JP2020176887A - Life diagnosis device of electromechanical conversion device and life diagnosis method of electromagnetic conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a life diagnosis device of an electromagnetic conversion device capable of appropriately detecting respective deterioration degrees.SOLUTION: A life diagnosis device of an electromagnetic conversion device with a sensor part including an elastic conductive cloth joined to an elastic base material includes: a calibration unit for performing calibration such that an output of the electromagnetic conversion device during maximum contraction is a prescribed fiducial value and that an output of the electromagnetic conversion device during maximum extension is a prescribed fiducial value with the electromagnetic conversion device mounted on a detection object; a calibration time management unit for managing time information during actuating the calibration unit as a calibration time; a life prediction unit for predicting a life arrival time on the basis of a reduction rate from an initial value of the output during the maximum extension detected by the calibration unit and a cumulative use time acquired from the calculation time, and a life display unit for displaying the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a life diagnosis device for a mechanical electric conversion device and a method for life diagnosis of a mechanical electric conversion device.

Attention is being paid to clothing with a sensor, which is intended to measure the movement of the wearer's body by attaching a mechanical / electrical conversion device to the clothing to be worn.

Patent Document 1 proposes a tensile deformation detection cloth that suppresses power consumption as a detection system by detecting expansion and contraction of a knitted fabric or a woven fabric as a change in capacitance.

The tensile deformation detection cloth makes a knitted fabric or a woven fabric including a plurality of conductive yarns stretchable in one direction, and the distance between adjacent conductive yarns changes with the expansion and contraction. It is characterized in that the adjacent conductive threads are configured to maintain an insulating state, and the ends of the adjacent conductive threads are a pair of electrodes for measuring the capacitance.

Specifically, a knitted fabric made of a plurality of conductive yarns consisting of a core containing conductive fibers and a sheath covering the core with insulating fibers is tied at both ends of the woven conductive yarns. It has been proposed that the direction is the expansion / contraction direction, and the end of each conductive thread is a pair of electrodes for measuring the capacitance.

Patent Document 2 proposes a fabric with a distortion sensor for the purpose of capturing the movement of the wearer as an electric signal.

The fabric with a sensor includes a stretchable sheet-like fabric and a strain sensor laminated on one surface side of the fabric, and the fabric is a surface layer of at least a part of a region where the strain sensor is laminated. Has a composite layer containing fibers and resins that contribute to the adhesion of the strain sensor.

The cloth with a strain sensor described above is configured to fix the CNT sensor itself having a CNT (carbon nanotube) film oriented in a predetermined direction to the cloth via an adhesive, so that high sensor sensitivity can be obtained. Are listed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-177565 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-78967

However, in the process of attaching these sensors to a detection target such as the human body and repeatedly using them, washing is performed multiple times, and the number of expansions and contractions increases, which causes deterioration over time and reduces sensitivity, which is appropriate. It was necessary to know how long it could be used.

Therefore, it is conceivable to set a certain expiration date from the start of use and replace it with a new sensor uniformly after the expiration date, but since the degree of deterioration varies depending on the usage situation, the expiration date is set. There was a problem that it had to be set short.

An object of the present invention is to provide a life diagnosis device for a mechanical electric conversion device and a life diagnosis method for a mechanical electric conversion device, which can appropriately detect the degree of deterioration of each of them in view of the above problems.

In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the life diagnostic device of the mechanical electrical conversion device according to the present invention is mechanical electrical conversion in which a sensor portion provided with a stretchable conductive cloth is bonded to a stretchable base material. It is a life diagnosis device of the device, and when the mechanical electric conversion device is attached to the detection target, the output at the time of maximum contraction of the mechanical electric conversion device becomes a predetermined base value, and at the time of maximum extension of the mechanical electric conversion device. The calibration unit that calibrates the output in the above to a predetermined peak value, the calibration time management unit that manages the time information at the time of operation of the calibration unit as the calibration time, and the output at the maximum extension detected by the calibration unit. A life prediction unit that predicts the life arrival time based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of and the cumulative usage time obtained from the calibration time, and a life display that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit. The point is that it has a part.

Prior to the use of the mechanical electrical converter, the output of the mechanical electrical converter is calibrated by the calibration unit, and even if the sensitivity deteriorates over time, the output of the mechanical electrical converter at maximum contraction is predetermined. It becomes the base value and is adjusted so that the output at the time of maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value.
The cumulative time from the first calibration managed by the calibration time management unit and the output at the maximum contraction and maximum expansion of the mechanical electrical converter detected at each calibration, that is, the initial output obtained based on the output before calibration. The life is predicted by the life prediction unit based on the rate of decrease from the value, and the predicted life is displayed on the life display unit. For example, if the mechanical electrical converter is always attached and the expansion and contraction operation is frequent but the cumulative elapsed time is short, or if it is attached and detached as needed, the cumulative elapsed time is long but the number of expansion and contraction operations is small. In any of these cases, the degree of deterioration can be appropriately determined.

The second characteristic configuration is a life diagnosis device of a mechanical electric conversion device in which a sensor unit provided with an elastic conductive cloth is bonded to an elastic base material, and the mechanical electric conversion device is a detection target. A calibration unit that calibrates the mechanical electrical converter so that the output at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value and the output of the mechanical electrical converter at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value in the mounted state, and the above-mentioned The expansion / contraction number management unit that manages the expansion / contraction number of the mechanical / electrical converter after being calibrated by the calibration unit, the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum expansion detected by the calibration unit, and the expansion / contraction number management. The point is that it is provided with a life prediction unit that predicts the life arrival time based on the cumulative number of expansions and contractions obtained from the unit, and a life display unit that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit.

