JP2006334227A - Hemadynamometer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hemadynamometer which enables stains to be easily removed from a cuff by washing the cuff with water. <P>SOLUTION: This hemadynamometer comprises a pressure application part for applying pressure to a part of the human body, and a pulse-wave detecting part for detecting a pulse wave of a part of the human body. The hemadynamometer is equipped with a structure for enabling the pressure application part to be attached to/detached from the hemadynamometer, and for preventing the water from intruding into the pressure application part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sphygmomanometer that is difficult to be contaminated and that can be easily washed even when the stain is adhered.

With the aging of society, dealing with adult lifestyle-related diseases has become a major social issue. It is recognized that long-term blood pressure data collection is very important, especially for diseases related to high blood pressure. From such a point of view, various biological information measuring devices including blood pressure have been developed. Among these, a portable patient monitor device has been proposed in which an ear is selected as a wearing part that does not interfere with daily life and behavior, and can be inserted into the external auditory canal or other parts in the outer ear and worn at all times (for example, Patent Documents). 1). In general, a sphygmomanometer is provided with a cuff that pressurizes and depressurizes a measurement site, a pump and a valve that send and exhaust air through a hollow pipe, and a photoelectric sensor.
JP-A-9-128203 JP-A-6-172539 JP-A-9-75245

  In the ear-type blood pressure monitor that is used by being attached to the ear part, the cuff is in contact with the ear part, so that dirt such as fat or sweat tends to adhere to the surface of the cuff. However, since the cuff of the ear blood pressure monitor is generally small, it is difficult to remove dirt by wiping with a cloth.

  Moreover, since an airtight hollow pipe is connected to the cuff and the control part, and has a photoelectric sensor and an electric cable, it is difficult to wash in water.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a sphygmomanometer that can easily remove dirt by washing the cuff with water.

  The above-mentioned problem is a sphygmomanometer having a pressure application unit for applying pressure to a part of a human body and a pulse wave detection unit for detecting a pulse wave in a part of the human body, the pressure application unit Is detachable from the sphygmomanometer and can be solved by a sphygmomanometer having a structure for preventing water from entering the inside of the pressure application unit.

  The pressure application unit includes a housing having an open surface and a cuff material covering the open surface, and the entire or surface of the cuff material can be made of fluorinated silicone. Moreover, you may comprise the whole or the surface of a cuff material using a hydrophilic elastomer. In addition, at least a portion of the housing that is in contact with the cuff material is water-repellent.

  The sphygmomanometer connects the measurement unit having the pressure application unit and the pulse wave detection unit, a main body unit including means for supplying pressure to the pressure application unit, and the pressure application unit and the main body unit. The pressure application part has a nozzle for detachably connecting to the hollow pipe, the whole or the surface of the nozzle is made of fluororesin, and the inner diameter of the hollow part of the nozzle is 1 mm Can be configured to be less than.

  The sphygmomanometer connects the measurement unit having the pressure application unit and the pulse wave detection unit, a main body unit including means for controlling the pulse wave detection unit, and the pulse wave detection unit and the main body unit. The pulse wave detection unit is provided in the pressure application unit, and the pressure application unit is a male connector for detachably connecting to the cable, or a female type as a whole or a surface. You may comprise so that it may have a connector whose opening diameter which consists of fluororesins is less than 1 mm.

  Further, the hollow pipe is configured such that a first hollow pipe extending from the pressure application portion and a second hollow pipe extending from the main body portion are detachably connected, and an end of the first hollow pipe is formed. A pipe made of fluororesin for connecting the second hollow pipe, and the inner diameter of the hollow part of the pipe made of fluororesin may be less than 1 mm. The first cable extending from the main body and the second cable extending from the main body are configured to be detachably connected to each other on the first cable side for connecting the first cable and the second cable. The connector may be male, or the connector on the first cable side may have a female structure made of fluororesin and have an opening diameter of less than 1 mm.

