Biological information measurement device

Abstract

According to the present invention, a biological information measurement device that is to be installed for use on a human body and can measure at least an electrocardiographic waveform for the human body includes: a device body housing that has a device body–side electrical contact; and a band part that is installed on the human body. The band part comprises: a plurality of electrodes that are provided at a contact surface that is on the side that contacts the human body when the band part has been installed; and a device body accommodation part that removably accommodates the device body housing and has a band-side electrical contact that can contact the device body–side electrical contact. The band part also contains wiring that connects the electrodes and the band-side electrical contact. When the device body has been accommodated in the device body accommodation part, at least the band-side electrical contact is covered by the device body housing so as not to be exposed.

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 has become common for individuals to routinely measure information about their own physical and health (hereinafter also referred to as biometric information), such as blood pressure values ​​and electrocardiogram waveforms, using measuring devices and utilizing the measurement results for health management. In particular, in recent years, there has been an increasing need for early detection of diseases and appropriate treatment by constantly wearing measuring devices on the body in daily life and continuously acquiring biometric information, and many devices that meet such needs have been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1, etc.).

[0003] Patent Literature 1 discloses a wearable biometric information measuring device equipped with electrocardiogram electrodes and capable of measuring electrocardiogram waveforms. The biometric information measuring device described in Patent Literature 1 has a belt-shaped band extending longitudinally (circumferentially around the wrist) and a main body attached to the band, with multiple electrodes arranged on both the band and the main body. This makes it possible to constantly detect biometric information such as heart rate and electrocardiogram signals (while the device is in operation) simply by wearing the device on one arm.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-141955

[0005] However, when using a wearable device, since the size of the part of the body where the device is worn varies from person to person, it is desirable for the device to have a configuration that allows easy resizing to accommodate these individual differences. For example, when using a band as in the device described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to adjust the length of the band, but this limits the range of sizes that can be accommodated. Therefore, it would be more convenient if the band itself could be easily replaced with one of a different size. It is also desirable for the band to be easily replaceable during maintenance such as repairs when a malfunction occurs.

[0006] However, in devices such as those described in the above patent documents, in which electrodes for acquiring electrocardiogram signals and bioimpedance are attached to a band, the electrodes of the band are connected to the main body by conductive wires, and so when an attempt is made to separate the main body and the band, the joint becomes exposed, which could allow moisture (including sweat) to enter the inside of the device.

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a technology for a wearable biometric information measuring device having electrodes in a band portion that allows the band portion to be easily replaced and prevents water from entering the device.

[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 that is worn on a human body and is capable of measuring at least an electrocardiographic waveform of the human body, the biological information measuring device comprising: a main body housing on which main body-side electrical contacts are provided; and a band portion worn on the human body, the band portion comprising: a plurality of electrodes arranged on a contact surface that comes into contact with the human body when worn; and a main body housing portion on which band-side electrical contacts connectable to the main body-side electrical contacts are provided and in which the main body housing is detachably housed, the main body housing having wiring therein that connects the band-side electrical contacts and the electrodes; and the main body housing being housed in the main body housing portion so that at least the band-side electrical contacts are not exposed by being covered by the main body housing.

[0009] With this configuration, the main body housing and the band are configured as separate, detachable bodies, so the main body housing can be made highly waterproof and the band can be easily replaced. Also, when the main body housing is housed in the main body housing of the band (i.e., when the device is usable), the connection between the electrical contacts on the main body and the electrical contacts on the band is not exposed to the outside, resulting in high waterproofing.

[0010] In addition, the main body accommodating section may be provided with a plurality of band-side electrical contacts corresponding to the plurality of electrodes, and the main body housing may be provided with a plurality of main body-side electrical contacts corresponding to the plurality of band-side electrical contacts.