Prior to the use of the mechanical electrical converter, the output of the mechanical electrical converter is calibrated by the calibration unit, and even if the sensitivity deteriorates over time, the output of the mechanical electrical converter at maximum contraction is predetermined. It becomes the base value and is adjusted so that the output at the time of maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value.
It is obtained based on the cumulative number of expansions and contractions from the first calibration managed by the expansion and contraction count management unit and the output at the maximum contraction and maximum expansion of the mechanical electrical converter detected at each calibration, that is, the output before calibration. The life is predicted by the life prediction unit based on the rate of decrease from the initial value, and the predicted life is displayed on the life display unit. For example, it becomes possible to appropriately determine the degree of deterioration for each of the cases where there are many large expansion and contraction operations and the many small expansion and contraction operations when the mechanical electric conversion device is attached.

In the third feature configuration, in addition to the first or second feature configuration described above, an identification code for individually identifying the mechanical / electrical conversion device is assigned, and the life prediction unit is based on the identification code. The point is that it is configured to predict the life of the corresponding mechanical electrical converter.

Since the mechanical / electrical conversion device to be diagnosed by the life diagnosis device is specified via the identification code, the life of different mechanical / electrical conversion devices can be predicted by the same life diagnosis device.

In the fourth feature configuration, in addition to any of the first to third feature configurations described above, when the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit reaches a predetermined time set in advance, the mechanical electrical conversion The point is that it has a purchase assistance unit that connects to the device purchase website.

When the mechanical electric converter suddenly reaches the end of its life at a certain time, there is a disadvantage that it takes time to obtain a replacement, but when the proper usable period is shortened, the purchase assistance part is activated and the mechanical electric conversion device is activated. Once connected to the converter purchase website, appropriate replacements will be available.

In the fifth feature configuration, in addition to any of the first to fourth feature configurations described above, the sensor unit is a pair of elastic conductive layers arranged so as to face each other with the insulating layer interposed therebetween. The point is that the property fabric and the adhesive layer in which each conductive fabric is bonded to the insulating layer are provided.

A capacitive element is formed in which a conductive cloth bonded with an insulating layer sandwiched between them serves as an electrode. When the sensor unit is extended, the area S of the conductive fabric that functions as an electrode is increased, and the distance d between the conductive fabrics is shortened, so that the capacitance (C∝S / d) is increased. On the contrary, when the sensor portion contracts, the area S of the conductive fabric that functions as an electrode becomes smaller, and the distance d between the conductive fabrics becomes longer, so that the capacitance (C∝S / d) decreases.

In the sixth characteristic configuration, in addition to the fifth characteristic configuration described above, the conductive fabric extends over a plurality of courses in an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating elastic yarn as the ground yarn. A flat knitted fabric in which conductive yarns are knitted together, or a strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region using conductive yarns sandwiching an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using insulating elastic yarns as the ground yarns. It is composed of knitted flat knitted fabric, and the course direction is arranged along the expansion and contraction direction.

When the conductive fabric bonded to the insulating layer is made of a flat knitted fabric, it becomes a flat knitted ground unlike a rib knitted fabric in which large irregularities are formed on the surface. A sufficient adhesive area is secured and a strong adhesive force can be obtained, a decrease in sensitivity with time due to peeling of the adhesive portion and the like is suppressed, and stable characteristics can be obtained for a long period of time.

The first characteristic configuration of the method for diagnosing the life of a mechanical electric converter according to the present invention is a method for diagnosing the life of a mechanical electric converter in which a sensor unit provided with an elastic conductive cloth is bonded to an elastic base material. With the mechanical / electrical conversion device attached to the detection target, the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value, and the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. From the calibration processing step that calibrates so as to be, the calibration time management step that manages the time information at the time of operation of the calibration processing step as the calibration time, and the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected in the calibration processing step. The life prediction processing step that predicts the life arrival time based on the reduction rate of the above and the cumulative usage time managed by the calibration time management step, and the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction processing step are displayed on the display unit. The point is that it has a life display step to be displayed.

The second characteristic configuration is a method for diagnosing the life of a mechanical electrical conversion device in which a sensor unit provided with an elastic conductive cloth is bonded to an elastic base material, and the mechanical electrical conversion device is used as a detection target. A calibration process step of calibrating the mechanical electrical converter so that the output at the maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value and the output at the maximum extension of the mechanical electrical converter becomes a predetermined peak value in the mounted state. The expansion / contraction number management step that manages the expansion / contraction number of the mechanical / electrical conversion device after being calibrated in the calibration processing step, the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum expansion detected in the calibration processing step, and the above. A life prediction processing step that predicts the life arrival time based on the cumulative expansion / contraction number managed in the expansion / contraction number management step, and a life display step that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction processing step on the display unit. , Is provided.

According to the present invention, it has become possible to provide a life diagnosis device of a mechanical electric conversion device and a life diagnosis method of a mechanical electric conversion device capable of appropriately detecting the degree of deterioration of each.

(A) is an explanatory view of the mechanical electrical conversion device according to the present invention, an explanatory view before the surface insulating layer (broken line) is provided, and (b) is an explanatory view after the electrode (broken line) is covered with the surface insulating layer. An explanatory view, (c) is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 (b), and (d) is an explanatory view of clothing (supporter) incorporating a mechanical electrical conversion device. (A) is a cross section taken along line BB in FIG. 1 (b), and (b) to (d) are output characteristic diagrams thereof. Explanatory drawing of the life diagnosis system in which the life diagnosis device of the mechanical electric converter is incorporated. Functional block configuration diagram of the life diagnostic device of the mechanical electrical converter Flowchart showing the procedure of calibration process Flowchart showing the procedure of life prediction processing A flowchart showing a procedure of life prediction processing showing another embodiment (A) and (b) are explanatory views of life prediction processing.

