidly connect the two chambers in the air bag 71.

[0071] The material of the sheet member 75 and the intermediate sheet member 76 is, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer. Here, examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include thermoplastic polyurethane resin (Thermoplastic Polyurethane, hereinafter referred to as TPU), polyvinyl chloride resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate resin, thermoplastic polystyrene resin, thermoplastic polyolefin resin, thermoplastic polyester resin, and thermoplastic polyamide resin. It is preferable to use TPU as the thermoplastic elastomer used for the sheet member 75 and the intermediate sheet member 76. The sheet member 75 and the intermediate sheet member 76 may have a single-layer structure, or may have a multi-layer structure in which a plurality of resin materials are laminated. The air bag 71 may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer such as TPU, and then laminated with a cloth material.

[0072] The back plate 53 is fixed to the surface of the pressure cuff 52 on the wrist 300 side by double-sided tape, adhesive, or the like. The back plate 53 is made of a resin material. The back plate 53 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular plate that is long in one direction. Note that the back plate 53 may be configured to be divided, that is, formed by arranging a plurality of rectangular pieces in one direction. The back plate 53 has shape-following properties.

[0073] Here, shape conformability refers to the ability of the back plate 53 to deform so as to follow the shape of the contacted portion of the wrist 300 on which it is placed, the contacted portion of the wrist 300 refers to the area of ​​the wrist 300 that comes into contact with the back plate 53, and contact here includes both direct contact with the back plate 53 and indirect contact via the sensing cuff 54 of the back plate 53.

[0074] The sensing cuff 54 is fixed to the main surface of the back plate 53 on the wrist side. The sensing cuff 54 comes into direct contact with the area of ​​the wrist 300 where the arteries 311, 312 are present, or indirectly through a cover or the like. The sensing cuff 54 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in one direction. The sensing cuff 54 may be configured to come into contact with the area of ​​the wrist 300 where one of the arteries 311, 312 is present. The sensing cuff 54 is smaller than the pressing cuff 52 in the longitudinal direction. The sensing cuff 54 is the same as or smaller than the pressing cuff 52 in the transverse direction. The sensing cuff 54 has the same shape as the back plate 53 or is smaller than the back plate 53 in the longitudinal direction and width direction of the back plate 53. The sensing cuff 54 inflates to compress the area of ​​the wrist where the arteries are present on the palm side. The sensing cuff 54 is pressed against the living body side via the back plate 53 by the inflated pressure cuff 52 .

[0075] As a specific example, the sensing cuff 54 includes one air bag 81 and a flow path body 82. Here, the air bag 81 is a bag-like structure. In this embodiment, the blood pressure measuring device 1 is configured to use air through the pump 14, so an air bag will be used for the description; however, if a fluid other than air is used, the bag-like structure may be a liquid bag or the like.

[0076] Air bag 81 is configured in a rectangular shape that is long in one direction. For example, air bag 81 includes a plurality of sheet members 85 and a single intermediate sheet member 86 having an opening 86a formed in at least a portion thereof. By fixing the plurality of sheet members 85 and the single or multiple intermediate sheet members 86 by thermal welding or the like, air bag 81 is formed in a bag shape in which an internal space is partitioned by intermediate sheet member 86 and is partitioned into two chambers that are fluidly connected by intermediate sheet member 86.

[0077] Air bag 81 has a cuff structure in which the side walls are recessed in a Σ shape, as shown in Fig. 6, for example. Air bag 81 has a pair of main walls 81a in the thickness direction, each formed by a part of each sheet member 85, and a pair of side walls 81b in the short side direction, formed by the short side ends of each sheet member 85. Note that air bag 81 does not have to have a cuff structure in which the side walls are recessed in a Σ shape, and may have a single cuff structure in which the outer peripheral edges of two sheet members 85 are welded together, as shown in Fig. 8.

[0078] Sheet member 85 forms, for example, a pair of main walls 81a in the thickness direction of air bag 81 and a part of a pair of side walls 81b of air bag 81. Back plate 53 is fixed to one main wall 81a, and the other main wall 81a comes into direct contact with an area of ​​wrist 300 where two arteries 311, 312 exist, or indirectly via a cover or the like. Side walls 81b are recessed in a Σ shape toward the inside of air bag 81 at the center side in the thickness direction of air bag 81 (radial direction of curler 51).

