JP2005348803A - Electronic device for measuring health index - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the electrical connection structure of an electrode and a circuit board. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic device 1 for measuring health indexes has electrodes 102A and 102B electrically connected to the circuit board. The electrodes 102A and 102B are exposed to the outer surface of a resin casing 10 with the circuit board in the interior so that a subject can touch the electrodes. The casing 10 consists of a casing body 10A for storing the circuit board and side covers 30 whose inner faces are made to face side edges of the circuit board as fixed to the casing body. Clasping pieces are made to project on the inner faces of the side covers, and a conductive film is formed on the outer surface of each side cover to continuously cover the side cover in the range including the clasping pieces from the outer surface. As the side cover is post-mounted and fixed to the case body 10A, a pair of the clasping pieces clasp side edge of the circuit board, and the conductive film on the surface of the side cover and a circuit on the circuit board are made conductive by the pressure contact of the clasping pieces and the circuit board at the time. Accordingly, the conductive film on the outer surface of the side cover is structured as an electrode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device mainly for measuring a health index (also referred to as biological information) such as body fat.

  For example, as a body fat meter for measuring body fat at home, a device using a four-electrode body impedance measurement method is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). This device includes a pair of electrodes for applying a current and a pair of electrodes for measuring a voltage for measuring bioimpedance. According to this apparatus, the body fat percentage can be easily measured by itself only by bringing both hands into contact with the electrodes.

  By the way, in this kind of conventional electronic device for health index measurement, the electrical connection between the electrode exposed outside the case and the circuit board inside the case is performed by soldering the end of the lead wire, Generally, it is done by screwing the end or by fitting a connector.

JP-A-10-179535

  However, the conventional electrical connection structure between the electrode and the circuit board is troublesome to assemble and costly.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a health index measuring electronic device that can reduce the assembly cost by simplifying the electrical connection structure between an electrode and a circuit board.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus for measuring a health index, wherein an electrode electrically connected to the circuit board is exposed and provided on an outer surface of a resin case in which the circuit board is housed. In this case, an engagement concave portion is provided in one of the case and the circuit board and an engagement convex portion is provided in the other, and the conductor on the circuit board is engaged by the engagement of the engagement concave portion and the engagement convex portion. The conductive film formed on the surface of the case is brought into contact conduction to electrically connect the electrode formed continuously by the conductive film and a circuit on the circuit board.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus for measuring a health index, wherein an electrode electrically connected to the circuit board is exposed and provided on an outer surface of a resin case in which the circuit board is housed. The case includes a case main body that accommodates the circuit board, and a cover that closes an opening of the case main body and has an inner surface that faces a side edge of the circuit board. A sandwiching piece is protruded, and a conductive film is formed on the surface of the cover so as to continuously cover a range including the sandwiching piece from the outer surface of the cover to the inner surface of the cover, and the cover closes the opening of the case body. In such a fixed state, the pair of sandwiching pieces sandwich the side edge of the circuit board, and the conductive film on the surface of the cover and the circuit on the circuit board are brought into contact with each other by the pressure contact between the sandwiching piece and the circuit board. Continuity , Thereby characterized in that the conductive film of the outer surface of the cover is configured as the electrode.

  The invention of claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the case main body is formed as a thin box body having a substantially rectangular shape in front view having elongated hole-like openings at both left and right side ends, and the elongated hole-like openings at the left and right side ends. The cover is fixed as two face materials for closing the cover, so that the case consisting of the case main body and the two left and right covers grips both sides of the case with the left and right hands of the subject. It is configured so that the inner surfaces of the left and right hands of the subject are in contact with the electrodes, and when the both sides of the case are gripped with the left and right hands, the position on the case where the left and right hands hit the tip of the case The electrode on the cover is provided with a pair of left and right electrodes, and information including at least the measured health index is displayed at a position on the case where the subject can see the subject between the left and right hands. Display for Characterized in that the pair of current application electrodes of the two pairs of electrodes forming the left and right pair, the other pair is a voltage detection electrode.

  The invention of claim 4 is the combined product of the conductive piece having the conductive film plated on the entire surface and the non-conductive piece not plated with the conductive film, wherein the cover is molded separately in claim 3. When the case is grasped with left and right hands, the conductive piece is disposed at an upper position and the non-conductive piece is disposed at a lower position.