Hereinafter, the life diagnosis device of the mechanical electric conversion device and the life diagnosis device of the mechanical electric conversion device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Structure of mechanical electrical converter]
As shown in FIG. 1D, the mechanical / electrical conversion device 1 according to the present invention is incorporated in a supporter 100 to be attached to a joint of an elbow, a joint of a knee, or the like. The supporter 100 includes a support band 101 that winds around a joint portion and a hook-and-loop fastener 104 that fixes the ends 102 and 103 of the support band 101, and the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is attached at a position facing the elbow or knee. There is. When the elbow and knee joints are bent and stretched while the supporter 100 is attached, the mechanical electric converter 1 expands and contracts, and the mechanical movement is taken out as an electric signal.

In FIG. 1D, the device indicated by reference numeral 110 is a signal processing device that converts and amplifies the electric signal converted by the mechanical electric conversion device 1 into a voltage and wirelessly outputs the value, and is a mechanical electric conversion device. The pair of connection electrodes 15 of 1 and the connection electrode 115 of the signal processing device 110 are detachably attached to the supporter 100 via a connection electrode composed of a pair of female and male snap buttons. In addition to using a hook member such as a snap button as a connection electrode, a connection connector may be configured to pull out a lead wire arranged at the tip.

The electric signal transmitted from the signal processing device 110 is received by a measuring device provided with a receiving unit, and the motion state of the joint portion of the wearer can be monitored. The measuring device is the life diagnostic device of the present invention.

For example, when a patient who is engaged in rehabilitation wears such a supporter 100, the number and degree of joint flexion / extension movements are monitored, and it is managed that appropriate rehabilitation is performed.

As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the mechanical electric conversion device 1 includes a woven rubber fabric 2 as an example of the elastic base material 2 and a sensor superimposed on the woven rubber fabric 2. It is configured to include a part 3. The sensor unit 3 includes an insulating layer 6 and a pair of elastic conductive fabrics 4 and 5 arranged to face each other with the insulating layer 6 interposed therebetween, and the insulating layer 6 and the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 are adhered to each other. The sensor portion 3 is fixed to the woven rubber fabric 2 via an insulating layer 7 on the surface layer which is joined via a layer and covers the sensor portion 3. Both ends of the woven rubber fabric 2 are folded back and sewn to form a mounting loop.

In FIG. 1A, the width of the upper conductive cloth 5 is narrower than the width of the lower conductive cloth 4, but the width may be the same in the upper and lower layers, or conversely, the lower conductive cloth 4 may have the same width. The width of the conductive fabric 5 above the width may be wider.

The sensor unit 3 functions as a pair of counter electrodes in which a pair of elastic conductive fabrics 4 and 5 are arranged to face each other with the insulating layer 6 interposed therebetween, and the pair of elastic fabrics 2 expands and contracts. It is a capacitance sensor that detects a change in mechanical shape that the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 and the insulating layer 6 expand and contract as a change in capacitance.

That is, when a pair of elastic conductive fabrics 4 and 5 arranged to face each other with the insulating layer 6 interposed therebetween are stretched, the area S of the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 functioning as electrodes increases, and the distance d between the electrodes d. Is shortened, so that the capacitance (C∝S / d) increases. On the contrary, when the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 shrink, the area S of the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 functioning as electrodes becomes smaller and the distance d between the electrodes becomes longer, so that the capacitance (C∝S / d) Decreases.

The sensor unit 3 constituting the mechanical electric conversion device 1 may be composed of a variable resistor that detects a change in the resistance value of the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 that expand and contract with the expansion and contraction of the woven rubber fabric 2.

FIG. 1A shows a mechanical electrical conversion device 1 in a plan view before the surface insulating layer 7 (indicated by a broken line in the figure) is provided, and FIG. 1B shows a surface insulating layer 7. The mechanical electrical conversion device 1 in a plan view after the electrodes 4 and 5 (indicated by the broken line in the figure) are covered with the above is shown, and FIG. 1 (c) shows the line AA of FIG. 1 (b). A cross section is shown.

FIG. 2A shows a cross section taken along line BB of FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 2A, in the sensor unit 3, conductive fabrics 4 and 5 arranged so as to sandwich the insulating layer 6 are joined via adhesive layers 8a and 8b, respectively. Then, the sensor portion 3 arranged so as to overlap the woven rubber fabric 2 is adhesively fixed to the woven rubber fabric 2 by the surface insulating layer 7 having the adhesive layer 8c formed on the lower side surface.

That is, the coating layer 7 is provided so as to face the elastic base material 2 with the sensor unit 3 interposed therebetween, and the sensor unit is fixed to the elastic base material 2 by the adhesive layer 8c formed on the coating layer 7. More specifically, the conductive cloth 4 and the woven rubber cloth 2 are not directly fixed with an adhesive, but the surface insulating layer 7 and the conductive cloth 5 are bonded and fixed via the adhesive layer 8c, and further, the adhesive layer is further fixed. The surface insulating layer 7 and the woven rubber fabric 2 are adhered to each other via the 8c, so that the sensor portion 3 and the woven rubber fabric 2 are integrally expanded and contracted.

[Conductive fabric]
As a conductive fabric, a flat knitted fabric in which conductive yarns are added and knitted over a plurality of courses in an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating elastic yarn as a ground yarn, or an insulating elastic yarn is used. It is preferable that the strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region using the conductive yarn is composed of a flat knitted fabric in which the insulating knitted fabric region knitted by using the ground yarn is sandwiched, and the course direction is the expansion and contraction direction. It is preferable that they are arranged along the line.

