Detection system and charging device

Abstract

A detection system (2000) is provided with: a detection device (100) that detects vibration of a subject; and a charging device (610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110, 1210) that charges the detection device (100). The detection device (100) comprises: a diaphragm (206) comprising a diaphragm support portion (201), a diaphragm-supported portion (206c) supported by the diaphragm support portion (201), and a contact portion (206a) not supported by the diaphragm support portion (201) and configured to come into contact with the subject; and a signal output portion (205) that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm (206). The charging device (610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110, 1210) comprises: an electrical board (620) that supplies electric power to the detection device (100); and a support portion (711a) that supports the detection device (100) so as not to come into contact with the contact portion (206a) of the diaphragm (206).

Description

Detection system and charging device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a detection system for detecting vibrations of a subject and a charging device for charging the detection device.

[0002] In recent years, electronic stethoscopes equipped with sensors for converting vibrations of a living body into electrical signals, capable of reproducing body sounds via playback devices such as earphones or outputting them as electronic data representing body sounds to external devices, have begun to spread. According to Patent Document 1, a biological information detection device that detects a biological vibration signal using a vibration sensor composed of a piezoelectric element is disclosed. According to Patent Document 2, a digital stethoscope and a charging device that charges the digital stethoscope when the digital stethoscope is placed thereon are disclosed. The lower surface of the digital stethoscope is composed of a diaphragm.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-75136, U.S. Patent No. 10716534

[0004] However, there is still room for further improvement in the conventional technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Therefore, the present disclosure aims to further develop the conventional technologies.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a detection system is a detection system including a detection device that detects vibrations of a subject and a charging device that charges the detection device, wherein the detection device includes a diaphragm support portion, a diaphragm supported portion supported by the diaphragm support portion, a contact portion configured to be in contact with the subject without being supported by the diaphragm support portion, a diaphragm having these, and a signal output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, and the charging device includes an electric substrate that supplies power to the detection device and a support portion that supports the detection device so as not to contact the contact portion of the diaphragm.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a charging device is a detection device comprising a diaphragm having a diaphragm support portion, a diaphragm-supported portion supported by the diaphragm support portion, and a contact portion not supported by the diaphragm support portion but configured to contact a subject, and a signal output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, wherein the charging device charges a detection device for detecting vibrations of a subject, and further comprises an electrical circuit board that supplies power to the detection device, and a support portion that supports the detection device so as not to contact the contact portion of the diaphragm.

[0007] This disclosure allows for further development of prior art.

[0008] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are given the same reference numeral.

[0009] A perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope according to the first embodiment when viewed from one direction. A perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope when viewed from another direction. A perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope when viewed from yet another direction. A diagram showing the cross-section of the chestpiece and the positional relationship of each component of the chestpiece. A plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece with the diaphragm in a flat state. A perspective view showing the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, light-reflecting part, light-shielding wall and light-shielding wall. A plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece with the diaphragm pressed against the biological surface. A perspective view showing the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, light-reflecting part, light-shielding wall and light-shielding wall. A plan view showing the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element. A graph showing the relationship between the amount of displacement of the biological surface and the displacement signal. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the electronic stethoscope. A side view showing the charging device according to the first embodiment with the electronic stethoscope attached. A perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and charging device. Another perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope and charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope before it is attached to the charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope in the process of being attached to the charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device. An exploded perspective view showing the charging device. A diagram showing the hardware configuration of the charging circuit for the charging device and the electronic stethoscope. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the second embodiment. A perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope just before it is attached to the charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the third embodiment. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope just before it is attached to the charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the fourth embodiment. A perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope after it has been removed from the charging device. A side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the contacts of the charging device before the electronic stethoscope is attached to the charging device. A side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the contacts of the charging device during the process of the electronic stethoscope being attached to the charging device. A side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the charging device when the electronic stethoscope is attached to the charging device. A perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the fifth embodiment. A perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope detached from the charging device. A rear view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device. A cross-sectional view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device.A side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the charging device while the electronic stethoscope is being attached to the charging device. A side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts of the electronic stethoscope and the charging device when the electronic stethoscope is attached to the charging device. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the sixth embodiment. A side view showing the contacts of the electronic stethoscope in contact with the contacts of the charging device. A diagram showing the positional relationship of each contact when the contacts of the charging device and the contacts of the electronic stethoscope are in contact. A side view showing the electronic stethoscope attached to the charging device according to the seventh embodiment. A side view showing the contacts of the electronic stethoscope in contact with the contacts of the charging device. A diagram showing the positional relationship of each contact when the contacts of the charging device and the contacts of the electronic stethoscope are in contact.

[0010] The embodiments described below will be explained with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] 《First Embodiment》 The electronic stethoscope 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 1C. Note that the following drawings may include a coordinate system CS, which is a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system having X, Y, and Z axes, to explain directions. In their descriptions, the positive Z-axis direction may be referred to as the upper side, and the negative Z-axis direction may be referred to as the lower side.

[0012] Figure 1A is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 from one direction. Figure 1B is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 from another direction. Figure 1(c) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic stethoscope 100 from yet another direction. The electronic stethoscope 100 is a diagnostic instrument for listening to internal sounds of living organisms such as humans or animals. The electronic stethoscope 100 is used, for example, to listen to heart sounds (heartbeats) and respiratory sounds.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1A to 1C, the electronic auscultation device 100 includes a chestpiece 110 as a detection unit and a gripping part 120. The chestpiece 110 is a unit that, when used for diagnosis with the electronic auscultation device 100, is brought into contact with the surface of a living body, which is an example of a subject (object to be measured), to measure minute vibrations (displacements) of the living body's surface and capture living sounds. The chestpiece 110 detects minute displacements of the living body's surface in close contact with it via a diaphragm 206, which will be described later.

[0014] The gripping portion 120 is gripped by the user of the electronic stethoscope 100 (for example, a doctor, nurse, or public health nurse) when bringing the diaphragm 206 into close contact with a biological surface. Hereinafter, the user of the electronic stethoscope 100 will simply be referred to as the user. The gripping portion 120 has a grippable rod shape as shown in Figures 1A to 1C, and the chestpiece 110 is attached to one end (the negative direction of the x-axis).

[0015] The gripping section 120 comprises a housing 121 and a battery and circuit board housed inside the housing 121. The battery stores the operating power of the electronic stethoscope 100. The circuit board has circuit elements for controlling the operation of the electronic stethoscope 100. The gripping section 120 has an operating section 123, a power button 124, and a connector 125, which are respectively arranged on the outer surface of the housing 121. The gripping section 120 also has contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c that connect to a charging device 610, which will be described later. The contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are provided so as to be exposed to the outside of the gripping section 120. More specifically, the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are provided in a position inside the gripping section 120 relative to the outer casing 120a of the gripping section 120.

[0016] The power button 124 is provided with a display unit 124a. The display unit 124a is an indicator that shows the status of the electronic stethoscope 100, whether the electronic stethoscope 100 is wirelessly connected to an external device, and whether the chestpiece 110 is pressed against a biological surface. As shown in Figure 1A, the display unit 124a is positioned on the outer surface of the housing 121, on the side of one end of the chestpiece 110 in the Y-axis direction, and near the chestpiece 110 in the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, near the chestpiece 110 means closer to the chestpiece 110 than the center of the gripping part 120. Note that the display unit 124a does not need to include all of the above indicators, and may be replaced with multiple indicators, or in addition to these, the status of the electronic stethoscope 100 may be displayed by a liquid crystal panel or an electrostatic panel.

[0017] The operation unit 123 receives input from the user. In this embodiment, the operation unit 123 includes a plurality of physical buttons (three buttons in the example of Figure 1A) for receiving settings for the electronic stethoscope 100. Specifically, the operation unit 123 includes volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) for adjusting the volume of the output sound. When the volume adjustment buttons are pressed, the electronic stethoscope 100 adjusts the gain of the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 and adjusts the volume of the sound output through the earphones. The operation unit 123 includes a mode switching button 123c for switching the operating mode of the electronic stethoscope 100. When the mode switching button 123c is pressed, the operating mode described later is switched. That is, the mode switching button 123c receives instructions from the user regarding the mode transition of the electronic stethoscope 100. Based on the instructions from the user using the mode switching button 123c, the electronic stethoscope 100 selects one of a plurality of operating modes and operates in that operating mode. The mode switching button 123c has an indicator 123d that displays the operating mode. The operation unit 123 may include a touch panel instead of multiple physical buttons. The display unit 124a and the operation unit 123 may be integrated as a touchscreen. The electronic stethoscope 100 may automatically select an operating mode in response to a signal representing vibrations of the biological surface acquired, instead of, or in addition to, a user instruction using the mode switching button 123c.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1A to 1C, the operating unit 123 is located on the outer surface of the housing 121, on the side opposite to the display unit 124a, and is positioned near the chestpiece 110 in the X-axis direction. The power button 124 and the operating unit 123 are positioned at a distance in the Y-axis direction from the center of the gripping unit 120. This arrangement allows the user to press the center of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the Y-axis direction when pressing the chestpiece 110 toward the body, thus enabling stable use of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0019] The power button 124 is a switch that turns the power of the electronic stethoscope 100 on and off. The connector 125 is a connector for receiving a cable or connector of an external device, as shown in Figure 1(c). Power is supplied from the external device to the battery included in the gripping part 120 through the connector 125.

[0020] The power button 124 may be provided on the chestpiece 110 instead of the gripping portion 120. The connector 125 may be provided on the chestpiece 110 instead of the gripping portion 120. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 does not have to include the connector 125. In this case, the electronic stethoscope 100 may have a wireless charging function or be configured to allow for battery replacement.

[0021] [Cross-sectional configuration of the chestpiece] Next, the chestpiece 110 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. The upper part of Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the chestpiece 110, and the lower part of Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of each component when the chestpiece 110 is viewed in the Z-axis direction. Note that in the lower part of Figure 2, only the light-emitting circuit board 203, light-receiving circuit board 205, diaphragm 206 and light-reflecting part 207 are shown in order to clarify the positional relationship of the components of the chestpiece 110.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the chestpiece 110 includes a holding member 201, a light-emitting element 202, a light-emitting circuit board 203, a light-receiving element 204, a light-receiving circuit board 205, a diaphragm 206 including a light-reflecting portion 207, and a housing 208. The housing 208 houses the holding member 201, the light-emitting element 202, the light-emitting circuit board 203, the light-receiving element 204, the light-receiving circuit board 205, and the light-reflecting portion 207 of the diaphragm 206.

[0023] Since the retaining member 201, which serves as the diaphragm support, has constricted portions 209 and 210 formed therein, the housing 208 also accommodates the constricted portions 209 and 210 inside. The diaphragm 206, together with the housing 208, constitutes part of the exterior of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0024] The light-emitting element 202, as the light-emitting part, is a light source that emits light, and may be, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED). The power supplied to the light-emitting element 202 is supplied from an external power source (the battery of the gripping part 120) of the chestpiece 110.