  According to the present invention, the pressure application unit (cuff) can be detached from the sphygmomanometer, and the structure for preventing water from entering the pressure application unit is provided, so that the pressure application unit can be washed with water. It becomes. In addition, since the attachment / detachment portion that allows the hollow pipe and the cable to be attached / detached from the cuff has a structure in which water does not enter, it is possible to prevent water from entering the cuff during round washing.

  Further, by using super-water-repellent fluorinated silicone on the surface of the cuff material, it becomes difficult for dirt to adhere. In addition, by making the surface of the cuff material hydrophilic, even if dirt is attached, it can be easily washed away with water. Further, by making the portion where the casing and the cuff material contact each other water-repellent, it is possible to prevent water from entering the cuff from the portion where the cuff material is attached during round washing.

  In addition, the hollow pipe or cable may be detachable from the middle. In this case, the detachable part of the hollow pipe or cable on the cuff side has a structure that prevents water from entering, thus preventing water from entering the cuff during round washing. it can.

  Hereinafter, an ear blood pressure monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the ear blood pressure monitor will be described, and then the details of the structure that can be easily cleaned will be described.

(Overall configuration of ear blood pressure monitor)
First, the structure of the auricle and the names of each part related to the description of the ear type blood pressure monitor of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the auricle structure diagram shown in FIG.

  An auricle is a so-called ear, and is a general term for the entire ear shown in FIG. Each part of the auricle is referred to as a tragus 1, a tragus 2, an auricle 3, an auricle 4, an auricle 5, a leg 6, an auricle leg 7, and a concha cavity 8. In the present application, the “inner side of the tragus” refers to the side of the concha cavity 8 of the tragus 1 in FIG. “Outside of tragus” refers to the side opposite to the concha cavity 8 of the tragus 1 in FIG. The ear including the pinna and the external auditory canal is called the outer ear. In addition, the temporal region around the auricular root is referred to as the outer ear periphery, and the “ear portion” in the present specification and claims includes a portion including the outer ear and the outer ear periphery. In addition, there is a branch artery under the pinna and external auditory canal, and there is a superficial temporal artery that appears on the surface of the skin around the tragus and extends upward, especially in the temporal region around the base of the pinna. To do. These are all useful parts for pulse wave measurement (blood pressure measurement).

  The ear sphygmomanometer according to the present embodiment includes a main body unit 10 including a control unit and the like, and a measurement unit 30 including a cuff, a photoelectric sensor, and the like for blood pressure measurement. Are connected by a hollow pipe and a cable (a cable covering an electric wire extending from the photoelectric sensor). Note that the measurement unit 30 and the main body unit 10 may be integrally formed using a single housing.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the measurement unit 30 of the ear blood pressure monitor. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a plan view. As shown in FIG. 2A, the measurement unit 30 includes a first arm 31, a second arm 32, cuffs 33 and 34, and a support shaft 35. The cuff 33 accommodates a photoelectric sensor composed of a light emitting element and a light receiving element.

  The measurement unit 30 has a hollow pipe 36 for sending and exhausting air to and from each of the cuffs 33 and 34, and a cable 37 including an electric wire for sending and receiving signals to and from the photoelectric sensor. 31 and the second arm 32 and is connected to the cuff at the other end. Note that a cable may be provided for each element constituting the photoelectric sensor, but electric wires from a plurality of elements may be combined into one cable.

  One end of each of the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 is connected to the support shaft 35. Further, the measuring unit 30 includes, for example, a portion where each of the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 is connected to the support shaft 35, or the support shaft 35, where the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 are connected to each other. A variable distance mechanism 40 that adjusts the distance between the opposite ends is provided.