When the conductive fabric bonded to the insulating layer is made of a flat knitted fabric, it becomes a flat knitted ground unlike a rib knitted fabric in which large irregularities are formed on the surface. A sufficient adhesive area is secured and a strong adhesive force can be obtained, a decrease in sensitivity with time due to peeling of the adhesive portion and the like is suppressed, and stable characteristics can be obtained for a long period of time.

For example, as a conductive thread, a resin fiber such as nylon, a natural fiber such as cotton thread, or a metal wire is used as a core, and a wet or dry coating, plating, vacuum deposition, or other appropriate adhesion method is used on the core. It is preferable to use a metal coated wire (plated wire) coated with a metal component. Although it is possible to use a monofilament for the core, a multifilament or a spun yarn is preferable to a monofilament.

The metal components to be adhered to the core include pure metals such as aluminum, nickel, copper, titanium, magnesium, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, platinum, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten and cobalt, their alloys, and stainless steel. , Brass, etc. can be used. In this embodiment, a silver-plated thread is used for a multifilament composed of nylon or polyester. The fineness of the conductive yarn is preferably 33 dtex to 400 dtex. In particular, 70 dtex to 300 dtex is preferable. An example of using a metal-plated yarn in which a metal component is adhered to a core yarn as the conductive yarn 2y has been described. For example, natural fibers and synthetic fibers such as Sylbern ZAG (registered trademark) manufactured by Nippon Shinshoku Co., Ltd. have been described. It is also possible to use a silver ion thread having silver ions attached to the plating.

In addition, a milling knitted fabric is knitted with conductive yarn and polyurethane yarn, and the polyurethane yarn is thermally deformed by heat setting after knitting and fused to the cross-knitted part of the silver-plated yarn to prevent unraveling. A processed knitted fabric can be used.

As the conductive fabric, it is preferable to use the above-mentioned flat knitted fabric, but horizontal knitted fabrics such as rib knitting (rubber knitting and milling knitting) and pearl knitting, vertical knitted fabrics such as denby knitting (tricot knitting) and atlas knitting, etc. Alternatively, knitted fabrics such as those changing structures can be used, and woven fabrics such as plain weave, twill weave, and satin weave woven using a metal adherent wire with an elastic yarn such as potiurethane as the core yarn can also be used. Is.

[Insulation layer and adhesive layer]
As the insulating layers 6 and 7, an elastic elastomer sheet can be used, and for example, a polyurethane sheet having a melting point of about 200 ° C. can be preferably used. The sensor unit 3 can be configured by forming hot melt adhesive layers on both sides of the polyurethane sheet as the insulating layer 6 and thermocompression bonding the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 on both sides. The hot melt adhesive layer becomes the adhesive layers 8a and 8b.

Further, the sensor portion 3 expands and contracts by coating a polyurethane sheet having a hot melt adhesive layer formed on the lower surface as an insulating layer 7 from above the sensor portion 3 superposed on the elastic base material 2 and thermocompression bonding. It is fixed to the sex substrate 2. The hot melt adhesive layer becomes the adhesive layer 8c.

Examples of hot melt adhesives include polyurethane hot melt resins, polyester hot melt resins, polyamide hot melt resins, EVA hot melt resins, polyolefin hot melt resins, styrene elastomer resins, and moisture curable urethane hot melts. Examples thereof include resins and reactive hot melt resins. Among them, the reactive hot melt resin is particularly preferable because it has high adhesive strength and can be adhered in a short time.

[Stretchable base material]
Although an example in which a woven rubber fabric is used as the elastic base material 2 has been described, it is also possible to use a fabric having elasticity other than the woven rubber fabric. By constructing the stretchable base material from the stretchable knitted fabric or the woven fabric, the mechanical electric conversion device can be suitably incorporated into the clothing for measuring the movement of the body or the like.

[Output characteristics of mechanical electrical converter]
2 (b), (c), and (d) show signal waveforms wirelessly output from the signal processing device 110. The signal processing device 110 includes a power supply circuit that applies a pulse signal having a frequency of 10 kHz to one electrode 15 of the mechanical electric conversion device 1, and a voltage dividing circuit connected to the other electrode 15 of the mechanical electric conversion device 1. A pre-amplifier that amplifies the voltage of the voltage circuit and a wireless communication interface that outputs the output of the pre-amplifier to the measuring device are provided. The voltage divider circuit is composed of, for example, a parallel circuit of a resistor and a capacitor whose one end is grounded. A change in capacitance due to expansion and contraction of the mechanical electric converter 1 is detected as a change in voltage output from the preamplifier.

FIG. 2A shows the initial voltage waveform when the mechanical electric converter 1 is extended twice at intervals of 10 seconds at a elongation rate of 36%, and FIG. 2B shows the voltage waveform after 50,000 times. The voltage waveform after 100,000 times is shown in FIG. 2 (c). The horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage equivalent.

At the first time, the base value at the time of contraction is about 7,000, the peak value at the time of extension is about 8000, and the amplitude Δ between the base value and the peak value is 1000. After 50,000 times, the base value drifts downward and the amplitude Δ between the base value and the peak value is 700. After 1,000,000 times, the base value drifts slightly upward and the amplitude Δ between the base value and the peak value is 500. The amplitude Δ decreased to 50% after 1,000,000 times as compared with the first time, and it is shown that the sensitivity decreases as the expansion and contraction are repeated.

Such a decrease in sensitivity is caused by repeated expansion and contraction many times, so that the bonding state between the conductive fabrics 4 and 5 constituting the sensor unit 3 and the insulating layer 6 deteriorates and local peeling occurs. It is thought that this is because it gets worse.

