Muscle property measurement device

Abstract

Provided is a skin condition measurement device capable of measuring human skin conditions in an accurate and stable manner with good reproducibility. The present invention provides a skin condition measurement device including: a housing; a base part that is secured to the interior of the housing; a slider part that is supported by the housing in a slidable manner; a sensor unit that is supported by the slider part in a slidable manner; a first biasing means for biasing the sensor unit so that a distal-end section of the sensor unit is separated from the slider part; a cover part that is connected to the slider part in a detachable manner and that has a guide surface to be pressed against a skin and an opening that is formed in the guide surface and through which the distal-end section of the sensor unit is moved in and out; and a second biasing means for biasing the slider part so that the guide surface is separated from the housing, wherein the skin condition measurement device is configured so that, initially, only the guide surface is moved toward the housing with the guide surface being pressed against the skin in an increasing manner and, subsequently, the guide surface and the distal-end section of the sensor unit are moved toward the housing.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a skin property measuring device for measuring human skin properties, and in particular to a skin property measuring device comprising a housing section, a measurement assistant unit that is slidably supported on the housing section and guides the sensor section so that the angle at which it is pressed against the skin surface of the person being measured is perpendicular, and a sensor section that is slidably supported on the measurement assistant unit, with the tip of the sensor section being positioned outside the measurement assistant unit only during measurement. [Background technology]

[0002] Skin property measuring devices are known as devices for measuring the moisture content, elasticity, and other properties of human skin. In general, skin moisture is measured by pressing a pair of electrodes consisting of a positive electrode and a negative electrode against the skin to pass an electric current and measure the electrical conductivity of the skin between the electrodes. However, the above-mentioned methods for measuring skin moisture have a problem in that it is difficult to accurately measure skin moisture with good reproducibility because the measurement sensitivity varies depending on the contact angle between the electrodes and the skin and the pressing force.

[0003] For this reason, in order to stabilize the pressure between the electrode and the skin, a skin moisture measuring device has been developed in which a sensor equipped with an electrode to be pressed against human skin is movably attached to a case via a spring, and when a predetermined pressure is applied to the sensor, the device notifies the user, thereby encouraging the measurement of skin moisture content under a constant pressure, as described, for example, in JP 2003-169787 A (Patent Document 1).

[0004] However, the skin moisture measuring device described in Patent Document 1 is not only unable to stabilize the contact angle between the sensor and the skin, but also deforms the skin in the area pressed by the sensor and the surrounding skin over a wide area. Therefore, the elasticity of the skin in the measurement area is affected not only by the change in elasticity caused by the deformation of the skin pressed by the sensor, but also by the tensile stress caused by the deformation of the surrounding skin, making it extremely unstable. In other words, the skin moisture measuring device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that even if the pressing force of the sensor on the device side is constant and stabilized, it cannot accurately measure the moisture content of the skin with good reproducibility unless the elasticity of the skin required to measure the moisture content on the human side is stabilized.

[0005] On the other hand, in order to stabilize the contact angle and pressure between the electrode and the skin, a skin property measuring probe has been developed in which the electrodes to be pressed against human skin are arranged in a ring shape on a probe end face having a certain area, and the probe end face is pressed via a spring, thereby measuring the moisture content of the skin, as described, for example, in JP 2001-046344 A (Patent Document 2).

[0006] However, in the skin property measuring probe described in Patent Document 2, the probe end face on which the electrodes are arranged is formed as a flat surface with a wide area. Therefore, in areas such as the human arm which have almost no flat surfaces and are mostly formed of curved surfaces, even if the probe end face is pressed into the skin, a pressure distribution occurs at the probe end face and within the electrode, resulting in uneven and unstable pressure on the electrode, making it impossible to reproducibly measure accurate skin moisture content.

[0007] Furthermore, in the skin moisture measuring device described in Patent Document 1, a display means has been developed that informs the user of the appropriate pressure on the sensor by displaying the relative position between the sensor equipped with electrodes and the case.

[0008] However, the display means described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that if the sensor equipped with electrodes is not pressed against human skin at an appropriate angle, the display means will display that the appropriate pressure has been reached as long as the sensor moves to a specified position relative to the case, even if the actual pressure is not appropriate, and therefore cannot prevent measurement errors due to improper pressing of the sensor part, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-169787 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-046344 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a skin property measuring device that can accurately, stably and reproducibly measure skin properties such as moisture content and elasticity for human skin having various properties such as surface shape and elasticity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The inventors have conducted extensive research into methods and configurations for stabilizing the contact angle and pressure force between a probe or electrode and the skin in a skin property measuring device for measuring human skin properties.As a result, they have discovered that the above problem can be solved by dividing the probe portion into a sensor section equipped with electrodes, etc., and a measurement auxiliary unit that controls the contact angle of the tip of the sensor section, and by providing separate springs or the like for the sensor section and the measurement auxiliary unit to apply pressure so that the elasticity (reaction force) of the skin is constant, thereby completing the present invention.

[0012] That is, according to the present invention, there is provided a skin property measuring device comprising a housing, a base fixed inside the housing, a slider portion slidably supported on the housing, a sensor portion slidably supported on the slider portion, first biasing means for biasing the sensor portion so as to move the tip of the sensor portion away from the slider portion, a cover portion having a guide surface for pressing against the skin of the person to be measured and an opening for inserting and removing the tip of the sensor portion arranged within the guide surface and removably connected to the slider portion, and second biasing means for biasing the slider portion so as to move the guide surface away from the housing, characterized in that as the guide surface is pressed by the skin of the person to be measured, first only the guide surface moves toward the housing, and then the guide surface and the tip of the sensor portion move toward the housing.

