Medical instrument

Abstract

To provide an inexpensive medical instrument usable immediately when a user desires to use it.SOLUTION: A blood-pressure measurement device 100 comprises: a power reception part 16 which wirelessly receives power from a power feeding device; and a body 10 which includes the power reception part 16 and is placed on a placing face in use. A measuring operation for blood pressure information becomes possible with the power being received by the power reception part 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to medical devices. [Background technology]

[0002] As an electronic blood pressure monitor, which is one type of medical device, there are known ones that are driven by a primary battery, an AC (Alternating Current) adapter, or a secondary battery. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an electronic blood pressure monitor that includes a primary battery and a secondary battery as a power supply unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-142371 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Medical measuring devices such as electronic blood pressure monitors or electrocardiographs must meet medical standards. Therefore, when a medical measuring device is operated using an AC adapter, for example, it is necessary to prepare a dedicated AC adapter for the medical measuring device and to take measures against waterproofing and static electricity for the connector part of the device that connects to the AC adapter, which is a factor in increasing the manufacturing cost of the medical measuring device. A medical measuring device equipped with a secondary battery and its charging circuit requires an AC adapter to charge the secondary battery, which also increases the manufacturing cost. In addition, when the remaining charge of the secondary battery is low, the measurement operation is impossible. The same problem exists with medical treatment devices such as low-frequency treatment devices and nebulizers.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide inexpensive medical equipment that can be used immediately when a user wishes to use it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technology of the present disclosure is as follows. Note that, in parentheses, corresponding components in the following embodiments are shown, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0007] (1) a power receiving unit (power receiving unit 16) that wirelessly receives power from a power supply device (power supply device 40); A main body portion (main body portion 10) including the power receiving portion and placed on a placement surface (placement surface 200) during use; A contact part (cuff 20) that is in contact with a living body during use, A medical device (blood pressure measuring device 100) configured to enable measurement or treatment via the contact portion using the power being received by the power receiving portion.

[0008] According to (1), measurement or treatment can be performed using power supplied wirelessly, eliminating the need for circuits for receiving power via a wire, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the equipment.

[0009] (2) A medical device according to (1), The power receiving unit communicates with the power supplying device and transmits to the power supplying device a voltage equal to or lower than a maximum voltage determined in the medical device.

[0010] (3) A medical device according to (1) or (2), It measures biological information, The main body includes an actuator (motor 64) that operates during measurement, The medical device includes a capacitor (capacitor 65) that suppresses a drop in the voltage supplied from the power receiving unit to the actuator.

[0011] According to (3), the capacitor can prevent a voltage drop at the beginning of the actuator operation, so that the measurement can be performed stably.

[0012] (4) A medical device according to (3), the power receiving unit is capable of communicating with the power supply device, The main body includes a measuring device (pressure sensor 32) and a processing circuit (processing circuit 61) including a circuit (oscillating circuit 33 and processor 11) for processing an output signal from the measuring device, A medical device comprising a filter circuit (filter circuit 62) provided on a path from the power receiving unit to the processing circuit, the filter circuit reducing signals in a frequency band used for communication between the power receiving unit and the power supply device.

[0013] According to (4), it is possible to prevent signals in the frequency band used for communication between the power receiving unit and the power supply device from becoming noise and being mixed into the output signal of the measuring device, thereby improving the accuracy of the measurement.

[0014] (5) A medical device according to any one of (1) to (4), The main body has a flat surface (installation surface 10A) facing the placement surface, The medical device has a recess (recess 10E) on the planar portion for receiving the power supply device.

[0015] According to (5), since the positional deviation between the power supply device and the main body can be suppressed, the measurement operation can be performed stably.

[0016] (6) A medical device according to any one of (1) to (5), A medical device that does not have a secondary battery or a charging circuit for charging the secondary battery.

[0017] According to (6), the manufacturing cost of the device can be reduced compared to a configuration having a secondary battery and a charging circuit. In addition, since there is no need to include a charging device for charging the secondary battery in the device, the device can be provided at a low cost.