[0025] The light-emitting element 202 is mounted on the light-emitting circuit board 203. In addition to the light-emitting element 202, the light-emitting circuit board 203 is also mounted with peripheral circuits for defining the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and power terminals for receiving power from an external power source of the chestpiece 110. The light-emitting circuit board 203 may be a printed circuit board such as a flexible circuit board, or it may be a paper phenolic substrate or a glass epoxy substrate. The light-emitting circuit board 203 including the light-emitting element 202 functions as a light-emitting unit.

[0026] The light-receiving element 204, acting as a light-receiving unit, generates an electrical signal based on the amount of light it receives, using power supplied from an external power source to the chestpiece 110, such as a battery housed inside the gripping unit 120. The light-receiving element 204 may be, for example, a phototransistor or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

[0027] The light-receiving element 204 is mounted on the light-receiving circuit board 205. In addition to the light-receiving element 204, the light-receiving circuit board 205 is also mounted with peripheral circuits for reading signals from the light-receiving element 204. Furthermore, the light-receiving circuit board 205 is also mounted with terminals for outputting signals to the outside of the chestpiece 110 and power supply terminals for receiving power from an external power supply to the chestpiece 110. The holding member 201 holds the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205. The light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205 are fixed to the holding member 201.

[0028] The diaphragm 206 has a contact surface 206a (outer surface, first surface) which is configured to contact a biological surface, which is an example of a subject, and an inner surface 206b (second surface) which is the surface opposite to the contact surface 206a. The diaphragm 206 is configured to elastically deform when pressed by a subject that comes into contact with the contact surface 206a. The inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 is provided with a light-reflecting portion 207, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 206 uses a laminate of glass epoxy resin, which is made by impregnating glass fibers with epoxy resin and then heat-curing it, and has a thickness of 230 μm.

[0029] The outer edge of the diaphragm 206 has a ring-shaped fixing portion 206c (rim) for fixing the diaphragm 206 to the retaining member 201. That is, the retaining member 201 supports the diaphragm 206. The fixing portion 206c is an example of a diaphragm-supported portion provided on the inner surface 206b. Note that the contact surface 206a is not supported by the retaining member 201 and therefore does not include the fixing portion 206c. The contact surface 206a is provided in the central part of the diaphragm 206 surrounded by the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 206c is integrally formed with the portion of the diaphragm 206 on the inner circumference side of the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the contact surface 206a and inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 refer to the portion that does not include the fixing portion 206c. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 206c of the diaphragm 206 was fixed to the retaining member 201, but this is not limited to this. For example, the fixing portion 206c may be fixed to the housing 208 instead of the retaining member 201.

[0030] Inside the fixed portion 206c of the diaphragm 206, the diaphragm 206 is not fixed to the holding member 201. Therefore, the diaphragm 206 can vibrate in the Z-axis direction with the fixed portion 206c as a node. Specifically, when the chestpiece 110 is used, the diaphragm 206 vibrates with the fixed portion 206c as a node in response to the displacement of the biological surface. In this vibration, the center 206e of the diaphragm 206 becomes an antinode. The diaphragm 206 functions as a vibrating part that vibrates together with the subject.

[0031] The light-reflecting portion 207 is a reflective surface that reflects light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. In this embodiment, the light-reflecting portion 207 is bonded to the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 and moves integrally with the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction in conjunction with the vibration of the diaphragm 206, which is in close contact with the biological surface. The light-reflecting portion 207 has a circular outer edge in the plan view. The light-reflecting portion 207 has a diameter of, for example, 15 mm to 20 mm. The light-reflecting portion 207 is positioned to cover a region 206d that includes the center 206e of the circle of the diaphragm 206. Since the displacement of the diaphragm 206 is greatest at the center 206e, the displacement of the diaphragm 206 can be detected with high sensitivity by reflecting light from the light-emitting element 202 in the region including the center 206e. Note that the light-reflecting portion 207 may be positioned in a region of the diaphragm 206 that does not include the center 206e.

[0032] The light-reflecting portion 207 is made of, for example, an aluminum vapor-deposited film. The light-reflecting portion 207 is a sheet-like member attached to the inner surface 206b (the surface opposite to the contact surface 206a) of the base material (sheet material) that constitutes the diaphragm 206.

[0033] In this embodiment, the light-reflecting portion 207 is part of the diaphragm 206. That is, the sheet-like light-reflecting portion 207 attached to the inner surface 206b of the substrate of the diaphragm 206, together with the substrate of the diaphragm 206, constitutes the diaphragm 206. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and at least a portion of the inner surface 206b of the substrate of the diaphragm 206 may also serve as the light-reflecting portion. Alternatively, a coating layer may be applied to the diaphragm 206, and this coating layer may be configured as the light-reflecting portion. For example, the entire inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 may have a high reflectivity such that it can reflect light to a degree detectable by the light-receiving element 204. Alternatively, only the region of the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206 that reaches the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 may have such a high reflectivity.

[0034] The light-emitting element 202 emits light toward the inner surface 206b of the diaphragm 206. The upper surface of the light-reflecting part 207 reflects the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. That is, the upper surface of the light-reflecting part 207 in particular functions as a light-reflecting surface. In the following description, the reflection of light at the upper surface (light-reflecting surface) of the light-reflecting part 207 will simply be referred to as "light being reflected by the light-reflecting part 207." The light-reflecting part 207 specularly reflects (in other words, mirrorly reflects) the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202.

[0035] In the following explanation, the light traveling from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting section 207 will be referred to as the first incident light 211. The light remaining after the first incident light 211 has been reflected by the light-reflecting section 207 will be referred to as the reflected light 212.

[0036] The light-emitting element 202 is positioned to emit light toward the region 207a of the light-reflecting portion 207 that covers the central part 206e of the diaphragm 206 when the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface. When the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface, the diaphragm 206 is flat.

[0037] In this embodiment, a light source that emits diffuse light (e.g., an LED) is used as the light-emitting element 202. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 has a diaphragm 209 as a first diaphragm that narrows the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. The diaphragm 209 ensures that only a portion of the incident light 211 emitted from the light-emitting element 202 enters the light-reflecting section 207. In the example shown in Figure 2, the portion of the holding member 201 through which the incident light 211 passes corresponds to the diaphragm 209.

[0038] In this embodiment, a component that emits diffused light was described as an example of a light-emitting element. However, instead, a laser diode or the like that emits linear light may be used as a light-emitting element, and the linear light may be directed toward region 207a. If the light-emitting element is a component that emits linear light, the aperture portion 209 may be omitted.

[0039] The light-receiving element 204 is positioned to receive reflected light 212. Specifically, the light-receiving element 204 is positioned so that the amount of reflected light 212 received changes due to the vibration of the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction. The light-receiving element 204 is positioned so that more light is incident on it when the diaphragm 206 is not in contact with the biological surface (i.e., when the diaphragm 206 is flat) compared to when the diaphragm 206 is vibrating. In other words, the light-receiving element 204 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of reflected light 212 it receives, and the amount of displacement of the diaphragm 206 can be determined based on this electrical signal. This principle will be described later.

[0040] Furthermore, the chestpiece 110 has a second aperture section 210 that narrows the light specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207. The aperture section 210 suppresses diffusely reflected light from entering the light-receiving element 204 and allows only specularly reflected light from the light reflecting section 207 to reach the light-receiving element 204. The aperture section 210 further narrows the specularly reflected light from the light reflecting section 207, allowing only a portion of the specularly reflected light to reach the light-receiving element 204. The aperture section 210 functions as an opening that narrows the optical path from the light reflecting section 207 to the light-receiving element 204 such that the area of ​​the portion of the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 that receives light changes according to the amount of displacement of the light reflecting section 207. In the example in Figure 2, the portion of the holding member 201 through which the reflected light 212 passes corresponds to the aperture section 210.

[0041] In this embodiment, the portion of the holding member 201 in which an opening is formed was described as an example of a diaphragm (209, 210), but it may be a diaphragm on one side instead of an opening. In that case, for example, the diaphragm (opening) is formed by a light-shielding wall for narrowing one side (upper or lower) of the light emitted from the light-emitting element, and an opening whose opening area is limited by the light-shielding wall.

[0042] The housing 208 is attached to the outer peripheral upper surface of the holding member 201. The housing 208 covers the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205, and suppresses ambient sound from entering the housing 208. The outer edge of the diaphragm 206, the outer edge of the holding member 201, and the outer edge of the housing 208 substantially coincide with each other in a plan view with respect to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. In the present embodiment, the housing 208 is formed of metal, and the grounds of the circuit boards (for example, the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205) in the chest piece 110 are electrically connected to the housing 208. Thereby, the potential of the ground is stabilized.

[0043] By fixing the diaphragm 206 to the holding member 201, an internal space 213 surrounded by the diaphragm 206 and the holding member 201 is formed. In order to suppress the light-receiving element from receiving light other than the light emitted by the light-emitting element 202, it is preferable that the internal space 213 is sealed. Further, in order to suppress the light-receiving element 204 from receiving light other than the light emitted by the light-emitting element 202, it is preferable that the diaphragm 206 and the holding member 201 have light-shielding properties.

[0044] [Principle of Optical Displacement Detection] Supplementary description will be given of the principle in which a displacement signal as a signal changes in accordance with the displacement of the diaphragm 206 by using FIGS. 3A to 5. FIG. 3A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chest piece 110 in a state where the diaphragm 206 is flat. FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light reflection portion 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305. FIG. 4A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the chest piece 110 in a state where the diaphragm 206 is pressed by the living body surface 320. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light reflection portion 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305. In the cross-sectional view of the chest piece 110, the light-emitting circuit board 203, the light-receiving circuit board 205, and the housing 208 are omitted, and the shape of the holding member 201 is shown in detail. In the plan view of the chest piece 110, only the light-emitting element 202, the light-receiving element 204, the light reflection portion 207, the light-shielding wall 304, and the light-shielding wall 305 are shown.

[0045] As shown in Figures 3A to 4B, the chestpiece 110 is used in contact with the biological surface 320, which is the subject (object to be measured). That is, when the electronic auscultation device 100 is in use, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the chestpiece 110 is in close contact with the biological surface 320, which is an example of the object to be measured. As a result, the biological surface 320, the diaphragm 206, and the light reflecting part 207 vibrate together. The vibration or displacement of the biological surface 320 occurs in response to bodily movements such as heartbeat and respiration of the person having the biological surface 320. The chestpiece 110 detects the displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207 in the Z-axis direction. The electronic auscultation device 100 can acquire vibration data of the biological surface 320, including body temperature, by optically detecting the displacement of the light reflecting part 207 using the chestpiece 110.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3A, the aperture portions 209 and 210 are arranged so that when the diaphragm 206 is flat, more reflected light 212 is received by the light-receiving element 204 compared to when the diaphragm 206 is displaced (deformed). When the diaphragm 206 is flat, the amount of displacement of the center 206e of the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction is 0, and when the diaphragm 206 is deformed (displaced), the amount of displacement of the center 206e in the Z-axis direction is not 0.