[0013] In this specification, since the slider part and the cover part connected to the slider part move together, they may be collectively referred to as a "measurement auxiliary unit." Furthermore, the skin property measuring device of the present invention can measure skin properties such as moisture content and elasticity as long as the measurement target is skin, even if it is an animal's skin.

[0014] In the present invention, as the guide surface of the cover part is pressed by the skin of the subject, the guide surface having a larger contact area than the tip of the sensor part comes into contact with the skin of the subject before the tip of the sensor part comes into contact with the skin of the subject. Therefore, in the present invention, the cover part is first guided so that the pressing angle with respect to the skin surface of the subject is at a right angle, and then when the tip of the sensor part comes into contact with the skin of the subject, the tip of the sensor part is also guided by the cover part so that the pressing angle with respect to the skin surface of the subject is at a right angle, so that the skin properties of the subject can be measured in an appropriate contact manner.

[0015] In the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that the guide surface of the cover part and the tip of the sensor part move toward the housing as the guide surface of the cover part is pressed by the skin of the person being measured, and then only the tip of the sensor part moves toward the housing.

[0016] In addition, in the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that after the guide surface of the cover part is pressed by the skin of the person being measured and the guide surface and the tip of the sensor part move toward the housing, the pressing force per unit area generated at the tip of the sensor part is the same as the pressing force per unit area generated on the guide surface or is greater than the pressing force per unit area generated on the guide surface.

[0017] According to the present invention, after the guide surface and the tip of the sensor unit move toward the housing, the skin of the subject exposed in the opening of the guide surface is fixed by the edge of the opening, so that it maintains a uniform and constant elasticity. Therefore, by configuring the pressing force per unit area generated at the tip of the sensor unit after the above-mentioned operation to be the same as the pressing force per unit area generated at the guide surface or to be greater than the pressing force per unit area generated at the guide surface, the tip of the sensor unit can preferentially contact the skin of the subject, which is maintained at a uniform and constant elasticity, regardless of the pressing amount (pressing force) of the guide surface, and the skin condition can be measured with high accuracy.

[0018] Furthermore, in the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that a switch is attached to the base of the housing, and that the rear end of the sensor unit turns the switch to the ON state when the tip of the sensor unit moves to a predetermined position toward the housing.

[0019] According to the present invention, the tip of the sensor unit is guided so that it is pressed at a right angle against the skin surface of the person being measured, and when the skin of the person being measured is homogeneous and maintained at a constant elasticity, the switch is turned on and measurement begins, thereby enabling accurate and stable measurement of skin properties such as moisture content and elasticity.

[0020] In the skin property measuring device of the present invention, in order to easily support the first and second biasing means and enable compact arrangement, it is preferable that the sensor section be provided with a first cylindrical section in sliding contact with the base, the base be provided with a second cylindrical section in sliding contact with the sensor section, and the central axes of the first cylindrical section and the second cylindrical section be arranged coaxially.

[0021] Furthermore, when the slider portion has an opening that is in sliding contact with the sensor portion, it is more preferable that the central axis of the opening is coaxial with the central axis of the first cylindrical portion of the sensor portion.

[0022] As described above, when the sensor portion has a first cylindrical portion and the base portion has a first cylindrical portion, it is preferable to use a first helical spring as the first biasing means and a second helical spring as the second biasing means, and to arrange the central axis of the first helical spring and the central axis of the second helical spring coaxially.

[0023] It is also preferable that the first helical spring is disposed between the base and the sensor portion, and the second helical spring is disposed between the base and the slider portion.

[0024] The skin property measuring device of the present invention can be used as a skin moisture measuring device, for example, by providing a pair of electrodes consisting of a positive electrode and a negative electrode at the tip of the sensor unit to measure the moisture content of the subject's skin.

[0025] In this case, it is preferable that a plurality of electrodes are arranged in order to improve the accuracy of measuring the moisture content of the subject's skin.

[0026] In the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable to provide an indicator on the side portion of the housing for indicating the relative positions of the cover portion and sensor portion of the measurement assistant unit in relation to the housing, and it is more preferable that the indicator comprises a window portion formed in the side portion of the housing, a first display portion slidably supported inside the window portion and connected to the slider portion of the measurement assistant unit, and a second display portion slidably supported inside the window portion and connected to the sensor portion.

[0027] The skin property measuring device of the present invention is provided with a sensor section that can be moved separately and independently in order to accurately measure the skin property of the subject, and a measurement assistant unit (cover section and slider section) for guiding the pressing angle of the tip of the sensor section. Therefore, in the present invention, by providing an indicator that has a first display section that displays the movement of the measurement assistant unit and a second display section that displays the movement of the sensor section separately, it is possible to easily grasp the position of the measurement assistant unit and the sensor section by visual inspection, and for example, when the measurement does not start because the measurement assistant unit and the sensor section are not pressed enough, the user can easily recognize the cause of the measurement not starting (insufficient pressing). In addition, since the first display section and the second display section move mechanically in conjunction with the measurement assistant unit and the sensor section, they have the advantages of being simple in structure, not requiring a power source, and being extremely reliable.

[0028] In the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that the indicator is configured so that the sliding direction and sliding amount of the first display part coincide with the sliding direction and sliding amount of the slider part of the measurement auxiliary unit, and that the sliding direction and sliding amount of the second display part coincide with the sliding direction and sliding amount of the sensor part.

