JP2003010277A - Bathing device and method for health care - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bathing device for health care that can eliminate the need of complicated inputting work required by the conventional bathing device for inputting the data about the body height, body weight, sexes, and if circumstances require, other data about the age, etc., of a bath taking person to the device as health care items. SOLUTION: This bathing device for health care is provided with a bathtub 1, a water level sensor 22 which detects the fluctuation of the water level in the bathtub 1, a body-weight scale 61 which is set up in the bathtub 1 and measures the body weight of the bath taking person. The device is also provided with a pulse wave sensor 65 which is installed in the bathtub 1 and measures the pulse wave of the bath taking person and a control section 31 which is a calculating means for calculating the data about the body fat of the bath taking person based on the detected value of the water level sensor 22 and the measured value of the body-weight scale 61 and the data about the pulse wave of the bath taking person based on the detected value of the pulse wave sensor 65.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a health system capable of obtaining health management items such as body fat percentage and arteriosclerosis degree of a bather without inputting various data such as weight, sex and age in advance. Regarding management bath equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when taking a bath, the body fat percentage is obtained based on the water level change in the bathtub, the heart rate is measured by an electrode or the like provided in the bathtub, and the health management items for bathers are Various bathing apparatuses capable of performing measurements have been devised, and bathers can use these measurement items as references for health management. In a bathing device that measures such health care items, data such as the height, weight, sex, and in some cases the age of the bather should be entered before the measurement, and the I was trying to ask for management matters.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional bathing apparatus, in order to measure health care items,
It was necessary to input various personal data of the bather in advance, but this input work was very complicated. Therefore, the present invention provides a health care bathing apparatus and a health care method capable of easily measuring health care items without inputting personal data in advance.

[0004]

The present invention uses the following means in order to solve the above problems. That is, in the invention according to claim 1, a bathtub, a water level detecting means for detecting a water level change of bathtub water, a weight measuring means for measuring the weight of a bather installed in the bathtub, and a bathing equipment installed in the bathtub A pulse wave sensor for detecting the pulse wave of the person, data on the body fat of the bather based on the detection value of the water level detecting means and the measurement value of the weight measuring means, and the bather's body based on the detection value of the pulse wave sensor. And a calculation means for calculating data relating to the pulse wave.

Further, in the invention of claim 2, the detected value of the pulse wave sensor is measured as a volume pulse wave, the volume pulse wave is converted into an acceleration pulse wave by a calculating means, and the bathing is carried out based on the acceleration pulse wave. The degree of arteriosclerosis of the person.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, the bathtub is a half-body bathtub, and the weight measuring means and the pulse wave sensor are arranged on a half-body bath surface portion of the bathtub.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4, the health care bathing device is provided with a temperature detecting means for measuring the body temperature of the bather on the half-body bath surface of the bathtub, and the temperature detecting means is operated by the calculating means. The degree of increase in the measured body temperature is calculated, and when the calculated increase in the body temperature reaches a predetermined value, bathing information is notified by the notification means.

Further, in the invention of claim 5, the volume pulse wave of the bather is measured by the pulse wave sensor installed in the bathtub, and the volume pulse wave is converted into the acceleration pulse wave by the calculating means to obtain the acceleration pulse wave. Determine the degree of arteriosclerosis of the bather based on the waves.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a side view showing a health care bathing apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the health care bathing apparatus,
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a half-body bath seat surface portion of a bathtub, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of calculation / notification of body fat percentage and arteriosclerosis degree, and FIG. 5 (a) is a volume detected by a pulse wave sensor. It is a figure which shows a pulse wave, (b) is a figure which shows the acceleration pulse wave calculated | required from a volume pulse wave, FIG. 6 is a figure which shows the acceleration pulse wave in the state where blood circulation is favorable, and FIG. 7 is a state where blood circulation is bad. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an acceleration pulse wave in FIG. 8, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a notification flow of bathing information, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a rise in body temperature with respect to bathing time.

