JP2010011985A - Body composition monitor and scale - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a body composition monitor and scale having a superior assemblage and capable of reducing the weight and cost of the monitor and scale. <P>SOLUTION: This body composition monitor and scale is provided with: electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L and 11R for measuring body impedance of a subject; load sensors 13a-13d for measuring the weight of the subject; an electronic circuit board 19 connected to the electrodes and the load sensors via lead wires; a resin housing body 1a having a reinforced structure configured to have a necessary rigidity for supporting the weight of the subject, having an opened upper face and capable of mutually wiring and mounting the electrodes, the load sensors and the electronic circuit board; and a housing cover 1b having a loading object face for placing the subject, and an opening portion exposing the electrodes to the loading object face so as contact with a part of a subject's body and being mounted to cover the opened upper face of the housing body 1a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a body weight / body composition meter.

  Some conventional body composition analyzers have electrodes for measuring the body impedance of a subject arranged on a load surface of a main body housing on which the subject is placed. This type of body composition meter is configured such that a load sensor for measuring the weight of a subject, an electronic circuit board connected to the electrode and the load sensor via a lead wire, and the like are accommodated in the main body housing. It has become.

  A conventional body composition meter housing structure has a load sensor and an electronic circuit board mounted inside a ground housing having an upper surface opening made of sheet metal, and a resin front housing cover that is attached to cover the opening of the ground housing. An electrode is attached to the load surface. The main body housing needs to have rigidity that hardly deforms even when the subject is placed. For this reason, there have been many cases in which the entire housing is made of metal, but in recent years, many of the housings are made of resin material as described above from the viewpoint of weight reduction and low cost.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the housing structure of the conventional body composition monitor will be described. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a main body housing of a body weight / body composition meter according to a conventional example.

  The main body housing 100 includes a front housing 101 and a ground housing 102. The front housing 101 is a resin molded product, and an electrode (not shown) for measuring the body impedance of the subject is attached to the load surface 101a. Further, reinforcing ribs are provided on the lower surface of the front housing 101 on the inner side of the main body housing 100 in order to impart rigidity. The ground housing 102 is made of sheet metal, and strain gauges (not shown) as load sensors are attached to leg portions 102a provided at the four corners. Further, an electronic circuit board 103 connected to the upper surface of the ground housing 102 on the inner side of the main body housing 100 via a strain gauge and a lead wire (not shown) is attached.

  In assembling the main body housing 100, first, the electrodes are attached to the load-receiving surface 101a of the front housing 101, and the strain gauge and the electronic circuit board 103 are connected by lead wires to be positioned and fixed at predetermined attachment positions of the ground housing 102. Next, in a state where the front housing 101 and the ground housing 102 are separated, the electrodes and the electronic circuit board 103 are connected by the lead wires 104, and finally, the front housing 101 is attached so as to cover the ground housing 102.

  In the process of attaching the front housing 101 and the ground housing 102, the front housing 101 and the ground housing 102 are attached in a state where they are connected by the lead wire 104. Therefore, depending on the length of the lead wire 104, the degree of deflection, and the like, when the front housing 101 and the ground housing 102 are joined, the lead wire 104 may be caught in the joint surface. Such biting of the lead wire 104 deteriorates the workability of the assembling work and also deteriorates the yield in the factory.

  In order to prevent such a lead wire 104 from being caught, a configuration in which the lead wire 104 is not directly connected by a lead wire but is brought into contact by a leaf spring or the like is also conceivable. However, such a configuration is difficult to employ in a body weight / body composition meter as follows.

  The impedance measurement electrode has a very weak signal to be detected, and needs to be amplified by an amplifier circuit such as an operational amplifier before being output to the control circuit. Therefore, conventionally, for example, a configuration in which accuracy is ensured by connecting a lead wire and an electrode or an electronic circuit board by a faston terminal to keep the contact resistance constant is generally adopted. . Therefore, if the connection is made by the leaf spring as described above, the contact resistance may change due to the force applied to the contact part when a load is applied, which has a great influence on the measurement accuracy. It is difficult to put it to practical use.

  In addition, for example, a method of inserting a lead wire inside the housing after assembling the housing and connecting the lead wire to the electronic circuit board requires a dedicated jig for connection, leading to an increase in cost. .

