Biological information measurement device

Abstract

This biological information measurement device for measuring biological information comprises: multiple electrodes; an electrode holding part for holding at least one of the electrodes, the electrode holding part being insulated from the multiple electrodes and having a contact face for contacting the surface of a measurement subject when biological information is measured; and a pressing means for pressing the electrode against the skin surface of the measurement subject at least when biological information is measured. The electrode held in the electrode holder has a convex curved surface and is disposed such that the curved surface protrudes from the contact face.

Description

Biological information measuring device

[0001] The present invention relates to a healthcare-related technical field, and more particularly to a biological information measuring device.

[0002] It is known that biosignals generated inside a living body, such as electrocardiogram signals, are measured using electrodes attached to the surface of the living body. Accurate measurement of biosignals requires a sufficiently small contact resistance between the electrode and the surface of the living body, and various techniques for adjusting the shape of the electrode have been known to achieve this (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The electrodes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a structure in which protrusions are provided on a flat plate, and the contact area between the flat plate portion of the electrode and the surface of the living body varies depending on how the electrodes are placed.

[0003] In recent years, it has become common for individuals to measure their own physical and health information (hereinafter referred to as biometric information), such as blood pressure and electrocardiogram waveforms, on a daily basis using measuring devices and to use the measurement results for health management. This has led to an increasing demand for devices that emphasize portability, and many wearable measuring devices have become widespread.

[0004] JP 2013-085629 A JP 2016-036642 A JP 2020-120915 A

[0005] Incidentally, even in devices such as these wearable devices that allow individuals to easily measure physical information, in order to obtain accurate measurements, the contact resistance between the electrodes and the surface of the living body must be sufficiently small, as described above.

[0006] However, particularly when using a simple measuring device such as a wearable terminal, even if the electrode structure is as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, there is a problem in that the contact area between the flat plate portion and the biological surface during biological signal measurement fluctuates greatly, making the acquired biological signal unstable.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing fluctuations in the contact area between the surface of a living body and electrodes during measurement in a biological information measurement device equipped with electrodes.

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the biological information measuring device according to the present invention employs the following configuration: That is, a biological information measuring device for measuring biological information, comprising: a plurality of electrodes; an electrode holding unit that is insulated from the electrodes and has a contact surface that comes into contact with the surface of a measurement subject when measuring the biological information, and that holds at least one of the plurality of electrodes; and pressing means that presses the electrode against the skin surface of the measurement subject at least when measuring the biological information, wherein the electrode held in the electrode holding unit has a shape that includes a convex curved surface, and the curved surface is provided so as to protrude from the contact surface.

[0009] With this configuration, the electrode, which has a structure that protrudes from the contact surface, is pressed against the skin surface of the living body by the pressing means, and the electrode is embedded in the human body so that it contacts the surrounding surface of the protruding electrode, making it easier to maintain the entire electrode in contact with the living body. Furthermore, the electrode holder that holds the electrode and forms the contact surface with the human body is insulated from the electrode, so the contact area between the contact surface and the skin surface does not affect the acquisition of biosignals. Therefore, fluctuations in the contact area between the electrode and the living body surface during measurement are suppressed, making it possible to acquire stable signals (biological information).

[0010] The electrode held by the electrode holder may have a base end, which faces the contact surface, supported by a base made of an insulator. With this configuration, the portion of the skin surface that is most affected by body hair (where body hair gathers when the electrode is pressed) can be made of an insulator, making it easier for a larger surface of the electrode to come into contact with the skin surface, and enabling a more stable signal to be obtained.

[0011] Furthermore, the biological information measuring device may be used by fixing the main body housing to the measurement subject with a band at least when measuring the biological information, and the electrode holding portion may be provided on the side of the main body housing that contacts the measurement subject. Alternatively, the side of the band that contacts the measurement subject may be the electrode holding portion. Furthermore, the band may be the pressing means. With such a configuration, the present invention can be effectively applied to wearable measurement devices such as wristwatches.