The structure of the bathroom 5 which is the health care bathing apparatus of the present invention will be described. 1 to 3, 1 is a bathtub, 10 is bath water, 2 is a bath device,
The bath device 2 is configured as, for example, a so-called combined bath device having both the function of a bath kettle for boiling the bath water 10 and the function of a water heater for supplying hot water. A remote controller 3 is connected to the bath apparatus 2, and the remote controller 3 sets and displays the bath temperature and the hot water supply temperature. The remote controller 3 is provided with a measurement button 3a for starting measurement of health management items such as body fat percentage and arteriosclerosis degree.

A bath water temperature sensor 21 for detecting the temperature of the bath water 10 and a water level sensor 22 for detecting the water level of the bath water 10 are provided in the bath apparatus 2. A bath room temperature sensor 41 for detecting the temperature in the bathroom 5 is provided at an appropriate location in the bathroom 5.

The hot water temperature sensor 21, the water level sensor 22, and the bath room temperature sensor 41 are connected to the control unit 31 of the remote controller 3. Further, the remote controller 3 has a display unit 32 for displaying the set bath temperature and hot water supply temperature, and an audio output unit 3 for outputting sound such as voice.
3 is provided and is connected to the control unit 31. Further, on the display unit 32, the bath temperature of the bath water 10 detected by the bath temperature sensor 21 and the bathroom 5 detected by the bath room temperature sensor 41 are shown.
It is also possible to display the temperature inside.

The bathtub 1 is constructed as a half-body bathtub, and a half-body bath seat surface 1b is formed in a step shape at one end. The half-body bath seat surface 1b is arranged at a higher position than the bottom surface 1a, and when a bather sits on the half-body bath seat surface 1b, he / she can bathe half-body bath up to the waist.

A measuring unit 6 for measuring the weight and pulse wave of the bather is formed on the half-body bath surface 1b. The measuring unit 6 is provided with a weight scale 61, and the weight scale 61 is
It is composed of a sitting portion 61a on which a bather who is the subject sits, and a sensor portion 61b for detecting the weight. The sensor unit 61b is configured by, for example, a capacitance type, electric resistance wire type, strain gauge type load cell, or the like. Further, the seating portion 61a arranged in the bathtub 1 is supported by the sensor portion 61b arranged outside the bathtub 1 via a pillar 61c penetrating the half-body bath seating surface 1b of the bathtub 1. An O-ring 63 is interposed between the pillar 61c and the half-body bath seating surface 1b to seal the bath water so as not to leak outside.

A plurality of pulse wave sensors 65 for detecting the pulse wave of the bather are embedded in the upper surface of the seat 61a. The pulse wave sensor 65 is, for example, a photoelectric pulse wave sensor including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, configured to emit a light beam from the light emitting unit toward the human body and detect the reflected light at the light receiving unit. There is. When the bather sits on the seat 61a, the buttocks of the bather come into close contact with the pulse wave sensor 65, and the pulse wave sensor 6
5 is configured to detect a bather's pulse wave.

Similarly, a plurality of temperature sensors 66 for measuring the body temperature of the bather are embedded in the upper surface of the seat 61a. It is designed to measure the body temperature of a bather without the effects of. The weight scale 61, the pulse wave sensor 65, and the temperature sensor 66 are connected to the bath apparatus 2 and the remote controller 3 by a signal line 67.

A method of calculating the body fat percentage and the degree of arteriosclerosis in the health care bathing apparatus thus configured will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, a bather sits on the sitting portion 61a of the half-body bath seating surface 1b, bathes in the bathtub 1 in the half-body bath state (S101), and presses the measurement button 3a of the remote controller 3 to turn it on (S102). ), The water level change of the bath water 10 raised by the bathing is detected by the water level sensor 22 and input to the control unit 31 which is a calculation means (S1).
03).

Further, the weight of the bather in the water is measured by the weight scale 61 and input to the control unit 31 (S1).
04), and the weight in the air is calculated based on this (S
105), and the body fat percentage (S106) is calculated.