  A fifth aspect of the present invention is the curved surface according to the fourth aspect, wherein the cover is formed in a long plate shape so as to close the long hole-like openings on both sides of the case body, and the outer surface of the cover is convexly curved in the width direction. The conductive piece is exposed as an electrode in at least a part of the convexly curved surface.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the concave portion is provided in the center of the outer surface of the conductive piece in the width direction, and the extended piece formed in the non-conductive piece is formed in the convex portion by the outer surface of the concave portion. It is fitted to form a curved curved surface continuously with the outer surface of the conductive piece, whereby the top region of the curved surface that is convexly curved is constituted by the outer surface of the extending piece of the non-conductive piece, and on both sides the above-mentioned The outer surface of the conductive piece is exposed as an electrode.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the electrode and the circuit board are electrically connected by the engagement of the engagement concave portion formed on one side of the case or the circuit board and the engagement convex portion formed on the other side. The assembly work including the connection between the electrode and the circuit board can be simplified, and the cost of the equipment can be reduced by reducing the assembly cost.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the electrode on the outer surface of the cover and the circuit board inside the case are continuously connected by sandwiching the holding piece on the inner surface of the cover that closes the opening of the case main body into the side edge of the circuit board. An electrical connection can be made easily and reliably by the membrane. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the assembly work including the connection between the electrode on the outer surface of the case and the circuit board, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the equipment by reducing the assembly cost.

  According to the invention of claim 3, when the subject grips both sides of the case with the left and right hands, the inner surface of the hand automatically contacts the electrode on the cover surface, and the tip of the thumb contacts the other electrode pair. Therefore, you can easily prepare for electrical measurement by holding the instrument in your hand in a natural way.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the cover on which the electrode is provided is formed as a united product of a conductive piece whose conductive film is plated on the entire surface and a nonconductive piece whose conductive film is not plated. The area of the conductive film to be performed can be kept to the minimum necessary, and the plating cost can be minimized. Moreover, since the shape of the electrode exposed on the outer surface of the case can be freely set by the combination of the shape of the conductive piece and the non-conductive piece, the degree of design freedom can be increased. In addition, a conductive piece is placed on the upper side when the case is gripped with the left and right hands, and a non-conductive piece is placed on the lower side. The measurement reliability can be increased.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the outer surface of the cover formed in a long plate shape is configured as a curved surface that is convexly curved in the width direction, and the conductive piece is exposed as an electrode in at least a part of the convexly curved surface. Therefore, the contact property between the palm and the electrode can be kept good, and the measurement reliability can be improved.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the top region of the curved surface curved to the convex on the outer surface of the cover is constituted by the outer surface of the non-conductive piece, and the both sides thereof are constituted by the outer surface of the conductive piece, thereby The area that seems to be most likely to be worn due to the use of the electrode is intentionally removed from the electrode, so the influence of deterioration of the contact property (contact property of the electrode with the palm) due to wear of the plated electrode due to long-term use is avoided in advance. be able to. In addition, since the electrodes are exposed only on both sides of the top region, a stable contact state between the palm and the electrodes can be created on the contrary, and the measurement reliability can be improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1A and 1B show an external appearance of an electronic apparatus for measuring a health index according to an embodiment. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the electronic apparatus viewed obliquely from the front, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electronic apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the internal structure. The electronic device 1 has a function of measuring the body fat percentage of a subject mainly using a four-electrode measurement method, and also has a blood pressure measurement function.

  A case 10 made of resin such as ABS, which is an exterior body of the electronic device 1, has a thin rectangular box-shaped case main body 10A on the front side, a standing leg 10B behind it, and left and right end portions of the case main body 10A. It is comprised from the side part cover 30 as a pair of face material which block | closes a long hole-shaped opening. As shown in FIG. 3, a circuit board 40 on which electronic components such as an LCD display board 21 are mounted is housed in parallel with the front surface of the case body 10A. A battery box 50 in which the battery 51 is loaded and an air pump 54 and an air connector 56 that are functional parts for blood pressure measurement are housed in the internal space from the case main body 10A to the standing leg 10B. Then, the electronic device 1 is leaned on the table using the standing leg portion 10B having the storage space 12 for the blood pressure measurement cuff so that the front surface of the case body 10A can be stored in a posture that faces slightly upward. It has become.

  The case main body 10A configured as a thin box is configured so that the front side and the rear side can be separated into a panel shape, and the interior parts such as the circuit board 40 are attached to the rear side panel in advance. The box can be completed by combining the front panel.

