JP2016036617A - Ear wearing tool with pulse sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ear wearing tool with pulse sensor which enhances design freedom.SOLUTION: An ear wearing tool with pulse sensor 1 includes: a housing 3; a pulse sensor 5; and a light guide member 6. The housing includes an insertion part 11 capable of being inserted into an ear hole when the ear wearing tool is worn on a user's ear, the insertion part including an exposure hole 12 facing an inner wall of the ear hole. The pulse sensor is attached to the housing, irradiates the inner wall of the ear hole with light with a light emitting element 21 and receives light returning from the inner wall of the ear hole with a light reception element, thereby capable of measuring the user's pulse. The light guide member is long shaped and attached on the housing in a state in which one end 25 in a longitudinal direction is inserted into the exposure hole of the insertion part and the other end 26 in the longitudinal direction faces the pulse sensor so as to transmit light from the inner wall of the ear hole to the light reception element.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an ear wearing device with a pulse sensor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for measuring a user's pulse, an ear wearing device with a pulse sensor that is used by being worn on the user's ear is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of ear mounting device with a pulse sensor includes a housing and a pulse sensor. In the ear wearing device with a pulse sensor, the pulse sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and is provided in an insertion portion of the housing.

  The pulse sensor is configured to emit light by the light emitting element at the insertion portion in a state of being inserted into an ear hole when the ear wearing device with the pulse sensor is attached to the user's ear. The pulse of the user can be measured by irradiating (for example, the inner wall of the ear canal (external auditory canal)) and receiving reflected light returning from a predetermined part of the ear by the light receiving element.

JP 2014-068733 A

  However, in the conventional ear wearing device with a pulse sensor, the pulse sensor is placed in the insertion portion of the housing so that the light emitting element and the light receiving element face a predetermined part of the ear when the ear wearing tool is worn on a user's ear. Therefore, there is a problem that the installation position of the pulse sensor is limited and the degree of freedom in design is inferior. As a result, for example, the insertion portion where the pulse sensor needs to be installed is increased in size, and the feeling of wearing the ear sensor with the pulse sensor on the ear may be impaired.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, and it aims at provision of the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor which can raise a design freedom.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an ear wearing device with a pulse sensor that can be worn on a user's ear, and includes a housing, a pulse sensor, and a light guide member. Here, the housing has an insertion portion that can be inserted into the ear canal when worn on the user's ear, and the exposed hole that faces the inner wall of the ear canal when the insertion portion is inserted into the ear hole. It is provided in the insertion part. The pulse sensor has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, is attached to the housing, irradiates light toward the inner wall of the ear canal by the light emitting element, and receives light returning from the inner wall of the ear hole by the light receiving element. Thus, the user's pulse can be measured. The light guide member has an elongated shape, and has one longitudinal end so that light can be conducted from the light emitting element to the inner wall of the ear hole and light can be conducted from the inner wall of the ear hole to the light receiving element. Is inserted into the exposure hole of the insertion portion, and is attached to the housing in a state where the other end portion in the longitudinal direction is opposed to the pulse sensor.

  According to this configuration, when the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor is attached to the user's ear, the pulse of the user can be measured by the pulse sensor. In addition, since the light from the pulse sensor can be guided using the light guide member, an installation position of the pulse sensor with respect to the housing can be arbitrarily set. Design freedom can be increased. As a result, an increase in the size of the insertion portion can be suppressed, and deterioration of the wearing feeling of the ear mounting tool with the pulse sensor on the ear can be prevented.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the pulse sensor is built in the housing.

  According to this configuration, the ear wearing device with a pulse sensor can be made compact. In addition, the influence of external light from the outside of the ear is eliminated as much as possible, and it is easy to suppress a decrease in measurement accuracy of the pulse sensor.

  The invention according to claim 3 is an elastic member that surrounds the insertion portion, and accommodates one longitudinal end portion of the light guide member extending from the exposed hole of the insertion portion and insertion of the insertion portion into the ear hole. An elastic member provided with a communication hole facing the inner wall of the ear hole is sometimes provided, and when the insertion portion is inserted into the ear hole, the elastic member shields the outside of the user's ear and the communication hole. Therefore, it is loaded between the inner wall of the ear hole and the insertion portion while being elastically deformed so as to be in close contact with the inner wall of the ear hole.

  According to this configuration, when the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor is mounted on the user's ear, external light from the outside of the ear is received in the communication hole that houses one end of the light guide member in the longitudinal direction. It is possible to prevent intrusion. Therefore, the measurement accuracy of the pulse sensor can be improved.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor which can raise a design freedom can be provided.

