Pressure Sensor and Biological Information Measuring Device

Abstract

To provide a pressure sensor which prevents a cylindrical body from slipping off from a hole provided in a pressure sensor body part, and is excellent in mass productivity.SOLUTION: A pressure sensor 1A includes a pressure sensor body part 11 that constitutes a housing 10, has an input chamber 120 therein and incorporates a piezoelectric element 116, and a cylindrical body 12 communicating with the input chamber 120 connected to a tube 3 led out from a pressure receiving part such as an air mat 2, in which the pressure sensor body part 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally formed by extrusion molding or injection molding of the resin, and the surface of at least the pressure sensor body part 11 is metal plated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure sensor and a biological information device including the pressure sensor.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a biological information measurement device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been known. Such a biological information measurement device includes a pressure receiving part that receives pressure from a measurement object such as a person or an animal, and a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of a fluid such as air sent through a tube derived from the pressure receiving part. By performing arithmetic processing on the electrical signal output from the pressure sensor, it is possible to measure the heart rate, respiratory rate, etc. of the measurement object.

[0003] Among the pressure sensors used in this type of biological information measurement device, those incorporating a piezoelectric element are also known (see Patent Document 2, etc.).

[0004] Such a conventional pressure sensor incorporating a piezoelectric element is usually configured by press-fitting a cylindrical metal body such as brass for connecting a tube into a hole provided in a metal pressure sensor main body made of aluminum or the like so as to communicate with the internal input chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the conventional pressure sensor as described above, since the cylindrical body is only press-fitted and connected to the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body, the connection strength decreases during the service period, and there is a risk of falling out of the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body.

[0007] Further, in the conventional pressure sensor as described above, since the manufacturing process of the pressure sensor main body made of metal such as aluminum is performed by manual machining, there is also a problem in mass productivity.

[0008] Here, such a pressure sensor is usually used by being attached to a main control board. Therefore, such a pressure sensor is required to be miniaturized without degrading the detection performance. For this reason, in such a pressure sensor, the piezoelectric element inside is made into a thin disk shape so that the fluid pressure can be accurately detected from the viewpoint of mechanical superiority, and the pressure sensor main body covering the outside thereof is made into a bottomed cylindrical shape.

[0009] That is, conventionally, in order to manufacture such a miniaturized pressure sensor, a metal having a shielding effect is cut out by a lathe process or the like to form a bottomed cylindrical pressure sensor main body capable of reducing noise by a stable shielding effect, and a thin cylindrical body is press-fitted and connected from a hole provided on the side thereof, and a complicated and laborious manual manufacturing is performed.

[0010] For this reason, in the conventional pressure sensor, there is a risk that the cylindrical body may fall out of the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body, and in addition, there is a problem that the mass productivity is not excellent.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a pressure sensor in which a cylindrical body does not fall out of a hole provided in a pressure sensor main body and which has excellent mass productivity, and a biological information device including this pressure sensor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0012] In order to achieve the above object, the pressure sensor according to the first invention includes a bottomed cylindrical pressure sensor body portion that constitutes a housing, has an input chamber inside, and in which a piezoelectric element is incorporated, and a cylindrical body that communicates with the input chamber for connecting to a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion. The pressure sensor is characterized in that the pressure sensor body portion and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by extrusion molding or injection molding of resin, and at least the surface of the pressure sensor body portion is subjected to metal plating. , the pressure sensor main body has one side of the input chamber open, and the circular sheet-shaped piezoelectric element is fitted into and fixed with an adhesive to a first stepped portion formed on the inner side of the opening. A lid body formed of a disc-shaped substrate having a circuit for converting the electricity output from the piezoelectric element into a required electrical signal is fitted to a second stepped portion formed on the outer side of the opening on the piezoelectric element side. The lid body is fixed by a fixing member to form the housing. A notch is provided in the second stepped portion, and an extended portion of the lid body protrudes outward from the pressure sensor main body through the notch, and an output terminal of the circuit is provided on the extended portion. It is characterized by the above.

