Ear Sensor Contact Portions for Blood Flow Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biological information detection devices struggle to reliably and accurately detect blood flow due to inconsistent contact with the ear's anatomy, particularly the tragus and surrounding structures, leading to variability in detection accuracy across different ear shapes and sizes.
Innovation Solution
A biological information detection device with a main body containing a sensor, featuring an insertion portion, pressing portion, engagement portion, and positioning portion, all formed from elastic materials, which are designed to exert reaction forces on the ear's anatomy to maintain consistent contact with the tragus and surrounding structures, ensuring accurate blood flow detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single elastic body is used to press the sensor against the tragus, then the device structure is simple, but the contact consistency varies across different ear shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The single elastic body is divided into multiple independent contact portions (first contact portion and second contact portion), each responsible for pressing the sensor against specific anatomical landmarks (tragus and antihelix/cavum conchae respectively). This segmentation allows each portion to independently adapt to variations in ear anatomy, improving overall contact consistency and detection reliability without requiring a completely complex multi-mechanism system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each contact portion is designed with specific local characteristics tailored to its anatomical target. The first contact portion is optimized for tragus contact while the second contact portion is optimized for antihelix/cavum conchae contact. This local quality differentiation allows each portion to provide consistent pressing force on its specific target while the overall device maintains relative structural simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is pressed firmly against the ear to ensure accurate detection, then detection accuracy improves, but discomfort to the wearer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing function is segmented across multiple contact portions distributed at different anatomical locations. Instead of one concentrated pressing force that would cause discomfort, the total required pressing force is distributed across multiple points (tragus, antihelix, cavum conchae), reducing the pressure at each individual point while maintaining sufficient total contact for accurate blood flow detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact portions are formed from elastic materials that can deform flexibly to conform to the wearer's ear anatomy. This flexibility allows the device to adapt to individual ear shapes and sizes, maintaining consistent sensor contact without requiring excessive pressing force that would cause discomfort. The elastic deformation enables gentle, compliant contact rather than rigid, uncomfortable pressing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device is designed to fit all ear shapes and sizes, then adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple independent contact portions that can individually adapt to different anatomical features. This segmentation allows the device to accommodate various ear shapes and sizes through the combined action of multiple simple contact points rather than requiring a single complex adaptive mechanism. Each portion independently responds to local anatomical variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic materials of the contact portions can change their physical parameters (shape, volume, deformation) in response to different anatomical conditions. This parameter change capability allows the same basic device structure to adapt to various ear shapes and sizes without requiring multiple device variants or complex adjustable mechanisms. The elastic deformation naturally adjusts to fit individual wearers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves improved reliability and accuracy in blood flow detection by distributing the pressing force across multiple anatomical points, reducing discomfort and accommodating various ear shapes and sizes without the need for multiple device sizes, thus enhancing user experience and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The elastic body is stretchable in a direction intersecting to the insertion direction of the ear piece into the ear canal, and presses the sensor element toward the tragus
Implementation Method 2
configured to press the sensor against the portion for detection by exerting, on the main body, a reaction force on at least one of an anthelix and a cavum conchae of an ear of the wearer generated by contact with at least one of the anthelix and the cavum conchae
Data Source
AI summary
A biological information detection device having a sensor, arranged in a main body, to detect biological information from a portion of a tragus facing an ear canal and a first contact portion and a second contact portion configured to bring the sensor into contact with the portion of the tragus, wherein the second contact portion includes a first end connected to the main body, a second end connected to the main body and an anthelix-side contact portion, disposed away from the main body and continuous with the first end and the second end, configured to contact an anthelix and/or a cymba canchae, wherein, in a state where the first contact portion contacts the cavum conchae, one of the first end and the second end that is closer to the ear canal is disposed closer to the first contact portion than the other of the first end and the second end.