Biological information measurement device

Abstract

To provide a technique for reducing fluctuation in a contact area between a surface of a living body and an electrode during measuring with respect to a biological information measurement device including electrodes.SOLUTION: A biological information measurement device for measuring biological information includes: a plurality of electrodes; an electrode holding part having a contact surface insulated from the electrodes and coming in contact with a surface of a measuring object when measuring the biological information, and holding at least one electrode among the plurality of electrodes; and pressing means for pressing the electrode to a skin surface of the measuring object at least when measuring the biological information. The electrode held by the electrode holding part has a shape having a projecting curve surface, and is provided so that the curve surface projects from the contact surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a healthcare-related technical field, and more particularly to a biological information measuring device. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that biosignals generated inside a living body, such as electrocardiogram signals, are measured using electrodes attached to the surface of the living body. Accurate measurement of biosignals requires that the contact resistance between the electrode and the surface of the living body be sufficiently small, and various ideas for the shape of the electrode have been known to achieve this (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Note that the electrodes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a structure in which protrusions are provided on a flat plate, and the contact area between the flat plate portion as part of the electrode and the surface of the living body varies depending on how the electrodes are contacted.

[0003] In recent years, it has become common for individuals to measure their own physical and health information (hereinafter referred to as biometric information), such as blood pressure and electrocardiogram waveforms, on a daily basis using measuring devices and to use the measurement results for health management. This has led to an increasing demand for devices that emphasize portability, and many wearable measuring devices have become widespread. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-085629 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-036642 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-120915 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, even in devices such as these wearable devices that allow individuals to easily measure physical information, in order to obtain accurate measurements, the contact resistance between the electrodes and the surface of the living body must be sufficiently small, as described above.

[0006] However, particularly when using a simple measuring device such as a wearable terminal, even if the electrode structure is as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, there is a problem in that the contact area between the flat plate portion and the biological surface during biological signal measurement fluctuates greatly, making the acquired biological signal unstable.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing fluctuations in the contact area between the surface of a living body and electrodes during measurement in a biological information measurement device equipped with electrodes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a biological information measuring device according to the present invention employs the following configuration: A biological information measuring device that measures biological information, A plurality of electrodes; an electrode holding unit that is insulated from the electrodes and has a contact surface that comes into contact with a surface of a measurement object when measuring the biological information, and that holds at least one of the plurality of electrodes; a pressing means for pressing the electrodes against the skin surface of the subject at least when measuring the biological information; It has The electrode held by the electrode holding portion has a shape having a convex curved surface, is provided so as to protrude from the contact surface A biometric information measuring device.

[0009] With this configuration, the electrode, which has a structure that protrudes from the contact surface, is pressed against the skin surface of the living body by the pressing means, and the electrode is embedded in the human body so that it contacts the surrounding surface of the protruding electrode, making it easier to maintain the entire electrode in contact with the living body. Furthermore, the electrode holder that holds the electrode and forms the contact surface with the human body is insulated from the electrode, so the contact area between the contact surface and the skin surface does not affect the acquisition of biosignals. Therefore, fluctuations in the contact area between the electrode and the living body surface during measurement are suppressed, making it possible to acquire stable signals (biological information).

[0010] The electrode held by the electrode holder may have a base end, which faces the contact surface, supported by a base made of an insulator. With this configuration, the part of the skin surface that is most affected by body hair (where body hair gathers when the electrode is pressed) can be made of an insulator, making it easier for more of the electrode surface to come into contact with the skin surface, and enabling a more stable signal to be obtained.

[0011] Furthermore, the biological information measuring device may be used by fixing the main body housing to the measurement subject with a band at least when measuring the biological information, and the electrode holding portion may be provided on the side of the main body housing that contacts the measurement subject. Alternatively, the side of the band that contacts the measurement subject may be the electrode holding portion. Furthermore, the band may be the pressing means. With such a configuration, the present invention can be effectively applied to wearable measurement devices such as wristwatches.

[0012] The biological information measuring device may further include a plurality of the electrodes on the main body housing, and acquire electrocardiographic signals based on potential differences between the plurality of electrodes. Alternatively, the biological information measuring device may include a plurality of the electrodes on the side of the band that comes into contact with the measurement subject, and acquire electrocardiographic signals based on potential differences between the plurality of electrodes. The electrode holder may also hold measurement electrodes for measuring electrocardiographic signals and a reference electrode for determining a reference potential.