[0013] The pressure sensor according to the second invention includes a bottomed cylindrical pressure sensor body portion that constitutes a housing, has an input chamber inside, and in which a piezoelectric element is incorporated, and a cylindrical body that communicates with the input chamber for connecting to a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion. The pressure sensor is characterized in that the pressure sensor body portion and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by die casting of an alloy. , the pressure sensor main body has one side of the input chamber open, and the circular sheet-shaped piezoelectric element is fitted into and fixed with an adhesive to a first stepped portion formed on the inner side of the opening. A lid body formed of a disc-shaped substrate having a circuit for converting the electricity output from the piezoelectric element into a required electrical signal is fitted to a second stepped portion formed on the outer side of the opening on the piezoelectric element side. The lid body is fixed by a fixing member to form the housing. A notch is provided in the second stepped portion, and an extended portion of the lid body protrudes outward from the pressure sensor main body through the notch, and an output terminal of the circuit is provided on the extended portion. It is characterized by the above.

[0014] The pressure sensor according to the third invention is characterized in that, in the first invention or the second invention, the piezoelectric element is disc-shaped.

[0015] The pressure sensor according to the fourth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to third inventions, the pressure sensor body portion is bottomed cylindrical.

[0016] The pressure sensor according to the fifth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, the outer diameter of the pressure sensor body portion is 17 mm to 40 mm, and its height is 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0017] The pressure sensor according to the sixth invention is characterized in that, in the fifth invention, when the cylindrical body is formed on the side portion of the pressure sensor body portion and its wall thickness is set to approximately 1 mm, its outer shape is not more than the height of the pressure sensor body portion, and its length is 2 mm to 20 mm.

[0018] The pressure sensor according to the seventh invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to sixth inventions, the root portion of the tubular body attached to the pressure sensor main body portion is formed to be thicker than the general portion of the tubular body.

[0021] The 8 pressure sensor according to the Any one of Invention 1 to Invention 7 invention is characterized in that, on the other side of the input chamber in the pressure sensor main body portion, which faces one side of the input chamber, an inclined portion or a convex portion is formed, and the volume in the input chamber is reduced.

[0022] The 9 pressure sensor according to the invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to 8 inventions, uneven portions for preventing the tube from being pulled out are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body.

[0023] The 10 biological information measuring device according to the invention is characterized in that it includes any one of the pressure sensors according to the first to 9 inventions.

[0024] The 11 biological information measuring device according to the invention is 10 a biological information measuring device that, in the invention, includes a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of a fluid that travels to and from through a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion that directly or indirectly receives pressure from a measurement object placed on the upper side, and a signal processing portion that processes an electrical signal output from the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is provided in a plurality on a main control board, and an arithmetic processing portion calculates a measurement value from the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors.

[0025] The 12 biological information measuring device according to the invention is 10 the invention or the 11 invention, and is characterized in that the biological information measuring device can be connected to a repeater and can transmit data of the measured measurement value via a communication network.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the pressure sensor according to the first invention having the above-described configuration, since the pressure sensor main body and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by extrusion molding or injection molding of resin, there is no risk that the cylindrical body will fall out through the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body, and since it is manufactured using a mold or the like, a pressure sensor with excellent mass productivity can be provided. In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the first invention, in the pressure sensor main body, the sheet-shaped piezoelectric element is fitted into and fixed with an adhesive to a first stepped portion formed at an opening on one side of the input chamber, and a lid body formed of a disc-shaped substrate having a circuit for converting the electricity output from the piezoelectric element into a required electrical signal is fitted to a second stepped portion formed at the opening on the piezoelectric element side. The lid body is fixed by a fixing member to form the housing. Therefore, a pressure sensor incorporating a piezoelectric element can be achieved with a simple configuration. Also, according to the pressure sensor according to the first invention, a notch is provided in the second stepped portion, and an extended portion of the lid body protrudes outward from the pressure sensor main body through the notch, and an output terminal of the circuit is provided on the extended portion. Thus, with a simple configuration, the output terminal of the circuit can be provided outside the pressure sensor main body, facilitating connection with other external circuits and the like.

[0027] Moreover, according to the pressure sensor according to the first invention, at least the surface of the pressure sensor main body is subjected to metal plating, so that noise reduction due to the shielding effect and improvement of mechanical strength can be achieved.

[0028] According to the pressure sensor according to the second invention, since the pressure sensor main body and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by die casting of an alloy, similar to the pressure sensor according to the first invention, there is no risk that the cylindrical body will fall out through the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body, and since it is manufactured using a mold or the like, a pressure sensor with excellent mass productivity can be provided.

[0029] Moreover, according to the pressure sensor according to the second invention, different from the pressure sensor according to the first invention, noise reduction due to the shielding effect and improvement of mechanical strength can be achieved without performing metal plating.

[0030] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the third invention, since the piezoelectric element is disc-shaped, fluid pressure can be accurately detected from the viewpoint of mechanical superiority.

