JP5332729B2 - Size-specific gauge for supporters for pulse wave sensors - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To specify the size of a supporter for fixing a pulse wave sensor. <P>SOLUTION: A belt-type gauge 30a is used to specify the size of the supporter 20 to fix the pulse wave sensor 8 that detects pulsations by contacting a detection part 12 under an appropriate pressure. This gauge 30a includes a belt 31 with a uniform width made of a flexible material that can be wound round the detection part, and a broader part 33 integrally formed at one end of the belt. The broader part has belt holders (34, 35) formed thereon to keep the belt in a state of being wound round the detection part, and has a reference point 36 for the longitudinal length of the belt. The belt has a plurality of size indicators (39S, 39M, and 39L) continuously shown in the longitudinal direction to indicate the specified sizes of the supporter. Each of the size indicators distinguishably shows the corresponding size, and an overlap zone 40 where two adjacent size indicators longitudinally overlap each other is provided at each border of such two adjacent size indicators. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gauge for determining an optimum size of a supporter that uses a wrist or a finger as a detection site and fixes a pulse wave sensor in contact with the detection site.

  In the modern society, as awareness of health management increases, a portable pulsometer is provided as a device for users to easily measure the pulse rate during exercise. This pulse meter is provided with a pulse wave sensor, which detects a pulse wave signal accompanying the pulse and displays the pulse rate and the like based on the signal. The pulse wave sensor includes, for example, an infrared or visible light source and a light receiving sensor, and is configured by an optical sensor that detects a pulse using the light absorption characteristics of hemoglobin, or a piezoelectric sensor that detects a pulse as vibration. Yes.

  Such a pulse wave sensor is fixed in a state where it is pressed with an appropriate pressure while using a wrist or a finger as a pulse detection part and contacting the detection part. That is, the pulse cannot be accurately detected if the pressure is too large or too small. In order to correctly detect the pulse, it is necessary to adjust the pressure when the pulse wave sensor is fixed to the detection site so as to be within a predetermined range. Therefore, the pulse wave sensor is fixed in a state in which the pulse wave sensor is in contact with the detection site with an optimum pressure by wrapping a supporter made of a stretchable material from above the pulse wave sensor in contact with the detection site. Since there are individual differences in the thickness of the detection site, supporters of various sizes are prepared. Moreover, the supporter described in the following patent documents 1 and 2 can confirm a user whether it is wound by the correct pressure.

JP-A-5-329117 JP 2006-55517 A

  In order to accurately detect a pulse using a pulse wave sensor, even if the supporters of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are selected, first, a supporter having an optimal size that matches the thickness of the detection site of the user should be selected. You must start with. If selection of the size fails, before the supporter is wound at an appropriate pressure, it deviates from the pressure adjustment range by the supporter, and the pulse itself cannot be detected.

  Generally, in order to specify the size of the supporter, prepare a correspondence table between the thickness of the detection site and the size of the supporter, measure the thickness of the detection site with a tape measure, etc., and according to the measured thickness Size is identified based on the correspondence table. The scale of the tape measure may be expressed as a size. However, the size of the supporter is normally about three types of S, M, and L, and at most about five types including SS and LL. Therefore, there may be a case where the thickness of the user's detection site is near the boundary between the two sizes. In such a case, the user does not know which size of supporter should be selected.

  Further, the normal supporter is processed into a tubular shape by manually sewing the end portion. However, when sewing manually, a variation in the sewing margin inevitably occurs, resulting in a variation in pressure for pressing the sensor. In addition, since the blood flow of the living body itself varies depending on individual differences, there are cases where the detectability is improved by holding the sensor at a high pressure and the detectability is improved by holding the sensor at a low pressure.

  Therefore, the present invention is a gauge for specifying the size of a supporter for fixing the pulse wave sensor to the detection site with an appropriate pressure, and the purpose thereof is a variation in manufacturing of the supporter itself and a variation inherent in a living body. In consideration of the above, it is possible to specify a supporter having an appropriate size even when the thickness of the detection site is near the boundary between the two sizes.