[0013] The main body housing may also have an optical sensor between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode. In a multi-type and wearable biological information measuring device that also measures other biological information such as pulse wave (blood pressure), it is necessary to keep the arrangement space of the electrodes compact, and the present invention can be suitably used for such a configuration.

[0014] The biological information may include a blood pressure value, and the band may be provided with an air bladder for measuring the blood pressure. The air bladder may be the pressing means.

[0015] The biological information measuring device may be a wearable device in which the main body housing is configured to be worn on the arm of the human body that is the measurement target.

[0016] The electrode held by the electrode holder may be formed to have a circular, elliptical or oblong shape in plan view.

[0017] The present invention can be achieved by combining the above-described configurations and processes as long as no technical contradiction occurs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for reducing fluctuations in the contact area between the surface of a living body and the electrodes during measurement in a biological information measurement device equipped with electrodes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a biological information measuring device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship when the biological information measurement device according to the first embodiment is worn on a wrist. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is an external view of the main body of the biological information measurement device according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the biological information measurement device according to the first embodiment as viewed from the side. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the sensor substrate housing portion of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Fig. 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a connection between an electrode and a sensor substrate of the biological information measuring device according to embodiment 1. Fig. 7B is an explanatory view illustrating an electrode member according to embodiment 1. Fig. 7C is an explanatory view illustrating the configuration of an opening of the first sensor substrate according to embodiment 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Fig. 9A is a first explanatory diagram according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1. Fig. 9B is a second explanatory diagram according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1. Fig. 9C is a third explanatory diagram according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] 10A is a first explanatory diagram according to Modification 3 of Embodiment 1. FIG. 10B is a second explanatory diagram according to Modification 3 of Embodiment 1. FIG. [Figure 11] 11A is a perspective view showing an outline of a biological information measuring device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11B is an explanatory view showing an outline of an inner circumferential surface of a belt part of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] <Embodiment 1> Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0021] (Device configuration) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing the outline of the configuration of a biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the outline of the configuration of the biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the biological information measurement device 1 is generally a wristwatch-type wearable device having a main body 10 and a belt part 20, and can measure biological information such as pulse waves (pulse rates), blood pressure values, and electrocardiogram waveforms when worn on a human wrist T. FIG. 3 shows the positional relationship between the wrist T and each component of the biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment when worn on the wrist.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the main body 10 is configured to include a main body housing 11 and a cuff cover 16, which will be described later. The main body housing 11 is provided with a display 12 (for example, an organic EL display), operation buttons 131 and 132, a lug 14, etc., as well as a sensor board housing portion 15 for housing a sensor board. In this embodiment, the side on which the display 12 is formed is referred to as the surface of the main body housing 11, and the side on which the sensor board housing portion 15 is formed is referred to as the bottom of the main body housing 11. In the following, the surface side of the main body housing 11 may be referred to as the upper side, and the bottom side of the main body housing 11 may be referred to as the lower side. In this embodiment, the operation buttons 131 and 132 are provided on the main body housing 11, and the sensor board housing portion 15 is provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11. The buttons 131 and 132 are made of conductors and also function as electrodes for measuring electrocardiogram waveforms.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an external view of main body 10 as viewed from the bottom side. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom of main body housing 11 has a central area covered with resin cover 151 and an area corresponding to the periphery of the central area covered with cuff cover 16. Resin cover 151 is at least partially formed from a translucent resin, and the interior side of main body housing 11 of the area covered with resin cover 151 corresponds to sensor board housing section 15. Sensor board housing section 15 is located in the central area of main body housing 11 covered with resin cover 151 in a plan view, and is formed to protrude more toward wrist T than cuff cover 16 when worn, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . In other words, the surface on the bottom side of resin cover 151 is the contact surface that comes into contact with the human body.