W = Ww + ρΔV (1 ') Specifically, in this example, the body fat percentage is calculated using the underwater weight method. First, the water calculated from the water level change detected by the water level sensor 22. Using the volume ΔV and the measured weight Ww in water, the weight W in air is calculated in consideration of the buoyancy ρΔV in water. ρ = water density Next,
Letting the weight in the air be W and the bather's volume be V, the body specific gravity D of the bather is calculated by the following equation (1). D = α × W / V (1)

The bather's volume V is determined by the amount of water corresponding to the amount of water level rise detected from the water level before bathing to the water level during bathing, which is detected by the water level sensor 22. In this case, since the ratio of the volume of the portion below the upper waist portion that has entered water and the volume of the portion above the upper waist portion that does not enter water is substantially constant, this ratio corresponds to the rise in water level. The volume of the whole body is obtained from the amount of water. Further, α in the equation (1) is a coefficient of the water level measurement condition in consideration of the correction of the residual air amount caused by an action such as respiration during underwater measurement.

Then, the body specific gravity D obtained by the equation (1)
Is substituted into the known equation (2) to obtain the body fat percentage. Body fat percentage (%) = {(4.570 / D) -4.412} × 100 (2) The calculated body fat percentage is displayed on the display unit 32 of the remote controller 3 as an informing means, Alternatively, and / or the sound is output from the sound output unit 33 to be notified. In this case, the weight in the air, which is calculated from the weight in water measured by the weight meter 61, can also be reported.

At the same time that the body fat percentage is calculated, the degree of arteriosclerosis of the bather is determined. When the bather presses the measurement button 3a to turn it on, the pulse wave sensor 65 detects the bather's pulse wave and inputs it to the control unit 31 (S11).
3). The pulse wave detected by the pulse wave sensor 65 is shown in FIG.
The volume pulse wave is as shown in FIG. 5A, and this volume pulse wave is converted into the acceleration pulse wave as shown in FIG.

Here, the pulse wave means a waveform pattern of a change in pressure in the blood vessel and a change in volume due to expansion and contraction of the blood vessel wall, which are caused by the pulsation of the heart. The plethysmogram indicating changes in blood volume (volume of blood vessel) is sensitive to health and arteriosclerosis, and can properly detect these states. I try to measure the pulse wave.

That is, when blood is pumped from the heart, the pressure in the artery increases and the blood vessel swells. When blood flow returns from the vein to the heart, the pressure decreases and the blood vessel contracts. Further, for example, when the blood vessel is soft, the degree of swelling of the blood vessel is large, and when the blood vessel is hard, the degree of swelling is small. Such changes in the state of blood vessels are clearly reflected in the plethysmogram, but the undulation of the inflection point of the waveform is small in the plethysmogram detected from the buttocks of the bather. Interpreting the dynamics of blood circulation is difficult. Therefore, the detected volume pulse wave is differentiated twice with respect to time and expressed as an acceleration pulse wave, so that the inflection point of the waveform is emphasized and the dynamics of peripheral blood circulation can be understood more easily.

The acceleration pulse wave converted from the volume pulse wave is subjected to waveform analysis by the control section 31 (S115). For the acceleration pulse wave, for example, the state of peripheral blood circulation can be determined by analyzing the states of four inflection points of points a, b, c, and d shown in FIG. For example, in FIG.
In the pulse waveform shown in Fig. 6, the drop at point b is large with respect to the wave height at point a, the point c is located above the baseline BL, the drop at point d is small, and blood circulation is in good condition. It shows that the degree is low. On the other hand, as shown in the pulse waveform shown in FIG. 7, when the descent at the b point is small, the descent at the c point is the same as that at the b point, and the descent at the d point is larger than the descent at the b point, It indicates that blood circulation is poor and arteriosclerosis is in progress.

As described above, by analyzing the shape of the acceleration pulse wave, the degree of arteriosclerosis is classified into, for example, a plurality of stages to be determined (S116), and the result is displayed on the display unit of the remote controller 3 as an informing means. Is displayed at 32 and / or is acoustically output from the acoustic output unit 33,
Be informed. Further, the obtained acceleration pulse wave can be displayed on the display unit 32 as it is.