[0047] The light-receiving element 204 amplifies and outputs a photocurrent corresponding to the amount of light it receives. The peripheral circuit of the light-receiving circuit board 205 converts the photocurrent output from the light-receiving element 204 into a voltage, generates an output value as a displacement signal, and outputs it to the outside of the chestpiece 110. In this embodiment, the displacement signal refers to the output value of the light-receiving circuit board 205, which acts as a signal output unit that reflects the state and deformation of the diaphragm 206 at any given time.

[0048] FIG. 4A shows the chest piece 110 when the biological surface 320 is displaced upward (in the positive direction of the Z-axis). When the biological surface 320 is displaced upward, the diaphragm 206 is pressed upward by the biological surface 320, and the distance from the light-emitting element 202 to the upper surface of the light reflection portion 207 decreases. As the biological surface 320 is displaced, the region of the light reflection portion 207 where the incident light 211 reaches moves closer to the light-emitting element 202, and the reflected light 212 also moves closer to the light-emitting element 202. As a result, the light that reaches the light-receiving element 204 in the reflected light 212 decreases, and the value of the displacement signal generated by the light-receiving circuit board 205 becomes smaller.

[0049] In the present embodiment, when the amount of light incident on the light-receiving element 204 per unit time decreases, the value of the displacement signal becomes smaller (the voltage value becomes lower). When the reflected light 212 does not reach the light-receiving element 204 at all, the value of the displacement signal ideally becomes zero.

[0050] Thus, the chest piece 110 is configured such that the amount of light reaching the light-receiving element 204 changes according to the displacements of the biological surface 320, the diaphragm 206, and the light reflection portion 207. Since the light reflection portion 207 is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the biological surface 320, the displacement signal generated by the light-receiving circuit board 205 represents the displacement of the biological surface 320.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 3A to 4B, a part of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 is blocked by the light-shielding wall 304 surrounding the aperture 306 of the aperture stop 209 and does not reach the light reflection portion 207. In particular, the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 is blocked by the edge portion of the upper side of the aperture 306 in the light-shielding wall 304. Further, at least a part of the light specularly reflected by the light reflection portion 207 is blocked by the light-shielding wall 305 surrounding the aperture 307 of the aperture stop 210 depending on the position of the light reflection portion 207 and does not reach the light-receiving element 204.

[0052] In this embodiment, both the opening 306 of the aperture portion 209 and the opening 307 of the aperture portion 210 are rectangular. In the following description, of the four sides of each of the openings 306 and 307, the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and closer to the diaphragm 206 will be referred to as the bottom side, and the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and further away from the diaphragm 206 will be referred to as the top side. Also, of the four sides of each of the openings 306 and 307, the side to the left when viewed from the light-emitting element 202 will be referred to as the left side, and the side to the right when viewed from the light-emitting element 202 will be referred to as the right side.

[0053] In Figures 3A to 4B, the incident light 211 and reflected light 212 represent the beams of light that reach the photodetector 204. In Figure 3B, some of the light 310 emitted from the light-emitting element 202 passes through the opening 306 of the light-shielding wall 304 and through the path 311 which is reflected by the light-reflecting part 207, but is blocked by the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 above the opening 307 and does not reach the photodetector 204.

[0054] As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the portion of the light-reflecting part 207 that the incident light 211 reaches when the diaphragm 206 is not pressed by the biological surface 320 is referred to as the effective range 300. The effective range 300 is the portion of the light-reflecting part 207 that reflects light that reaches the light-receiving element 204. When the diaphragm 206 is not pressed by the biological surface 320, the effective range 300 is equal to the range to which light from the light-emitting element 202 reaches. In this embodiment, the effective range 300 is a rectangular area. The outer periphery of the effective range 300 is referred to as the boundary line of the effective range 300. The boundary line of the effective range 300 is located between the effective range 300 and the area outside the effective range 300. In the following description, a part of the boundary line is also referred to as the boundary line.

[0055] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the line segment that includes the position furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is referred to as the far boundary line 300a. The portion of the incident light 211 that reaches the far boundary line 300a is referred to as the far incident light 211a. The far incident light 211a means that it includes the portion of the optical path from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting part 207 that is the longest. The angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting part 207 is at its maximum value of 303a at a position on the far boundary line 300a.

[0056] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the line segment containing the position closest to the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is denoted as the near boundary 300b. The portion of the incident light 211 that reaches the near boundary 300b is denoted as the near incident light 211b. The near incident light 211b means that it includes the portion where the optical path from the light-emitting element 202 to the light-reflecting section 207 is the shortest. The angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting section 207 is at its minimum value of 303b at the position on the near boundary 300b. Of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202, the light that is not included between the far incident light 211a and the near incident light 211b is attenuated by being reflected multiple times by the light-shielding wall 304.

[0057] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the effective range 300, the two line segments other than the far boundary 300a and the near boundary 300b are referred to as the lateral boundary 300c and 300d. The lateral boundary 300c is located to the right of the effective range 300 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202, and the lateral boundary 300d is located to the left of the effective range 300 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the region of the light-receiving element 204 formed by the reflected light 212 specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207 is referred to as the light-illuminated region 301. The light-illuminated region 301 is the portion of the light-receiving element 204 that reaches the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207. In addition to the light specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207, scattered light may also reach the light-receiving element 204, but in this embodiment, the region formed by specularly reflected light is defined as the light-illuminated region. The amount of light reaching the light-receiving element 204 is proportional to the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301. In this embodiment, the light-illuminated region 301 is a rectangular region. The outer periphery of the light-illuminated region 301 is referred to as the boundary line of the light-illuminated region 301. The boundary line of the light-illuminated region 301 is located between the light-illuminated region 301 and the region other than the light-illuminated region 301.

[0059] Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-irradiated area 301, the line segment formed by light that is narrowed by the aperture 209 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting part 207 is referred to as the lower boundary line 301a. Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-irradiated area 301, the line segment on the opposite side of the lower boundary line 301a is referred to as the upper boundary line 301b. The lower boundary line 301a is an example of a boundary line formed by light that is narrowed by the aperture 209 and specularly reflected by the light-reflecting part 207. The lower boundary line 301a is a boundary line that moves in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a, as will be described later.

[0060] In this embodiment, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 changes as the lower boundary line 301a moves, and the output of the light-receiving element 204 changes. This allows the displacement of the object to be measured. The upper boundary line 301b is an example of a boundary line that does not move in response to the displacement of the contact surface 206a and whose length does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. Of the four line segments that constitute the boundary of the light-irradiated region 301, the two line segments other than the lower boundary line 301a and the upper boundary line 301b are referred to as the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d. The lateral boundary line 301c is located to the right of the light-irradiated region 301 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202, and the lateral boundary line 301d is located to the left of the light-irradiated region 301 as viewed from the light-emitting element 202. The lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d are examples of boundary lines that do not move in response to the displacement of the contact surface 206a and whose length changes when the contact surface 206a is displaced, as will be described later.

[0061] Light passing through the aperture 306 along its upper edge is specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light-illuminating area 301 of the light-receiving element 204 without being blocked by the light-shielding wall 305. Therefore, the upper edge of the aperture 306 defines the lower boundary line 301a of the light-illuminating area 301. On the other hand, light passing through the aperture 306 along its lower edge is specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then blocked by the light-shielding wall 305, and does not reach the light-receiving element 204. Therefore, the lower edge of the aperture 306 does not define the light-illuminating area 301. Consequently, the near incident light 211b is not stopped by the aperture section 209. Alternatively, the light passing through the aperture 306 along its lower edge may be specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207 and then reach the light-receiving element 204 without being blocked by the light-shielding wall 305. In this case, the lower edge of the aperture 306 defines the light irradiation area 301. In this configuration, the displacement signal remains constant from zero to a predetermined value as the displacement of the diaphragm 206 decreases. Subsequently, when the lower edge of the aperture 306 no longer defines the light irradiation area 301, the displacement signal begins to decrease monotonically.

[0062] Light that passes through the aperture 306 and is specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207, and then passes through the aperture 307 along its upper edge, reaches the upper boundary line 301b of the light-illuminating area 301 of the light-receiving element 204. Therefore, the upper edge of the aperture 307 defines the upper boundary line 301b of the light-illuminating area 301. In other words, the upper edge of the aperture 307 is an example of an aperture that narrows the light specularly reflected by the light reflecting section 207. On the other hand, because it is blocked by the light-shielding wall 304, light does not pass through the portion along the lower edge of the aperture 307. Therefore, the lower edge of the aperture 307 does not define the light-illuminating area 301.

[0063] As shown in Figure 3A, the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d of the light-irradiated area 301 are defined by the right and left sides of the aperture 307. Alternatively, the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d of the light-irradiated area 301 may be defined by the right and left sides of the aperture 306.

[0064] The reflected light of the far incident light 211a is referred to as the lower end reflected light 212a. The lower end reflected light 212a is the light that is located furthest down in the Z-axis direction of the reflected light 212 (i.e., the part close to the diaphragm 206). The lower end reflected light 212a reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light irradiation region 301. The lower boundary line 301a is formed by light that is narrowed by the aperture portion 209 and specularly reflected by the light reflection portion 207. The lower end reflected light 212a is far from each side of the aperture 307. That is, the lower end reflected light 212a is not narrowed by the aperture portion 210.

[0065] In the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the lower boundary line 301a includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that is closest to the diaphragm 206 in the direction normal to the diaphragm 206 (i.e., the Z-axis direction) when the diaphragm 206 is not being pressed by the biological surface 320. Furthermore, in the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the lower boundary line 301a includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 where the light with the maximum reflection angle at the light reflecting portion 207 reaches. This maximum reflection angle is equal to the maximum incident angle 303a. Moreover, in the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the lower boundary line 301a includes the position furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in a plan view relative to the diaphragm 206 when it is not being pressed.

[0066] The reflected light from the near incident light 211b is represented as the upper end reflected light 212n. The upper end reflected light 212n is the light that is located furthest upward in the Z-axis direction of the reflected light 212 (i.e., the portion furthest from the diaphragm 206). The upper end reflected light 212n reaches the upper boundary line 301b of the light irradiation region 301. In the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the upper boundary line 301b includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that is furthest from the diaphragm 206 in the direction normal to the diaphragm 206 when it is not pressed (i.e., in the Z-axis direction). Also, in the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the upper boundary line 301b includes the position in the light irradiation region 301 that reaches the light with the minimum reflection angle at the light reflecting part 207. This minimum reflection angle is equal to the minimum incident angle 303b. Furthermore, in the configurations of Figures 3A and 3B, the upper boundary line 301b includes the position closest to the light-emitting element 202 in a plan view relative to the diaphragm 206 when it is not being pressed.