Here, the mechanism by which the distance variable mechanism 40 makes the angle α variable may be either a mechanism that adjusts the angle between the support shaft 35 and the first arm 31 with a screw, or a mechanism that uses both friction and screw fixing. Further, as a mechanism for adjusting the distance between the other ends of the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 facing each other, a mechanism for expanding and contracting the length of the support shaft 35 may be used. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B, this ear type sphygmomanometer has a connecting portion between the first arm 31 and the support shaft 35 and the first arm 31 in the horizontal direction with the support shaft 35 as an axis. A rotating mechanism 41 for rotating is provided.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the cuff can be configured to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow. In this case, for example, the cuff can be removed by removing the screw 43 at the connecting portion between the bar member 42 and the arm shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows a functional configuration of the main body unit 10. The main body unit 10 includes a pressurizing unit 11 that sends air to the cuff to inflate, a decompression unit 12 that exhausts air from the inflated cuff at a constant rate to decompress the cuff, and a pressure detection unit 13 that detects the cuff internal pressure. , A light emitting circuit 14 for driving the light emitting element, a pulse wave circuit 15 for detecting a pulse wave signal obtained by arterial irradiation of the light emitting element, a control unit 16 for controlling these, a display unit 17, a storage unit 18, a timer 19, a battery 20. These are packaged at a high density in the housing and are large enough to fit into the breast pocket. Note that the control unit 16 can be realized as an MPU (microprocessing unit).

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which the ear sphygmomanometer of the present embodiment is worn on the ear. As shown in FIG. 5, the measuring unit 30 is attached to the tragus 1 from both sides, and the cuff 33 included in the first arm 31 is outside the tragus 1, and the cuff 34 included in the second arm 32 is the ear. It is attached in contact with the inside of the bead 1. Since a part of the second arm 32 and the cuff 34 are inside the tragus 1, they are indicated by broken lines.

When the cuff 34 is attached in contact with the inside of the tragus 1, a sponge material or the like that substantially fills the space between the second arm 32 and the concha 3 is integrated with the back side of the second arm 32. It may be provided. As a result, the cuff is in contact with the surface of the tragus, and at the same time, the sponge material is in contact with the concha 3 so as to be supported at multiple points, and the entire measurement unit 30 is stably attached to the ear.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a photoelectric sensor installed in the cuff. As shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting element 61 and the light receiving element 62 are installed on the surface where the cuff 33 is in contact with the tragus 1, and the incident light in which the light emitted from the light emitting element 61 is incident on the tragus 1 is inside the tragus 1. The scattered light is scattered by the blood vessels or blood cells in the blood vessels, and the scattered light is received by the light receiving element 62. Here, the light receiving element 62 is installed at a position where the incident light incident on the tragus 1 from the light emitting element 61 receives scattered light scattered in the tragus 1.

  With such a light emitting / receiving element pair, it is possible to detect a waveform due to vascular vibration generated in conjunction with expansion / contraction of the heart, a so-called pulse wave. Then, in the process of detecting the pulse wave, the tragus 1 is pressed by the cuffs 33 and 34, and the blood flow of the blood vessel is gradually reduced from the state where the blood flow of the blood vessel is stopped. If the pulse wave corresponding to the pulsation of the blood vessel is measured as a pulse wave signal, the blood pressure can be measured from the pulse wave signal.

Moreover, this ear type blood pressure monitor can be a pressure pulse wave system in which the photoelectric sensor is changed to a piezoelectric sensor and the piezoelectric sensor is pressed against the tragus to detect a pulse wave signal. In addition, a Korotkoff method can be adopted by using a small microphone instead of the photoelectric sensor. Furthermore, you may use the vibration sensor which detects a pulse wave from the vibration of a cuff.
(About the structure that allows easy cleaning)
[Structure that makes the cuff removable]
In the present embodiment, the cuffs 33 and 34 in the measurement unit 30 are configured to be detachable from the first arm 31 and the second arm. With such a configuration, it is possible to wash only cuffs that are particularly dirty with water. Hereinafter, the structure of the detachable cuff will be described taking the cuff 33 including the photoelectric sensor as an example.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of the back surface (surface facing the arm) of the cuff housing. As shown in FIG. 7, it has the nozzle 50 for connecting a hollow pipe, and the male connector 51 for cables. Although not shown in FIG. 7, there is also a means for mechanically connecting the cuff housing and the arm. As a means for mechanically connecting the cuff housing and the arm, for example, a projection may be provided on the cuff housing, a recess may be provided on the arm, and these may be fitted together, or a screw hole may be provided in the cuff housing. And the cuff may be fixed with a screw penetrating the arm. Further, the structure shown in FIG. 3 may be used.

