Blood pressure measurement drive circuit and blood pressure measurement device

Abstract

To provide a drive circuit for blood pressure measurement and a blood pressure measurement device which can be reduced in size.SOLUTION: A drive circuit 58 for blood pressure measurement generates a first drive signal for driving a valve 16 to open and close a channel coupled to a cuff 70 for blood pressure measurement and a second drive signal for driving a pump for supplying a fluid to the cuff 70. The first drive signal and the second drive signal are generated from common power voltage supplied from a power circuit 57 and their envelope lines have a common shape varying with the same timing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blood pressure measurement drive circuit and a blood pressure measurement device used for blood pressure measurement. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, blood pressure measuring devices have been used to measure blood pressure not only in medical facilities but also at home as a means of checking health conditions. Blood pressure measuring devices measure blood pressure by detecting vibrations of arterial walls, for example, by inflating and deflating a cuff wrapped around the upper arm or wrist of a living body and detecting the pressure of the cuff with a pressure sensor.

[0003] A known technique for such blood pressure measurement devices is to provide multiple cuffs, including a sensing cuff for measuring blood pressure and a pressure cuff for pressing the sensing cuff against the living body. The blood pressure measurement device has a pump, which supplies a fluid, for example, air, to the cuff. In addition, a blood pressure measurement device having a configuration with an exhaust valve for exhausting the air supplied to the cuff is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, the pump is a piezoelectric pump that includes a piezoelectric element and a diaphragm connected to the piezoelectric element, and vibrates the piezoelectric element when an AC voltage is applied, which in turn vibrates the diaphragm, thereby discharging the fluid. For example, the valve is of the capacitance type, and the valve body closes the flow path when not energized. open It is a normally open type exhaust valve.

[0004] Such a blood pressure measurement device has a pump drive circuit that drives the pump and a valve drive circuit that drives the valve. When a command to start blood pressure measurement is input, the processor of the blood pressure measurement device outputs a control signal to the valve drive circuit. The valve drive circuit closes the valve based on the control signal. The processor then outputs a control signal to the pump drive circuit. The pump drive circuit drives the pump based on the control signal and controls the supply of air to the cuff. The pump drive circuit inflates the cuff with air supplied by the pump, thereby filling the cuff. HuThe cuff is gradually pressurized. The blood pressure measurement device then calculates a blood pressure value from the cuff pressure detected by the pressure sensor. After calculating the blood pressure value, the processor outputs a signal to the pump drive circuit to stop the pump, and the pump drive circuit stops the pump. The processor also outputs a control signal to the valve drive circuit to open the valve. The valve drive circuit opens the valve, thereby discharging the air from the cuff. In this way, the blood pressure measurement device controls the valve and pump using the valve drive circuit and pump drive circuit in response to the control signal from the processor, and measures the cuff pressure required for blood pressure measurement. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220288 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Recently, there has been a demand for miniaturized blood pressure measurement devices as wearable devices worn on the wrist. However, in the conventional blood pressure measurement devices described above, the pump and valve drive circuits are configured as separate circuit blocks because the drive voltages for the pump and valve are different. During blood pressure measurement, a processor outputs individual control signals to each drive circuit to control the pump and valve.

[0007] When the pump drive circuit and the valve drive circuit are configured as separate circuit blocks, the circuit area of the drive circuit increases and the number of parts also increases, which is an obstacle to miniaturizing the blood pressure measuring device.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blood pressure measurement drive circuit and a blood pressure measurement device that can be made smaller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect, there is provided a blood pressure measurement drive circuit that generates a first drive signal that drives a valve that opens and closes a flow path connected to a blood pressure measurement cuff, and a second drive signal that drives a pump that supplies fluid to the cuff, wherein the first drive signal and the second drive signal are generated from a common power supply voltage supplied from a power supply circuit, and the waveform of the first drive signal and the envelope of the peak voltage of the second drive signal have a common shape that changes at the same timing.

[0010] Here, the term "fluid" includes liquid and air. The cuff includes a bag-like structure that is wrapped around the upper arm, wrist, or the like of a living body when measuring blood pressure and expands when a fluid is supplied thereto. When the fluid is air, the bag-like structure is, for example, an air bag that expands with air.

[0011] According to this aspect, the valve connected to the cuff and the pump for supplying fluid to the cuff are electrically Genkai The valve and the pump can be driven by a first drive signal and a second drive signal generated by a common power supply voltage supplied from a line. Furthermore, the waveform of the first drive signal and the envelope of the second drive signal have a common shape that changes at the same timing. Therefore, it is possible to drive the pump and the valve with a single blood pressure measurement drive circuit, without providing separate drive circuits for the valve and the pump. Therefore, by using the drive circuit in the blood pressure measurement device, it is possible to reduce the size and number of parts of the blood pressure measurement device.

[0012] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the drive circuit includes a control circuit that outputs the second drive signal; and a control circuit that transforms the power supply voltage into a voltage value corresponding to the first drive signal and the second drive signal. The transformed power supply voltage A blood pressure measurement drive circuit is provided that includes the control circuit and a transformer circuit that outputs to the valve.

[0013] According to this aspect, the pump and valve can be driven by a voltage transformed by the transformer circuit. Therefore, the drive circuit can integrate the control circuit and the transformer circuit. That is, the control circuit and the transformer circuit can be provided in a single circuit block, which allows the drive circuit to be miniaturized and the number of components to be reduced. Therefore, by using the drive circuit in a blood pressure measurement device, the blood pressure measurement device can be made smaller.

[0014] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the transformer circuit is a booster circuit that boosts the power supply voltage.