[0031] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the fourth invention, since the pressure sensor main body is a bottomed cylindrical shape, the surface of the piezoelectric element is uniformly covered by the pressure sensor main body, so that noise reduction due to a stable shielding effect can be achieved, and among bottomed cylindrical shapes, the most miniaturization can be achieved.

[0032] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the fifth invention, since the outer diameter of the pressure sensor main body is 17 mm to 40 mm and its height is 5 mm to 20 mm, the main control board etc. to which the pressure sensor is attached can be made compact, and as a result, detectors etc. incorporating the main control board etc. can also be made compact.

[0033] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the sixth invention, when the cylindrical body is formed on the side portion of the pressure sensor main body and its wall thickness is set to approximately 1 mm, its outer shape is equal to or less than the height of the pressure sensor main body, and its length is 2 mm to 20 mm, so that it is possible to give it a mechanical strength and durability that are not easily broken, and at the same time, it is easy to cover the tube and difficult to come off.

[0034] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the seventh invention, since the root portion of the cylindrical body attached to the pressure sensor main body is formed to be thicker than the general portion of the cylindrical body, it is possible to improve the mechanical strength between the pressure sensor main body and the cylindrical body.

[0037] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the 8 th invention, on the other side of the input chamber in the pressure sensor main body facing one side, an inclined portion or a convex portion is formed, the volume in the input chamber is reduced, the inflow and outflow amount of fluid such as air into the input chamber is increased, and the deformation of the piezoelectric element can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a pressure sensor with high sensitivity with a simple configuration.

[0038] In particular, according to the pressure sensor according to the 9 th invention, since uneven portions for preventing the tube from coming off are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, with a simple configuration, the resistance against the pulling direction when the tube is put on the cylindrical body can be increased, and the tube retaining force from the cylindrical body can be enhanced.

[0039] According to the biological information measuring device according to the 10 th invention, since it is provided with any one of the pressure sensors according to the first invention to the 9 th invention, as described above, according to the first invention to the 9It is possible to provide a biological information measuring device that exhibits any of the effects of the pressure sensor according to the invention.

[0040] In particular, the 11 According to the biological information measuring device according to the invention, since a plurality of pressure sensors are provided on the main control board, for example, the average of the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors can be calculated as the measurement value, or the measurement value can be calculated from the maximum detection value of the plurality of pressure sensors. Therefore, a more accurate measurement value can be obtained.

[0041] In particular, the 12 According to the biological information measuring device according to the invention, the biological information measuring device can be connected to a repeater and can transmit the data of the measured measurement value via a communication network. Therefore, the data of the measurement value measured by the biological information measuring device can be stored in a storage unit such as a database of a server via a communication network such as the Internet. Then, an expert such as a doctor can examine diseases of the respiratory system, circulatory system, etc. of a measured object such as a person or an animal, or a family member, pet owner, etc. can grasp the health status of the measured object such as a person or an animal by using a terminal accessible via a communication network such as a personal computer or a smartphone accessible via the communication network.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0042] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of a pressure sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a biological information measuring device as an example of the use of a pressure sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of an information processing system in which the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment can be used. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view showing the configuration of a pressure sensor according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor according to the third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the biological information measuring device according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the biological information measuring device according to the eighth embodiment. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0044] [First Embodiment] First, the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the biological information measuring device 100 as an example of the use of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of an information processing system in which the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment can be used.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a pressure sensor main body portion 11 that constitutes the housing 10, and a cylindrical body 12 integrated with the pressure sensor main body portion 11.

[0046] (Pressure Sensor Main Body Portion 11) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure sensor main body portion 11 is a flat bottomed cylindrical container body made of resin.

[0047] Further, as shown in FIG. 2, inside the pressure sensor main body 11, a first stepped portion 113 is formed on the inner side near the bottom 112 of the opening 111, and a second stepped portion 114 having a larger diameter than the first stepped portion 113 is formed on the outer side above it. Further, a notch 115 is provided at a position facing the cylindrical body 12 described later in the second stepped portion 114 of the opening 111.

[0048] Then, a thin disk-shaped, that is, a circular sheet-shaped piezoelectric element 116 is fitted into the first stepped portion 113 and fixed with an adhesive. In the second stepped portion 114, a lid 117 having a keyhole shape in plan view with a rectangular extended portion 117b on a circular lid body portion 117a is fitted so that the extended portion 117b protrudes from the notch 115 to the outside of the pressure sensor main body 11. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the lid 117 is fixed to the pressure sensor main body 11 by two screws 118, 118 as fixing members.