[0012] The biological information measuring device may further include a plurality of the electrodes on the main body housing, and acquire electrocardiographic signals based on potential differences between the plurality of electrodes. Alternatively, the biological information measuring device may include a plurality of the electrodes on the side of the band that comes into contact with the measurement subject, and acquire electrocardiographic signals based on potential differences between the plurality of electrodes. The electrode holder may also hold measurement electrodes for measuring electrocardiographic signals and a reference electrode for determining a reference potential.

[0013] The main body housing may further include an optical sensor between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode. In a multi-type and wearable biological information measuring device that also measures other biological information such as pulse waves (blood pressure), it is necessary to keep the arrangement space of the electrodes compact, and the present invention can be suitably used for such a configuration.

[0014] The biological information may include a blood pressure value, and the band may be provided with an air bladder for measuring the blood pressure. The air bladder may be the pressing means.

[0015] The biological information measuring device may be a wearable device in which the main body housing is configured to be worn on the arm of the human body that is the measurement target.

[0016] The electrode held by the electrode holder may be formed to have a circular, elliptical or oblong shape in plan view.

[0017] The present invention can be achieved by combining the above-described configurations and processes as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for reducing fluctuations in the contact area between the surface of a living body and the electrodes during measurement in a biological information measurement device equipped with electrodes.

[0019] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an outline of a biological information measuring device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship when the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment is worn on a wrist. FIG. 4 is an external view of a main body of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment as seen from the bottom side. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment as seen from the side. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a sensor substrate housing portion of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a connection between an electrode and a sensor substrate of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram illustrating an electrode member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7C is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of an opening of a first sensor substrate according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the biological information measuring device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9A is a first explanatory diagram according to a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 9B is a second explanatory diagram according to the second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 9C is a third explanatory diagram according to the second modification of the first embodiment. Fig. 10A is a first explanatory diagram according to Modification 3 of Embodiment 1. Fig. 10B is a second explanatory diagram according to Modification 3 of Embodiment 1. Fig. 11A is an external perspective view showing an outline of a biological information measuring device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 11B is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the inner circumferential surface of a belt portion of Embodiment 2.

[0020] <Embodiment 1> Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those.

[0021] (Device Configuration) Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing the outline of the configuration of a biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the outline of the configuration of the biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the biological information measurement device 1 is generally a wristwatch-type wearable device having a main body 10 and a belt 20, and can measure biological information such as pulse waves (pulse rates), blood pressure values, and electrocardiogram waveforms when worn on a human wrist T. Fig. 3 shows the positional relationship between the wrist T and each component of the biological information measurement device 1 according to this embodiment when worn on the wrist T.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main body 10 includes a main body housing 11 and a cuff cover 16 (described later). The main body housing 11 is provided with a display 12 (e.g., an organic EL display), operation buttons 131 and 132, a lug 14, and a sensor board housing 15 for housing a sensor board. In this embodiment, the side on which the display 12 is formed is referred to as the front surface of the main body housing 11, and the side on which the sensor board housing 15 is formed is referred to as the bottom surface of the main body housing 11. In the following description, the front surface of the main body housing 11 may be referred to as the upper side, and the bottom surface of the main body housing 11 may be referred to as the lower side. In this embodiment, the operation buttons 131 and 132 are formed of conductors and also function as electrodes for measuring electrocardiogram waveforms.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an external view of the main body 10 as viewed from the bottom side. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom of the main body housing 11 has a central area covered by a resin cover 151 and an area corresponding to the central area covered by a cuff cover 16. At least a portion of the resin cover 151 is formed from a translucent resin, and the area inside the main body housing 11 that is covered by the resin cover 151 corresponds to the sensor board housing 15. In a plan view, the sensor board housing 15 is located in the central area of ​​the main body housing 11 that is covered by the resin cover 151, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sensor board housing 15 is formed so as to protrude toward the wrist T beyond the cuff cover 16 when worn. In other words, the surface on the bottom side of the resin cover 151 is the contact surface that comes into contact with the human body.

[0024] Furthermore, a first electrode 133 and a second electrode 134 are provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11 so that their surfaces that come into contact with the human body are exposed. Either the first electrode 133 or the second electrode 134 functions as a GND electrode during electrocardiogram waveform measurement. When measuring an electrocardiogram waveform, the bioinformation measuring device 1 is worn, the contact surfaces of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are brought into contact with the skin surface of the area where the bioinformation measuring device 1 is worn, and the operation button is touched with the fingers of the hand on the side not wearing the bioinformation measuring device 1, thereby enabling electrocardiogram waveform measurement using lead I. The detailed structures of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 will be described later.