[0067] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, when the diaphragm 206 is pressed by the biological surface 320, the positions of the effective range 300, the far boundary line 300a, the near boundary line 300b, the light irradiation area 301, the lower boundary line 301a, and the upper boundary line 301b change, respectively. Of the reflected light 212, the portion furthest from the light-emitting element 202 in the X-axis direction is called the lower end reflected light 212a. The lower end reflected light 212a reaches the lower boundary line 301a of the light irradiation area 301. As described above, the lower boundary line 301a is defined by the upper edge of the opening 306 of the aperture portion 209 on the light-emitting element 202 side. The lower boundary line 301a moves in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a due to the elastic deformation of the diaphragm 206, and as a result, the area of ​​the light irradiation area 301 changes, and the output of the light-receiving element 204 also changes, as will be described later.

[0068] The lower boundary line 301a is displaced by a displacement ratio G with respect to the displacement of the diaphragm 206. Similarly, the position where the part of the reflected light 212 that is furthest from the light-emitting element 202 (in three-dimensional space, regardless of the X-axis direction) reaches the photodetector 204 is also displaced by a displacement ratio G. The displacement ratio G has a value corresponding to the angle of incidence of the incident light 211 to the light-reflecting part 207 and the angle of the light-receiving surface of the photodetector 204 relative to the light-reflecting part 207. The chestpiece 110 may be configured such that the displacement ratio G is greater than 1.5, or it may be configured such that the displacement ratio G is greater than 2.

[0069] As shown in Figures 3A to 4B, the upper boundary line 301b is defined by the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 above the reflected light 212, and is a boundary line that does not move in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a and whose length does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. The portion of the light-shielding wall 304 below the incident light 211 does not need to shield the light emitted from the light-emitting element 202. For example, the portion of the light-shielding wall 304 below the incident light 211 does not need to be provided. Also, the lower boundary line 301a is defined by the portion of the light-shielding wall 304 above the incident light 211. Therefore, the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 below the reflected light 212 does not need to shield the light specularly reflected by the light-reflecting portion 207. For example, the portion of the light-shielding wall 305 below the reflected light 212 does not need to be provided.

[0070] Next, with reference to Figure 5, the changes in the light-irradiated area 301 formed by the reflected light 212 that reaches the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 will be explained. Figure 5 is a plan view showing the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204. The left side of Figure 5 shows the position of the light-irradiated area 301 when the diaphragm 206 is not pressed. The right side of Figure 5 shows the position of the light-irradiated area 301 when the diaphragm 206 is pressed by the biological surface 320.

[0071] To illustrate direction, the coordinate system CS' is shown in Figure 5. The coordinate system CS' is a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system with mutually orthogonal X' and Y' axes. The Y' axis coincides with the Y axis of the coordinate system CS. The X' axis is parallel to the XZ plane of the coordinate system CS. In the following explanation, the positive direction of the X' axis is referred to as the upper side, and the negative direction of the X' axis is referred to as the lower side.

[0072] The surface of the light-receiving element 204 that faces the internal space 213 becomes the light-receiving surface. The light-receiving element 204 detects the amount of light that reaches the light-receiving surface. As described above, in this embodiment, the light-receiving element 204 is a single light-receiving element. A line sensor or an area sensor may be used instead of a single light-receiving element. The light-receiving surface may have a rectangular shape. Of the four sides of the light-receiving surface, the side that is parallel to the diaphragm 206 and closer to the diaphragm 206 is referred to as side 204a.

[0073] The area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 is defined by the lower boundary line 301a, the upper boundary line 301b, and the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d. As shown in Figure 5, the lower boundary line 301a of the light-irradiated region 301 changes in the X' axis direction in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a. On the other hand, the upper boundary line 301b and the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d hardly move in accordance with the displacement of the contact surface 206a. Therefore, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 changes in accordance with the movement of the lower boundary line 301a. The length of the upper boundary line 301b does not change even if the contact surface 206a is displaced. On the other hand, the lengths of the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d change when the contact surface 206a is displaced.

[0074] When the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301 changes, the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 also changes. Specifically, the greater the displacement of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 from a flat state, the shorter the distance between the lower boundary line 301a and the upper boundary line 301b (i.e., the length of the lateral boundary lines 301c and 301d), and the smaller the area of ​​the light-illuminated region 301. Therefore, the greater the displacement of the diaphragm 206 from a flat state, the less light the light-receiving element 204 receives. Accordingly, the signal output from the light-receiving element 204 also becomes smaller. As shown in Figure 5, the amount of movement of the lower boundary line 301a accompanying the movement of the light-reflecting portion 207 is greater than the amount of movement of the upper boundary line 301b accompanying the movement of the light-reflecting portion 207.

[0075] The change in the X' axis direction of the light-irradiated region 301 is greater than the change in the Y' axis direction of the light-irradiated region 301. Therefore, in order to increase the dynamic range of the photodetector 204, it is preferable to make the width of the photodetector 204 in the X' axis direction greater than the width of the photodetector 204 in the Y' axis direction. More specifically, it is preferable that the width of the photodetector 204 in the X' axis direction be three times or more the width of the photodetector 204 in the Y' axis direction.

[0076] Next, with reference to Figure 6, the relationship between the displacement of the biological surface 320 and the displacement signal will be explained. The displacement signal is the voltage output from the light-receiving circuit board 205. Graph 400 in Figure 6 shows the relationship between the displacement of the biological surface 320 and the displacement signal. The horizontal axis of graph 400 represents the displacement of the biological surface 320, and the vertical axis represents the displacement signal generated by the light-receiving circuit board 205.

[0077] As described above, the displacement of the biological surface 320 is equal to the displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207. The displacement of the upper surface of the light reflecting part 207 is equal to the displacement of the diaphragm 206. As shown in Figure 5, as the displacement of the reflected light 212 increases, the amount of reflected light 212 that reaches the photodetector 204 decreases monotonically and linearly. Therefore, if the displacement of the biological surface 320 is d and the value of the displacement signal is S, then in the range d ≤ dmax, S can be expressed by the following equation: S = Vmax - k × d

[0078] In the above equation, Vmax is the value of the displacement signal when the displacement d is zero. Vmax is determined by the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. The sensitivity of the photodetector 204 is the amount of change in the output voltage per unit amount of light incident on the photodetector 204. Vmax is larger the higher the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. Also, Vmax is larger the higher the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202. k is the amplification factor of the photodetector 204. k is also determined by the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202 and the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. k is larger the higher the sensitivity of the photodetector 204. Also, k is larger the higher the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting element 202.

[0079] The displacement amount d at which the displacement signal S becomes zero is denoted as dmax. For example, dmax is 1 mm. As the displacement amount d of the biological surface 320 increases, the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 decreases and becomes zero. When the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 becomes zero, the displacement signal S also becomes zero. The displacement amount d at which the area of ​​the light-irradiated region 301 becomes zero is determined by the respective positions of the light-receiving element 204 and the aperture portion 210 with respect to the reflected light 212.

[0080] When the displacement d exceeds dmax, the reflected light 212 no longer reaches the photodetector 204, so even if the displacement d increases, the displacement signal S remains zero. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 is configured such that the displacement d is in the range of 0 or more and dmax or less within the range in which the vibration of the diaphragm 206 is expected (this is referred to as the operating range of the diaphragm 206). As shown in graph 400, the light-emitting element 202 and the photodetector 204 are arranged such that the amount of light reaching the photodetector 204 (amount of light received) changes monotonically in response to the movement of the light-reflecting part 207 in one direction within the operating range of the diaphragm 206. In the example of Figure 6, the photodetector 204 is arranged so that the amount of light received decreases monotonically, but the photodetector 204 may also be arranged so that the amount of light received monotonically increases.

[0081] In this embodiment, the light-emitting element 202 and the light-receiving element 204 are arranged such that all of the reflected light 212 reaches the light-receiving element 204 when the diaphragm 206 is flat. Alternatively, the light-emitting element 202 and the light-receiving element 204 may be arranged such that all of the reflected light 212 reaches the light-receiving element 204 when the diaphragm 206 is displaced below a flat position.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the normal to the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 is inclined with respect to the Z-axis direction (i.e., the normal direction of the diaphragm 206). Alternatively, the normal to the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 204 may coincide with the Z-axis direction. That is, the light-receiving surface will be parallel to the diaphragm 206.

[0083] In the chestpiece 110 according to the above embodiment, when a biological surface, which is an example of a subject, is in close contact with the diaphragm 206, a displacement signal is generated based on the amount of displacement of the biological surface 320, which vibrates integrally with the diaphragm 206. Therefore, for example, displacement of the biological surface 320 due to low-frequency vibrations of about 10 Hz can be detected with high accuracy. Such low-frequency vibrations are included in sounds (e.g., heart sounds) emitted by vibrations propagated from inside the body by the heartbeat. In the chestpiece 110, the displacement signal does not change unless the diaphragm 206 is displaced. Therefore, ambient sound and vibrations or accelerations due to the movement of the chestpiece 110 are not detected as noise, and a high S / N ratio output characteristic can be obtained. In other words, the chestpiece 110 can accurately detect the displacement of the biological surface 320.

[0084] [Hardware Configuration of Electronic Auscultation Device] Refer to Figure 7 for an example of the hardware configuration of the electronic auscultation device 100. The electronic auscultation device 100 comprises the chestpiece 110 described above and a sound output unit 510. The sound output unit 510 is realized by a plurality of circuit elements mounted on a circuit board included in the gripping unit 120. The plurality of circuit elements include a processor. The processor constituting the sound output unit 510 transmits a sound signal based on the displacement signal generated by the chestpiece 110 to an external sound output device. The sound signal transmitted by the sound output unit 510 represents the biological sound of a living organism (e.g., a human) having a biological surface 320, and is therefore also called a biological signal. The sound signal is transmitted to a sound output device 520 such as earphones or headphones. At the same time as transmitting the sound signal to the sound output device 520, it is also transmitted to a computer 530 (e.g., a personal computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.). Users such as doctors, nurses, and public health nurses can listen to biological sounds represented by digitally converted sound signals using a sound output device 520 or a computer 530. The sound output device 520 is either a wired or wireless earphone or headphones.

[0085] The sound output unit 510 has the components shown in Figure 7. The sound output unit 510 is compatible with the earphones or headphones described above and is capable of transmitting sound signals via both wireless and wired communication. The following describes the process by which the sound output device 520 outputs sound signals via wired communication. The displacement signal output from the chestpiece 110 is filtered and amplified by the filter / amplifier 518 and supplied to the A / D converter 511 and amplifier 515, respectively. The amplifier 515 further amplified the output from the filter / amplifier 518 and supplied it to the wired communication unit 517. The wired communication unit 517 provided the amplified sound signal to the sound output device 520. The wired communication unit 517 is, for example, a 3.5 mm AUX terminal. The amplification gain of the amplifier 515 is adjusted by the volume control unit 516. The sound output device 520 may be considered as part of the electronic stethoscope 100. In this case, the electronic stethoscope 100 includes a chestpiece 110, a gripping part 120, and a sound output device 520.