[0018] (7) A medical device according to any one of (1) to (6), The main body is a medical device that does not have a connector exposed to the outside for connecting to an external device.

[0019] According to (7), compared to a configuration having a connector exposed to the outside, waterproofing measures, anti-static measures, reverse potential testing, etc. are not required, which reduces the manufacturing costs of the equipment. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide inexpensive medical equipment that can be used immediately when a user desires to use it. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blood pressure measurement device 100. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blood pressure measuring device 100 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the installation surface side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the blood pressure measurement device 100 shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a main part of the circuit configuration of the main body unit 10. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] (Overview of the medical device of the present disclosure) The medical device disclosed herein includes a power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply device, and a main body unit that includes the power receiving unit and is placed on a placement surface during use, and is configured to be operable by the power received by the power receiving unit. Placing on a placement surface includes a state in which the placement surface and the main body unit are in direct contact with each other, as well as a state in which the placement surface and the main body unit are in indirect contact with each other via another device (in other words, a state in which the placement surface and the main body unit face each other at a sufficiently close distance).

[0023] According to this configuration, a connector for wired connection with the power supply device is not required, so it is easy to meet medical standards. In addition, since this connector is not required, the user does not need to prepare a power supply device that matches the connector structure of the medical device, and the medical device can be operated using a general-purpose power supply device. As a result, a dedicated external power supply device is not required, and the manufacturing cost of the medical device can be reduced. In addition, since it can be operated with power from an external power supply device, it can be used immediately when needed without being affected by the remaining battery level, etc.

[0024] A configuration example of a medical measuring device, which is an example of a medical device, will be described below. In the following, a blood pressure measuring device that measures blood pressure information as biological information will be described as an example of a medical measuring device. "Blood pressure information" is information that indicates characteristics of the circulatory system, and includes a pulse wave and indices that can be calculated from the pulse wave, such as systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, pulse rate, and AI (Augmentation Index) value.

[0025] (Blood pressure measuring device) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blood pressure measurement device 100. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blood pressure measurement device 100 shown in Fig. 1, as seen from the installation surface side. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the blood pressure measurement device 100 shown in Fig. 1.

[0026] The blood pressure measurement device 100 measures blood pressure information of a user (subject) and includes a main body 10, a cuff 20 that can be wrapped around a measurement site (e.g., the upper arm) of the user, and an air tube 31 that connects the main body 10 and the cuff 20. The cuff 20 constitutes a contact part that comes into contact with a living body when the blood pressure measurement device 100 is in use.

[0027] The main body 10 is a five-sided shape in the example of Fig. 1, and is placed on a placement surface 200 such as a desk or a floor when the blood pressure measurement device 100 is in use (when measuring blood pressure information). The main body 10 has an installation surface 10A (see Fig. 2) that faces the placement surface 200 when the blood pressure measurement device 100 is in use, a surface 10B that forms a predetermined angle with the installation surface 10A, a pair of side surfaces 10C that are approximately perpendicular to the installation surface 10A, and a back surface 10D. A display unit 12 and an operation unit 14 are provided on the surface 10B. The installation surface 10A constitutes a flat surface that faces the placement surface 200 when in use.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 2, the installation surface 10A is a substantially flat surface, and in the example of Fig. 2, a rectangular recess 10E is provided in the center thereof. A battery mounting section (not shown) into which a battery 5, such as a dry battery or a rechargeable battery, can be attached and detached is provided inside the main body 10. A hinged battery cover 10F for opening and closing the battery mounting section is provided on the bottom surface of the recess 10E. By opening and closing the battery cover 10F, the battery 5 can be attached and detached to and from the main body 10.

