Detection system and charging device

Abstract

Further develop existing technologies. [Solution] A detection system comprising a detection device, a sound output device, and a charging device to which the detection device and the sound output device can be attached, wherein the detection device has a diaphragm having a contact portion configured to contact a subject, an output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, and a first contact portion, the sound output device has a second contact portion and is configured to receive a signal output from the output portion of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal, and the charging device has an electrical circuit board for supplying power, a first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, and a second charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device by contacting the second contact portion, the detection system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a detection system for detecting vibrations of a subject and a charging device for charging a detection device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, an electronic stethoscope that includes a sensor for converting vibrations of a living body into an electrical signal, reproduces body sounds via a playback device such as an earphone, or outputs the body sounds as electronic data representing the body sounds to an external device has begun to spread. According to Patent Document 1, a biological information detection device that detects a biological vibration signal using a vibration sensor composed of a piezoelectric element is disclosed. According to Patent Document 2, a device configured to accommodate an earphone in an electronic stethoscope and capable of supplying power from the electronic stethoscope to the earphone is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there remains room for further improvement in the conventional technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to further develop the conventional technologies.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a detection system comprising a detection device, a sound output device, and a charging device to which the detection device and the sound output device can be attached, wherein the detection device has a diaphragm having a contact portion configured to contact a subject, an output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, and a first contact portion; the sound output device has a second contact portion and is configured to receive the signal output from the output portion of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal; and the charging device has an electrical circuit board for supplying power, a first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, and a second charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device by contacting the second contact portion.

[0006] Another aspect of the present invention is a charging device to which a detection device comprising a diaphragm having a contact portion configured to contact a subject, an output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the contact portion of the diaphragm, and a first contact portion is attached, and a sound output device comprising a second contact portion that receives the signal output from the output portion of the detection device and is configured to output sound based on the signal, is characterized in that it comprises an electrical circuit board for supplying power, a first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, and a second charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device by contacting the second contact portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the prior art can be further developed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] (a) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope according to the first embodiment when viewed from one direction, (b) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope when viewed from another direction, and (c) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope when viewed from yet another direction. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the cross-section of the chestpiece and the positional relationships of its various components. [Figure 3] (a) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece with the diaphragm in a flat state, and (b) is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, light-reflecting part, light-shielding wall and light-shielding wall. [Figure 4] (a) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece with the diaphragm pressed against the biological surface, and (b) is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, light-reflecting part, light-shielding wall and light-shielding wall. [Figure 5] A plan view showing the light-receiving surface of a light-receiving element. [Figure 6] A graph showing the relationship between the amount of displacement on the biological surface and the displacement signal. [Figure 7] A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an electronic stethoscope. [Figure 8] A side view showing a charging device according to the first embodiment with an electronic stethoscope attached. [Figure 9] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and charging device, and (b) is another perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and charging device. [Figure 10] (a) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope before it is attached to the charging device, (b) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope in the process of being attached to the charging device, and (c) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope after it has been attached to the charging device. [Figure 11] (a) is a perspective view showing the earphones removed from the charging device, and (b) is a perspective view showing the earphones attached to the charging device. [Figure 12] A perspective view showing the charging device with the electronic stethoscope attached. [Figure 13] An exploded perspective view showing the charging device. [Figure 14] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the second embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 15](a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the third embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 16] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the fourth embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 17] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the fifth embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 18] (a) is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the contacts of the charging device while the electronic stethoscope is being attached to the charging device. (b) is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the contacts of the charging device when the electronic stethoscope is attached to the charging device. [Figure 19] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the sixth embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 20] (a) is a perspective view showing a charging device according to the seventh embodiment with an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached, and (b) is a perspective view showing the state where the cover of the charging device is open. [Figure 21] (a) is a perspective view showing an earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device, and (b) is a perspective view showing the charging device with the electronic stethoscope and earphone removed. [Figure 22] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the eighth embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device. [Figure 23] (a) is a perspective view showing an electronic stethoscope and earphone attached to a charging device according to the ninth embodiment, (b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and earphone immediately before being attached to the charging device, and (c) is a rear view showing the electronic stethoscope.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] 《First Embodiment》 Referring to FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c), an electronic stethoscope 100 according to the first embodiment will be described. In each of the following drawings, a coordinate system CS, which is a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system having an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, may be attached for explaining directions. In those explanations, the positive direction of the Z-axis may be represented as the upper side, and the negative direction of the Z-axis may be represented as the lower side.

[0011] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 as viewed from a certain direction. FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 as viewed from another direction. FIG. 1(c) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 as viewed from yet another direction. The electronic stethoscope 100 is a diagnostic instrument for listening to internal sounds of a living body such as a human or an animal. The electronic stethoscope 100 is used, for example, to listen to heart sounds (heartbeat sounds) and breath sounds.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c), the electronic stethoscope 100 includes a chest piece 110 as a detection unit and a grip portion 120. The chest piece 110 is a unit that contacts the surface of a living body, which is an example of a subject (measurement target), during diagnosis using the electronic stethoscope 100, measures minute vibrations (displacements) on the surface of the living body, and captures body sounds. The chest piece 110 detects minute displacements on the surface of the living body in close contact via a diaphragm 206 described later.

[0013] The gripping part 120 is grasped by the user of the electronic stethoscope 100 (for example, a doctor, nurse, or public health nurse) when bringing the diaphragm 206 into close contact with a biological surface. Hereinafter, the user of the electronic stethoscope 100 will simply be referred to as the user. The gripping part 120 has a grippable rod shape as shown in Figures 1(a) to (c), and the chestpiece 110 is attached to one end (negative direction of the x-axis).

[0014] The gripping section 120 comprises a housing 121 and a battery and circuit board housed inside the housing 121. The battery stores the operating power of the electronic stethoscope 100. The circuit board has circuit elements for controlling the operation of the electronic stethoscope 100. The gripping section 120 has an operating section 123, a power button 124, and a connector 125, which are respectively located on the outer surface of the housing 121. The gripping section 120 also has contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c as first contacts for connecting to a charging device 610, which will be described later. The contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are provided so as to be exposed to the outside of the gripping section 120. More specifically, the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are located inside the gripping section 120, relative to the outer casing 120a of the gripping section 120.

[0015] The power button 124 is provided with a display unit 124a. The display unit 124a is an indicator that shows the status of the electronic stethoscope 100, whether the electronic stethoscope 100 is wirelessly connected to an external device, and whether the chestpiece 110 is pressed against a biological surface. As shown in Figure 1(a), the display unit 124a is positioned on the outer surface of the housing 121, on the side of one end of the chestpiece 110 in the Y-axis direction, and near the chestpiece 110 in the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, near the chestpiece 110 means closer to the chestpiece 110 than the center of the gripping part 120. Note that the display unit 124a does not need to include all of the above indicators, and may be replaced with multiple indicators, or in addition to these, the status of the electronic stethoscope 100 may be displayed by a liquid crystal panel or an electrostatic panel.

[0016] The control unit 123 receives input from the user. In this embodiment, the control unit 123 includes a plurality of physical buttons (three buttons in the example of Figure 1(a)) for receiving settings for the electronic stethoscope 100. Specifically, the control unit 123 includes volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) for adjusting the volume of the output sound. When the volume adjustment buttons are pressed, the electronic stethoscope 100 adjusts the gain of the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 and adjusts the volume of the sound output through the earphones. The control unit 123 includes a mode switching button 123c for switching the operating mode of the electronic stethoscope 100. When the mode switching button 123c is pressed, the operating mode described later is switched. That is, the mode switching button 123c receives instructions from the user regarding the mode transition of the electronic stethoscope 100. Based on the user's instructions using the mode switching button 123c, the electronic stethoscope 100 selects one of a plurality of operating modes and operates in that operating mode. The mode switching button 123c has an indicator 123d that displays the operating mode. The operation unit 123 may include a touch panel instead of multiple physical buttons. The display unit 124a and the operation unit 123 may be integrated as a touchscreen. The electronic stethoscope 100 may automatically select an operating mode in response to a signal representing vibrations of the biological surface acquired, instead of, or in addition to, a user instruction using the mode switching button 123c.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1(a) to (c), the operating unit 123 is located on the outer surface of the housing 121, on the side opposite to the display unit 124a, and is positioned near the chestpiece 110 in the X-axis direction. The power button 124 and the operating unit 123 are positioned at a distance in the Y-axis direction from the center of the gripping unit 120. This arrangement allows the user to press the center of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the Y-axis direction when pressing the chestpiece 110 toward the body, thus enabling stable use of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0018] The power button 124 is a switch that turns the power of the electronic stethoscope 100 on and off. The connector 125 is a connector for receiving a cable or connector for an external device, as shown in Figure 1(c). Power is supplied from the external device to the battery contained in the gripping part 120 through the connector 125.

[0019] The power button 124 may be provided on the chestpiece 110 instead of the gripping part 120. The connector 125 may be provided on the chestpiece 110 instead of the gripping part 120. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 does not have to include the connector 125. In this case, the electronic stethoscope 100 may have a wireless charging function or be configured to have a replaceable battery.

[0020] [Cross-sectional configuration of the chestpiece] Next, the chestpiece 110 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. The upper part of Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece 110, and the lower part of Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of each component when the chestpiece 110 is viewed in the Z-axis direction. Note that in the lower part of Figure 2, only the light-emitting circuit board 203, light-receiving circuit board 205, diaphragm 206, and light-reflecting part 207 are shown in order to clarify the positional relationship of the components of the chestpiece 110.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the chestpiece 110 includes a holding member 201, a light-emitting element 202, a light-emitting circuit board 203, a light-receiving element 204, a light-receiving circuit board 205, a diaphragm 206 including a light-reflecting portion 207, and a housing 208. The housing 208 houses the holding member 201, the light-emitting element 202, the light-emitting circuit board 203, the light-receiving element 204, the light-receiving circuit board 205, and the light-reflecting portion 207 of the diaphragm 206.

[0022] Since the retaining member 201, which serves as the diaphragm support, has constricted portions 209 and 210 formed therein, the housing 208 also houses the constricted portions 209 and 210 inside. The diaphragm 206, together with the housing 208, constitutes part of the exterior of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0023] The light-emitting element 202, as the light-emitting part, is a light source that emits light, and may be, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED). The power supplied to the light-emitting element 202 is supplied from an external power source (the battery of the gripping part 120) of the chestpiece 110.

[0024] The light-emitting element 202 is mounted on the light-emitting circuit board 203. In addition to the light-emitting element 202, the light-emitting circuit board 203 is also mounted with peripheral circuits for controlling the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and power terminals for receiving power from an external power source of the chestpiece 110. The light-emitting circuit board 203 may be a printed circuit board such as a flexible circuit board, or it may be a paper phenolic substrate or a glass epoxy substrate. The light-emitting circuit board 203 including the light-emitting element 202 functions as a light-emitting unit.