  The surface facing the cuff of the arm has a structure in which the nozzle 50 and the connector 51 shown in FIG. Alternatively, when the back surface of the cuff and the arm are separated and connected to each other (as shown in FIG. 3), a hollow pipe is inserted into the nozzle 50, and the connector 51 has a shape matching the connector 51. Connected with the connector.

  In the configuration of FIG. 7, at least the entire nozzle portion or its surface is made of a fluororesin having water repellency. The nozzle inner diameter is less than 1 mm. By adopting such a structure, it is possible to prevent water from entering from the nozzle 50 when the cuff is washed with water.

  Further, the boundary portion of the connector 51 where the electrode 53 is exposed is completely covered with the member of the connector 51, so that water does not enter from the boundary portion. The material of the connector 51 is arbitrary.

  FIG. 8 shows another example of the back surface of the cuff housing. In this example, the shape of the cable connector is a female shape, and the connector is inserted into the concave portion shown in FIG. 8 on the cable side. In the structure of FIG. 8, the entire connector part (cylindrical protrusion part) or the surface (including the surface inside the opening) is made of fluororesin, and the opening diameter of the hole into which the terminal is inserted is less than 1 mm. As a result, water can be prevented from entering the cuff from the opening of the connector 54.

[Structure that allows the hollow pipe and cable to be detachable]
As a configuration in which the cuff is detachable from the sphygmomanometer, the hollow pipe and the middle of the cable may be detachable. A configuration example of the hollow pipe in this case is shown in FIG. 10 and 11 show examples of the cable configuration in this case.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the small pipe 72 attached to the end of the hollow pipe 71 extending from the cuff fits inside the hollow pipe 70 extending from the main body. The material of the hollow pipe 70 extending from the main body and the hollow pipe 71 extending from the cuff is silicone. The material of the small pipe 72 is a fluororesin. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the small pipe 72 is set to less than 1 mm where water does not enter even in water. Thereby, even if the cuff to which the hollow pipe 71 with the small pipe 72 is attached is washed with water, water can be prevented from entering from the opening of the hollow pipe.

  The cable has the configuration shown in FIG. 10, and a female connector 75 is formed on the cable 74 extending from the main body, and a male connector that matches the female connector 75 is formed on the cable 76 extending from the cuff. The connector 77 is formed. In such a male connector 77, the boundary where the electrode is exposed is covered with a member of the connector 77 without a gap, so that water does not enter the cuff side.

  FIG. 11 shows another configuration of the cable. In the configuration shown in FIG. 11, contrary to the case of FIG. 10, a female connector 79 is formed on the cable 78 extending from the cuff, and the male 80 matching the female connector 79 is formed on the cable 80 extending from the main body. A shaped connector 81 is formed. In this case, a water-repellent fluororesin is used for the entire connector 79 of the cable 78 on the cuff side or the surface thereof. Moreover, the opening diameter of the hole of the connector 79 shall be less than 1 mm. Thereby, infiltration of water can be prevented.