[0029] The main body 10 does not include a secondary battery that cannot be removed in a non-disassembled state, a charging circuit for charging the secondary battery, or the like. The main body 10 cannot be electrically connected to an external device such as an AC adapter, a personal computer, or a smartphone by wire. That is, the outer surface of the main body 10 is configured so that a connector for connecting to an external device is not exposed. With these configurations, medical standards such as waterproof performance can be easily met when manufacturing the main body 10, and the manufacturing cost of the blood pressure measurement device 100 can be reduced. In addition, since the connector is not exposed, the molding of the housing of the main body 10 is also easy, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, since a secondary battery and a charging circuit for the battery are not mounted, the main body 10 can be made lighter, less expensive, and smaller. In addition, a dedicated AC adapter for charging is not required.

[0030] The blood pressure measurement device 100 is configured to be able to measure blood pressure information via the cuff 20 using power supplied from a power supply device 40 capable of supplying power wirelessly (wireless power supply). Fig. 1 shows the power supply device 40 installed on a placement surface 200. The power supply device 40 includes a power transmission unit 41 that transmits power, and a cable 42 that connects the power transmission unit 41 to an external power source (e.g., an outlet, a storage battery, etc.).

[0031] The power supply device 40 is not designed specifically for the blood pressure measurement device 100, and a general-purpose device can be used. The power supply device 40 is preferably a device that complies with, for example, the international standard Qi for wireless power supply established by the Wireless Power Consortium. By using a device that complies with the Qi standard, a device that is used for charging, for example, a smartphone or a smart watch other than the blood pressure measurement device 100, can be used for the blood pressure measurement device 100. Here, the power supply device 40 is described as a device that complies with the Qi standard. In this case, the power transmission unit 41 is capable of transmitting power by, for example, an electromagnetic induction method, and includes a power transmission side coil 41A and a power transmission circuit 41B as shown in FIG. 3. The power transmission circuit 41B includes a drive circuit for the power transmission side coil 41A, a processor that controls the drive circuit, and a circuit that performs processing necessary for communication with the power transmission destination. The power transmission unit 41 may be capable of transmitting power by another method.

[0032] In the example of FIG. 1, the power transmission unit 41 of the power supply device 40 has a rectangular flat plate shape. However, the shape of the power transmission unit 41 is not limited to this. When the power supply device 40 is a device that complies with the Qi standard, the shape of the power transmission unit 41 is often a rectangular flat plate shape or a circular flat plate shape. The shape and size of the power transmission unit 41 vary depending on the manufacturer and model of the power supply device 40. The recess 10E of the main body 10 is designed taking into consideration the general shape and size of the power transmission unit 41, and is configured to be able to accommodate power transmission units 41 of many shapes and sizes.

[0033] When using the blood pressure measuring device 100, the user places the recess 10E of the main body 10 above the power transmission unit 41 placed on the placement surface 200, and in this state, brings the bottom surface of the recess 10E into contact with the power transmission unit 41. When the thickness of the power transmission unit 41 is equal to or less than the depth of the recess 10E, almost the entire area of ​​the installation surface 10A comes into contact with the placement surface 200, so that the main body 10 can be stably placed on the placement surface 200. Even when the thickness of the power transmission unit 41 is greater than the depth of the recess 10E, the main body 10 can be stably placed on the placement surface 200 via the power transmission unit 41 as long as the size of the power transmission unit 41 is sufficiently large.

[0034] The recess 10E of the main body 10 is not essential and may be omitted. In this case, it is preferable to recommend to the user that a power transmission unit 41 having a sufficiently large size be used. For example, when a power transmission unit 41 having a planar area equal to or larger than the planar area of ​​the installation surface 10A is used, the main body 10 can be stably placed on the placement surface 200 via the power transmission unit 41 even if the recess 10E does not exist.

[0035] When a magnet is provided in the power transmitting unit 41, it is preferable to incorporate a magnet or metal that can be fixed by magnetic force with the magnet in the installation surface 10A of the main body 10, which makes it easy to fix the relative positions of the main body 10 and the power transmitting unit 41. Even in this case, the recess 10E is not essential and can be omitted.