[0011] The main body housing may have a space formed therein that opens on the side that comes into contact with the human body when the device is attached to the human body, and the main body housing may be housed in the main body housing by being inserted and fitted into the space. With this configuration, the opening (fitting portion) is not exposed to the outside when the device is attached, which makes it easy to improve waterproofing. Furthermore, since the main body is completely covered by the band portion, it is possible to prevent the device from getting caught on clothing, etc.

[0012] Furthermore, the main body housing may include a display means for displaying information, and the main body accommodating section may be at least partially formed of a light-transmitting material, and the main body housing and the main body accommodating section may be configured such that the main body housing is accommodated in the main body accommodating section in a manner such that the display means of the main body housing is visible through the light-transmitting material. With this configuration, the information displayed on the display means of the main body can be viewed through the light-transmitting material with the cover attached.

[0013] Alternatively, the main body housing may be formed from a non-conductive resin, and the band-side electrical contacts may be formed from a metal. To fit the main body into and hold it in place, the main body housing needs to have a certain degree of rigidity. However, by providing a number of metal band-side electrical contacts corresponding to the number of electrodes on the inner wall surface of the main body housing, the rigidity required to hold the main body housing can be obtained even if the main body housing is formed from a resin such as urethane.

[0014] Furthermore, a waterproof structure using a sealing member may be provided on at least one of the area of ​​the contact surface of the band portion adjacent to the electrode and the periphery of the opening in the main body housing portion. Here, an example of the sealing member is a rubber packing. By providing a waterproof structure such as a packing in such an area where water may enter, water resistance can be further improved.

[0015] In addition, at least one of the area of ​​the contact surface of the band portion adjacent to the electrode and the periphery of the opening in the main body housing portion may be configured to be water-repellent. By configuring the area where water may enter by using a water-repellent material or by applying a water-repellent coating such as fluorine, water resistance can be further improved.

[0016] The band portion may be hollow except for the main body housing portion, and the wiring may have a length that allows it to bend in the hollow portion. With this configuration, even if a strong external force is applied to the band portion, causing it to bend or twist, it is possible to prevent the wiring from breaking.

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

[0018] According to the present invention, in a wearable biological information measuring device having electrodes in a band portion, it is possible to provide a technology that allows the band portion to be easily replaced and that can prevent water from entering the inside of the device.

[0019] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing an outline of a biological information measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the inner circumferential surface of the biological information measuring device according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is an external perspective view showing an outline of a main body of the biological information measuring device according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a band part of the biological information measuring device according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device according to an embodiment.

[0020] <Embodiments> 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.

[0021] (Overall Configuration of the Device) Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a biological information measuring device 1 according to an embodiment. Figure 1 shows an external perspective view of the biological information measuring device 1, and Figure 2 shows an outline of the inner circumferential surface (the surface that contacts the skin surface; hereinafter, also referred to as the "contact surface") of the biological information measuring device 1 on the side that comes into contact with the human body. The biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment is a wearable device that is worn on the arm or the like of a human body and measures electrocardiogram waveforms and pulse waves (and blood pressure values ​​based thereon). Hereinafter, when the biological information measuring device 1 is worn, the side that comes into contact with the human body will be referred to as the "inside," and the opposite side will be referred to as the "outside," etc.

[0022] The biological information measuring device 1 generally comprises a main body 20 and a band 10 that detachably houses the main body 20 and has a fixing band for attaching to the human body of a measurement target. Fig. 3 is an external perspective view showing the general configuration of the main body 20, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the band 10. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1.

[0023] (Configuration of the main body unit) The main body unit 20 is configured to include a roughly rectangular parallelepiped main body housing 21, an LED indicator 22, operation buttons 23, electrical contacts 24, a photoplethysmographic sensor 25, a computing unit (not shown), a memory device (not shown), a battery (not shown), a communication interface (not shown), etc.

