JP2002250689A - Instrument for measuring oil quantity - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure oil quantity without using consumables, such as test papers, and to measure the oil quantity using a probe of single body. SOLUTION: A light source device 12 for emitting light to an oil-collecting face 4 from its backface at an emitting angle larger than the total reflection angle of water and smaller than a total reflection angle of oil is arranged inside the probe 2 formed with the oil-collecting face 4 comprising a translucent member, and a photoreceiving element 13 is arranged to measure reflected light intensity of the light emitted from the light source device 12 and reflected by the oil-collecting face 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an oil content measuring device suitable for measuring the amount of oil adhering to the surface of an object to be measured, in particular, the amount of sebum adhering to the skin surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An oil content measuring device for measuring the amount of oil (sebum) adhering to the surface of a skin describes the condition of a customer's skin when selling cosmetics at a department store or a cosmetic store, and describes the skin condition. It is used as a promotional tool to advise the best cosmetics.

[0003] In this type of oil content measuring device, a test paper whose optical characteristics change when oil is adsorbed is attached to the tip of a probe, and the light reflected light after the oil is adsorbed by pressing the test paper against the skin. A light reflection type that measures the oil content based on the strength has been widely used. That is, when oil is adsorbed and oil stains are formed, the reflectance of light decreases, so that the amount of oil can be determined based on the reflected light intensity.

[0004]

However, each time the amount of oil is measured, it is not only troublesome to peel off the used test paper from the probe and replace it with an unused test paper, but also to use the used test paper. There is a problem that the packaging material becomes garbage. That is, the test paper is stuck to the tip of the probe so that a circular sticker with a diameter of about 1 cm with a low-adhesive applied to the back surface is affixed to the release paper, and each test paper is individually wrapped to keep it clean. Often it is. Therefore, not only the test paper but also its packaging material and release paper become garbage, so that there is a problem that the amount of garbage to be discarded is large and disposal is troublesome. further,
Since the test paper is a consumable, when it is used up, it may be impossible to measure it until it is available, which may hinder the business of selling cosmetics.

Further, when measuring the oil content using such a probe, it is necessary to separately install a measuring device such as a pen stand incorporating a light emitting element and a light receiving element in order to measure the reflected light intensity. There's a problem. In other words, it is difficult to secure a place to install measuring equipment in a small shop with a small counter for consultation because of the increase in equipment, and even if a large shop with a large counter can install measuring equipment, Because you can not measure away
It is troublesome to guide the customer to the location where the measuring equipment is installed.

Therefore, the present invention can measure the oil content without using consumables such as test papers, and does not have to put it into a separately installed measuring instrument at the time of measurement. A technical problem is to make it possible to measure a change in the strength and thus the amount of oil.

[0007]

In order to solve this problem, an oil content measuring device according to the present invention comprises a probe provided with an oil collecting surface made of a light transmitting member, which is provided with respect to the oil collecting surface. A light source device that irradiates light at an irradiation angle larger than the total reflection angle of water and smaller than the total reflection angle of oil from the back side is arranged, and the light emitted from the light source device and reflected by the oil sampling surface is reflected. A light receiving element for measuring the intensity of reflected light is provided.

[0008] According to the present invention, when the oil collecting surface of the probe is pressed against the skin, the surface has oil (sebum) adhering, water adhering, and air adhering without any adhering. The exposed part is formed. Here, the oil sampling surface is formed of a light transmitting material such as glass, so that when light is irradiated from the back side, the light is incident on the light transmitting material having a larger refractive index than air, water, and oil. The light is reflected or refracted at the boundary layer between air, water and oil, but the light is incident at an angle of incidence larger than the total reflection angle of air and water but smaller than the total reflection angle of oil. The light is totally reflected at the portion where the oil is applied and the portion where the water is attached, and the light is transmitted without being reflected at the portion where the oil is attached.

That is, when the probe is pressed against the skin with a large amount of oil, the area where the oil is attached to the oil collecting surface is widened, and the light transmittance is increased, so that the total reflected light is reduced and the light is measured by the light receiving element. The reflected light intensity is low. On the other hand, when the probe is pressed against the oil-poor skin, the oil-adhering area on the oil-collecting surface is relatively small and the light transmittance is not so high, so that the reduction in the total reflected light is small. The reflected light intensity measured by the light receiving element does not decrease much.