[0036] 3, the main body 10 includes an air system 30 connected to an air tube 31, an oscillation circuit 33 connected to the air system 30, an adjustment mechanism 50 for adjusting the pressure of the cuff 20, a processor 11, a display unit 12, a storage unit 13, an operation unit 14, a power supply circuit 15, and a power receiving unit 16. The main body 10 is provided with the battery mounting unit described above, and the battery 5 is configured to be detachable from the battery mounting unit.

[0037] Air system 30 includes pressure sensor 32 for detecting the pressure (cuff pressure) in air bag 21 provided in cuff 20, pump 51 for supplying air to air bag 21 to increase the cuff pressure, and valve 52 that opens and closes to discharge or fill air in air bag 21. Pump 51 includes a motor as an actuator. Pressure sensor 32 is one of the measurement sensors used to measure blood pressure information.

[0038] The pressure sensor 32 is, for example, a capacitance type pressure sensor, and the capacitance value changes depending on the cuff pressure. The oscillation circuit 33 is connected to the pressure sensor 32, and outputs a signal with an oscillation frequency corresponding to the capacitance value of the pressure sensor 32 to the processor 11. The processor 11 converts the signal obtained from the oscillation circuit 33 into pressure and detects the cuff pressure. Note that instead of the oscillation circuit 33, an amplifier circuit and a filter circuit for extracting a pulse wave may be used.

[0039] The adjustment mechanism 50 is a mechanism that adjusts the cuff pressure based on a control signal provided by the processor 11. The adjustment mechanism 50 includes a pump 51 and a valve 52, which are part of the air system 30, as well as a pump drive circuit 53 and a valve drive circuit 54. The pump drive circuit 53 drives the pump 51 based on the control signal provided by the processor 11. The valve drive circuit 54 controls the opening and closing of the valve 52 based on the control signal provided by the processor 11.

[0040] The display unit 12 is configured, for example, with an organic EL (electro-luminescence) display or a liquid crystal display, and displays measured blood pressure information and the like.

[0041] The storage unit 13 includes a work memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a non-transitory storage medium such as a flash memory. Various information such as measured blood pressure information is stored in this storage medium. The control program executed by the processor 11 is also stored in this storage medium.

[0042] The operation unit 14 is an input means such as a button or a touch panel that accepts input from the user, and accepts various operations from the user such as turning the power on / off, starting measurement of blood pressure information, selecting items, etc. The operation unit 14 includes, for example, a measurement start button for instructing the start of measurement of blood pressure information.

[0043] The processor 11 controls each part of the main body 10. The processor 11 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is a general-purpose processor that executes software (programs) and performs various functions, a programmable logic device (PLD) which is a processor whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a dedicated electric circuit which is a processor having a circuit configuration designed exclusively for executing specific processing such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The processor 11 may be composed of one processor, or may be composed of a combination of two or more processors of the same type or different types (for example, a plurality of FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of the processor 11 is an electric circuit (circuitry) which combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0044] When the processor 11 detects pressing of the measurement start button included in the operation unit 14, it accepts the instruction to start measurement and starts the measurement operation by the device. The measurement operation includes a process of inflating the cuff 20, a process of deriving blood pressure information based on the output of the pressure sensor 32 obtained under an appropriate cuff pressure, a process of storing the derived blood pressure information and displaying it on the display unit 12, and the like.

[0045] The power receiving unit 16 constitutes a power receiving module that complies with the standard (preferably the Qi standard) to which the power supply device 40 complies, and includes a power receiving circuit 16A and a power receiving coil 16B. The power receiving coil 16B is built into, for example, the battery lid 10F shown in Fig. 2. The power receiving coil 16B may be built into the bottom surface of the recess 10E so as to surround the periphery of the battery lid 10F.