[0024] Multiple LED indicators 22 are provided on the top surface (exterior surface) of the main body housing 21, and present various information depending on the light color, number of lights, blinking rhythm, etc. Multiple operation buttons 23 are provided on one of the short-side end surfaces of the main body housing 21 (hereinafter, the surface with the operation buttons will be referred to as the front surface of the main body housing 21) and accept user inputs related to turning the device power on / off, starting / stopping measurement of biological information, and communicating with other devices. Multiple electrical contacts 24 are formed from a conductive material (such as an alloy) and are provided on both side surfaces of the main body housing 21 (at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts 31 on the band portion 10, as described below). The photoplethysmographic sensor 25 is a reflective photoplethysmographic sensor provided on the bottom surface of the main body housing 21 (i.e., the surface that comes into contact with the human body when the device is worn).

[0025] (Structure of Band Section) The band section 10 is configured to include a main body housing section 11 formed of non-conductive resin and detachably housing the main body section 20, a longitudinally extending fixing band 14 formed of non-conductive resin, a band threading ring 15, and a plurality of electrodes 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, and 30f. Note that, hereinafter, the electrodes will be described as electrodes 30 unless it is necessary to distinguish between them.

[0026] The main body accommodating section 11 has an accommodating space 16 that is defined by an inner wall formed mainly from resin to have approximately the same size as the main body housing 21 and that opens on the side that comes into contact with the human body, and the main body 20 is accommodated in the accommodating space 16. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the main body housing 21 is inserted and fitted into the accommodating space 16 from the top surface side, thereby accommodating the main body 20 in the main body accommodating section 11.

[0027] Of the inner walls of the accommodation space 16, the wall surfaces corresponding to both side surfaces of the main body housing 21 are provided with a plurality of electrical contacts 31, each of which corresponds to one of the electrodes 30 as described below and which are provided at positions where they come into contact with the electrical contacts 24 of the main body housing 21. Since each electrical contact 31 is made of a metal such as an alloy, the inner wall surfaces of the accommodation space 16 can be configured to have enough rigidity to fit into the main body housing 21.

[0028] The top surface of the main body accommodating section 11 is made of transparent resin and has a window 12 through which the interior can be seen. This allows the display of the LED indicator 22 of the main body 20 to be seen when the main body 20 is accommodated in the main body accommodating section 11. The front surface of the main body accommodating section 11 is provided with an operation assisting section 13 made of soft resin such as rubber, and arranged so that the operation buttons 23 of the main body 20 can be indirectly operated when the main body accommodating section 11 is accommodated.

[0029] The fixing band 14 is hollow and made of a non-conductive material (such as urethane). As shown in Figures 1 and 4, each electrode 30 protrudes in a dome shape from the side of the fixing band 14 that comes into contact with the human body. Each electrode 30 is made of a conductive material (such as stainless steel), and is electrically connected to an electrical contact 31 provided on the inner wall of the main body accommodating section 11 via a conductive wire 32 disposed in the hollow portion of the fixing band 14.

[0030] Each conductive wire 32 connecting each electrode 30 and each electrical contact 31 has a length sufficient to cause bending in the hollow portion within the fixing band 14. Therefore, even if a strong external force is applied to the fixing band 14, causing it to warp or twist, it is possible to prevent the wiring from breaking.

[0031] Although not shown, the fixing band 14 is provided with a hook-and-loop hook-and-loop fastener, and by passing one end of the fixing band 14 through the band loop 15 and folding it back to engage the hook-and-loop fastener, the fixing band 14 can be made into a ring and fixed to the attachment site. The user can wear the biological information measuring device 1 on, for example, the left upper arm using the fixing band 14 so that the electrodes 30 contact the skin surface, and thereby acquire electrocardiographic signals via the electrodes 30.

[0032] (Functional Configuration) Next, the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the biological information measuring device 1. As shown in Fig. 5, the biological information measuring device 1 is configured to include the following functional units: a control unit 110, an electrode unit 101, a pulse wave sensor unit 102, a timer unit 104, a memory unit 105, a display unit 106, an operation unit 107, a power supply unit 108, and a communication unit 109.

