KR20220109229A - Portable wearable respiratory monitoring unit and mask comprising the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable respiration monitoring device which monitors respiration by analyzing a temperature changed during respiration to distinguish between inhalation and exhalation. The portable respiration monitoring device comprises: a case including a first case and a second case; a clip coupled with the second case; a printed circuit board disposed within the case; a conductive line having one end connected to the printed circuit board and the other end extending to the outside of the case; and a temperature sensor connected to the other end of the conductive line and disposed on the clip side.

Description

PORTABLE WEARABLE RESPIRATORY MONITORING UNIT AND MASK COMPRISING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a portable wearable respiration monitoring device and a mask including the same for monitoring respiration by dividing an inhalation and an exhalation by analyzing a temperature changed during respiration.

In general, industrialization emits many harmful substances, which causes air pollution, and modern people are exposed to these harmful substances in their daily life. Hazardous substances present in the atmosphere may include not only various soot and fine dust, but also pollen, yellow dust, and various bacteria that cause allergies. have. In particular, it is approaching more lethal to the elderly, the elderly, cardiopulmonary disease, and respiratory disease patients with weak respiratory system. Therefore, various means are used to prevent harmful substances from entering the body due to respiration, and the most convenient means among them is a mask. Therefore, the reality is that the wearing rate of the mask is showing a trend that is gradually increasing. Furthermore, as wearing a mask is becoming more common, monitoring breathing in daily life to prevent respiratory diseases while wearing a mask may be a desirable preventive method. Therefore, a means for recording and monitoring respiration information while wearing a mask is required.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 2019-0095139 (2019. 08. 14)

An embodiment of the present invention aims to be able to easily wear a general mask and to monitor breathing by detecting a change in temperature of the air inside the mask.

An embodiment of the present invention drives the temperature sensor through the coupling between the portable respiration monitoring device and the filter unit, and aims to transmit respiration information to the terminal.

The present invention analyzes the temperature changed during respiration to monitor respiration by distinguishing between inhalation and exhalation, a case including a first case and a second case; a clip coupled to the second case; a printed circuit board disposed in the case; a converter having one end connected to the printed circuit board and the other end extending to the outside of the case; It is connected to the other end of the converter, and a temperature sensor disposed on the clip side; including, a portable respiration monitoring device is provided.

And, the clip includes an elastic part curved and extended from the second case and a pressing part extending straight from the elastic part, the pressing part is provided with a seating part on which the temperature sensor can be seated, and the temperature sensor is provided on the seating part for breathing. A perforated vent may be formed to be exposed.

In addition, it may be coupled to the mask so that the mask is positioned between the clip and the second case, and it may be provided so that the clip and the temperature sensor are positioned on the side of the breathing space in the mask.

In addition, the converter may be formed of an electric wire or provided in a manner in which a metal material is printed along the extension direction of the clip from the inner surface of the second case.

In addition, it is accommodated in the second case, further comprising a battery for supplying power to the printed circuit board, the charging port may be opened at one side of the second gauge so that the battery can be charged by wire.

In addition, it may further include a transmitter for transmitting the temperature information sensed by the temperature sensor to an arbitrary terminal.

a filter unit including a temperature sensor and a second terminal electrically connected to the temperature sensor; And a portable respiration monitoring device; Including, the respiration monitoring device, a case comprising a first case and a second case; a clip coupled to the second case; a printed circuit board disposed in the case; a converter having one end connected to the printed circuit board and the other end extending to the outside of the case; Connected to the other end of the converter, the first terminal disposed on the clip side; including, a mask including a portable respiration monitoring device is provided.

In addition, the first terminal and the second terminal may be formed in a semi-spherical shape corresponding to each other, and a state in contact with each other may be maintained by the pressing of the clip.

In addition, the temperature sensor may be disposed at a position corresponding to the user's respirator in the filter unit.

In addition, the breathing monitoring device may further include a transmitter for transmitting the temperature information sensed by the temperature sensor to any terminal.

In addition, it further includes a connection path for electrically connecting the temperature sensor and the second terminal, the connection path may be formed of a thin metal wire woven with the filter unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable respiration monitoring device that can be easily worn on a general mask through a clip and can monitor respiration by detecting a change in temperature of the air inside the mask.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a portable respiration monitoring device capable of driving the temperature sensor by coupling between the portable respiration monitoring device and the filter unit through the temperature sensor and the transmitter disposed on the filter side, and transmitting respiration information to the terminal Masks can be provided.