[0029] Furthermore, in the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that the indicator is configured so that the first display portion has a first region consisting of a first display color, pattern or combination thereof indicating that the cover portion is in a first position relative to the housing, and a second region consisting of a second display color, pattern or combination thereof indicating that the cover portion is in a second position relative to the housing, and that the second display portion has a third region consisting of a third display color, pattern or combination thereof indicating that the sensor portion is in a third position relative to the housing, and a fourth region consisting of a fourth display color, pattern or combination thereof indicating that the sensor portion is in a fourth position relative to the housing.

[0030] Furthermore, in the skin property measuring device of the present invention, it is preferable that the indicator is configured so that when the display in the window is a combination of the first and third regions, it indicates that the sensor unit is in a standby state, when the display in the window is a combination of the second and third regions, it indicates that the sensor unit is in a contact state, and when the display in the window is a combination of the second and fourth regions, it indicates that the sensor unit is in a measurement start state. Also, when the second display section in the window simultaneously displays the third and fourth regions (the boundary between the third and fourth regions), it is possible to inform the user that the sensor unit is not sufficiently pressed into the correct position with the appropriate pressing force.

[0031] According to the present invention, a first display unit directly connected to the measurement assistant unit and divided into at least two or more different colors, patterns or combinations thereof, and a second display unit directly connected to the sensor unit and divided into at least two or more different colors, patterns or combinations thereof are displayed in a single window, making it possible to easily identify the multiple states of the skin characteristic measuring device by the displays of colors, patterns, etc. and their combinations, and more reliably preventing human measurement errors due to improper pressing of the cover part and sensor part of the measurement assistant unit, etc.

[0032] In particular, in the present invention, when the sensor is pressed against the skin of the person being measured at an angle, the guide surface of the cover gets in the way and the tip of the sensor cannot come into contact with the skin of the person being measured, or at least cannot move to the ON state. Therefore, the display in the window does not progress to the combination of the second and fourth regions, and the user can be properly informed that the sensor is not being pressed against the skin of the person being measured.

[0033] Furthermore, in the skin property measuring device of the present invention, in order to minimize the occurrence of human error as described above, it is preferable that the cover portion of the measurement auxiliary unit is transparent or semi-transparent so that the sensor portion inside the cover portion and the contact state between the sensor portion and the skin of the person being measured can be visually observed. Effect of the Invention

[0034] According to the present invention, there is provided a skin property measuring device comprising a housing, a base fixed inside the housing, a slider portion slidably supported on the housing, a sensor portion slidably supported on the slider portion, first biasing means for biasing the sensor portion so as to move the tip of the sensor portion away from the slider portion, a cover portion having a guide surface for pressing against the skin of the person to be measured and an opening for inserting and removing the tip of the sensor portion arranged within the guide surface and removably connected to the slider portion, and second biasing means for biasing the slider portion so as to move the guide surface away from the housing, characterized in that as the guide surface is pressed by the skin of the person to be measured, first only the guide surface moves toward the housing, and then the guide surface and the tip of the sensor portion move toward the housing.

[0035] According to the present invention, before the tip of the sensor unit comes into contact with the skin of the person being measured, a guide surface having a larger contact area than the tip comes into contact with the skin of the person being measured, so that first the cover unit is guided so that the pressing angle against the skin surface of the person being measured is at a right angle, and then the tip of the sensor unit is also guided by the cover unit so that the pressing angle against the skin surface of the person being measured is at a right angle, as a result of which it becomes possible to measure the skin characteristics of the person being measured in an appropriate contact manner.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the skin of the person being measured that is exposed inside the opening of the guide surface is fixed by the edge of the opening, so that the tip of the sensor unit can preferentially come into contact with the skin of the person being measured, which is homogeneous and maintained with a constant elasticity, regardless of the amount of pressure (pressing force) applied to the guide surface, thereby improving the accuracy of measuring skin conditions.

[0037] In the skin property measuring device of the present invention, an indicator for indicating the relative positions of the cover part and the sensor part of the measurement assistant unit with respect to the housing may be provided on the side part of the housing, and the indicator may further include a window part formed in the side part of the housing, a first display part slidably supported inside the window part and connected to the slider part of the measurement assistant unit, and a second display part slidably supported inside the window part and connected to the sensor part.

[0038] According to the present invention, by providing an indicator that separately comprises a first display unit that displays the movement of the measurement assistant unit (cover part and slider part) and a second display unit that displays the movement of the sensor part, it is possible to easily grasp by visual inspection in what state the measurement assistant unit and the sensor part are located, and it is possible to prevent human measurement errors due to, for example, improper pressing of the cover part and sensor part of the measurement assistant unit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an entire skin property measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1A is a cross-sectional view partially showing the inside of a skin property measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a side of the skin property measuring device, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of a bottom of the skin property measuring device. [Diagram 3] 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views showing the operating state of a sensor unit of a skin property measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit in a standby state, (b) and (c) are cross-sectional views of the sensor unit in a contact state, and (d) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit in a measurement start state. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing the operating states of an indicator of a skin property measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit in a standby state, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit in a contact state, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit in a measurement start state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] Hereinafter, a skin characteristic measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various modifications are possible without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. EXAMPLES

[0041] <Skin condition measuring device> FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the entire skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view partially showing the inside of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2(a) is a front cross-sectional view of the skin property measuring device 1, FIG. 2(b) is a side cross-sectional view of the skin property measuring device 1, and FIG. 2(c) is a bottom cross-sectional view of the skin property measuring device 1. The configuration and operation of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this specification, "upper" such as upper part, top end, etc. means the upper side of the drawing in FIG. 2 showing the skin property measuring device 1, and "lower" such as lower part, bottom end, etc. means the lower side of the drawing in FIG. 2 showing the skin property measuring device 1.

