Sensor device and pulse rate measuring device

Abstract

To provide a sensor device that can measure pressure fluctuations of the target object with greater accuracy. [Solution] The sensor device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a sensor part including a sensor element containing a piezoelectric sheet, and a support part for covering the sensor element, wherein the support part is integrally formed and includes a fixing part to which a part of the sensor part is fixed, a sensor cover part positioned adjacent to the fixing part and arranged to cover the sensor element, a one-end connecting part connected to one end of the sensor cover part, a other-end connecting part connected to the other end of the sensor cover part, a one-end support part connected to the one-end connecting part, and a other-end support part connected to the other-end connecting part, wherein when the support part is bent, the one-end connecting part and the other-end connecting part bend, and at least a part of the one-end support part and the other-end support part come into contact with the object to be measured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor device and a pulse measurement device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a method for measuring weak pressure fluctuations such as the pulse of a living body, there are methods of measurement using an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a piezoelectric sensor using a polymer piezoelectric film, and the like. Since the polymer piezoelectric film can be made thin and has flexibility, its application to wearable devices such as wristwatches has been considered.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a biosensor that can easily and stably measure biological vibrations even when measuring biological vibrations by applying a strip-shaped piezoelectric sheet covered with a curved cover member to the curved surface of the skin.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] <000002 >

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The biosensor described in Patent Document 1 is difficult to apply to parts with different degrees of curvature because it uses a curved cover member. Further, since the piezoelectric sheet and the biosensor are fixed, an unintended force is applied to the piezoelectric sheet when the biosensor is worn, causing the piezoelectric sheet to deform, and there is a risk that weak pressure fluctuations of a measurement target such as the pulse of a blood vessel in a human wrist or ankle cannot be accurately measured.

[0006] <000 On one aspect, the present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a sensor device or the like that can more accurately measure the pressure fluctuations of a measurement target. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] The sensor device of one embodiment of the present invention is A sensor device for measuring pressure fluctuations of a target object, A sensor unit including a sensor element containing a piezoelectric sheet, A support portion for covering the aforementioned sensor element, Equipped with, The support portion is formed integrally, A fixing portion to which a part of the sensor unit is fixed, A sensor cover portion is positioned adjacent to the fixed portion and is arranged to cover the aforementioned sensor element. The one-end connection portion connected to one end of the sensor cover portion, The other end connection portion connected to the other end of the sensor cover portion, The one-end support portion connected to the aforementioned one-end connection portion, The other end support portion connected to the other end connection portion, Includes, This sensor device is such that when the support portion bends, the one-end connection portion and the other-end connection portion bend, and at least a part of the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion come into contact with the object to be measured.

[0008] [2] In one embodiment of the present invention, The sensor device is as described in [1], wherein the sensor portion includes a cover sheet to which the sensor element is fixed, and a portion of the cover sheet is fixed to the fixing portion.

[0009] [3] In one embodiment of the present invention, The sensor device according to [1] or [2], wherein the thickness of the sensor cover portion is smaller than the thickness of the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion.

[0010] [4] In one embodiment of the present invention, The sensor device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion have a plurality of recesses on the side opposite to the surface to which the sensor portion is attached.

[0011] [5] In one embodiment of the present invention, The aforementioned fixed portion and the aforementioned sensor cover portion are not connected. The aforementioned one-end connection portion includes a first one-end connection portion connected to the sensor cover portion and a second one-end connection portion connected to the fixed portion, wherein the first one-end connection portion and the second one-end connection portion are not connected. The sensor device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the other end connection portion includes a first other end connection portion connected to the sensor cover portion and a second other end connection portion connected to the fixed portion, and the first other end connection portion and the second other end connection portion are not connected.

[0012] [6] In one embodiment of the present invention, The support portion is formed from a soft resin and is a sensor device according to any one of [1] to [5].

[0013] [7] In one embodiment of the present invention, The sensor device described above is the sensor device described in any one of [1] to [6], which acquires signals resulting from pressure fluctuations in the blood vessels of a human wrist or ankle.