[0025] The light-receiving element 204, acting as a light-receiving unit, generates an electrical signal based on the amount of light it receives, using power supplied from an external power source to the chestpiece 110, such as a battery housed inside the gripping unit 120. The light-receiving element 204 may be, for example, a phototransistor or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

[0026] The light-receiving element 204 is mounted on the light-receiving circuit board 205. In addition to the light-receiving element 204, the light-receiving circuit board 205 also has peripheral circuits mounted on it for reading signals from the light-receiving element 204. Furthermore, the light-receiving circuit board 205 has terminals for outputting signals to the outside of the chestpiece 110 and power supply terminals for receiving power from an external power supply to the chestpiece 110. The holding member 201 holds the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205. The light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205 are fixed to the holding member 201.

[0027] The diaphragm 206 has a contact surface 206a (outer surface, first surface) configured to contact a biological surface, which is an example of a test subject, and an inner surface 206b (second surface) which is the surface opposite to the contact surface 206a. The diaphragm 206 is configured to elastically deform upon pressure from a test subject that comes into contact with the contact surface 206a. The inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 is provided with a light-reflecting portion 207, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 206 uses a laminate of glass epoxy resin, which is made by impregnating glass fibers with epoxy resin and then heat-curing it, and has a thickness of 230 μm.

[0028] The outer edge of the diaphragm 206 has a ring-shaped fixing portion 206c (rim) for fixing the diaphragm 206 to the retaining member 201. That is, the retaining member 201 supports the diaphragm 206. The fixing portion 206c is an example of a diaphragm-supported portion provided on the inner surface 206b. Note that the contact surface 206a is not supported by the retaining member 201 and therefore does not include the fixing portion 206c. The contact surface 206a is provided in the central part of the diaphragm 206 surrounded by the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 206c is integrally formed with the portion of the diaphragm 206 that is on the inner circumference side of the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the contact surface 206a and inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 refer to the portion that does not include the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 206c of the diaphragm 206 was fixed to the retaining member 201, but this is not limited to this. For example, the fixing portion 206c may be fixed to the housing 208 instead of the retaining member 201.

[0029] Inside the fixed portion 206c of the diaphragm 206, the diaphragm 206 is not fixed to the retaining member 201. Therefore, the diaphragm 206 can vibrate in the Z-axis direction with the fixed portion 206c as a node. Specifically, when the chestpiece 110 is used, the diaphragm 206 vibrates with the fixed portion 206c as a node in response to the displacement of the biological surface. In this vibration, the center 206e of the diaphragm 206 becomes an antinode. The diaphragm 206 functions as a vibrating part that vibrates together with the subject.

[0030] The light-reflecting portion 207 is a reflective surface that reflects light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. In this embodiment, the light-reflecting portion 207 is bonded to the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 and moves integrally with the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction in conjunction with the vibration of the diaphragm 206, which is in close contact with the biological surface. The light-reflecting portion 207 has a circular outer edge in the plan view. The light-reflecting portion 207 has a diameter of, for example, 15 mm to 20 mm. The light-reflecting portion 207 is positioned to cover the region 206d of the diaphragm 206, which includes the center 206e of the circle. Since the displacement of the diaphragm 206 is greatest at the center 206e, the displacement of the diaphragm 206 can be detected with high sensitivity by reflecting light from the light-emitting element 202 in the region including the center 206e. Note that the light-reflecting portion 207 may be positioned in a region of the diaphragm 206 that does not include the center 206e.

[0031] The light-reflecting portion 207 is made of, for example, an aluminum vapor-deposited film. The light-reflecting portion 207 is a sheet-like member attached to the inner surface 206b (the surface opposite to the contact surface 206a) of the base material (sheet material) that constitutes the diaphragm 206.

[0032] In this embodiment, the light-reflecting portion 207 is part of the diaphragm 206. That is, the sheet-like light-reflecting portion 207 attached to the inner surface 206b of the substrate of the diaphragm 206, together with the substrate of the diaphragm 206, constitutes the diaphragm 206. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and at least a portion of the inner surface 206b of the substrate of the diaphragm 206 may also serve as the light-reflecting portion. Alternatively, a coating layer may be applied to the diaphragm 206, and this coating layer may be configured as the light-reflecting portion. For example, the entire inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 may have a high reflectivity such that it can reflect light to a degree detectable by the light-receiving element 204. Alternatively, only the region of the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 that reaches the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 may have such a high reflectivity.

[0033] The light-emitting element 202 emits light toward the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206. The upper surface of the light-reflecting part 207 reflects the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. That is, the upper surface of the light-reflecting part 207 in particular functions as a light-reflecting surface. In the following description, the reflection of light by the upper surface (light-reflecting surface) of the light-reflecting part 207 will simply be referred to as "light being reflected by the light-reflecting part 207." The light-reflecting part 207 specularly reflects (in other words, mirror-reflects) the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202.

[0034] In the following explanation, the light traveling from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting element 207 will be referred to as the first incident light 211. The light remaining after the first incident light 211 has been reflected by the light-reflecting element 207 will be referred to as the reflected light 212.

[0035] The light-emitting element 202 is positioned to emit light toward the region 207a of the light-reflecting part 207 that covers the central part 206e of the diaphragm 206 when the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface. When the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface, the diaphragm 206 is flat.

[0036] In this embodiment, a light source that emits diffuse light (e.g., an LED) is used as the light-emitting element 202. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 has a diaphragm 209 as a first diaphragm that narrows the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. The diaphragm 209 ensures that only a portion of the incident light 211 emitted from the light-emitting element 202 enters the light-reflecting section 207. In the example shown in Figure 2, the portion of the holding member 201 through which the incident light 211 passes corresponds to the diaphragm 209.

[0037] In this embodiment, a component that emits diffused light was described as an example of a light-emitting element. However, instead, a laser diode or the like that emits linear light may be used as a light-emitting element, and the linear light may be directed toward region 207a. If the light-emitting element is a component that emits linear light, the aperture portion 209 may be omitted.

[0038] The light-receiving element 204 is positioned to receive reflected light 212. Specifically, the light-receiving element 204 is positioned so that the amount of reflected light 212 received changes due to the vibration of the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction. The light-receiving element 204 is positioned so that more light is incident on it when the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface (i.e., when the diaphragm 206 is flat) compared to when the diaphragm 206 is vibrating. In other words, the light-receiving element 204 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of reflected light 212 it receives, and the amount of displacement of the diaphragm 206 can be determined based on this electrical signal. This principle will be described later.

[0039] Furthermore, the chestpiece 110 has a second aperture section 210 that narrows the light specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207. The aperture section 210 suppresses diffusely reflected light from entering the photodetector 204 and allows only specularly reflected light from the light reflecting section 207 to reach the photodetector 204. The aperture section 210 further narrows the specularly reflected light from the light reflecting section 207, allowing only a portion of the specularly reflected light to reach the photodetector 204. The aperture section 210 functions as an opening that narrows the optical path from the light reflecting section 207 to the photodetector 204 such that the area of ​​the portion of the photodetector 204's light-receiving surface that receives light changes according to the amount of displacement of the light reflecting section 207. In the example in Figure 2, the portion of the holding member 201 through which the reflected light 212 passes corresponds to the aperture section 210.

[0040] In this embodiment, the portion of the holding member 201 in which an opening is formed was described as an example of a diaphragm (209, 210), but it may be a diaphragm on one side instead of an opening. In that case, for example, the diaphragm (opening) is formed by a light-shielding wall for narrowing one side (upper or lower) of the light emitted from the light-emitting element, and an opening whose opening area is limited by the light-shielding wall.

[0041] The housing 208 is attached to the outer periphery of the retaining member 201. The housing 208 covers the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205, and also suppresses ambient noise from entering the housing 208. The outer edge of the diaphragm 206, the outer edge of the retaining member 201, and the outer edge of the housing 208 substantially coincide with each other in a plan view with respect to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. In this embodiment, the housing 208 is made of metal, and the ground of the circuit boards in the chestpiece 110 (e.g., the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205) is electrically connected to the housing 208. This stabilizes the ground potential.

[0042] The diaphragm 206 is fixed to the retaining member 201, forming an internal space 213 surrounded by the diaphragm 206 and the retaining member 201. To prevent the light-receiving element from receiving light other than that emitted by the light-emitting element 202, it is preferable that the internal space 213 be sealed. Furthermore, to prevent the light-receiving element 204 from receiving light other than that emitted by the light-emitting element 202, it is preferable that the diaphragm 206 and the retaining member 201 have light-shielding properties.

[0043] [Principle of optical displacement detection] Figures 3(a) to 5 will be used to supplement the principle of how the displacement signal changes in accordance with the displacement of the diaphragm 206. Figure 3(a) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the chestpiece 110 with the diaphragm 206 in a flat state. Figure 3(b) is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light-reflecting part 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305. Figure 4(a) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the chestpiece 110 with the diaphragm 206 pressed by the biological surface 320. Figure 4(b) is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light-reflecting part 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305. In the cross-sectional view of the chestpiece 110, the light-emitting circuit board 203, the light-receiving circuit board 205, and the housing 208 are omitted, and the shape of the holding member 201 is shown in detail. The plan view of the chestpiece 110 shows only the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light-reflecting part 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305.

[0044] As shown in Figures 3(a) to 4(b), the chestpiece 110 is used in contact with the biological surface 320, which is the subject (object to be measured). That is, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is in use, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the chestpiece 110 is in close contact with the biological surface 320, which is an example of the object to be measured. As a result, the biological surface 320, the diaphragm 206, and the light reflecting part 207 vibrate together. The vibration or displacement of the biological surface 320 occurs in response to bodily movements such as heartbeat and respiration of the person having the biological surface 320. The chestpiece 110 detects the displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207 in the Z-axis direction. The electronic stethoscope 100 can acquire vibration data of the biological surface 320, including body temperature, by optically detecting the displacement of the light reflecting part 207 using the chestpiece 110.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3(a), the aperture sections 209 and 210 are arranged so that when the diaphragm 206 is flat, more reflected light 212 is received by the light-receiving element 204 compared to when the diaphragm 206 is displaced (deformed). When the diaphragm 206 is flat, the amount of displacement of the center 206e of the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction is 0, and when the diaphragm 206 is deformed (displaced), the amount of displacement of the center 206e in the Z-axis direction is not 0.

[0046] The light-receiving element 204 amplifies and outputs a photocurrent corresponding to the amount of light it receives. The peripheral circuit of the light-receiving circuit board 205 converts the photocurrent output from the light-receiving element 204 into a voltage, generates an output value as a displacement signal, and outputs it to the outside of the chestpiece 110. In this embodiment, the displacement signal refers to the output value of the light-receiving circuit board 205, which acts as a signal output unit that reflects the state and deformation of the diaphragm 206 at any given time.