[0042] [Case] As can be understood by referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment is a handy type measuring device that can be operated by a user with one hand, and has a housing 2 with a truck-shaped cross section, one end of which is open and the other end of which is fitted with a silicone resin lid 21 equipped with a power switch. A base 20 is fixed inside the housing 2, and a control board 22 equipped with an IC chip or the like for controlling the measurement of the skin property measuring device 1 and a power source 23 such as a battery for driving the control board 22 are also installed. The power source 23 such as a battery inside the housing 2 can be replaced by removing a part of the side of the housing 2. The cross-sectional shape of the housing 2 does not necessarily have to be truck-shaped, and may be any other general shape such as a rectangle, polygon, circle, or ellipse as long as it can accommodate necessary devices such as the control board 22 and the power source 23 and can be operated with one hand.

[0043] [base] The base 20 may be a separate part independent of the housing 2, or may be a part formed integrally with the housing 2. The base 20 has a first flange 200 and a second cylindrical part 201 which is entirely or partially hollow or solid and extends downward from the first flange 200, and is attached inside the housing 2 so that the central axis b of the second cylindrical part 201 coincides with the central axis (not shown) of the housing 2. In addition, a second flange part 202 for pressing the first biasing means 6 made of a helical spring or the like described later is formed at the lower end of the second cylindrical part 201. The second cylindrical part 201 does not necessarily have to be cylindrical, and may be a square column, an elliptical column, or the like, as long as it is suitable for supporting the second biasing means 7 made of a helical spring or the like described later.

[0044] [Slider section] A slider portion 31 is slidably attached to the inner peripheral surface of the housing 2, and a part of it protrudes to the outside from an opening of the housing 2. One end of the slider portion 31 is formed with a circular opening 310 through which the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base portion 20 can slidably pass, and the other end is formed with a track-shaped opening 311 through which the sensor portion 4, which will be described later, can slidably pass.

[0045] [Cover part] A cover part 30 is attached to the part of the slider part 31 that protrudes to the outside from the opening of the housing 2. The cover part 30 and the slider part 31 are detachably connected by providing a small circular recess 302 on the inner peripheral surface near the open end of the cover part 30 and a small hemispherical convex part 312 that engages with the recess 302 on the side surface of the slider part 31 that protrudes to the outside, and together they constitute the measurement auxiliary unit 3 (see FIG. 1).

[0046] The cover part 30 is formed as a cylinder with an open end attached to the slider part 31 and a flat track-shaped guide surface 300 formed at the end pressed against the skin of the subject. A small track-shaped opening 301 is formed in the center of the guide surface 300 for inserting and removing the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4. The shape of the guide surface 300 does not necessarily have to be track-shaped, and may be other general shapes such as a rectangle, a polygon, a circle, an ellipse, etc., as long as it can secure an area suitable for guiding the pressing angle of the cover part 30 against the skin surface of the subject at a right angle by pressing it against the skin of the subject.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, the cover portion 30 of the measurement assistance unit 3 is formed from a transparent or translucent material so that the sensor portion 4 inside the cover portion 30 and the contact state between the sensor portion 4 and the skin of the person being measured can be visually observed, but it does not necessarily have to be transparent or translucent and may be opaque.

[0048] [Sensor section] Inside the cover 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3, the sensor 4 is slidably supported in the opening 311 of the slider 31. The sensor 4 has a first cylindrical section 42, which is entirely or partially hollow or solid, at the end attached to the base 20, and a flat track-shaped sensing surface at the tip 40 pressed against the skin of the subject, and has a columnar shape with a track-shaped cross section as a whole. The first cylindrical section 42 mainly functions to support the first biasing means 6 consisting of a helical spring or the like described later, so it does not necessarily have to be cylindrical, and may be a square column, an elliptical column, or the like, as long as it is suitable for supporting the first biasing means 6 and can be slidably fitted with the second cylindrical section 201 of the base 20.

[0049] Furthermore, in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, a switch 5 is attached to the base 20 of the housing 2, and the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 moves toward the base 20 of the housing 2 to a predetermined position, and the rear end of the sensor unit 4 blocks the light of the photoswitch or the switch is pressed, turning the switch 5 to the ON state.

[0050] In the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, electrodes 41 are arranged in a comb shape on the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 to measure the moisture content of the subject's skin (see FIG. 2(c)). The electrodes 41 are composed of a pair of positive and negative electrodes, and in this embodiment, three electrodes 41 are arranged in a horizontal row on the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4. Therefore, in this embodiment, the area of ​​the electrodes 41 is enlarged to reduce the influence of local differences in moisture content on the subject's skin and improve the moisture content measurement accuracy. In addition, the moisture content of the subject's skin at three points may be measured and averaged to reduce the influence of uneven skin properties due to differences in measurement locations, thereby improving the moisture content measurement accuracy.