If the mechanical / electrical conversion device 1 having reduced sensitivity is continuously used, the expansion / contraction state cannot be detected properly. Therefore, when the sensitivity is lowered to some extent, it is necessary to switch to a new mechanical / electrical conversion device 1. However, since it is not possible to immediately switch to a new mechanical / electrical conversion device 1 when such a decrease in sensitivity is detected without making a purchase arrangement in advance in the state of no stock, the sensitivity at the end of its life is reached. It is necessary to anticipate the timing and make purchase arrangements before the decline is reached.

However, the usage mode of the mechanical / electrical conversion device 1 varies depending on the user, and it is difficult to uniformly predict the time when the sensitivity decreases. For example, the degree of expansion and contraction of the sensor unit 3 differs depending on the body shape of the wearer of the supporter 100, and the signal processing device 110 is not used when the signal processing device 110 is attached to the supporter 100 for rehabilitation and the expansion and contraction operation is measured. There are patients who always wear the supporter 100 with the supporter 100 removed, and patients who remove the supporter 100 except when the signal processing device 110 is attached to the supporter 100 for rehabilitation and the expansion and contraction operation is measured. Therefore, the life could not be easily determined.

[Configuration of life diagnosis system and life diagnosis device for mechanical and electrical converters]
In order to cope with such a situation, a life diagnosis system incorporating a life diagnosis device of a mechanical electric conversion device is constructed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the life diagnosis system includes a supporter 100 in which the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is incorporated, a signal processing device 110 connected to the mechanical electric conversion device 1, and measurement results transmitted from the signal processing device 110. It is provided with a lifespan diagnosis device 20 for receiving the above, a lifespan diagnosis management server 40 connected to each lifespan diagnosis device 20 via the Internet, and a lifespan management database 50 connected to the server 40.

In the present embodiment, a mobile communication device such as a smartphone equipped with a touch panel type display unit, a communication function, a clock function, a camera function, etc. is used as the life diagnosis device 20, and is installed in the mobile communication device for life diagnosis. It is configured to function as a life diagnosis device 20 by executing an application program on a CPU provided in a portable communication device.

As shown in FIG. 4, the life diagnosis device 20 includes a short-range wireless communication interface 21, a communication carrier interface 22, a storage unit 23, a calibration unit 24, a calibration time management unit 25, a life prediction unit 26, a life display unit 27, and a purchase. It is provided with a functional block such as an auxiliary portion 28.

The short-range wireless communication interface 21 is a communication interface for exchanging data with the signal processing device 110, and Bluetooth (registered trademark) is adopted as a communication standard.

The communication carrier interface 22 is an interface used for transmitting and receiving information such as voice, images, and data, and LTE is adopted as a communication standard. In addition to these communication interfaces, the life diagnosis device 20 also includes an interface for Wi-Fi. Further, the communication standard adopted for the short-range wireless communication interface 21 and the communication carrier interface 22 is not particularly limited, and other communication standards can be adopted.

The calibration unit 24 is transmitted from the signal processing device 110 based on the contraction voltage value and the expansion voltage value of the mechanical electrical conversion device 1 transmitted from the signal processing device 110 via the short-range wireless communication interface 21. It is composed of an arithmetic processing unit that converts an arbitrary voltage value into a normalized predetermined voltage value.

Specifically, it is always executed at the start of measurement via the mechanical electric conversion device 1, and the output at the time of maximum contraction of the mechanical electric conversion device 1 with the mechanical electric conversion device 1 attached to the detection target is a predetermined base value. Therefore, the mechanical electric converter 1 is calibrated so that the output at the time of maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. The numerical value at the time of expansion or contraction of the mechanical electric converter 1 after calibration is displayed on the display screen as a value between a predetermined base value and a predetermined peak value. In the present embodiment, the calibration unit 24 is configured to also execute measurement processing after calibration and display processing of measured values.

The calibration time management unit 25 is a functional block that manages the time information at the time of operation of the calibration unit 24, that is, at the time of calibration as the calibration time, and reads the value measured by the time measurement unit originally built in the portable communication device. , It is configured to store the time at the time of each calibration in the storage unit 23.

The life prediction unit 26 has a life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected by the calibration unit 24 and the cumulative usage time obtained from the calibration time managed by the calibration time management unit 25. It is composed of an arithmetic processing unit that predicts the arrival time. The rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum expansion means the rate of decrease of the peak value with respect to the initial value based on the output at the time of maximum contraction.

The life display unit 27 is configured to display the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit 26 on the display screen.

When the end of life predicted by the life prediction unit 26 is approaching, the purchase assistance unit 28 connects to the purchase website of the mechanical electric converter 1 and guides the purchase process of a substitute for the mechanical electric converter 1. It becomes a functional block.

That is, prior to the use of the mechanical electric conversion device 1, the output of the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is calibrated by the calibration unit 24, and even if the sensitivity deteriorates over time, the maximum contraction of the mechanical electric conversion device 1 occurs. The output at time becomes a predetermined base value, and the output at maximum extension is adjusted to have a predetermined peak value. Here, the maximum contraction and the maximum extension are the state in which the joint is extended with the supporter 100 attached to the patient to be rehabilitated, and the state in which the joint is maximally bent. This is the maximum extension time of the mechanical electric converter 1.

Obtained based on the cumulative time from the first calibration managed by the calibration time management unit 25 and the output at the time of maximum contraction and maximum expansion of the mechanical electrical converter 1 detected at each calibration, that is, the output before calibration. The life is predicted by the life prediction unit 26 based on the rate of decrease from the initial value, and the predicted life is displayed on the life display unit 27.