1 is a view showing a portable respiration monitoring device worn on the filter unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a view showing a portable respiration monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a side cross-sectional side view of a portable respiration monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a portable respiration monitoring device according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 (a) is an embodiment in which the temperature sensor is seated on the clip is provided with a seating portion and a ventilation portion, Figure 4 (b) is a converter A drawing showing that it was formed in a printed manner from a metal material,
Figure 5 is a view showing a mask including a portable respiration monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, this is merely an example and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the description of the present invention, if it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. And, the terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to intentions or customs of users and operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

The technical spirit of the present invention is determined by the claims, and the following examples are only one means for effectively explaining the technical spirit of the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs.

1 is a view showing a portable respiration monitoring device 10 (hereinafter, monitoring device 10) worn on the filter unit 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the monitoring device 10 may be connected to one side of the filter unit 20 provided in the mask. Preferably, it is provided in one of the coupling portions (A) that is each region on the left and right sides of the filter unit 20 . The monitoring device 10 may be coupled to the filter unit 20 through a clip ( 130 in FIG. 3 ). The clip 130 is coupled to the case of the monitoring device 10 and is configured to maintain the mounted state by pressing the filter unit 20 from the inside and outside. The monitoring device 10 coupled to the filter unit 20 may have a case exposed to the outside, and the clip 130 may be located inside the filter unit 20 , that is, in the breathing space. In addition, it is preferable to be connected to both ends of the filter unit 20 and may be selectively disposed at one of both ends.

In addition, the case and the clip 130 may be provided in a separate configuration so that coupling between the clip 130 and the case can be made selectively, and an electrical connection can be made by being connected. The electrical connection means that a part of the converter, which will be described later, is located in the case, and the other part is provided in the clip 130 . Accordingly, terminals contacting each other for electrical coupling may be provided in the case and the clip 130 , respectively. That is, the coupling between the case and the clip 130 is used to encompass a permanent coupling (eg, manufactured through injection) and a selective coupling (prepared as a separate assembly capable of being assembled). Hereinafter, the monitoring device 10 in a state in which the clip 130 and the case are coupled to each other will be described with the exception of the assembly configuration.

In addition, the structure and shape of the clip 130 described above is applicable in the embodiment to be described below, of course, in the embodiments of the present invention described through FIGS. 3 to 5, the clip 130 extends from the case The form will be described as an example. That is, the coupling relationship between the case and the clip 130 to be described later is not limited to the form of the example, and the clip 130 and the case are selectively coupled and an electrical connection can be realized by coupling.

Figure 2 is a view showing a portable respiration monitoring device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional side view of the portable respiration monitoring device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 and 3 , the monitoring device 10 includes a case including a first case 110 and a second case 120 and a clip 130 extending from the second case 120 . The clip 130 may generate an elastic pressing force toward the second case 120 . This elastic force presses the filter unit 20 between the second case 120 and the clip 130 when combined with the filter unit 20 so that the monitoring device 10 is fixed to the filter unit 20 .

The clip 130 extends from the second case 120 , and includes an elastic part 131 extending from the second case 120 and a pressing part 132 extending from the elastic part 131 . The elastic force is mainly generated by the structure of the elastic part 131 and may be transmitted to the filter part 20 through the pressing part 132 . In addition, the elastic part 131 may be formed in an outwardly curved shape.

Meanwhile, the battery 200 and the printed circuit board 300 may be disposed inside the case. One end of the converter 310 is connected to one side of the printed circuit board 300 and the other end of the converter 310 is provided outside the case, and the converter 310 extends from one end to the other end. have. The converter 310 may extend in contact with the second case 120 inside the second case 120 , and then extend outside the case in contact with the clip 130 . The other end of the converter 310 from the outside of the case may be in contact with the temperature sensor 400 . That is, the converter 310 may be a means for connecting the printed circuit board 300 and the temperature sensor 400 .