  The side cover 30 may be retrofitted and fixed to the side portion of the case main body 10A after the circuit board 40 is accommodated, or may be attached to the rear side panel of the case main body 10A in a state of being attached in advance to the side portion of the circuit board 40. Therefore, electrodes 102A and 102B for measuring body fat percentage are provided on the outer surface. A pair of left and right electrodes 101A and 101B is also provided around the display unit 20 of the case body 10A. These electrodes 101A, 101B, 102A, 102B are provided so as to be exposed to the outside so that the subject can touch them by hand, and are electrically connected to conductors on the circuit board 40 inside the case body 10A.

  The pair of left and right electrodes 101A and 101B in the upper front are current application electrodes, and the pair of left and right electrodes 102A and 102B provided on the side cover 30 are voltage measurement electrodes. The voltage measuring electrodes 102A and 102B of the side cover 30 are in positions where the inner surfaces of the left and right hands of the subject are in contact with each other when the both sides of the case 10 are gripped with the left and right hands of the subject. Further, the current application electrodes 101A and 101B are in positions where the tip abdominal portions of the thumbs of the left and right hands come into contact when the case 10 is gripped as such. In addition, the display unit 20 for displaying various information including the measured health index is in a position where the subject can look straight between the left and right hands. Further, key switches 81 to 85 for input are arranged around the lower side of the display unit 20.

  The side cover 30 is fixed to the case main body 10 </ b> A so that the inner surface thereof faces the side edge of the circuit board 40. As will be described later, an appropriate number of clamping pieces 35, each of which is a set of three, are provided on the inner surface of the side cover 30, and two clamping pieces 35 of each set are paired. By using the circuit board 40, the side edge of the circuit board 40 can be sandwiched.

  4 to 7 are views showing the side cover 30 taken out, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view seen from the outer surface side, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view thereof, FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view seen from the inner surface side, FIG. 7 is a perspective view seen from the inner surface side, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state where the clamping piece 35 is fitted to the circuit board 40. The left and right side covers 30 attached to the case main body 10A have the same configuration.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the side cover 30 has a long plate-like appearance as if the spindle is halved, and is configured as a curved surface whose outer surface is convexly curved in the width direction. It has an engaging projection 33 that locks when it is retrofitted to the case body 10A. The side cover 30 in this case is configured as a combined product by bonding two pieces 31 and 32 that are separately molded. The first piece is a conductive piece 31 having a conductive film 36 (see FIG. 8) plated on the entire surface, and the second piece is a non-conductive piece 32 that is not plated with a conductive film. As shown in FIG. 1, when the case 10 is grasped with left and right hands (not shown), a conductive piece 31 is disposed at an upper position, and a non-conductive piece 32 is disposed at a lower position.

  The two pieces 31, 32 are fitted into the recess 31 b provided at the center in the width direction of the outer surface wall 31 a of the conductive piece 31, and the extension piece 32 b extending to the outer surface wall 32 a of the non-conductive piece 32 is fitted. , 32 in a state where the lock portions 31f, 32f provided at the opposite ends are engaged with each other, and are joined together by bonding them together. Note that a small pin hole 31c and a small pin 32c that are fitted to each other are provided on the overlapping surface of the extending piece 32b and the recess 31b. By combining in this way, the outer surface of the extending piece 32b of the non-conductive piece 32 and the outer surface of the conductive piece 31 form a smoothly curved curved surface (the outer surface of the side cover 30).

  The entire conductive piece 31 is plated with a metal having excellent conductivity, and a conductive layer 36 (FIG. 8) having a predetermined thickness is formed on the entire surface. Therefore, the top area of the convexly curved surface is constituted by the outer surface of the extending piece 32b of the non-conductive piece 32, and the conductive film of the outer surface wall 32a of the conductive piece 31 is exposed as electrodes 102A and 102B on both sides thereof.

  Further, peripheral walls 31d and 32d are formed on the peripheral edges of the pieces 31 and 32, and ribs 31e and 32e are provided on the inner surfaces of the outer surface walls 31a and 32a. Further, on the inner surface side of the conductive piece 31, three sets of sandwiching pieces 35 that are fitted to the side edges of the circuit board 40 are provided. Then, by side fixing the side cover 30 to the side of the case body 10A, the side edge of the circuit board 40 is sandwiched between two of the three clamping pieces 35 as shown in FIG. The conductive film 36 on the surface of the side cover 30 and the circuit (conductor) 41 on the circuit board 40 are electrically connected to each other by the pressure contact (pressure contact force P) between the clamping piece 35 and the circuit board 40 at that time. The conductive film 36 on the outer surface of the side cover 30 is configured to function as the electrodes 102A and 102B.

