Nasal breathing measurement device

Abstract

To provide a nasal respiration measurement apparatus having a small disposal amount, and usable repeatedly at low cost.SOLUTION: A nasal respiration measurement apparatus 1 includes a measurement part 2 for measuring information on nasal respiration of a patient, and an installation part 5 supporting the measurement part 2 and installed on a nose of the patient, and is separable into at least an electrical part 31 containing the measurement part 2 and a human body contact part 32 containing the installation part 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a nasal respiration measuring device. [Background technology]

[0002] A respiratory monitoring device described in the following Patent Document 1 is known from the past. This respiratory monitoring device includes a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the patient's nose via a nasal cannula and a nasal prosthesis, and a temperature sensor attached to the nasal prosthesis (see FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2000-500379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When acquiring biometric information related to a patient's nasal breathing, it is desirable to use a disposable device from the viewpoint of hygiene and measurement accuracy. In the above-mentioned respiratory monitoring device, the nasal cannula that comes into contact with the patient's nose is discarded together with the device. However, since the nasal cannula uses a long tube, a large amount of waste is inevitably generated. Therefore, it is not suitable for acquiring biometric information related to a patient's nasal breathing on a daily basis in terms of the amount of waste and the cost. For research related to phenomena with physiological periodicity of the nose, such as the nasal cycle, a device that can be used repeatedly at low cost with a small amount of waste is required.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a nasal respiration measuring device that requires less waste and can be used repeatedly at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A nasal breathing measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a measuring unit that measures information regarding a patient's nasal breathing, and a mounting unit that supports the measuring unit and is mounted on the patient's nose, and is separable into at least an electrical unit that includes the measuring unit and a human body contact unit that includes the mounting unit.

[0007] In one embodiment of the nasal breathing measuring device of the present invention, a measurement flow path forming section is further provided which is interposed between the electrical equipment section and the human body contact section and forms a measurement flow path in which the measurement section is positioned in fluid communication with the patient's nostrils, and which is separable into the electrical equipment section, the human body contact section, and the measurement flow path forming section.

[0008] In the nasal respiration measurement device according to one aspect of the present invention, the electrical component section, the human body contact section, and the measurement flow-path forming section are made of different materials.

[0009] A nasal breathing measurement device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first joint that detachably joins the human body contact portion and the measurement flow path forming portion, and a second joint that detachably joins the measurement flow path forming portion and the electrical equipment portion.

[0010] In the nasal respiration measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention, at least one of the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion includes a chemical bonding means.

[0011] In the nasal respiration measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention, the chemical bonding means is a dissolvable adhesive.

[0012] In the nasal respiration measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention, at least one of the first joint and the second joint includes a mechanical joint means.

[0013] In the nasal respiration measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention, the mechanical joining means is a fitting by means of fitting.

[0014] In the nasal respiration measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention, the mechanical joining means is fastening by a screw.

[0015] In one aspect of the nasal respiration measuring device of the present invention, a sealant is arranged in the second joint portion to ensure airtightness when the measurement flow path forming portion and the electrical component portion are joined. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the above aspect of the present invention, a nasal respiration measuring device can be provided that requires little waste and can be used repeatedly at low cost. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a state in which a nasal respiration measuring device according to a first embodiment is attached to a patient's nose. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the nasal respiration measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a nasal respiration measuring device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mounting portion according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 4 is a bottom view of the measurement flow-path formation part according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the nasal respiration measuring device according to the first embodiment when separated. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a nasal respiration measuring device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a side view of a nasal respiration measuring device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a nasal respiration measuring device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a front view showing a nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment attached to a nose 110 of a patient 100. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 includes a measuring unit 2, a power supply unit 3, a communication unit 4, and a mounting unit 5.

[0020] 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a patient, reference numeral 110 denotes the patient's nose, and reference numeral 120 denotes the patient's mouth. The nose 110 comprises left and right nostrils 111, a nasal septum 112 separating the left and right nostrils 111, a nasal tip 113 which is the tip of the nose 110, and nostrils 114 which bulge out to the left and right of the nose 110. The mouth 120 comprises an upper lip 121 and a lower lip 122.