It is a side view of an ear wearing tool with a pulse sensor concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is AA arrow sectional drawing of FIG. It is a side view of the internal structure of the housing in the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor of FIG. It is a cross-sectional top view which shows the state which inserted the insertion part of the housing in the ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor of FIG. 1 in the user's ear hole.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1, the side view of the ear mounting tool 1 with a pulse sensor which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. In FIG. 3, the side view of the internal structure of the housing 3 in the ear mounting tool 1 with the said pulse sensor is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ear wearing device 1 with a pulse sensor is an earphone with a pulse sensor in the present embodiment, and is configured to be worn on the user's ear. The ear sensor 1 with a pulse sensor is connected to an appropriate external device via a cable 2 and is used in conjunction with the external device.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the ear mounting device 1 with a pulse sensor includes the housing 3, an earphone speaker 4, a pulse sensor 5, and a light guide member 6.

  The housing 3 includes the insertion portion 11 that can be inserted into the ear canal (the ear canal) when the ear mounting device 1 with a pulse sensor is mounted on the user's ear. The insertion portion 11 is provided with an exposure hole 12. The exposure hole 12 is formed to face the inner wall of the ear hole when the insertion portion 11 is inserted into the ear hole.

  In the present embodiment, the housing 3 includes a housing body 13 and a housing cover 14. In the housing 3, both the housing body 13 and the housing cover 14 are manufactured using a resin.

  The housing body 13 includes the cylindrical insertion portion 11 and a bottomed cylindrical support portion 16. The insertion portion 11 has a sound hole 17 facing the outside at one end in the axial direction inside, and is integrally connected to the support portion 16 at the other end in the axial direction. The support portion 16 has an opening 18 that communicates with the internal space of the insertion portion 11 (the sound hole 17).

  The housing cover 14 is generally dome-shaped. The housing cover 14 is integrally joined to the housing body 13 in a state where the outer peripheral edge portion is abutted against the outer peripheral edge portion of the support portion 16 so that the housing 3 is hollow. The housing cover 14 has a cable insertion part 19 through which the cable 2 can be inserted.

  In the present embodiment, the earphone speaker 4 uses a dynamic drive system. The earphone speaker 4 is incorporated in the housing 3. Specifically, the earphone speaker 4 is supported by the opening 18 of the housing body 13 such that the sound emitting surface faces the internal space of the insertion portion 11.

  The pulse sensor 5 includes a light emitting element 21 and a light receiving element 22. The pulse sensor 5 is attached to the housing 3 and radiates light toward the inner wall of the user's ear canal by the light emitting element 21, and the reflected light returns from the inner wall of the ear hole by the light receiving element 22. Is received so that the user's pulse can be measured.

  In the present embodiment, the pulse sensor 5 has a casing 23 in addition to the light emitting element 21 and the light receiving element 22. The light emitting element 21 and the light receiving element 22 are accommodated in the casing 23. As the light emitting element 21, a light emitting diode (LED) that emits infrared rays or the like is used. As the light receiving element 22, a phototransistor or the like is used.

  The pulse sensor 5 is attached to the housing 3 so as to be located outside the ear when the ear sensor with pulse sensor 1 is attached to a user's ear. Specifically, the pulse sensor 5 is attached to the housing cover 14 that is not substantially inserted into the ear canal together with the insertion portion 11 of the housing body 13 in the housing 3.

  The light guide member 6 is long and has flexibility. The light guide member 6 has one longitudinal end so that light can be transmitted from the light emitting element 21 to the inner wall of the user's ear canal and light (reflected light) from the inner wall of the ear hole to the light receiving element 22. 25 is inserted into the exposure hole 12 of the insertion portion 11 and is attached to the housing 3 with the other end 26 in the longitudinal direction facing the pulse sensor 5.

  In the present embodiment, the light guide member 6 includes a light emitting side light guiding member 6A and a light receiving side light guiding member 6B. An optical fiber or the like is used as each of the light guide members 6A and 6B. Further, as the exposure hole 12, a light emission side exposure hole 12A and a light reception side exposure hole 12B are provided in the insertion portion 11 so as to correspond to the light emission side light guide member 6A and the light reception side light guide member 6B, respectively. (See FIGS. 2 and 4).

  The light emitting side light guide member 6 </ b> A extends between the light emitting side exposed hole 12 </ b> A and the light emitting element 21 of the pulse sensor 5. The light emitting side light guide member 6A is inserted into the light emitting side exposed hole 12A of the insertion portion 11 so that the one end 25A side in the longitudinal direction faces the inner wall of the ear hole. On the other hand, the other end portion 26A in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting side light guide member 6A is disposed so as to face the light emitting element 21 at a position close to the light emitting element 21.