[0024] Furthermore, a first electrode 133 and a second electrode 134 are provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11 so that their surfaces that come into contact with the human body are exposed. Either the first electrode 133 or the second electrode 134 functions as a GND electrode when measuring an electrocardiogram waveform. When measuring an electrocardiogram waveform, the bioinformation measuring device 1 is worn, the contact surfaces of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are brought into contact with the skin surface of the area where the device is worn, and the operation button is touched with the fingers of the hand on the side not wearing the bioinformation measuring device 1, thereby enabling electrocardiogram waveform measurement in lead I. The detailed structures of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 will be described later.

[0025] Although not shown, a charging terminal is also provided on the bottom of main body housing 11. By connecting the connection terminal of the power supply side device to the charging terminal, it is possible to charge a rechargeable battery (not shown in FIG. 4).

[0026] 5, from the bottom side of main body housing 11, first LED 111, second LED 113, first photodiode (PD) 112, and second PD 121 mounted on the lower surface (mounting surface) of second sensor substrate 102 (described later) can be seen through the translucent portion of resin cover 151. The configuration of these will be described later.

[0027] The belt unit 20 includes a belt 21 and a hook-and-loop fastener 25 for fastening the biological information measuring device 1 to the wrist T, as well as a first pressure cuff 22 and a second pressure cuff 23 for applying pressure to an artery in the wrist T, and a sensing cuff 24 for detecting a pressure pulse wave. The connection portions between the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 and the main body housing 11 are covered by a cuff cover 16. The cuff cover 16 protects the connection portions between the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 and the main body housing 11, and also has the function of fastening the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 to the main body housing 11.

[0028] Next, the internal configuration of main body housing 11 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to cross section XX in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of sensor substrate housing section 15 in Figure 5. Note that Figures 5 and 6 are not accurate cross-sectional views, and the configuration has been omitted or deformed as appropriate for ease of explanation. As shown in Figure 5, main body housing 11 houses a rechargeable battery 191, control board 17, piezoelectric pump 161, valve 162, pressure sensor 163, flow path plate 164, etc. Furthermore, main body housing 11 has sensor substrate housing section 15 formed in a convex shape near the bottom, and sensor substrate housing section 15 houses sensor substrate set 100 consisting of first sensor substrate 101 and second sensor substrate 102.

[0029] In a part of the bottom of the main body housing 11, in a region where the sensor board accommodating section 15 is not provided in a plan view, there are provided a first connection section 165 that connects the main body housing 11 (more specifically, a flow path plate 164 in the housing) to the first pressure cuff 22 and the sensing cuff 24, and a second connection section 165 that connects the main body housing 11 to the second pressure cuff 22 and the sensing cuff 24. There is provided second connection portion 166 that connects to pressure cuff 23. First connection portion 165 and second connection portion 166 are covered by cuff cover 16 that is provided in an area on the bottom of the main body that corresponds to the outer periphery of sensor board housing portion 15. As already mentioned, the portion located at sensor board housing portion 15 is covered with resin cover 151.

[0030] The rechargeable battery 191 may be a general-purpose secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery, and can be repeatedly charged by receiving power via a charging terminal. The control board 17 is equipped with a processor such as a CPU (not shown), a memory such as RAM, and other components, and controls the entire vital information measuring device 1. The piezoelectric pump 161, valve 162, pressure sensor 163, flow path plate 164, first pressure cuff 22, second pressure cuff 23, and sensing cuff 24 are components related to blood pressure measurement. The flow path plate 164 is a conductive member (metal), and has a flow path formed therein for sending gas from the piezoelectric pump 161 to each cuff.

[0031] The first sensor substrate 101 and the flow path plate 164 are electrically connected by spring contacts 181, and the control substrate 17 and the flow path plate 164 are also electrically connected by spring contacts 182. By being electrically connected to the flow path plate 164 made of a conductive material, the GND areas of the first sensor substrate 101 and the control substrate 17 can be increased, thereby improving noise resistance. In addition, the flow path plate 164 also functions as a shield for the first sensor substrate 101 against noise generated from internal devices such as the piezoelectric pump 161.

[0032] Next, the sensor board housing section 15 and the sensor board set 100 will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the sensor board housing section 15 is a space that protrudes from the bottom of the main body housing 11 toward the side that comes into contact with the human body. The space houses the sensor board set 100, which has a first sensor board 101 and a second sensor board 102 stacked in two layers, one above the other. The first sensor board 101 and the second sensor board 102 are connected by conductive spring contacts 105 and function as a pair.