[0021] The measurement unit 2 measures information related to the nasal breathing of the patient 100. The measurement unit 2 in this embodiment is a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor measures pressure changes caused by the flow of air around the device associated with the nasal breathing of the patient 100. This pressure sensor is preferably an absolute pressure sensor. The measurement unit 2 may be a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor measures temperature changes of the device caused by the flow of air around the device associated with the nasal breathing of the patient 100. The measurement unit 2 may also be other sensors, such as a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a pulse wave sensor, or a flow sensor. The measurement unit 2 may also use multiple types of sensors in combination.

[0022] The power supply unit 3 supplies power to the measurement unit 2 and the communication unit 4. The power supply unit 3 in this embodiment is an air battery. An air battery is a battery that uses oxygen in the air as the positive electrode active material and a metal as the negative electrode active material. Since the active material on the positive electrode side is oxygen, there is no need to fill the battery container with a positive electrode active material, and the battery is small and suitable for long-term use. The power supply unit 3 may be a normal primary battery in which a positive electrode active material is filled in a battery container, or a rechargeable secondary battery.

[0023] The communication unit 4 is a wireless communication module that wirelessly communicates with an external device (not shown). The external device is, for example, a data processing device that receives the measurement results of the measurement unit 2 and calculates the state of nasal breathing (such as flow rate) of the patient 100. The nasal respiration measuring device 1 may include a storage unit that stores the measurement results of the measurement unit 2 instead of or together with the communication unit 4. The storage unit is, for example, a non-volatile memory, and the measurement results stored in the memory may be retrieved when the device is removed from the patient 100.

[0024] The measurement unit 2, the power supply unit 3, and the communication unit 4 are mounted on a substrate 6. The attachment unit 5 supports the measurement unit 2, the power supply unit 3, and the communication unit 4 via the substrate 6, and is attached to the nose 110 of the patient 100. The attachment unit 5 holds a part of the nose 110 of the patient 100. The attachment unit 5 of this embodiment is inserted into the left and right nostrils 111 of the patient 100, and holds the nasal septum 112 inside the nostrils 111. The attachment unit 5 may hold the nasal tip 113 of the patient 100, or may be configured to hold the nasal ala 114 of the patient 100.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 1, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 is sized so that the portion of the device exposed outside the nose 110 when the attachment unit 5 is attached to the nose 110 of the patient 100 fits between the nose 110 and the upper lip 121 of the patient 100. That is, the exposed portion is sized to be equal to or smaller than the length of the philtrum of the patient 100 (e.g., 20 mm). Preferably, the exposed portion is about 10 mm, and the overall height of the device (dimension in the vertical direction) is about 20 mm. This prevents the nasal respiration measuring device 1 attached to the nose 110 of the patient 100 from blocking the mouth 120 of the patient 100 or interfering with eating or speaking.

[0026] In the following explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set, and the configuration and positional relationships of each component are explained with reference to this XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. The X-axis direction is the left-right direction. The Y-axis direction is the front-back direction. The Z-axis direction is the up-down direction. The + side in the X-axis direction is the left side of the human body, and the - side is the right side. The + side in the Y-axis direction is the back side of the human body, and the - side is the front side. The + side in the Z-axis direction is the upper side of the human body, and the - side is the lower side.

[0027] Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mounting unit 5 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the measurement flow path forming part 33 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 includes an electrical component section 31, a human body contact section 32, and a measurement flow path forming section 33.

[0028] 3, the electrical equipment unit 31 includes the above-mentioned measurement unit 2, power supply unit 3, communication unit 4, and substrate 6. The human body contact unit 32 includes the above-mentioned attachment unit 5. The measurement flow path forming unit 33 is interposed between the electrical equipment unit 31 and the human body contact unit 32, and forms the measurement flow path 12 in which the measurement unit 2 is disposed in fluid communication with the nostril 111 of the patient 100.