[0047] Figure 4(a) shows the chestpiece 110 when the biological surface 320 is displaced upward (in the positive Z-axis direction). When the biological surface 320 is displaced upward, the diaphragm 206 is pressed upward by the biological surface 320, and the distance from the light-emitting element 202 to the upper surface of the light-reflecting part 207 decreases. As the biological surface 320 is displaced, the region of the light-reflecting part 207 that the incident light 211 reaches moves closer to the light-emitting element 202, and the reflected light 212 also moves closer to the light-emitting element 202. As a result, the amount of reflected light 212 that reaches the photodetector 204 decreases, and the value of the displacement signal generated by the photodetector circuit board 205 becomes smaller.

[0048] In this embodiment, as the amount of light incident on the photodetector 204 per unit time decreases, the value of the displacement signal decreases (the voltage value decreases). If the reflected light 212 does not reach the photodetector 204 at all, the value of the displacement signal ideally becomes zero.

[0049] Thus, the chestpiece 110 is configured such that the amount of light reaching the photodetector 204 changes in accordance with the displacement of the biological surface 320, the diaphragm 206, and the light reflecting part 207. Since the light reflecting part 207 is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the biological surface 320, the displacement signal generated by the photodetector circuit board 205 represents the displacement of the biological surface 320.

[0050] As shown in Figures 3(a) to 4(b), a portion of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 is blocked by the light-shielding wall 304 surrounding the opening 306 of the aperture portion 209 and does not reach the light-reflecting portion 207. In particular, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 is blocked by the upper edge of the light-shielding wall 304 over the opening 306. In addition, at least a portion of the light specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207 is blocked by the light-shielding wall 305 surrounding the opening 307 of the aperture portion 210, depending on the position of the light-reflecting portion 207, and does not reach the light-receiving element 204.

[0051] In this embodiment, both the opening 306 of the aperture portion 209 and the opening 307 of the aperture portion 210 are rectangular. In the following description, of the four sides of each of the openings 306 and 307, the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and closer to the diaphragm 206 will be referred to as the bottom side, and the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and further away from the diaphragm 206 will be referred to as the top side. Also, of the four sides of each of the openings 306 and 307, the side on the left side as viewed from the light-emitting element 202 will be referred to as the left side, and the side on the right side as viewed from the light-emitting element 202 will be referred to as the right side.

[0052] In Figures 3(a) to 4(b), the incident light 211 and reflected light 212 represent the beams of light that reach the photodetector 204. In Figure 3(b), some of the light 310 emitted from the light-emitting element 202 passes through the opening 306 of the light-shielding wall 304 and through the path 311 where it is reflected by the light-reflecting part 207, but it is blocked by the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 above the opening 307 and does not reach the photodetector 204.

[0053] As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the portion of the light-reflecting part 207 that reaches the incident light 211 when the diaphragm 206 is not pressed by the biological surface 320 is referred to as the effective range 300. The effective range 300 is the portion of the light-reflecting part 207 that reflects light that reaches the photodetector 204. When the diaphragm 206 is not pressed by the biological surface 320, the effective range 300 is equal to the range that light from the light-emitting element 202 reaches. In this embodiment, the effective range 300 is a rectangular area. The outer periphery of the effective range 300 is referred to as the boundary line of the effective range 300. The boundary line of the effective range 300 is located between the effective range 300 and the area outside the effective range 300. In the following description, a part of the boundary line is also referred to as the boundary line.

[0054] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the line segment containing the position furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is denoted as the far boundary line 300a. The portion of the incident light 211 that reaches the far boundary line 300a is denoted as the far incident light 211a. The far incident light 211a means that it includes the portion of the optical path from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting section 207 that is the longest. The angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting section 207 is at its maximum value of 303a at a position on the far boundary line 300a.

[0055] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the line segment containing the position closest to the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is denoted as the near boundary 300b. The portion of the incident light 211 that reaches the near boundary 300b is denoted as the near incident light 211b. The near incident light 211b means that it includes the portion where the optical path from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting section 207 is the shortest. The angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting section 207 is at its minimum value of 303b at a position on the near boundary 300b. Of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202, the light that is not included between the far incident light 211a and the near incident light 211b is attenuated by being reflected multiple times by the light-shielding wall 304.

[0056] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the two line segments other than the far boundary 300a and the near boundary 300b are referred to as the lateral boundary 300c and 300d. The lateral boundary 300c is located to the right of the effective range 300 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202, and the lateral boundary 300d is located to the left of the effective range 300 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the region of the light-receiving element 204 formed by the reflected light 212 specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207 is referred to as the light-illuminated region 301. The light-illuminated region 301 is the portion of the light-receiving element 204 that reaches the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207. In addition to the light specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207, scattered light may also reach the light-receiving element 204, but in this embodiment, the region formed by specularly reflected light is defined as the light-illuminated region. The amount of light reaching the light-receiving element 204 is proportional to the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301. In this embodiment, the light-illuminated region 301 is a rectangular region. The outer periphery of the light-illuminated region 301 is referred to as the boundary line of the light-illuminated region 301. The boundary line of the light-illuminated region 301 is located between the light-illuminated region 301 and the region other than the light-illuminated region 301.

[0058] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-illuminated area 301, the line segment formed by light that is narrowed by the aperture 209 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting part 207 is referred to as the lower boundary line 301a. Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-illuminated area 301, the line segment on the opposite side of the lower boundary line 301a is referred to as the upper boundary line 301b. The lower boundary line 301a is an example of a boundary line formed by light that is narrowed by the aperture 209 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting part 207. The lower boundary line 301a is a boundary line that moves in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a, as will be described later.

[0059] In this embodiment, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 changes as the lower boundary line 301a moves, and the output of the light-receiving element 204 changes. This allows the displacement of the subject to be measured. The upper boundary line 301b is an example of a boundary line that does not move in response to the displacement of the contact surface 206a and whose length does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-irradiated region 301, the two line segments other than the lower boundary line 301a and the upper boundary line 301b are referred to as the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d. The lateral boundary line 301c is located to the right of the light-irradiated region 301 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202, and the lateral boundary line 301d is located to the left of the light-irradiated region 301 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202. The lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d are examples of boundary lines that do not move in response to the displacement of the contact surface 206a, as will be described later, and whose length changes when the contact surface 206a is displaced.

[0060] Light passing through the aperture 306 along its upper edge is specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light-illuminating area 301 of the light-receiving element 204 without being obstructed by the light-shielding wall 305. Therefore, the upper edge of the aperture 306 defines the lower boundary line 301a of the light-illuminating area 301. On the other hand, light passing through the aperture 306 along its lower edge is specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then obstructed by the light-shielding wall 305, and does not reach the light-receiving element 204. Therefore, the lower edge of the aperture 306 does not define the light-illuminating area 301. Consequently, the near incident light 211b is not stopped by the aperture section 209. Alternatively, the light passing through the aperture 306 along its lower edge may be specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then reach the light-receiving element 204 without being obstructed by the light-shielding wall 305. In this case, the lower edge of the aperture 306 defines the light irradiation area 301. In this configuration, the displacement signal remains constant from zero to a predetermined value as the displacement of the diaphragm 206 decreases. Subsequently, when the lower edge of the aperture 306 no longer defines the light irradiation area 301, the displacement signal begins to decrease monotonically.

[0061] Light passing through the aperture 306 and specularly reflecting off the light reflecting section 207, and then passing along the upper edge of the aperture 307, reaches the upper boundary line 301b of the light-illuminating area 301 of the light-receiving element 204. Therefore, the upper edge of the aperture 307 defines the upper boundary line 301b of the light-illuminating area 301. In other words, the upper edge of the aperture 307 is an example of an aperture that narrows the light specularly reflected off the light reflecting section 207. On the other hand, because it is blocked by the light-shielding wall 304, light does not pass through the portion along the lower edge of the aperture 307. Therefore, the lower edge of the aperture 307 does not define the light-illuminating area 301.

[0062] As shown in Figure 3(a), the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d of the light-irradiated area 301 are defined by the right and left sides of the aperture 307. Alternatively, the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d of the light-irradiated area 301 may be defined by the right and left sides of the aperture 306.

[0063] The reflected light of the far incident light 211a is referred to as the lower end reflected light 212a. The lower end reflected light 212a is the light that is located furthest down in the Z-axis direction of the reflected light 212 (i.e., the part close to the diaphragm 206). The lower end reflected light 212a reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light illumination region 301. The lower boundary line 301a is formed by light that has been narrowed by the aperture 209 and specularly reflected by the light reflection 207. The lower end reflected light 212a is far from each side of the aperture 307. That is, the lower end reflected light 212a is not narrowed by the aperture 210.

[0064] In the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the lower boundary line 301a includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that is closest to the diaphragm 206 in the direction normal to the diaphragm 206 (i.e., the Z-axis direction) when the diaphragm 206 is not being pressed by the biological surface 320. Furthermore, in the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the lower boundary line 301a includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 where the light with the maximum reflection angle at the light reflecting portion 207 reaches. This maximum reflection angle is equal to the maximum incident angle 303a. In addition, in the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the lower boundary line 301a includes the position furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in a plan view relative to the diaphragm 206 when it is not being pressed.

[0065] The reflected light from the near incident light 211b is denoted as the upper end reflected light 212n. The upper end reflected light 212n is the light that is located furthest upward in the Z-axis direction of the reflected light 212 (i.e., the part furthest from the diaphragm 206). The upper end reflected light 212n reaches the upper boundary line 301b of the light irradiation region 301. In the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the upper boundary line 301b includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that is furthest from the diaphragm 206 in the direction normal to the diaphragm 206 (i.e., in the Z-axis direction) when the diaphragm 206 is not pressed. Also, in the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the upper boundary line 301b includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that reaches the light with the minimum reflection angle at the light reflecting part 207. This minimum reflection angle is equal to the minimum incident angle 303b. Furthermore, in the configurations of Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the upper boundary line 301b includes the position closest to the light-emitting element 202 in a plan view relative to the diaphragm 206 when it is not being pressed.

[0066] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), when the diaphragm 206 is pressed by the biological surface 320, the positions of the effective range 300, the far boundary line 300a, the near boundary line 300b, the light irradiation area 301, the lower boundary line 301a, and the upper boundary line 301b change, respectively. Of the reflected light 212, the portion furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is called the lower end reflected light 212a. The lower end reflected light 212a reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light irradiation area 301. As described above, the lower boundary line 301a is defined by the upper edge of the opening 306 of the aperture portion 209 on the light-emitting element 202 side. The lower boundary line 301a moves in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a due to the elastic deformation of the diaphragm 206, and as a result, the area of ​​the light irradiation area 301 changes, and the output of the photodetector 204 also changes, as will be described later.