[0014] [8] A pulse rate measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention is A pulse rate measuring device comprising the sensor device described in [7], a holding part for holding the sensor device, and a mounting member for attaching to a person's wrist or ankle, wherein the holding part is attached to the mounting member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] In one respect, the present invention allows for more accurate measurement of pressure fluctuations in the object being measured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of a pulse measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional view of a sensor element, and is a cross-sectional view cut along a cross-section perpendicular to the surface of the sensor element. [Figure 4] It is a front and plane-side perspective view showing the configuration of a support part according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a rear and bottom-side perspective view of the support part shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a front view of the support part shown in FIG. 4, and is a view when seen from the position of A. [Figure 7] It is a rear view of the support part shown in FIG. 4, and is a view when seen from the position of B. [Figure 8] It is a rear and bottom-side perspective view showing an example of the state when a sensor unit is attached to the support part. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of the state of the sensor device during wearing. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of the state of the sensor device during wearing.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the pulse rate measuring device 1 and sensor device 10 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The pulse rate measuring device 1 and sensor device 10 measure pressure fluctuations such as biological vibrations of the object to be measured. In this specification, measuring pressure fluctuations is a concept that includes acquiring signals caused by pressure fluctuations. In this specification, "sheet" is a concept that includes "film," and there are no particular restrictions on its thickness; for example, it can represent a thickness of 1 μm to 2 mm. In this specification, "curvature" is a concept that includes simply bending. In this specification, the same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or corresponding parts unless otherwise specified, and for the sake of explanation, the vertical and horizontal scales of members or parts may be shown differently from the actual scales. Also, for the sake of explanation, directions such as up, down, left, and right may be used in the explanation, but unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship is not limited to up, down, left, and right, and the reverse positional relationship is also possible.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a pulse rate measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The pulse rate measuring device 1 comprises a sensor device 10, a holding part 2 for holding the sensor device 10, and a mounting member 4 for being attached so as to wrap around the wrist (forearm). The holding part 2 is fixedly attached to the mounting member 4, and the mounting member 4 is configured to be attached so as to wrap around the wrist. For example, the mounting member 4 is a commercially available mounting band. In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the object to be measured by the sensor device 10 is assumed to be the blood vessels (pulse) of a human wrist, and the mounting member 4 is assumed to be configured to be attached so as to wrap around the wrist, but is not limited to this.

[0019] The sensor device 10 comprises a sensor unit 20 and a support unit 30. The sensor unit 20 includes a sensor element 21 containing a piezoelectric sheet. The sensor device 10 is configured such that the sensor element 21 is positioned on the surface of the wrist when the attachment member 4 is attached to the wrist, making direct or indirect contact with the wrist, and is capable of sensing pressure fluctuations in the blood vessels of the wrist. In this case, the inner surface of the wrist is the contact surface of the sensor unit 20. For example, the pulse measurement device 1 can acquire data on the pulse of a blood vessel by measuring the pressure fluctuations of that blood vessel.

[0020] In this specification, when describing the state of the sensor device 10, we will describe the case when the pulse measurement device 1 (attachment member 4) is attached to the wrist and the case when the pulse measurement device 1 (attachment member 4) is not attached to the wrist or when the sensor device 10 is not attached to the pulse measurement device 1. In this specification, the former may be referred to as "attached" and the latter as "not attached".

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sensor unit 20 of one embodiment of the present invention. The sensor unit 20 includes a sensor element 21, a cover sheet 22, and a fixing member 23. The pulse rate measuring device 1 includes two wires W (not shown) that transmit signals from the sensor element 21, and a signal processing unit 40 that can output pressure fluctuation signals such as biological vibrations caused by the object being measured from the signal acquired from the sensor element 21 via the two wires W. The wires W extend from the sensor element 21 of the sensor unit 20 to the terminals of the signal processing unit 40 via a connection part 41. The wires W on the sensor unit 20 side and the wires W on the signal processing unit side are configured to be separable at the connection part 41. Note that the wires W, signal processing unit 40, and connection part 41 can be known components and are not essential components of the pulse rate measuring device 1 or sensor unit 20 of this embodiment. Furthermore, while the portion 20a, which corresponds to the shorter side of the L-shaped sensor portion 20, is connected to the connection portion 41 including the cover sheet 22 and wiring W, the portion of the sensor portion 20 that is related to the main effects of the pulse measurement device 1 and the sensor device 10 of this embodiment is the portion other than portion 20a.

[0022] The sensor element 21 includes a piezoelectric sheet 51 capable of detecting pressure fluctuations, and sheet-like electrodes 52 and 53 attached to both sides of the piezoelectric sheet, respectively. The piezoelectric sheet 51 is formed from or contains a piezoelectric material. In one example, the piezoelectric sheet 51 can be a sheet-like piezoelectric element made from a polymer material. In one example, the piezoelectric sheet 51 can be made of PVDF (PolyVinylidene DiFluoride) or a material containing PVDF. In one example, the electrodes 52 and 53 can be made of a conductive polymer, PEDOT (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)):PSS (polystyrene sulfonate) or a material containing PEDOT:PSS.