[0049] Here, the lid 117 is a disk-shaped substrate provided with a circuit 119 on the piezoelectric element 116 side that converts the electricity output by the deformation of the piezoelectric element 116 due to a pressure change of a fluid such as air in the input chamber 120 described later into an electrical signal necessary for measuring the heartbeat and respiration rate of the object to be measured in the body information measuring device 100 described later using FIG. 3. Output terminals 119a and ground terminals 119b of the circuit 119 are provided on the extended portion 117b. Note that the electronic elements constituting the circuit 119 are attached by soldering or the like.

[0050] As a result, an input chamber 120 through which a fluid such as air enters and exits is formed between the bottom 112 and the piezoelectric element 116 inside the pressure sensor main body 11.

[0051] (Cylindrical body 12) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylindrical body 12 is made of the same resin as the pressure sensor main body 11, is integrally formed on the side portion of the pressure sensor main body 11, and the through hole 121 provided in the longitudinal direction inside thereof communicates with the input chamber 120. This cylindrical body 12 is a portion for covering and connecting the tip of a rubber tube 3 derived from a pressure receiving portion such as an air mat 2 in a biological information measuring device 100 to be described later with reference to FIG. 3.

[0052] The pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally formed by extrusion molding or injection molding of resin.

[0053] Furthermore, the integrally formed resin pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are subjected to metal plating on their surfaces.

[0054] The sizes of the respective parts of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment are as follows. The outer diameter of the pressure sensor main body 11 is 21 mm, and the height is 8 mm. The diameter of the input chamber 120 inside the pressure sensor main body 11 is 14 mm, and the height is 3.5 mm. The diameter of the portion of the first step portion 113 is 16 mm, and the height is 2.3 mm. The piezoelectric element 116 fitted therein and fixed with an adhesive is slightly smaller in diameter and height than this in order to secure an adhesive layer. The diameter of the portion of the second step portion 114 is 19 mm, the height is 1.5 mm, the width of the notch 115 is 6.3 mm, and the lid body 117 fitted therein and fixed with screws 118, 118 has a diameter of the lid body main body portion 117a slightly smaller than this in order to create a clearance for fitting, and the height is slightly smaller than this so that the heads of the screws 118, 118 do not protrude upward. The width of the extended portion 117b is slightly smaller than the width of the notch 115 in order to create a clearance for fitting, and the length is 4 mm. The outer diameter of the cylindrical body 12 is 2.5 mm, the length is 8 mm, the diameter of the through hole 121 which is the inner diameter is 1.5 mm, and the wall thickness is 1 mm.

[0055] Note that it is preferable that the outer diameter of the pressure sensor main body 11 is 17 mm to 40 mm and the height thereof is 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0056] Further, when the wall thickness of the cylindrical body 12 is set to approximately 1 mm, its outer shape is preferably not more than the height of the pressure sensor main body 11, and its length is preferably 2 mm to 20 mm.

[0057] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, as an example of the use of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment, a biological information measuring device 100 will be described.

[0058] The biological information measuring device 100 includes an air mat 2 as a pressure receiving part, a tube 3 led out from the air mat 2, and a detector 4 as a detection part connected to the tube 3 and incorporating the pressure sensor 1A.

[0059] The air mat 2 has an air layer inside, and is laid on a bed such as a bed, and is a pressure receiving part that receives pressure from a measurement object whose body expands and contracts due to breathing or heartbeat of a person, an animal, or the like.

[0060] The tube 3 is led out from the air mat 2 so as to communicate with the internal air layer, and is connected to the detector 4.

[0061] The detector 4 has the bottom 112 side of the pressure sensor 1A attached to and incorporated in the internal main control board 40, and the tube 3 communicates with the input chamber 120 in the pressure sensor 1A (see FIG. 2).

[0062] When the detector 4 detects an abnormality in the respiration rate, heart rate, etc. of a measurement object such as a person or an animal, a warning sound is generated from a speaker 41 or a remote terminal via the cloud to notify people around.

[0063] Furthermore, the detector 4 is provided with an information output terminal (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, this information output terminal can be connected, either wired or wirelessly, to a repeater G such as a gateway, and can transmit data of measured values associated with specific information of a measurement object such as a person or an animal via a communication network N such as the Internet. And this data can be stored in a storage unit such as a database of a server S1 connected to the communication network N. Moreover, this server S1 can be accessed via the communication network N by a terminal such as a personal computer or a smartphone (not shown).