[0015] According to this aspect, even if the voltage output from the power supply circuit is lower than the voltage of the drive signals for the pump and valve, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can boost the voltage to a voltage sufficient to drive the pump and valve.

[0016] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the transformer circuit gradually increases a voltage value output to the valve and the control circuit.

[0017] According to this aspect, by gradually increasing the voltage for driving the cuff, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can supply fluid into the cuff at a constant rate to pressurize the cuff, which is suitable for blood pressure measurement.

[0018] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the valve of Driving voltage value is higher than the voltage at the time when the pump starts to operate, and the transformer circuit converts the power supply voltage into the voltage at the time when the valve of and thereafter transforming the voltage to a voltage value at which the valve is maintained in operation and at which the pump is driven.

[0019] According to this aspect, even if the voltage for driving the valve is higher than the voltage at the start of driving the pump, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can simultaneously drive the valve and the pump. SystemTherefore, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can be miniaturized.

[0020] In the above-described blood pressure measurement drive circuit, the control circuit outputs PWM signals having effective voltages equal to or greater than the voltages required for the valve and the pump to operate as the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the pump and the valve.

[0021] According to this aspect, the control circuit generates a PWM signal having an effective voltage equal to or greater than a voltage required to operate a pump that supplies fluid to the cuff and a valve connected to the cuff, as the first drive signal and the second drive signal. and Therefore, the control circuit can be provided in one circuit block, which makes it possible to miniaturize the drive circuits that drive the pump and valve and reduce the number of parts. Therefore, by using the blood pressure measurement drive circuit in a blood pressure measurement device, the blood pressure measurement device can be made smaller.

[0022] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the control circuit gradually increases the voltage value of the effective voltage output to the valve and the pump.

[0023] According to this aspect, by gradually increasing the voltage for driving the cuff, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can supply fluid into the cuff at a constant rate to pressurize the cuff, which is suitable for blood pressure measurement.

[0024] In the blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect, the valve of The driving voltage is higher than the voltage at the start of driving the pump, and the control circuit controls the effective voltage to of and thereafter setting the voltage value to a value at which the valve is maintained in operation and at which the pump is driven.

[0025] According to this aspect, even if the voltage for driving the valve is higher than the voltage at the start of driving the pump, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can simultaneously drive the valve and the pump. System Therefore, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can be miniaturized.

[0026] According to one aspect, there is provided a blood pressure measurement device comprising: a cuff to which a fluid is supplied; a pump that supplies the fluid to the cuff; a valve that opens and closes a flow path connected to the cuff; a power supply circuit; a blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to the above aspect; and a processor that outputs a voltage control signal to the blood pressure measurement drive circuit.

[0027] According to this aspect, the pump for supplying fluid to the cuff and the valve connected to the cuff are electrically Genkai The valve and the pump can be driven by a first drive signal and a second drive signal generated by a common power supply voltage supplied from the line. Therefore, it is possible to drive the pump and the valve with a single blood pressure measurement drive circuit without providing separate drive circuits for the valve and the pump. Therefore, the blood pressure measurement drive circuit can be provided in a single circuit block. 、 It is possible to miniaturize the drive circuit for blood pressure measurement and reduce the number of parts, thereby enabling the blood pressure measurement device to be miniaturized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] The present invention can provide a blood pressure measurement drive circuit and a blood pressure measurement device that can reduce the circuit area and the number of parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a blood pressure measurement device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the main body of the blood pressure measuring device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the blood pressure measuring device. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of control during blood pressure measurement using the blood pressure measurement device. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of how to use the blood pressure measuring device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the blood pressure measuring device attached to the wrist. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of control during blood pressure measurement using the blood pressure measurement device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a main part of a blood pressure measurement device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] [First embodiment] An example of a blood pressure measurement device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a blood pressure measurement device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a device main body 2 of the blood pressure measurement device 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a processor 56, a power supply circuit 57, a drive block 58, a pump 14, and a valve 16 of the blood pressure measurement device 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of control during blood pressure measurement using the blood pressure measurement device 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of blood pressure measurement using the blood pressure measurement device 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the blood pressure measurement device 1 worn on the wrist 200.

[0032] The blood pressure measurement device 1 is an electronic blood pressure measurement device that is attached to a living body 200, for example, on the wrist, and measures blood pressure from an artery of the living body 200.

[0033] 1 to 3, the blood pressure measurement device 1 includes a device main body 2, a fixture 4 such as a belt, a curler 5 disposed between the fixture 4 and a living body 200, and a cuff structure 6 including a cuff 70. In this embodiment, an example in which the blood pressure measurement device 1 is attached to a wrist 200 as the living body 200 will be described, but the living body 200 may also be an upper arm or the like.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device main body 2 includes a case 11, a display device 12, an operating device 13, a pump 14, a flow path section 15, a valve 16, a pressure sensor 17, a power supply section 18, a communication device 19, and a control board 20.

[0035] The case 11 houses, for example, a display device 12, an operating device 13, a pump 14, a flow path section 15, a valve 16, a pressure sensor 17, a power supply section 18, a communication device 19, and a control board 20. The case 11 exposes a part of the display device 12 so that the part is visible from the outside, or a part of the case 11 is made of a transparent material.

[0036] Case 11 includes, for example, outer case 31 and windshield 32 that covers the opening on the side (outer side) of outer case 31 opposite to wrist 200. Case 11 may also include a base provided inside outer case 31, a back cover that covers the wrist 200 side of outer case 31, a sealing member that makes case 11 liquid-tight, and the like.