[0033] The second sensor substrate 102 has, on its lower surface, two light-emitting elements, a first LED 111 and a second LED 113, and two light-receiving elements, a first photodiode (PD) 112 and a second PD 121. In this embodiment, the first LED 111 emits green light, and the second LED 113 emits red and / or infrared light in addition to green. Also, a separation wall 152 is provided to separate the first LED 111, the second LED 113, the first PD 112, and the second PD 121 from each other.

[0034] On the other hand, although not shown, a capacitor, an amplifier circuit, an A / D (Analog-to-Digital) conversion circuit, etc. are mounted on the first sensor substrate 101. The first sensor substrate 101 may be a double-sided mounted substrate. In this way, by making the sensor substrate set 100 into an upper and lower two-tiered stacked structure consisting of the second sensor substrate 102 and the first sensor substrate 101, it is possible to significantly reduce the area of the substrate when viewed from above, compared to when all components are mounted on a single substrate.

[0035] Next, the manner in which the first sensor substrate 101 is connected to each electrode will be described with reference to Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C. Figure 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the YY cross-section of Figure 4. However, Figure 7A is also not an accurate cross-sectional view, and some omissions and deformations have been made for ease of explanation. Figure 7B is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the first electrode 133. Figure 7C is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the lower surface of the first sensor substrate 101.

[0036] 7A, the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed in contact with the lower surface of the first sensor substrate 101. In addition, both electrodes are fixed to the surface of the bottom side of the resin cover 151. The contact surface TS (the surface located on the dashed line in FIG. 7A) is disposed so that a portion protrudes from the contact surface TS toward the side that comes into contact with the human body when worn.

[0037] 7B, the first electrode 133 and the second electrode having a similar configuration will be described in more detail. The first electrode 133 is roughly composed of a shaft portion 133a having a longitudinal direction in the vertical direction of the page, and a head portion 133b having a curved surface that protrudes from the contact surface TS of the resin cover 151 with the human body. The head portion 133b is circular in a plan view, and has a so-called dome shape. There are no particular restrictions on the height of the protruding portion of the head portion 133b from the contact surface TS or its diameter in a plan view, but the height can be within the range of 1 mm to 3 mm and the diameter can be within the range of 3 mm to 7 mm, for example.

[0038] The shaft 133a is formed in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, and a threaded portion 133d is provided on its inner wall. That is, the shaft 133a functions as a female screw. A brim-shaped retaining protrusion 133c is formed on the underside of the shaft 133a. The retaining protrusion 133c is fixed in a state where it engages with a recess provided on the inner wall of the bottom side of the main body housing 11, thereby holding the first electrode 133 in the main body housing 11. For example, such a structure can be realized by insert-molding the first electrode 133 into the main body housing 11. Note that while only the first electrode 133 has been described here, the same applies to the second electrode 134. In this embodiment, the main body housing 11 (the bottom side thereof) corresponds to the holding portion in the present invention.

[0039] 7C, an opening 106 is provided in the first sensor substrate 101, and electrode pads 107 are formed on the outer periphery of the opening 106. As shown in FIG. 7A, the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed to the first sensor substrate 101 by being screwed into a screw member 103 serving as a male screw through the opening 106 of the first sensor substrate 101. This fixing is performed with the tip surfaces of the shafts of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 in contact with the electrode pads 107 formed on the outer periphery of the opening 106 of the first sensor substrate 101, and therefore the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed in a state of electrical continuity with the first sensor substrate 101.

[0040] (Functional configuration of the device) Next, the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1 will be described. Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1. As shown in Fig. 8, the biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment has the following functional units: a pulse wave measuring unit 110, a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) measuring unit 120, a blood pressure measuring unit 130, an electrocardiogram waveform measuring unit 140, a display unit 150, an operation unit 160, a communication unit 170, a storage unit 180, and a power supply unit 190. These functional units are realized by the processor of the control board 17 reading and executing a program from memory to control the components of the biological information measuring device 1.

