JP2667337B2 - Probe for measuring body impedance - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a measuring probe comprising four terminal electrodes used for measuring body impedance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art To measure body impedance, a probe consisting of four terminal electrodes is usually used (for example, a probe having four electrodes).
If H. C. Lukaski, W.C. B. Bolonchu
k, and G. I. Lykken: TheAmeri
can Journal of Clinical Nu
trition 41; April 1985, pp. 139;
810-817) . That is, the four electrode terminal plates are brought into contact with and adhered to the body, and a predetermined voltage is applied to two of the electrode terminal plates. Then, by measuring the potential generated in the remaining two electrode terminals plates, obtaining the impedance from the current flowing through the remaining two electrode terminals plates. In this case, one of the two voltage application electrode terminal plates is
The other is contact-adhered to the back of the hand, and the remaining electrode terminal plates for current detection are placed between the two electrode terminal plates for voltage application .

[0003] In such a probe, a conductive cream is applied to the side of the electrode terminal plate which is in contact with the skin surface in order to enhance the conductive contact. For this reason, the remaining discomfort for the cream left on the skin after use, it is necessary to wipe off the cream. Moreover, even laborious to application of the electrode terminal board, which is troublesome. In addition, the applicant may have a portable body impedance
Already advocated a pocket-sized device as a dance measurement device
(JP-A-63-18804). With this device
Is the personal data of the measurer, such as height, weight, age, gender
You can enter another numeric keypad and measure the body impedance
To obtain the body fat of the measurer and display the results of the health check on the LCD
Can be digitally displayed. At that time,
-The dance measurement section consists of two skin contact sections provided on the back of the main unit.
The left and right fingers, for example, a person,
The measurement is performed by pressing the finger or thumb. Each skin contact
The haptics consist of two electrodes, as described above,
Electrodes are used for voltage application and current detection
You. In such a device, make the shape as small as possible.
Therefore, the size of the skin contact portion is necessarily reduced. Electric
Substantially in contact with skin with electrodes for pressure application and current detection
The area of the portion to be formed is about 20 to 40 mm ² . The result
As a result, the contact resistance with the skin at the time of contact varies,
The measured values also vary depending on the pressing force, and the measurement results
Sometimes lacked reproducibility.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the object of the present invention is a simple structure, easy to handle and nevertheless reproduced with high accuracy in terms of skin contact resistance and measured values.
An object of the present invention is to provide a probe for measuring body impedance , which guarantees performance and does not cause discomfort after use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pair of electrodes EL and AL which are provided with a pair of left and right hands and electrically insulated from each other to electrically connect the surfaces to the skin inside the hand H. ₁ . EL ₂ ; EL ₃ , EL ₄ are provided in each grip part AR; AL, and the electrodes EL ₁ , EL ₂ , E
The problem is solved by a body impedance measuring probe having four conductors for separately electrically connecting L ₃ and EL ₄ to a four-terminal impedance measuring device.

[0006] Further advantageous configurations according to the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, which show two exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a measurement probe according to the present invention. This probe holds the electrode with both hands,
Used to measure body impedance between both hands. As shown in FIG. 1, the measurement probe can be divided into two parts. That is, two independent electrodes EL1, EL2 and EL3, E are respectively provided on the right hand grip AR and the left hand grip AL which can be gripped by the right hand and the left hand, respectively.
L4 is provided. Each of these electrodes is made of a conductive material that is electrically insulated from each other and is, for example, a cylinder made of copper, and its outer surface is coated with, for example, hard chrome plating. Four electrodes EL1, EL2, EL3, E
L4 is held by a center block CT made of a non-conductive material provided at the center and caps C made of a non-conductive material similarly provided at both ends. FIG. 2 shows a state where the probe is held by the hand H. As described above, the electrodes EL3 and EL4 are in a state where the cylinder is divided into two parts, and the hand H which is a part of the body naturally while holding the gripping parts AR and AL is held.
The two contact portions are formed on the surface of the device, and so-called four-terminal potential measurement becomes possible. Electrodes EL1, EL2, EL3, E
One conductive wire electrically connected to L4 is welded or soldered to the inside of the electrode as shown in FIG. 3, and the other end is collected at a cable fixing portion in the center block CT, from which the cable L is connected. Through connector C
N. This connector CN can be connected to a body impedance measuring device (not shown). Electrode EL
1, EL2, EL3, and EL4 are screwed to the non-conductive electrode holding portions M of the center block CT with screws SC.

A similar arrangement according to the invention is also shown in FIG. In this case, the electrodes EL1 ', EL2', EL
3 'and EL4' are similarly made of a conductive material, but their outer shapes are not circular. These electrodes are fixed to an electrically insulating hollow resin body BX. In this case, the electrode is fixed by a single hollow rod made of a non-insulating material, and is screwed to a cutout portion on the outer surface with a fixing screw SC.
The processing of the conductor is similar to that of FIG. In this example,
Although the electrodes EL1 ', EL2', EL3 ', EL4' are screwed with the fixing screws SC, these electrodes may be directly embedded in a resin of a non-insulating material instead of screwing.

Although the description has been limited to the linear arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, according to the present invention, the arrangement is not limited to this arrangement, and the arrangement can be made in a curved state. In this case, what is important is that a grip portion that can grip two different electrodes with the right hand and the left hand is provided. Thus, such an electrode arrangement can also be provided on the handle of a sports bicycle or a stationary bicycle or similar device used for aerobic exercise,
Each time you exercise, you can measure the body impedance to know the change.

[0011]

As described above, an important advantage of the probe for measuring body impedance according to the present invention is that a desired electrical body impedance can be reliably measured even with a simple structure. The complicated processing of the contact portion seen in FIG. In addition, since the sticky conductive bonding portion used in the contact portion of the related art is not used, an unpleasant feeling during and after use does not occur.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a probe for measuring body impedance according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a grip portion of the probe of the first embodiment is gripped.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the probe of the first embodiment as viewed from AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a probe for measuring body impedance according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the probe of the second embodiment as viewed from AA in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

EL1, EL2, EL3, EL4, EL1 ', EL
2 ', EL3', EL4 'Terminal electrode CT Insulating center block AR Right hand contact part AL Left hand contact part C Cap L Cable CN connector M Non-conductive electrode holding part SC Fixing screw BX Hollow rod made of resin

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-169023 (JP, A) Actual opening Sho-48-66400 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho-63-188004 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho-63- 146667 (JP, U) Actually open 57-126204 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of gripping portions (AR, AL) to be gripped by a left hand and a right hand, and a pair of electrodes (E) electrically insulated from each other to electrically connect the surface to the skin inside the hand (H).
L ₁ , EL ₂ ; EL ₃ , EL ₄ ) to each gripper (AR; A
L), the electrodes (EL ₁ , EL ₂ , EL ₃ , EL
₄ ) A probe for measuring body impedance, characterized in that the probe is provided with four conducting wires for separately electrically connecting the four terminals to a four-terminal impedance measuring device.