[0086] Next, the processing for the sound output device 520 to output an audio signal via wireless communication will be described. The A / D converter 511 digitizes the output from the filter / amplifier 518. The digital displacement signal is then amplified by the amplifier 512 and supplied to the encoder 513. The encoder 513 generates audio data for wireless communication by performing signal processing such as data compression and encoding on the amplified audio signal. The processing order of the amplifier 512 and encoder 513 may be reversed. Subsequently, the wireless communication unit 514, which conforms to a wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth®, provides the processed audio data to the sound output device 520. The amplification gain of the amplifier 512 is adjusted by the volume control unit 516. The electronic stethoscope 100 described above is an example in which an audio signal can be output by both wireless and wired communication, but it may also be possible to output an audio signal by only one of these communications.

[0087] The transmission of an audio signal to the computer 530 is the same as the transmission of an audio signal to the sound output device 520. The computer 530 can also visually display waveform data generated based on the audio signal. The waveform data may be generated by the computer 530 or by the electronic stethoscope 100. In addition, some or all of the signal processing and sound output processing by the electronic stethoscope 100 may be performed by an external device (for example, the sound output device 520 or the computer 530).

[0088] In this disclosure, "detection device" refers to a device having at least a diaphragm, a light-emitting unit, and a light-receiving unit, capable of generating a signal (displacement signal described later) corresponding to the displacement of a biological surface. Therefore, the chestpiece 110 of this embodiment is an example of a "detection device". Furthermore, the electronic auscultation device 100 of this embodiment, in which the chestpiece 110 and the gripping unit 120 are integrated, can also be called a detection device as a whole. If the chestpiece 110 is separable from the gripping unit 120 (detachable, replaceable), the chestpiece 110 in the state separated from the gripping unit 120 may also be referred to as a detection device.

[0089] Furthermore, in this disclosure, "electronic stethoscope" refers to a device having at least a detection device and a sound output unit that outputs a signal (sound signal) to a sound output device to emit sound based on a signal (displacement signal) generated by the detection device. The electronic stethoscope 100 according to this embodiment comprises a chestpiece 110 and a sound output unit 510 mounted inside a gripping unit 120. The detection device and the sound output unit do not necessarily have to be configured as a single unit. For example, the chestpiece 110 may be attached to a subject, while the sound output unit 510 remains on a desk and receives the displacement signal by communicating with the chestpiece 110 via wired or wireless means.

[0090] The electronic auscultation device 100 can accurately detect the displacement of the biological surface 320 in relation to vibrations across a wide frequency range of the biological surface 320. Therefore, the electronic auscultation device 100 enables good auscultation of both relatively low-frequency biological sounds such as heart sounds emitted by the body due to heartbeat, and relatively high-frequency biological sounds emitted by the body due to respiration. Respiratory sounds are biological vibrations that include a frequency band (first frequency band) containing components in the range of 500 Hz to 1 kHz, for example. Heart sounds are biological vibrations that include a frequency band (second frequency band) containing components in the range of 30 Hz to 300 Hz, for example.

[0091] A mode switching button 123c is provided on the operating unit 123 of the electronic stethoscope 100. When the mode switching button 123c is pressed, the auscultation mode of the electronic stethoscope 100 switches between a mode suitable for auscultation of heart sounds (hereinafter referred to as "heart sound mode") and a mode suitable for auscultation of breath sounds (hereinafter referred to as "breath sound mode"). The electronic stethoscope 100 may have auscultation modes other than the heart sound mode as the first mode and the breath sound mode as the second mode. When auscultating heart sounds, the user operates the mode switching button 123c provided on the operating unit 123 to select the heart sound mode, which is one of the auscultation modes. On the other hand, when auscultating breath sounds, the user operates the mode switching button 123c provided on the operating unit 123 to select the breath sound mode, which is one of the auscultation modes.

[0092] The control unit 123 is provided with volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) for adjusting the gain of the displacement signal output by the electronic stethoscope 100. The volume adjustment buttons (volume up button 123a and volume down button 123b) are used to adjust the volume of the sound output by the electronic stethoscope 100. Furthermore, the indicator 123d of the electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with an LED as an indicator to show whether the current auscultation mode is heart sound mode or respiratory sound mode. The color of this LED allows the user to visually confirm whether the operating mode is heart sound mode or respiratory sound mode. Note that heart sound mode and respiratory sound mode are examples of auscultation modes.

[0093] [Charging device for electronic stethoscope in the first embodiment] Next, a charging device 610 for charging the electronic stethoscope 100 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Figure 8 is a side view showing the charging device 610 with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached. Figure 9A is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610, and Figure 9B is another perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610. Figure 10A is a side view showing the state before the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, and Figure 10B is a side view showing the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is being attached to the charging device 610. Figure 10(c) is a side view showing the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610.

[0094] As shown in Figures 8 to 9B, the charging device 610 according to this embodiment supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. More specifically, the charging device 610 is integrally formed with a support unit 611 that supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and a membrane protection portion 619 that is provided as a counter portion facing the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The membrane protection portion 619 is spaced apart from the diaphragm 206 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the thickness direction of the diaphragm 206, and does not come into contact with the diaphragm 206. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection portion 619 of the charging device 610. The electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610 constitute a detection system 2000.

[0095] Furthermore, the charging device 610 of this embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces downward in the direction of gravity. This suppresses the adhesion of foreign matter such as dust, bacteria, and viruses to the contact surface 206a, and keeps the contact surface 206a hygienic.

[0096] The support unit 611 of the charging device 610 is provided with a support surface 611a that supports the vicinity of the chestpiece 110 of the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c, and a locking member 613. The support surface 611a faces upward in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the direction of gravity, when the charging device 610 is installed on a horizontal surface. Therefore, the support surface 611a can reliably support the weight of the charging device 610 and stably hold the charging device 610.

[0097] Furthermore, a recess 618 is provided between the support surface 611a and the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c. The recess 618 is positioned so that the user's hand does not interfere when the user attaches the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 while holding the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. Therefore, the user can attach the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 while still holding the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0098] The contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 610 are arranged to be able to contact the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c provided on the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610, respectively. The contacts 126a and 126b are provided on both sides of the gripping portion 120 in the Y-axis direction, and the contact 126c is provided on the downstream side of the gripping portion 120 in the negative Z-axis direction.

[0099] As shown in Figure 10A, contact 612c is attached to a contact lever 614 provided on the charging device 610. The contact lever 614 is rotatable around a pivot axis 614a extending in the Y-axis direction. Contacts 126a, 126b, 126c, 612a, 612b, and 612c are all electrically conductive. The contact lever 614 has a contact holding portion 614b that supports contact 612c and a pressed portion 614c that is pressed by the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The Y-axis direction intersects the mounting direction (positive X-axis or negative Z-axis) in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 610.

[0100] Furthermore, the locking member 613 for locking the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 is rotatably mounted around a pivot axis 613a extending in the Y-axis direction. The locking member 613 has an engaging claw 613b that can engage with a recess 129 (see Figures 1(c) and 10(c)) provided in the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The recess 129 is provided on the end face of the gripping portion 120 in the X-axis direction. The locking member 613 locks the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 by the engaging claw 613b with the recess 129. The locking member 613 is biased by a spring 615 so that the engaging claw 613b engages with the recess 129.

[0101] As shown in Figure 10A, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 610, for example, from top to bottom in the Z-axis direction. The contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 610 are positioned at approximately the same height in the Z-axis direction. As shown in Figure 10B, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 simultaneously contact the contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 610. At this time, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is not in contact with the contact 612c of the charging device 610.

[0102] As the electronic stethoscope 100 moves further downward (in the negative Z-axis direction), the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 contacts and presses against the pressed portion 614c of the contact lever 614. As a result, the contact lever 614 rotates around the pivot axis 614a, and the contact 612c attached to the contact lever 614 contacts the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100. Simultaneously, the engaging claw 613b of the locking member 613 engages with the recess 129 of the gripping portion 120, locking the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 in the Z-axis direction.

[0103] When removing the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 610, the user holds the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 and moves the electronic stethoscope 100 relative to the charging device 610 in the negative direction of the X axis. This releases the engagement between the engaging claw 613b of the locking member 613 and the recess 129, allowing the electronic stethoscope 100 to be removed from the charging device 610. Alternatively, the user may manually rotate the locking member 613 to release the engagement between the engaging claw 613b and the recess 129, and then lift the charging device 610 upwards.

[0104] As described above, the attachment operation (mounting operation) of the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 610 allows contacts 126a and 126b to come into contact with contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 610, and then contact 612c to come into contact with contact 612c of the charging device 610. Contacts 612a and 612b receive force from contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the Y-axis direction, which is the direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 126a and 126b are oriented horizontally. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, and the user can intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 610. Furthermore, contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are configured to be movable by being pressed by contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0105] In this embodiment, contact 126a of the electronic stethoscope 100 is a power supply contact, and contact 126b is a ground contact. The ground contact is a contact connected to the ground which serves as the voltage reference in the charging circuit. Alternatively, contact 126a may be the ground contact and contact 126b may be the power supply contact. Contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is a power control signal contact that initiates charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100 when contact 126c becomes conductive.

[0106] Contact 126c is the last of contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c to make contact with the contact on the charging device 610 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610. This prevents the charging of the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting while the electronic stethoscope 100 is floating relative to the charging device 610. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610, contact 126c is oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity (negative Z-axis direction). Therefore, contact 126c can make stable contact with contact 612c. Also, when removing the electronic stethoscope 100 from the charging device 610, contact 126c (power control signal contact) separates from the contact on the charging device 610 before contacts 126a and 126b. Therefore, while charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100 continues, it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 610, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0107] [Structure of the Charging Device] Next, the structure of the charging device 610 will be explained in more detail using Figure 11. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging device 610. The charging device 610 has an upper cover 616 and a lower cover 617, and the upper cover 616 is detachably supported by the lower cover 617. The space enclosed by the upper cover 616 and the lower cover 617 houses contacts 612a, 612b, 612c, a locking member 613, a contact lever 614, a spring 615, and a charging board 620. The contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are each electrically connected to the charging board 620. The charging board 620 is also provided with a USB connector 621 to which power is supplied from the outside, and the charging board 620, as an electrical board, supplies power to the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610.

[0108] The contacts 612a, 612b, the locking member 613, and the contact lever 614 are partially exposed through holes 616a, 616b, 616c, and 616d provided in the upper cover 616. The contacts 612a and 612b are biased toward the holes 616a and 616b, respectively, by contact springs 618a and 618b. As a result, the contacts 612a and 612b protrude slightly outside the upper cover 616 and can contact the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100, respectively. The upper cover 616 is also provided with a membrane protection portion 619 that covers the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 610.