[0041] The pulse wave measurement unit 110 includes a first LED 111, a second LED 113, and a first PD 112, and measures the pulse wave and calculates the pulse rate by photoplethysmography. Specifically, the first LED 111 and the second LED 113 emit green light, and the first PD 112 receives the light reflected inside the living body, thereby detecting the blood flow rate (change in blood vessel volume) that changes with the heartbeat and measuring the pulse wave.

[0042] The SpO2 measurement unit 120 includes a second LED 113 and a second PD 114, and measures blood oxygen saturation based on the intensity of the reflected light by receiving red light or infrared light emitted from the second LED 113 with the second PD 114.

[0043] The blood pressure measurement unit 130 includes a piezoelectric pump 161, a valve 162, a pressure sensor 163, a flow path plate 164, a first pressure cuff 22, a second pressure cuff 23, and a sensing cuff 24, and measures blood pressure by the so-called oscillometric method. Since this is a well-known technique, detailed description will be omitted.

[0044] The electrocardiogram waveform measurement unit 140 is configured to include operation buttons 131 and 132, a first electrode 133 and a second electrode 134 provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11, and an electrocardiogram waveform measurement circuit (not shown), and measures the electrocardiogram waveform using a so-called I-lead method. Specifically, the electrocardiogram waveform is measured based on the potential difference between the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 that contact the wrist T of one arm when the device is worn, and the fingers of the other hand that touch the operation button 131 or 132 that functions as an electrode.

[0045] The display unit 150 includes a display 12 and displays various information such as measurement results of biological information and menu screens. The operation unit 160 includes operation buttons 131 and 132 and accepts input operations from the user via these. The communication unit 170 includes an antenna (not shown) for wireless communication and performs information communication with other electronic devices such as an information processing terminal, for example, via BLE communication. Note that a terminal for wired communication may also be provided.

[0046] The storage unit 180 includes a main storage device (not shown) such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and stores various types of information such as application programs and measured biological information. In addition to the RAM, the storage unit 180 may also include a long-term storage medium such as a flash memory. The power supply unit 190 includes a rechargeable battery 191 and a charging terminal 192 and functions as a power supply source for each component of the biological information measurement device 1.

[0047] (Measurement of Biological Information and Effects of This Embodiment) The above-described biological information measuring device 1 can simultaneously measure blood pressure and an electrocardiogram waveform. During this measurement, fluid flows into the first pressure cuff 22 and the second pressure cuff 23, causing the wrist T to be pressed against the bottom surface of the main body housing 11. Therefore, the heads of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134, which protrude from the contact surface TS of the main body housing 11, are embedded in the skin surface of the human body. In other words, in this embodiment, the first pressure cuff 22 and the second pressure cuff 23 also function as the pressing means according to the present invention.

[0048] This configuration makes it easier to maintain the entire heads of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 in contact with the living body. Furthermore, the bottom side of the main body housing 11, which holds the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 and forms the contact surface TS with the human body, is covered with a resin cover 151 and is insulated from each electrode. Therefore, even if the contact area between the contact surface TS and the skin surface fluctuates during measurement of the electrocardiogram waveform, it does not affect the electrocardiogram signal being acquired. Therefore, fluctuations in the contact area between the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 and the skin surface during measurement are suppressed, and stable signals can be acquired.

[0049] Even when only measuring an electrocardiogram waveform (i.e., when no pressure is applied by first pressure cuff 22 or second pressure cuff 23), if main body casing 11 is firmly fastened and attached to wrist T by belt 21 and hook-and-loop fastener 25, the heads of first electrode 133 and second electrode 134 will be fixed in a state of being buried in the skin surface of the human body. For this reason, blood pressure measurement and electrocardiogram measurement do not necessarily need to be performed simultaneously. In this case, the tightening force of belt portion 20 also acts as a pressure to press first electrode 133 and second electrode 134 against the skin surface, and therefore belt portion 20 corresponds to the pressing means in this invention.

[0050] (Variation 1) The shapes of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are not particularly limited as long as they have a structure with a curved surface protruding from the contact surface TS, and various shapes can be adopted. For example, the first electrode 133 (and the second electrode 134) may be configured without the retaining protrusion 133c. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a retaining recess on the bottom of the main body housing 11, and for example, the base end of the head part The side surface and main body housing 11 may be bonded and fixed with an adhesive.