[0067] The lower boundary line 301a is displaced by a displacement ratio G with respect to the displacement of the diaphragm 206. Similarly, the position where the part of the reflected light 212 that is furthest from the light-emitting element 202 (in three-dimensional space, regardless of the X-axis direction) reaches the photodetector 204 is also displaced by a displacement ratio G. The displacement ratio G has a value that depends on the angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting part 207 and the angle of the light-receiving surface of the photodetector 204 relative to the light-reflecting part 207. The chestpiece 110 may be configured such that the displacement ratio G is greater than 1.5, or it may be configured such that the displacement ratio G is greater than 2.

[0068] As shown in Figures 3(a) to 4(b), the upper boundary line 301b is defined by the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 above the reflected light 212, and is a boundary line that does not move in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a and whose length does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. The portion of the light-shielding wall 304 below the incident light 211 does not need to shield the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. For example, the portion of the light-shielding wall 304 below the incident light 211 does not need to be provided. Also, the lower boundary line 301a is defined by the portion of the light-shielding wall 304 above the incident light 211. Therefore, the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 below the reflected light 212 does not need to shield the light specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207. For example, the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 below the reflected light 212 does not need to be provided.

[0069] Next, with reference to Figure 5, the changes in the light-irradiated area 301 formed by the reflected light 212 that reaches the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 will be explained. Figure 5 is a plan view showing the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204. The left side of Figure 5 shows the position of the light-irradiated area 301 when the diaphragm 206 is not pressed. The right side of Figure 5 shows the position of the light-irradiated area 301 when the diaphragm 206 is pressed by the biological surface 320.

[0070] To illustrate direction, the coordinate system CS' is shown in Figure 5. The coordinate system CS' is a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system with mutually orthogonal X' and Y' axes. The Y' axis coincides with the Y axis of the coordinate system CS. The X' axis is parallel to the XZ plane of the coordinate system CS. In the following explanation, the positive direction of the X' axis is referred to as the upper side, and the negative direction of the X' axis is referred to as the lower side.

[0071] The surface of the light-receiving element 204 that faces the internal space 213 becomes the light-receiving surface. The light-receiving element 204 detects the amount of light that reaches the light-receiving surface. As described above, in this embodiment, the light-receiving element 204 is a single light-receiving element. A line sensor or an area sensor may be used instead of a single light-receiving element. The light-receiving surface may have a rectangular shape. Of the four sides of the light-receiving surface, the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and closer to the diaphragm 206 is represented as side 204a.

[0072] The area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 is defined by the lower boundary line 301a, the upper boundary line 301b, and the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d. As shown in Figure 5, the lower boundary line 301a of the light-irradiated region 301 changes in the X' axis direction in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a. On the other hand, the upper boundary line 301b and the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d hardly move in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a. Therefore, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 changes in accordance with the movement of the lower boundary line 301a. The length of the upper boundary line 301b does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. On the other hand, the lengths of the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d change when the contact surface 206a is displaced.

[0073] When the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301 changes, the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 also changes. Specifically, the greater the displacement of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 from a flat state, the shorter the distance between the lower boundary line 301a and the upper boundary line 301b (i.e., the length of the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d), and the smaller the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301. Therefore, the greater the displacement of the diaphragm 206 from a flat state, the less light the light-receiving element 204 receives. Accordingly, the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 also becomes smaller. As shown in Figure 5, the amount of movement of the lower boundary line 301a accompanying the movement of the light-reflecting portion 207 is greater than the amount of movement of the upper boundary line 301b accompanying the movement of the light-reflecting portion 207.

[0074] The change in the X' axis direction of the light-irradiated region 301 is greater than the change in the Y' axis direction of the light-irradiated region 301. Therefore, in order to increase the dynamic range of the photodetector 204, it is preferable to make the width of the photodetector 204 in the X' axis direction greater than the width of the photodetector 204 in the Y' axis direction. More specifically, it is preferable that the width of the photodetector 204 in the X' axis direction be three times or more the width of the photodetector 204 in the Y' axis direction.

[0075] Next, with reference to Figure 6, the relationship between the displacement of the biological surface 320 and the displacement signal will be explained. The displacement signal is the voltage output from the light-receiving circuit board 205. Graph 400 in Figure 6 shows the relationship between the displacement of the biological surface 320 and the displacement signal. The horizontal axis of graph 400 represents the displacement of the biological surface 320, and the vertical axis represents the displacement signal generated by the light-receiving circuit board 205.

[0076] As described above, the displacement of the biological surface 320 is equal to the displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207. The displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207 is equal to the displacement of the diaphragm 206. As shown in Figure 5, as the displacement of the reflected light 212 increases, the amount of reflected light 212 that reaches the photodetector 204 decreases monotonically and linearly. Therefore, if the displacement of the biological surface 320 is d and the value of the displacement signal is S, then in the range d ≤ dmax, S can be expressed by the following equation. S = Vmax - k × d

[0077] In the above equation, Vmax is the value of the displacement signal when the displacement d is zero. Vmax is determined by the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. The sensitivity of the photodetector 204 is the amount of change in the output voltage per unit amount of light incident on the photodetector 204. Vmax is larger the higher the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. Also, Vmax is larger the higher the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202. k is the amplification factor of the photodetector 204. k is also determined by the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. k is larger the higher the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. Also, k is larger the higher the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202.

[0078] The displacement amount d at which the displacement signal S becomes zero is denoted as dmax. For example, dmax is 1 mm. As the displacement amount d of the biological surface 320 increases, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 decreases and becomes zero. When the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 becomes zero, the displacement signal S also becomes zero. The displacement amount d at which the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 becomes zero is determined by the respective positions of the light-receiving element 204 and the aperture portion 210 relative to the reflected light 212.

[0079] When the displacement d exceeds dmax, the reflected light 212 no longer reaches the photodetector 204, so even if the displacement d increases, the displacement signal S remains zero. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 is configured such that the displacement d is in the range of 0 or more and dmax or less within the range in which the vibration of the diaphragm 206 is expected (this is referred to as the operating range of the diaphragm 206). As shown in Graph 400, the light-emitting element 202 and the photodetector 204 are arranged such that the amount of light reaching the photodetector 204 (amount of light received) changes monotonically in response to the movement of the light-reflecting part 207 in one direction within the operating range of the diaphragm 206. In the example in Figure 6, the photodetector 204 is arranged so that the amount of light received decreases monotonically, but the photodetector 204 may also be arranged so that the amount of light received monotonically increases.

[0080] In this embodiment, the light-emitting element 202 and the light-receiving element 204 are arranged such that all of the reflected light 212 reaches the light-receiving element 204 when the diaphragm 206 is flat. Alternatively, the light-emitting element 202 and the light-receiving element 204 may be arranged such that all of the reflected light 212 reaches the light-receiving element 204 when the diaphragm 206 is displaced below flat.

[0081] In the embodiment described above, the normal to the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 is inclined with respect to the Z-axis direction (i.e., the normal direction of the diaphragm 206). Alternatively, the normal to the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 may coincide with the Z-axis direction. That is, the light-receiving surface will be parallel to the diaphragm 206.

[0082] In the chestpiece 110 according to the above embodiment, when a biological surface, which is an example of a subject, is in close contact with the diaphragm 206, a displacement signal is generated based on the amount of displacement of the biological surface 320, which vibrates integrally with the diaphragm 206. Therefore, for example, displacement of the biological surface 320 due to low-frequency vibrations of about 10 Hz can be detected with high accuracy. Such low-frequency vibrations are included in sounds (e.g., heart sounds) emitted by vibrations propagated from inside the body by the heartbeat. In the chestpiece 110, the displacement signal does not change unless the diaphragm 206 is displaced. Therefore, ambient sound and vibrations or accelerations due to the movement of the chestpiece 110 are not detected as noise, and a high S / N ratio output characteristic can be obtained. In other words, the chestpiece 110 can accurately detect the displacement of the biological surface 320.

[0083] [Hardware configuration of electronic stethoscopes] Refer to Figure 7 for an example of the hardware configuration of the electronic stethoscope 100. The electronic stethoscope 100 comprises the chestpiece 110 described above and a sound signal output unit 510 as an output unit. The sound signal output unit 510 is realized by a plurality of circuit elements mounted on a circuit board included in the gripping unit 120. The plurality of circuit elements include a processor. The processor constituting the sound signal output unit 510 transmits a sound signal based on the displacement signal generated by the chestpiece 110 to an external sound output device. The sound signal transmitted by the sound signal output unit 510 represents the biological sound of a living organism (e.g., a human) having a biological surface 320, and is therefore also called a biological signal. The sound signal is transmitted to a sound output device 520 such as earphones or headphones. At the same time as transmitting the sound signal to the sound output device 520, it is also transmitted to a computer 530 (e.g., a personal computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.). Users, such as doctors, nurses, and public health nurses, can hear biological sounds represented as sound signals, which are digitally converted signals, using an audio output device 520 or a computer 530. The audio output device 520 is either a wired or wireless earphone or headphones.

[0084] The sound signal output unit 510 has the components shown in Figure 7. The sound signal output unit 510 is compatible with the earphones or headphones described above and is capable of transmitting sound signals via both wireless and wired communication. The following describes the process by which the sound output device 520 outputs sound signals via wired communication. The displacement signal output from the chestpiece 110 is filtered and amplified by the filter / amplifier 518 and supplied to the A / D converter 511 and amplifier 515, respectively. The amplifier 515 further amplified the output from the filter / amplifier 518 and supplied it to the wired communication unit 517. The wired communication unit 517 provided the amplified sound signal to the sound output device 520. The wired communication unit 517 is, for example, a 3.5mm AUX terminal. The amplification gain of the amplifier 515 is adjusted by the volume control unit 516. The sound output device 520 may be considered as part of the electronic stethoscope 100. In this case, the electronic stethoscope 100 includes a chestpiece 110, a gripping part 120, and a sound output device 520.

[0085] Next, the processing for the sound output device 520 to output an audio signal via wireless communication will be described. The A / D converter 511 digitizes the output from the filter / amplifier 518. The digital displacement signal is then amplified by the amplifier 512 and supplied to the encoder 513. The encoder 513 generates audio data for wireless communication by applying signal processing such as data compression and encoding to the amplified audio signal. The processing order of the amplifier 512 and encoder 513 may be reversed. Subsequently, the wireless communication unit 514, which conforms to a wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth®, provides the processed audio data to the sound output device 520. The amplification gain of the amplifier 512 is adjusted by the volume control unit 516. The electronic stethoscope 100 described above is an example that can output an audio signal via both wireless and wired communication, but it may also be possible to output an audio signal via only one of these communications.

[0086] The transmission of an audio signal to the computer 530 is the same as the transmission of an audio signal to the sound output device 520. The computer 530 can also visually display waveform data generated based on the audio signal. The waveform data may be generated by the computer 530 or by the electronic stethoscope 100. In addition, some or all of the signal processing and sound output processing by the electronic stethoscope 100 may be performed by an external device (e.g., the sound output device 520 or the computer 530).