  When using the electronic apparatus having the above configuration, first, the power switch is turned on. As a result, electric power is supplied to the circuit board 40. Next, an input mode is selected by a key operation, and body specifying information of the subject such as height, weight, age, and sex is input. After the input is completed, both sides of the case 10 of the electronic device 1 are grasped with both hands from the front, and the palms of both hands are brought into contact with the voltage measuring electrodes 102A and 102B. Further, the thumbs of both hands are opened, and the abdomen at the tip of the thumb is brought into contact with the current application electrodes 101A and 101B.

  In this way, the measurement preparation is completed by placing both hands at predetermined positions. Next, a measurement start switch (not shown) is pressed to start measurement. The measurement start switch can be appropriately provided in an easy-to-operate place, but it may be provided integrally with the electrode, or it may be configured to automatically start measurement by judging the contact state between both hands and the electrode. Good.

  By operating the measurement start switch, a high frequency current is applied to the abdomen of the thumb through the current application electrodes 101A and 101B, and a body resistance potential between both hands generated by the applied current is taken out through the voltage measurement electrodes 102A and 102B. The extracted signal is processed by the arithmetic device on the circuit board 40 to calculate the bioimpedance of the subject. Further, the impedance measurement value and the key-specified body specifying information are calculated and processed according to a predetermined program, and various indicators such as body fat percentage are calculated and displayed on the display unit 20.

  In the electronic device 1 of this embodiment, the side cover 30 can be sandwiched between the side edges of the circuit board 40 by the sandwiching pieces 35 on the inner surface of the side cover 30 that close the side openings of the case main body 10A. 102A and 102B and the circuit board 40 inside the case 10 can be electrically connected by the continuous conductive film 36. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the assembly work including the connection between the electrodes 102A and 102B on the outer surface of the case 10 and the circuit board 40, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the device 1 by reducing the assembly cost.

  When the subject grasps both sides of the case 10 with the left and right hands, the inner surface of the hand automatically contacts the voltage measuring electrodes 102A and 102B on the surface of the side cover 30, and the tip of the thumb is the current applying electrode 101A. , 101B is touched, so that it is easy to prepare for measurement by holding the device 1 in a natural manner.

  Further, the side cover 30 provided with the electrodes 102A and 102B is configured as a combined product of the conductive piece 31 plated with the conductive film 36 on the entire surface and the non-conductive piece 32 not plated with the conductive film. Thus, the area of the conductive film 36 formed in (1) can be minimized, and the plating cost can be minimized. Moreover, since the shape of the electrodes 102A and 102B exposed on the outer surface of the case 10 can be freely set by the combination of the shapes of the conductive piece 31 and the nonconductive piece 32, the degree of freedom in design can be increased. In addition, when the case 10 is gripped by the left and right hands, the conductive piece 31 is arranged at the upper position, and the non-conductive piece 32 is arranged at the lower side, so that the thumb on the inner surface of the hand and the base of the index finger are arranged. The electrodes 102A and 102B can be reliably and reasonably brought into contact with each other, and the measurement reliability can be improved.

  Further, the outer surface of the side cover 30 formed in a long plate shape is a curved surface that is convexly curved in the width direction, and the conductive piece 31 is exposed as electrodes 102A and 102B in at least a part of the curved surface that is curved to the convex. Therefore, the contact between the palm and the electrodes 102A and 102B can be kept good, and the measurement reliability can be improved.

  Further, the top region of the curved surface curved to the convex of the outer surface of the side cover 30 is constituted by the outer surface of the non-conductive piece 32, and both sides thereof are constituted by the outer surface of the conductive piece 31, whereby the top region of the convex curved surface (long-term The area that seems to be most likely to be worn by use) is intentionally removed from the electrode, so the influence of deterioration of the contact property (contact property of the electrode with respect to the palm) due to wear of the plated electrodes 102A and 102B due to long-term use is obviated. Can be avoided. In addition, since the electrodes 102A and 102B are exposed only on both sides of the top region, a stable contact state between the palm and the electrodes 102A and 102B can be created on the contrary, and the measurement reliability can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the holding piece 35 is provided on the side cover 30 side, and the side edge portion of the circuit board 40 is sandwiched between the holding pieces 35 so that the conductive film 36 on the side cover 30 side and the circuit board are provided. In the case where contact conduction with the conductor 41 on the 40 side is shown, at least a pair of sandwiching pieces is provided on the circuit board 40 side, and a portion sandwiched between these sandwiching pieces is provided on the side cover 30 side, The contact conduction between the circuit board 40 and the side cover 30 may be achieved by their engagement.