[0051] (Variation 2) Furthermore, the head portions of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 may have shapes that are not only circular in plan view, but also elliptical or oval. Figures 9A to 9C are diagrams showing the shape of an electrode that is oval in plan view as an example of such a modified example. Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of an electrode according to a modified example in plan view, Figure 9B is a schematic diagram showing a short-side view of the head portion (i.e., the portion protruding from the contact surface TS) of the electrode according to the modified example, and Figure 9C is a schematic diagram showing a long-side view of the head portion of the electrode according to the modified example. Furthermore, the head portion of the electrode may have a shape that is close to a rounded rectangle in plan view, as long as it is formed with a curved surface.

[0052] (Variation 3) Furthermore, the base end side of the head portion of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 may be made of an insulator. FIGS. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of such a modification. FIG. 10A is a schematic side view of the first electrode 135 according to the modification, and FIG. 10B is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the ZZ cross section of FIG. 10A. The dashed line in FIG. 10A indicates the line on which the contact surface TS of the main body housing 11 is located. As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the first electrode 135 according to this modification has a base portion 135e made of resin (i.e., an insulator) on the base end side of the head portion 135b protruding from the contact surface.

[0053] When head portion 135b is pressed against the skin surface, the hair on the skin surface becomes densely packed on the base end side of head portion 135b. If the contact area between the electrode and the hair becomes large, it will have an adverse effect on stable acquisition of biosignals, but by constructing the base end side (outer periphery) of head portion 135b, where the hair is densely packed, from an insulator, it is possible to reduce such adverse effects.

[0054] <Embodiment 2> Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11A and 11B. Figures 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a biological information measurement device 2 in embodiment 2, with Figure 11A showing an external perspective view of the biological information measurement device 2 and Figure 11B showing an outline of the inner circumferential surface of a belt part 60 of the biological information measurement device 2.

[0055] As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the biological information measuring device 2 is generally configured to have a main body 50 including a main body housing 51, a control unit (not shown), an LED indicator 52, an operation button 53, a pulse wave sensor 54, etc., a resin belt 69, an electrode unit 61 consisting of multiple electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f, and a belt unit 60 including a belt loop 62.

[0056] Although not shown, the belt 69 is provided with a hook-and-loop fastener. The user can wear the biological information measuring device 2 by placing the biological information measuring device 2 on, for example, the left upper arm so that the electrodes come into contact with the skin surface, passing one end of the belt 69 through the belt loop 62, folding it back, and engaging the hook-and-loop fastener to form a loop around the upper arm and secure the belt 69 to the upper arm.

[0057] The electrode unit 61 includes six electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f, and each electrode is electrically connected to the main body 50 via a conductive wire (not shown) or the like arranged inside the belt 60. This allows the electrode unit 61 to function as a sensor that detects electrocardiographic signals. Specifically, when the biological information measurement device 2 is worn, two electrodes positioned opposite each other form pairs, and an electrocardiographic signal is detected based on the potential difference between the paired two electrodes. In other words, three types of electrocardiographic signals can be detected simultaneously from three pairs of electrodes.

[0058] 11A and 11B, each of the electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f has a circular shape when viewed from the inside (the side in contact with the skin surface) of the resin belt 69, and is configured to protrude in a dome shape from the inner surface of the belt 69. When the biological information measurement device 2 is worn, each of these electrodes is pressed against the skin surface by the tightening force of the belt 69, and is thus embedded and fixed in the skin surface. That is, in this embodiment, the belt 69 corresponds to the electrode holding portion and pressing means according to the present invention.

[0059] The pulse wave sensor 54 functions as a sensor unit that detects a pulse wave signal. The pulse wave sensor 54 in this embodiment is a reflective photoplethysmographic sensor that is disposed on the underside of the main body housing 51 (i.e., the surface that comes into contact with the skin when worn), as shown in FIG. 11B. The reflective photoplethysmographic sensor irradiates the living body with infrared light, red light, or green light, and detects the light reflected from the living body using a photodiode or the like, thereby detecting the blood flow rate (changes in blood vessel volume) that changes with the heartbeat. Furthermore, based on this, it is possible to further measure (estimate) blood pressure and other values.

