JPH0317490B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to an electronic pedometer that can measure energy consumption according to the intensity of exercise.

(Background technology) When measuring energy consumption with conventional electronic pedometers, there are some that use a switch to change the constant used for calorie calculation according to the exercise state such as walking or running. It was troublesome to switch according to the setting, and there was also the problem that if you forgot to switch, or once you switched and used the setting without switching again even if the motion status changed, the value would become inaccurate. .

In addition, in the model shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-39551, there is no need to switch according to the exercise state, but energy consumption is calculated by calculating the number of steps per unit time based on the number of steps in a certain period. Therefore, it is not possible to determine whether the state of movement changes (changes in walking style) during the unit period, so the calculated energy consumption is inaccurate and is only an average value during the period, and the structure is complex ( For example, it has disadvantages in terms of ease of assembly (requiring a sensor for measuring steps and a sensor for measuring gravitational acceleration) and poor cost.

Note that the energy consumption here refers to the calories, amount of exercise, and oxygen consumption required for walking.

(Purpose of the Invention) The present invention was proposed in view of the above points, and its purpose is to weight each step, calculate the energy consumption, and integrate it, making it possible to measure with high precision. To provide an electronic pedometer with a simple configuration.

(Disclosure of invention) The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the electronic pedometer of the present invention when it is attached to a belt. That is, B is a belt, 1 is an electronic pedometer main body detachably attached to belt B, and this electronic pedometer main body 1 has a hook part 2a bent in a U-shape for attaching to belt B. Plate-shaped hook 2a
The electronic pedometer main body 1 is rotatably provided approximately 90 degrees with respect to the hook 2a. The display surface 3 is usually used in the manner shown in FIG. 1, and the display surface 3 is protected by the surface of the hook 1 that faces the display surface 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic pedometer main body 1 is provided with a main body opening/closing hook button 5 from which a hook 4 is protruded. The hook 4 that was engaged with the hook engagement hole 6 that was opened is retracted and their engagement is released.
The display surface 3 can be viewed through the eyes E. The display surface 3 is provided with an LCD display section 7, a calorie step count changeover switch 8, a reset switch 9, and the like.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the electronic pedometer body 1. The electronic pedometer body 1 has a pendulum 10 that swings in response to running and walking, that is, running and walking. This is a type that detects the vibration caused by running or walking.

That is, a pendulum 10 that swings around an axis 11 is provided in the electronic pedometer main body 1, and this pendulum 10
A magnet 12 such as a permanent magnet is attached to the tip of the reed switch 13, and a reed switch 13 is provided at a distance and opposite to the magnet 12 to constitute a detection means.
The structure is such that the reed switch 13 is turned on or off depending on whether the magnet 12 approaches or is far away from the reed switch, thereby transmitting a reed switch output.

In addition, stoppers A and B are provided on both sides of the rear end of the pendulum 10, and the pendulum 10 swings between these stops. Further, a torsion spring 12 is provided on the shaft 11, and one end of this torsion spring 12 is connected to a stopper B.
The other end is locked to the pendulum 10 to control the swinging movement of the pendulum 10.

However, in order to prevent the pendulum from malfunctioning due to minute vibrations of the human body that are not accompanied by running or walking, a method is known in which the pendulum is made heavier to increase the moment of inertia. Using a light pendulum 10, the above slight vibration,
In order to prevent chattering, a second magnet or magnetic body of opposite polarity is provided at the initial position of the pendulum 10, and the magnetic force of the magnet 12 can be used to absorb the slight vibrations of the pendulum 10, thereby preventing erroneous counting. It is configured so that it does not.

That is, a plurality of initial sensitivity adjustment holes 15 are formed in the substrate 14 near the magnet 12, and the sensitivity of the pendulum 10 can be adjusted by appropriately selecting these holes 15 and providing a magnetic body 16 therein. In this embodiment, an iron screw that can be easily screwed into the hole 15 is used as the magnetic body 16.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a measuring means to which the output signal of the detecting means is applied and measures it, and an arithmetic means for obtaining the output signal of the measuring means and calculating the consumed energy.

That is, the output signal of the detection means is applied to the one-shot multivibrator 17, the output of which is applied to the first counter 18, and the output of this first counter 18 is applied to the display switch connected to the calorie step count switch 8. The signal is sent to the control circuit 19, and the display section 7 is driven by the output thereof.

Further, the outputs of the detection means 11 and the one-shot multivibrator 17 are applied to a second counter 21 via an AND circuit 20 constituting the above-mentioned measuring means, and the output of this second counter 21 is the calorie count constituting the above-mentioned calculating means. It is configured to be applied to the calculation circuit 22, and its output is applied to the display switching control path 19 via the integration circuit 23, and the circuit system including the detection means, the one-shot multivibrator 17, the first counter 18, etc. is used for counting steps. Detection means: one-shot multivibrator 1
7. A circuit system including an AND circuit 20, a second counter 21, a calorie calculation circuit 22, an integration circuit 23, etc. is used to measure energy consumption.

