JP2003052650A - Physiological data collection apparatus using non- airtight air mat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an inexpensive apparatus facilitating the production of an air mat and reducing the use number of times of a pressure sensor or a microphone to the utmost in a physiological data collection apparatus of a system for detecting a change in the internal pressure of the air mat by the pressure sensor or the microphone. SOLUTION: The air mat constituted of a plurality of non-airtight air chambers is used and a change in air pressure when load is applied is propagated to the single pressure sensor or microphone through the venting valves provided to the respective air chambers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for guiding a change in the air pressure of an air chamber in which a human body or an animal rides to an external pressure sensor or a microphone, and collecting the biological information of the human body or the animal by the change in the output thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional device of this type, the internal air pressure of a closed air mat is kept positive than the external air pressure,
A human body, an animal, or the like rides on a so-called inflated and airtight closed air mat, and biological information is collected by detecting a change in internal air pressure. And
Considering the movement of human bodies and animals on the air mat, an air mat larger than the action area of the human body and animals is required. However, in this case, other than the active area (protruding part)
Acts as a pressure relief and attenuates or eliminates vital biological signals. Therefore, although it is quite long like the human body as it is applied to infant breath detection and sleep apnea detection, an air mat is used independently to stably collect biological information even when moving like turning over. It is usually constructed such that it is divided into a plurality of small chambers, and a pressure sensor is attached to each of them.

[0003]

However, in order to equalize the air pressures inside a plurality of independent air chambers and to keep it positive and more elastic than the external air pressure, each air mat is made airtight. However, it is necessary to apply equal pressure, which causes the cost of the air mat to be high. If air leaks, it cannot be used. On the other hand, the pressure sensor or microphone does not have uniform characteristics of individual products.
Troublesome work for matching the characteristics of each element is required.

[0004]

In the device of the present invention,
The air mat is composed of a plurality of independent air chambers, but each air chamber does not have a difference in internal air pressure and external air pressure under normal conditions. That is, the material forming each air chamber does not need to be an airtight material that does not allow air to pass through at all, and it is not necessary to consider the airtightness of the sutures. Rather, it is necessary that it has a proper breathability as a whole. Therefore, it has no expansion force per se and is poor in elasticity.

On the other hand, since it is difficult to maintain the shape of each air chamber by itself, a spring material having a restoring force such as a sponge is enclosed in the air chamber, and even if the body is deformed under the load. The shape and the residual air inside can be maintained, and when the load is removed, the shape can be gradually restored to the original shape.

Each air chamber is provided with a vent valve that opens only when a load is applied, to the end of which a conduit connects to one or a common pressure sensor or microphone.

[0007] The air mat having such a structure can be manufactured at a relatively low cost without requiring a high degree of consideration for the airtightness of the material and the structure. Further, since only one or a small number of pressure sensors or microphones are required, it is possible to save the labor of characteristic matching and obtain an inexpensive and reliable biological information collecting device.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an air mat used in the device of the present invention, and a plurality of independent air chambers 1a, 1b, 1c, 1
It consists of d and 1e. Each air chamber is 20 cm long,
The size is about 10 cm in width and 1 cm in thickness, and the number of air chambers per one air mat can be arbitrarily selected depending on the shape of the air mat 1. Vent valves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e are provided in each of the independent air chambers 1a to 1e, and have a structure that opens when a load is applied to the air chambers.
Reference numeral 3 is a pipe through which air is passed, and the air pressure fluctuation propagated through the ventilation valves 2a to 2e is guided to the pressure sensor or the microphone 4. The output 5 of the pressure sensor or microphone 4 is connected to a measuring unit (not shown).

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a cross section taken along the line AA 'in FIG. 1 for explaining the structure of each air chamber. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The air chamber 1a is formed by the surface member 6 into a bag shape. This may be formed integrally, but may be performed by a method of superposing two materials and stitching or adhering the peripheral portion 7. A ventilation valve 2 a is attached to one end 8 and is connected to the pipe 3.

Reference numeral 9 is a support member made of an elastic material such as a sponge, which restricts the compression of the air chamber due to the load and allows air to remain inside, and when the load is removed, the air chamber is gradually returned to its original shape. It works to restore. As the supporting member 9, a plate having a corrugated cross section, a coil spring, or the like can be used in addition to the sponge.

The ventilation valve 2a is composed of a flexible member having elasticity, and has a structure which is opened when a load such as a human body is applied to the air chamber and the air chamber is deformed. An example thereof will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A is a view of the tip portion 10 of the ventilation valve 2a as viewed from the inside of the air chamber 1a, and the member having a flexible and elastic shape has a circular cross section. A slit 11 is vertically cut in the central portion of the cross section, and this slit is normally in a close contact state. However, when a load is applied to the air chamber 1a to deform it, a vertical force is also applied to this portion as shown by the arrow, and the flexible member is compressed and deformed into an elliptical shape as shown in FIG. 3B. Then, the slit 11 is also separated and the opening 12 is formed so that the air pressure in the air chamber can be propagated to the outside. The air pressure passing through the ventilation valve becomes a change in the air pressure of the pipe 3 in FIG. 1, and this change is detected by the pressure sensor or the microphone 4.