The converter 310 is extended for electrical connection, and may be a covered electric wire or an exposed conductor. For example, the converter 310 may have a form in which a metal material is continuously printed on the side of the second case 120 and the clip 130 . In this case, the case and the clip 130 may be formed of a non-conductor. Also, the printed circuit board 300 may be the MCU itself or the printed circuit board 300 including the MCU. Here, the converter 310 may be provided in a form embedded in the case. Specifically, the built-in means not being built into the member of the first case 110 or the second case 120 , but at least a part of the space formed by the assembly of the first case 110 and the second case 120 . means that it is located. Of course, the inner space of the case is opened to the outside by the charging port 121, but in the example shown in FIG. 3, the path extending toward the clip 130 may be built in the case. In one embodiment, the converter 310 is located inside a module in which the second case 120 and the elastic part 131 are implemented in the form of separate clips, and may be connected through an external contact point.

On the other hand, the position of the battery 200 can be freely arranged inside the case, but when wired charging is required, it can be arranged on the charging port 121 side to facilitate charging. Here, the charging port 121 may be opened on one side of the second case 120 , and preferably, it may be located on the side other than the position where the extension of the clip 130 starts structurally. Specifically, as shown, the clip 130 may be formed on the opposite side from the starting position.

In addition, the temperature sensor 400 may be located in contact with the clip 130 side, and may be located in contact with the clip 130 side even when the clip 130 is elastically spaced apart from the second case 120 . In one embodiment, the temperature sensor 400 may be built into the elastic part 131 of the clip 130 . Even when the monitoring device 10 is coupled to the filter unit 20 by this structure, the temperature sensor 400 may be located inside the filter unit 20 . Here, the inner side may be a space that is separated from the atmosphere by the filter unit 20 when the user wears the mask, and where the user's breathing space is formed. That is, the temperature sensor 400 may be exposed to the user's breathing by this coupling structure.

According to the above-described structure, the temperature sensor 400 may detect a temperature according to the user's exhalation and inhalation. The temperature sensor 400 may collect a user's breathing pattern based on each different temperature of exhalation and inhalation. The collected user's respiration information can be monitored.

For example, when the temperature of the atmosphere is 20 degrees and the temperature of the exhaled breath by the user is 35 degrees, the temperature sensor 400 alternates repeatedly in the air environment of 20 degrees and 35 degrees in the mask inner space where the temperature sensor 400 is disposed. may be exposed. When the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 400 increases from 20 degrees to 35 degrees, it is determined as the user's exhalation, and when the temperature decreases from 35 degrees to 20 degrees, it can be determined as the user's inhalation. That is, it is possible to form respiration information by sensing repeated exhalation and inhalation.

Furthermore, the respiration information may be transmitted to an external terminal through a transmitter (not shown). For example, it is possible to communicate with a smartphone in a Bluetooth method, so that the respiration information can be transmitted to a smartphone, and the smartphone generates a graph that can be displayed visually by processing the respiration information through a predetermined application or software. You can allow the user to check it.

Figure 4 shows a portable respiration monitoring device (10a, 10b) according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 (a) is a converter 320 is introduced, the temperature sensor 400 is seated in the clip (130) It is an embodiment in which the seating part 132b and the ventilation part 132a are provided, and FIG. 4(b) is a view showing that the converter 320 is formed in a printed manner with a metal material.

4(a) shows that the converter 320 included in the monitoring device 10a extends from the second case 120 to the clip 130, along the extension path of the second case 120 and the clip 130. It can be drawn into or attached to the surface. That is, the other end of the converter 320 extends from the point electrically connected to the printed circuit board 300 to the inner surface of the second case 120 in a retracted state to reach the pressing part 132 of the clip 130 . It can be extended in a continuously retracted state. A guide groove (not shown) may be provided in the second case 120 and the clip 130 on the path through which the converter 320 is extended for such a lead-in, and the converter 320 is introduced into the guide groove to be extended. can

Here, the lead-in may be a form in which an electric wire is inserted into the guide groove, or a state in which an electric wire forming the converter 320 is embedded in the clip 130 and not exposed from the outside. That is, a converter 320 extending in a state embedded in the case and clip 130 may be provided, and a temperature sensor 400 may be provided at one end of the converter 320 . The temperature sensor 400 may be disposed in the clip 130 , and the arrangement may be a method of being inserted into a groove formed in the clip 130 according to the definition of the inlet described above, and is embedded in the clip 130 from the outside. may be unexposed. However, even when the unexposed for bonding, some exposure may be functionally due to the opening opened into the breathing space for sensing the temperature. Hereinafter, a method in which the electric wire is inserted into the guide groove for coupling between the converter and the clip 130 will be described later as an example.