  Therefore, in the prior art, in order to connect the electronic circuit board disposed inside the housing and the electrode attached to the outer surface of the housing with the lead wire, as described above, the lead wire is connected to the electrode and the electronic circuit board in advance. In this state, the housing was assembled.

  In addition, there is always a demand for further weight reduction and cost reduction of the housing, and there is a demand for a housing structure with better handling and productivity.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a body composition analyzer that is excellent in assemblability and can reduce the weight and cost of the apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, the body composition monitor according to the present invention comprises:
Electrodes for measuring the body impedance of the subject;
A load sensor for measuring the weight of the subject;
An electronic circuit board connected to the electrode and the load sensor via a lead wire;
A reinforcing structure configured to have rigidity necessary to support the weight of the subject is provided, and an upper surface is opened, and the electrode, the load sensor, and the electronic circuit board can be wired and attached to each other. A resin housing body,
A load surface on which the subject is placed, and an opening that exposes the electrode to the load surface so as to be in contact with a part of the body of the subject. A resin housing cover attached to cover,
It is characterized by providing.

  In this way, by configuring the entire housing with a resin material, the weight / body composition meter can be reduced in weight and the material cost can be reduced. Further, by providing the housing body with the rigidity necessary to support the weight of the subject and covering the upper surface with the housing cover, the degree of freedom in designing the housing cover can be increased. . Therefore, it becomes easy to change the design of the surface to be loaded, which greatly affects the appearance of the apparatus, and the design can be improved.

In addition, since the wiring between the electrode, the load sensor, and the electronic circuit board can be completed on the housing body side before the housing cover is attached, when the housing cover is attached to the housing body as in the prior art, The housing body does not connect with the lead wire. Therefore, when the housing cover is attached to the housing main body, the lead wire can be prevented from being caught in the joint surface between the housing cover and the housing main body.

  The electrode can be attached after the housing cover is attached to the housing body. That is, after the housing cover is attached, the electrode can be attached to the housing body by connecting to the lead wire connected to the electronic circuit board through the opening of the housing cover. In this case, since the housing cover is already attached to the housing main body, there is no fear that the lead wire connecting the electrode and the electronic circuit board will be caught in the joint surface between the housing cover and the housing main body.

  The reinforcing structure may be a structure in which a plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided inside the housing body.

  As a result, the rigidity of the housing made of a resin material can be enhanced, and the weight of the housing can be reduced.

  The lead wire may be wired through a gap formed between the plurality of reinforcing ribs.

  Thus, by wiring the lead wires using the gaps formed between the reinforcing ribs, it is possible to simultaneously achieve rigidity enhancement and weight reduction of the housing and lead wire positioning.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve excellent assembly and reduce the weight and cost of the apparatus.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified. .

(Example)
With reference to FIGS. 1-5, the body weight body composition meter which concerns on the Example of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the whole body composition monitor. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a use state of the body weight / body composition meter. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the body weight / body composition meter. FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the body composition monitor main body. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view for explaining the assembly process of the body weight / body composition meter body, where (a) shows a state in which a load sensor and an electronic circuit board are wired to each other and attached to the housing body, and (b) shows an electrode. A state where the electronic circuit board is wired and attached to the housing main body, and FIG. 8C shows a state where the housing cover is attached to the housing main body.

<Configuration of body weight composition meter>
With reference mainly to FIG.1 and FIG.2, the schematic structure of the whole body weight composition meter is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the body weight / body composition meter is roughly composed of a main body 1 and a holding unit (display operation unit) 2. The main body 1 and the holding unit 2 are connected by a cable 3 and can transmit and receive signals. In addition, the structure which connects the main body 1 and the holding | maintenance part 2 by radio | wireless communication may be sufficient. When not in use, the holding unit 2 and the cable 3 are stored in the holding unit storage unit 14 of the main body 1.

Four foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R are provided on the upper surface (load surface) of the main body 1. The electrodes 10L and 10R are electrodes for applying a current to the left and right soles,
The electrodes 11L and 11R are electrodes for detecting a voltage from the left and right soles.

  Legs 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d that support the main body 1 in contact with the floor surface are provided at the four corners of the lower surface of the main body 1. Inside these leg portions 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are provided as load sensors for measuring body weight.

  The holding unit 2 is provided with left and right grips 20L and 20R, a display unit 21, an operation unit 22, and the like. The display unit 21 is a part that displays measurement results, guidance, and the like, and is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display. The operation unit 22 includes a user interface for inputting user information such as age, sex, and height, selecting a registration number (user), and inputting other information. The display unit 21 and the operation unit 22 may be configured by common hardware using a touch panel display.