When a load such as a human body is removed from the air chamber 2a, the shape of the air chamber is restored to its original state due to the force of the support member 9 deformed by the load to be restored by the elastic force. The same amount of outside air as that discharged from the surface of the air chamber 1a is required. However, since the air chamber itself does not have a closed structure, necessary outside air is gradually returned to the air chamber through cloths, stitches, pinholes, etc. and returns to its original shape.

FIG. 4 shows a pressure sensor or microphone 4
3 shows an example of the force signal 5 of FIG. The horizontal axis of FIG. 4 represents time (Sec), and the vertical axis represents the level (V) of the output signal. In FIG. 4, a portion in which the level of the output signal greatly changes indicates an involuntary mechanical movement BMT of unconscious body movement such as turning over of a person who collects biological information. Further, the portion where the level of the output signal is stable and fluctuates little shows involuntary mechanical movements such as respiration of the person who collects biometric information and pulsation of the heart.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged signal S of the signal of the portion (circled in FIG. 4) of the pressure sensor or microphone 4 shown in FIG.
1 and a signal S2 obtained by differentiating the signal of the same portion. The high level periodic signal of the waveform of the signal S2 obtained by differentiating the output signal of the pressure sensor or the microphone 4 indicates the heartbeat cycle, and the high level periodic signal and the intermediate level periodic signal are left. Indicates ventricular ejection time. In this way, various kinds of biological information can be continuously obtained from the output signal of the pressure sensor or the microphone 4 for a long time.

FIG. 6 shows a pressure sensor or microphone 4
3 is a block diagram showing an example of a signal processing circuit for processing the output signal of FIG. In FIG. 6, PT is an output signal of the pressure sensor or the microphone 4 and outputs a signal as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. LV is a level detection circuit, which outputs a pulse A when the output of the microphone PT exceeds a predetermined level. LP is a low-pass filter that removes high frequency components of the output signal of the microphone PT. The DF differentiates the output signal of the microphone PT by a differential amplifier and outputs a signal as shown in S2 of FIG. Maximum value detectors DT1, DT2, DT3 output a positive pulse each time the maximum value of a signal applied thereto is detected.

CU1, CU2, and CU3 count pulses applied to them by counters and generate output signals when they reach a set value. TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4
Is a timer, which measures the time from when a signal is applied to the start terminal to when the signal is applied to the stop terminal and outputs the result to the output terminal. DV is an attenuator, which attenuates the signal t applied thereto to 1 / n and outputs it. SW1 is a switch and M1 is a memory. The output signal of the omnidirectional microphone PT is added to the level detection circuit LV, the low pass filter LP, and the differential amplifier DF. The pulse output from the level detection circuit LV is supplied to the timer TM1 as a start signal and added to the counter CU1.

The counter CU1 outputs a pulse of different polarity every time it receives the pulse A output from the level detection circuit LV. When receiving the first pulse from the level detection circuit LV, the counter CU1 has a negative pulse. Is a preset counter that operates so as to output a positive pulse when it receives the next pulse. The timer TM1 measures the time from the reception of the positive pulse from the level detection circuit LV to the reception of the positive pulse from the counter CN1.
The measured value is output as the body movement time BMT. The output of the low-pass filter LP is applied to the maximum value detector DT1, and the pulse output from DT1 is supplied to the timer TM2 as a start signal and also applied to the counter CU2. The timer TM2 measures the time from receiving the positive polarity pulse A from the maximum value detector DT to receiving the positive polarity pulse F from the counter CU2, and outputs the measured value as the respiratory cycle RP.

The output signal of the differential amplifier DF is connected to the maximum value detector DT2. The pulse output from the maximum value detector DT2 is supplied to the timer TM3 as a start signal and added to the counter CU3. The timer TM3 measures the time from the reception of the positive polarity pulse from the maximum value detector DT2 to the reception of the positive polarity pulse from the counter CU3, and outputs the measured value as the heartbeat cycle RR. The timer TM4 starts with the pulse output from the maximum value detector DT2, is turned on by the switch SW1 for the time of 1 / n of the heartbeat cycle RR measured by the timer TM3 and stored one heartbeat before, and the aortic valve. Only the blockage sound is detected by the maximum value detector DT3, added as a stop signal of the timer TM4, and the measured value is output as the left ventricular ejection time ET.