[0037] The outer case 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer case 31 includes, for example, a pair of lugs 31a provided at circumferentially symmetrical positions on the outer circumferential surface, and a spring bar provided between each of the two pairs of lugs 31a. The windshield 32 is, for example, a circular glass plate.

[0038] The display device 12 is electrically connected to the control board 20. The display device 12 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence display (OLED). In accordance with control signals from the control board 20, the display device 12 displays various information including measurement results such as date and time, blood pressure values such as systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate.

[0039] The operation device 13 inputs commands from the user. For example, the operation device 13 includes a plurality of buttons 41. The operation device 13 also includes a sensor that detects operation of the buttons 41, a pressure-sensitive or capacitance-type touch panel provided on the case 11 or the display device 12, a microphone that receives commands by sound, etc. When operated by the user, the operation device 13 converts the command into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the control board 20.

[0040] Pump 14 is, for example, a piezoelectric pump. Pump 14 compresses the fluid and supplies the compressed fluid to cuff 70 via flow path 15. Pump 14 is electrically connected to control board 20 and is driven based on a drive signal (second drive signal) provided from control board 20.

[0041] As a specific example, pump 14 includes a piezoelectric element and a diaphragm connected to the piezoelectric element. When an AC voltage, which is a drive signal, is applied to the piezoelectric element, the diaphragm vibrates together with the piezoelectric element, and the vibration of the diaphragm pumps the fluid. The drive signal is, for example, a rectangular signal. The fluid may be any gas or liquid. In this embodiment, the fluid is air. Piezoelectric pumps are small and thin, so using a piezoelectric pump for pump 14 allows for the miniaturization of blood pressure measurement device 1.

[0042] Flow path section 15 connects pump 14, valve 16, and pressure sensor 17 to cuff 70. Flow path section 15 is any one of, or a combination of, a tube, a pipe, a tank, a hollow section and a groove formed in case 11. The fluid circuit configuration of flow path section 15 and cuff 70 is designed appropriately depending on various factors such as the fluid flow method, the number and configuration of cuffs 70, the supply order of multiple cuffs 70, the venting method of multiple cuffs 70, and the blood pressure measurement method.

[0043] Valve 16 is electrically connected to control board 20 and opens and closes based on a drive voltage (first drive signal) applied from control board 20. Valve 16 opens and closes a flow path to cuff 70. Valve 16 is connected to the atmosphere by flow path section 15, and when valve 16 is switched to the open state, it connects cuff 70 to the atmosphere and exhausts air from within cuff 70.

[0044] The valve 16 is a quick exhaust valve, for example, in which the opening of the valve 16 or the opening area of the flow path portion 15 is set to minimize fluid resistance, thereby enabling quick exhaust. The valve 16 is switched to a closed state when air is supplied to the cuff 70 during blood pressure measurement. The valve 16 also closes the cuff 70. Inner air When exhausting the gas, the valve 16 is switched from the closed state to the open state under the control of the control board 20. The valve 16 may be formed so that the degree of opening can be adjusted.

[0045] As a specific example, the valve 16 is a normally open type that is always open and closes when a predetermined voltage is applied. The valve 16 is, for example, an electrostatically driven valve that uses MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology. Some electrostatically driven valves have hysteresis characteristics in the drive voltage. That is, for example, if the drive voltage of a normally open valve is increased to switch it from an open state to a closed state, the closed state will be maintained by electrostatic force up to a certain limit, even if the drive voltage is subsequently reduced.

[0046] The pressure sensor 17 detects the pressure in the cuff 70, and in this embodiment, the pressure in at least a sensing cuff 73 (described later) among the multiple cuffs 70 of the cuff structure 6. As a specific example, the pressure sensor 17 is fluidly connected to the sensing cuff 73 via the flow path portion 15 and detects the pressure inside the sensing cuff 73. The pressure sensor 17 is electrically connected to the control board 20. The pressure sensor 17 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the detected pressure to the control board 20.

[0047] The power supply unit 18 is a power source. The power supply unit 18 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery. The power supply unit 18 is electrically connected to the control board 20. As a specific example, the power supply unit 18 supplies power to the control board 20. The power supply unit 18 supplies driving power to each component of the control board 20, as well as to the display device 12, the operating device 13, the pump 14, the valve 16, the pressure sensor 17, and the communication device 19 via the control board 20.

[0048] The communication device 19 is configured to be able to transmit and receive information to and from an external device wirelessly or via a wired connection. The communication device 19 transmits, for example, information controlled by the control board 20 and information on measured blood pressure values and pulse rates to the external device, and also receives programs for software updates and the like from the external device and sends them to the control unit.

[0049] In this embodiment, the external device is, for example, an external terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a smart watch.

[0050] In this embodiment, the communication device 19 and the external device may be directly connected or may be connected via a network. The communication device 19 and the external device may be connected via a mobile communication network such as 4G or 5G, or a wireless communication line such as Wimax or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication device 19 and the external device may also be connected via wireless communication means such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or infrared communication. Furthermore, the communication device 19 and the external device may also be connected via a wired communication line such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or a LAN (Local Area Network) connection via a cable. For this reason, the communication device 19 may be configured to include multiple communication means such as a wireless antenna and a micro USB connector.

[0051] 2, the control board 20 includes, for example, a board 51, a storage unit 54, and a control unit 55. The control board 20 is configured by mounting the storage unit 54 and the control unit 55 on the board 51.

[0052] The substrate 51 is housed in the case 11 .