[0025] Although not shown, a charging terminal is also provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11. By connecting the connection terminal of the power supply side device to the charging terminal, it is possible to charge a rechargeable battery (not shown in FIG. 4).

[0026] 5, from the bottom side of the main body housing 11, the first LED 111, the second LED 113, the first photodiode (PD) 112, and the second PD 121 mounted on the lower surface (mounting surface) of the second sensor board 102 (described later) can be seen through the light-transmitting portion of the resin cover 151. The configuration of these elements will be described later.

[0027] The belt unit 20 includes a belt 21 and a hook-and-loop fastener 25 for fastening the biological information measuring device 1 to the wrist T, as well as a first pressure cuff 22 and a second pressure cuff 23 for compressing an artery in the wrist T, and a sensing cuff 24 for detecting a pressure pulse wave. The connection portions between the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 and the main body housing 11 are covered by a cuff cover 16. The cuff cover 16 protects the connection portions between the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 and the main body housing 11, and also has the function of fastening the cuffs 22, 23, and 24 to the main body housing 11.

[0028] Next, the internal configuration of the main body housing 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the X-X cross-section of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the sensor substrate housing portion 15 in FIG. 5. Note that FIGS. 5 and 6 are not accurate cross-sectional views, and the configuration has been appropriately omitted or deformed for ease of explanation. As shown in FIG. 5, the main body housing 11 houses a rechargeable battery 191, a control board 17, a piezoelectric pump 161, a valve 162, a pressure sensor 163, a flow path plate 164, and the like. In addition, a sensor substrate housing portion 15 formed in a convex shape is provided near the bottom of the main body housing 11, and the sensor substrate housing portion 15 houses a sensor substrate set 100 consisting of a first sensor substrate 101 and a second sensor substrate 102.

[0029] In a part of the bottom of main body housing 11, in an area where sensor board housing 15 is not provided in a plan view, a first connection part 165 that connects main body housing 11 (more specifically, flow path plate 164 inside the housing) to first pressure cuff 22 and sensing cuff 24, and a second connection part 166 that similarly connects main body housing 11 to second pressure cuff 23, are provided. First connection part 165 and second connection part 166 are covered by cuff cover 16 that is provided in an area of ​​the main body bottom that corresponds to the outer periphery of sensor board housing 15. As already mentioned, the area located at sensor board housing 15 is covered by resin cover 151.

[0030] The rechargeable battery 191 may be a general-purpose secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery, and can be repeatedly charged by receiving power via a charging terminal. The control board 17 is equipped with a processor such as a CPU (not shown), a memory such as a RAM, and other components, and controls the entire vital sign measurement device 1. The piezoelectric pump 161, valve 162, pressure sensor 163, flow path plate 164, first pressure cuff 22, second pressure cuff 23, and sensing cuff 24 are components related to blood pressure measurement. The flow path plate 164 is made of a conductive material (metal), and has a flow path formed therein that sends gas from the piezoelectric pump 161 to each cuff.

[0031] The first sensor substrate 101 and the flow path plate 164 are electrically connected by spring contacts 181, and the control substrate 17 and the flow path plate 164 are also electrically connected by spring contacts 182. By being electrically connected to the flow path plate 164 made of a conductive material, the GND areas of the first sensor substrate 101 and the control substrate 17 can be increased, thereby improving noise resistance. In addition, the flow path plate 164 also functions as a shield for the first sensor substrate 101 against noise generated by internal devices such as the piezoelectric pump 161.

[0032] Next, the sensor board housing section 15 and the sensor board set 100 will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the sensor board housing section 15 is a space that protrudes from the bottom of the main body housing 11 toward the side that comes into contact with the human body. The sensor board set 100, in which a first sensor board 101 and a second sensor board 102 are stacked one above the other, is housed in this space. The first sensor board 101 and the second sensor board 102 are connected by conductive spring contacts 105 and function as a pair.