[0087] In this disclosure, "detection device" refers to a device having at least a diaphragm, a light-emitting unit, and a light-receiving unit, capable of generating a signal (displacement signal described later) corresponding to the displacement of a biological surface. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 of this embodiment is an example of a "detection device". Furthermore, the electronic auscultation device 100 of this embodiment, in which the chestpiece 110 and the gripping unit 120 are integrated, can also be called a detection device as a whole. If the chestpiece 110 is separable from the gripping unit 120 (detachable, replaceable), the chestpiece 110 in its separated state from the gripping unit 120 may also be referred to as a detection device.

[0088] Furthermore, in this disclosure, "electronic stethoscope" refers to a device having at least a detection device and a sound output unit that outputs a signal (sound signal) to a sound output device to emit sound based on a signal (displacement signal) generated by the detection device. The electronic stethoscope 100 according to this embodiment comprises a chestpiece 110 and a sound signal output unit 510 mounted inside a gripping unit 120. The detection device and the sound output unit do not necessarily have to be configured as a single unit. For example, the chestpiece 110 may be attached to a subject, while the sound signal output unit 510 remains on a desk and receives the displacement signal by communicating with the chestpiece 110 via wired or wireless means.

[0089] The electronic auscultation device 100 can accurately detect the displacement of the biological surface 320 in relation to vibrations across a wide frequency range of the biological surface 320. Therefore, the electronic auscultation device 100 enables good auscultation of both relatively low-frequency biological sounds such as heart sounds emitted by the body due to heartbeat, and relatively high-frequency biological sounds emitted by the body due to respiration. Respiratory sounds are biological vibrations that include a frequency band (first frequency band) containing components in the range of 500 Hz to 1 kHz, for example. Heart sounds are biological vibrations that include a frequency band (second frequency band) containing components in the range of 30 Hz to 300 Hz, for example.

[0090] A mode switching button 123c is provided on the control unit 123 of the electronic stethoscope 100. When the mode switching button 123c is pressed, the auscultation mode of the electronic stethoscope 100 switches between a mode suitable for auscultation of heart sounds (hereinafter referred to as "heart sound mode") and a mode suitable for auscultation of breath sounds (hereinafter referred to as "breath sound mode"). The electronic stethoscope 100 may have auscultation modes other than the heart sound mode as the first mode and the breath sound mode as the second mode. When auscultating heart sounds, the user operates the mode switching button 123c provided on the control unit 123 to select the heart sound mode, which is one of the auscultation modes. On the other hand, when auscultating breath sounds, the user operates the mode switching button 123c provided on the control unit 123 to select the breath sound mode, which is one of the auscultation modes.

[0091] The control unit 123 is equipped with volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) for adjusting the gain of the displacement signal output by the electronic stethoscope 100. The volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) are used to adjust the volume of the sound output by the electronic stethoscope 100. Furthermore, the indicator 123d of the electronic stethoscope 100 is equipped with an LED that indicates whether the current auscultation mode is heart sound mode or respiratory sound mode. The color of this LED allows the user to visually confirm whether the operating mode is heart sound mode or respiratory sound mode. Note that heart sound mode and respiratory sound mode are examples of auscultation modes.

[0092] [Charging device for electronic stethoscope in the first embodiment] Next, the charging device 610 for charging the electronic stethoscope 100 will be described using Figures 8 to 11(b). Figure 8 is a side view showing the charging device 610 with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached. Figure 9(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610, and Figure 9(b) is another perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610. Figure 10(a) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 before it is attached to the charging device 610, and Figure 10(b) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 in the process of being attached to the charging device 610. Figure 10(c) is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610.

[0093] As shown in Figures 8 to 9(b), the charging device 610 according to this embodiment supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. More specifically, the charging device 610 is integrally formed with a support portion 611 that supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and a membrane protection portion 619 that is provided as a counter portion facing the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The membrane protection portion 619 is spaced apart from the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the thickness direction of the diaphragm 206, and does not come into contact with the diaphragm 206. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection portion 619 of the charging device 610.

[0094] Furthermore, the charging device 610 of this embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces downward in the direction of gravity. This suppresses the adhesion of foreign matter such as dust, bacteria, and viruses to the contact surface 206a, and keeps the contact surface 206a hygienic.

[0095] The support portion 611 of the charging device 610 is provided with a support surface 611a that supports the vicinity of the chestpiece 110 of the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c, and a locking member 613. The contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are examples of first charging contact portions. When the charging device 610 is installed on a horizontal surface, the support surface 611a faces upward in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the direction of gravity. Therefore, the support surface 611a can reliably support the weight of the charging device 610 and stably hold the charging device 610.

[0096] Furthermore, a recess 618 is provided between the support surface 611a and the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c. The recess 618 is positioned so that the user's hand does not interfere when the user is attaching the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 while holding the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. Therefore, the user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 while still holding the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0097] The contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 610 are arranged to be able to contact the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c provided on the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610, respectively. The contacts 126a, 126b, 126c, 612a, 612b, and 612c are electrically conductive. The contacts 126a and 126b are provided on both sides of the gripping portion 120 in the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the contact 126c is provided on the downstream side of the gripping portion 120 in the negative Z-axis direction.

[0098] As shown in Figure 10(a), the contact 612c is attached to a contact lever 614 provided on the charging device 610. The contact lever 614, as a rotating member, is rotatable around a pivot axis 614a extending in the Y-axis direction. The contact lever 614 has a contact holding portion 614b that supports the contact 612c and a pressed portion 614c that is pressed by the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The Y-axis direction is the direction that intersects the mounting direction (positive X-axis or negative Z-axis) in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 610.

[0099] Furthermore, the locking member 613 for locking the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 is rotatably mounted around a pivot axis 613a extending in the Y-axis direction. The locking member 613 has an engaging claw 613b that can engage with a recess 129 (see Figures 1(c) and 10(c)) provided in the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The recess 129 is provided on the end face of the gripping portion 120 in the X-axis direction. The locking member 613 locks the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 by the engagement of the engaging claw 613b with the recess 129. The locking member 613 is biased by a spring 615 so that the engaging claw 613b engages with the recess 129.

[0100] As shown in Figure 10(a), the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 610, for example, from top to bottom in the Z-axis direction. The contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 610 are positioned at approximately the same height in the Z-axis direction. As shown in Figure 10(b), the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 simultaneously contact the contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 610. At this time, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is not in contact with the contact 612c of the charging device 610.

[0101] As the electronic stethoscope 100 moves further downward (in the negative Z-axis direction), the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 contacts and presses against the pressed portion 614c of the contact lever 614. As a result, the contact lever 614 rotates around the pivot axis 614a, and the contact 612c attached to the contact lever 614 contacts the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100. Simultaneously, the engaging claw 613b of the locking member 613 engages with the recess 129 of the gripping portion 120, locking the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 in the Z-axis direction.

[0102] When removing the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 610, the user holds the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and moves the electronic stethoscope 100 relative to the charging device 610 in the negative direction of the X-axis. This releases the engagement between the engaging claw 613b of the locking member 613 and the recess 129, allowing the electronic stethoscope 100 to be removed from the charging device 610. Alternatively, the user may manually rotate the locking member 613 to release the engagement between the engaging claw 613b and the recess 129, and then lift the charging device 610 upwards.

[0103] As described above, the attachment operation (mounting operation) of the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 allows contact 126a and 126b to come into contact with contact 612a and 612b of the charging device 610, and then contact 612c to come into contact with contact 612c of the charging device 610. Contacts 612a and 612b receive force from contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the Y-axis direction, which is the direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 126a and 126b are oriented horizontally. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, and the user can intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 610. Furthermore, contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are configured to be movable by being pressed by contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0104] In this embodiment, contact 126a of the electronic stethoscope 100 is a power supply contact, and contact 126b is a ground contact. That is, the ground contact is a contact that is connected to the ground which serves as the reference voltage for the charging circuit. In this embodiment, contact 126a is a +5V contact, and contact 126b is a 0V contact. Alternatively, contact 126a may be the ground contact and contact 126b may be the power supply contact. Contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is a power control signal contact (switch contact) that initiates charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100 when contact 126c becomes conductive.

[0105] Contact 126c is the last of contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c to make contact with the contact on the charging device 610 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610. This prevents the charging of the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting while the electronic stethoscope 100 is floating relative to the charging device 610. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, contact 126c is oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity (negative Z-axis direction). Therefore, contact 126c can make stable contact with contact 612c. Also, when removing the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 610, contact 126c (power control signal contact) separates from the contact on the charging device 610 before contacts 126a and 126b. Therefore, while charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100 continues, it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 610, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0106] Next, we will describe how the earphone 2001, as an example of the sound output device 520, is attached to the charging device 610. That is, the earphone 2001 is an example of a sound output device configured to receive a sound signal output from the sound signal output unit 510 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and to output sound based on the sound signal. Figure 11(a) is a perspective view showing the earphone 2001 detached from the charging device 610, and Figure 11(b) is a perspective view showing the earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 610.

[0107] As shown in Figures 11(a) and (b), the earphone 2001 includes left and right sound output units 2001A and 2001B, a cable 2006 connecting the sound output units 2001A and 2001B, and a supported unit 2001C located approximately in the center of the cable 2006. The sound output units 2001A and 2001B are examples of a first and second sound output unit, respectively, capable of outputting sound. The supported unit 2001C contains a battery and circuit board (not shown) and is provided with a pair of earphone contacts 2001D. The earphone contacts 2001D are an example of a conductive second contact unit. The sound signal output from the sound signal output unit 510 may be received by the supported unit 2001C or by each of the sound output units 2001A and 2001B. Based on the received sound data, sound is output from the sound output units 2001A and 2001B.

[0108] The charging device 610 is provided with an earphone support portion 2002 that supports the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001, and a pair of earphone charging terminals 2004 arranged on the earphone support portion 2002. The earphone charging terminals 2004 are an example of a second charging contact portion. The earphone support portion 2002, as a contact support portion, has a concave shape so as to accommodate the supported portion 2001C. The charging device 610 also has a first support portion and second support portions, audio output portion housing portions 2003a and 2003b, which house and support the sound output portions 2001A and 2001B of the earphone 2001, respectively. The earphone support portion 2002 and the audio output portion housing portions 2003a and 2003b attract the supported portion 2001C and the sound output portions 2001A and 2001B, respectively, by magnetic force.

[0109] Therefore, when a user attaches the earphones 2001 to the charging device 610, the supported portion 2001C and the sound output portions 2001A and 2001B are attracted to the earphone support portion 2002 and the sound output portion housing portions 2003a and 2003b, respectively, preventing them from falling. Furthermore, since the earphone support portion 2002 supports the supported portion 2001C at a predetermined charging position, the earphone contact 2001D provided on the supported portion 2001C makes reliable contact with the earphone charging terminal 2004 provided on the earphone support portion 2002. As a result, charging of the earphones 2001 from the charging device 610 begins.