[0029] The electrical equipment section 31, the human body contact section 32, and the measurement flow-path forming section 33 are made of different materials. For example, the substrate 6 of the electrical equipment section 31 is made of a rigid substrate such as a glass cloth-based epoxy resin (FR-4) or a composite-based epoxy resin (CEM-3), or a flexible substrate such as polyimide.

[0030] The measurement flow path forming portion 33 is formed of a material having a certain degree of rigidity, such as, for example, an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin. The human body contact portion 32 (the attachment portion 5) is formed of a material having biocompatibility and elasticity, such as, for example, a fluororesin (PTFE), a PEEK resin, or a silicone rubber.

[0031] In addition, the human body contact part 32 may be formed from a material having a certain degree of rigidity, like the measurement flow-path forming part 33, when stability in measurement or device attachment is required. In this case, the attachment part 5 and the measurement flow-path forming part 33 may be formed as an integral part. That is, the human body contact part 32 may include the attachment part 5 and the measurement flow-path forming part 33. Alternatively, the measurement flow-path forming part 33 may be joined inseparably to the electrical component part 31, in which case the electrical component part 31 may include the measurement flow-path forming part 33.

[0032] The mounting portion 5 is formed in a substantially U-shape. The mounting portion 5 includes a pair of protrusions 10 and a connection portion 11 that connects the pair of protrusions 10. The connection portion 11 extends in the X-axis direction. The pair of protrusions 10 are spaced apart in the X-axis direction and extend upward (+Z side) from the connection portion 11. The pair of protrusions 10 have a tapered shape in which the dimensions in the X-axis direction (see FIG. 3) and the dimensions in the Y-axis direction (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 4) become smaller toward the upper side.

[0033] 3, opposing surfaces 10a of the pair of protrusions 10 facing each other in the X-axis direction come into contact with the nasal septum 112 of the patient 100. Meanwhile, the upper surface 11a of the connection part 11 comes into contact with the tip surface of the nasal septum 112 outside the nostril 111 of the patient 100. In other words, when the attachment part 5 is attached to the nose 110 of the patient 100, the pair of protrusions 10 are disposed inside the nostril 111, and the connection part 11 is disposed outside the nostril 111.

[0034] The facing surface 10a of the protrusion 10 includes a first plane 10a1 and a second plane 10a2. The first plane 10a1 is a plane parallel to the YZ plane, and is formed at the tip of the facing surface 10a of the protrusion 10. The first plane 10a1 contacts the nasal septum 112. Note that the tip of the facing surface 10a of the protrusion 10 may be a rounded curved surface since it contacts the skin and mucous membrane that form the nasal septum 112.

[0035] The second plane 10a2 is inclined outward in the X-axis direction at an angle θ1 with respect to the first plane 10a1. The second plane 10a2 extends from the lower end of the first plane 10a1 to the upper surface 11a of the connection part 11. The second plane 10a2 may be in contact with the nasal septum 112, or may be separated from the nasal septum 112 to increase the contact pressure of the first plane 10a1 against the nasal septum 112.

[0036] At least a part of the non-contact portion of the protrusion 10 that does not contact the nasal septum 112 is formed in a streamlined shape. In other words, all of the protrusion 10 may be streamlined except for the first plane 10a1 to the second plane 10a2. As shown in Fig. 3, the side surfaces 10b of the pair of protrusions 10 facing each other in the X-axis direction include a first curved surface 10b1 and a second curved surface 10b2.

[0037] The first curved surface 10b1 is formed from the tip to the approximately middle part of the side surface 10b of the protrusion 10. The first curved surface 10b1 has a shape in which the angle θ2 with respect to the YZ plane gradually increases toward the lower side (-Z side). This allows the airflow in the nostril 111 of the patient 100 to flow smoothly from the side surface of the nasal septum 112 to the side surface 10b of the protrusion 10, and separation, stagnation, vortexes, etc. of the airflow are less likely to occur at the tip of the protrusion 10.