[0033] The second sensor substrate 102 has, on its lower surface, two light-emitting elements, a first LED 111 and a second LED 113, and two light-receiving elements, a first photodiode (PD) 112 and a second PD 121. In this embodiment, the first LED 111 emits green light, and the second LED 113 emits red and / or infrared light in addition to green. An isolation wall 152 is provided to isolate the first LED 111, the second LED 113, the first PD 112, and the second PD 121 from each other.

[0034] On the other hand, although not shown, a capacitor, an amplifier circuit, an A / D (Analog-to-Digital) conversion circuit, etc. are mounted on the first sensor substrate 101. The first sensor substrate 101 may be a double-sided mounted substrate. In this way, by forming the sensor substrate set 100 into a two-tiered stacked structure consisting of the second sensor substrate 102 and the first sensor substrate 101, it is possible to significantly reduce the area of ​​the substrate when viewed in plan, compared to when all components are mounted on a single substrate.

[0035] Next, the manner of connection between the first sensor substrate 101 and each electrode will be described with reference to Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C. Figure 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the Y-Y cross-section in Figure 4. However, Figure 7A is also not an accurate cross-sectional view, and some omissions and deformations have been made for ease of explanation. Figure 7B is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the first electrode 133. Figure 7C is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the lower surface of the first sensor substrate 101.

[0036] 7A, the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed in contact with the lower surface of the first sensor substrate 101. In addition, both electrodes are arranged so that they have portions that protrude from the contact surface TS (the surface located on the dashed line in FIG. 7A), which is the surface on the bottom side of the resin cover 151, toward the side that comes into contact with the human body when worn.

[0037] 7B , the first electrode 133 and the second electrode having a similar configuration will be described in more detail. The first electrode 133 is generally composed of a shaft portion 133a having a longitudinal direction in the vertical direction of the paper and a head portion 133b having a curved surface that protrudes from the contact surface TS of the resin cover 151 with the human body. The head portion 133b is circular in a plan view, and has a so-called dome shape. There are no particular restrictions on the height of the protruding portion of the head portion 133b from the contact surface TS or its diameter in a plan view, but the height can be within a range of 1 mm to 3 mm and the diameter can be within a range of 3 mm to 7 mm, for example.

[0038] The shaft portion 133a is formed in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, and a threaded portion 133d is provided on its inner wall. That is, the shaft portion 133a functions as a female screw. A flange-shaped retaining protrusion 133c is formed on the underside of the shaft portion 133a. The retaining protrusion 133c is fixed in a state where it engages with a recess provided on the inner wall of the bottom side of the main body housing 11, thereby holding the first electrode 133 to the main body housing 11. For example, this structure can be achieved by insert molding the first electrode 133 into the main body housing 11. Note that while only the first electrode 133 has been described here, the same applies to the second electrode 134. In this embodiment, the main body housing 11 (the bottom side thereof) corresponds to the holding portion in the present invention.

[0039] 7C , an opening 106 is provided in the first sensor substrate 101, and electrode pads 107 are formed on the outer periphery of the opening 106. As shown in FIG. 7A , the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed to the first sensor substrate 101 by being screwed into a male screw member 103 through the opening 106 of the first sensor substrate 101. This fixing is performed with the tip surfaces of the shafts of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 in contact with the electrode pads 107 formed on the outer periphery of the opening 106 of the first sensor substrate 101, so that the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are fixed in a state of electrical continuity with the first sensor substrate 101.

[0040] (Functional Configuration of the Device) Next, the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1 will be described. Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1. As shown in Fig. 8, the biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment has the following functional units: a pulse wave measuring unit 110, a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) measuring unit 120, a blood pressure measuring unit 130, an electrocardiogram waveform measuring unit 140, a display unit 150, an operation unit 160, a communication unit 170, a storage unit 180, and a power supply unit 190. These functional units are realized by the processor of the control board 17 reading and executing programs from memory to control the components of the biological information measuring device 1.

[0041] The pulse wave measurement unit 110 includes a first LED 111, a second LED 113, and a first PD 112, and measures the pulse wave and calculates the pulse rate by photoplethysmography. Specifically, the first LED 111 and the second LED 113 emit green light, and the first PD 112 receives the light reflected from inside the living body, thereby detecting the blood flow rate (change in blood vessel volume) that changes with the heartbeat and measuring the pulse wave.