[0110] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 610. As shown in Figure 12, the electronic stethoscope 100, earphone 2001, and charging device 610 constitute the detection system 3000. The charging device 610 is configured to accommodate the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001. The earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 610 does not overlap with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610 when viewed in the negative Z-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 to the charging device 610, the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 610. In other words, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 610 with the earphone 2001 attached. Furthermore, with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610, the earphone 2001 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 610.

[0111] Furthermore, the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 is supported at the end of the charging device 610 in the negative direction of the X-axis, and the sound output portions 2001A and 2001B of the earphone 2001 are supported at the end of the charging device 610 in the positive direction of the X-axis. As a result, there is enough space to route the cable 2006 of the earphone 2001, and the earphone 2001 can be attached to the charging device 610 without increasing the size of the charging device 610 in the X-axis direction.

[0112] [Structure of the charging device] Next, the structure of the charging device 610 will be described in more detail using Figure 13. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging device 610. The charging device 610 has an upper cover 616 and a lower cover 617, and the upper cover 616 is detachably supported by the lower cover 617. The space enclosed by the upper cover 616 and the lower cover 617 houses contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c, a pair of earphone charging terminals 2004, a locking member 613, a contact lever 614, a spring 615, and a charging board 620. The contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are each electrically connected to the charging board 620. The earphone charging terminals 2004 are made up of pogo pins and are electrically connected to the charging board 620. Furthermore, the charging board 620 is provided with a USB connector 621 for receiving power from an external source, and as an electrical board, the charging board 620 supplies power to the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 610.

[0113] Contacts 612a, 612b, locking member 613, and contact lever 614 are partially exposed through holes 616a, 616b, 616c, and 616d provided in the upper cover 616. Contacts 612a and 612b are biased toward holes 616a and 616b, respectively, by contact springs 618a and 618b. As a result, contacts 612a and 612b protrude slightly outside the upper cover 616 and can contact contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100, respectively. The earphone support portion 2002 of the upper cover 616 is provided with a pair of holes 2004c, and the earphone charging terminal 2004 protrudes slightly upward from the holes 2004c. As a result, the earphone charging terminal 2004 can contact the earphone contact 2001D provided on the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001. Furthermore, the upper cover 616 is provided with a membrane protection portion 619 that covers the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610.

[0114] Contact 612a is a power supply contact that supplies power from the charging board 620 to the electronic stethoscope 100. Contact 612b is a ground contact that serves as the reference for the potential of the charging circuit (power supply circuit), and contact 612c is a power control signal contact for initiating charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0115] The electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c that can contact the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 610, respectively. In other words, these contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c can also be said to be a power supply contact, a ground contact, and a power control signal contact, respectively.

[0116] When the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contact 612c of the charging device 610 are electrically connected, a power control signal is sent from a CPU (not shown) in the electronic stethoscope 100 to the load switch of the charging board 620. In other words, contact 612c is configured to send a signal (power control signal) to the charging board 620 to start charging the electronic stethoscope 100 when it makes contact with contact 126c. This power control signal causes power to be supplied from the charging board 620 to contact 612a. The power supplied to contact 612a is supplied to the battery of the electronic stethoscope 100 via contact 126a of the electronic stethoscope 100, and the battery is charged. That is, when the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 610 make contact with the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100, power supplied from the charging board 620 is sent to the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0117] Furthermore, when the earphone charging terminal 2004 of the charging device 610 makes contact with the earphone contact 2001D of the earphone 2001, charging of the battery provided on the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 is started from the charging board 620 of the charging device 610.

[0118] As described above, in this embodiment, the charging device 610 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001, and is configured to charge the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001. Therefore, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be made smaller compared to, for example, a configuration in which the earphone 2001 is attached to the electronic stethoscope 100. Furthermore, since charging of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 starts simply by placing them on the charging device 610, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 can be easily charged. Therefore, the charging frequency of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 can be increased, and thus the battery of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 can be made smaller.

[0119] Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 610 are positioned so as not to overlap when viewed in the direction of attachment of the electronic stethoscope 100 (negative direction of the X axis). Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 to the charging device 610, the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 610.

[0120] 《Second Embodiment》 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is configured by adding a gripping portion housing portion 730 to the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same components as in the first embodiment will not be shown in the illustration, or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100, the earphone 2001, and the internal configuration of the charging device 710 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0121] Figure 14(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 710, and Figure 14(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 710. As shown in Figures 14(a) and (b), the charging device 710 according to the second embodiment has a gripping part housing part 730 that houses a part of the gripping part 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0122] The user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 710 by inserting the gripping part 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 into the gripping part housing 730 in the positive X-axis direction, and then moving the electronic stethoscope 100 in the negative Z-axis direction. An earphone support part 2002 and an earphone charging terminal 2004 are provided on the upper surface of the gripping part housing 730, and audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are provided on the side of the charging device 710. In Figure 14(b), the audio output unit housing 2003a is not shown, but it is located on the side of the charging device 710 opposite to the side on which the audio output unit housing 2003b is located.

[0123] In this embodiment, the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 710 overlaps with the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 mounted on the charging device 710 when viewed in the Z-axis direction. In other words, at least a portion of the earphone 2001 overlaps with the electronic stethoscope 100 when viewed in the negative Z-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100, when the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 are mounted on the charging device 710. Therefore, the charging device 710 can be miniaturized in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0124] Furthermore, the support portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 is positioned upstream of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the negative Z-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100, when the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 are attached to the charging device 710. Therefore, the user is naturally prompted to first remove the earphone 2001 from the charging device 710 and then remove the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 710, thereby reducing the likelihood of forgetting to remove the earphone 2001.

[0125] 《Third Embodiment》 Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 in a different orientation than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 810 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0126] Figure 15(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 810, and Figure 15(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 810. As shown in Figures 15(a) and (b), the charging device 810 according to the third embodiment supports the vertically oriented electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the charging device 810, the longitudinal direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 is aligned with the vertical direction. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 810 from the negative direction to the positive direction of the X-axis, i.e., from top to bottom.

[0127] An earphone support section 2002 and an earphone charging terminal 2004 are provided at the upper end of the charging device 810, and audio output section housings 2003a and 2003b are provided on the lower side surface of the charging device 810. In Figure 15(b), the audio output section housing 2003a is not shown, but it is provided on the side surface of the charging device 810 opposite to the side on which the audio output section housing 2003b is provided.

[0128] In this embodiment, the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 810 overlaps with the chestpiece 110 of the electronic stethoscope 100 mounted on the charging device 810 when viewed in the X-axis direction. In other words, with the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 810, at least a portion of the earphone 2001 is positioned to overlap with the electronic stethoscope 100 when viewed in the positive X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. As a result, the charging device 810 can be miniaturized in the Z-axis and Y-axis directions. Furthermore, the installation area of ​​the charging device 810 can be reduced.

[0129] Furthermore, the support portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 is positioned upstream of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the positive X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100, when the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 are attached to the charging device 810. Therefore, the user is naturally prompted to first remove the earphone 2001 from the charging device 810 and then remove the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 810, thereby reducing the likelihood of forgetting to remove the earphone 2001.

[0130] 《Fourth Embodiment》 Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The fourth embodiment is configured to support the earphone 2001 in a different arrangement than the charging device 810 of the third embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the third embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 910 according to this embodiment are the same as in the third embodiment.

[0131] Figure 16(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 910, and Figure 16(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 910. As shown in Figures 16(a) and (b), the charging device 910 according to the fourth embodiment supports the vertically oriented electronic stethoscope 100, similar to the third embodiment. In other words, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the charging device 910, the longitudinal direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 is aligned with the vertical direction. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 910 from the negative direction to the positive direction of the X-axis, i.e., from top to bottom.

[0132] The upper end of the charging device 910 is provided with an earphone support section 2002 and an earphone charging terminal 2004, and the lower side of the charging device 910 is provided with audio output section housings 2003a and 2003b. In Figure 16(b), the audio output section housing 2003a is not shown, but it is located on the side of the charging device 910 opposite to the side on which the audio output section housing 2003b is located. The earphone support section 2002 is located downstream of the membrane protection section 619 in the negative Z-axis direction.

[0133] In this embodiment, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 910 are arranged so as not to overlap with each other when viewed in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (positive X-axis direction). Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 to the charging device 910, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 910. That is, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 910 while the earphone 2001 is mounted on the charging device 910. Also, the earphone 2001 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 910 while the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 910.

[0134] 《Fifth Embodiment》 Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The fifth embodiment is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different orientation than the charging device 910 of the fourth embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the fourth embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1010 according to this embodiment are the same as in the fourth embodiment.

[0135] Figure 17(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 1010, and Figure 17(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 1010.

[0136] As shown in Figures 17(a) and 17(b), the charging device 1010 according to the fifth embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a position where the chestpiece 110 is below the gripping portion 120. The user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 1010 while holding the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. An earphone support portion 2002 and an earphone charging terminal 2004 are provided at the upper end of the charging device 1010, and audio output unit housing portions 2003a and 2003b are provided on the lower side surface of the charging device 1010. In Figure 17(b), the audio output unit housing portion 2003a is not shown, but it is provided on the side surface of the charging device 910 opposite to the side on which the audio output unit housing portion 2003b is provided.

[0137] The contact sequence of the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 with respect to the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010 will be explained using Figures 18(a) and 18(b). Figure 18(a) is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010, while the electronic stethoscope 100 is being attached to the charging device 1010. Figure 18(b) is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010, with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 1010.

[0138] The charging device 1010 is provided with contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c that can contact the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100. Contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are examples of the first, second, and third charging contacts, respectively. The electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1010 from the positive to the negative direction of the X-axis, that is, from top to bottom.

[0139] In the operation of attaching the electronic stethoscope 100, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 are located at the same height in the X-axis direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 18(a), when the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved downward toward the charging device 1010, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 first come into contact with the contacts 1012a and 1012b of the charging device 1010, respectively. At this time, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is not in contact with the contact 1012c of the charging device 1010. When the electronic stethoscope 100 moves further in the negative direction (downward) of the X-axis, as shown in Figure 18(b), the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 comes into contact with the contact 1012c of the charging device 1010.

[0140] Furthermore, the charging device 1010 is provided with a pressing member 1020 that can rotate around a pivot axis 1020a, and the pressing member 1020 has a pressed portion 1020b and a pressing portion 1020c. When the pressed portion 1020b of the pressing member 1020 is pressed by the tip of the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, the pressing member 1020 rotates around the pivot axis 1020a. As a result, the pressing portion 1020c of the pressing member 1020 presses the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 toward the contact 1012c of the charging device 1010.