[Cuff structure]
FIG. 12 shows the structure of the cuff itself. In addition, in FIG. 12, illustration of the nozzle etc. for hollow pipe connection is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the cuff has a structure in which a cuff material 91 is fixed to a housing 90 by an O-ring 92. The cuff material 91 presses the ear portion by pressurization. As a material of the cuff material 91, for example, fluorinated silicone having super water repellency is used. Further, instead of forming the entire cuff material 91 with fluorinated silicone, the cuff material is formed with another material (for example, normal silicone), and only the surface of the cuff material (the portion in contact with the ear portion) is formed with fluorinated silicone. It may be formed. Of course, you may use fluorinated silicone for the housing | casing 90 part.

  When the cuff material is formed using normal silicone, the water repellency is halfway, so the dirt on the ears easily adheres, and once attached, it is difficult to clean, but the super water repellency By using fluorinated silicone, it is possible to minimize adhesion of dirt.

  Instead of using fluorinated silicone, a hydrophilic elastomer may be used as the whole or surface material of the cuff material 91. As the hydrophilic elastomer, for example, as described in Patent Document 2, a hydrophilic elastomer obtained by graft polymerization of a polymer having a hydrophilic group to a hydrophobic halogenated rubber can be used. Furthermore, the method described in Patent Document 3 can also be used as a method for making the surface hydrophilic. By making the surface of the cuff material hydrophilic, it becomes possible to easily remove the dirt attached to the surface of the cuff material by washing the cuff with water.

  Now, when washing the cuff with water, it is necessary to prevent water from entering from the connecting portion (the portion surrounded by the O-ring 92) between the cuff member 91 and the housing 90. For this reason, the part which the housing | casing 90 and the cuff material 91 contact is made water-repellent. Thereby, even if there is a gap between the casing 90 and the cuff member 91, water can be prevented from entering if the gap is small.

  FIG. 13 shows a configuration example for that purpose. In the example of FIG. 13, the entire housing 90 is formed using a fluororesin. Further, FIG. 14 shows a structural example in which only the connection portion between the cuff member 91 and the housing 90 is water-repellent. In the example of FIG. 14, for example, the housing 90 is made of acetal resin, and the portion 93 where the cuff member 91 and the housing 90 are connected is integrally molded in an O-ring shape using fluororesin. In addition to using such a member, a surface treatment with a fluorinated silane coupling agent may be performed on the connection portion between the cuff member 91 and the housing 90.

  In the present embodiment, an ear type sphygmomanometer has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to an ear sphygmomanometer as long as it is a sphygmomanometer having a cuff. In addition, as the ear blood pressure monitor, a configuration in which the measurement unit and the main body unit are connected by a hollow pipe and a cable is taken as an example, but the measurement unit and the main body unit are integrally configured, and the hollow pipe and the cable are formed by the ear blood pressure. The structure built in a total may be sufficient. Even in this case, the cuff can be made detachable by adopting the structure shown in FIGS.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications can be made within the scope of the claims.

It is a structural diagram of the auricle. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the measurement part 30 of an ear | style blood pressure meter. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of the connection method of a cuff and an arm. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a main body unit 10. FIG. It is a figure which shows a mode that the ear | style blood pressure meter was mounted | worn to the ear. It is the figure which showed an example of the photoelectric sensor installed in a cuff. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the back surface of the housing | casing of a cuff. It is a figure which shows the other structural example of the back surface of the housing | casing of a cuff. It is a figure which shows the example of the hollow pipe which made the middle removable. It is a figure which shows the example of the cable which made the middle removable. It is a figure which shows the other example of the cable which made the middle removable. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a cuff. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the cuff for preventing permeation of water. It is a figure which shows the other example of the structure of the cuff for preventing permeation of water.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tragus, 2 Pair of beads, 3 Ear concha, 4 Pair, 5 Ear ring, 6 Pair leg, 7 Ear ring leg, 8 Concha cavity 10 Main part, 11 Pressurization part, 12 Decompression part, 13 Pressure detection Unit, 14 light emitting circuit, 15 pulse wave circuit, 16 control unit, 19 timer, 18 storage unit, 17 display unit, 20 battery 30 measuring unit, 31 first arm, 32 second arm, 35 spindle, 40 distance Variable mechanism, 33 cuff, 34 cuff, 41 Rotating mechanism, 42 Bar-shaped member, 43 Screw mechanism 50 Nozzle, 51 Connector, 53 Electrode, 54 Connector, 70 Body side hollow pipe, 71 Cuff side hollow pipe, 72 Small pipe 74 Body Part side cable, 75 connector, 76 cuff side cable, 77 connector, 80 Main part side cable, 81 connector, 78 cuff side cable, 79 connector 90 Housing, 91 cuff material, 92 O-ring, 93 The aqueous portion