[0079] A plurality of sheet members 85 are welded together to form an air bag 81 having a pair of main walls 81a and a pair of side walls 81b. Here, one air bag 81 may be formed of two sheet members 85, or may be formed of three or more sheet members 85, for example, four sheet members 85 each constituting one of the main walls 81a and each of the side walls 81b. That is, the number of sheet members 85 for forming the air bag 81 is not limited.

[0080] The intermediate sheet member 86 is provided at the innermost portion of the side wall 81b. The intermediate sheet member 86 divides the inside of the air bag 81 into two chambers (spaces) in the thickness direction of the air bag 81. The intermediate sheet member 86 is also formed with one or more openings 86a that fluidly connect the two chambers in the air bag 81.

[0081] The material of the sheet member 85 and the intermediate sheet member 86 may be, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer. Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include thermoplastic polyurethane resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate resin, thermoplastic polystyrene resin, thermoplastic polyolefin resin, thermoplastic polyester resin, and thermoplastic polyamide resin. It is preferable to use TPU as the thermoplastic elastomer used for the sheet member 85 and the intermediate sheet member 86. The sheet member 85 and the intermediate sheet member 86 may have a single-layer structure, or may have a multi-layer structure in which a plurality of resin materials are laminated. The air bag 81 may be formed of, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer such as TPU, and then laminated with a cloth material.

[0082] The flow path body 82 is provided, for example, integrally with a part of one edge in the longitudinal direction of the air bag 81. The flow path body 82 is provided at an end of the air bag 81 close to the device body 3. The flow path body 82 is formed in a shape that is long in one direction and has a width smaller than the width of the air bag 81 in the short direction. The flow path body 82 has a connection part such as a nipple at its tip. The flow path body 82 is connected to the fluid circuit 24 via the connection part, and forms a flow path between the fluid circuit 24 and the air bag 81.

[0083] Folding portion 55 is formed in at least two of curler 51, pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, and sensing cuff 54. Folding portion 55 suppresses wrinkles that occur in pressure cuff 52 and / or sensing cuff 54 when cuff structure 4 is wrapped around wrist 300 and pressure cuff 52 and sensing cuff 54 are inflated, and controls the position at which wrinkles occur.

[0084] In order to suppress and control wrinkles, one or more folding portions 55 are provided in the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54 to be formed. For example, the folding portion 55 formed in at least one of the at least two members of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54 is formed by an opening, and the folding portion 55 formed in the other member is formed by an opening, a groove, a notch, a recess, or by dividing the member. The shape of the folding portion 55 can be set to various shapes such as a polygonal shape including a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a linear shape, an irregular shape, etc. The number and arrangement of the folding portions 55 can be set appropriately.

[0085] Specific examples of the folding portion 55 will be described below with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 23. In describing the folding portion 55 in Fig. 5 to Fig. 23, the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54 may be described in the same drawing, and multiple reference symbols may be assigned to one configuration. For this reason, the shapes in each drawing are appropriately reduced, enlarged, or omitted.

[0086] 5 and 22, the bent portion 55 is formed, for example, in the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54. As another example, as shown in FIG 23, the bent portion 55 is formed, for example, in the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 23, folding portions 55 formed in curler 51 are, for example, a plurality of recesses 51b formed on the inner surface of curler 51. Recesses 51b are grooves recessed from the inner surface of curler 51 toward the outer surface. Recesses 51b extend, for example, in the short direction of curler 51. The plurality of recesses 51b are arranged in one direction on the inner surface of curler 51 at equal intervals or at two or more different predetermined intervals as shown in FIG. 23. The plurality of recesses 51b may have the same shape or may be formed into different shapes, for example, in width or depth. Folding portions 55 formed in curler 51 may be openings, notches, or the like, as long as the configuration does not impair the function of curler 51. The number, shape, and arrangement of folding portions 55 formed in curler 51 can be set appropriately.