[0051] The skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment is suitable for a measuring device that requires an accurate pressing angle and pressing force when measuring the properties of the skin, and the measurement target is not limited to the moisture content of the skin. For example, although not shown, the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment can measure the elasticity of the skin based on the difference in frequency before and after contact with the skin by providing a vibration detection element in the sensor unit 4, contacting the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4, which is vibrated at a predetermined frequency by the sensor unit 4, detecting the vibration frequency before and after the contact by the vibration detection element, and amplifying the detected frequency by the control board.

[0052] [First biasing means] In the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4 is slidably inserted inside the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20. The skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment also includes a first biasing means 6 that biases the sensor unit 4 so as to move the tip portion 40 of the sensor unit 4 away from the slider portion 31. In this embodiment, a first helical spring 6 is used as the first biasing means 6, and the first helical spring 6 is disposed between the second flange portion 202 of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20 and the upper end portion of the sensor unit 4, around the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4, so as to be supported so as to be pressable by the sensor unit 4.

[0053] Although not shown, in this embodiment, the second flange portion 202 of the second cylindrical portion 201 can be omitted, so that the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4 can be slidably extrapolated to the outside of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base portion 20. In this case, if the first helical spring 6 is disposed inside the first cylindrical portion 42 between the lower end portion of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base portion 20 and the upper end portion inside the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4, it can be supported so as to be pressable by the sensor unit 4.

[0054] [Second biasing means] In the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20 slidably passes through the opening 310 at the top of the slider portion 31. The skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment also includes a second biasing means 7 that biases the slider portion 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 so as to move the guide surface 300 of the cover portion 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 away from the housing 2. In this embodiment, a second helical spring 7 is used as the second biasing means 7, and the second helical spring 7 is disposed between the first flange portion 200 of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20 and the upper end portion of the slider portion 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3, around the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20, so that the second helical spring 7 is supported so as to be pressable by the slider portion 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3.

[0055] In the skin characteristic measuring device 1 of this embodiment, the central axis a of the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4 is arranged coaxially with the central axis b of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20 so that the first spiral spring 6 and the second spiral spring 7 can be easily supported and arranged compactly, and further, the central axis c of the opening 310 at the upper part of the slider portion 31 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 is arranged coaxially with the central axis b of the second cylindrical portion 201 of the base 20 and the central axis a of the first cylindrical portion 42 of the sensor unit 4.

[0056] As a result, the central axis (not shown) of the first helical spring 6 mounted around the first cylindrical portion 42 is also arranged coaxially with the central axis (not shown) of the second helical spring 7 mounted around the second cylindrical portion 201, allowing the skin characteristic measuring device 1 to be stored in an extremely compact, handy size.

[0057] In this embodiment, there is no particular limit to the materials used for the housing 2, base 20, cover 30, slider 31, and sensor 4, and although a resin material, a metal material, or a composite material combining these may be used, it is preferable to use a hard plastic material because it is lightweight, has excellent formability, and has excellent insulation properties. In this embodiment, there is no particular limit to the materials used for the first biasing means 6 and the second biasing means 7, and although an elastic metal material, an elastic resin material, or a composite material combining these may be used, it is preferable to use an elastic metal material because of its excellent durability.

[0058] [Skin quality measuring device in operation] Fig. 3 shows cross-sectional views showing the operating states of the sensor unit 4 of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 3(a) being a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit 4 in a standby state, Fig. 3(b) and Fig. 3(c) being cross-sectional views of the sensor unit 4 in a contact state, and Fig. 3(d) being a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit 4 in a measurement start state. The operation of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0059] (1) Standby state 3(a), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, in an unloaded state, i.e., before the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is pressed against the skin (skin) 9 of the subject, the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4 is urged by the first urging means (first helical spring) 6 to a position furthest from the base part 20 of the housing 2 and the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3, and the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 is also urged by the second urging means (second helical spring) 7 to a position furthest from the base part 20 of the housing 2. At this time, the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4 equipped with the electrode 41 is held in a housed state within the cover part 30, so that the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4 is protected from damage by the cover part 30, and malfunction due to unexpected contact of the tip part 40 is also prevented.

[0060] (2) Skin contact condition - 1 As shown in Figure 3(b), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, when the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 is pressed against the skin 9 of the person to be measured, first only the guide surface 300 moves toward the base part 20 of the housing 2, and then the guide surface 300 and the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4 move toward the base part 20 of the housing 2.

[0061] As a result, in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, before the tip 40 of the sensor part 4 comes into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, the guide surface 300, which has a larger contact area than the tip 40, comes into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, so that first the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is guided so that the pressing angle with respect to the skin surface of the person being measured is a right angle, and then the tip 40 of the sensor part 4 also comes into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured in a state guided by the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 so that the pressing angle with respect to the skin surface of the person being measured is a right angle. Therefore, the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment can measure the skin property (skin moisture content) of the person being measured at an appropriate contact angle.

[0062] (3) Skin contact condition - 2 In the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, after the tip 40 of the sensor section 4 comes into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, in other words, after the guide surface 300 of the cover section 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 is pressed against the skin 9 of the person being measured and the guide surface 300 and the tip 40 of the sensor section 4 move toward the base 20 of the housing 2, the pressing force per unit area generated on the tip 40 of the sensor section 4 is set to be the same as the pressing force per unit area generated on the guide surface 300 or greater than the pressing force per unit area generated on the guide surface 300.

[0063] 3(c), after the tip 40 of the sensor part 4 comes into contact with the skin 9 of the subject, when the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 and the tip 40 of the sensor part 4 are pressed against the skin 9 of the subject, the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 moves toward the base part 20 of the housing 2 first, and becomes unable to move when it reaches the sliding limit 313. As a result, after the slider part 31 reaches the sliding limit 313, only the tip 40 of the sensor part 4 moves toward the base part 20 of the housing 2.