[Life prediction processing]
In FIG. 8A, the life characteristics of the mechanical electrical conversion device 1 shown in the two-dimensional coordinate system in which the vertical axis is the sensitivity and the horizontal axis is the elapsed time are shown by solid lines. In the present embodiment, when the mechanical electric converter 1 is used in a preset standard usage mode, the time point Pol at which the sensitivity drops to 50% is defined as the life pol (ol is an abbreviation for operating life). It is set. For example, at time point P when the sensitivity drops to 70% during calibration when used in standard usage, the remaining lifetime Tol (50) is predicted to be Tol-Tol (70).

The standard usage mode is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set. For example, a pattern in which expansion and contraction are repeated in a cycle of 10 seconds is continued for 4 hours, and then the same pattern is repeated again after 20 hours have elapsed. This is a model pattern in which joint flexion / extension movements for rehabilitation per day are repeated in a 10-second cycle for 4 hours, and then 20 hours are not used. The life characteristic may be used as a reference for the sensitivity deterioration characteristic when the expansion / contraction cycle and the continuous time are appropriately set.

The characteristic shown by the broken line in FIG. 8A is a life characteristic indicating a life prediction point P1ol in which the sensitivity is reduced to 50% when the sensitivity is reduced to 70% at the time of several calibrations P1. Since the sensitivity drops to 70% earlier than the standard life characteristic, it is predicted that the mechanical electric converter 1 is used many times or for a long time per day.

The life prediction unit 26 sets the life arrival time T1ol (50) at the calibration time point P1, the cumulative time T1ol (70) from the first calibration, and the maximum contraction and maximum of the mechanical electrical conversion device 1 detected at each calibration. Based on the output at extension, that is, the rate of decrease (70%) from the initial value obtained based on the output before calibration.
T1ol (50) = T1 (Tol (50)) / Tol (70)
Can be predicted. In this example, the lifetime characteristics are approximated by linear characteristics, but if the characteristics decrease in sensitivity with the passage of time, curve approximation other than linear characteristics can be appropriately set.

According to such a life prediction process, for example, when a mechanical electric converter is always attached and the machine / electric converter is frequently expanded and contracted, but the cumulative elapsed time is short, or when it is attached / detached as necessary, the cumulative elapsed In any case where the time is long but the number of expansion and contraction operations is small, the degree of deterioration can be appropriately determined.

FIG. 8B shows another example of the life prediction process. The life characteristics of the mechanical electric converter 1 shown in the two-dimensional coordinate system in which the vertical axis is the sensitivity and the horizontal axis is the number of expansions and contractions are shown by solid lines. In the present embodiment, the time point Pol at which the sensitivity drops to 50% when the mechanical electrical conversion device 1 is used in a preset standard usage mode is set as the life Nol. For example, the remaining lifetime Nol (50) is predicted to be Nol-Nol (70) at time point P when the sensitivity drops to 70% during calibration when used in standard usage.

In this case as well, the standard usage mode is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set. For example, a pattern in which expansion and contraction are repeated in a cycle of 10 seconds is continued 1500 times (corresponding to about 4 hours), and then the same pattern is repeated again after the time required for expansion and contraction of 7500 times (corresponding to about 20 hours) has been adopted. can do. This is a model pattern in which joint flexion and extension movements for rehabilitation per day are repeated 1500 times in a 10-second cycle, and then 20 hours are not used. The life characteristic may be used as a reference for the sensitivity deterioration characteristic when the expansion / contraction cycle and the number of repetitions are appropriately set.

The characteristic shown by the broken line in FIG. 8B is a life characteristic indicating a life prediction point P1ol in which the sensitivity is reduced to 50% when the sensitivity is reduced to 70% at the time of several calibrations P1. Since the sensitivity drops to 70% earlier than the standard life characteristic, it is predicted that the mechanical electric converter 1 is used many times or for a long time per day.

The life prediction unit 26 sets the number of times the life reached N1ol (50) at the time of calibration P1, the cumulative number of expansions and contractions N1ol (70) from the time of the first calibration, and the maximum contraction of the mechanical electrical converter 1 detected at each calibration. Based on the output at maximum extension, that is, the rate of decrease (70%) from the initial value obtained based on the output before calibration.
N1ol (50) = N1 (Nol (50)) / Nol (70)
Can be predicted. In this example as well, the lifetime characteristics are approximated by linear characteristics, but if the characteristics decrease in sensitivity with the passage of time, curve approximation other than linear characteristics can be appropriately set.

In the example shown in FIG. 8B, instead of the calibration time management unit 25, the expansion / contraction number management unit 25'that manages the expansion / contraction number of the mechanical electric converter 1 after being calibrated by the calibration unit 24 is provided and has a life. The prediction unit 26 predicts the end of life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum expansion detected by the calibration unit 24 and the cumulative expansion / contraction number obtained from the expansion / contraction number management unit 25'. It is composed of. The expansion / contraction count management unit 25'counts the expansion / contraction count based on the output of the mechanical electric converter 1 until the next calibration process after the calibration process is performed by the calibration unit 24.

According to such a life prediction process, for example, when the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is attached, there are many large expansion and contraction operations and many small expansion and contraction operations, and the deterioration is appropriate. You will be able to judge the degree.

As shown in FIG. 3, the life diagnosis device 20 is connected to the life management server 40 via the Internet via the communication carrier interface 22, and the raw data at the time of calibration and the calibration time management detected by the above-mentioned calibration unit 24 are managed. Data required for life diagnosis such as the calibration time managed by the unit 25 and the expansion / contraction number managed by the expansion / contraction number management unit 25'are stored in the database 50 via the server 40 and predicted by the life prediction unit 26. The end of life time is stored in the database 50 via the server 40.

The database 50 stores records necessary for life prediction, such as mechanical and electrical converter records, administrator records, user records, and calibration data history records, so as to be associated with each other.