[0141] As shown in Figure 18(b), the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010 is defined as the attached state. From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1010 to the time it is attached, contacts 126a and 126b move a distance L53 from the time they make contact with contacts 1012a and 1012b. Also, from the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1010 to the time it is attached, contact 126c moves a distance L54 from the time it makes contact with contact 1012c.

[0142] Here, contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are assumed to contact contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c at their centers when viewed in the Y-axis direction. That is, the centers of contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are the contact points with contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c, respectively. Furthermore, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 each have a predetermined width in the negative direction of the X-axis, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c extend in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. The downstream ends of contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c in the negative direction of the X-axis are defined as downstream ends 128a, 128b, and 128c.

[0143] In this case, the first distance L53 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128b of contact 126b and the contact point of contact 1012b of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. Similarly, the second distance L53 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128a of contact 126a and the contact point of contact 1012a of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. In this embodiment, since contacts 126a and 126b are provided at the same height in the X-axis direction, the first distance and the second distance are equal. Furthermore, the third distance L54 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128c of contact 126c and the contact point of contact 1012c of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. And distance L54 is shorter than distance L53. Furthermore, in the X-axis direction, the distance between the contact point of contact 1012b (1012a) and the contact point of contact 1012c is shorter than the distance between the downstream end 128b (128a) of contact 126b (126a) and the downstream end 128c of contact 126c. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, contacts 126a and 126b come into contact with contacts 1012a and 1012b respectively, and then contact 126c comes into contact with contact 1012c. Note that contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c receive forces from contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (negative direction of the X-axis). Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 1010. In addition, the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are configured to be movable when pressed by the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0144] As described in the first embodiment, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are the power supply contact, ground contact, and power control signal contact, respectively. When the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, contact 126c is the last to contact contact 1012c, so it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting to charge while it is floating relative to the charging device 1010. Also, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is removed from the charging device 1010, contact 126c (power control signal contact) separates from the contact on the charging device 1010 side before contacts 126a and 126b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 1010 while charging from the charging device 1010 is still continuing, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0145] In this embodiment, the supported portion 2001C of the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 1010 overlaps with the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 mounted on the charging device 1010 when viewed in the X-axis direction. In other words, with the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 1010, at least a portion of the earphone 2001 is positioned to overlap with the electronic stethoscope 100 when viewed in the negative X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. As a result, the charging device 1010 can be miniaturized in the Z-axis and Y-axis directions. Furthermore, the installation area of ​​the charging device 1010 can be reduced.

[0146] 《Sixth Embodiment》 Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The sixth embodiment is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different arrangement than the charging device 1010 of the fifth embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the fifth embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1110 according to this embodiment are the same as in the fifth embodiment.

[0147] Figure 19(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 attached to the charging device 1110, and Figure 19(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 2001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 1110.

[0148] As shown in Figures 19(a) and 19(b), the charging device 1110 according to the sixth embodiment also supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a position where the chestpiece 110 is below the gripping portion 120, similar to the fifth embodiment. The user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 1010 while holding the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0149] An earphone support portion 2002 and an earphone charging terminal 2004 are provided at the upper end of the charging device 1110 and at the end in the negative direction of the Z axis, and audio output unit housing portions 2003a and 2003b are provided on the side of the charging device 1110 in the Y axis direction. In Figure 17(b), the audio output unit housing portion 2003a is not shown, but it is provided on the side of the charging device 1110 opposite to the side on which the audio output unit housing portion 2003b is provided.

[0150] In this embodiment, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 mounted on the charging device 1110 are arranged so as not to overlap with each other when viewed in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (negative direction of the X axis). Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 to the charging device 1110, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 2001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 1110. That is, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1110 while the earphone 2001 is mounted on the charging device 1110. Also, the earphone 2001 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1110 while the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1110.

[0151] Furthermore, the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are positioned in the Z-axis direction at an offset position from the chestpiece 110 of the electronic stethoscope 100 mounted on the charging device 1110, and on the opposite side from the earphone support 2002. In this embodiment, in the Y-axis direction, the width of the chestpiece 110 is wider than the width of the gripping portion 120. Therefore, by providing the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b at an offset position from the chestpiece 110 in the Z-axis direction, the width of the charging device 1110 in the Y-axis direction can be reduced. In addition, by positioning the earphone support 2002 and the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b at separate positions in the Z-axis direction, space can be secured for routing the cable 2006.

[0152] 《Seventh Embodiment》 Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. The seventh embodiment modifies the earphone 2001 of the first embodiment and the support configuration of the earphone 2001 in the charging device 610. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the internal configuration of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 1210 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0153] Figure 20(a) is a perspective view showing the charging device 1210 with the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 attached, and Figure 20(b) is a perspective view showing the charging device 1210 with the cover 2005 open. Figure 21(a) is a perspective view showing the earphone 3001 just before it is attached to the charging device 1210. Figure 21(b) is a perspective view showing the charging device 1210 with the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 removed.

[0154] As shown in Figures 20(a) to 21(b), the earphone 3001 according to the seventh embodiment does not have a cable 2006 like the earphones 2001 according to the first to sixth embodiments described above. That is, the earphone 3001 consists of sound output units 2001A and 2001B, each capable of communicating wirelessly with the electronic stethoscope 100 and provided independently of each other. In other words, the earphone 3001 is an example of a sound output device configured to receive a sound signal output from the sound signal output unit 510 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and output sound based on the sound signal. The sound output units 2001A and 2001B each have a pair of earphone contacts 2001Da and 2001Db. The earphone contacts 2001Da and 2001Db are examples of conductive second contact unit, first contact, and second contact.

[0155] The charging device 1210 includes a main body 1260 and a cover 2005 that is openably supported relative to the main body 1260. The main body 1260 includes a charging board 620, audio output unit housings 2003a, 2003b, and earphone charging terminals 2004a, 2004b. When the cover 2005 is opened, a pair of audio output unit housings 2003a, 2003b provided on the main body 1260 are exposed to the outside of the charging device 1210. Each of the audio output unit housings 2003a, 2003b is provided with a pair of earphone charging terminals 2004a, 2004b. The earphone charging terminals 2004a, 2004b are examples of a second charging contact, a first charging contact, and a second charging contact.

[0156] When charging the earphones 3001, the user first opens the cover 2005 and places the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphones 3001 into the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b of the charging device 1210. The sound output units 2001A and 2001B are attracted to the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, respectively, by magnets (not shown) provided on the charging device 1210, preventing them from falling. Also, since the sound output units 2001A and 2001B are supported by the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, respectively, in a predetermined charging position, the earphone contacts 2001Da and 2001Db make secure contact with the earphone charging terminals 2004a and 2004b. As a result, charging of the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphones 3001 from the charging device 1210 begins.

[0157] Furthermore, the earphone 3001 is composed of two sound output units 2001A and 2001B that can connect to each other wirelessly. Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 to the charging device 1210, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 1210. In other words, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1210 while the earphone 3001 is attached to the charging device 1210. Also, while the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210, the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphone 3001 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1210.

[0158] Furthermore, the user can protect the earphone 3001 while it is charging by closing the cover 2005. This prevents the earphone 3001 from detaching from the charging device 1210 while it is charging, ensuring that the earphone 3001 is charged reliably.

[0159] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the audio output unit housings 2003a, 2003b and the cover 2005 are provided at the end of the charging device 1210 in the positive direction of the X axis. Therefore, the charging device 1210 can be miniaturized in the Y axis and Z axis directions.

[0160] 《Eighth Embodiment》 Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The eighth embodiment is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 at a different position than the charging device 1210 of the seventh embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the seventh embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1310 according to this embodiment are the same as in the eighth embodiment.

[0161] Figure 22(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 attached to the charging device 1310, and Figure 22(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 1310. As shown in Figures 22(a) and (b), the charging device 1310 according to the eighth embodiment supports the vertically oriented electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the charging device 810, the longitudinal direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 is aligned with the vertical direction. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1310 from the negative direction to the positive direction of the X-axis, that is, from top to bottom.

[0162] The charging device 1310 includes a support portion 1311 that supports the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001, a rising portion 1312 that extends upward from the support portion 1311, and a membrane protection portion 619 provided at the upper end of the rising portion 1312. Similar to the first embodiment, the membrane protection portion 619 is positioned opposite the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 with a gap between them, and protects the diaphragm 206.

[0163] The upper surface of the support portion 1311 is provided with audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, and each of these housings is provided with a pair of earphone charging terminals 2004a and 2004b. The grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with a pair of chamfered portions 171 and 172 to facilitate the user's grip. The audio output unit housing 2003a is positioned opposite and adjacent to the chamfered portion 171 of the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 housed in the charging device 1310. Similarly, the audio output unit housing 2003b is positioned adjacent to the chamfered portion 172 of the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 housed in the charging device 1310.

[0164] Furthermore, recesses 1312a and 1312b are provided in the rising portion 1312, respectively, at positions opposite to the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b. In this way, the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are arranged so as not to overlap with the attachment / detachment trajectory of the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 1310. In addition, the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are arranged to secure space so that the sound output units 2001A and 2001B can be attached to and detached from them. This makes the charging device 1310 more compact.

[0165] When charging the earphones 3001, the user attaches the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphones 3001 to the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b of the charging device 1310. The sound output units 2001A and 2001B are attracted to the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, respectively, by magnets (not shown) provided on the charging device 1310, preventing them from falling. Furthermore, since the sound output units 2001A and 2001B are supported by the sound output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, respectively, in a predetermined charging position, the earphone contacts 2001Da and 2001Db make secure contact with the earphone charging terminals 2004a and 2004b. As a result, charging of the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphones 3001 from the charging device 1310 begins.

[0166] Furthermore, the earphone 3001 is composed of two sound output units 2001A and 2001B that can connect to each other wirelessly. Therefore, when attaching or detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 to the charging device 1310, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 1310. In other words, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1310 while the earphone 3001 is attached to the charging device 1310. Also, while the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1310, the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphone 3001 can be attached to and detached from the charging device 1310.

[0167] 《Ninth Embodiment》 Next, a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The ninth embodiment is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 at a different position than the charging device 1310 of the eighth embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the eighth embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1410 according to this embodiment are the same as in the eighth embodiment.

[0168] Figure 23(a) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 attached to the charging device 1410, and Figure 23(b) is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and earphone 3001 immediately before being attached to the charging device 1410. Figure 23(c) is a rear view showing the electronic stethoscope 100. As shown in Figures 23(a) and (b), the charging device 1410 according to the ninth embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a position where the chestpiece 110 is below the gripping portion 120. The user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 1410 while holding the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0169] Audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are provided on the side of the charging device 1410 in the Y-axis direction. Audio output unit housing 2003b is provided on the side of the charging device 1410 opposite to the side on which audio output unit housing 2003a is provided. Earphone charging terminals 2004a and 2004b are provided in audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b, respectively (earphone charging terminal 2004b is not shown).