  The grips 20L and 20R are provided with electrodes 24L and 24R for applying a current to the palm and electrodes 25L and 25R for detecting a voltage from the palm, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the body weight / body composition meter configured as described above has the subject put the left foot on the electrodes 10 </ b> L and 11 </ b> L on the upper surface of the main body 1 and the right foot on the electrodes 10 </ b> R and 11 </ b> R. 2. Hold the electrodes 24L, 25L of the left grip 20L with the left hand, hold the electrodes 24R, 25R of the right grip 20R with the right hand, extend the arm horizontally, and hold the holding portion 2 at substantially the same height as the shoulder. Used by.

  The control configuration of the body weight / body composition meter will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the holding unit 2 includes a control unit 26, an impedance measurement unit 27 as a means for measuring body composition, a storage unit 28, a power source 29, and the like. Further, the main body 1 incorporates a weight measuring unit 19a as means for measuring the body weight to which the load sensor is connected, an impedance interface 19b to which the foot electrode is connected, and the like. The weight measuring unit 19a and the impedance interface 19b are provided on the electronic circuit board 19.

  The control unit 26 includes a CPU (arithmetic processing unit), a memory, and the like. When the CPU executes a program, the weight and impedance measurement values and the user's body identification information read from the storage unit 28 are read. Is configured to perform various processes such as estimation of various body composition components (body fat, visceral fat, etc.) and determination of the degree of change in body composition value, and display the processing results on the display unit 21. Has been. However, some or all of the functions performed by the control unit 26 may be configured by a dedicated chip.

  The body weight measurement unit 23 is a means for measuring the body weight of the subject by detecting changes in resistance values detected by the strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d.

  The impedance measuring unit 27 applies a predetermined current to the living body from the foot electrodes 10L and 10R and the hand electrodes 24L and 24R according to the control of the control unit 26, and the foot electrodes 11L and 11R and the hand electrodes 25L and 25R. It is a means for measuring impedance in the body by detecting voltage.

The storage unit 28 includes a storage medium such as a nonvolatile memory. In the storage unit 28, the measurement result (measurement value) of the body weight and the body composition is stored by the control unit 26 for each user (by registration number) in time series. The storage unit 28 also stores body specifying information (gender, age, height) of each user. In the body composition monitor according to the present embodiment, a plurality of (for example, four) users can be registered, and the user can be selected by specifying a registration number on the operation unit 22.

  For the specific processing flow when measuring the body weight and body composition, the specific processing contents of the weight measuring unit 23, the control unit 26, and the impedance measuring unit 27, etc., appropriately adopt known methods. The description is omitted here.

<Housing structure of body composition monitor body>
The housing structure of the main body 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 1 is roughly composed of a housing main body 1a and a housing cover 1b. Both the housing body 1a and the housing cover 1b are resin molded products. Examples of the resin material include ABS resin and polycarbonate.

  The housing main body 1a is a housing-like member whose upper surface is open, and leg portions 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d are provided at the four corners of the lower surface. The housing body 1a includes a reinforcing structure having rigidity necessary to support the weight of the subject. Specifically, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 15 extending in a lattice shape are provided inside the housing body 1a to enhance the rigidity.

  Each of the reinforcing ribs 15 is a wall in which protrusions rising vertically from the upper surface of the bottom of the housing body 1a are continuously provided between opposing side wall surfaces inside the housing body 1a, that is, a wall that partitions the internal space of the housing body 1a. It has a shape like this. The plurality of reinforcing ribs 15 extend inside the housing body 1a in parallel in the vertical direction in the horizontal direction and extend in parallel in the horizontal direction so as to divide the inside of the housing body 1a into a plurality of small spaces. Are configured to cross each other. In addition, various structures are conventionally known for reinforcing structures that increase rigidity by such reinforcing ribs. In the present embodiment, the plurality of reinforcing ribs intersect each other at right angles so that the internal space has a substantially rectangular shape. However, for example, a configuration having a triangular shape or a honeycomb shape may be used.