[0038] The second curved surface 10b2 is connected to the lower end of the first curved surface 10b1 and is formed from approximately the middle of the side surface 10b of the protrusion 10 to the base of the protrusion 10 (the portion intersecting with the connection portion 11). The first curved surface 10b1 has a shape in which the angle θ3 with respect to the YZ plane gradually decreases toward the lower side (-Z side). This prevents the pair of protrusions 10 from spreading out to the left and right, and prevents the nostrils 111 into which the pair of protrusions 10 are inserted from narrowing.

[0039] A measurement flow path forming section 33 is joined to the side of the attachment section 5 (human body contact section 32) opposite the pair of protrusions 10. A measurement flow path 12 that is fluidly connected to the nostril 111 of the patient 100 is formed in the measurement flow path forming section 33. Note that "fluidly connected to the nostril" means that the measurement flow path 12 is not limited to being inside the nostril 111, and even if it is arranged outside the nostril 111 as in this embodiment, it is connected to a position that is affected by the flow of fluid caused by nasal breathing.

[0040] The measurement flow path 12 includes a measurement chamber 13 in which the measurement unit 2 is disposed, and a connection flow path 14 extending from the measurement chamber 13 to a side surface 11b of the measurement flow path forming unit 33. The measurement chamber 13 is formed on the lower surface 11c of the measurement flow path forming unit 33. The connection flow path 14 includes a first flow path 14a extending in the Z-axis direction and connected to the measurement chamber 13, and a second flow path 14b extending in the X-axis direction and intersecting the first flow path 14a at a right angle to connect to the side surface 11b of the measurement flow path forming unit 33. The second flow path 14b does not necessarily intersect the first flow path 14a at a right angle. The left and right side surfaces 11b of the measurement flow path forming unit 33 are inclined so that the dimension of the connection unit 11 in the X-axis direction becomes smaller as it approaches the lower side (-Z side).

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, the measurement chamber 13 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the bottom. The shape of the measurement chamber 13 is not limited to a circular shape when viewed from the bottom, and may be a rectangle, a polygon, or the like. The connection flow path 14 (first flow path 14a) is connected at an eccentric position relative to the measurement chamber 13. The sensitivity of the measurement unit 2 can be increased by positioning the axis of the first flow path 14a of the connection flow path 14 and the axis of the sensing part of the measurement unit 2 so as to coincide with each other. On the other hand, the durability and stability of the measurement unit 2 can be increased by not aligning the axes of the two. This can be set arbitrarily by the device designer.

[0042] The opening 15 of the measurement flow path 12 is formed on the side surface 11b of the measurement flow path forming section 33. The opening 15 of the measurement flow path 12 is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flow of fluid caused by the patient 100 breathing through the nose. This makes it difficult for the fluid caused by the patient 100 breathing through the nose to flow into the second flow path 14b through the opening 15 of the measurement flow path 12, making it possible for the measurement section 2 (pressure sensor) to measure the static pressure. As is well known, static pressure is easily converted into a flow rate. Note that when the fluid caused by the patient 100 breathing through the nose flows into the measurement flow path 12, the measurement section 2 may be configured to measure the total pressure.

[0043] Opening 15 of measurement flow path 12 is disposed on the rear side (+Y side) of mounting part 5 on side surface 11b of measurement flow path forming part 33. As shown in Fig. 5, although depending on individual differences, nostrils 111 often widen toward the rear side. Therefore, by disposing opening 15 of measurement flow path 12 on the rear side (+Y side), it becomes easier to measure the static pressure and total pressure of the fluid flowing approximately through the center of nostril 111, and the measurement accuracy of nasal breathing can be improved.