In addition, the attachment means that the path through which the converter 320 extends in one direction inside the second case 120 is in close contact with the surface of the second case 120 , and is in close contact with the adhesive or structurally of the converter 320 . Adhesion can be achieved by being constrained. When the converter 320 is extended to the clip 130 by this attachment, it extends along the second housing 120 and does not extend to the outside of the second housing 120, but the surface of the second housing 120. It may extend along the clip 130 at a point extending outwardly of the second housing 120 . Of course, it may be extended while maintaining close contact with the surface of the clip 130 by an adhesive or structural factors on the surface of the clip 130 .

Here, when the converter 320 is a covered wire, it can be deformed and restored in response to the elastic deformation of the clip 130 by the soft covering material. The converter 320 extending to the pressing part 132 of the clip 130 may be connected to the temperature sensor 400 .

In addition, the temperature sensor 400 may be disposed in the pressing part 132 , and a seating part 132b may be provided in the pressing part 132 as a configuration for promoting the arrangement of the temperature sensor 400 . The seating part 132b is formed in the form of a groove corresponding to the temperature sensor 400 from the surface of the pressing part 132 so that at least a part of the temperature sensor 400 is introduced into the pressing part 132, and the temperature sensor 400 The temperature sensor 400 may be fixed by the pressing part 132 while being seated on the temporary seating part 132b.

While the temperature sensor 400 is seated so that at least a part is inserted into the pressurizing part 132, the outer periphery of the temperature sensor 400 is not exposed to the side as much as the seated depth, and is directly exposed to the user's breathing from the unexposed area. It can be difficult to detect the user's breathing. Therefore, since the temperature sensor 400 is advantageous as the exposed area increases, a vent hole through which the pressing unit 132 is penetrated may be formed inside the seating portion 132b to secure the exposed area.

Since the temperature sensor 400 exposed through the vent may be disposed toward the user's mouth, it may be more advantageous to detect the user's respiration. Furthermore, the clip 130 in contact with the temperature sensor 400 may be made of a non-metal material or a resin material. This is an example of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a metal material, and serves to prevent the case temperature from being transmitted to the temperature sensor 400 . That is, when the case is formed of a metal material, the temperature of the case may increase or decrease according to the ambient temperature outside the filter unit 20, and the clip 130 may be affected by heat conduction by the increase or decrease of the temperature of the case. Therefore, when the user needs to be exposed to the exhaled air, that is, the temperature of the exhalation, it is more affected by the temperature from the contacted clip 130, so that the metal clip 130 acts as a hindrance to the sensing of temperature through the user's breathing. can

In the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (b) also compared to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (a), except for the formation of the converter 330 is a configuration that can be selectively applied, hereinafter, the formation of the converter 330 will be mainly described. decide to do

In this example, the monitoring device 10b is configured by printing a metal material for the converter 330 , and the converter 330 may be formed to extend along the clip 130 from the inner surface of the second case 120 . Since the extended converter 330 is a thin film type, it is possible to extend the converter 330 even if a portion of the second case 120 is not opened while the converter 330 is extended from the inside of the case to the outside. That is, the configuration of the present embodiment is possible even when a part of the case is not opened on the extension path of the converter 330 .

Accordingly, the converter 330 is extended to a point where the clip 130 starts to extend from the second case 120 , and the converter 330 includes the elastic part 131 and the pressing part 132 of the clip 130 . may reach the temperature sensor 400 along the . This is because the converter 330 is exposed to the outside in the breathing space of the mask and electrical interference by moisture may occur, so that soft silicone is applied to the inner surface of the clip 130 so that the converter 330 is physically non-exposed. may be

5 is a view showing a mask including a portable respiration monitoring device (10c) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 5, the mask including a portable respiration monitoring device (10c) includes a filter unit (20a) and the monitoring device (10c). Here, the monitoring device 10c may be provided with a first terminal 301 at an end of the converter 310 , 320 , and 330 extending from the printed circuit board 300 . The first terminal 301 may be coupled to the second terminal 401 provided in the filter unit 20a.