[0053] The storage unit 54 is a memory mounted on the substrate 51. The storage unit 54 includes RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. The storage unit 54 stores various data. For example, the storage unit 54 pre-stores, in a changeable manner, program data for controlling the entire blood pressure measurement device 1 and a fluid circuit including the pump 14 and valve 16, setting data for setting various functions of the blood pressure measurement device 1, calculation data for calculating blood pressure values and pulse rate from the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 17, and the like. The storage unit 54 stores information such as measured values of blood pressure values, pulse rate, and the like, and pressure values measured by the pressure sensor 17.

[0054] The control unit 55 includes one or more processors 56, a power supply circuit 57, and a drive block 58, which are mounted on the substrate 51. The processor 56 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 55 controls the operation of the entire blood pressure measurement device 1 and the operation of the pump 14 and the valve 16 based on programs stored in the storage unit 54 and various circuits such as the power supply circuit 57 and the drive block 58, and causes the device 1 to perform predetermined operations (functions). The control unit 55 also performs predetermined calculations, analyses, processing, etc. within the control unit 55 in accordance with the loaded programs. Some or all of the functions performed by the control unit 55 are configured as hardware using one or more integrated circuits, etc.

[0055] 2, the control unit 55 is electrically connected to and supplies power to the display device 12, the operation device 13, the pump 14, the valve 16, and the pressure sensor 17. The control unit 55 also controls the operations of the display device 12, the pump 14, and the valve 16 based on electrical signals output from the operation device 13 and the pressure sensor 17. The control unit 55 controls the pump 14 and the valve 16 to supply air to the cuff 70, and calculates the blood pressure by the oscillometric method based on the pressure of the sensing cuff 73 detected by the pressure sensor 17.

[0056] For example, the processor 56 includes a main CPU that controls the operation of the entire blood pressure measurement device 1 and a sub-CPU that controls the operation of the fluid circuit. Control of Alternatively, for example, the processor 56 may determine measurement results such as blood pressure values, such as the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure, and the heart rate, from the electrical signals output by the pressure sensor 17, and output image signals corresponding to the measurement results to the display device 12.

[0057] Furthermore, for example, when a command to measure blood pressure is input from the operation device 13, the processor 56 outputs command values such as a frequency signal or a voltage signal for driving the pump 14 and the valve 16 to the drive block 58. Then, the processor 56 controls the driving and stopping of the pump 14 and the opening and closing of the valve 16 based on the electrical signal output by the pressure sensor 17. The processor 56 controls the pump 14 and the valve 16 to supply compressed air to the cuff 70 and selectively reduce the pressure in the cuff 70.

[0058] In this embodiment, the frequency signal is a signal that specifies the frequency of the square wave that drives the pump 14. In this embodiment, the voltage signal is a signal that specifies the voltage value for driving the pump 14 and the valve 16. The voltage signal is a signal that is common to the pump 14 and the valve 16, and is information on the voltage value to be output to the pump 14 and the valve 16.

[0059] In addition, in this embodiment, the drive voltage for switching the valve 16 from an open state to a closed state is set higher than the voltage of the drive signal output to the pump 14 at the start of blood pressure measurement, and the drive voltage for switching from the closed state to the open state is set to 0 V or lower than the voltage of the drive signal output to the pump 14 during blood pressure measurement.

[0060] The power supply circuit 57 supplies the power received from the power supply unit 18 to the drive block 58. The power supply circuit 57 may also be configured to supply drive power to the display device 12, the operation device 13, the pressure sensor 17, the communication device 19, and the processor 56. The power supplied from the power supply unit 18 In addition to the power supply circuit 57 that supplies power to the drive block 58, the control unit 55 may be configured to include a power supply circuit that supplies power supplied from the power supply unit 18 to the display device 12, the operating device 13, the pressure sensor 17, the communication device 19, and the processor 56.

[0061] The drive block 58 includes a transformer circuit 59 and a control circuit 60. The drive block 58 configures the transformer circuit 59 and the control circuit 60 as one circuit block. The drive block 58 is a drive circuit that drives the pump 14 and the valve 16 using the transformer circuit 59 and the control circuit 60. The drive block 58 is a drive circuit for blood pressure measurement.

[0062] The transformer circuit 59 transforms the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 57. For example, the transformer circuit 59 is a booster circuit that boosts the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 57. In the present embodiment, the transformer circuit 59 will be described below as a booster circuit 59.

[0063] 3, the boost circuit 59 is connected to the power supply circuit 57, the control circuit 60, and the valve 16. The input of the boost circuit 59 is connected to the power supply circuit 57 and the control circuit 60. The output of the boost circuit 59 is connected to the control circuit 60 and the valve 16.

[0064] The boost circuit 59 boosts the voltage input from the power supply circuit 57 in response to a voltage signal output from the processor 56, and outputs the boosted voltage to the valve 16 and the control circuit 60. The voltage signal output from the processor 56 is input to the boost circuit 59 directly from the processor 56 or indirectly via the control circuit 60. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the voltage signal output from the processor 56 is input to the boost circuit 59 via the control circuit 60.

[0065] The control circuit 60 is connected to the processor 56, the boost circuit 59, and the pump 14. The input of the control circuit 60 is connected to the processor 56 and the boost circuit 59. The output of the control circuit 60 is connected to the boost circuit 59 and the pump 14. When the frequency signal and voltage signal output from the processor 56 are input, the control circuit 60 outputs a voltage signal to the boost circuit 59. The control circuit 60 also outputs the voltage boosted by the boost circuit 59 to the pump 14 as a rectangular signal based on the frequency signal.

[0066] 1 and 6, the fixture 4 is a so-called belt, and includes a first belt 61 attached to one pair of lugs 31a and a spring bar, and a second belt 62 attached to the other pair of lugs 31a and a spring bar. When the blood pressure measurement device 1 is worn on the wrist 200, the fixture 4 is wrapped around the wrist 200 via the curler 5.