[0060] <Other> The above examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Various modifications and combinations of the present invention are possible within the scope of its technical concept. For example, the biological information measuring device only needs to be equipped with electrodes and circuits for measuring electrocardiogram waveforms, and other functions and configurations for acquiring biological information are not necessarily required.

[0061] In addition, in the above examples, the biological information measuring device has a configuration in which the main body is fixed to the living body by a belt (band), i.e., the measuring device main body and the electrode holding part are integrated, but the present invention can also be applied to other biological information measuring devices. Specifically, for example, the present invention can be applied to a biological information measuring device configured such that electrodes are provided on probes extending from a stationary main body.

[0062] The pressing means may also be any means capable of pressing the electrode relatively against the skin surface, such as a suction cup that attracts the skin surface toward the electrode, thereby burying the protruding portion of the electrode in the skin surface. Alternatively, the protruding portion of the electrode may be buried in the skin surface by adhering the contact surface of the electrode holder from which the electrode protrudes to the skin surface with adhesive. In this case, the contact surface (electrode holder) to which the adhesive is applied serves as the pressing means.

[0063] Furthermore, the shape of each electrode in the second embodiment can be modified in various ways, similar to the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1, 2 Biological information measuring device 10, 50... Main body 11, 51 Main body housing 12. Display 14. Rug 15 Sensor board housing 16···Cuff cover 17 Control board 20, 60... Belt section 21, 69... Belt 22 First pressure cuff 23 Second compression cuff 24 Sensing cuff 25. Hook and loop fastener 52 LED indicator 53 Operation buttons 54 Pulse wave sensor 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, 61f... Electrode 62 Belt loop 100···Sensor board set 101: First sensor board 102: Second sensor board 103 Screw member 105 Spring contact 106 Opening 107 Electrode pad 111···1st LED 112···1st PD 113 Second LED 121...2nd PD 131, 132... Operation buttons 133, 135...1st electrode 134...Second electrode 151···Resin cover 152...Isolation wall 161 Piezoelectric pump 162 Valve 163 Pressure Sensor 164···Flow path plate 165···First connection part 166···Second connection part 191... Rechargeable battery T...Wrist TS...Contact surface

Claims

1. A biological information measuring device that measures biological information, A plurality of electrodes; an electrode holding unit that is insulated from the electrodes and has a contact surface that comes into contact with a surface of a measurement object when measuring the biological information, and that holds at least one of the plurality of electrodes; a pressing means for pressing the electrodes against the skin surface of the subject at least when measuring the biological information; It has The electrode held by the electrode holding portion has a shape having a convex curved surface, and the curved surface is provided so as to protrude from the contact surface. Biometric information measuring device.

2. The electrode held by the electrode holder is supported by a base made of an insulator at a base end side that is the contact surface side. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 .

3. the biological information measuring device is used by fixing a main body housing to the measurement subject with a band at least when measuring the biological information; the electrode holder is provided on the side of the main body housing that comes into contact with the object to be measured; The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 .

4. The main body housing is provided with a plurality of the electrodes, and an electrocardiogram signal is acquired based on a potential difference between the plurality of electrodes. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3 .

5. the electrode holding unit holds a measurement electrode for measuring an electrocardiogram signal and a reference electrode for determining a reference potential; The biological information measuring device according to claim 4 .

6. the main body housing has an optical sensor between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode; The biological information measuring device according to claim 5 .

7. The biological information includes a blood pressure value, The band is provided with an air bladder for measuring blood pressure. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3 .

8. the biological information measuring device is used by fixing a main body housing to the measurement subject with a band at least when measuring the biological information, The side of the band that comes into contact with the object to be measured is the electrode holding portion. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 .

9. The electrode holder includes a plurality of the electrodes, and an electrocardiogram signal is acquired based on potential differences between the plurality of electrodes. The biological information measuring device according to claim 8 .

10. The biological information includes a blood pressure value, The band is provided with an air bladder for measuring blood pressure. The biological information measuring device according to claim 8 .

11. The main body housing is a wearable device configured to be worn on the arm of the human body to be measured. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3 .

12. The band is the pressing means. The biological information measuring device according to claim 11.

13. The air bag is the pressing means. The biological information measuring device according to claim 7 or 10.

14. The electrode held by the electrode holding portion is formed to have a circular, elliptical, or oblong shape in a plan view. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1 .

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