  Each reinforcing rib 15 is configured such that the upper surface thereof contacts the lower surface of the housing cover 1b to support the housing cover 1b from below. The number, interval, thickness, and the like of the reinforcing ribs 15 are appropriately set based on specifications such as the shape and dimensions of the housing body 1a. Further, the reinforcing ribs 15 are generally provided at substantially the same height. However, as will be described later, the heights of the reinforcing ribs 15 are partially increased at locations where the electronic circuit board 19 is accommodated and where lead wires are wired. Is low.

  Foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R are attached to the upper surface of the opened housing body 1a, supported by the reinforcing ribs 15. In FIG. 4, each electrode is illustrated as being mounted directly on the reinforcing rib 15, but a plate material or the like may be mounted between the electrode and the reinforcing rib 15. Further, strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d as load sensors are attached to the insides of the leg portions of the housing body 1a.

  The reinforcing rib 15 is provided with an accommodation space 15a for the electronic circuit board 19 formed by partially reducing the height or by cutting out a part thereof. In addition, the method of accommodating the electronic circuit board 19 is not limited to this, and a method of inserting and accommodating the electronic circuit board 19 in the gap between the adjacent reinforcing ribs 15 may be used if design dimensions are possible.

The electronic circuit board 19 is connected to the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, 11R and the strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d via lead wires (not shown). The electronic circuit board 19 is connected to an electronic circuit board accommodated in the holding unit 2 via the cable 3, and a control circuit (control unit 26) or an impedance measurement circuit (impedance) provided on the board. An amplifier circuit for amplifying and outputting input signals from the electrodes and strain gauges is formed for the measuring unit 27).

  Although not shown, the lead wires connecting the respective foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R and the strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d and the electronic circuit board 19 are gaps between the reinforcing ribs 15. Or, it extends so as to sew a notch for wiring (not shown) provided in a part of the reinforcing rib 15.

  The housing cover 1b is a plate-like member having a planar shape corresponding to the opened upper surface of the housing body 1a. The upper surface of the housing cover 1 b is a load surface on which the subject is placed, and the lower surface is supported by the reinforcing rib 15.

  Further, the housing cover 1b is provided with openings 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d penetrating vertically at four locations corresponding to the attachment positions of the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R in the housing main body 1a. . Each of the openings 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d has substantially the same planar shape and size as each of the foot electrodes, and when attached to the housing body 1a, each of the foot electrodes is entirely loaded surface. It is provided so as to be exposed. Further, the thickness of the housing cover 1b is set such that when the subject is placed on the upper surface of the housing cover 1b, a part of the sole is surely in contact with each foot electrode. For example, in the state attached to the housing main body 1a, the height of the upper surface of the housing cover 1b is provided so as to be substantially the same as the upper surface of each foot electrode.

<Main body housing assembly process>
The assembly process of the main body 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

  The main body 1 of the body composition monitor according to the present embodiment includes the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R, the electronic circuit board 19, and the strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d provided on the main body 1 by wiring. , All are attached to the housing body 1a.

  That is, as shown to Fig.5 (a), as for the housing main body 1a, strain gauge 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d is first attached to each leg part of a lower surface. The electronic circuit board 19 connected to these strain gauges with the lead wires 17 a, 17 b, 17 c, and 17 d is attached to the accommodation space provided in the reinforcing rib 15. Although not shown in detail, the lead wires 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d are notched portions (not shown) for wiring provided in the gaps of the reinforcing ribs 15 or the upper portions of the reinforcing ribs 15, or partially high. Wiring is made through a portion (not shown) with a reduced height.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R, in which lead wires 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d are wired between the electronic circuit board 19 and the reinforcing ribs 15, are provided. It is attached to the upper surface of the housing body 1a in a supported manner. Similarly to the lead wires 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d, these lead wires 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d are notched portions (not shown) for wiring provided in the gaps of the reinforcing ribs 15 or the upper portions of the reinforcing ribs 15 or the like. Wiring is performed through a portion (not shown) whose height is partially lowered. In FIG. 5B, the lead wires 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d are not shown.

As shown in FIG. 5C, the attachment of the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R, the electronic circuit board 19, and the strain gauges 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d to the housing body 1a and the wiring between the members are completed. At this stage, the housing cover 1b is attached so as to cover the upper surface of the housing body 1a.