[0067] The first belt 61 is a so-called parent belt and is configured in a belt shape that can be connected to the second belt 62. The first belt 61 has a belt portion 61a and a buckle 61b. The belt portion 61a is configured in a belt shape. The belt portion 61a is made of an elastically deformable resin material. The belt portion 61a is flexible and has a sheet-like insert member inside that suppresses expansion and contraction of the belt portion 61a in the longitudinal direction.

[0068] The buckle 61b has a rectangular frame body 61e and a pin 61f rotatably attached to the frame body 61e. The side of the frame body 61e to which the pin 61f is attached is rotatable relative to the belt portion 61a. The first belt 61 is attached between the pair of lugs 31a via a spring bar and is rotatably held by the outer case 31.

[0069] The second belt 62 is a so-called "point" and is configured in a band shape having a width that allows it to be inserted into the frame-shaped body 61e. The second belt 62 is made of an elastically deformable resin material. The second belt 62 is flexible and has a sheet-like insert member inside that suppresses expansion and contraction of the second belt 62 in the longitudinal direction.

[0070] The second belt 62 has a plurality of small holes 62a into which the attachment rods 61f are inserted. The second belt 62 is attached between the pair of lugs 31a via spring bars and is rotatably held by the outer case 31.

[0071] When first belt 61 and second belt 62 are connected, fixing device 4, together with device main body 2, becomes annular in shape following the circumferential direction of wrist 200. Fixing device 4 presses curler 5 toward wrist 200, causing curler 5 to elastically deform so as to follow the circumferential direction of wrist 200 of the wearer of blood pressure measurement device 1.

[0072] Curler 5 is configured in a band shape that curves following the circumferential direction of wrist 200. Curler 5 is formed with one end and the other end spaced apart. For example, the outer surface of one end of curler 5 is fixed to device body 2. Curler 5 is arranged in a position where one end and the other end protrude to one side of wrist 200. As a result, when blood pressure measurement device 1 is worn on wrist 200, curler 5 has one end and the other end located on the side of wrist 200. Furthermore, curler 5 has one end and the other end adjacent to each other and spaced a predetermined distance apart. Curler 5 is formed, for example, from a resin material.

[0073] As a specific example, curler 5 is configured in a band shape that curves along the circumferential direction of the wrist. Also, as a specific example, curler 5 has a short side from device main body 2 to one end that is positioned on the back side of the wrist, and a long side from device main body 2 to the other end that extends from the back side of the wrist, passing along one side, to the palm side of wrist 200.

[0074] The cuff structure 6 includes a plurality of cuffs 70. The cuff structure 6 is wrapped around the wrist or the like of a living body when measuring blood pressure. The cuffs 70 are cuffs for measuring blood pressure. The cuffs 70 include a single- or multi-layer bag-like structure to which a fluid is supplied. The bag-like structure is something to which a fluid is supplied. In this embodiment, since the fluid is air, the bag-like structure is an air bag. The bag-like structure is formed, for example, by overlapping and welding a pair of sheet members.

[0075] For example, the cuff structure 6 includes a pressure cuff 71 as the cuff 70, a back plate 72, and a sensing cuff 73 as the cuff 70. The cuff structure 6 may include a tension cuff as another cuff 70. The pressure cuff 71 is fluidly connected to the pump 14. The pressure cuff 71 is inflated with air from the pump 14. When inflated, the pressure cuff 71 presses the sensing cuff 73 against the living body. The pressure cuff 71 is formed, for example, by stacking multiple fluidly connected air bags in the pressing direction of the sensing cuff 73.

[0076] The back plate 72 is made of a resin material and has a plate-like shape. The back plate 72 has shape-following properties.

[0077] Here, shape conformability refers to the ability of the back plate 72 to deform so as to follow the shape of the contacted portion of the wrist 200 on which it is placed, and the contacted portion of the wrist 200 refers to the area of the wrist 200 that the back plate 72 faces. Here, contact includes both direct contact of the back plate 72 with the wrist 200 and indirect contact with the wrist 200 via the sensing cuff 73. The back plate 72 is formed to a length that covers the palm side of the wrist 200. The back plate 72 presses against the sensing cuff 73 by the inflation of the pressure cuff 71 while conforming to the shape of the wrist 200.

[0078] Air is supplied to the sensing cuff 73 by the pump 14. When the blood pressure measurement device 1 is attached to a living body, the sensing cuff 73 is placed in a region of the wrist (living body) 200 where an artery is present. . blood In pressure measurement, air is supplied to the sensing cuff 73 used to detect pressure for calculating blood pressure, and the sensing cuff 73 is pressed by the inflated pressure cuff 71 to compress the area of the wrist 200 where the arteries are located. The sensing cuff 73 is formed, for example, by a single air bag.

[0079] Next, an example of the relationship between the voltage, rectangular signal, valve opening and closing, and pressure in the cuff 70 from the start time t1 to the end time t3 of blood pressure measurement using the blood pressure measurement device 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. Note that the blood pressure measurement in this example does not include correction of the rectangular signal due to the pressure in the cuff 70.

[0080] 4, voltage 1 is a voltage output from power supply circuit 57 to boost circuit 59. Voltage 2 is a voltage output from boost circuit 59 to control circuit 60 and valve 16. A rectangular signal is a signal output from control circuit 60 to pump 14 for driving pump 14.