[0064] In this way, after the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 comes into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, and the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 and the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 move toward the base part 20 of the housing 2, the skin 9 of the person being measured exposed in the opening 301 of the guide surface 300 is fixed by the edge of the opening 301, so that it maintains a uniform and constant elasticity. Therefore, the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 can preferentially come into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, which is maintained at a uniform and constant elasticity, regardless of the pressing amount (pressing force) of the guide surface 300, and it becomes possible to accurately measure the skin property (skin moisture content).

[0065] (4) Measurement start state As shown in FIG. 3(d), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, after the slider portion 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 reaches the sliding limit 313, when the tip portion 40 of the sensor portion 4 is further pressed against the skin 9 of the person being measured, the sensor portion 4 moves slightly toward the base portion 20 of the housing 2 and the slider portion 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3, and at approximately the same time as it reaches the sliding limit, the rear end portion of the sensor portion 4 blocks the light of the photoswitch attached to the base portion 20 of the housing 2, or by pressing the switch, the switch 5 is turned ON, and the skin property measuring device 1 begins measuring the skin property (skin moisture content) of the person being measured.

[0066] As a result, in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, the tip 40 of the sensor unit 4 is guided so that the angle of pressing against the skin surface of the person being measured is perpendicular, and the switch 5 is turned ON and measurement begins when the skin 9 of the person being measured is homogeneous and maintained at a constant elasticity, so that skin property (skin moisture content) can be measured accurately and stably. Note that the measurement target of the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment is not limited to human skin, and it can also measure skin properties such as moisture content of animal skin.

[0067] <Indicator for measuring device> Fig. 4 shows cross-sectional views showing the operating states of the indicator 8 of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 4(a) being a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit 4 in a standby state, Fig. 4(b) being a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit 4 in a contact state, and Fig. 4(c) being a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit 4 in a measurement start state. Below, the configuration and operating mode of the indicator 8 of the skin property measuring device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

[0068] [Indicator configuration] 2, the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment is provided with an indicator 8 on the side surface of the housing 2 for indicating the relative position of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 (cover section 30 and sensor section 4) with respect to the housing 2. The indicator 8 is provided with a window section 80 opening into the side surface of the housing 2, a first display section 81 slidably supported within the window section 80, and a second display section 82 adjacent to the first display section 81 and supported slidably in the same direction as the first display section 81.

[0069] The first display unit 81 is a long, thin rod-shaped part, and is directly and integrally connected to the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 via a first connecting member 810. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sliding direction and sliding amount of the first display unit 81 are configured to match the sliding direction and sliding amount of the cover part 30 and the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3.

[0070] In addition, in the first display section 81, the surface exposed from the window section 80 is color-coded into a first colored region 811 colored with a first display color indicating that the cover section 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is in a standby state position (first position) relative to the housing 2, and a second colored region 812 colored with a second display color indicating that the cover section 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is in a position (second position) in a state where the cover section 30 has reached the sliding limit 313 relative to the housing 2. If there are three or more positions of states that need to be displayed due to the characteristics of the measuring device to which the indicator 8 is applied, the first display section 81 may be color-coded according to the number of positions. The first and second regions may be classified by not only display colors but also patterns or a combination thereof.

[0071] Moreover, the first display unit 81 does not necessarily have to be directly and integrally connected to the slider unit 31, and may be indirectly connected to the slider unit 31 by using, for example, another connecting member (not shown) that utilizes the principle of leverage to increase or decrease the sliding amount of the measurement assistant unit 3. Moreover, the first display unit 81 may be a component that is separate and independent from the cover unit 30 and the slider unit 31, so long as it is connected to the measurement assistant unit 3.

[0072] The second display unit 82 is also a long, thin rod-shaped part, and is directly and integrally connected to the sensor unit 4 via a second connecting member 820. For this reason, in this embodiment, the sliding direction and sliding amount of the second display unit 82 are configured to match the sliding direction and sliding amount of the sensor unit 4.

[0073] In addition, in the second display section 82, the surface exposed from the window section 80 is color-coded into a third colored area 821 colored with a third display color indicating that the sensor section 4 is in a standby state position (third position) relative to the housing 2, and a fourth colored area 822 colored with a fourth display color indicating that the sensor section 4 is in a measurement start state position (fourth position) relative to the housing 2. If there are three or more states that need to be displayed due to the characteristics of the measuring device to which the indicator 8 is applied, the second display section 82 may be color-coded according to the number of positions. The third and fourth areas may be classified by not only display colors but also patterns or a combination thereof.

[0074] Moreover, the second display unit 82 does not necessarily have to be directly and integrally connected to the sensor unit 4, and may be indirectly connected to the sensor unit 4 by using, for example, another connecting member (not shown) that utilizes the principle of leverage to increase or decrease the amount of sliding of the sensor unit 4. Moreover, the second display unit 82 may be a component that is separate and independent from the sensor unit 4, so long as it is connected to the sensor unit 4.

[0075] The indicator 8 of this embodiment is not limited to being applied to the measuring device 1 for measuring skin properties such as moisture content and elasticity, but can also be applied to other measuring devices as long as they have two or more movable parts that can be separated and moved independently, such as the measurement auxiliary unit 3 (cover part 30 and slider part 31) and the sensor part 4. Furthermore, when there are three or more movable parts, a display part can be provided according to the number of movable parts.