[0088] The folded portion 55 formed in the press cuff 52 is, for example, one or more openings 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, 9 to 15, and 17 to 19. Also, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the folded portion 55 formed in the press cuff 52 may be a recess 75b formed in the sheet member 75 in addition to or instead of the opening 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76. Also, as shown in Figures 5, 7, and 19, when the press cuff 52 is formed by stacking a plurality of air bags 71, the folded portion 55 formed in the press cuff 52 may be one or more openings 75a formed in the main walls 71a of the adjacent air bags 71 in addition to or instead of the opening 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76. As shown in FIGS. 9 to 15 and 18, the number, shape and arrangement of folded portions 55 formed in pressure cuff 52, which are openings 75a and / or openings 76a, can be set appropriately.

[0089] For example, the multiple openings 75a may be formed in the same shape as shown in Figures 9 to 13 and 15, or may be formed in two or more different shapes as shown in Figures 14 and 18. The multiple openings 75a may be arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the sheet member 75 as shown in Figures 9, 10, 12, 15 and 18, or at two or more predetermined intervals as shown in Figures 11, 13 and 14. Furthermore, the multiple openings 75a may be formed side by side in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the sheet member 75 as shown in Figures 15 and 18.

[0090] The recesses 75b extend, for example, in the short direction of the sheet member 75. The recesses 75b are, for example, welding lines formed by heating the sheet member 75 with a jig extending in the short direction from the surface of the sheet member 75 to the sheet member 75. The folded portions 55 formed in the pressing cuff 52 may be grooves or notches as long as they do not impede the function of the pressing cuff 52. The multiple recesses 75b are arranged in one direction on the inner surface of the sheet member 75 at equal intervals or at two or more different intervals as shown in FIG. 16. The multiple recesses 75b may have the same shape, or may be formed in different shapes, for example, in width, depth, or the like.

[0091] The multiple openings 76a are formed in the same shape as shown in Figures 9 to 13 and 15, or are formed in two or more different shapes as shown in Figures 14 and 18. The multiple openings 76a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate sheet member 76 at equal intervals as shown in Figures 9, 10, 12, 15 and 18, or at two or more predetermined intervals as shown in Figures 11, 13 and 14. Furthermore, the multiple openings 76a may be formed side by side in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the intermediate sheet member 76, as shown in Figures 15 and 18.

[0092] Furthermore, the number, shape, interval, etc. of the openings 75a formed in the sheet member 75 and the openings 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76 may be the same or different. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7, the multiple openings 75a formed in the sheet member 75 and the multiple openings 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76 are arranged in different positions, specifically, shifted in the longitudinal direction. Also, for example, in the example shown in Fig. 19, the multiple openings 75a formed in the sheet member 75 and the multiple openings 76a formed in the intermediate sheet member 76 are arranged in the same position, specifically, at the same position in the longitudinal direction, and the openings 75a and the openings 76a face each other.

[0093] The bent portion 55 formed in the back plate 53 is, for example, a single or multiple openings 53a as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 9 to FIG. 15, and FIG. 18. The bent portion 55 formed in the back plate 53 may be multiple recesses 53b as shown in FIG. 16, or multiple notches 53c as shown in FIG. 20. Here, the recesses 53b are, for example, grooves formed in the back plate 53. The bent portion 55 formed in the back plate 53 may be, for example, a gap between adjacent small pieces 53d, as shown in FIG. 21, by dividing the back plate 53 into multiple small pieces 53d and arranging the divided small pieces 53d in one direction. As shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 15, FIG. 18, FIG. 20, and FIG. 21, the number, shape, and arrangement of the bent portions 55 formed in the back plate 53 can be set appropriately.

[0094] For example, the multiple openings 53a are formed in the same shape as shown in Figures 9 to 13, or are formed in two or more different shapes as shown in Figures 14 and 18. The multiple openings 53a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the back plate 53 at equal intervals as shown in Figures 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, and 21, or at two or more predetermined intervals as shown in Figures 11, 13, and 14. Furthermore, the multiple openings 53a may be formed side by side in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the back plate 53 as shown in Figures 15 and 18.