[0109] [Hardware Configuration of Charging Device and Electronic Auscultation Device] Next, the hardware configuration of the charging device 610 and the electronic auscultation device 100 will be described using Figure 12. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the charging circuit of the charging device 610 and the electronic auscultation device 100.

[0110] The charging device 610 is provided with a USB connector 621, a load switch 632 for turning the power supplied from the USB connector 621 ON or OFF, and contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c. Contact 612a is a power supply contact that supplies power from the charging board 620, which includes the load switch 632, to the electronic stethoscope 100. Contact 612b is a ground contact that serves as the reference for the potential of the charging circuit (power supply circuit), and contact 612c is a power control signal contact for initiating charging from the charging device 610 to the electronic stethoscope 100. Contact 612c is connected to the load switch 632.

[0111] The electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c that can contact contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 610, respectively. In other words, these contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c can also be said to be a power supply contact, a ground contact, and a power control signal contact, respectively. The power supplied from the charging device 610 to contact 126a is supplied to the battery charger IC 541. The battery charger IC 541 is connected to the battery 542 and the boost converter 543. Contact 126c is connected to the CPU 546.

[0112] When the electronic stethoscope 100 and the charging device 610 are electrically connected, a power control signal is sent from the CPU 546 to the load switch 632. In other words, contact 612c is configured to send a signal (power control signal) to the charging board 620 to start charging the electronic stethoscope 100 when it contacts contact 126c. This power control signal causes power to be supplied from the load switch 632 to contact 612a. The power supplied to contact 612a is then supplied to the battery charger IC 541 via contact 126a of the electronic stethoscope 100. If the battery 542 has not reached a predetermined voltage, the battery charger IC 541 charges the battery 542.

[0113] When the electronic stethoscope 100 is detached from the charging device 610 and the power to the electronic stethoscope 100 is turned ON, power is supplied from the battery 542 to the battery charger IC 541. The power is boosted by the boost converter 543 and supplied to the buck converters 544 and 545. The buck converter 544 creates power supply Va, and the buck converter 545 creates power supply Vb. Power supply Va is supplied to the light-emitting circuit board 203 and the light-receiving circuit board 205, and power supply Vb is supplied to the CPU 546, enabling the operation of each part of the electronic stethoscope 100. In this embodiment, the charging board 620 includes, for example, the battery charger IC 541, the boost converter 543, the buck converters 544 and 545, and the CPU 546.

[0114] [Positional Relationship between Charging Device and Diaphragm] Next, the positional relationship between the charging device 610 and the diaphragm 206 will be explained in more detail using Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 is positioned opposite the membrane protection portion 619 of the charging device 610 with a gap between them when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 610. The gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the support portion 611b of the charging device 610. The gripping portion 120 may also be supported by the support surface 611a, the contact 612c provided on the contact lever 614, and the engaging claw 613b of the locking member 613, in addition to the support portion 611b.

[0115] At this time, in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the thickness direction of the diaphragm 206, the distance L12 between the support portion 611b and the membrane protection portion 619 is longer than the distance L11 between the support portion 611b and the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Because the positional relationship between the charging device 610 and the diaphragm 206 is set in this way, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the support portion 611b of the charging device 610, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection portion 619.

[0116] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 610, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the support part 611b of the charging device 610 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Thus, creep deformation of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. In addition, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic. That is, the conventional technology can be further developed.

[0117] 《Second Embodiment》 Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 710 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0118] Figure 13A is a side view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 attached to the charging device 710, and Figure 13B is a perspective view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 immediately before being attached to the charging device 710. As shown in Figures 13A and 13B, the charging device 710 according to the second embodiment has a support portion 711b that supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic auscultation device 100, a membrane protection portion 619, and a membrane support portion 711a that extends upward from the periphery of the membrane protection portion 619.

[0119] As described in the first embodiment, the diaphragm 206 has a fixed portion 206c that is fixed to the holding member 201 of the chestpiece 110, and a contact surface 206a provided inside the fixed portion 206c that is displaced in response to the vibration of the subject. The membrane support portion 711a, which acts as a support, supports the fixed portion 206c of the diaphragm 206 when the electronic auscultation device 100 is attached to the charging device 710, and does not contact the contact surface 206a. Therefore, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619.

[0120] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 710, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the membrane support part 711a of the charging device 710 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the membrane support part 711a supports the fixed portion 206c of the diaphragm 206, but even if force is applied to the fixed portion 206c from the membrane support part 711a, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not deform. Therefore, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. Furthermore, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection portion 619 at intervals, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic.

[0121] Furthermore, the membrane support portion 711a and the membrane protection portion 619 may be formed integrally, thereby ensuring a gap between the membrane protection portion 619 and the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206.

[0122] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 810 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0123] Figure 14A is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 810, and Figure 14B is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 immediately before being attached to the charging device 810. As shown in Figures 14A and 14B, the charging device 810 according to the third embodiment has a support portion 811b that supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, a membrane protection portion 619, and a flange support portion 811a that extends upward from the periphery of the membrane protection portion 619.

[0124] The chestpiece 110 of the electronic stethoscope 100 has a flange portion 111 that protrudes in the X-axis direction from the diaphragm 206. That is, the flange portion 111 protrudes outward from the diaphragm 206 in the direction of intersection (X-axis direction) that intersects with the thickness direction (Z-axis direction) of the diaphragm 206. The flange portion 111 is integrally provided, for example, with the holding member 201 or housing 208 of the chestpiece 110. The flange support portion 811a of the charging device 810 supports the flange portion 111 of the chestpiece 110 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 810, and does not contact the contact surface 206a. Therefore, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619. More specifically, the distance L22 from the flange support portion 811a to the membrane protection portion 619 is longer than the distance L21 from the flange portion 111 to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206.

[0125] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 810, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection portion 619. In other words, the flange support portion 811a of the charging device 810 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection portion 619. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flange support portion 811a supports the flange portion 111 of the chestpiece 110, but even if force is applied to the flange portion 111 from the flange support portion 811a, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not deform. Therefore, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. Furthermore, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic. Also, since charging of the electronic stethoscope 100 starts simply by placing it on the charging device 810, the electronic stethoscope 100 can be easily charged. In addition, since the charging frequency of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be improved, the battery of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be made smaller.

[0126] 《Fourth Embodiment》 Next, a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 910 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0127] Figure 15A is a side view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 910, and Figure 15B is a perspective view showing the electronic stethoscope 100 detached from the charging device 910. As shown in Figures 15A and 15B, the charging device 910 according to the fourth embodiment has a support portion 911 that supports the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, and a membrane protection portion 619.

[0128] The distance L41 from the support portion 911 to the membrane protection portion 619 is greater than the distance L42 from the support portion 911 to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is placed on the charging device 910, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619.

[0129] Figures 16A to 16(c) will be used to explain the contact sequence of the electronic stethoscope 100's contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c with respect to the charging device 910's contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c. Figure 16A is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 910 before the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 910. Figure 16B is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 910 during the process of attaching the electronic stethoscope 100 to the charging device 910. Figure 16(c) is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c of the charging device 910, with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 910.

[0130] In this embodiment, the charging device 910 supports the vertically positioned electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the charging device 910, its longitudinal direction is aligned with the vertical direction. To put it another way, the charging device 910 in this embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces horizontally. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 910 from the negative direction to the positive direction of the X-axis, that is, from top to bottom.

[0131] In the operation of attaching the electronic stethoscope 100, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 are located at the same height in the X-axis direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 16B, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved downward toward the charging device 910, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 first come into contact with the contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 910, respectively. At this time, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is not in contact with the contact 612c of the charging device 910. When the electronic stethoscope 100 moves further in the positive direction (downward) of the X-axis, as shown in Figure 16(c), the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 comes into contact with the contact 612c of the charging device 910. In Figure 16(c), the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 continue to contact the contacts 612a and 612b of the charging device 910, respectively.

[0132] As shown in Figure 16(c), the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 910 is defined as the attached state. Before the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 910 and enters the attached state, contacts 126a and 126b move a distance L43 from the point of contact with contacts 612a and 612b. Also, before the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 910 and enters the attached state, contact 126c moves a distance L44 from the point of contact with contact 612c.

[0133] Here, contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are assumed to contact contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c at their centers when viewed in the Y-axis direction. That is, the centers of contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are the contact points with contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c, respectively. Furthermore, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 each have a predetermined width in the positive X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c extend in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. The downstream ends of contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c in the positive X-axis direction are defined as downstream ends 128a, 128b, and 128c. In addition, in the mounting direction, the third width of contact 126c may be made shorter than the first width of contact 126a and the second width of contact 126b.

[0134] In this case, distance L43 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128b of contact 126b and the contact point of contact 612b of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Similarly, distance L43 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128a of contact 126a and the contact point of contact 612a of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. In this embodiment, since contacts 126a and 126b are provided at the same height in the X-axis direction, the first distance and the second distance are equal. Distance L44 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128c of contact 126c and the contact point of contact 612c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Distance L44 is shorter than distance L43. Furthermore, in the X-axis direction, the distance between the contact point of contact 612b (612a) and the contact point of contact 612c is shorter than the distance between the downstream end 128b (128a) of contact 126b (126a) and the downstream end 128c of contact 126c. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 910, contacts 126a and 126b come into contact with contacts 612a and 612b respectively, and then contact 126c comes into contact with contact 612c. Contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c receive forces from contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (the positive direction of the X-axis). Contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are all oriented horizontally. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 910, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 910. In addition, the contacts 612a, 612b, and 612c are configured to be movable when pressed by the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0135] As described in the first embodiment, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are the power supply contact, ground contact, and power supply control signal contact, respectively. When the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 910, contact 126c is the last to contact contact 612c, so it is possible to prevent the charging of the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting while the electronic stethoscope 100 is floating relative to the charging device 910. Also, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is removed from the charging device 910, contact 126c (power supply control signal contact) separates from the contact on the charging device 910 side before contacts 126a and 126b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 910 while charging from the charging device 910 is continuing, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0136] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 910, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the support part 911 of the charging device 910 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Thus, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. In addition, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic.

[0137] 《Fifth Embodiment》 Next, a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1010 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0138] Figure 17A is a perspective view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 attached to the charging device 1010, and Figure 17B is a perspective view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 detached from the charging device 1010. Figure 18A is a rear view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 attached to the charging device 1010, and Figure 18B is a cross-sectional view showing the electronic auscultation device 100 attached to the charging device 1010. Figure 18B shows the section A-A in Figure 18.

[0139] As shown in Figures 17A to 18B, the charging device 1010 according to the fifth embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a position where the chestpiece 110 is below the gripping portion 120. The charging device 1010 has a support portion 1011 that supports the electronic stethoscope 100 and a membrane protection portion 619. The support portion 1011 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 by contacting both the chestpiece 110 and the gripping portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. That is, the support portion 1011 is positioned between the chestpiece 110 and the gripping portion 120 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010.