[0076] In this way, the indicator 8 of this embodiment can be applied to any measuring device that has at least a housing 2, a measurement assistant unit 3 slidably supported in the housing 2, and a sensor portion 4 slidably supported in the measurement assistant unit 3.

[0077] In this embodiment, there is no particular limitation on the materials used for the first display portion 81, the first connecting member 810, the second display portion 82, and the second connecting member 820 of the indicator 8, and a resin material, a metal material, or a composite material combining these may be used. However, it is preferable to use a hard plastic material because it is lightweight and has excellent moldability.

[0078] [Indicator behavior] (1) Standby state 4(a), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, in a no-load state, i.e., before the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is pressed against the skin (skin) 9 of the subject, the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is in a first position furthest from the housing 2, and the first display part 81 connected to the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 displays a first colored area 811 in a first display color in the window part 80, indicating that the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is in the first position. Meanwhile, the sensor part 4 is also in a third position furthest from the housing 2, and the second display part 82 connected to the sensor part 4 displays a third colored area 821 in a third display color in the window part 80, indicating that the sensor part 4 is in the third position.

[0079] As a result, a combination of the first colored area 811 and the third colored area 821, which indicates that the sensor unit 4 is in a standby state, is displayed in the window 80 of the skin property measuring device 1, so that the user can easily visually determine that the sensor unit 4 is in a standby state.

[0080] (2) Skin contact 4(b), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, when the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is further pressed against the skin 9 of the subject, the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 moves toward the base part 20 of the housing 2 and reaches a second position which is the sliding limit 313. Therefore, the first display part 81 connected to the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 displays a second colored area 812 of the second display color in the window part 80, which indicates that the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 has reached the second position.

[0081] Meanwhile, while the sensor section 4 is held in the third position farthest from the housing 2, the cover section 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 moves back relatively to the sensor section 4, thereby coming into contact with the subject's skin 9. Therefore, the second display section 82 connected to the sensor section 4 displays within the window section 80 a third colored area 821 of the third display color, which indicates that the sensor section 4 is held in the third position.

[0082] As a result, a combination of the second colored area 812 and the third colored area 821, which indicates that the sensor unit 4 is in contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, is displayed in the window 80 of the skin characteristic measuring device 1, so that the user can easily and accurately visually understand that the sensor unit 4 is in contact but measurement has not yet begun.

[0083] (3) Measurement start state As shown in Figure 4(c), in the skin property measuring device 1 of this embodiment, when the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is further pressed against the skin 9 of the person to be measured, the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is held in the second position, which is the sliding limit 313, and therefore the first display part 81 connected to the slider part 31 of the measurement assistant unit 3 displays a second colored area 812 of the second display color in the window part 80, indicating that the cover part 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 is held in the second position.

[0084] Meanwhile, as the sensor unit 4 moves toward the base 20 of the housing 2 and reaches the fourth position, which is the sliding limit, the rear end of the sensor unit 4 blocks light from a photoswitch attached to the base 20 of the housing 2 or presses the switch, turning the switch 5 to the ON state. Therefore, the second display unit 82 connected to the sensor unit 4 displays a fourth colored area 822 of the fourth display color within the window 80, which indicates that the sensor unit 4 has reached the fourth position and turned the switch 5 to the ON state.

[0085] As a result, the window 80 of the skin property measuring device 1 displays a combination of the second colored region 812 and the fourth colored region 822, which indicates that the sensor unit 4 has turned on the switch 5 and begun measuring the skin property (skin moisture content) of the person being measured, and the user can easily and accurately visually determine that the sensor unit 4 has come into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured and begun measurement. Note that if the second display section 83 in the window 80 simultaneously displays the third colored region 821 and the fourth colored region 822 (the border between the third colored region 821 and the fourth colored region 822), the user can easily determine that the sensor unit 4 has not been pressed sufficiently to the correct position with the appropriate pressing force. It is possible.

[0086] In this way, the indicator 8 for the skin property measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a first display section 81 that displays the movement of the measurement assistant unit 3 and a second display section 82 that displays the movement of the sensor section 4, so that the position of the measurement assistant unit 3 and the sensor section 4 can be easily and accurately grasped by visual inspection, and it is possible to prevent human measurement errors due to improper pressing of the cover section 30 of the measurement assistant unit 3 and the sensor section 4, etc. For example, when the measurement is not started due to insufficient pressing of the measurement assistant unit 3 and the sensor section 4, the user can easily recognize the cause of the measurement not being started (insufficient pressing). In addition, since the first display section 81 and the second display section 82 move mechanically in conjunction with the measurement assistant unit 3 and the sensor section 4, there are also advantages in that the structure is simple, no power source is required, and it is extremely reliable.

[0087] Furthermore, according to the indicator 8 for the skin characteristic measuring device of this embodiment, the first display section 81, which is directly connected to the measurement auxiliary unit 3 and color-coded with at least two or more different colors, and the second display section 82, which is directly connected to the sensor section 4 and color-coded with at least two or more different colors, are displayed within a single window section 80. This makes it possible to easily identify the multiple states of the skin characteristic measuring device 1 by the color displays and their combinations, and more reliably prevents human measurement errors due to, for example, improper pressing of the cover section 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 and the sensor section 4.