[0095] The recesses 53b extend, for example, in the short-side direction of the back plate 53. The recesses 53b are, for example, grooves that extend in the short-side direction from the surface of the back plate 53 to the back plate 53 and are formed by a mold during molding. The multiple recesses 53b are arranged in one direction on the inner surface of the back plate 53 at equal intervals or at two or more different predetermined intervals as shown in Fig. 16. The multiple recesses 53b may have the same shape, or may be formed to have different shapes, for example, in width, depth, etc.

[0096] The notches 53c are formed in pairs in the short direction of the back plate 53, for example, as shown in Fig. 20. In other words, the multiple notches 53c are arranged symmetrically with respect to a center line along the longitudinal direction of the back plate 53. The notches 53c are also formed, for example, in an edge portion along the longitudinal direction of the back plate 53, and are arranged in one direction at equal intervals or at two or more different predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the back plate 53. As shown in Fig. 21, the divided small pieces 53d are arranged in one direction, for example, at equal intervals.

[0097] The folded portion 55 formed in the sensing cuff 54 is, for example, one or more openings 86a formed in the intermediate sheet member 86, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, 9 to 15, and 17 to 19. Furthermore, the folded portion 55 formed in the sensing cuff 54 may be a recess 85b formed in the sheet member 85 in addition to or instead of the opening 86a formed in the intermediate sheet member 86.

[0098] For example, the multiple openings 86a may be formed in the same shape as shown in Figures 9 to 13 and 15, or may be formed in two or more different shapes as shown in Figures 14 and 18. The multiple openings 86a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate sheet member 86 at equal intervals as shown in Figures 9, 10, 12, 15 and 18, or at two or more predetermined intervals as shown in Figures 11, 13 and 14. Furthermore, the multiple openings 86a may be formed side by side in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the intermediate sheet member 86, as shown in Figures 15 and 18.

[0099] The recesses 85b extend, for example, in the short direction of the sheet member 85. The recesses 85b are, for example, welding lines formed by heating with a jig extending from the surface of the sheet member 85 in the short direction of the sheet member 85 to form a depression. The folded portion 55 formed in the sensing cuff 54 may be a groove or a notch as long as it does not impede the function of the sensing cuff 54. The multiple recesses 85b are arranged in one direction on the inner surface of the sheet member 75 at equal intervals or at two or more different predetermined intervals as shown in FIG. 16. The multiple recesses 85b may have the same shape, or may be formed in different shapes, for example, in width, depth, or the like.

[0100] 22, the cuff structure 4 configured in this manner may be disposed so as to be offset in the longitudinal direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54 so that the folded portions 55 formed in the respective members partially overlap in the stacking direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54. Also, the cuff structure 4 may be disposed so as to be offset in the longitudinal direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54 so that the folded portions 55 formed in the respective members do not overlap in the stacking direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53, and the sensing cuff 54.

[0101] Furthermore, the cuff structure 4 may be arranged in the same position in the longitudinal direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53 and the sensing cuff 54 so that portions of the folded portions 55 formed on each component completely overlap in the stacking direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53 and the sensing cuff 54, as shown in FIG. 23, and the remainder of the folded portions 55 formed on each component may be arranged partially or completely shifted in the longitudinal direction.

[0102] In addition, the cuff structure 4 may be arranged at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53 and the sensing cuff 54, for example, so that all of the folded portions 55 formed in each component overlap in the stacking direction of the curler 51, the pressure cuff 52, the back plate 53 and the sensing cuff 54.

[0103] The band 5 brings the cuff structure 4 into close contact with the wrist 300 and fixes the cuff structure 4. The band 5 is provided on one of the first curved portion 62 or the second curved portion 63 of the curler 51. The band 5 is formed, for example, in a belt shape. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the band 5 is inserted into a loop portion 31a provided on the outer case 31 and folded back. The band 5 has, for example, a pair of hook-and-loop fasteners 5a having a hook on one side and a loop on the other side, which engage with each other to fix the band 5 with its end inserted into the loop portion 31a.

[0104] In this embodiment, the band 5 is provided at the tip of the second curved portion 63, and the loop portion 31a is provided on the outer surface of the outer case 31 on the side where the first curved portion 62 is provided.