[0064] Note that, for components such as the arithmetic unit other than the pressure sensor 1A on the main control board 40 inside the detector 4, illustration and detailed description are omitted. Also, the power supply of the detector 4 may be built-in or external.

[0065] According to the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment described above, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally formed by resin extrusion molding or injection molding, there is no possibility that the cylindrical body 12 will fall out of the hole provided in the pressure sensor main body 11, and since it is manufactured using a mold or the like, a pressure sensor 1A with excellent mass productivity can be provided.

[0066] Moreover, in this pressure sensor 1A, since the pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are plated with metal on their surfaces, noise reduction due to the shielding effect and improvement of mechanical strength can be achieved easily and inexpensively.

[0067] Also, in this pressure sensor 1A, since the piezoelectric element 116 is disc-shaped, fluid pressure such as air pressure can be accurately detected from the viewpoint of mechanical superiority.

[0068] Furthermore, in this pressure sensor 1A, the pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally formed, and the connection strength therebetween is higher than that of the prior art. Therefore, the length of the cylindrical body 12 can be made longer than that of the prior art, increasing the resistance against the pulling direction when the tube 3 is put on the cylindrical body 12, and further enhancing the retaining force of the tube 3 against the cylindrical body 12.

[0069] Specifically, in this pressure sensor 1A, when the cylindrical body 12 is formed on the side portion of the pressure sensor main body 11 and its wall thickness is set to approximately 1 mm, its outer shape is not higher than the height of the pressure sensor main body 11, and its length is 2 mm to 20 mm. Therefore, in this pressure sensor 1A, it is possible to endow the cylindrical body 12 with mechanical strength and durability that are not easily broken, and at the same time, it is easy to put on the tube 3 and difficult to come off.

[0070] Also, in this pressure sensor 1A, since the pressure sensor main body 11 is a bottomed cylindrical shape, the surface of the piezoelectric element 116 is uniformly covered by the pressure sensor main body 11 all around. Therefore, it is possible to reduce noise by a stable shielding effect, and among bottomed cylindrical shapes, the most miniaturization can be achieved.

[0071] Moreover, in this pressure sensor 1A, the outer diameter of the pressure sensor main body 11 is 17 mm to 40 mm, and its height is 5 mm to 20 mm. Therefore, the main control board 40 etc. to which this pressure sensor 1A is attached can be made compact, and by extension, detectors 4 etc. incorporating the main control board 40 etc. can also be made compact.

[0072] Also, in this pressure sensor 1A, in the pressure sensor main body 11, a sheet-like piezoelectric element 116 is fitted into a first stepped portion 113 formed in the opening 111 and fixed with an adhesive. A lid 117 made of a disk-shaped substrate having a circuit 119 for converting the electricity output from the piezoelectric element 116 into a necessary electrical signal is fitted on a second stepped portion 114 formed on the upper side, and the lid 117 is fixed by screws 118, 118 as fixing members, and the housing 10 is configured. Therefore, the pressure sensor 1A in which the piezoelectric element 116 is incorporated can be formed with a simple configuration.

[0073] Furthermore, in this pressure sensor 1A, a notch 115 is provided in the second stepped portion 114, and an extended portion 117b of the lid 117 protrudes outward from the notch 115 to the outside of the pressure sensor main body 11. An output terminal 119a and a ground terminal 119b of the circuit 119 are provided on the extended portion 117b. Therefore, in this pressure sensor 1A, the output terminal 119a and the ground terminal 119b of the circuit 119 can be provided outside the pressure sensor main body 11 with a simple configuration, and for example, it is possible to facilitate connection with other circuits outside, such as the main control board 40 inside the detector 4 in the biological information measuring device 100 described later with reference to FIG. 3.

[0074] According to the biological information measuring device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 above, it includes the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to provide a biological information measuring device 100 that exhibits the operational effects of the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment described above.

[0075] Furthermore, in this biological information measuring device 100, since it can be connected to the repeater G and transmit the measured data of the measured values via the communication network N, the data of the measured values measured by the biological information measuring device 100 can be stored in a storage unit such as a database of the server S1 via a communication network N such as the Internet. Then, experts such as doctors can examine diseases of the respiratory system, circulatory system, etc. of the measured subject such as humans and animals, and family members, pet owners, etc. can grasp the health status of the measured subject such as humans and animals, etc. by using terminals such as personal computers and smartphones that can be accessed via the communication network N.