[0023] Figure 3 shows an example of a cross-sectional view of the sensor element 21, which is a cross-sectional view taken perpendicular to the surface of the sensor element 21. The piezoelectric sheet 51 and electrodes 52, 53 included in the sensor element 21 are produced integrally with the printed substrate on a sheet-like printed substrate by a known method. For example, the printed substrate can be a PEN (Polyethylene Naphthalate) film or a cross-linked PVP, PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate), or acrylic formed on a PEN film. After printing, the printed substrate may be used as is, treated as a cover sheet 22, or the printed piezoelectric sheet 51 and electrodes 52, 53 may be peeled from the printed substrate and transferred or attached to the cover sheet 22. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the sensor element 21 without a printed substrate, but the sensor element 21 may include a printed substrate. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 consists of a printed substrate (not shown), a piezoelectric sheet 51 on the printed substrate, and electrodes 52, 53. In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 is described as consisting of a printed substrate (not shown), a piezoelectric sheet 51 on the printed substrate, and electrodes 52, 53, but is not limited thereto. For example, the total thickness ds of the sensor element 21 is 1 to 30 μm if the printed substrate is not included, in which case, for example, the dimensions (length × width × thickness) of the sensor element 21 are 14 mm × 16 mm × 30 μm. For example, the total thickness of the sensor element 21 is 270 μm if the printed substrate is included, in which case, for example, the dimensions (length × width × thickness) of the sensor element 21 are 14 mm × 16 mm × 270 μm. In these cases, for example, the dimensions (length × width × thickness) of the piezoelectric sheet 51 are 12 mm × 14 mm × 6 μm, and the length × width dimensions of the piezoelectric sheet 51 are slightly smaller than the length × width dimensions of the printing substrate if a printing substrate is included.

[0024] The sensor element 21 is fixed (placed) on the surface of the cover sheet 22. When installed, the sensor element 21 is positioned on the surface of the cover sheet 22 on the side of the support portion 30. The sensor element 21 contacts the surface of the wrist via the cover sheet 22. For example, the sensor element 21 is fixed to the surface of the cover sheet 22 by an adhesive. In this case, a known material can be used as the adhesive, and the adhesive is applied to the necessary locations on the surface of the cover sheet 22, for example, along the edges of the sensor element 21.

[0025] The cover sheet 22 is attached to the support portion 30 via a fixing member 23. In embodiments of the present invention, the cover sheet 22 has an opening 24 (not shown), and the cover sheet 22 is attached (fixed) to the support portion 30 through the fixing member 23 in the opening 24. The cover sheet 22 bends or flexes when an external force is applied. In one example, a PET sheet can be used for the cover sheet 22. In one example, a material or substance containing PEN can be used for the cover sheet 22. The cover sheet 22 can transmit pressure fluctuations of the blood vessels (pulses) in the wrist into the cover sheet 22 and transmit those pressure fluctuations to the sensor element 21 that is in contact with the cover sheet 22. Even if the sensor element 21 is not located on the blood vessels in the wrist, the pressure fluctuations of the blood vessels can be transmitted to the sensor element 21 via the cover sheet 22.

[0026] The two electrodes 52 and 53 are each connected to wiring W. Each of the two electrodes 52 and 53 connected to wiring W is then connected to each terminal of the signal processing unit 40. When pressure fluctuations in the blood vessels are transmitted to the piezoelectric sheet 51, the piezoelectric sheet 51 converts the pressure into a corresponding voltage through the piezoelectric effect. This voltage is extracted by electrodes 52 and 53 and output as a voltage signal to the signal processing unit 40 via wiring W. The signal processing unit 40 acquires the voltage signal via electrodes 52 and 53. Since the sensor element 21 converts displacement into voltage, it can sense more efficiently if it is positioned so that it can bend (displace).