[0042] The SpO2 measurement unit 120 includes a second LED 113 and a second PD 114, and measures blood oxygen saturation from the intensity of the reflected light by receiving the red light or infrared light emitted from the second LED 113 with the second PD 114.

[0043] The blood pressure measurement unit 130 includes a piezoelectric pump 161, a valve 162, a pressure sensor 163, a flow path plate 164, a first pressure cuff 22, a second pressure cuff 23, and a sensing cuff 24, and measures blood pressure by a so-called oscillometric method. Blood pressure measurement by the oscillometric method is a well-known technique, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] The electrocardiogram waveform measurement unit 140 is configured to include operation buttons 131 and 132, a first electrode 133 and a second electrode 134 provided on the bottom of the main body housing 11, and an electrocardiogram waveform measurement circuit (not shown), and measures the electrocardiogram waveform using a so-called I-lead method. Specifically, the electrocardiogram waveform is measured based on the potential difference between the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 that contact the wrist T of one arm when the device is worn, and the finger of the other hand that touches the operation button 131 or 132, which functions as an electrode.

[0045] The display unit 150 includes a display 12 and displays various information such as measurement results of biological information and menu screens. The operation unit 160 includes operation buttons 131 and 132 and accepts input operations from the user via these. The communication unit 170 includes an antenna (not shown) for wireless communication and performs information communication with other electronic devices such as information processing terminals via, for example, BLE communication. Note that a terminal for wired communication may also be provided.

[0046] The storage unit 180 includes a main storage device (not shown) such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and stores various information such as application programs and measured biological information. In addition to the RAM, the storage unit 180 may also include a long-term storage medium such as a flash memory. The power supply unit 190 includes a rechargeable battery 191 and a charging terminal 192 and functions as a power supply source for each component of the biological information measurement device 1.

[0047] (Measurement of Biological Information and Effects of the Present Embodiment) The biological information measurement device 1 described above is capable of simultaneously measuring blood pressure and an electrocardiogram waveform. During this measurement, fluid flows into the first pressure cuff 22 and the second pressure cuff 23, causing the wrist T to be pressed against the bottom surface of the main body housing 11. As a result, the heads of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 protruding from the contact surface TS of the main body housing 11 are embedded in the skin surface of the human body. That is, in this embodiment, the first pressure cuff 22 and the second pressure cuff 23 are configured to also function as the pressing means according to the present invention.

[0048] This configuration makes it easier to maintain the entire heads of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 in contact with the living body. Furthermore, the bottom side of the main body housing 11, which holds the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 and forms the contact surface TS with the human body, is covered with a resin cover 151 and is insulated from each electrode. Therefore, even if the contact area between the contact surface TS and the skin surface fluctuates during measurement of the electrocardiographic waveform, it does not affect the electrocardiographic signal being acquired. Therefore, fluctuations in the contact area between the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 and the skin surface during measurement are suppressed, and stable signals can be acquired.

[0049] Even when only measuring an electrocardiogram waveform (i.e., when no pressure is applied by the first pressure cuff 22 or the second pressure cuff 23), if the main body casing 11 is firmly fastened and attached to the wrist T by the belt 21 and the hook-and-loop fastener 25, the heads of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 will be fixed in a state of being buried in the skin surface of the human body. Therefore, blood pressure measurement and electrocardiogram measurement do not necessarily need to be performed simultaneously. In this case, the tightening force of the belt 20 also acts as a pressure force to press the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 against the skin surface, and therefore the belt 20 corresponds to the pressing means in this invention.

[0050] (Variation 1) The shapes of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 are not particularly limited as long as they have a structure with a curved surface protruding from the contact surface TS, and various shapes can be adopted. For example, the first electrode 133 (and the second electrode 134) may be configured without the retaining protrusion 133c. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a retaining recess on the bottom of the main body housing 11, and for example, the base end side surface of the head unit and the main body housing 11 may be adhesively fixed with an adhesive.