FIG. 5 shows the output signal from the detection means and the output signal from the one-shot multivibrator 17 during walking. That is, when walking, the swing of the pendulum 10 is small, and therefore the frequency is small, and as shown in A and B, acceleration acts on the pendulum 10 with each step, causing the pendulum 10 to swing and approach the reed switch 13. To separate them, the reed switch 13 sends out an on/off output signal. The broken line in the figure is the sensitive point of the reed switch 13. With this output signal,
As shown in C, the one-shot multivibrator 17 sends out an output signal with a pulse width of a predetermined time to prevent erroneous measurements, and this output signal is sequentially input to the first counter 18, which sequentially counts it. The number of steps is counted as you do so.

On the other hand, Fig. 6A shows the acceleration for each step when running, and since the acceleration is large when running, the swing of the pendulum 10 is large, so the frequency is also large, and the reed switch output is, for example, As shown in (b), the frequency of the output waveform included in one step, that is, the number of pulses, increases to three. On the other hand, the one-shot multivibrator 17 sends out an output signal for a predetermined period of time as shown in C at the rise of the first pulse in each step.

Therefore, the gate of the AND circuit 20 is opened by the output signal of this predetermined time, the number of pulses of the reed switch output is counted by the second counter 21, and the consumed energy is measured by processing this. It is composed of

Of course, energy consumption during driving can also be measured in the same way.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained.

Since the pendulum 10 is light, it has good followability by swinging. However, as it is, it will detect minute vibrations other than running or walking, so the initial movement is restricted using iron screws.

As a result, the pendulum 10 swings as the user runs or walks, and as described above, a signal as shown in FIG. 5 or 6 is obtained. To measure the number of steps, the first counter 18 may integrate the output signals of the one-shot multivibrator 17, and the display unit 7 may display the integrated values.

The energy consumption is measured using the output signal from the one-shot multivibrator 17 and the AND circuit 20 using the second counter 21 using the number of pulses within a predetermined time as the frequency C, that is, the number of vibration pulses during one step as a variable. The calorie count is calculated for each step by a calculation means, the calorie count is integrated by the integration circuit 23, and the calorie step changeover switch 8 is operated appropriately to display the number of steps or energy consumption.

That is, the vibration frequency C (the number of pulses within a predetermined time or the time required to generate a predetermined number of pulses) is measured using the fact that the pendulum 10 vibrates according to the motion, and the calorie calculation is performed using this as a variable. As a result, calorie calculations are automatically weighted depending on the intensity of exercise, resulting in highly accurate measurements.

Note that calorie calculation has conventionally been approximated by the following equation.

Q≒Body weight x stride length (steady step length is fine) x A (constant determined by experiment) x number of steps In the present invention, calories per step Q' is calculated as: Q'≒body weight x stride length x a (variable) x 1 (number of steps) where a=A (constant determined through experiment) x C (frequency)/B (number of pulses serving as reference).

Therefore, it is sufficient to display Q=ΣQ' as a calorie (amount of consumed energy) by appropriately operating the calorie step count changeover switch 8.

In this case, the stride length differs between running and walking, but since the weighting is done automatically, it is only necessary to input the stride length during steady state (walking only), and there is no need to re-input settings according to the exercise state. . Therefore, even if the average body weight and average stride length are set as constants in advance, almost accurate measurement is possible.

In the above embodiments, the detection means may be one in which a vertical plumb is supported by a spring, a strain gauge is attached to the spring, and the amount of strain in the spring is read as a change in resistance, a differential transformer, or a pendulum swing. It is also possible to use a Hall IC or a photo interrupter to detect motion.

Further, in this embodiment, the consumed energy and the number of steps are measured and displayed, but only the consumed energy may be displayed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, an output signal having a pulse width of a predetermined time is obtained using a detection means for detecting running/walking and an output pulse signal from the detection means, and the output signal is means for recognizing a step in walking; a measuring means for measuring the number of vibration pulses from the detecting means as a walking step within the output signal of the pulse width of the predetermined time from the means; (a) When measuring energy consumption, it is possible to automatically weight according to the intensity of exercise, so there is no need to set it according to the exercise state; Moreover, highly accurate measurement becomes possible.

(b) Simple configuration, high productivity, and high cost benefits.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing the state in which the electronic pedometer of the present invention is attached to a belt, Fig. 2 is an external perspective view showing the state in which the above display section is being viewed, and Fig. 3 is a detection of the electronic pedometer. An internal configuration diagram of the means, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration, FIG. 5 A to C, and FIG. 6 A to
C is an explanatory diagram of the operation. 1...Electronic pedometer main body, 7...Display section, 10...
...Pendulum, 12...Magnet, 13...Reed switch, 17...One-shot multivibrator,
18... First counter, 19... Display switching control circuit, 20... AND circuit, 21... Second counter, 22... Calorie calculation circuit, 23... Integration circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A detection means for detecting running/walking, and means for obtaining an output signal with a pulse width of a predetermined time using an output pulse signal from the detection means and recognizing the output signal as a step in walking. , a measuring means for measuring the number of vibration pulses from the detecting means within the output signal of the pulse width of the predetermined time period from the means, as if the vibration pulse is traveling; and a calculation for calculating the consumed energy by obtaining the output signal of the measuring means. An electronic pedometer characterized by comprising means. 2 The detection means consists of a pendulum that swings as the person runs or walks, and a reed switch operated by a magnet attached to the pendulum, and detects the output pulse signal of the detection means included in one run or walk. 2. The electronic pedometer according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means measures the number of pulses.