[0105] The band 5 may be configured to include a first band, so-called a buckle, having a buckle, and a second band, so-called a point, having a plurality of small holes into which the buckle pin is inserted.

[0106] Next, an example of the power transmitting device 100 that transmits power to the charging circuit section 21 of the device main body 3 will be described. 4, the power transmitting device 100 includes a power source 101, a power transmitting unit 102, and an antenna unit 103. The power source 101 is, for example, an AC adapter connected to a commercial power source, etc. The power source 101 converts AC power input from the commercial power source into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the power transmitting unit 102.

[0107] The power transmitting unit 102 generates AC power as transmission power from the DC power supplied from the power source 101, and supplies the AC power to the antenna unit 103. The power transmitting unit 102 generates AC power having a frequency that is the same as or approximately the same as the resonant frequency of a power transmitting resonant circuit formed by the antenna unit 103, for example.

[0108] The antenna unit 103 is, for example, a power transmitting coil serving as a power transmitting resonant circuit. The power transmitting surface of the antenna unit 103 is formed in a planar shape. The antenna unit 103 transmits power to the antenna unit 211 of the device body 3. The antenna unit 103 includes, for example, a resonance capacitor, and constitutes a power transmitting resonant circuit.

[0109] According to blood pressure measuring device 1 configured in this manner, folded portions 55 are formed in at least two of the multiple members constituting cuff structure 4, namely curler 51, air bag 71 of pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, and air bag 81 of sensing cuff 54. In addition, of the at least two members, curler 51, air bag 71 of pressure cuff 52, back plate 53, and air bag 81 of sensing cuff 54, in which folded portions 55 are formed, folded portion 55 formed in at least one member is configured to include an opening, and folded portion 55 formed in the remaining member is configured to include an opening, division, notch, or groove.

[0110] With these configurations, the strength of curler 51, air bag 71 of pressure cuff 52, back panel 53, and sensing cuff 54 at the portions where folding portion 55 is formed, is smaller than the bending strength in the portions where folding portion 55 is not formed. Thus, the portions where folding portion 55 is provided are more susceptible to bending deformation than the portions where folding portion 55 is not provided, and become the starting points for wrinkles to form in air bag 71 of pressure cuff 52 and air bag 81 of sensing cuff 54. Here, wrinkles formed in air bags 71, 81 are caused by factors such as the difference between the inner and outer circumferences that occurs when air bag 71 is inflated in a curved state and the shape of wrist 300, but folding portion 55 can control the wrinkles that form. For example, since the location where wrinkles occur can be adjusted by the number, arrangement and shape of the folding portions 55, the number of wrinkles that occur in the air bag 71 of the pressure cuff 52 and the air bag 81 of the sensing cuff 54 can be adjusted, and the depth of each wrinkle can be adjusted by the number of wrinkles.

[0111] In this way, the cuff structure 4 can generate wrinkles in the air bags 71, 81 at the desired number, positions and depths by adjusting the bending strength of the bent portions 55. As shown in FIG. 22, the bent portions 55 of each member can be shifted in the longitudinal direction of each member to alternate the bent portions 55, thereby finely dispersing the wrinkles. As shown in FIG. 23, the bent portions 55 of each member can be overlapped to generate wrinkles at a desired position. That is, even if the bending strength and other characteristics of the cuff structure 4 are different, the number, arrangement and shape of the bent portions 55 can be adjusted to generate the desired wrinkles.

[0112] Therefore, wrinkles can be controlled even if air bags 71, 81 have a cuff structure with a relatively thick side wall that is recessed in a Σ shape. In this way, cuff structure 4 can prevent the space inside air bags 71, 81 from being divided by wrinkles due to excessively deep wrinkles, etc., and can stabilize the measurement accuracy of blood pressure measurement device 1. In other words, blood pressure measurement device 1 can suppress variation in the occurrence of wrinkles due to the state of cuff structure 4 when attached to wrist 300 and the shape of wrist 300, and can suppress variation in blood pressure measurement accuracy caused by wrinkles.