[0046] The power supply circuit 15 generates a power supply voltage for each part of the main body 10 from the power supplied from the battery 5 attached to the battery attachment section, and supplies the power supply voltage to each part of the main body 10. The power supply circuit 15 also generates a power supply voltage from the power supplied from the power receiving circuit 16A (power transmitted from the power supply device 40), and supplies the power supply voltage to each part of the main body 10. The blood pressure measurement device 100 is equipped with, for example, a battery operation mode in which it operates only with power supplied from the battery 5, and a wireless power supply operation mode in which it operates only with power transmitted from the power supply device 40, and these modes are switched by the control of the processor 11. Even during operation in the wireless power supply operation mode, some processes (for example, detection process of the measurement start button and display process of the display unit 12, etc.) may be performed with power from the battery 5.

[0047] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the main parts of the circuit configuration of the main body 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the main body 10 includes a motor 64 included in the pump 51, and a processing circuit 61. The processing circuit 61 includes devices that perform processing required to derive blood pressure information, such as the pressure sensor 32, the oscillator circuit 33, and the processor 11 shown in Fig. 3.

[0048] A series circuit of a constant current circuit 63 and a motor 64, a capacitor 65, and a processing circuit 61 are connected in parallel to the power supply circuit 15. The constant current circuit 63 is connected to a power supply line VL to which a power supply voltage generated by the power supply circuit 15 is supplied, and the constant current circuit 63 is connected to a motor 64, which is connected to ground. The constant current circuit 63 suppresses the influence of an inrush current flowing through the power supply line VL on the operation of the motor 64.

[0049] In the illustrated example, the capacitor 65 is composed of a decomposition electrolytic capacitor, and is connected in parallel to the series circuit of the constant current circuit 63 and the motor 64. The capacitor 65 is provided to compensate for (suppress) a voltage drop in the power supply voltage that may occur at the beginning of operation of the motor 64. By connecting the capacitor 65 to the power path from the power supply circuit 15 to the motor 64, the voltage drop can be suppressed, and the motor 64 can be operated stably.

[0050] A power supply terminal of a processing circuit 61 is connected to the power supply line VL via a filter circuit 62. The filter circuit 62 is a low-pass filter circuit having a resistor 62A, an inductor 62B, and a capacitor 62C.

[0051] When the power transmitting unit 41 and the power receiving unit 16 are configured to be able to communicate with each other, communication noise in the communication frequency band (in the case of the Qi standard, a frequency band of about 110 kHz to 205 kHz) may be mixed into the power supply voltage. If this communication noise is input to the processing circuit 61, it may affect the detection accuracy of the cuff pressure and pulse wave (in other words, the derivation accuracy of the blood pressure information). In this embodiment, the filter circuit 62 has a characteristic of blocking signals in the above communication frequency band. In this way, the filter circuit 62 is provided in the power path from the power supply circuit 15 to the processing circuit 61, so that the communication noise input to the processing circuit 61 can be reduced and the blood pressure information can be derived with high accuracy. Note that the filter circuit 62 may be any circuit capable of reducing the above-mentioned communication noise, and is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. For example, it may be configured by a combination of a resistor and a capacitor, a combination of an inductor and a capacitor, or a pi-shaped or T-shaped circuit.

[0052] It is preferable that the power receiving unit 16 communicates with the power transmitting unit 41 and controls so that the power transmitting unit 41 does not supply power (voltage) larger than necessary. Specifically, when receiving power from the power transmitting unit 41, the power receiving unit 16 transmits the specifications of the blood pressure measurement device 100 (such as the maximum voltage that can be received) to the power transmitting unit 41. Based on the specifications, the power transmitting unit 41 sets the power (voltage) to be transmitted to the power receiving unit 16 to be equal to or lower than the maximum voltage that the blood pressure measurement device 100 can receive, and supplies the power to the power receiving unit 16. In this way, it becomes possible for the blood pressure measurement device 100 to receive only an appropriate voltage intended by the power supply device 40. As a result, it becomes possible to comply with strict medical standards.