[0076] Note that if the biological information measuring device 100 is provided with the pressure sensors 1B to 1F according to the embodiments described below, a biological information measuring device 100 that exhibits the operational effects of the pressure sensors 1B to 1F according to these embodiments can be provided.

[0077] [Second Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment. The difference from the pressure sensor 1A according to the above-described first embodiment is mainly that the overall material is different. Therefore, that point will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0078] In this pressure sensor 1B, the pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally formed by die casting of an alloy such as an aluminum alloy or a zinc alloy, which is different from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment.

[0079] In the pressure sensor 1B according to this second embodiment, unlike the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment, since the pressure sensor main body 11 and the cylindrical body 12 are made of metal, noise reduction due to the shielding effect and improvement of mechanical strength can be achieved without performing metal plating.

[0080] [Third Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the pressure sensor 1C according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1C according to the third embodiment. The difference from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment described above is mainly that only the shape of the cylindrical body 12 is changed. Therefore, mainly the point will be described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

[0081] In this pressure sensor 1C, the root portion 122 of the cylindrical body 12 attached to the pressure sensor main body portion 11 is formed to be thicker than the general portion of the cylindrical body 12, which is different from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment.

[0082] In the pressure sensor 1C according to this third embodiment, since the root portion of the cylindrical body 12 attached to the pressure sensor main body portion 11 is thicker than the general portion of the cylindrical body, it is possible to improve the mechanical strength between the pressure sensor main body portion 11 and the cylindrical body 12, and even if an unreasonable force is applied from the lateral direction or the like of the cylindrical body 12, the risk of breakage can be reduced.

[0083] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the pressure sensor 1D according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1D according to the fourth embodiment. The difference from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment described above is mainly that only the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12 is changed. Therefore, mainly the point will be described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

[0084] In this pressure sensor 1D, the uneven portion 12a for preventing the tube from coming off is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12, which is different from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment.

[0085] In the pressure sensor 1D according to this fourth embodiment, since the uneven portion 12a for preventing the tube from being pulled out is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12, with a simple configuration, the resistance force against the pulling-out direction when the tube 3 is put on the cylindrical body 12 can be increased, and the tube 3 can be more effectively prevented from being pulled out from the cylindrical body 12.

[0086] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 8, the pressure sensor 1E according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1E according to the fifth embodiment. The difference from the pressure sensor 1A according to the above-described first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment is mainly that only the shape of the input chamber 120 is changed. Therefore, this point will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

[0087] In this pressure sensor 1E, an inclined portion 112a is formed on the bottom portion 112 side of the input chamber 120 in the pressure sensor main body portion 11, and the volume in the input chamber 120 is reduced, which is different from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment.

[0088] In the pressure sensor 1E according to this fifth embodiment, an inclined portion 112a is formed on the bottom portion 112 side of the input chamber 120 in the pressure sensor main body portion 11, the volume in the input chamber 120 is reduced, the inflow and outflow amount of fluid such as air into the input chamber 120 is increased, and the deformation of the piezoelectric element 116 can be increased. Therefore, with a simple configuration, a pressure sensor 1E with higher sensitivity can be obtained.

[0089] [Sixth Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 9, the pressure sensor 1F according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the configuration of the pressure sensor 1F according to the sixth embodiment. The difference from the pressure sensor 1A according to the above-described first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment is mainly that only the shape of the input chamber 120 is changed. Therefore, this point will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

[0090] In this pressure sensor 1F, a mountain-shaped convex portion 112b is formed on the bottom 112 side of the input chamber 120 in the pressure sensor main body 11, and the volume in the input chamber 120 is reduced, which is different from the pressure sensor 1A according to the first embodiment or the pressure sensor 1B according to the second embodiment.

[0091] In this pressure sensor 1F according to the sixth embodiment, a mountain-shaped convex portion 112b is formed on the bottom 112 side of the input chamber 120 in the pressure sensor main body 11, the volume in the input chamber 120 is reduced, the inflow and outflow amount of fluid such as air into the input chamber 120 is increased, and the deformation of the piezoelectric element 116 can be increased. Therefore, similar to the pressure sensor 1F according to the fifth embodiment, it is possible to obtain a pressure sensor 1F with an easy configuration and higher sensitivity.