[0113] In addition, in the blood pressure measuring device 1, it is preferable to set the number, arrangement and shape of the bent parts 55 so as to intentionally bend the cuff structure 4 largely at positions with a relatively large curvature, such as the boundary (ridge) between the fixed part 61 and the first curved part 62 and the boundary (ridge) between the fixed part 61 and the second curved part 63, and to disperse wrinkles by making wrinkles less likely to occur near the arteries 311, 312 which are susceptible to a decrease in compression efficiency. This allows the cuff structure 4 to reduce the effects of stress concentration and a decrease in compression efficiency.

[0114] In addition, the member and the position where the bent portion 55 is provided, and the number, shape and arrangement of the bent portion 55 can be any combination selected arbitrarily. Therefore, in the cuff structure 4, the bent portion 55 can be set in terms of ease of manufacture, cost, etc., to realize wrinkle control.

[0115] Moreover, by forming the air bags 71, 81 into a cuff structure in which the side walls are recessed in a Σ shape, lateral swelling can be prevented, and high compression efficiency can be obtained. Furthermore, when the air bags 71, 81 are bulged in the lateral direction when the openings 76a, 86a are provided in the intermediate sheet members 76, 86, the shape of the openings 76a, 86a can be set small to suppress the lateral swelling, and when the lateral swelling does not occur, the openings 76a, 86a can be set large. Furthermore, the size of the openings 76a, 86a can be partially changed depending on the size and depth of the wrinkles to be generated. In this way, the cuff structure 4 adjusts the strength of the intermediate sheet members 76, 86 by the shape of the openings 76a, 86a, and the like, and the folding portions 55 formed in each member can be set with a high degree of freedom based on the relationship between the suppression of the occurrence of lateral swelling and the control of wrinkles when the air bags 71, 81 are formed into a cuff structure in which the side walls are recessed in a Σ shape.

[0116] Next, the results of an evaluation test of the blood pressure measuring device 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 24. In the evaluation test, the blood pressure measuring device 1 according to the embodiment and the blood pressure measuring devices (cuff structures) of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 were inflated, and wrinkles generated in the sensing cuff 54 were evaluated.

[0117] In the blood pressure measuring device 1 according to the embodiment used in the evaluation test, a plurality of recesses 75b, which are welding lines, are provided at equal intervals of 8 mm as folding portions 55 in sheet member 75 of sensing cuff 54, and a plurality of openings 76a are provided in intermediate sheet member 76 as folding portions 55. In addition, sensing cuff 54 was formed of TPU, and the surface was laminated with a cloth material.

[0118] The blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 1 was configured such that a plurality of recesses 75b, which are welded lines, were provided at equal intervals of 8 mm as folding portions 55 in sheet member 75 of sensing cuff 54, and a plurality of openings 76a as folding portions 55 were not provided in intermediate sheet member 76. Moreover, in the blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 1, no cloth material was provided on the surface of sensing cuff 54, and it was formed of TPU.

[0119] The blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 2 was configured such that a plurality of recesses 75b, which are welded lines, were provided at equal intervals of 8 mm as folding portions 55 in sheet member 75 of sensing cuff 54, and a plurality of openings 76a as folding portions 55 were not provided in intermediate sheet member 76. Moreover, in the blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 2, sensing cuff 54 was formed from TPU, and the surface was laminated with a cloth material.

[0120] 24, when the cuff structure 4 of the blood pressure measuring device 1 according to the embodiment was inflated, wrinkles generated in the sensing cuff 54 could be evenly distributed. As a result, the cuff structure 4 according to the embodiment can generate wrinkles evenly and distributed by providing, as the folding portion 55, at least one member, for example, the opening 76a of the intermediate sheet member 76 in combination with the sheet member 75 as another member.

[0121] In contrast, in the cuff structure of the blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 1, the sensing cuff 54 does not have a cloth laminate, and is therefore softer than the sensing cuff 54 of the embodiment and the cuff structure of Comparative Example 2.In addition, since the intermediate sheet member does not have an opening, the wrinkles vary in size and cannot be distributed evenly.

[0122] In addition, in the cuff structure of the blood pressure measuring device of Comparative Example 2, since it has a cloth laminate, the sensing cuff 54 is harder than that of Comparative Example 1, and therefore no wrinkles were formed in some of the multiple recesses 75b (welded lines).