As described above, when a bather takes a bath in the bathtub 1 in a half-body bath state, he / she may be obese without having to enter various data such as the weight, sex, and age of the bather in advance. The body fat percentage, which is a health anxiety factor, and the degree of arteriosclerosis due to excess cholesterol can be easily and easily grasped, and can be utilized as useful health prevention information.

Further, the display unit 32 and / or the sound output unit 3
Since the degree of arteriosclerosis notified by 3 is determined based on the acceleration pulse wave obtained by converting the measured volume pulse wave, the determination is easy, and accurate and useful health management data can be obtained. it can.

Further, since the pulse wave sensor 65 for detecting the pulse wave of the bather is arranged on the half-body bath seat surface 1b of the bathtub 1,
The buttocks of the bather can be pressed against the buttocks with an appropriate pressure, the pulse wave can be stably measured, and the degree of arteriosclerosis can be accurately determined. In addition, the weight scale 6
1 is also arranged on the half-body bath seating surface 1b, and the weight of the bather in the half-body bath state, which receives relatively little buoyancy, is to be measured, so that an accurate weight can be stably measured.

Also, it is said that the bath warms the body moderately, which improves blood circulation, relaxes, and is good for health. However, if the body warms up too much, hot flashes or heat stroke may occur. Therefore, it is important to know the proper bathing time and to manage health. Therefore, in the present health care bathing apparatus, the temperature sensor 66 provided in the seating portion 61a of the weight scale 61 measures the temperature of the buttocks of the bather to control the rise of the bather's body temperature from the time of bathing. The bathing time is determined by determining the warming condition of the body due to bathing, and appropriate bathing information is given to each bather.

As shown in FIG. 8, when a bather takes a bath and sits down on the seat 61a of the weight scale 61 (S201),
The temperature sensor 66 embedded in the seat 61a starts measuring the body temperature of the bather (S202). As shown in FIG. 9, the body temperature of the bather rises due to the bathing, but the body temperature is continuously measured during the bathing, and the rise in body temperature from the start of bathing is calculated by the control unit 31 (S203). ).
Then, it is determined whether or not the increase in body temperature from the time of bathing reaches a predetermined increase value ΔT (S204), and the predetermined increase value Δ
When the body temperature rises by T, it is determined that the body of the bather has warmed, and the bathing information is notified (S205). The bathing information includes, for example, the bathing time and the content of prompting the user to take a bath by the display unit 32 and / or the sound output unit 33.

As described above, the body temperature of each bather is directly measured, the degree of body temperature is determined by the degree of increase in the body temperature, and bathing information such as prompting the user to take a bath is notified. , It is possible to grasp the appropriate bathing time, and it can be useful for health management to prevent the bather's body from overheating, hot flashes, and heat stroke.

[0033]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention having the above-described structure has the following effects. First, as in claim 1,
A bathtub, a water level detecting means for detecting a change in the water level of the bath water,
For measuring the weight of a bather who is installed in the bathtub to measure the weight of the bather, the pulse wave sensor which is installed in the bathtub to detect the pulse wave of the bather, and the detection value of the water level detection means and the measurement value of the weight measurement means. Based on the data on the body fat of the bather based on the data, and the calculation means for calculating the data on the pulse wave of the bather based on the detection value of the pulse wave sensor, the bather only needs to bathe in the bathtub in a half-body bath state. , Data about body fat such as body fat percentage, which is a health anxiety factor due to obesity, and arteries due to excessive cholesterol, etc. Data on pulse waves such as the degree of hardening can be easily and easily grasped and can be utilized as useful health prevention information.

Further, according to a second aspect, the detected value of the pulse wave sensor is measured as a volume pulse wave, the volume pulse wave is converted into an acceleration pulse wave by a calculating means, and the artery of the bather is based on the acceleration pulse wave. Since the degree of hardening is calculated, the dynamics of peripheral blood circulation can be accurately reflected in the pulse waveform, and the waveform can be easily determined, and accurate and useful health management data can be obtained.