[0092] [Seventh Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 10, a biological information measuring device 101 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the biological information measuring device 101 according to the seventh embodiment. The difference from the biological information measuring device 100 exemplified in the above-described first embodiment is mainly that a plurality of pressure sensors 1 are provided on the main control board 40, and a plurality of tubes 31 are connected between these pressure sensors 1 and the air mat 2 which is the pressure receiving part. Therefore, this point will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

[0093] In this biological information measuring device 101, a plurality (four) of pressure sensors 1 (any one of 1A to 1F) are provided on the main control board 40 in the detector 4.

[0094] In addition, inside the air mat main body 20 of the air mat 2, four fluid pads 21 that are substantially rectangular in plan view and are long in the width direction of the air mat main body 20 and that accommodate fluids such as air are provided at substantially equal intervals on the width side in the surface direction.

[0095] Further, inside the air mat main body 20, at the interval positions of the fluid pads 21, a cushion layer 22 having higher flexibility in the thickness direction than these fluid pads 21 is provided.

[0096] These cushion layers 22 are formed by fixing the periphery of a sponge material 220 as a cushion material made of a urethane material or the like having a lower density than a sponge material (not shown) in the fluid pad 21 between the sheet-like members 20a and 20b by sewing or the like, and are stored and fixed inside the air mat main body 20. Note that the thickness of these cushion layers 22 is set to be equal to or less than the thickness of the fluid pad 21.

[0097] Here, the intermediate cushion layers 22, 22 are made to have a half width with an interval therebetween. And a fold 23 is provided at the intermediate portion of this interval portion, that is, at the intermediate portion in the length direction of the air mat main body 20, and the air mat main body 20 is foldable at the portion of the fold 23. Also, the fluid pads 21 and the cushion layers 22 inside the air mat main body 20 are arranged symmetrically about the left and right in the length direction.

[0098] And a plurality of fluid pads 21 and a plurality of pressure sensors 1 inside the air mat main body 20 are individually connected via tubes 31, and an arithmetic processing unit (not shown) calculates a measured value from the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors 1, which is mainly different from the information measuring device 100 illustrated in the first embodiment.

[0099] In the biological information measuring device 101 according to this seventh embodiment, for example, the average of the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors 1 can be calculated as the measured value, or the measured value can be calculated from the maximum detection value among the plurality of pressure sensors 1, so that a more accurate measured value can be obtained.

[0100] Note that, to obtain an even more accurate measured value, it is preferable to make the material, length, outer diameter, and inner diameter of the tubes 31 all the same and use the same plurality of pressure sensors 1.

[0101] [Eighth Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIG. 11, the biological information measurement device 102 according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the biological information measurement device 102 according to the eighth embodiment. The difference from the biological information measurement device 101 according to the above-described seventh embodiment is mainly the piping of the tubes between the plurality of fluid pads 21 and the plurality of pressure sensors 1. Therefore, this point will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0102] In this biological information measurement device 102, for the pressure sensor 1, the first tube 31 led out from the fluid pad 21 in the air mat main body 20 is connected to the left and right branch joints 30a respectively, and the second tube 32 led out from these branch joints 30a is connected to the branch joint 30b. One third tube 33 led out from this branch joint 30b is connected to the branch joint 30c. And in this biological information measurement device 102, the fourth tube 34 branched again from the branch joint 30c is individually connected to the plurality of pressure sensors 1, and the calculation processing unit (not shown) calculates the measurement value from the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors 1, which is mainly different from the biological information measurement device 101 according to the seventh embodiment.

[0103] In the biological information measurement device 102 according to this eighth embodiment, a fluid such as air with a substantially uniform pressure flows into each pressure sensor 1 through the tube 34 branched again from the branch joint 30c. For example, the average of the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors 1 can be calculated as the measurement value, or the measurement value can be calculated from the maximum detection value among the plurality of pressure sensors 1. Therefore, a more accurate measurement value can be obtained.

[0104] Note that in order to obtain an even more accurate measurement value, the materials, lengths, outer diameters, and inner diameters of the tubes 31, 32, and 34 should be the same, and the plurality of pressure sensors 1 should also be of the same type.

[0105] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described, the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0106] In the above-described embodiment, the pressure sensors 1A to 1F have a flat cylindrical shape and the above-described size, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the pressure sensors 1A to 1F may be implemented in other shapes such as a flat rectangular tube shape, and may have different sizes.