[0027] The signal processing unit 40 may include a known amplification circuit for amplifying the acquired voltage signal and a known filtering circuit for extracting a signal of a predetermined frequency from the voltage signal. In one example, the signal processing unit 40 may include a known transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the amplified and filtered signal to an external device. This configuration allows an external device to acquire the voltage signal resulting from pressure fluctuations of the object being measured. In another example, the signal processing unit 40 may include an interface for transmitting the amplified and filtered signal to an external device.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to prevent short circuits between electrodes 52 and 53, the contact area of ​​each contact surface of the piezoelectric sheet 51 with electrodes 52 and 53 is larger than the contact area of ​​each contact surface of electrodes 52 and 53. The size of the surface of the piezoelectric sheet 51 that directly or indirectly contacts the wrist (the contact surface with the wrist) is large enough for the piezoelectric sheet 51 to detect pressure fluctuations. In one example, the size of the contact surface of the piezoelectric sheet 51 with the wrist is, for example, a rectangle with sides of 5 to 50 mm, and particularly preferably a rectangle with sides of 8 to 45 mm, that can detect pressure fluctuations from the arteries (blood vessels) in the wrist.

[0029] Figure 4 is a front and top-side perspective view showing the configuration of the support portion 30 of one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a rear and bottom-side perspective view of the support portion 30 shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows coordinate axes in the x-direction (width direction) and y-direction (depth direction) which are orthogonal to each other in order to explain the width direction and depth direction of the support portion 30. The coordinate axes shown in Figure 5 correspond to the coordinate axes in Figure 4.

[0030] The support portion (support material) 30 is intended to cover the sensor element 21 so that unintended forces are not applied to the sensor element 21. The support portion 30 is formed as a single unit. In one example, the support portion 30 is formed from a soft resin and manufactured by printing such as a 3D printer or by casting. The support portion 30 includes a fixing portion 31 for fixing a part of the sensor portion 20, a sensor cover portion 34 located adjacent to the fixing portion 31, a one-end connecting portion 35 connected to one end of the fixing portion 31 and one end of the sensor cover portion 34, a other-end connecting portion 36 connected to the other end of the fixing portion 31 and the other end of the sensor cover portion 34, a one-end support portion 32 connected to the one-end connecting portion 35, and a other-end support portion 33 connected to the other-end connecting portion 36.

[0031] An opening 38 is formed in the fixing portion 31 for passing the fixing member 23 through. The cover sheet 22 is attached to the fixing portion 31 by aligning the opening 38 and the opening 24 and passing the fixing member 23 through them to fix the cover sheet 22 to the fixing portion 31. In this way, a part of the sensor portion 20 is fixed to the fixing portion 31 of the support portion 30. In this case, more specifically, the sensor portion 20 and the support portion 30 are fixed only in the area on the cover sheet 22 fixed by the fixing member 23 and in the area on the fixing portion 31. For example, fixing using the fixing member 23, the opening 24, and the opening 38 can be done by fixing with eyelets or by crimping. In this specification, the surface on the support portion 30 to which the sensor portion 20 is attached may be called the lower surface of the support portion 30, and the surface on the support portion 30 opposite to the surface on which the sensor portion 20 is attached may be called the upper surface of the support portion 30.

[0032] The sensor cover portion 34 is located adjacent to the fixing portion 31 and is not connected to the fixing portion 31. When installed, the sensor cover portion 34 is positioned to cover the sensor element 21 which is arranged on one side of the cover sheet 22.

[0033] The one-end connection portion 35 and the other-end connection portion 36 have a curved shape and are configured to bend along the width direction (x-axis direction) of the support portion 30 when installed. The one-end connection portion 35 includes a first one-end connection portion 35a and a second one-end connection portion 35b. The first one-end connection portion 35a is connected to one end of the sensor cover portion 34, and the second one-end connection portion 35b is connected to one end of the fixing portion 31. The first one-end connection portion 35a and the second one-end connection portion 35b are located adjacent to each other and are not connected. The other-end connection portion 36 includes a first other-end connection portion 36a and a second other-end connection portion 36b. The first other-end connection portion 36a is connected to the other end of the sensor cover portion 34, and the second other-end connection portion 36b is connected to the other end of the fixing portion 31. The first other-end connection portion 36a and the second other-end connection portion 36b are located adjacent to each other and are not connected.

[0034] The first one-end connection portion 35a and the second one-end connection portion 35b have a convex curved surface on the upper side of the support portion 30 (the side of the support portion 30 opposite to the side to which the sensor portion 20 is attached) and a concave curved surface on the lower side of the support portion 30 (the side to which the sensor portion 20 is attached), and a space is formed on the lower side of the support portion 30. Similarly, the first other-end connection portion 36a and the second other-end connection portion 36b have a convex curved surface on the upper side of the support portion 30 and a concave curved surface on the lower side of the support portion 30, and a space is formed on the lower side of the support portion 30.