Fields such as an identification code, an administrator code, a user code, and life end time data for identifying individual mechanical electric converters are set in the mechanical electric converter record. Fields such as an administrator code, an administrator name, a contact, and an identification code of a mechanical / electrical converter to be managed are set in the administrator record, and a user code, a user name, and a contact are set in the user record. First, fields such as the identification code of the mechanical electrical converter in use are set, and in the calibration data history record, fields such as calibration time, sensitivity, and life end time are set for each identification code of the mechanical electrical converter. ing.

The life diagnosis device 20 downloads information necessary for life prediction from the database 50 via the server 40 using the identification code of the mechanical / electrical conversion device as a key, or uploads the information to the database 50, so that the life diagnosis device 20 has its own storage unit 23. It is configured so that it is not necessary to cumulatively store the data obtained by calibration and measurement. A cloud server can be preferably used as such a server 40.

The identification code for identifying the machine-electric conversion device described above is represented as code information on a tag attached to the machine-electric conversion device 1, and is configured to be uniquely identifiable by being read by a camera provided in a portable communication device. The necessary information is downloaded from the database 50 via the server 40 using the identification code as a key.

Since the life prediction unit 26 is configured to predict the life of the corresponding mechanical electric converter 1 based on the identification code, the same life diagnostic device 20 can predict the life of different mechanical electric converters 1. It will be possible.

Hereinafter, procedures for calibration processing and life prediction processing executed by the life diagnosis device 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the application program is started and the signal processing device 110 is wirelessly connected (SA1), the life diagnosis device 20 is guided to input the identification code of the mechanical electric conversion device 1 on the display screen. The identification code is input by displaying and reading the two-dimensional code attached to the tag via the built-in camera, or by inputting the serial number attached to the tag (SA2).

When the identification code is input, it is connected to the server 40, and the data at the time of the past calibration corresponding to the identification code is read from the database 50 via the server 40 (SA3).

Subsequently, the present tense timed by the timekeeping unit is read, stored in the storage unit 23 as the calibration time (SA4), and the calibration start message is displayed on the display screen (SA5). First, after instructing "Please extend the joint with the supporter attached" (SA6), the minimum value of the value input from the signal processing device 110 within a predetermined time is acquired as contraction data and stored in the storage unit 23. (SA7).

Next, after instructing "Please bend the joint equipped with the supporter greatly" (SA8), the maximum value of the value input from the signal processing device 110 within a predetermined time is acquired as extension data and stored in the storage unit 23. Remember in (SA9).

The degree to which the difference between the contraction data and the expansion data is reduced compared to the difference at the first calibration is calculated as the sensitivity, and then the contraction data and the expansion data are set to the predetermined base value and the maximum value. The conversion rate is calculated, and the data after the conversion process is displayed as a numerical value or waveform on the display unit, and the user is informed that "calibration is complete" (SA10).

After that, after executing the life prediction process (SA11), it is instructed that "measurement is started", and the value input from the signal processing device 110 is a value normalized between a predetermined base value and the maximum value. Is displayed as (SA12). When the measurement is started in this way, the value input from the signal processing device 110 is displayed as a numerical value or a waveform on the display unit until the measurement end switch displayed on the display screen is operated. The number of times the waveform rises from the base value and then falls is stored in the storage unit 23 as the number of expansions and contractions. Data such as the calibration time, sensitivity, and expansion / contraction number stored in the storage unit are appropriately stored in the database 50 via the server 40.

FIG. 6 shows the detailed procedure of step SA11 of FIG. 5, in which the life prediction unit 26 reduces the output from the initial value at the time of maximum extension detected by the calibration unit 24, and the cumulative value obtained from the calibration time. The procedure for predicting the end of life based on the usage time is shown.

The life prediction unit 26 calculates the cumulative elapsed time from the time at the time of the first calibration to the time at the time of the current calibration (SB1), and is the difference between the output before the calibration at the time of contraction and the time of expansion measured at the time of the current calibration. A certain peak value is calculated (SB2). Next, the ratio of the current peak value to the peak value, which is the difference between the outputs before calibration during contraction and expansion measured at the time of initial calibration, is calculated as the sensitivity (SB3).

Further, as described in FIG. 8A, the life arrival time is predicted from the cumulative elapsed time and the sensitivity decrease rate (SB4), and the result is registered in the database 50 (SB5). When the time to reach the predicted lifespan reaches the preset notification time, the display unit displays the lifespan arrival time (SB6) and displays a guidance message as to whether or not to replace the product (SB7).

The preset notification time is configured to be configurable in advance via the parameter setting screen provided in the life diagnosis device 20. This is because it may be annoying to display the time until the end of the service life every time the calibration process is performed. For example, if the notification time is set to one month, the time to reach the end of the life is not displayed until the time to reach the end of the life is less than one month. The parameter setting screen is switched to by touching the parameter setting icon displayed on the initial screen of the life diagnosis device 20. On the parameter setting screen, you can also set the permission / denial of guidance to the purchase website.

When replacement is selected in step SB7 (SB7, Y), the user is directed to the purchase website to start the purchase process (SB8). If replacement is not selected in step SB7 (SB7, N), the measurement start message in step SA12 is displayed.

FIG. 7 shows the detailed procedure of step SA11 of FIG. 5, in which the life prediction unit 26 shows the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected by the calibration unit 24 and the expansion / contraction number management unit 25 ′. The procedure for predicting the end of life based on the cumulative number of expansions and contractions obtained from is shown. The processing of steps SC4 and SC6 is different from that of FIG. In step SC4, as described in FIG. 8B, the time to reach the end of life is predicted from the cumulative number of expansions and contractions and the rate of decrease in sensitivity, and in step SC6, the number of expansions and contractions until the end of life is displayed.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the mobile communication terminal owned by the patient wearing the supporter 100 is configured as the life diagnosis device 20 has been described. However, the server 40 is provided with the functional block of the life prediction unit 26, and the server 40 is used. The mobile communication terminal owned by the patient may be configured to display the end of life time. In this case, the life diagnosis device 20 is configured by the server 40 including the database 50 and the mobile communication terminal.