Therefore, to measure more accurately,
What is necessary is just to compare the reflected light intensity of the clean oil collecting surface before pressing against the skin and the reflected light intensity of the oil collecting surface after pressing the oil onto the skin and attaching the oil. In this case, the oil collecting surface formed of a light-transmitting material such as glass or plastic can be cleaned only by wiping, so that the amount of oil can be measured without using consumables such as an oil absorbing sheet.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when measuring the reflected light intensity of the light emitted from the back of the oil collecting surface with the light receiving element, if the light shielding cap is attached so as to cover the oil collecting surface, Only the reflected light intensity can be measured without being affected by external light.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an arithmetic processing unit for calculating the oil content based on the reflected light intensity measured before and after pressing the oil sampling surface against the surface to be measured, and displaying the measurement result. If a display device is provided, the oil content can be measured by itself and the result can be displayed without connecting to a computer or the like.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an oil content measuring device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall view thereof, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a measurement principle, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure.

In the oil content measuring device 1 of this embodiment, an oil sampling surface 4 made of a light transmitting material such as glass or plastic is formed at the tip of the probe 2 and is pressed against the surface of an object 3 such as skin. The measuring optical system 5 is arranged inside the inside. The oil collecting surface 4 and the measuring optical system 5 are disposed on the distal end side of the probe 2 so as to be able to advance and retreat, and are built in a casing 7 urged in the advance direction by a spring 6. Is provided with a microswitch 8 for detecting that the casing 7 has retreated by pressing the oil collecting surface 4 against the skin.

The oil collecting surface 4 formed of a transparent material such as glass can be cleaned only by wiping, so that the amount of oil can be measured many times without using consumables such as an oil absorbing sheet. .

The measuring optical system 5 is controlled by switches 8, 9 a and 9 b provided on the probe 2, and the measured data is processed by an arithmetic processing unit 10, and the result is displayed on a liquid crystal display (display device). ) 11 is displayed. In addition, the measurement optical system 5 has an irradiation angle θ (62 ° <θ <) that is greater than the total reflection angle (62 °) of water and smaller than the total reflection angle (77 °) of oil from the back side of the oil collecting surface 4.
In 77 °), and high brightness light-emitting diode (light source device) 12 for emitting light, a lens L ₀ to collimate the light, a lens L ₁ is reflected is emitted from the light-emitting diode 12 with oil collection surface 4 A light receiving element 13 for measuring the intensity of the reflected light collected is provided.

That is, when the oil sampling surface 4 is clean,
As shown in FIG. 3A, since the oil and moisture do not adhere to the surface, the sampling surface 4 is exposed to air. At this time, since the light irradiation angle of the light emitting diode 12 is larger than the total reflection angle of air (42 °), the light is totally reflected by the oil collecting surface 4, and if the light amount of the light emitting diode 12 is constant, the reflected light The intensity R ₀ is constant.

On the other hand, when the oil collecting surface 4 is pressed against the skin, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the oil and water are adhered to the surface of the surface, The exposed part is formed. Since the light irradiation angle of the light emitting diode 12 is larger than the total reflection angle of air and water and smaller than the total reflection angle of oil, the light irradiated to the portion where moisture is attached and the portion where the air layer is in contact is totally Although the light is reflected, the light applied to the portion where the oil is adhered is transmitted, and therefore the reflected light intensity R ₁ increases as the amount of the oil adhered increases.
Drops.

[0019] Thus, the reflected light intensity R ₁ after pressing the oil collection surface 4 to the skin depends on the amount of adhering oil,
It can be measured oil quantity on the basis of the reflected light intensity R _1.

Further, such as when the light quantity of the light emitting diode 12 is likely to change, since only the reflected light intensity R ₁ after pressing the skin can not be accurately measured oil quantity, oil collection surface 4 Taking into account the reflected light intensity R ₀ before the sample is pressed against the skin, for example, Y = α (R ₀ −R ₁ ) / R
_What is necessary is just to calculate by ₀ etc.