[0035] In one example, the support portion 30 is manufactured with the fixed portion 31 and the sensor cover portion 34 connected and integrated, the one-end connection portion 35 integrated, and the other-end connection portion 36 integrated, and then a cut C is made. As a result, the support portion 30 is configured to include the separated fixed portion 31 and sensor cover portion 34, the separated first one-end connection portion 35a and second one-end connection portion 35b, and the separated first other-end connection portion 36a and second other-end connection portion 36b.

[0036] The one-end support portion 32 includes a first one-end support portion 32a and a second one-end support portion 32b. The first one-end support portion 32a is connected to a first one-end connection portion 35a, and the second one-end support portion 32b is connected to a second one-end connection portion 35b, so the first one-end support portion 32a and the second one-end support portion 32b are connected. The other-end support portion 33 includes a first other-end support portion 33a and a second other-end support portion 33b. The first other-end support portion 33a is connected to a first other-end connection portion 36a, and the second other-end support portion 33b is connected to a second other-end connection portion 36b, so the first other-end support portion 33a and the second other-end support portion 33b are connected.

[0037] Figure 6 is a front view of the support portion 30 shown in Figure 4, as seen from position A. Figure 7 is a rear view of the support portion 30 shown in Figure 4, as seen from position B. In Figures 6 and 7, the x-axis (width direction) and z-axis (thickness direction), which are orthogonal to each other, are shown to explain the width direction and thickness direction of the support portion 30. The x-axis shown in Figures 6 and 7 corresponds to the x-axis shown in Figure 4.

[0038] The thickness d1 of the one-end support portion 32 and the thickness d2 of the other-end support portion 33 are substantially the same. The thickness d3 of the sensor cover portion 34 is smaller than the thickness d1(d2) of the one-end support portion 32 and the other-end support portion 33, and larger than the thickness d4 of the fixed portion. Note that the thickness d1 of the one-end support portion 32 represents the thickness of the first one-end support portion 32a, and the thickness d2 of the other-end support portion 33 represents the thickness of the first other-end support portion 33a.

[0039] The first one-end support portion 32a and the first other-end support portion 33a have a plurality of recesses 37 on their upper surfaces, while their lower surfaces are flat and do not have recesses.

[0040] Figure 8 is a rear and bottom perspective view showing an example of how the sensor unit 20 is attached to the support unit 30. From Figure 8, it can be seen that the cover sheet 22 is attached to the support unit 30 via the fixing member 23. The sensor element 21 is covered by the sensor cover unit 34, not the fixing unit 31. The width (x-axis direction) wc of the support unit 30 of the sensor cover unit 34 is larger than the width (x-axis direction) ws of the cover sheet 22 (sensor unit 20) covered by the sensor cover unit 34. For the sake of explanation, wiring and connection parts 41 have been omitted from the drawing.

[0041] Figure 9 shows an example of the sensor device 10 when attached. When the support portion 30 bends along the width direction (x-axis direction) during attachment, the first one-end connection portion 35a and the first other-end connection portion 36a bend, and the first one-end support portion 32a is displaced counterclockwise around the first one-end connection portion 35a and makes contact with the wrist 60 in region R1, while the first other-end support portion 33a is displaced clockwise around the connection portion with the first other-end connection portion 36a and makes contact with the wrist 60 in region R2. In this state, the support portion 30 is stable. With this configuration, the sensor cover portion 34 is held at a position far enough from the wrist 60 to accommodate the sensor element 21 and cover sheet 22, and is held substantially horizontally. As a result, the sensor portion 20 does not receive force from the sensor cover portion 34, and the sensor element 21 can be held without deformation. This makes it possible to measure minute pressure fluctuations of the object to be measured with greater accuracy.

[0042] Next, the operation and effects of the sensor device 10 (pulse rate measuring device 1) according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0043] In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor device 10 comprises a sensor unit 20 and a support unit 30. The sensor unit 20 includes a sensor element 21, a cover sheet 22, and a fixing member 23. The support unit 30 is integrally formed and includes a fixing unit 31 to which a portion of the sensor unit 20 is fixed, a sensor cover unit 34, a first one-end support unit 32a connected to the sensor cover unit 34 via a first one-end connection unit 35a, a first other-end support unit 33a connected to the sensor cover unit 34 via a first other-end connection unit 36a, a second one-end support unit 32b connected to the fixing unit 31 via a second one-end connection unit 35b, and a second other-end support unit 33b connected to the fixing unit 31 via a second other-end connection unit 36b. The sensor element 21 is arranged on one surface of the cover sheet 22 and is positioned to be covered by the sensor cover unit 34. The connecting portion 35 at one end and the connecting portion 36 at the other end have a curved shape and are configured to bend along the width direction (x-axis direction) of the support portion 30 when installed.