[0044] In the measurement flow path forming section 33, as the above-mentioned measurement flow path 12, a first measurement flow path 12A fluidly connected to the left nostril 111 of the patient 100 and a second measurement flow path 12B independent of the first measurement flow path 12A and fluidly connected to the right nostril 111 of the patient 100 are formed. As shown in Fig. 3, the measurement section 2 includes a first measurement section 2A arranged in the first measurement flow path 12A and a second measurement section 2B arranged in the second measurement flow path 12B. The openings 15 of the first measurement flow path 12A and the second measurement flow path 12B are formed back to back on the left and right side surfaces 11b of the measurement flow path forming section 33.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 3, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 having the above configuration includes a first joint 41 that separably joins the human body contact section 32 and the measurement flow path forming section 33, and a second joint 42 that separably joins the measurement flow path forming section 33 and the electrical equipment section 31. The first joint 41 and the second joint 42 include chemical joining means. The chemical joining means is, for example, a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive 20 that can be dissolved by a solvent such as acetone. The adhesive 20 may be one that can be dissolved by hot water, toluene, lacquer thinner, alcohol, ethyl acetate, or the like.

[0046] The human body contact portion 32 (attachment portion 5) and the measurement flow path forming portion 33 are joined with a dissolvable adhesive 20. The measurement flow path forming portion 33 and the electrical component portion 31 (substrate 6) are also joined with a dissolvable adhesive 20. The substrate 6 seals the bottom surface of the measurement chamber 13. In the second joint portion 42, a sealant 21 that ensures airtightness when the measurement flow path forming portion 33 and the electrical component portion 31 are joined is disposed around the measurement chamber 13. The sealant 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the Z-axis direction, and is compressed when the attachment portion 5 and the substrate 6 are joined to ensure airtightness of the measurement chamber 13.

[0047] According to the nasal respiration measuring device 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, when the patient 100 breathes through his / her nose, a fluid flows along the side surface 11b of the mounting part 5. The side surface 11b of the mounting part 5 has an opening 15 of the measurement flow path 12, and the measuring part 2 can measure the pressure change (e.g., change in static pressure) around the device due to nasal breathing at a position away from the main flow of nasal breathing. The mounting part 5 also has a first measurement flow path 12A and a second measurement flow path 12B formed therein, which are independent of each other and fluidly communicate with the left and right nostrils 111 of the patient 100, and the first measurement part 2A and the second measurement part 2B can obtain information on the left and right nose breathing independently. Such a small nasal respiration measuring device 1 causes little discomfort to the patient 100 wearing it, and can be used for a long time on a daily basis without any discomfort.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment in a separated state. 6, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 can be separated into a human body contact part 32, a measurement flow path forming part 33, and an electrical part 31 by dissolving the adhesive 20. For example, by separating only the human body contact part 32 and disposing of it, hygiene is ensured and the amount of waste is reduced. Furthermore, it is also possible to adjust the shape of the human body contact part 32 to fit the nose 110 of the patient 100.

[0049] Also, the electrical equipment unit 31, which is the most expensive part of the device, can be reused for the same patient 100 and other patients 100, resulting in significant cost reduction. Furthermore, by reusing the measurement flow-path forming unit 33 together with the electrical equipment unit 31 for the same patient 100, not only can costs be reduced, but also fluctuations in the measurement conditions of biological information related to nasal breathing can be suppressed. In addition, by standardizing the joining method between the electrical equipment unit 31 and the measurement flow-path forming unit 33, it becomes possible to easily switch to another sensor while keeping the measurement conditions the same.

[0050] As described above, the nasal respiration measuring device 1 of the first embodiment includes the measuring unit 2 that measures information related to the nasal respiration of the patient 100, and the attachment unit 5 that supports the measuring unit 2 and is attached to the nose of the patient 100, and is separable into at least an electrical component unit 31 including the measuring unit 2, and a human body contact unit 32 including the attachment unit 5. According to this configuration, only the human body contact unit 32 can be discarded and the electrical component unit 31 including the measuring unit 2, which is expensive, can be reused, thereby obtaining a nasal respiration measuring device 1 that requires less waste and can be used repeatedly at low cost.