[0033] The control unit 110 is a means for controlling the biological information measuring device 1 and includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). When the control unit 110 receives a user's operation via the operation unit 107, it controls each component of the biological information measuring device 1 to execute various processes such as biological information measurement and information communication in accordance with a predetermined program. The predetermined program is stored in the storage unit 105, which will be described later, and is read from there. The control unit 110 also includes, as functional modules, an electrocardiogram measurement unit 111 and a pulse wave measurement unit 112.

[0034] The electrocardiogram measurement unit 111 acquires time-series data of electrocardiogram signals from the electrode unit 101 to measure the user's electrocardiogram waveform, and stores ECG (Electrocardiogram) data in the storage unit 105. The pulse wave measurement unit 112 acquires time-series data of pulse wave signals from the pulse wave sensor unit 102 to measure the user's pulse waveform, and stores PPG (Photoplethysmogram) data in the storage unit 105.

[0035] The electrode unit 101 includes six electrodes 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, and 30f and functions as a sensor unit that detects electrocardiographic signals. Specifically, when the biological information measurement device 1 is worn, two electrodes that are positioned opposite each other form a pair, 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.

[0036] The pulse wave sensor unit 102 includes a photoplethysmographic sensor 25 and functions as a sensor unit that detects pulse wave signals. In this embodiment, the photoplethysmographic sensor 25 is a reflective photoplethysmographic sensor that is located on the underside of the main body housing 21 (i.e., the surface that comes into contact with the skin when worn), as shown in FIG. 2B . A reflective photoplethysmographic sensor irradiates a 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.

[0037] Each of the above sensor units, including the electrode unit 101, is equipped with an amplifier unit that amplifies the signal output from the sensor, an A / D conversion unit that converts an analog signal into a digital signal, a filter circuit that removes noise components, and the like, although not shown.

[0038] The timer unit 104 has a function of measuring time by referring to a real time clock (RTC) (not shown), for example, counting the time when a predetermined event occurs and outputting the counted time.

[0039] The storage unit 105 includes a main storage device (not shown) such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores various information such as application programs and biometric data measured by each measurement unit (described later). In addition to the main storage device, the storage unit 105 is also provided with an auxiliary storage device such as a flash memory, which allows for long-term storage of biometric information.

[0040] The display unit 106 includes an LED indicator 22, and notifies the user of the device status, the occurrence of a predetermined event, etc., by lighting or blinking the LED indicator 22. The operation unit 107 includes a plurality of operation buttons 23, and has the function of accepting input operations from the user via the operation buttons and causing the control unit 110 to execute processing according to the operation.

[0041] The power supply unit 108 includes a battery (not shown) that supplies the power necessary to operate the device. The battery may be a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, or a primary battery. In the case of a configuration including a secondary battery, a configuration including a charging terminal may also be provided. The communication unit 109 includes an antenna for wireless communication, a wired communication terminal (neither of which are shown), and the like, and has the function of communicating with other devices such as an information processing terminal. Note that the communication unit 109 may also function as a charging terminal.

[0042] The biological information measuring device 1 according to this embodiment as described above allows for easy replacement of the band 10. Furthermore, when the main body 20 is housed in the band 10, the connection between the main body 20 and the band 10 is completely covered, and when the device is worn on the body, all exposed parts are covered with resin material, providing high waterproofing and water-resistant properties.