The probe 2 protects the oil collecting surface 4 when it is not in use and protects the reflected light intensity R
₀ and the light from the outside when measuring R ₁ is shielding cap 14 which covers the oil collection surface 4 is mounted so as not to turn on.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the arithmetic processing unit 7. When the main switch 6a is turned on, the processing shown in FIG. 4 is started. First, in step STP1, it is determined whether or not the light shielding cap 11 is attached. This determination is made by electrically detecting whether a projection (not shown) formed on the light shielding cap 14 is inserted into a detection hole (not shown) formed on the probe 2, The measurement is performed by measuring the light intensity incident on the light receiving element 13 without turning on the light.

If the light-shielding cap 14 is attached, the flow shifts to step STP2 to perform calibration. In step STP2, the high-intensity light emitting diode 12 is turned on, the reflected light intensity _R0 is measured by the light receiving element 13, the value is stored, and the process proceeds to step STP3 to confirm that the liquid crystal display 8 is ready for measurement. "RE"
“ADY” is displayed.

Next, in step STP4, the oil collecting surface 4
Is pressed against the skin for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). This determination is made by pressing the oil collecting surface 4 against the skin, the casing 7 is retracted, and the energization time after the micro switch 8 is turned on is measured.

After 10 seconds, step STP
Go to step 5 and sound the buzzer to notify the end of measurement.
In Step STP6, it is determined that the light-shielding cap 14 is attached.
If it is cut off, the oil content with oil attached in step STP7
Reflected light intensity R of surface 4₁And then step STP
8 and the previously measured reflected light intensity R ₀And this time
Fixed reflected light intensity R₁Oil amount Y = α (R₀−
R₁) And display the result in step STP9
You. The display in this case is based on the calculated oil content
It is understood that it is divided into 10 steps and this is displayed in 10 steps.
Cheap.

Next, in step STP10, it is determined whether the main switch 9a is turned off or the continuation switch 9b is pressed. If the main switch 9a is turned off, the process is terminated. Returns to step STP3.

Although the arithmetic processing unit 9 and the display device 10 are arranged in the probe 2 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a computer for connecting the probe 2 having the built-in measuring optical system 5 is connected. The data obtained by the measurement optical system 5 may be processed by a computer using an arithmetic processing device or a display device built in the computer (not shown), and the measurement result may be displayed on a display of the computer. good.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, without using a consumable such as an oil adsorbing sheet, it adheres to the surface of the oil collecting surface with the reflected light intensity of the light irradiated from the back surface. The amount of oil that has been measured can be measured, eliminating the need for consumables such as oil-absorbing sheets, eliminating the hassle of replacing it with unused test paper every time measurement is performed, and eliminating the hassle of discarding the packaging material. It has excellent effects.
Also, since the measurement optical system is built in the probe,
The reflected light intensity can be measured by the probe alone, and there is no need to secure a space for installing measuring instruments with an additional optical system, so there is also an effect that it can be easily introduced even in a relatively small store. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an oil content measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a measurement principle.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Oil content measuring device 2 ... Probe 3 ... Object to be measured 4 ... Oil sampling surface 5 ... Measurement optical system 10 ... Processing device 11 ... Liquid crystal display (display device) 12) High-brightness light-emitting diode (light source device) 13 Light-receiving element 14 Light-shielding cap

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A probe (2) having an oil sampling surface (4) made of a light transmitting body, wherein a probe which is larger than the total reflection angle of water from the back side of the oil sampling surface (4). A light source device (12) for irradiating light at an irradiation angle smaller than the total reflection angle is provided, and a reflected light intensity of light emitted from the light source device (12) and reflected on the oil collecting surface (4) is reduced. An oil content measuring device comprising a light receiving element (13) for measurement. 2. The oil content measurement according to claim 1, further comprising a light-shielding cap (9) attached so as to cover an oil content collection surface (4) when the reflected light intensity is measured by the light receiving element (13). apparatus. 3. An arithmetic processing unit (10) for calculating an oil content based on reflected light intensity measured before and after pressing the oil sampling surface (4) against the surface to be measured (3), and measuring the oil content. 3. The oil content measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a display device (11) for displaying a result.