[0123] The results of such evaluation tests also made it clear that the blood pressure measuring device 1 according to this embodiment makes it possible to control wrinkles that occur.

[0124] As described above, according to the blood pressure measuring device 1 of this embodiment, by forming the bent portions 55 including the openings in at least two of the members constituting the cuff structure 4, it is possible to control the occurrence of wrinkles.

[0125] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. That is, the cuff structure 4 may have a configuration in which the folded portion 55 is provided in at least two members, and therefore the cuff structure 4 may have one or more air bags and one or more other members that are included in the air bag or are laminated with the air bag. Therefore, for example, the cuff structure 4 may have only one cuff, or may further include other cuffs in addition to the pressure cuff 52 and the sensing cuff 54.

[0126] That is, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified in various ways in the implementation stage without departing from the gist of the invention. In addition, each embodiment may be implemented in appropriate combination as much as possible, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the above embodiment includes inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of the multiple constituent elements disclosed. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified in various ways in the implementation stage without departing from the gist of the invention. In addition, each embodiment may be implemented in appropriate combination, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the above embodiment includes various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combinations selected from the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, and the problem can be solved and an effect can be obtained, the configuration from which the constituent elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1. Blood pressure measuring device 3. Device body 4…Cuff structure 5. Band 5a…Velcro 11…Housing 12...Display section 13...Operation unit 14…Pump 15...Accelerometer 16...Valve 17...Pressure sensor 18...Battery 19…Communications Department 20...Biometric sensor 21...Charging circuit section 22…Memory 23…Processor 24…Fluid circuit 31…Outer case 31a…Loop section 32…Windshield 33…Case back 41...Button 43...Touch panel 51... Carla 51a…Decorative sheet 51b...recess 52...Compression cuff 53...Backboard 53a...Aperture 53b…recess 53c…notch 53d…Small piece 54…Sensing cuff 55…Bending part 61…Fixed part 62…First curved section 63…Second curved section 71...Air bag 71a…Main wall 71b…Side wall 75…Sheet material 75a…Aperture 75b…Recess 76...Intermediate sheet member 76a…Aperture 81...Air bag 81a…Main wall 81b…Side wall 82...Flow path body 85...Sheet material 85b…Concave 86...Intermediate sheet member 86a…Aperture 100...Power transmission device 101…Power supply 102...Power transmission section 103…Antenna section 211…Antenna section 212…Power receiving unit 213...Charging part 300…Wrist 311…Radial artery 312…Ulnar artery

Claims

1. A cuff structure for use in a blood pressure measurement device, one or more fluid-inflated bladders; one or more components included in the air bladder or laminated to the air bladder; a curler that is the member that curves to follow the circumferential shape of the part of the living body where the curler is attached; a pressure cuff fixed to an inner circumferential surface of the curler and including the air bag; A back plate, which is the member, is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the pressure cuff; a sensing cuff fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the back plate and including the air bag; Equipped with At least two of the air bag and the one or more members have a folding portion formed by an opening or a division on one side and an opening, a division, a notch, a recess, or a groove on the other side, the air bag includes an intermediate sheet member and has a cuff structure with a concave sidewall; The cuff structure, wherein the folded portion formed in the air bag includes at least one opening formed in the intermediate sheet member.

2. The cuff structure according to claim 1 , wherein the folded portion formed in the back plate is an opening, a division, a notch, or a groove formed in the back plate.

3. The curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate, and the sensing cuff are formed to be elongated in one direction, The cuff structure according to claim 1 , wherein the folded portion provided on at least two of the curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate, and the sensing cuff is a plurality of folded portions provided side by side in the one direction.

4. 4. The cuff structure according to claim 3, wherein the folded portions provided on at least two of the curler, the pressure cuff, the back plate, and the sensing cuff are arranged to at least partially overlap with adjacent folded portions in the stacking direction, and / or are arranged to be offset in one direction from adjacent folded portions in the stacking direction.

5. The cuff structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a device body fixed to the cuff structure; a band provided on the device body and configured to fix the cuff structure; A blood pressure measuring device comprising:

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