  The light receiving side light guide member 6 </ b> B extends between the light receiving side exposure hole 12 </ b> B and the light receiving element 22 of the pulse sensor 5. The light receiving side light guide member 6B is inserted into the light receiving side exposed hole 12B of the insertion portion 11 so that the one end 25B side in the longitudinal direction faces the inner wall of the ear hole. On the other hand, the other end 26B in the longitudinal direction of the light receiving side light guide member 6B is disposed so as to face the light receiving element 22 at a position close to the light receiving element 22.

  Here, the light emitting side exposed hole 12A and the light receiving side exposed hole 12B of the insertion portion 11 are provided in positions close to each other. Thus, the longitudinal end portion 25A side of the light emitting side light guide member 6A and the longitudinal end portion 25B side of the light receiving side light guide member 6B are located at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction of the insertion portion 11 at a position close to each other. Are arranged apart from each other.

  In such a configuration, when the user's pulse is measured using the ear sensor 1 with the pulse sensor, first, the insertion portion 11 is inserted into the ear hole 30 of the user as shown in FIG. The ear mounting device 1 with the pulse sensor is mounted on the user's ear as described above, and the longitudinal end portion 25 (25A, 25B) of the light guide member 6 (6A, 6B) is connected to the inner wall 31 of the ear hole 30. Is held at a predetermined position opposite to. Next, the light emitting element 21 of the pulse sensor 5 is appropriately caused to emit light by the external device or the like.

  Thereby, the light (infrared rays) emitted from the light emitting element 21 is guided by the light emitting side light guide member 6A through the other end portion 26A in the longitudinal direction, and irradiated to the inner wall 31 of the ear hole 30 from the one end portion 25A in the longitudinal direction. Is done. And the reflected light from the inner wall 31 of the ear canal 30 that is transmitted back through the human body 32 of the user with this irradiation is guided by the light receiving side light guide member 6B through the longitudinal end portion 25B, It is detected by the light receiving element 22 through the other end 26B in the longitudinal direction.

  As a result, the pulse of the user can be measured. That is, in the user's human body 32, the blood flow in the blood vessel changes in response to the heartbeat, and further, the amount of hemoglobin in the blood changes. Therefore, according to the pulse sensor 5, the change in the amount of hemoglobin is detected by the light receiving element 22 as a change in the amount of reflected infrared light, and the pulse of the user can be measured based on the detected value. It has become. In addition, the measured value of a pulse can be grasped by the external device or the like.

  With the configuration as described above, when the ear sensor 1 with a pulse sensor is attached to the user's ear, the pulse of the user can be measured by the pulse sensor 5. Moreover, since the light from the pulse sensor 5 can be guided using the light-emitting side light guide member 6A and the light-receiving side light guide member 6B, the installation position of the pulse sensor 5 with respect to the housing 3 is arbitrarily set. Thus, the degree of freedom in designing the ear sensor device 1 with a pulse sensor can be increased. As a result, an increase in the size of the insertion portion 11 can be suppressed, and deterioration of the wearing feeling of the ear sensor 1 with the pulse sensor on the ear can be prevented.

  In addition, although the said light guide member 6 is arrange | positioned so that the said longitudinal direction one end part 25 may face the outer peripheral surface side of the said insertion part 11 in this embodiment, it is an ear | edge with a pulse sensor to a user's ear. If the longitudinal end portion 25 can be opposed to the inner wall of the ear hole when the mounting tool 1 is mounted, the longitudinal end portion 25 is substantially in the axial direction of the insertion portion 11 (that is, the sound hole 17 and You may arrange | position so that it may face substantially the same direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the ear mounting device 1 with a pulse sensor, the pulse sensor 5 is built in the housing 3. In the present embodiment, the pulse sensor 5 is disposed inside the housing 3 so as to be positioned between the earphone speaker 4 and the housing cover 14, and is supported on the inner peripheral surface thereof via a stay 33. ing.

  With such a configuration, the ear sensor device 1 with a pulse sensor can be made compact. Further, the influence of external light from the outside of the user's ear is eliminated as much as possible, and it is easy to suppress a decrease in measurement accuracy of the pulse sensor 5. Here, the light guide member 6 is also arranged inside the housing 3 in accordance with the installation position of the pulse sensor 5.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the ear sensor 1 with a pulse sensor includes an elastic member 35.

  The elastic member 35 is disposed so as to surround the insertion portion 11. The elastic member 35 is provided with a communication hole 36. The communication hole 36 accommodates one end portion 25 in the longitudinal direction of the light guide member 6 extending from the exposure hole 12 of the insertion portion 11, and the insertion of the insertion portion 11 into the ear hole 30 of the user is performed. Opposite the inner wall.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the insertion portion 11 is inserted into the ear hole 30, the elastic member 35 causes the ear hole to shield the outside 38 of the user's ear and the communication hole 36. It is configured to be loaded between the inner wall 31 of the ear hole 30 and the insertion portion 11 while being elastically deformed so as to be in close contact with the inner wall 31 of 30.