[0081] First, when a command to start blood pressure measurement is input by operation device 13 or the like, processor 56 outputs a frequency signal and a voltage signal as a drive signal for pump 14 to control circuit 60, and control circuit 60 then outputs the input voltage signal to boost circuit 59. At this time, processor 56 outputs a voltage signal to control circuit 60 as a signal at the start of blood pressure measurement, the voltage signal being a voltage value at which valve 16 closes.

[0082] The boost circuit 59 boosts the voltage 1 input from the power supply circuit 57 to a voltage 2 that drives the valve 16 in the direction of closing, based on a voltage signal commanded by the control circuit 60. The boosted voltageThe electrical signal is output to the control circuit 60 and the valve 16. The control circuit 60 generates a rectangular signal from the voltage 2 and frequency signal and outputs it to the pump 14. Here, the electrical signal output from the processor 56 is maintained at a voltage value that closes the valve 16 from the start of blood pressure measurement t1 until a predetermined time t2 has elapsed at which the valve 16 is securely closed. As a result, the valve 16 is closed by voltage 2 from t1 to t2. The diaphragm of the pump 14 then vibrates in accordance with the voltage value and frequency of the rectangular signal, causing the pressure in the cuff 70 to increase.

[0083] Here, the drive voltage V0 for switching valve 16 from an open state to a closed state is set higher than the drive voltage for switching valve 16 from a closed state to an open state. Furthermore, the drive voltage for switching valve 16 from a closed state to an open state is set lower than the amplitude of the drive voltage for pump 14. Therefore, by raising voltage V2 to V0 at the start of blood pressure measurement, valve 16 is switched from an open state to a closed state, and then lowering voltage V2 to the voltage required to drive pump 14, the drive of pump 14 can be controlled while keeping valve 16 in the closed state. Note that the time t2-t1 required to switch valve 16 from an open state to a closed state is several ms to several tens of ms, which is much shorter than the drive time t3-t1 of pump 14. Therefore, the effect of driving pump 14 with drive voltage V0 on the pressure control within the cuff is negligibly small.

[0084] After a predetermined time t2 has elapsed since the start of blood pressure measurement t1, the processor 56 outputs a voltage signal to the control circuit 60, which corresponds to a voltage value that drives the pump 14 and that does not open the closed valve 16. At this time, the processor 56 outputs a voltage signal so that the voltage value that drives the pump 14 gradually increases. As a result, the valve 16 is maintained in a closed state from the predetermined time t2 to the end of blood pressure measurement t3, and the voltage of voltage 2 output from the boost circuit 59 gradually increases. The control circuit 60 generates a rectangular signal from the input voltage 2. Therefore, the amplitude value of the rectangular signal input to the pump 14 gradually increases. Therefore, the pump 14 the law of nature The amount of air supplied to the cuff 70 gradually increases, and the pressure inside the cuff 70 gradually increases.

[0085] When the blood pressure measurement is completed, the processor 56 outputs a stop signal to the control circuit 60. For example, the stop signal is a frequency signal and a voltage signal, such as a frequency of 0 Hz and a voltage of 0 V. When the stop signal is input, the control circuit 60 stops generating the rectangular signal and outputs a stop signal to the boost circuit 59. When the stop signal is input, the boost circuit 59 stops boosting the voltage 1 supplied from the power supply circuit 57 and stops outputting the voltage 2 to the valve 16 and the control circuit 60. As a result, the voltage input to the valve 16 becomes 0 V, and no current is applied to the valve 16 after the end of the blood pressure measurement, time t3. Therefore, the closed valve 16 opens, and the air in the cuff 70 is exhausted, and the pressure in the cuff 70 becomes atmospheric pressure.

[0086] Next, an example of blood pressure measurement using such blood pressure measurement device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in measuring blood pressure, the user wears the blood pressure measurement device 1 on the wrist 200 as shown in Fig. 6 and turns on the power of the blood pressure measurement device 1. Then, when the user operates the operation device 13 to input a command to start blood pressure measurement, the processor 56 outputs a frequency signal and a voltage signal (step ST11).

[0087] The boost circuit 59 boosts the power supply voltage input from the power supply circuit 57 using a voltage signal output from the processor 56 and input via the control circuit 60. The boost circuit 59 then outputs the generated boosted voltage to the valve 16 to drive the valve 16 and close it (step ST21).

[0088] The control circuit 60 generates a rectangular signal from the frequency signal output from the processor 56 and the boosted voltage generated by the boost circuit 59. The control circuit 60 then outputs the generated rectangular signal to the pump 14, causing the pump 14 to be driven based on the rectangular signal (step ST31). Note that the voltage signal output by the processor 56 is controlled so that the voltage boosted by the boost circuit 59 gradually increases in order to supply air to the cuff 70 at a constant rate.

[0089] The processor 56 determines whether the valve 16 is closed and whether the pump 14 is running. was Thereafter, it is determined whether the cuff 70 is being inflated at the target speed (step ST12). For example, the processor 56 calculates the amount of change in the pressure in the cuff 70 over time detected by the pressure sensor 17 connected to the cuff 70, and compares the amount of change in the pressure in the cuff 70 with the inflation speed of the cuff 70 stored in advance in the storage unit 54, thereby determining whether the cuff 70 is being inflated at the target speed. If the cuff 70 is not being inflated at the target speed, for example, the inflation speed may be lower than the target speed. speed If the frequency signal and voltage signal are faster or slower than the reference frequency signal (NO in step ST12), the corrected frequency signal and voltage signal are output to the control circuit 60 (step ST13).