A main invention for achieving the above object is a band gauge for specifying a size of a supporter for fixing a pulse wave sensor that detects a pulse by contacting a detection part to the detection part with an appropriate pressure. ,
A band of uniform width formed of a flexible material that can be wound around the detection site;
A wide part integrally formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the belt part,
The wide part has a band holding part for holding the band in a state wound around the detection site, and has a reference point for the length in the longitudinal direction,
In the band portion, a plurality of size display portions indicating a specific size of the supporter are continuously written in the longitudinal direction,
Each size display portion is described so that the corresponding size can be identified, and the boundary between adjacent size display portions is provided with an overlapping region of two sizes in the longitudinal direction. It is a size specific gauge for the pulse wave sensor supporter.
In the following, in addition to the main invention, other features of the invention will be clarified.

It is a figure which shows a wristwatch-type pulse meter. It is a figure which shows a state when using the said pulse meter. It is a figure which shows the gauge in the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the use condition of the gauge of the said Example. It is a figure for demonstrating the characteristic of the gauge of the said Example. It is a figure which shows the gauge in the other Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the gauge in the other Example of this invention.

=== Features of the Invention ===
The present invention extends to a pulse wave sensor fixing supporter having the following characteristics in addition to the pulse wave sensor fixing supporter according to the main invention.
The overlapping region is a diagonal line inclined with respect to the width direction of the belt portion.
The overlapping area has a gradation display that gradually shifts in color and shade toward the longitudinal direction.
The size display portions adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction have different widths, and the overlapping area is displayed gradually changing from the width of one size display portion to the width of the other size display portion. .
A scale for indicating the length in the longitudinal direction from the reference point is added to the band portion.

=== Usage Mode of the Invention ===
The present invention is a ruler for determining the size of a supporter for fixing a pulse wave sensor to a detection site such as a wrist or a finger. Here, the pulse wave sensor is used by being attached to a portable pulse meter. The present invention will be described with reference to an example in which the size of the fixing supporter is specified.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a portable pulse meter as an external view. This pulsometer 1 has an appearance similar to that of a general digital wristwatch and includes a wristband 2 for wearing on a person's wrist. The front surface of the case 3 includes various information such as time and pulse rate, A liquid crystal display (LCD) 4 for displaying numbers is arranged. Various buttons 5 for operating the pulsometer 1 are disposed around the case 3 and on the frame portion on the front surface of the case 3. A detachable connector 6 is attached to the case 3, and a pulse wave sensor 8 is connected to the tip of a cable 7 guided from the connector 6 to the outside.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the pulse meter 1 is attached to a human body and a pulse can be measured. In this example, the proximal phalanx portion of the human left hand 10 (the base side of the index finger 11) is used as the detection portion 12, and the pulse wave sensor 8 is fixed in contact with the portion 12. The pulse wave signal detected by the pulse wave sensor 8 is input to an electronic circuit mainly composed of a computer inside the pulse meter 1 via the cable 7 and the connector 6, and the pulse wave signal is processed by the electronic circuit. Is done. The processing result is displayed on the LCD 4 as various information derived from the pulse wave signal such as the pulse rate.

  In order to accurately detect the pulse wave signal, it is necessary to fix the pulse wave sensor 8 in a state where the pulse wave sensor 8 is pressed against the finger with an optimum pressure, and the supporter 20 is used for the fixation. The supporter 20 is a belt made of an elastic material, and can be fixed in a state of being wound around a finger by a magic tape or the like. Alternatively, there is a type in which the pulse wave sensor 8 is fixed by being attached to the detection site 12 in a tubular shape having no end. In any case, by using the supporter 20 having a size corresponding to the thickness of the detection part 12, the user can fix the pulse wave sensor 8 while pressing the pulse wave sensor 8 against the detection part 12 with an optimum pressure. Thereby, the pulse rate and the like can be accurately measured.