The mobile communication terminal owned by the patient may be configured as the life diagnosis device 20, and the life end time transmitted from the life diagnosis device 20 to the server 40 may be transmitted to the communication device owned by the administrator. For example, the personal computer on the manager side of the rehabilitation facility or the portable communication device owned by the manager is notified of the end of life time diagnosed by the life diagnosis device 20, and the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is incorporated on the manager side. The supporter 100 may be configured to perform replacement processing.

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the mechanical electric conversion device 1 is incorporated in the supporter 100 has been described, but the mechanical electric conversion device 1 can also be applied to clothing other than the supporter, and the operating state of the wearer can be changed. It can be used for any purpose of monitoring. For example, it can be incorporated into the body fabric of compression type shirts and pants, which are sports clothing, to monitor the movement of arbitrary joint parts.

The life diagnostic device of the mechanical electric conversion device according to the present invention is widely used as a device capable of accurately diagnosing the life of a mechanical electric conversion device that is repeatedly used regardless of the mode of use and appropriately promoting replacement. ..

1: Mechanical electrical conversion device 2: Stretchable base material 3: Sensor unit 4, 5: Stretchable conductive cloth (electrode)
6: Insulating layers 8a, 8b, 8c: Adhesive layer 20: Life diagnosis device 21: Short-range wireless communication interface 22: Communication carrier interface 23: Storage unit 24: Calibration unit 25: Calibration time management unit 25': Expansion and contraction frequency management unit 26: Life prediction unit 27: Life display unit 28: Purchase assistance unit 40: Server 50: Database 100: Supporter 110: Signal converter

Claims (8)

It is a life diagnosis device of a mechanical electric conversion device in which a sensor unit provided with a stretchable conductive cloth is bonded to a stretchable base material.
With the mechanical electric converter attached to the detection target, the output of the mechanical electric converter at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value, and the output of the mechanical electric converter at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. And the calibration part to calibrate
A calibration time management unit that manages time information during operation of the calibration unit as a calibration time,
A life prediction unit that predicts the end of life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected by the calibration unit and the cumulative usage time obtained from the calibration time.
A life display unit that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit,
The life diagnostic device of the mechanical electrical converter equipped with. It is a life diagnostic device of a mechanical electrical conversion device in which a sensor unit provided with a stretchable conductive cloth is bonded to a stretchable base material.
With the mechanical / electrical conversion device attached to the detection target, the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value, and the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. And the calibration part to calibrate
An expansion / contraction number management unit that manages the expansion / contraction number of the mechanical / electrical conversion device after being calibrated by the calibration unit,
A life prediction unit that predicts the end of life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected by the calibration unit and the cumulative expansion / contraction number obtained from the expansion / contraction number management unit.
A life display unit that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit,
The life diagnostic device of the mechanical electrical converter equipped with. An identification code that individually identifies the mechanical electrical converter is given.
The life diagnosis device for a mechanical electric conversion device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the life prediction unit is configured to predict the life of the corresponding mechanical electric conversion device based on the identification code. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction unit reaches a predetermined time set in advance, a purchase assistance unit for connecting to the purchase website of the mechanical / electrical conversion device is provided. Life diagnostic equipment for mechanical electrical converters. The sensor unit includes an insulating layer, a pair of elastic conductive fabrics arranged so as to face each other with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, and an adhesive layer in which each conductive fabric is bonded to the insulating layer. The life diagnosis device for the mechanical / electrical conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The conductive fabric is a flat knitted fabric in which conductive yarns are added and knitted over a plurality of courses in an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using an insulating elastic yarn as a ground yarn, or an insulating elastic yarn. Is composed of a flat knitted fabric in which a strip-shaped conductive knitted fabric region using conductive yarn is knitted with an insulating knitted fabric region knitted using the above as the ground yarn, so that the course direction follows the expansion and contraction direction. The life diagnosis device for the mechanical / electrical conversion device according to claim 5, which is arranged. It is a method of diagnosing the life of a mechanical electric converter in which a sensor unit provided with an elastic conductive cloth is bonded to an elastic base material.
With the mechanical / electrical conversion device attached to the detection target, the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value, and the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. And the calibration process steps to calibrate
A calibration time management step that manages time information at the time of operation of the calibration processing step as a calibration time, and
A life prediction processing step that predicts the end of life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected in the calibration processing step and the cumulative usage time managed in the calibration time management step. ,
A life display step that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction processing step on the display unit,
How to diagnose the life of a mechanical electrical converter equipped with. It is a method of diagnosing the life of a mechanical electric converter in which a sensor unit provided with an elastic conductive cloth is bonded to an elastic base material.
With the mechanical / electrical conversion device attached to the detection target, the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum contraction becomes a predetermined base value, and the output of the mechanical / electrical conversion device at maximum extension becomes a predetermined peak value. And the calibration process steps to calibrate
An expansion / contraction number management step that manages the expansion / contraction number of the mechanical electric converter after being calibrated in the calibration processing step,
A life prediction processing step that predicts the end of life based on the rate of decrease from the initial value of the output at the time of maximum extension detected in the calibration processing step and the cumulative expansion / contraction number managed in the expansion / contraction number management step. ,
A life display step that displays the life arrival time predicted by the life prediction processing step on the display unit,
How to diagnose the life of a mechanical electrical converter equipped with.

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