[0090] The corrected frequency signal and voltage signal may be read by the processor 56 based on a data table stored in the memory unit 54 and output as a frequency signal and voltage signal for correction. Alternatively, the processor 56 may read and output the frequency signal and voltage signal for correction based on a program or the like. did The frequency and voltage signals may be calculated or modified frequency and voltage signals may be generated in other ways.

[0091] The control circuit 60 outputs the corrected voltage signal to the boost circuit 59. When the boosted voltage based on the voltage signal corrected by the boost circuit 59 is input, the control circuit 60 generates a rectangular signal based on the frequency signal and the boosted voltage, and drives the pump 14 with the corrected rectangular signal (step ST32).

[0092] If the cuff 70 is being inflated at the target speed (YES in step ST12), the processor 56 determines whether or not the blood pressure measurement has ended (step ST14). If the blood pressure measurement has not ended (NO in step ST14), the processor 56 returns to step ST12 and determines whether or not the cuff 70 is being inflated at the target speed.

[0093] When the blood pressure measurement is completed (YES in step ST14), processor 56 outputs a stop signal to control circuit 60 (step ST15). When the stop signal is input to control circuit 60, control circuit 60 outputs a stop signal to boost circuit 59. When the stop signal is input, boost circuit 59 no longer generates a boosted voltage based on the voltage signal, i.e., no boosted voltage is generated. Therefore, no boosted voltage is input to valve 16, and valve 16 is opened (step ST22). Furthermore, boosted voltage is not input to control circuit 60 from boost circuit 59, and generation of the rectangular signal is stopped. This stops pump 14 (step ST33), and blood pressure measurement is completed.

[0094] According to the blood pressure measurement device 1 including the drive block (drive circuit) 58 configured in this manner, a boosted voltage output from one boost circuit 59 can be used to drive the valve 16 and generate a rectangular signal for driving the pump 14. That is, the drive voltage (first drive signal) for the valve 16 and the drive signal (rectangular signal, second drive signal) for the pump 14 have the same voltage value. That is, the drive voltage (first drive signal) for the valve 16 Waveform of The envelope of the drive signal (rectangular signal, second drive signal) of the pump 14 has a common shape that changes at the same timing.

[0095] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the waveform of the drive signal (first drive signal) that drives the valve 16 and the envelope of the peak voltage of the rectangular signal, which is the drive signal (second drive signal) that drives the pump 14, shown by the dashed dotted line in FIG. 4, have slopes that change at the same timing.

[0096] Therefore, the boost circuit 59 and the control circuit 60 can be configured integrally in one circuit block. This allows the drive block 58, which is a drive circuit that drives the pump 14 and the valve 16, to be made smaller. In addition, the number of parts required to configure the drive block 58 that drives the pump 14 and the valve 16 can be reduced. Therefore, the drive block 58 can be made smaller, which allows the blood pressure measurement device 1 to be made smaller.

[0097] Furthermore, when measuring blood pressure using the blood pressure measurement device 1, it is preferable to supply air into the cuff 70 at a constant rate to pressurize the cuff. To this end, the drive voltage of the pump 14 is gradually increased. The lowest drive voltage of the pump 14 is set to a value higher than the drive voltage that switches the valve 16 from an open state to a closed state or the voltage value that maintains the closed state after the valve 16 has been driven to the closed state. In this embodiment, the boost circuit 59 boosts the input voltage to a voltage that drives the valve 16 from an open state to a closed state to drive the valve 16, and then reduces the boost voltage to a voltage value higher than the lower limit voltage that maintains the closed state of the valve 16, generating a rectangular signal to drive the pump 14. The value of the boost voltage is gradually increased to drive the pump 14, thereby enabling the pump 14 to be driven and the valve 16 to be maintained in the closed state. In this way, the drive block 58 can generate a boost voltage for driving the pump 14 and the valve 16 by using one boost circuit 59.

[0098] The blood pressure measurement device 1 also includes a cuff 70 Inner air Therefore, in the event of an abnormality, the blood pressure measurement device 1 stops the drive block 58, thereby stopping the supply of air from the pump 14 to the cuff 70, and also opens the valve 16, allowing the cuff 70 to be vented. Inner air can be rapidly exhausted.

[0099] As described above, the drive block (drive circuit) 58 and blood pressure measurement device 1 according to this embodiment can reduce the circuit area and the number of parts, and the pump 14 and the valve 16 can be driven by a single drive block (drive circuit) 58.

[0100] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the above example, the drive voltage for switching valve 16 from the open state to the closed state is set higher than the voltage of the drive signal output to pump 14 at the start of blood pressure measurement, and the drive voltage for switching from the closed state to the open state is 0 V or lower than the voltage of the drive signal output to pump 14 during blood pressure measurement. However, the present invention is not limited to this example.

[0101] For example, as shown in an example of control of blood pressure measurement device 1 according to the second embodiment in Fig. 7 , the drive voltage for switching valve 16 from an open state to a closed state may be set to be the same as or lower than the voltage for driving pump 14 at blood pressure measurement start time t1. When such a valve 16 is used, as shown in Fig. 7 , at blood pressure measurement start time t1, boost circuit 59 boosts the voltage to a voltage for driving pump 14 and outputs this boosted voltage to control circuit 60 and valve 16, thereby driving pump 14 and closing valve 16. Then, valve 16 remains closed while pump 14 is being driven.

[0102] Note that a normally closed type valve 16 may be used. That is, the type and usage of the valve 16 can be set appropriately as long as the drive block 58 drives the pump 14 and the valve 16 at the same voltage value. For example, if the valve 16 is a normally closed type, the valve 16 is disposed in the flow path between the pump 14 and the cuff 70.