[0044] With this configuration, when attached, the first one-end connection portion 35a and the first other-end connection portion 36a bend, and the first one-end support portion 32a and the first other-end support portion 33a contact the wrist 60, resulting in a stable support portion 30. In this state, the sensor cover portion 34 is held to remain substantially horizontal at a position far enough from the wrist 60 to accommodate the sensor element 21 and cover sheet 22. As a result, the sensor portion 20 does not receive force from the sensor cover portion 34, and the sensor element 21 can be held without deformation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by fixing the cover sheet 22 to the fixing portion 31 and fixing the sensor portion 20 (a part of the sensor portion 20) to the support portion 30 (a part of the support portion 30), it is possible to reduce the influence of vibration and deformation of the support portion 30 on the sensor element 21.

[0045] In this way, the sensor element 21 is protected by the support part 30 when installed, which reduces external noise when accurately measuring minute pressure fluctuations, and enables more accurate measurement of minute pressure fluctuations of the target object.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fixed portion 31 and the sensor cover portion 34 are separated and not connected, the first one-end connection portion 35a and the second one-end connection portion 35b are separated and not connected, and the first other-end connection portion 36a and the second other-end connection portion 36b are separated and not connected. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to reduce the influence of vibration and deformation of the fixed portion 31 on the sensor element 21.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thickness d3 of the sensor cover portion 34 is smaller than the thickness d1 of the first one-end support portion 32a and the thickness d2 of the first other-end support portion 33a. By making the thickness of the first one-end support portion 32a and the first other-end support portion 33a larger, it is possible to reduce the influence on the sensor cover portion 34 when an external force unrelated to measurement is applied, and therefore the influence on the sensor element 21.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first one-end support portion 32a and the first other-end support portion 33a have a plurality of recesses 37 on the surface opposite to the surface to which the sensor portion 20 is attached. This configuration makes it possible to prevent deterioration such as cracking of the resin portion when bending motion is repeated. In addition, because it does not penetrate to the back surface, the amount of deformation of the resin portion is suppressed, and appropriate bending and support can be achieved. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the sensor support material and the amount of material used.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the support portion 30 is formed as a single unit. Because it is a single unit, it does not have a complex structure, and problems caused by joints (such as poor connection, damage, or peeling) can be avoided, making it easy to reduce weight.

[0050] The effects described above are the same in other embodiments and other examples unless otherwise specified.

[0051] In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 is not limited to consisting of a printed substrate, a piezoelectric sheet 51 on the printed substrate, and electrodes 52 and 53, as long as the sensor device 10 achieves at least one of the effects described above. For example, the sensor element 21 may not include a printed substrate, or it may include other components. If the sensor element 21 does not include a printed substrate, for example, the dimensions (length × width × thickness) of the sensor element 21 can be 14 mm × 16 mm × 20 μm. For example, the sensor element 21 may have an insulating layer provided on top of the electrode 52. In this case, the sensor element 21 may comprise a piezoelectric sheet 51, electrodes 52 and 53, and an insulating layer.

[0052] In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 may include a piezoelectric sheet 51 and any configuration capable of acquiring pressure fluctuations (voltage signals) detected in the piezoelectric sheet 51, provided that the sensor device 10 achieves at least one of the effects described above. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 may equal the piezoelectric sheet 51. In this case, the sensor device 10 may include a configuration capable of acquiring voltage signals detected in the piezoelectric sheet 51 and may have a function for measuring pressure fluctuations.

[0053] In embodiments of the present invention, the dimensions of the sensor element 21 and its position on the cover sheet 22 can differ from those described in the above embodiments of the present invention, as long as the configuration allows for holding the sensor element 21 in a manner that prevents deformation during installation. Similarly, in embodiments of the present invention, the position and method of fixing the sensor element 21 to the cover sheet 22 are not limited to those described in the above embodiments of the present invention.