[0107] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the pressure sensors 1A to 1F are used in the biological information measuring device 100 for notifying abnormalities in the respiration rate and heart rate, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the pressure sensors 1A to 1F may be used in other devices such as a sphygmomanometer.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0108] 1 Pressure sensor 1A to 1F Pressure sensors 2 Air mat (pressure receiving part) 3 Tube 31 (First) tube 32 (Second) tube 33 (Third) tube 34 (Fourth) tube 41 Main control board 10 Housing 11 Pressure sensor main body part 12 Cylindrical body 12a Concavo-convex part for preventing tube removal 111 Opening 112a Inclined part 112b Convex part 113 First step part 114 Second step part 115 Notch 116 Piezoelectric element 117 Cover body 117b Extended part of the cover body 118 Screw (fixing member) 119 Circuit 119a output terminal 120 input chamber 122 attachment root 100 biological information measurement device 101 biological information measurement device 102 biological information measurement device G repeater N communication network

Claims

1. A pressure sensor comprising: a bottomed cylindrical pressure sensor body portion that forms a housing, has an input chamber inside, and incorporates a piezoelectric element; and a cylindrical body that communicates with the input chamber for connecting to a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion. The pressure sensor is characterized in that the pressure sensor body portion and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by extrusion molding or injection molding of resin, at least the surface of the pressure sensor body portion is subjected to metal plating, one side of the input chamber of the pressure sensor body portion is open, a circular sheet-shaped piezoelectric element is fitted into a first stepped portion formed on the inner side of the opening and fixed with an adhesive, and a lid body made of a disc-shaped substrate having a circuit for converting electricity output from the piezoelectric element into a required electrical signal on the piezoelectric element side is fitted into a second stepped portion formed on the outer side of the opening. The lid body is fixed by a fixing member to form the housing, a notch is provided in the second stepped portion, an extended portion of the lid body protrudes outward from the pressure sensor body portion through the notch, and an output terminal of the circuit is provided on the extended portion, characterizing the pressure sensor.

2. A pressure sensor comprising: a bottomed cylindrical pressure sensor body portion that forms a housing, has an input chamber inside, and incorporates a piezoelectric element; and a cylindrical body that communicates with the input chamber for connecting to a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion. The pressure sensor is characterized in that the pressure sensor body portion and the cylindrical body are integrally formed by die casting of an alloy, one side of the input chamber of the pressure sensor body portion is open, a circular sheet-shaped piezoelectric element is fitted into a first stepped portion formed on the inner side of the opening and fixed with an adhesive, and a lid body made of a disc-shaped substrate having a circuit for converting electricity output from the piezoelectric element into a required electrical signal on the piezoelectric element side is fitted into a second stepped portion formed on the outer side of the opening. The lid body is fixed by a fixing member to form the housing, a notch is provided in the second stepped portion, an extended portion of the lid body protrudes outward from the pressure sensor body portion through the notch, and an output terminal of the circuit is provided on the extended portion, characterizing the pressure sensor.

3. The piezoelectric element is disc-shaped, characterizing the pressure sensor according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The pressure sensor body portion is bottomed cylindrical, characterizing the pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The outer diameter of the pressure sensor main body is 17 mm to 40 mm, and its height is 5 mm to 20 mm The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

6. When the cylindrical body is formed on the side portion of the pressure sensor main body and its wall thickness is set to approximately 1 mm, its outer shape is not more than the height of the pressure sensor main body, and its length is 2 mm to 20 mm The pressure sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that

7. The root portion of the cylindrical body attached to the pressure sensor main body is formed to be thicker than the general portion of the cylindrical body The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

8. On the other side of the pressure sensor main body facing one side of the input chamber, an inclined portion or a convex portion is formed, and the volume in the input chamber is reduced The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that

9. On the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, uneven portions for preventing the tube from coming off are formed The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

10. The biological information measuring device is characterized by comprising the pressure sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 9 The biological information measuring device is characterized by

11. A pressure sensor that detects the pressure of a fluid that travels back and forth through a tube led out from a pressure receiving portion that directly or indirectly receives pressure from a measurement object placed on the upper side, and a signal processing portion that processes an electrical signal output from the pressure sensor, and is a biological information measuring device capable of measuring the biological information of the measurement object, A plurality of the pressure sensors are provided on the main control board The arithmetic processing unit calculates a measurement value from the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensors The biological information measuring device according to claim 10, characterized in that

12. The biological information measuring device is connectable to a repeater and can transmit data of the measured measurement values via a communication network The biological information measuring device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that

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