[0053] (Effects of the embodiment) According to the blood pressure measurement device 100, since the measurement operation is possible by the power supplied wirelessly, a circuit or connector for receiving the power by wire is not required, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, since the blood pressure information can be measured simply by placing the main body 10 on the power supply device 40, the measurement operation can be facilitated and the user satisfaction can be improved.

[0054] The battery attachment section is not essential and may be omitted in the blood pressure measurement device 100. In this case, the battery cover 10F is not necessary.

[0055] The technology of the present disclosure can be preferably applied to a medical measuring device that includes a portion (main body 10 in the above example) that is placed on the placement surface 200 during measurement and a contact portion (cuff 20 in the above example) that comes into contact with a living body. This is because it is difficult to stably supply power wirelessly during measurement in a medical measuring device that can move as a whole during use (for example, a smart watch that can measure electrocardiogram and pulse, or a wrist-type blood pressure monitor, etc.). Examples of such medical measuring devices include a blood pressure measuring device in which the cuff and main body are separated, as well as a weight scale, a body composition monitor, an electrocardiogram monitor, etc.

[0056] Furthermore, even in the case of medical treatment equipment such as a low-frequency therapy device or a nebulizer, if the part that comes into contact with the living body during use and the part that performs the main control are separate, and the part that performs the main control is placed on a mounting surface when used, the technology disclosed herein can be applied to provide the medical treatment equipment at low cost.

[0057] For example, a low-frequency therapy device includes electrode pads that are attached to the body surface and a main body that controls the flow of electricity to the electrode pads, and this main body may be configured to operate with the power received by the power receiving unit 16. A nebulizer includes a mask or mouthpiece that is in contact with the mouth or its surroundings, and a main body that controls the generation of aerosols to be released from the mask or mouthpiece, and this main body may be configured to operate with the power received by the power receiving unit 16. Medical measuring devices and medical treatment devices can be collectively defined as medical devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 5 batteries 10 Main body 10A installation surface 10B surface 10C side 10D back 10E Recess 10F battery cover 100 Blood pressure measuring device 11 Processors 12 Display section 13 Storage section 14 Control section 15 Power circuit 16 Power receiving section 16A receiving circuit 16B Receiving coil 20 Cuff 21 Air Bag 30 Air 31 Air tube 32 Pressure Sensor 33 Oscillator Circuit 40 Power Supply Device 41 Power Transmission Section 41A power transmission coil 41B Power transmission circuit 42 Cable 50 Adjustment mechanism 51 Pump 52 Valve 53 Pump drive circuit 54 Valve drive circuit 61 Processing circuit 62 Filter Circuit 62A resistor 62B Inductor 62C Capacitor 63 Constant current circuit 64 Motor 65 Capacitor

Claims

1. a power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply device; a main body portion including the power receiving portion and placed on a placement surface during use; a contact portion that is brought into contact with a living body during use, A medical device configured to enable measurement or treatment via the contact portion using the power being received by the power receiving portion, and not equipped with a secondary battery or a charging circuit for charging the secondary battery.

2. 10. The medical device of claim 1, The power receiving unit communicates with the power supply device and transmits a voltage to the power supply device that is equal to or lower than a maximum voltage determined in the medical device.

3. The medical device according to claim 2, It measures biological information, the main body portion includes an actuator that operates during measurement; A medical device comprising a capacitor that suppresses a drop in voltage supplied from the power receiving unit to the actuator.

4. The medical device according to claim 3, the power receiving unit is capable of communicating with the power supply device, the main body includes a measuring device and a processing circuit including a circuit for processing an output signal of the measuring device; A medical device comprising: a filter circuit provided in a path from the power receiving unit to the processing circuit, the filter circuit reducing signals in a frequency band used for communication between the power receiving unit and the power supply device.

5. 5. The medical device according to claim 1, the main body portion has a flat surface facing the placement surface, The medical device has a recess in the planar portion that receives the power supply device.

6. A medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The main body is a medical device that does not have an externally exposed connector for connecting to an external device.

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