[0054] In embodiments of the present invention, the fixing of the sensor element 21 to the cover sheet 22 may be interpreted as the sensor element 21 being directly fixed to the cover sheet 22 or as being indirectly fixed. The same applies to the fixing of other components. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 may be fixed to the surface of the cover sheet 22 by adhesive tape or other adhesive material or substance other than adhesive, or it may be fixed to the cover sheet 22 by engaging or fitting the sensor element 21 to a structure provided on the cover sheet 22. For example, when fixing to the cover sheet 22 with adhesive tape, the sensor element 21 can be fixed to the cover sheet 22 by applying adhesive tape to the entire outer edge or to two opposing edge portions. For example, when using adhesive tape, insulating polyimide adhesive tape can be used.

[0055] In embodiments of the present invention, the cover sheet 22 does not need to be attached via the fixing member 23, as long as it is attached to the support portion 30 at the fixing portion 31. For example, in this case, no opening 24 is formed in the cover sheet 22, no opening 38 is formed in the fixing portion 31, and the cover sheet 22 may be fixed at the fixing portion 31 by an adhesive material such as an adhesive, or it may be fixed by engaging or fitting the cover sheet 22 with a structure provided on the fixing portion 31.

[0056] In embodiments of the present invention, the support portion 30 does not need to have any recesses 37 formed therein. In embodiments of the present invention, the support portion 30 may be a hole through which the bottom of a recess 37 has been penetrated, rather than a recess 37.

[0057] In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor unit 20 does not need to include the cover sheet 22, as long as the sensor device 10 achieves at least one of the effects described above. In this case, the sensor element 21 can be fixed to something other than the cover sheet 22 and indirectly fixed to the fixing portion 31. In either case, the sensor cover portion 34 is positioned to cover the sensor element 21 when installed.

[0058] In the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness d1 of the first one-end support portion 32a and the thickness d2 of the first other-end support portion 33a do not have to be the same as long as they are greater than the thickness d3 of the sensor cover portion 34 and the thickness d4 of the fixing portion 31, and the thickness d4 of the fixing portion 31 does not have to be less than the thickness d3 of the sensor cover portion 34, as long as the configuration allows the sensor element 21 to be held in place so as not to deform when attached.

[0059] In embodiments of the present invention, when not mounted, the fixing portion 31 and the sensor cover portion 34 have substantially flat surfaces, but are not limited to this as long as they are configured to hold the sensor element 21 so as not to deform when mounted. In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor cover portion 34 may have a curved surface that is convex on the upper side, in which case, for example, the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the sensor cover portion 34 is 5 to 20 times the radius of curvature of the one-end connection portion 35 or the other-end connection portion 36. In embodiments of the present invention, the radii of curvature of the first one-end connection portion 35a, the second one-end connection portion 35b, the first other-end connection portion 36a, and the second other-end connection portion 36b are the same, but are not limited to this as long as they are configured to hold the sensor element 21 so as not to deform when mounted.

[0060] Figure 10 shows an example of how the sensor device 10 looks when attached, when the sensor cover portion 34 has a curved surface that is convex on the upper side. In this case, the sensor cover portion 34 is configured to press against the cover sheet 22 with two regions R3 and R4, and a space S is formed between the sensor portion 20 and the support portion 30 between the two regions R3 and R4. In this case, the cover sheet 22 covered by the sensor cover portion 34 is not subjected to force in areas other than the two regions that are pressed, and is held in an undeformed state, so the sensor element 21 can be held in an undeformed state. In this embodiment, since a space S is formed and space is secured for the sensor element 21 to be displaced, the sensor element 21 can more efficiently sense pressure fluctuations in the blood vessels of the wrist 60. Also in this embodiment, since the sensor cover portion 34 is configured to press against the cover sheet 22 with two regions R3 and R4, the cover sheet 22 can adhere to the wrist 60 without floating away from the wrist 60.

[0061] In the embodiments of the present invention, the first one-end connection portion 35a, the second one-end connection portion 35b, the first other-end connection portion 36a, and the second other-end connection portion 36b do not need to have curved surfaces, as long as they are configured to hold the sensor element 21 in a way that prevents deformation due to bending during installation.

[0062] In the embodiment of the present invention, when the first one-end connecting portion 35a and the first other-end connecting portion 36a are bent during installation, the second one-end connecting portion 35b and the second other-end connecting portion 36b may or may not bend.