Claims (10)

A sphygmomanometer having a pressure application unit for applying pressure to a part of a human body and a pulse wave detection unit for detecting a pulse wave in a part of the human body,
The sphygmomanometer, wherein the pressure application unit is detachable from the sphygmomanometer and includes a structure for preventing water from entering the pressure application unit.   2. The blood pressure according to claim 1, wherein the pressure application unit includes a housing having an open surface and a cuff material covering the open surface, and the entire or surface of the cuff material is made of fluorinated silicone. Total.   2. The blood pressure according to claim 1, wherein the pressure application unit includes a housing having an open surface and a cuff material covering the open surface, and the whole or surface of the cuff material is made of a hydrophilic elastomer. Total.   The pressure application unit includes a housing having an open surface and a cuff material covering the open surface, and at least a portion of the housing in contact with the cuff material is water repellent. 4. The blood pressure monitor according to any one of items 3 to 3. The sphygmomanometer includes a measuring unit having the pressure applying unit and the pulse wave detecting unit, a main body including means for supplying pressure to the pressure applying unit, and a hollow connecting the pressure applying unit and the main body. A pipe and
The pressure application unit has a nozzle for detachably connecting to the hollow pipe,
The sphygmomanometer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the whole or surface of the nozzle is made of a fluororesin, and an inner diameter of a hollow portion of the nozzle is less than 1 mm. The sphygmomanometer includes a measurement unit having the pressure application unit and the pulse wave detection unit, a main body unit including means for controlling the pulse wave detection unit, and a cable connecting the pulse wave detection unit and the main body unit. The pulse wave detection unit is provided in the pressure application unit,
The said pressure application part has the connector of the male type connector for detachably connecting with the said cable, or a female type and the opening diameter which the whole or surface consists of fluororesins is less than 1 mm among Claim 1 thru | or 5 The blood pressure monitor according to any one of the above. The sphygmomanometer includes a measuring unit having the pressure applying unit and the pulse wave detecting unit, a main body including means for supplying pressure to the pressure applying unit, and a hollow connecting the pressure applying unit and the main body. A pipe and
The hollow pipe is configured such that a first hollow pipe extending from the pressure application section and a second hollow pipe extending from the main body section are detachably connected,
Any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a fluororesin pipe for connecting the second hollow pipe is provided at an end of the first hollow pipe, and an inner diameter of the hollow portion of the fluororesin pipe is less than 1 mm. The sphygmomanometer according to claim 1. The sphygmomanometer includes a measurement unit having the pressure application unit and the pulse wave detection unit, a main body unit including means for controlling the pulse wave detection unit, and a cable connecting the pulse wave detection unit and the main body unit. The pulse wave detection unit is provided in the pressure application unit,
The cable is configured such that a first cable extending from the pressure application unit and a second cable extending from the main body unit are detachably connected,
The first cable side connector for connecting the first cable and the second cable is male, or the first cable side connector has a female structure made of fluororesin. The blood pressure monitor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the opening diameter is less than 1 mm.   The sphygmomanometer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sphygmomanometer is an ear sphygmomanometer that measures blood pressure by pressing a part of an ear.   The sphygmomanometer according to claim 9, wherein a part of the ear part is a tragus or a temporal region around the tragus.

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