  Here, the connection of the foot electrodes 10L, 10R, 11L, and 11R with the lead wires 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d and the attachment to the housing body 1a are performed after the housing cover 1b is attached to the housing body 1a. It may be. That is, in a state where the lead wires 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d are connected only to the electronic circuit board 19, the end portions of the lead wires on the side connected to the foot electrodes are connected to the openings 16a, 16b, By attaching the housing cover 1b to the housing body 1a so as to be pulled out from 16c and 16d, each foot electrode can be connected to each lead wire and attached to the housing body 1b after the housing cover 1b is attached. it can.

<Excellent points of this embodiment>
According to the present embodiment, since the entire body housing of the body composition monitor can be made of a resin material, the weight body composition meter can be reduced in weight and the material cost can be reduced. Further, by providing the housing body with the rigidity necessary to support the weight of the subject and covering the upper surface with the housing cover, the degree of freedom in designing the housing cover can be increased. . Therefore, it becomes easy to change the design of the surface to be loaded, which greatly affects the appearance of the apparatus, and the design can be improved.

  In addition, since the wiring between the electrode, the load sensor, and the electronic circuit board can be completed on the housing body side before the housing cover is attached, when the housing cover is attached to the housing body as in the prior art, The housing body does not connect with the lead wire. Therefore, when the housing cover is attached to the housing main body, the lead wire can be prevented from being caught in the joint surface between the housing cover and the housing main body.

  The electrode can be attached after the housing cover is attached to the housing body. That is, after the housing cover is attached, the electrode can be attached to the housing body by connecting to the lead wire connected to the electronic circuit board through the opening of the housing cover. In this case, since the housing cover is already attached to the housing main body, there is no fear that the lead wire connecting the electrode and the electronic circuit board will be caught in the joint surface between the housing cover and the housing main body.

  Further, by providing a reinforcing structure that increases the rigidity of the housing by providing a plurality of reinforcing ribs inside the housing body, the rigidity of the housing made of a resin material can be enhanced and the weight of the housing can be reduced. Further, the housing is formed by utilizing the gap formed between the reinforcing ribs, or by wiring the lead wire through a notch portion provided in a part of the reinforcing rib or a partially reduced height portion. Strengthening and weight reduction of the lead wire and positioning of the lead wire can be achieved at the same time.

  Therefore, it is possible to improve the assemblability of the body of the body composition monitor and to reduce the weight and cost of the device.

  The above embodiment is merely an example of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea.

For example, in the above embodiment, the type of body composition monitor has been described as having a configuration in which the main body and the holding section are separated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a control section, a display section, etc. are provided on the main body side. The present invention can be applied to various known configurations such as a configuration in which impedance measurement is performed using only the foot electrodes and the holding unit is eliminated. Further, the arrangement of electrodes, load sensors, and the like is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.

It is a schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the whole body weight composition meter. It is a schematic diagram which shows the use condition of a body weight body composition meter. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of a body weight body composition meter. It is a typical exploded perspective view of a body composition monitor main body. It is a top view explaining the assembly process of a body weight body composition meter main body. It is a disassembled perspective view of the main body housing of the body weight composition meter which concerns on a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 1a Housing main body 1b Housing cover 10L, 10R Foot electrode 11L, 11R Foot electrode 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d Leg part 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d Strain gauge 14 Holding part accommodating part 15 Reinforcement rib 15a Accommodating space 16a , 16b, 16c, 16d Openings 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d Lead wires 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d Lead wires 19 Electronic circuit board 19a Weight measurement unit 19b Impedance interface 2 Holding unit 20L, 20R Grip 21 Display unit 22 Operation unit 24L, 24R Hand electrode 25L, 25R Hand electrode 26 Control unit 27 Impedance measurement unit 28 Storage unit 29 Power supply 3 Cable

Claims (3)

Electrodes for measuring the body impedance of the subject;
A load sensor for measuring the weight of the subject;
An electronic circuit board connected to the electrode and the load sensor via a lead wire;
A reinforcing structure configured to have rigidity necessary to support the weight of the subject is provided, and an upper surface is opened, and the electrode, the load sensor, and the electronic circuit board can be wired and attached to each other. A resin housing body,
A load surface on which the subject is placed, and an opening that exposes the electrode to the load surface so as to be in contact with a part of the body of the subject. A resin housing cover attached to cover,
A body composition monitor comprising a body weight.   2. The body composition monitor according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure is a structure in which a plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided inside the housing body.   3. The body composition monitor according to claim 2, wherein the lead wire is wired through a gap formed between the plurality of reinforcing ribs.

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