A temperature sensor 400 may be disposed in the center of the filter unit 20 . The center may be a position that can be directly exposed to breathing as a position to which air exhausted from the user's respiratory tract in a state of wearing a mask is directed. The monitoring device 10c may be spaced apart from the temperature sensor 400 when it is coupled with the filter unit 20 toward the coupling unit A, so that the second device electrically connecting the temperature sensor 400 and the first terminal 301 to each other. It may include a terminal 401 . Of course, the second terminal 401 may be provided to correspond to a position where the first terminal 301 is located when the monitoring device 10c is coupled to the filter unit 20a. The second terminal 401 may be electrically connected to the temperature sensor 400 through the connection path 410 .

Here, the connection path 410 is a thin wire made of a metal material, and may be woven with a mask to form the connection path 410 . In this case, the mask may be provided in multiple layers to perform a filtering function, and may be woven with the innermost layer among the multiple layers. Of course, it is not limited thereto and may be woven with one or more layers. When an electric current flows through the thin wire of the metal material, an insulating material such as silicon may be coated to prevent discharge to the human body or the surroundings.

Therefore, the coupling between the monitoring device 10c and the filter unit 20 is electrically connected by coupling between the first terminal 301 and the second terminal 401, and through this, power is supplied to the temperature sensor 400. This is supplied and the temperature sensor 400 can transmit the detected respiration information to the monitoring device (10c) side.

Here, the first terminal 301 and the second terminal 401 are formed in a hemispherical shape, so that one is concave and the other is convex to maintain surface contact with each other and at the same time pressurize by the pressing part 132 of the clip 130 . can be maintained in contact.

Although representative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention with respect to the above-described embodiments. . Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and should be defined by the claims described below as well as the claims and equivalents.

10, 10a, 10b, 10c: Portable respiration monitoring device
20, 20a: filter unit
21 : wire
110: first case
120: second case
121: charging port
130: clip
131: elastic part
132: pressurizing part
132a: ventilation
132b: seating part
200: battery
300: printed circuit board
301: first terminal
310, 320, 330: converter
400: temperature sensor
401: second terminal
410: connection path
A: coupling part

Claims (11)

a case including a first case and a second case;
a clip coupled from the second case;
a printed circuit board disposed in the case;
a converter having one end connected to the printed circuit board and the other end extending to the outside of the case;
A temperature sensor connected to the other end of the converter and disposed on the clip side; Containing, a portable respiration monitoring device.
The method according to claim 1,
The clip is
It includes an elastic part curved and extending from the second case and a pressing part extending straight from the elastic part, wherein a seating part on which the temperature sensor can be mounted is provided in the pressing part, and the temperature sensor is breathing in the seating part A through-vented vent is formed so as to be exposed to a portable respiration monitoring device.
3. The method according to claim 2,
A portable respiration monitoring device that can be coupled to the mask so that the mask is positioned between the clip and the second case, and the clip and the temperature sensor are positioned on the side of the breathing space in the mask.
The method according to claim 1,
The converter is composed of an electric wire or a metal material is provided in a printed manner along the extension direction of the clip from the inner surface of the second case, a portable breathing monitoring device.
The method according to claim 1,
A portable respiration monitoring device that is accommodated in the second case, further comprising a battery for supplying power to the printed circuit board, wherein the charging port is opened at one side of the second gauge so that the battery can be charged by wire.
The method according to claim 1,
The portable respiration monitoring device further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the temperature information sensed by the temperature sensor to any terminal.
a filter unit including a temperature sensor and a second terminal electrically connected to the temperature sensor; and
a portable respiration monitoring device; including;
The breathing monitoring device,
a case including a first case and a second case;
a clip coupled to the second case;
a printed circuit board disposed in the case;
a converter having one end connected to the printed circuit board and the other end extending to the outside of the case;
A mask including a portable respiration monitoring device, which includes; a first terminal connected to the other end of the converter and disposed on the clip side.
8. The method of claim 7,
The first terminal and the second terminal are formed in a hemispherical shape corresponding to each other to maintain a state in contact with each other by the pressing of the clip, a mask comprising a portable respiration monitoring device.
8. The method of claim 7,
The temperature sensor is disposed in a position corresponding to the user's respirator in the filter unit, a mask comprising a portable respiration monitoring device.
8. The method of claim 7,
The breathing monitoring device,
Mask including a portable respiration monitoring device, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the temperature information sensed by the temperature sensor to any terminal.
8. The method of claim 7,
Further comprising a connection path for electrically connecting the temperature sensor and the second terminal,
The connection path is formed of a fine metal wire woven with the filter unit, a mask including a portable respiration monitoring device.

Images