[0043] <Others> The above examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. In addition to the above examples, various modifications and combinations of the present invention are possible within the scope of its technical concept. For example, at least one of the area of ​​the band portion 10 adjacent to the electrode 30 on the contact surface with the human body and the peripheral edge of the main body housing portion 11 may be configured to have a waterproof structure using a sealing member such as a gasket. Because the possibility of water penetration through such areas cannot be completely eliminated, adopting such a waterproof structure can further increase the reliability of water resistance. Furthermore, the waterproof structure is not limited to a gasket; the above-mentioned areas may also be configured to be water-repellent. For example, water resistance can be further improved by forming the areas from a water-repellent material or by applying a water-repellent coating such as fluorine.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the display unit 106 of the main body 20 is realized by the LED indicator 22, but the display unit 106 may be realized by an image display means such as a liquid crystal display. The display unit 106 of the main body 20 may be provided on a side surface of the main body instead of on the top surface. In this case, the side surface of the corresponding main body housing 11 may be formed to be translucent. The entire main body housing 11 may be formed of a translucent resin.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the main body accommodating portion 11 of the band unit 10 is configured to open on the side that comes into contact with the human body, and the main body housing 21 is inserted and fitted from the top side, but this configuration is not necessarily required. As long as the electrical contacts are covered by the main body housing 21 when the main body unit 20 is accommodated, the opening of the main body accommodating portion 11 may be configured to accommodate the main body housing 21 from the bottom side or the side side. Furthermore, regardless of which direction the main body accommodating portion 11 opens in, the band unit 10 may be configured to include a cover member that can open and close and cover the opening of the main body accommodating portion 11.

[0046] Furthermore, the biological information measuring device does not need to be equipped with a pulse wave sensor, and the present invention can also be applied to a measuring device that measures only electrocardiogram waveforms.

[0047] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Biological information measuring device 10: Band section 11: Main body storage section 12: Window section 13: Operation assistance section 14: Fixing band 15: Band loop 16: Storage space 20: Main body section 21: Main body housing 22: LED indicator 23: Operation button 24, 31: Electrical contacts 25: Photoplethysmographic sensor 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f: Electrodes 32: Conductive wire 101: Electrode section 102: Pulse wave sensor section 104: Timer section 105: Memory section 106: Display section 107: Operation section 108: Power supply section 109: Communication section 110: Control section

Claims

1. A biological information measuring device that is worn on a human body and is capable of measuring at least the electrocardiogram waveform of the human body, comprising: a main body housing on which main body side electrical contacts are provided; and a band portion that is worn on the human body, the band portion comprising: a plurality of electrodes arranged on a contact surface that comes into contact with the human body when worn; and a main body housing portion that is detachably housed in the main body housing and that is provided with band side electrical contacts that are connectable to the main body side electrical contacts, and has wiring provided inside that connects the band side electrical contacts and the electrodes, and is configured so that when the main body housing is housed in the main body housing portion, at least the band side electrical contacts are not exposed as they are covered by the main body housing.

2. A biological information measuring device as described in claim 1, wherein the main body storage section is provided with a plurality of band-side electrical contacts corresponding to the plurality of electrodes, and the main body housing is provided with a plurality of main body-side electrical contacts corresponding to the plurality of band-side electrical contacts.

3. The biometric information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the main body accommodating section has a space formed therein that opens on the side that comes into contact with the human body when the device is attached to the human body, and the main body housing is accommodated in the main body accommodating section by being inserted and fitted into the space.

4. A biological information measuring device as described in claim 3, wherein the main body housing is provided with a display means for displaying information, the main body storage section is formed at least in part from a light-transmitting material, and the main body housing and the main body storage section are configured so that the main body housing is stored in the main body storage section in a manner such that the display means of the main body housing is visible through the light-transmitting material.

5. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the main body housing is made of non-conductive resin, and the band side electrical contacts are made of metal.

6. A biological information measuring device as described in claim 3, wherein a waterproof structure using a sealing member is provided on at least one of the area adjacent to the electrode on the contact surface of the band portion or the periphery of the opening in the main body storage portion.

7. The biological information measuring device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the area of ​​the contact surface of the band portion adjacent to the electrode or the periphery of the opening in the main body storage portion is configured to be water-repellent.

8. The biological information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the band portion other than the main body accommodating portion is formed hollow, and the wiring has a length that causes bending in the hollow portion.

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