[0063] In the embodiments of the present invention, the sensor cover portion 34 and the fixing portion 31 may be connected, the first one-end connection portion 35a and the second one-end connection portion 35b may be connected, and the first other-end connection portion 36a and the second other-end connection portion 36b may be connected, as long as the configuration allows for holding the sensor element 21 in a manner that prevents deformation during installation. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to reduce to some extent the influence of vibration of the support portion 30 on the sensor element 21.

[0064] In the embodiment of the present invention, the second one-end support portion 32b can be any shape that connects the second one-end connection portion 35b and the first one-end support portion 32a, as long as the configuration allows for holding the sensor element 21 so as not to deform when attached. The second other-end support portion 33b can be any shape that connects the second other-end connection portion 36b and the first other-end support portion 33a.

[0065] In embodiments of the present invention, the sensor element 21 can also be configured to be positioned on the surface of the cover sheet 22 opposite to the support portion 30 so as to directly contact the surface of the wrist when worn.

[0066] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the measurement target of the sensor device 10 can be the blood vessels (pulse) of a human ankle instead of blood vessels (pulse), or blood vessels of other parts of the body. In other words, the pulse measurement device 1 is not limited to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, and it is sufficient that the sensor device 10 can measure pressure fluctuations of a measurement target such as blood vessels (pulse) of the wrist or ankle. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the measurement target of the sensor device 10 can be something other than human blood vessels or a living organism that generates pressure fluctuations of a magnitude similar to a pulse. For example, the sensor device 10 may be the sensor device 10 of a device other than the pulse measurement device 1 used for measuring pressure fluctuations other than pulse. The sensor device 10 may be configured to be used on its own.

[0067] The embodiments described above are illustrative examples for illustrating the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The embodiments can be combined as appropriate and applied to any embodiment of the present invention, provided that no contradictions arise. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from its essence. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 1: Pulse measurement device, 2: Holding part, 4: Attachment member, 10: Sensor device, 20: Sensor part, 21: Sensor element, 22: Cover sheet, 23: Fixing member, 24: Opening, 30: Support part, 31: Fixing part, 32: One end support part, 32a: First one end support part, 32b: Second one end support part, 33: Other end support part, 33a: First other end support part, 33b: Second 34: Sensor cover portion, 35: One-end connection portion, 35a: First one-end connection portion, 35b: Second one-end connection portion, 36: Other-end connection portion, 36a: First other-end connection portion, 36b: Second other-end connection portion, 37: Recess, 38: Opening, 40: Signal processing portion, 41: Connection portion, 51: Piezoelectric sheet, 52: Electrode, 53: Electrode, 60: Wrist, C: Cut

Claims

1. A sensor device for measuring pressure fluctuations of a target object, A sensor unit including a sensor element containing a piezoelectric sheet, A support portion for covering the sensor element, Equipped with, The support portion is formed integrally, A fixing portion to which a part of the sensor unit is fixed, A sensor cover portion is positioned adjacent to the fixed portion and is arranged to cover the aforementioned sensor element. The one-end connection portion connected to one end of the sensor cover portion, The other end connection portion connected to the other end of the sensor cover portion, The one-end support portion connected to the aforementioned one-end connection portion, The other end support portion connected to the other end connection portion, Includes, When the support portion bends, the one-end connection portion and the other-end connection portion bend, and at least a part of the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion come into contact with the object to be measured. Sensor device.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor portion includes a cover sheet on which the sensor element is fixed, and a portion of the cover sheet is fixed to the fixing portion.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sensor cover portion is smaller than the thickness of the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the one-end support portion and the other-end support portion have a plurality of recesses on the side opposite to the surface to which the sensor portion is attached.

5. The aforementioned fixed portion and the aforementioned sensor cover portion are not connected. The aforementioned one-end connection portion includes a first one-end connection portion connected to the sensor cover portion and a second one-end connection portion connected to the fixed portion, wherein the first one-end connection portion and the second one-end connection portion are not connected. The other end connection portion includes a first other end connection portion connected to the sensor cover portion and a second other end connection portion connected to the fixing portion, and the first other end connection portion and the second other end connection portion are not connected. The sensor device according to claim 1.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is formed from a soft resin.

7. The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sensor device acquires signals resulting from pressure fluctuations in the blood vessels of a human wrist or ankle.

8. A pulse rate measuring device, A pulse rate measuring device comprising a sensor device according to claim 7, a holding part for holding the sensor device, and a mounting member for attaching to a person's wrist or ankle, wherein the holding part is attached to the mounting member.

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