[0051] The nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the first embodiment further includes a measurement flow path forming section 33 that is interposed between the electrical equipment section 31 and the human body contact section 32 and forms the measurement flow path 12 in which the measuring section 2 is arranged in fluid communication with the nostril 111 of the patient 100, and can be separated into the electrical equipment section 31, the human body contact section 32, and the measurement flow path forming section 33. With this configuration, the measurement flow path forming section 33 can also be reused, so that fluctuations in the measurement conditions of biological information related to nasal breathing can be suppressed. In addition, by standardizing the joining method between the electrical equipment section 31 and the measurement flow path forming section 33, it becomes possible to easily switch to another sensor while keeping the measurement conditions the same.

[0052] In the nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the first embodiment, the electrical component part 31, the human body contact part 32, and the measurement flow path forming part 33 are made of different materials. By using different materials for the electrical component part 31, the human body contact part 32, and the measurement flow path forming part 33 in this way, it is possible to reduce the burden on the patient 100 in addition to optimizing the device.

[0053] In addition, the nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the first embodiment is provided with a first joint 41 that detachably joins the human body contact portion 32 and the measurement flow path forming portion 33, and a second joint 42 that detachably joins the measurement flow path forming portion 33 and the electrical equipment portion 31.

[0054] In the nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the first embodiment, the first joint 41 and the second joint 42 are provided with chemical joining means. This configuration can improve the stability of the joints between the human body contact part 32 and the measurement flow path forming part 33, and between the measurement flow path forming part 33 and the electrical part 31. At least one of the first joint 41 and the second joint 42 may be provided with mechanical joining means, which will be described later.

[0055] Moreover, in the nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the first embodiment, the chemical bonding means is a dissolvable adhesive 20. With this configuration, the human body contact part 32 and the measurement flow-path forming part 33 can be easily separated using a dissolving agent, and the measurement flow-path forming part 33 and the electrical part 31 can be easily separated using a dissolving agent.

[0056] Furthermore, in the nasal respiration measuring device 1 of this embodiment, a sealant 21 is disposed at the second joint 42 to ensure airtightness when the measurement flow-path forming section 33 and the electrical component section 31 are joined. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the inflow of fluid from the outside at the second joint 42 and reduce interference with the measurement section 2.

[0057] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent configurations as those in the above-described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0058] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 8 is a side view of the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in the second embodiment, a first joint portion 41 and a second joint portion 42 are provided with mechanical joining means.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 7, the first joint 41 has a fitting groove 51 provided on the measurement flow-path forming section 33 side and a fitting protrusion 52 provided on the human body contact section 32 side. The fitting groove 51 has a trapezoidal dovetail shape in cross section. The fitting protrusion 52 has an inverted trapezoidal tenon shape in cross section that can fit into the fitting groove 51. The fitting groove 51 may penetrate in the Y-axis direction. In this case, the fitting protrusion 52 can be inserted from the end of the fitting groove 51 in the Y-axis direction. Note that if the fitting groove 51 does not penetrate in the Y-axis direction and the human body contact section 32 is an elastic member, the fitting protrusion 52 may be elastically deformed and inserted into the fitting groove 51.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 8, the second joint 42 includes a rotating hook 61 provided on the electrical equipment section 31 side and a locking groove 62 provided on the measurement flow path forming section 33 side. The rotating hook 61 is supported rotatably around a rotation axis 61a on the substrate 6. The locking groove 62 is formed so that the tip (bent portion) of the approximately L-shaped rotating hook 61 can be locked. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the rotating hook 61 and the locking groove 62 are provided on the front and back of the nasal respiration measuring device 1, but they may be provided on the left and right side surfaces of the nasal respiration measuring device 1. Also, as long as the joint stability can be ensured, only one set of the rotating hook 61 and the locking groove 62 may be provided.

[0061] As described above, in the nasal breathing measuring device 1 of the second embodiment, the first joint section 41 and the second joint section are provided with mechanical joining means. With this configuration, the electrical component section 31, the human body contact section 32, and the measurement flow-path forming section 33 can be separably joined without using adhesive 20 or the like. Furthermore, the mechanical joining means of the second embodiment is a fitting-in engagement, so there is no need to use fixing parts such as screws.