Next, the operation of the circuit of FIG. 6 configured as described above will be described as follows. The omnidirectional microphone PT outputs an electric signal of biometric information as shown in S1 of FIG. 4 or FIG. This signal indicates involuntary mechanical movements such as breathing of humans and animals and pulsation of the heart whose biometric information is collected. The level detection circuit LV outputs a pulse A when the electric signal output from the microphone PT exceeds a predetermined level, that is, when body movement of a person who collects biological information occurs, and outputs this as a timer TM.
Supply to 1. In response to this, the timer TM1 starts measuring the body movement time BMT. The timer TM1 receives the pulse A from the level detection circuit LV and then the counter CN1.
The time until the pulse B is further received, the body movement time BMT of the person who collects biological information is measured, and the measured value is output.

The high frequency component of the electric signal output from the microphone PT, which is associated with body movement, is a low-pass filter L.
A maximum value detector DT1 detects the maximum value and the body movement associated with human respiration for which biological information is collected, and a pulse A is output. The timer TM2 measures the time from receiving the pulse A from the maximum value detector DT1 to receiving the pulse B from the counter CU2, that is, the respiratory cycle RR shown in FIG. 4, and outputs the measured value. The electric signal output from the omnidirectional microphone PT is differentiated by the differential amplifier DF, converted into a signal as shown in S2 of FIG. 5, and the maximum value detector DT2 detects the maximum value.

The timer TM3 receives the pulse A from the maximum value detector DT2 and then the pulse B from the counter CU3.
To receive the heartbeat, that is, the heartbeat cycle RR shown in FIG.
Is measured and the measured value is output. Also, timer TM4
Is 1 after receiving the pulse A from the maximum value detector DT2.
Switch SW for 1 / n of the heartbeat cycle RR before heartbeat
1 is ON, the time until the maximum value detector DT3 receives the pulse B, that is, the left ventricular ejection time ET shown in FIG.
Is measured and the measured value is output. In this way, various biological information can be obtained by processing the output signal of the pressure sensor 4 by the signal processing circuit.

In the above example, the case where a plurality of biological information is simultaneously collected from one air mat having a plurality of air chambers has been described. However, a plurality of such air mats are used in parallel and each of them is used in parallel. It is also possible to share the specific biometric information with and collect it. For example, if a separate air mat that shares a biological signal with a long interval and large air pressure fluctuations such as rolling over and a biological signal with regular and weak air pressure fluctuations such as a pulse is used, a pressure sensor or microphone, or a signal processing circuit is used. Can also use the one that best fits it. Also, when it is desired to collect only one signal, the operation of one can be stopped.

[0023]

Since the device of the present invention does not require airtightness of the air mat, an air mat which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture can be used. Further, since the change in the air pressure of the plurality of air chambers is detected by one pressure sensor or microphone, the number of pressure sensors or microphones to be used can be reduced, and the matching of characteristics can be improved compared to the case of using a plurality of pressure sensors. Since labor can be saved, an inexpensive biological information measuring device can be obtained as a whole. The device of the present invention is used for biological information, especially for respiratory monitoring of infants and sleep apnea detection of adults, and is effective in preventing sudden death.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an air mat used in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the air mat of FIG. 1 taken along the line AA ′.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the air valve.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the output of a biological signal

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the output of a biological signal

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a signal processing circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 --- Air mats 1a-1e-Air chambers 2a-2e-Ventilation valve 3 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Pipe 4 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Pressure sensor or microphone 5 ・ ・ ・ ・・ ・ ・ Pressure sensor or microphone output 6 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Surface material 7 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Air chamber area 8 ・ ・ ・・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Part of the periphery of the air chamber 9 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Supporting material 10 ・ ・ ・ ・・ ・ Ventilation valve end 11 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Slit 12 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Opening PT ・ ・ ・... Output LV of pressure sensor or microphone Detection circuit LP ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Low pass filter DF ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Differential amplifier DT1, DT2, DT3 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Max. Value detectors CU1, CU2, CU3 ··· Counters TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4 ··· Timer SW1 ····· Switch M1 ····・ ・ ・ Memory DV ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Attenuator

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An air mat comprising a plurality of independent air chambers, each air chamber having a non-airtight structure and being kept in shape by an elastic support member, and each air chamber being ventilated. The valves are attached and the ventilation valves are opened by applying a load to the air chamber. Each ventilation valve is connected to one pressure sensor or microphone by a common pipe, and the output of the pressure sensor or microphone is connected. A biometric information collection device that can collect biometric information, including respiration, heartbeat, and blemishes and snoring, on the air mat by measuring. 2. A biometric information collecting apparatus, wherein a plurality of biometric information collecting apparatuses according to claim 1 are used in combination, and each biometric information collecting apparatus is made to share the content of biometric information to be collected.