[0051] (Variation 2) Furthermore, the head portions of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 may have shapes other than circular in plan view, such as elliptical or oblong shapes. Figures 9A to 9C are diagrams showing an example of such a variation, illustrating an electrode shape that is oblong in plan view. Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of an electrode according to a variation in plan view, Figure 9B is a schematic diagram showing a short-side view of the head portion (i.e., the portion protruding from the contact surface TS) of the electrode according to the variation, and Figure 9C is a schematic diagram showing a long-side view of the head portion of the electrode according to the variation. Furthermore, the head portions of the electrodes may have a shape similar to a rounded rectangle in plan view, as long as they are formed with a curved surface.

[0052] (Variation 3) Furthermore, the base end side of the head portion of the first electrode 133 and the second electrode 134 may be made of an insulator. FIGS. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of such a variation. FIG. 10A is a schematic side view of the first electrode 135 according to this variation, and FIG. 10B is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the Z-Z cross section of FIG. 10A. Note that the dashed line in FIG. 10A indicates the line on which the contact surface TS of the main body housing 11 is located. As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the first electrode 135 according to this variation has a base portion 135e made of resin (i.e., an insulator) on the base end side of the head portion 135b that protrudes from the contact surface, from its outer periphery toward the center.

[0053] When the head portion 135b is pressed against the skin surface, the hair on the skin surface becomes densely packed on the base end side of the head portion 135b. If the contact area between the electrode and the hair becomes large, it will have a negative effect on stable acquisition of biosignals, but by making the base end side (outer periphery) of the head portion 135b, where the hair is densely packed, out of an insulator, this negative effect can be reduced.

[0054] 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a biological information measuring device 2 according to the second embodiment, with Fig. 11A showing an external perspective view of the biological information measuring device 2 and Fig. 11B showing an outline of the inner circumferential surface of a belt portion 60 of the biological information measuring device 2.

[0055] As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the bioinformation measuring device 2 is generally configured to have a main body 50 including a main body housing 51, a control unit (not shown), an LED indicator 52, operation buttons 53, a pulse wave sensor 54, etc., a resin belt 69, an electrode unit 61 consisting of a plurality of electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f, and a belt unit 60 including a belt loop 62.

[0056] Although not shown, the belt 69 is provided with a hook-and-loop fastener. The user can wear the biological information measuring device 2 by placing the biological information measuring device 2 on, for example, the left upper arm so that the electrodes come into contact with the skin surface, passing one end of the belt 69 through the belt loop 62, folding it back, and engaging the hook-and-loop fastener to form a loop around the upper arm and secure the belt 69 to the upper arm.

[0057] The electrode unit 61 includes six electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f, and each electrode is electrically connected to the main body 50 via a conductive wire (not shown) or the like arranged inside the belt 60. This allows the electrode unit 61 to function as a sensor for detecting electrocardiographic signals. Specifically, when the biological information measurement device 2 is worn, two electrodes positioned opposite each other form pairs, and an electrocardiographic signal is detected based on the potential difference between the paired electrodes. In other words, three different electrocardiographic signals can be detected simultaneously from three pairs of electrodes.

[0058] 11A and 11B, each of the electrodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, and 61f has a circular shape when viewed from the inside (the side in contact with the skin surface) of the resin belt 69, and is configured to protrude in a dome shape from the inner surface of the belt 69. When the vital information measuring device 2 is worn, each of these electrodes is pressed against the skin surface by the tightening force of the belt 69, and is thus embedded and fixed in the skin surface. That is, in this embodiment, the belt 69 corresponds to the electrode holding portion and pressing means according to the present invention.

[0059] The pulse wave sensor 54 functions as a sensor unit that detects a pulse wave signal. In this embodiment, the pulse wave sensor 54 is a reflective photoplethysmographic sensor located on the underside of the main body housing 51 (i.e., the surface that comes into contact with the skin when worn), as shown in FIG. 11B . The reflective photoplethysmographic sensor irradiates the living body with infrared light, red light, or green light, and detects the light reflected from the living body using a photodiode or the like, thereby detecting the blood flow rate (changes in blood vessel volume) that changes with the heartbeat. Furthermore, based on this, blood pressure and other values ​​can be measured (estimated).

[0060] <Others> The above examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Various modifications and combinations of the present invention are possible within the scope of the technical concept. For example, the biological information measuring device only needs to include electrodes and circuits for measuring electrocardiogram waveforms, and functions and configurations for acquiring other biological information are not necessarily required.