[0170] The audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b are positioned offset from the chestpiece 110 of the electronic stethoscope 100 mounted on the charging device 1410 in the Z-axis direction, which intersects with the X-axis direction in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted. In other words, they are positioned on the opposite side from the chestpiece 110. As shown in Figure 23(c), in the Y-axis direction, the width Y1 of the chestpiece 110 is wider than the width Y2 of the gripping portion 120. Therefore, by providing the audio output unit housings 2003a and 2003b in an offset position from the chestpiece 110 in the Z-axis direction, the width of the charging device 1410 in the Y-axis direction can be reduced.

[0171] The configuration and operation for charging the sound output units 2001A and 2001B of the earphone 3001 are the same as those of the charging device 1310 in the eighth embodiment. Therefore, when attaching and detaching the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 to the charging device 1310, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the earphone 3001 do not interfere with each other, improving the ease of attachment and detachment to the charging device 1310.

[0172] Other embodiments In the first to sixth embodiments, the left and right sound output units 2001A and 2001B were connected by a cable 2006, and an earphone contact 2001D was provided on a supported portion 2001C located in the middle of the cable 2006. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the earphone contact 2001D may be provided on either the sound output unit 2001A or 2001B.

[0173] Furthermore, in all of the embodiments described above, the electronic stethoscope 100 detected vibrations of the biological surface 320 using an optical sensor including a light-emitting element 202 and a light-receiving element 204, but is not limited to this. For example, instead of an optical sensor, a piezoelectric element sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetostrictive vibration sensor, an ultrasonic vibration sensor, etc., may be used.

[0174] Furthermore, any of the embodiments described above may be combined in any way.

[0175] Summary of this disclosure This disclosure includes at least the following: (Composition 1) A detection system comprising a detection device, a sound output device, and a charging device to which the detection device and the sound output device can be attached, The detection device is A diaphragm having a contact portion configured to come into contact with the subject, An output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, It has a first contact portion, The sound output device has a second contact section and is configured to receive the signal output from the output section of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal. The charging device is An electrical circuit board for supplying power, A first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, It has a second charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device by contacting the second contact portion, A detection system characterized by the following: (Configuration 2) The sound output device comprises a first sound output unit and a second sound output unit, each capable of outputting sound, and a cable connecting the first sound output unit and the second sound output unit. The detection system according to configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 3) The detection device and the sound output device attached to the charging device are arranged so as not to overlap each other when viewed in the mounting direction in which the detection device is attached to the charging device. The detection system according to configuration 2, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 4) At least a portion of the sound output device is positioned such that it overlaps the detection device when the detection device and the sound output device are mounted on the charging device, as viewed in the mounting direction in which the detection device is mounted on the charging device. The detection system according to configuration 2, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 5) At least a portion of the sound output device is positioned upstream of the detection device in the mounting direction when the detection device and the sound output device are mounted on the charging device. The detection system according to configuration 4, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 6) The sound output device is provided on the cable and has a supported portion including the second contact portion, The charging device has a contact support portion that supports the supported portion of the sound output device. A detection system according to any one of configurations 2 to 5, characterized by the above. (Composition 7) The charging device includes a first support portion that supports the first sound output portion and a second support portion that supports the second sound output portion. The detection system according to configuration 6, characterized by the above. (Composition 8) The sound output device has a first sound output unit and a second sound output unit that are provided independently of each other and capable of outputting sound. The second contact portion comprises a first contact provided in the first sound output portion and a second contact provided in the second sound output portion. The second charging contact section includes a first charging contact that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the first sound output section by contacting the first contact, and a second charging contact that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the second sound output section by contacting the second contact. The detection system according to configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 9) The charging device comprises an electrical circuit board, a first charging contact section, a main body including the first charging contact and the second charging contact, and a cover supported by the main body so as to be openable and closable. The first charging contact and the second charging contact are exposed to the outside of the charging device when the cover is opened relative to the main body, and are covered by the cover when the cover is closed relative to the main body. The detection system according to configuration 8, characterized by the above. (Composition 10) The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, and a gripping portion configured to support and grip the detection unit. The gripping portion has a pair of chamfered portions, The charging device has a first support portion and a second support portion arranged opposite to the pair of chamfered portions, respectively, and supporting the first sound output portion and the second sound output portion. The detection system according to configuration 8, characterized by the above. (Composition 11) The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, and a gripping portion configured to support and grip the detection unit. The charging device includes a housing for housing the detection device, and a first support portion and a second support portion that are offset from the housing portion in a direction intersecting the mounting direction in which the detection device is mounted on the charging device, and that support the first sound output portion and the second sound output portion. The detection system according to configuration 8, characterized by the above. (Composition 12) The diaphragm is provided on the opposite side of the contact portion and has a reflective surface that displaces together with the contact portion in response to the vibration of the object being examined. The detection device comprises a light-emitting unit that emits light toward the reflective surface, and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit and reflected by the reflective surface. The output unit outputs the signal corresponding to the light received by the light receiving unit. A detection system according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, characterized by the above. (Composition 13) The detection device is configured to be switchable between a first mode for detecting vibrations in a first frequency band and a second mode for detecting vibrations in a second frequency band lower than the first frequency band. A detection system according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, characterized by the above. (Composition 14) The first mode is a mode for detecting breath sounds, The second mode is a mode for detecting heart sounds. The detection system according to configuration 13, characterized by the above. (Composition 15) A charging device to which a detection device is attached includes a diaphragm having a contact portion configured to contact a subject, an output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the contact portion of the diaphragm, and a first contact portion, and a sound output device that includes a second contact portion and is configured to receive the signal output from the output unit of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal, An electrical circuit board for supplying power, A first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, The device comprises a second charging contact portion that, by contacting the second contact portion, supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device, A charging device characterized by the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0176] 100…Detection device (electronic auscultation device) / 110…Detection unit (chestpiece) / 120…Gripping part / 126a,126b,126c…First contact part (contact) / 171,172:Chamfered part / 202:Light-emitting part (light-emitting element) / 204:Light-receiving part (light-receiving element) / 206…Diaphragm / 206a…Contact part (contact surface) / 207…Reflective surface (light-reflecting part) / 320:Subject (biological surface) / 510:Output part (sound signal output part) / 610,710,810,910,1010,1110,1210,1310,1410…Charging device / 612a,612b,612c…First charging contact part (contact) / 620…Power supply board (Electrical circuit board) / 1260: Main unit / 2001,3001: Sound output device (earphone) / 2001A: First sound output unit / 2001B: Second sound output unit / 2001C: Supported unit / 2001D,2001Da,2001Db: Second contact unit, first contact, second contact (earphone contact) / 2002: Contact support unit (earphone support unit) / 2003a: First support unit (audio output unit housing) / 2003b: Second support unit (audio output unit housing) / 2004,2004a,2004b: Second charging contact unit, first charging contact, second charging contact (earphone charging terminal) / 2005: Cover / 2006: Cable / 3000…Detection system

Claims

1. A detection system comprising a detection device, a sound output device, and a charging device to which the detection device and the sound output device can be attached, The detection device is A diaphragm having a contact portion configured to come into contact with the subject, An output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, It has a first contact portion, The sound output device has a second contact section and is configured to receive the signal output from the output section of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal. The charging device is An electrical circuit board for supplying power, A first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, It has a second charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device by contacting the second contact portion, A detection system characterized by the following:

2. The sound output device comprises a first sound output unit and a second sound output unit, each capable of outputting sound, and a cable connecting the first sound output unit and the second sound output unit. The detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1.

3. The detection device and the sound output device attached to the charging device are arranged so as not to overlap each other when viewed in the mounting direction in which the detection device is attached to the charging device. The detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 2.

4. At least a portion of the sound output device is positioned such that it overlaps the detection device when the detection device and the sound output device are mounted on the charging device, as viewed in the mounting direction in which the detection device is mounted on the charging device. The detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 2.

5. At least a portion of the sound output device is positioned upstream of the detection device in the mounting direction when the detection device and the sound output device are mounted on the charging device. The detection system according to claim 4.

6. The sound output device is provided on the cable and has a supported portion including the second contact portion. The charging device has a contact support portion that supports the supported portion of the sound output device. The detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 2.

7. The charging device includes a first support portion that supports the first sound output portion and a second support portion that supports the second sound output portion. The detection system according to claim 6.

8. The sound output device has a first sound output unit and a second sound output unit that are provided independently of each other and capable of outputting sound. The second contact portion comprises a first contact provided in the first sound output portion and a second contact provided in the second sound output portion. The second charging contact section includes a first charging contact that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the first sound output section by contacting the first contact, and a second charging contact that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the second sound output section by contacting the second contact. The detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1.

9. The charging device comprises an electrical circuit board, a first charging contact portion, a main body portion including the first charging contact and the second charging contact, and a cover supported by the main body portion so as to be openable and closable. The first charging contact and the second charging contact are exposed to the outside of the charging device when the cover is opened relative to the main body, and are covered by the cover when the cover is closed relative to the main body. The detection system according to claim 8, characterized in that it is as described above.

10. The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, and a gripping portion configured to support and grip the detection unit. The gripping portion has a pair of chamfered portions, The charging device has a first support portion and a second support portion arranged opposite to the pair of chamfered portions, respectively, and supporting the first sound output portion and the second sound output portion. The detection system according to claim 8, characterized in that it is as described above.

11. The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, and a gripping portion configured to support and grip the detection unit. The charging device includes a housing for housing the detection device, and a first support portion and a second support portion that are offset from the housing portion in a direction intersecting the mounting direction in which the detection device is mounted on the charging device, and that support the first sound output portion and the second sound output portion. The detection system according to claim 8, characterized in that it is as described above.

12. The diaphragm is provided on the opposite side of the contact portion and has a reflective surface that displaces together with the contact portion in response to the vibration of the object being examined. The detection device comprises a light-emitting unit that emits light toward the reflective surface, and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit and reflected by the reflective surface. The output unit outputs the signal corresponding to the light received by the light receiving unit. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The detection device is configured to be switchable between a first mode for detecting vibrations in a first frequency band and a second mode for detecting vibrations in a second frequency band lower than the first frequency band. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

14. The first mode is a mode for detecting breath sounds, The second mode described above is a mode for detecting heart sounds. The detection system according to claim 13, characterized in that it is as described above.

15. A charging device to which a detection device is attached includes a diaphragm having a contact portion configured to contact a subject, an output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the contact portion of the diaphragm, and a first contact portion, and a sound output device that includes a second contact portion and is configured to receive the signal output from the output portion of the detection device and to output sound based on the signal, An electrical circuit board for supplying power, A first charging contact portion that supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the detection device by contacting the first contact portion, The device comprises a second charging contact portion that, by contacting the second contact portion, supplies power supplied from the electrical circuit board to the sound output device, A charging device characterized by the following features.

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