  In the present embodiment, the elastic member 35 is used as an earpiece. The elastic member 35 is manufactured using an elastic material such as silicon rubber. The elastic member 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is closely fitted on the insertion portion 11 so as to be detachable. The elastic member 35 has an outer diameter larger than that of the user's ear hole, and can be elastically deformed in the direction of diameter reduction.

  The communicating hole 36 has a light emitting side communicating hole 36A and a light receiving side communicating hole 36B adjacent to each other, corresponding to the light emitting side exposed hole 12A and the light receiving side exposed hole 12B, respectively. The light emitting side communication hole 36A and the light receiving side communication hole 36B are respectively disposed in the axial center of the elastic member 35 and are provided so as to penetrate the elastic member 35 in the radial direction.

  The light emitting side communication hole 36A is provided so as to face the outside on the outer peripheral surface side of the elastic member 35 and to be continuous with the light emitting side exposed hole 12A substantially linearly on the inner peripheral surface side of the elastic member 35. . The light emission side communication hole 36A is formed so as to be able to accommodate one longitudinal end portion 25A of the light emission side light guide member 6A.

  The light receiving side communication hole 36 </ b> B is provided so as to face the outside on the outer peripheral surface side of the elastic member 35 and to be continuous substantially linearly with the light receiving side exposed hole 12 </ b> B on the inner peripheral surface side of the elastic member 35. . The light receiving side communication hole 36B is formed so as to accommodate one end portion 25B in the longitudinal direction of the light receiving side light guide member 6B.

  And the said elastic member 35 is inserted in the said ear hole 30 with the said insertion part 11, and it adheres the inner wall 31 of the said ear hole 30 to an outer peripheral surface, elastically deforming according to the shape of the said ear. . Thus, the elastic member 35 can interpose the close contact portion 39 to the inner wall 31 of the ear hole 30 between the light emitting side communication hole 36A and the light receiving side communication hole 36B and the outer part 38 of the ear. Yes.

  With this configuration, when the ear mounting device 1 with the pulse sensor is mounted on the user's ear, the light emitting side that accommodates the longitudinal end portion 25A of the light emitting side light guide member 6A by the contact portion 39. It is possible to prevent external light from the outside of the ear from entering the communication hole 36A and the light reception side communication hole 36B that accommodates the longitudinal end portion 25B of the light reception side light guide member 6B. . Therefore, the measurement accuracy of the pulse sensor 5 can be improved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor 3 Housing 5 Pulse sensor 6 Light guide member 6A Light emission side light guide member 6B Light reception side light guide member 11 Insertion part 12 Exposure hole 12A Light emission side exposure hole 12B Light reception side exposure hole 21 Light emission element 22 Light reception element 25 A longitudinal end of the light guide member 25A A longitudinal end of the light emitting side light guiding member 25B A longitudinal end of the light receiving side light guiding member 26 A longitudinal end of the light guiding member 26A A longitudinal direction of the light emitting side light guiding member The other end 26B The other end in the longitudinal direction of the light receiving side light guide member 35 Elastic member 36 Communication hole 36A Light emission side communication hole 36B Light reception side communication hole

Claims (3)

An ear wearing device with a pulse sensor that can be worn on a user's ear,
A housing having an insertion part that can be inserted into an ear canal when mounted on the user's ear, and an exposure hole that is opposed to the inner wall of the ear hole when the insertion part is inserted into the ear hole. When,
The light emitting element and the light receiving element are attached to the housing, and the light emitting element emits light toward the inner wall of the ear canal and the light receiving element receives light returning from the inner wall of the ear hole. A pulse sensor configured to measure a person's pulse;
One end in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the exposed hole of the insertion portion and the other end in the longitudinal direction so that light can be conducted from the light emitting element to the inner wall of the ear hole and light can be conducted from the inner wall of the ear hole to the light receiving element. An ear mounting tool with a pulse sensor, comprising: a long light guide member attached to the housing in a state where a portion faces the pulse sensor.   The ear mounting device with a pulse sensor according to claim 1, wherein the pulse sensor is built in the housing. An elastic member that surrounds the insertion portion, and accommodates one longitudinal end portion of the light guide member extending from the exposed hole of the insertion portion and faces the inner wall of the ear hole when the insertion portion is inserted into the ear hole. An elastic member provided with a communication hole;
When the insertion portion is inserted into the ear hole, the elastic member is elastically deformed so as to be in close contact with the inner wall of the ear hole so as to shield the outside of the user's ear and the communication hole. The ear mounting device with a pulse sensor according to claim 1, wherein the ear mounting device is loaded between an inner wall and the insertion portion.

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