[0061] In addition, in the above examples, the biological information measuring device has a configuration in which the main body is fixed to the living body by a belt (band), i.e., the measuring device main body and the electrode holding unit are integrated, but the present invention can also be applied to other biological information measuring devices. Specifically, for example, the present invention can be applied to a biological information measuring device configured such that electrodes are provided on probes extending from a stationary main body.

[0062] The pressing means may also be any means capable of pressing the electrode relatively against the skin surface, such as a suction cup that attracts the skin surface toward the electrode, thereby burying the protruding portion of the electrode in the skin surface. Alternatively, the protruding portion of the electrode may be buried in the skin surface by adhering the contact surface of the electrode holder from which the electrode protrudes to the skin surface with adhesive. In this case, the contact surface (electrode holder) to which the adhesive is applied serves as the pressing means.

[0063] Furthermore, the shape of each electrode in the second embodiment can be modified in various ways, similar to the first embodiment.

[0064] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 2... Biological information measuring device 10, 50... Main body 11, 51... Main body housing 12... Display 14... Lug 15... Sensor board housing 16... Cuff cover 17... Control board 20, 60... Belt section 21, 69... Belt 22... First pressure cuff 23... Second pressure cuff 24... Sensing cuff 25... Hook-and-loop fastener 52... LED indicator 53... Operation button 54... Pulse wave sensor 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e, 61f... Electrodes 62... Belt loop 100... Sensor board set 101... First sensor board 102... Second sensor board 103... Screw member 105... Spring contact 106... Opening 107... Electrode pad 111... First LED 112... First PD 113... Second LED 121: Second PD 131, 132: Operation buttons 133, 135: First electrode 134: Second electrode 151: Resin cover 152: Isolation wall 161: Piezoelectric pump 162: Valve 163: Pressure sensor 164: Flow path plate 165: First connection part 166: Second connection part 191: Rechargeable battery T: Wrist TS: Contact surface

Claims

1. A biological information measuring device for measuring biological information, comprising: a plurality of electrodes; an electrode holding unit that is insulated from the electrodes and has a contact surface that comes into contact with the surface of a measurement subject when measuring the biological information, and that holds at least one of the plurality of electrodes; and a pressing means that presses the electrode against the skin surface of the measurement subject at least when measuring the biological information, wherein the electrode held by the electrode holding unit has a shape with a convex curved surface, and the curved surface is arranged so as to protrude from the contact surface.

2. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode held by the electrode holding portion is supported on a base portion made of an insulating material at the base end side that is the contact surface side.

3. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the main body housing is fixed to the subject to be measured by a band at least when measuring the biological information, and the electrode holding portion is provided on the side of the main body housing that comes into contact with the subject to be measured.

4. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the main body housing is provided with a plurality of the electrodes, and an electrocardiogram signal is obtained based on the potential difference between the plurality of electrodes.

5. The biological information measuring device according to claim 4, wherein the electrode holding unit holds a measurement electrode for measuring electrocardiogram signals and a reference electrode for determining a reference potential.

6. The biological information measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the main body housing has an optical sensor between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode.

7. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the biological information includes a blood pressure value, and the band is provided with an air bag for measuring blood pressure.

8. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the main body housing is fixed to the subject to be measured by a band at least when measuring the biological information, and the side of the band that comes into contact with the subject to be measured is the electrode holding section.

9. The biological information measuring device according to claim 8, wherein the electrode holding unit is provided with a plurality of the electrodes, and an electrocardiogram signal is acquired based on the potential difference between the plurality of electrodes.

10. The biological information measuring device according to claim 8, wherein the biological information includes a blood pressure value, and the band is provided with an air bag for measuring blood pressure.

11. A biological information measuring device according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the main body housing is a wearable device configured to be worn on the arm of the human body being measured.

12. The biological information measuring device according to claim 11, wherein the band is the pressing means.

13. The biological information measuring device according to claim 7 or 10, wherein the air bag is the pressing means.

14. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes held by the electrode holding portion are formed so as to have a circular, elliptical or oblong shape in a plan view.

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