  In addition, an engagement recess is provided on one of the case and the circuit board, and an engagement protrusion is provided on the other. The engagement between the engagement recess and the engagement protrusion forms the conductor on the circuit board and the surface of the case. The conductive film thus made may be brought into contact with each other so as to achieve electrical connection between the electrode formed of the conductive film and the circuit on the circuit board.

The external appearance of the electronic device for health index measurement of embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is the perspective view which looked at the electronic device from diagonally forward, (b) is a side view. It is a top view of the electronic device. It is a sectional side view which shows the internal structure of the same electronic device. It is the expansion perspective view seen from the outer surface side which takes out and shows the side part cover of the same electronic device. It is a disassembled perspective view of the same side cover. It is the disassembled perspective view seen from the inner surface side of the same side part cover. It is the perspective view seen from the inner surface side of the same side part cover. It is a principal part expanded sectional view which shows the state which fitted the clamping piece protrudingly provided in the inner surface of the same side part cover to the circuit board.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 10 Case 10A Case main body 20 Display part 30 Side cover 31 Conductive piece 32 Nonconductive piece 35 Holding piece 36 Conductive film 101A, 102b Current application electrode 102A, 102B Voltage measurement electrode

Claims (6)

In the electronic device for health index measurement provided on the outer surface of the resin case in which the circuit board is mounted, the electrode electrically connected to the circuit board is exposed so that the subject can come in contact with it,
An engagement recess is provided on one of the case and the circuit board, and an engagement protrusion is provided on the other, and the conductor on the circuit board and the case are engaged by the engagement of the engagement recess and the engagement protrusion. An electronic device for health index measurement, wherein the conductive film formed on the surface of the substrate is brought into contact and conduction, and the electrode continuously formed by the conductive film and the circuit on the circuit board are electrically connected. In the electronic device for health index measurement provided on the outer surface of the resin case in which the circuit board is mounted, the electrode electrically connected to the circuit board is exposed so that the subject can come in contact with the circuit board.
The case is composed of a case main body that accommodates the circuit board, and a cover that closes the opening of the case main body and whose inner surface faces the side edge of the circuit board,
At least a pair of sandwiching pieces project from the inner surface of the cover, and a conductive film is formed on the surface of the cover so as to continuously cover a range including the sandwiching pieces of the inner surface of the cover from the outer surface of the cover,
In a state where the cover is fixed so as to close the opening of the case body, the pair of sandwiching pieces sandwich the side edge portion of the circuit board, and the contact between the sandwiching piece and the circuit board at that time causes the conductivity of the surface of the cover. An electronic device for health index measurement, characterized in that a film and a circuit on a circuit board are electrically connected, whereby a conductive film on an outer surface of the cover is configured as the electrode.   The case main body is formed as a thin box body having a substantially rectangular shape in front view having long hole-like openings on both left and right side ends, and the cover is fixed as two face materials for closing the long hole-like openings on both left and right side ends. Thus, when the case comprising the case main body and the left and right covers grips both sides of the case with the left and right hands of the subject, the inner surfaces of the left and right hands of the subject come into contact with the electrodes on the outer surface of each cover. Furthermore, when gripping both sides of the case with the left and right hands, the left and right hands are separated from the electrodes on the case at positions on the case where they touch the tip of the left and right hands. A pair of electrodes are provided, and a display unit for displaying information including at least the measured health index is provided at a position on the case where the subject can view the subject between the left and right hands. 2 pairs of electrodes Health index measuring electronic device according to claim 2 in which a pair of current application electrodes and the other pair is characterized in that there is a voltage detection electrode in.   The cover is formed as a combined product of a conductive piece formed on the entire surface and plated with the conductive film on the entire surface and a non-conductive piece on which the conductive film is not plated. The electronic device for health index measurement according to claim 3, wherein the conductive piece is disposed at a position on the upper side when gripped by the sensor, and the non-conductive piece is disposed at a position on the lower side.   The cover is formed in a long plate shape so as to close the long hole-like openings on both sides of the case body, and the outer surface of the cover is configured as a curved surface that is convexly curved in the width direction. The electronic device for health index measurement according to claim 4, wherein the conductive piece is exposed as an electrode in a part of the region.   A concave portion is provided in the center of the outer surface of the conductive piece in the width direction, and the extended piece formed in the non-conductive piece in the concave portion continuously follows the curved surface curved with the convex surface by the outer surface of the conductive piece together with the outer surface of the conductive piece. The top part of the curved surface that is curved so as to be formed is constituted by the outer surface of the non-conductive piece extending piece, and the outer surface of the conductive piece is exposed as an electrode on both sides thereof. The electronic device for health index measurement according to claim 5.

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