[0103] Furthermore, for example, in the above example, the pump 14 and the valve 16 are driven by the drive block 58, but there may be a plurality of pumps 14 and valves 16. That is, even if the blood pressure measurement device 1 is configured to have a plurality of pumps 14 and / or a plurality of valves 16, the plurality of pumps 14 and / or valves 16 can be driven by a single drive block 58 as long as they are controlled to be driven at the same voltage value. Furthermore, there may be one or more cuffs 70 connected to the pump 14 and the valve 16. When a plurality of cuffs 70 are connected to the pump 14 and the valve 16, for example, the plurality of cuffs 70 may be connected in series as in the example shown in FIG. 8, or, although not shown, the plurality of cuffs 70 may be connected in parallel.

[0104] In the above example, the transformer circuit 59 of the drive block (drive circuit) 58 is a step-up circuit, but this is not limiting. For example, the transformer circuit 59 may be a step-down circuit or a step-up / step-down circuit. That is, the transformer circuit 59 can be set appropriately as long as it can transform the voltage output from the power supply circuit 57 to a voltage value that drives the pump 14 and the valve 16.

[0105] In the above example, the drive block 58 has been described as having a configuration including a transformer circuit 59, but this is not limiting. For example, if the drive voltage of the valve 16 and the pump 14 is lower than the output voltage of the power supply circuit 57, the drive block 58 may not have a transformer circuit, as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, for example, the control circuit 60 generates a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal having an effective voltage corresponding to the voltage signal output from the processor 56. That is, the duty ratio (= pulse width / period) of the rectangular signal is controlled to obtain an effective voltage corresponding to the voltage signal.

[0106] The control circuit 60 then outputs this PWM signal as a drive signal to the valve 16 and the pump 14. The effective voltage is equal to or greater than the voltage required for the valve 16 to operate, and is generated as a voltage appropriate for controlling the amount of air discharged from the pump 14. For example, the voltage 2 and rectangular signal shown in FIGS. ,fruitThe voltage value (effective value) of the effective voltage may be gradually increased, or may be controlled to a voltage value (effective value) corresponding to the drive voltage of valve 16, and then controlled to a voltage value (effective value) corresponding to the drive voltage of pump 14. For example, a rotary type may be used for pump 14, and a solenoid type may be used for valve 16. This allows drive block 58 including control circuit 60 to drive pump 14 and valve 16 with a single PWM signal. Furthermore, by using control circuit 60 to control the duty ratio, drive block 58 does not require transformer circuit 59, thereby enabling miniaturization and a reduction in the number of parts.

[0107] In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations where possible, and in such cases, the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of the disclosed constituent elements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1...Blood pressure measuring device 2...Device body 4…Fixing tool 5. Carla 6...Cuff structure 11...Case 12...Display device 13...Operating device 14...Pump 15...Flow path section 16...Valve 17...Pressure sensor 18…Power supply section 19...Communication equipment 20...Control board 31...Outer case 31a…Rug 32...Windshield 41...Button 51... Circuit board 54...Storage section 55...Control unit 56...Processor 57…Power circuit 58...Drive block (drive circuit) 59...Transformer circuit (booster circuit) 60...Control circuit 61...1st Belt 61a...Belt section 61b...buckle 61e...frame-shaped body 61f...rod 62...Second Belt 62a…Small hole 70…Cuff 71...Compression cuff 72...Backboard 73...Sensing cuff 200...Wrist (biological)

Claims

1. a blood pressure measurement drive circuit that generates a first drive signal for driving a valve that opens and closes a flow path connected to a blood pressure measurement cuff, and a second drive signal for driving a pump that supplies fluid to the cuff, a drive circuit for blood pressure measurement, wherein the first drive signal and the second drive signal are generated from a common power supply voltage supplied from a power supply circuit, and the waveform of the first drive signal and the envelope of the peak voltage of the second drive signal change at the same timing and have the same slope.

2. a control circuit that outputs the second drive signal; a transformer circuit that transforms the power supply voltage into a voltage value corresponding to the first drive signal and the second drive signal in response to a voltage signal output from a processor, outputs the transformed power supply voltage to the valve as the first drive signal, and also outputs the transformed power supply voltage to the control circuit; Including, 2. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit generates the second drive signal using the transformed power supply voltage output from the transformer circuit and a frequency signal output from the processor, and outputs the second drive signal to the pump.

3. 3. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the transformer circuit is a booster circuit that boosts the power supply voltage.

4. 4. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the transformer circuit outputs to the valve and the control circuit a voltage value that is gradually increased in response to the voltage signal output from the processor.

5. a voltage value for driving the valve is higher than a voltage at the start of driving the pump; 5. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the transformer circuit transforms the power supply voltage to a voltage value that drives the valve, and thereafter transforms the power supply voltage to a voltage value that maintains the valve being driven and that drives the pump.

6. 3. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit outputs, as the first drive signal and the second drive signal, PWM signals having effective voltages equal to or greater than voltages required for the valve and the pump to operate, to the pump and the valve.

7. 7. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit gradually increases the voltage value of the effective voltage output to the valve and the pump.

8. a voltage value for driving the valve is higher than a voltage at the start of driving the pump; 8. The blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit sets the effective voltage to a voltage value that drives the valve, and thereafter sets the effective voltage to a voltage value that maintains the valve being driven and also drives the pump.

9. a cuff through which fluid is delivered; a pump for supplying the fluid to the cuff; a valve that opens and closes a flow path connected to the cuff; A power supply circuit; a blood pressure measurement drive circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 8; a processor that outputs a voltage control signal to the blood pressure measurement drive circuit; A blood pressure measuring device comprising:

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