Furthermore, since the bathtub is a half-body bathtub, and the weight measuring means and the pulse wave sensor are arranged on the half-body bath seat surface of the bathtub, the bather can weigh and pulse. You are not restricted to measuring waves, you just take a bath in a half-body bath to measure your weight and pulse wave,
It is possible to easily obtain health management data while enjoying a comfortable bath. Further, since the weight measuring means and the pulse wave sensor are brought into pressure contact with the buttocks of the bather at an appropriate pressure, it is possible to stably measure the weight and the pulse wave,
It is possible to accurately measure the weight and determine the degree of arteriosclerosis.

Further, as in claim 4, the health care bathing apparatus is provided with a temperature detecting means for measuring the body temperature of the bather on the half-body bath surface of the bathtub, and the temperature detecting means measures the temperature by the arithmetic means. The degree of increase in body temperature is calculated, and when the calculated increase in body temperature reaches a predetermined value, the bathing information is notified by the notification means, so that the bather can grasp the appropriate bathing time, and the body warms up too much. It can be used for health management to prevent hot flashes and heat stroke.

Further, as described in claim 5, the volume pulse wave of the bather is measured by the pulse wave sensor installed in the bathtub, the volume pulse wave is converted into the acceleration pulse wave by the calculating means, and based on the acceleration pulse wave. As the degree of arteriosclerosis of the bather is calculated, the dynamics of peripheral blood circulation can be accurately reflected in the pulse waveform, and the waveform can be easily determined, providing accurate data on the pulse wave such as the degree of arteriosclerosis due to excess cholesterol. The information can be easily and easily grasped and can be utilized as useful health prevention information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a health care bathing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a health care bathing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a half-body bath seat surface portion of a bathtub.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of calculation / informing of a body fat percentage and an arteriosclerosis degree.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a volume pulse wave detected by a pulse wave sensor, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an acceleration pulse wave obtained from the volume pulse wave.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an acceleration pulse wave in a good blood circulation state.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an acceleration pulse wave in a state where blood circulation is poor.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a notification flow of bathing information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a rise in body temperature with respect to bathing time.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 bathtub 1b Half body seat surface 2 bath equipment 3 Remote controller 5 bathrooms 6 measuring section 10 bath water 22 Water level sensor 31 Control unit 32 Input section 33 Output section 61 Weight scale 61a seating portion 65 pulse wave sensor 66 Temperature sensor

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A bathtub, a water level detecting means for detecting a change in water level of bath water, a weight measuring means for measuring the weight of a bather installed in the bathtub, and a pulse wave of the bather installed in the bathtub. Pulse wave sensor, data on the body fat of the bather based on the detection value of the water level detecting means and the measurement value of the weight measuring means, and data on the bather's pulse wave based on the detection value of the pulse wave sensor A bath for health care, comprising: 2. The detection value of the pulse wave sensor is measured as a volume pulse wave, the volume pulse wave is converted into an acceleration pulse wave by a calculation means, and the arteriosclerosis degree of the bather is obtained based on the acceleration pulse wave. The health care bathing apparatus according to claim 1, which is characterized in that. 3. The bathtub is configured as a half-body bathtub, and the weight measuring unit and the pulse wave sensor are arranged on a half-body bath seat surface portion of the bathtub. Health care bathing equipment. 4. The health care bathing device comprises temperature detecting means for measuring a bather's body temperature on a half-body bathing surface of a bathtub,
4. The calculating means calculates the degree of increase in body temperature measured by the temperature detecting means, and when the calculated increase in body temperature reaches a predetermined value, the bathing information is notified by the notifying means. Bath for health care described. 5. The volume pulse wave of a bather is measured by a pulse wave sensor installed in the bathtub, the volume pulse wave is converted into an acceleration pulse wave by a calculation means, and the arteriosclerosis of the bather is based on the acceleration pulse wave. A health management method characterized by obtaining a degree.