[0140] The membrane protection portion 619 is positioned opposite the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100, which is supported by the support portion 1011. As shown in Figure 18B, the distance L52 from the support portion 1011 to the membrane protection portion 619 is greater than the distance L51 from the support portion 1011 to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is placed on the charging device 1010, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619.

[0141] The contact sequence of the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 with respect to the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010 will be explained using Figures 19A and 19B. Figure 19A is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010, while the electronic stethoscope 100 is being attached to the charging device 1010. Figure 19B is a side view showing the positional relationship between the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 and the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c of the charging device 1010, with the electronic stethoscope 100 attached to the charging device 1010.

[0142] In this embodiment, the charging device 1010 supports the electronic stethoscope 100, which is placed vertically with the chestpiece 110 facing downwards. In other words, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by the charging device 1010, the longitudinal direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 is aligned with the vertical direction. To put it another way, the charging device 1010 in this embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces horizontally. The charging device 1010 is provided with contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c that can contact the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100. Furthermore, the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1010 from the positive direction to the negative direction of the X-axis, that is, from top to bottom.

[0143] In the operation of attaching the electronic stethoscope 100, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 are located at the same height in the X-axis direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 19A, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved downward toward the charging device 1010, the contacts 126a and 126b of the electronic stethoscope 100 first come into contact with the contacts 1012a and 1012b of the charging device 1010, respectively. At this time, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 is not in contact with the contact 1012c of the charging device 1010. When the electronic stethoscope 100 moves further in the negative direction (downward) of the X-axis, as shown in Figure 19B, the contact 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 comes into contact with the contact 1012c of the charging device 1010.

[0144] Furthermore, the charging device 1010 is provided with a pressing member 1020 that can rotate around a pivot axis 1020a, and the pressing member 1020 has a pressed portion 1020b and a pressing portion 1020c. When the pressed portion 1020b of the pressing member 1020 is pressed by the tip of the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, the pressing member 1020 rotates around the pivot axis 1020a. As a result, the pressing portion 1020c of the pressing member 1020 presses the grip portion 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100 toward the support portion 1011 (see Figure 18B).

[0145] As shown in Figure 19B, the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010 is defined as the attached state. From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1010 to the time it is attached, contacts 126a and 126b move a distance L53 from the time they make contact with contacts 1012a and 1012b. Also, from the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1010 to the time it is attached, contact 126c moves a distance L54 from the time it makes contact with contact 1012c.

[0146] Here, contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are assumed to contact contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c at their centers when viewed in the Y-axis direction. That is, the centers of contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are the contact points with contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c, respectively. Furthermore, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 each have a predetermined width in the negative direction of the X-axis, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c extend in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. The downstream ends of contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c in the negative direction of the X-axis are defined as downstream ends 128a, 128b, and 128c.

[0147] In this case, distance L53 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128b of contact 126b and the contact point of contact 1012b of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. Similarly, distance L53 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128a of contact 126a and the contact point of contact 1012a of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. In this embodiment, since contacts 126a and 126b are provided at the same height in the X-axis direction, the first distance and the second distance are equal. Distance L54 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128c of contact 126c and the contact point of contact 1012c of the electronic stethoscope 100 when it is worn. Distance L54 is shorter than distance L53. Furthermore, in the X-axis direction, the distance between the contact point of contact 1012b (1012a) and the contact point of contact 1012c is shorter than the distance between the downstream end 128b (128a) of contact 126b (126a) and the downstream end 128c of contact 126c. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, contacts 126a and 126b come into contact with contacts 1012a and 1012b respectively, and then contact 126c comes into contact with contact 1012c. Note that contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c receive forces from contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (negative direction of the X-axis). Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 1010. In addition, the contacts 1012a, 1012b, and 1012c are configured to be movable by being pressed by the contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0148] As described in the first embodiment, contacts 126a, 126b, and 126c are the power supply contact, ground contact, and power supply control signal contact, respectively. When the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1010, contact 126c is the last to contact contact 1012c, so it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting to charge while it is floating relative to the charging device 1010. Also, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is removed from the charging device 1010, contact 126c (power supply control signal contact) separates from the contact on the charging device 1010 side before contacts 126a and 126b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 1010 while charging from the charging device 1010 is still continuing, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0149] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 1010, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the support part 1011 of the charging device 1010 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Thus, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. In addition, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic.

[0150] 《Sixth Embodiment》 Next, a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1110 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0151] Figure 20 is a side view showing an electronic stethoscope 100 attached to a charging device 1110 according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in Figure 20, the charging device 1110 according to the sixth embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a state where its longitudinal direction is inclined with respect to the vertical and horizontal directions, i.e., in an oblique state. In other words, the charging device 1110 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces inclined directions in both the direction of gravity and the horizontal direction. The charging device 1110 has a support part 1111b that supports the gripping part 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100, a membrane protection part 619, and a membrane support part 1111a that extends from the periphery of the membrane protection part 619 in the positive direction of the Z axis.

[0152] As described in the first embodiment, the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 has a fixed portion 206c that is fixed to the holding member 201 of the chestpiece 110, and a contact surface 206a provided inside the fixed portion 206c that is displaced in accordance with the vibration of the subject. The membrane support portion 1111a supports the fixed portion 206c of the diaphragm 206 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110, and does not contact the contact surface 206a. Therefore, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619.

[0153] The contact sequence of the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 with respect to the contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c of the charging device 1110 will be explained using Figures 21A and 21B. Figure 21A is a side view showing the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in contact with the contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c of the charging device 1110. Figure 21B is a diagram showing the positional relationship of each contact when the contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c of the charging device 1110 and the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 are in contact.

[0154] As shown in Figure 21A, the electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c, and the charging device 1110 is provided with contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c that can contact the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100. The electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1110 from the negative direction to the positive direction of the X-axis, that is, from diagonally upward to diagonally downward. In this embodiment, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 are all provided on the negative side of the Z-axis of the gripping portion 120. These contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c have the same configuration and function as the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the first embodiment. In other words, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c are the power supply contact, ground contact, and power control signal contact, respectively.

[0155] As shown in Figure 21B, the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110 is defined as the attached state. From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1110 to the time it is attached, contact 127a moves a distance L62 from the time it makes contact with contact 1112a.From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1110 to the time it is attached, contact 127b moves a distance L63 from the time it makes contact with contact 1112b.Also, from the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1110 to the time it is attached, contact 127c moves a distance L64 from the time it makes contact with contact 1112c.

[0156] Here, contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c are assumed to contact contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c at their centers when viewed in the Z-axis direction. That is, the centers of contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c are the contact points with contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c, respectively. Furthermore, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 each have a predetermined width in the positive X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c extend in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. The downstream ends of contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c in the positive X-axis direction are defined as downstream ends 128a, 128b, and 128c.

[0157] In this case, distance L62 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128a of contact 127a and the contact point of contact 1112a of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Similarly, distance L63 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128b of contact 127b and the contact point of contact 1112b of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Furthermore, distance L64 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the downstream end 128c of contact 127c and the contact point of contact 1112c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Distance L64 is shorter than distances L62 and L63. Also, in the X-axis direction, the distance between the contact point of contact 1112b (1112a) and the contact point of contact 1112c is shorter than the distance between the downstream end 128b (128a) of contact 127b (127a) and the downstream end 128c of contact 127c. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110, contacts 127a and 127b come into contact with contacts 1112a and 1112b respectively, and then contact 127c comes into contact with contact 1112c. Contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c receive force from contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (positive direction of the X axis). Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, and the user can intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 1110. Furthermore, contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c are configured to be movable by being pressed by contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0158] When the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110, contact 127c is the last to contact contact 1112c, thus preventing the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting to charge while it is floating relative to the charging device 1110. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1110, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c are oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity (negative Z-axis direction). In other words, contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c receive forces from contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction that includes a component of gravity. For this reason, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c can make stable contact with contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is removed from the charging device 1110, contact 127c (power control signal contact) separates from the contacts on the charging device 1110 side before contacts 127a and 127b. This prevents the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 1110 while charging from the charging device 1110 continues, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0159] Furthermore, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in this embodiment are provided on the downstream side of the gripping portion 120 in the direction of gravity when the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1110. Therefore, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c can make stable contact with the contacts 1112a, 1112b, and 1112c of the charging device 1110.

[0160] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 1110, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the support part 1111 of the charging device 1110 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Thus, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. In addition, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic.

[0161] 《Seventh Embodiment》 Next, a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, which is configured to support the electronic stethoscope 100 in a different manner than the charging device 610 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the illustration or will be described using the same reference numerals in the illustration. For example, the electronic stethoscope 100 and the internal configuration of the charging device 1210 according to this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0162] Figure 22 is a side view showing an electronic stethoscope 100 attached to a charging device 1210 according to the seventh embodiment. As shown in Figure 22, the charging device 1210 according to the seventh embodiment supports the electronic stethoscope 100 in a state where its longitudinal direction is inclined with respect to the vertical and horizontal directions, i.e., in an oblique position. In other words, the charging device 1210 supports the electronic stethoscope 100 such that the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100 faces inclined in both the direction of gravity and the horizontal direction. The charging device 1210 has support parts 1211a and 1211b that support the electronic stethoscope 100, and a membrane protection part 619. Support part 1211a contacts the housing 208 of the chestpiece 110 of the electronic stethoscope 100, and support part 1211b contacts the gripping part 120 of the electronic stethoscope 100. The electronic stethoscope 100 is supported by these support parts 1211a and 1211b. The support part 1211a may contact both the housing 208 and the gripping part 120 of the chestpiece 110. The support part 1211a is positioned between the chestpiece 110 and the gripping part 120 when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210.

[0163] The membrane protection portion 619 is positioned opposite the diaphragm 206 of the electronic stethoscope 100, which is supported by the support portions 1211a and 1211b. The distance L72 from the support portion 1211a to the membrane protection portion 619 is greater than the distance L71 from the support portion 1211a to the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is placed on the charging device 1210, there is a gap between the contact surface 206a and the membrane protection portion 619.

[0164] The contact sequence of the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 with respect to the contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c of the charging device 1210 will be explained using Figures 23A and 23B. Figure 23A is a side view showing the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in contact with the contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c of the charging device 1210. Figure 23B is a diagram showing the positional relationship of each contact when the contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c of the charging device 1210 and the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 are in contact.

[0165] As shown in Figure 23A, the electronic stethoscope 100 is provided with contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c, and the charging device 1210 is provided with contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c that can contact the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100. The electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1210 from the positive direction to the negative direction of the X-axis, that is, from diagonally upward to diagonally downward. In this embodiment, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 are all provided on the positive side of the Z-axis of the gripping portion 120. These contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c have the same configuration and function as the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the first embodiment. In other words, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c are the power supply contact, ground contact, and power control signal contact, respectively.