[0062] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent configurations as those in the above-described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the nasal respiration measuring device 1 according to the third embodiment. 9, in the third embodiment, the first joint portion 41 is provided with a mechanical joint means. The mechanical joint means in the third embodiment is fastening by a screw 72.

[0064] 7, the first joint portion 41 includes a screw hole 71 provided on the measurement flow-channel forming portion 33 side, a screw 72 that screws into the screw hole 71, and a countersunk hole 73 provided on the human body contact portion 32 side to accommodate the head of the screw 72. The screw hole 71 is formed at an angle to the Z-axis direction. By screwing the screw 72 into the screw hole 71, the fastening force between the human body contact portion 32 and the measurement flow-channel forming portion 33 can be increased. In other words, the number of screws 72 can be reduced.

[0065] The countersunk hole 73 is formed in the connecting portion 11 of the mounting portion 5. The countersunk hole 73 positions the screw 72 below the upper surface 11a of the connecting portion 11. This prevents the screw 72 from coming into contact with the nasal septum 112 of the patient 100. As described above, in the nasal breathing measurement device 1 of the third embodiment, the first joint part 41 includes a mechanical joint means. Since the mechanical joint means of the third embodiment is fastening by the screw 72, the human body contact part 32 and the measurement flow-path forming part 33 can be easily separated by using a screwdriver (tool). The mechanical joint means of the third embodiment may be applied to the second joint part 42.

[0066] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that these are illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention should not be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but rather by the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1...nasal respiration measuring device, 2...measuring section, 2A...first measuring section, 2B...second measuring section, 3...power supply section, 4...communication section, 5...mounting section, 6...substrate, 10...projection section, 10a...opposing surface, 10a1...first flat surface, 10a2...second flat surface, 10b...side surface, 10b1...first curved surface, 10b2...second curved surface, 11...connecting section, 11a...upper surface, 11b...side surface, 11c...lower surface, 12...measurement flow path, 12A...first measurement flow path, 12B...second measurement flow path, 13...measurement chamber, 14...connecting flow path, 14a...first flow path, 1 4b...second flow path, 15...opening, 20...adhesive, 21...sealing material, 31...electrical component, 32...body contact portion, 33...measurement flow path forming portion, 41...first joint portion, 42...second joint portion, 51...fitting groove, 52...fitting protrusion, 61...rotating hook, 61a...rotating shaft, 62...locking groove, 71...hole, 73...hole, 100...patient, 110...nose, 111...nostril, 112...nasal septum, 113...nasal tip, 114...nasal ala, 120...mouth, 121...upper lip, 122...lower lip, θ1...angle, θ2...angle, θ3...angle

Claims

1. A measurement unit for measuring information regarding the patient's nasal breathing; A mounting part that supports the measurement part and is mounted on the patient's nose, A nasal breathing measuring device that can be separated into at least an electrical unit including the measurement unit, a human body contact unit including the mounting unit, and a measurement flow path forming unit interposed between the electrical unit and the human body contact unit and fluidly connected to the patient's nostrils to form a measurement flow path in which the measurement unit is positioned.

2. The nasal respiration measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical component section, the human body contact section, and the measurement flow path forming section are made of different materials.

3. a first joint portion that separably joins the human body contact portion and the measurement flow-path forming portion; The nasal respiration measuring device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second joint portion that separably joins the measurement flow path forming portion and the electrical equipment portion.

4. The nasal breath measuring device according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second bonding portions comprises a chemical bonding means.

5. The nasal respiratory measurement device according to claim 4, wherein the chemical bonding means is a dissolvable adhesive.

6. The nasal breath measuring device of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first joint and the second joint comprises a mechanical joint means.

7. The nasal respiratory measurement device according to claim 6, wherein the mechanical connection means is a snap-fit ​​engagement.

8. The nasal respiratory measurement device according to claim 6, wherein the mechanical connection means is a screw fastening.

9. A nasal breathing measurement device as described in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein a sealing material is arranged in the second joint portion to ensure airtightness when the measurement flow path forming portion and the electrical equipment portion are joined.

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