[0088] In particular, in the case where the sensor part 4 of the indicator 8 of this embodiment is pressed against the skin 9 of the person being measured at an angle, the guide surface 300 of the cover part 30 of the measurement auxiliary unit 3 gets in the way and the tip part 40 of the sensor part 4 cannot come into contact with the skin 9 of the person being measured, or cannot move at least until the switch 5 is turned ON. For this reason, the display in the window part 80 does not progress to the combination of the second colored area 812 and the fourth colored area 822, and the user can be properly informed that the sensor part 4 is not pressed properly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1...Skin property measuring device 2. Housing 20...Base 200...First flange portion 201...Second cylindrical section 202...Second flange portion 21...Lid part 22 Control board 23...Power supply 3. Auxiliary measurement unit 30 Cover part 300 Guideway 301 Opening 302 Recess 31 Slider section 310,311...Opening 312....Convex part 313 ···Slide limit 4. Sensor section 40...Tip 41...electrode 42...First cylindrical section 5. Switch 6... First biasing means (first helical spring) 7... Second biasing means (second helical spring) 8. Indicator 80... Window section 81... First display unit 810... First connecting member 811...First colored area 812...Second colored area 82...Second display unit 820... Second connecting member 821...Third colored area 822...Fourth colored area 9...Skin of the person to be measured (skin) a: Central axis of the first cylindrical part b: Central axis of the second cylindrical section c Central axis of opening

Claims

1. A housing and A base fixed to the inside of the housing; a slider portion slidably supported on the housing and the base; a sensor portion slidably supported on the slider portion; a first biasing means for engaging the base portion with the sensor portion and biasing the sensor portion so as to move a tip end of the sensor portion away from the slider portion; a cover part having a guide surface for pressing against the skin of the subject and an opening for inserting and removing the tip of the sensor part disposed in the guide surface, the cover part being detachably connected to the slider part; a second biasing means for engaging the base portion with the slider portion and biasing the slider portion so as to move the guide surface away from the housing; In a skin condition measuring device comprising: A skin property measuring device characterized in that, as the guide surface is pressed by the skin of the person being measured, at first only the guide surface moves toward the base of the housing, and then the guide surface and the tip of the sensor unit move toward the base of the housing.

2. 2. The skin property measuring device according to claim 1, wherein as the guide surface is pressed by the skin of the person being measured, the guide surface and the tip of the sensor unit move toward the base of the housing, and then only the tip of the sensor unit moves toward the base of the housing.

3. 3. The skin property measuring device of claim 2, wherein after the guide surface and the tip of the sensor unit move toward the base of the housing as the guide surface is pressed by the skin of the person being measured, the pressing force per unit area generated at the tip of the sensor unit is the same as the pressing force per unit area generated at the guide surface or is greater than the pressing force per unit area generated at the guide surface.

4. a switch mounted on the base; and 4. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 3, wherein, when a tip portion of the sensor unit moves to a predetermined position toward the base portion of the housing, a rear end portion of the sensor unit turns the switch to an ON state so that the skin characteristic measuring device starts measuring the skin characteristic of the person being measured.

5. the sensor portion has a first cylindrical portion in sliding contact with the base portion, the base portion has a second cylindrical portion in sliding contact with the slider portion, and 2. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the central axis of the first cylindrical portion and the central axis of the second cylindrical portion are arranged coaxially.

6. the slider portion has an opening that is in sliding contact with the sensor portion, and 6. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 5, wherein a central axis of the opening is arranged coaxially with a central axis of the first cylindrical portion.

7. the first biasing means comprises a first helical spring, the second biasing means comprises a second helical spring, and 2. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a central axis of the first helical spring and a central axis of the second helical spring are arranged coaxially.

8. 8. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the first helical spring is disposed between the base and the sensor portion, and the second helical spring is disposed between the base and the slider portion.

9. 2. The skin property measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the sensor portion has an electrode for measuring a moisture content of the subject's skin.

10. 10. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of the electrodes are arranged.

11. 11. The skin property measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an indicator on a side surface thereof for indicating the relative positions of the cover portion and the sensor portion with respect to the housing.

12. The indicator is A window portion formed on a side surface of the housing; a first display unit slidably supported within the window unit and coupled to the slider unit; and 12. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 11, further comprising a second display unit slidably supported within the window unit and connected to the sensor unit.

13. The indicator is A sliding direction and a sliding amount of the first display portion are the same as a sliding direction and a sliding amount of the slider portion, and 13. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 12, wherein a sliding direction and a sliding amount of the second display part are configured to match a sliding direction and a sliding amount of the sensor part.

14. The indicator is the first display unit has a first region having a first display color, pattern, or combination thereof that indicates that the cover unit is in a first position relative to the housing, and a second region having a second display color, pattern, or combination thereof that indicates that the cover unit is in a second position relative to the housing, and 14. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 13, wherein the second display unit has a third area consisting of a third display color, pattern or a combination thereof indicating that the sensor unit is in a third position relative to the housing, and a fourth area consisting of a fourth display color, pattern or a combination thereof indicating that the sensor unit is in a fourth position relative to the housing.

15. The indicator is When the display in the window portion is a combination of the first region and the third region, this indicates that the sensor unit is in a standby state; When the display in the window portion is a combination of the second region and the third region, it indicates that the sensor portion is in a contact state; and 15. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 14, wherein when the display in the window portion is a combination of the second area and the fourth area, it indicates that the sensor portion is in a measurement start state.

16. 11. The skin characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the cover is transparent or semi-transparent so that the sensor unit inside the cover can be visually observed.

Images