[0166] As shown in Figure 23B, the state in which the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210 is defined as the attached state. From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1210 to the time it is attached, contact 127a moves a distance L73 from the time it makes contact with contact 1212a.From the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1210 to the time it is attached, contact 127b moves a distance L74 from the time it makes contact with contact 1212b.Also, from the time the electronic stethoscope 100 is moved toward the charging device 1210 to the time it is attached, contact 127c moves a distance L75 from the time it makes contact with contact 1212c.

[0167] Here, contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c are assumed to contact contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c at their centers when viewed in the Z-axis direction. That is, the centers of contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c are the contact points with contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c, respectively. Furthermore, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 each have a predetermined width in the negative X-axis direction, which is the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. In other words, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c extend in the mounting direction of the electronic stethoscope 100. The downstream ends of contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c in the negative X-axis direction are defined as downstream ends 128a, 128b, and 128c.

[0168] In this case, distance L73 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the contact point of contact 1212a and the downstream end 128a of contact 127a of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Similarly, distance L74 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the contact point of contact 1212b and the downstream end 128b of contact 127b of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Furthermore, distance L75 can also be said to be the distance in the X-axis direction between the contact point of contact 1212c and the downstream end 128c of contact 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in the worn state. Distance L75 is shorter than distances L73 and L74. Also, in the X-axis direction, the distance between the contact point of contact 1212b (1212a) and the contact point of contact 1212c is shorter than the distance between the downstream end 128b (128a) of contact 127b (127a) and the downstream end 128c of contact 127c. Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210, contacts 127a and 127b come into contact with contacts 1212a and 1212b respectively, and then contact 127c comes into contact with contact 1212c. Contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c receive force from contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction intersecting the attachment direction of the electronic stethoscope 100 (positive direction of the X axis). Therefore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210, a predetermined load is applied to the electronic stethoscope 100, and the user can intuitively recognize that the electronic stethoscope 100 has been attached to the charging device 1210. Furthermore, contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c are configured to be movable by being pressed by contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100.

[0169] When the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210, contact 127c is the last to contact contact 1212c, thus preventing the electronic stethoscope 100 from starting to charge while it is floating relative to the charging device 1210. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is attached to the charging device 1210, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c are oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity (negative Z-axis direction). In other words, contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c receive forces from contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction that includes a component of gravity. For this reason, contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c can make stable contact with contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c. Furthermore, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is removed from the charging device 1210, contact 127c (power control signal contact) separates from the contacts on the charging device 1210 side before contacts 127a and 127b. This prevents the electronic stethoscope 100 from being inserted into or removed from the charging device 1210 while charging from the charging device 1210 continues, thereby protecting the charging circuit.

[0170] Furthermore, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c of the electronic stethoscope 100 in this embodiment are provided on the downstream side of the gripping portion 120 in the direction of gravity when the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device 1210. Therefore, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c can make stable contact with the contacts 1212a, 1212b, and 1212c of the charging device 1210.

[0171] As described above, when the electronic stethoscope 100 is set (attached) to the charging device 1210, the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 does not come into contact with the membrane protection part 619. In other words, the support parts 1211a and 1211b of the charging device 1210 support the electronic stethoscope 100 so as not to come into contact with the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206. Therefore, no force is applied to the diaphragm 206 from the membrane protection part 619. Thus, creep deformation of the contact surface 206a of the diaphragm 206 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the electronic stethoscope 100 can be maintained. In addition, since the diaphragm 206 is covered by the membrane protection part 619 with a gap in between, the diaphragm 206 can be kept hygienic.

[0172] 《Other Embodiments》 In the second embodiment, the membrane support portion 711a is provided in a cylindrical shape corresponding to the circular fixing portion 206c of the diaphragm 206, but is not limited to this. For example, the membrane support portion 711a may be configured to support the fixing portion 206c of the diaphragm 206 at any point. For example, the membrane support portion 711a may have a plurality of protrusions, and may be configured to support the fixing portion 206c with these multiple protrusions. The same applies to the sixth embodiment.

[0173] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the flange support portion 811a is provided in a cylindrical shape corresponding to the circular flange portion 111, but is not limited to this. For example, the flange support portion 811a may be configured to support the flange portion 111 at any point. For example, the flange support portion 811a may have a plurality of protrusions, and the flange portion 111 may be supported by these multiple protrusions.

[0174] Furthermore, in all of the embodiments described above, the electronic stethoscope 100 detected vibrations of the biological surface 320 using an optical sensor including a light-emitting element 202 and a light-receiving element 204, but it is not limited to this. For example, instead of the optical sensor, a piezoelectric element sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetostrictive vibration sensor, an ultrasonic vibration sensor, etc., may be used.

[0175] Furthermore, in the sixth and seventh embodiments, for example, the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c are oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity (negative or positive Z-axis direction) when the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device, but are not limited to this. For example, at least one of the contacts 127a, 127b, and 127c may be configured to oriented in a direction that includes a component of gravity when the electronic stethoscope 100 is mounted on the charging device. In this case, at least one of the three contacts of the charging device receives a force from the contact of the electronic stethoscope 100 in a direction that includes a component of gravity.

[0176] Furthermore, any of the embodiments described above may be combined in any way.

[0177] This disclosure is applicable, for example, to an electronic auscultation device that detects displacement of the surface of a living organism, and to a charging device that charges an electronic auscultation device.

[0178] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, the following claims are attached to make the scope of this disclosure public.

[0179] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-224571, filed on 19 December 2024, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0180] 100...Detection device (electronic auscultation device) / 110...Detection unit (chestpiece) / 111...Flange part / 201...Diaphragm support part (holding member) / 202:Light-emitting part (light-emitting element) / 204:Light-receiving part (photodetector) / 205...Signal output part (photodetector circuit board) / 206...Diaphragm / 206a...Contact part, first surface (contact surface) / 206b:Second surface / 206c...Diaphragm supported part (fixed part) / 207...Reflective surface (light-reflecting part) ) / 209, 210...Aperture section, first aperture section, second aperture section / 320: Subject (biological surface) / 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110, 1210...Charging device / 611b, 911, 1011, 1111b, 1211a, 1211b...Support section / 619...Opposite section (membrane protection section) / 620...Electrical substrate (charging substrate) / 711a...Support section (membrane support section) / 2000...Detection system / L11, L12...Distance / Z:Thickness direction

Claims

A detection system comprising a detection device for detecting vibrations of a subject, and a charging device for charging the detection device, The detection device is Diaphragm support section, A diaphragm having a diaphragm-supported portion supported by the diaphragm support portion, and a contact portion that is not supported by the diaphragm support portion and is configured to contact the subject, It has a signal output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, The charging device includes an electrical circuit board that supplies power to the detection device, and a support portion that supports the detection device so as not to come into contact with the contact portion of the diaphragm. Detection system. 　 The diaphragm support portion is provided on the outer edge of the diaphragm, The contact portion is located in the central part of the diaphragm, surrounded by the diaphragm support portion. The detection system according to claim 1. 　 The diaphragm includes the contact portion and has a first surface facing the object to be examined and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The diaphragm support portion is provided on the second surface of the diaphragm. The detection system according to claim 1 or 2. 　 The charging device has a facing portion that is spaced apart from the contact portion of the diaphragm in the thickness direction of the diaphragm. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 　 When the detection device is mounted on the charging device, the distance between the support portion and the opposing portion in the thickness direction is longer than the distance between the support portion and the contact portion of the diaphragm. The detection system according to claim 4. 　 The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, the diaphragm support, and the signal output unit, and a gripping unit that supports the detection unit and is configured to be grippable. The support portion of the charging device supports the gripping portion. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 　 The detection device comprises a detection unit including the diaphragm, the diaphragm support, and the signal output unit, and a gripping unit that supports the detection unit and is configured to be grippable. The support portion of the charging device supports the detection unit. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 　 The detection unit has a flange portion provided outside the outer edge of the diaphragm in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the diaphragm, The support portion of the charging device supports the flange portion. The detection system according to claim 7. 　 The support portion of the charging device supports the diaphragm support portion. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 　 The support portion of the charging device supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces downward in the direction of gravity. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 　 The support portion of the charging device supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces horizontally. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 　 The support portion of the charging device supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces inclined directions in both the direction of gravity and the horizontal direction. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 　 The diaphragm is provided on the opposite side of the contact portion and has a reflective surface that displaces together with the contact portion in response to the vibration of the object being examined. The detection device comprises a light-emitting unit that emits light toward the reflective surface, and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit and reflected by the reflective surface. The signal output unit outputs the signal corresponding to the light received by the light receiving unit. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 12. The diaphragm support portion has an aperture portion that narrows the optical path of the light such that the amount of light reaching the light receiving portion changes according to the amount of displacement of the reflective surface. The detection system according to claim 13. 　 The aperture portion includes a first aperture portion that narrows the light directed from the light-emitting portion toward the reflective surface, and a second aperture portion that narrows the light directed from the reflective surface toward the light-receiving portion. The detection system according to claim 14. 　 The detection device is configured to be switchable between a first mode, which detects vibrations in a first frequency band based on the signal, and a second mode, which detects vibrations in a second frequency band lower than the first frequency band based on the signal. The detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 15. 　 The first mode is a mode for detecting breath sounds, The second mode described above is a mode for detecting heart sounds. The detection system according to claim 16. 　 A detection device comprising a diaphragm having a diaphragm support portion, a diaphragm-supported portion supported by the diaphragm support portion, and a contact portion not supported by the diaphragm support portion but configured to contact a subject, and a signal output portion that outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the diaphragm, wherein the charging device charges the detection device for detecting vibrations of the subject, The device comprises an electrical circuit board that supplies power to the detection device, and a support portion that supports the detection device so as not to come into contact with the contact portion of the diaphragm. Charging device. 　 The charging device has a facing portion that is spaced apart from the contact portion of the diaphragm in the thickness direction of the diaphragm. The charging device according to claim 18. 　 When the detection device is mounted on the charging device, the distance between the support portion and the opposing portion in the thickness direction is longer than the distance between the support portion and the contact portion of the diaphragm. The charging device according to claim 19. 　 The support portion supports the gripping portion of the detection device. A charging device according to any one of claims 18 to 20. 　 The support portion supports the diaphragm support portion of the detection device. A charging device according to any one of claims 18 to 20. 　 The support portion supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces downward in the direction of gravity. A charging device according to any one of claims 18 to 22. 　 The support portion supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces horizontally. A charging device according to any one of claims 18 to 22. 　 The support portion supports the detection device such that the contact portion faces inclined directions in both the direction of gravity and the horizontal direction. A charging device according to any one of claims 18 to 22.

Images