=== Embodiment of the Invention ===
FIG. 3 shows a gauge 30a according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a plan view of the entire gauge 30a, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the rectangular portion 50 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the supporter 20 whose size is specified by the gauge 30 a uses the base part of the index finger 11 as a detection part 12 and fixes the pulse wave sensor 8 in a pressed state to the detection part 12. Is.

  The gauge 30a has a strip shape, and is formed of, for example, a plastic film, and has flexibility. Further, since the gauge 30a is a “measurement tape”, it is made of a material that does not have elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the band. As a result, it is possible to wind around the detection region 12 and to measure the thickness of the wound region accurately.

  Here, for convenience, when the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped gauge 30a is the left-right direction and the width direction is the up-down direction, the gauge 30a has a uniform width and a band 31 extending to the left and right, and its left and right ends. The base portion 32 is formed of a substantially rectangular wide portion 33 integrally formed on the side. The wide portion 33 is formed with two rows of slits (34, 35) extending in the vertical direction and opening. Yes. In the wide portion 33, marks 36 serving as reference points for measuring the length of the wound portion are entered at two upper and lower positions with a predetermined interval. In this example, the interval substantially coincides with the width of the band portion 31. Of course, this reference point can be set as appropriate. For example, one of the left and right sides (34a, 34b, 35a, 35b) of one slit (34, 35) or the wide portion 33 can be formed without writing the mark 36. Reference points such as the left and right edges (33a, 33b) can be appropriately set.

  A plurality of rectangular areas (size display parts: 39S, 39M, 39L) are formed on the surface of the band 31 so as to divide a predetermined length range 38 in the length from the mark 32 toward the tip 37 of the band 32. Are printed to be continuous from side to side. In the present embodiment, the number of size display portions (39S, 39M, 39L) is the same as the number of types of size of the supporter 20 that fixes the pulse wave sensor 8, and each size display portion (39S, 39M, 39L). ) Shows the corresponding size. In this example, three size display portions (39S, 39M, 39L) are printed corresponding to three types of sizes S, M, and L. The boundary between the adjacent size display portions is an overlapping region of both sizes, and the overlapping region in this embodiment is inclined in the same direction with the boundary line between the adjacent size display portions as shown in (B). It is formed by making it an oblique line.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the thickness of the detection site 11 is measured using the gauge 30a. (A) is the state which is measuring the thickness of the detection part 12, (B) is the figure which expanded the inside of the circle 60 in (A), and is based on the measurement of the detection part 12, and the supporter 20 It is explanatory drawing for specifying a size. While winding the gauge 30a around the detection site 12 of the finger 11 with the wide portion 33 as a starting point, the tip 37 of the band portion 31 is passed from the outside through the slit 34 on the end portion side of the wide portion 33, and from the slit 35 on the band portion 31 side to the outside. Pull out. And the front-end | tip 37 of the belt | band | zone part 33 is pulled until there is no play between the finger | toe 11 and the gauge 30a. The size described in the size display part (39S, 39M, 39L) indicated by the mark 36 at this time is the size of the supporter 20. In this figure, the size is “M”.

  Here, the characteristics of the gauge (example gauge) 30a in the above-described embodiment will be described by citing problems in specifying the size of the supporter by the conventional method. The state when the thickness of the detection part 12 was measured with each of the gauge (conventional gauge: reference numeral 130) for specifying the size of the supporter 20 by the method according to FIG. 5 and the gauge 30a of the above embodiment was illustrated. . (A) is the schematic of the conventional gauge 130, (B) showed the measurement state of the detection part 12 by the conventional gauge 130. FIG. Further, (C) shows the measurement state of the detection site 12 by the gauge 30a of the above example. In the conventional gauge 130, the boundary line 140 of each size display part (139S, 139M, 139L) is orthogonal to the extending direction of the band part 31, and the thickness of the detection part 12 is measured using this gauge 130. Then, as shown in (B), the mark 36 may indicate the boundary line 140 of the adjacent size display portions (139S, 139M). In such a case, the user can The size cannot be specified.

  On the other hand, as shown in (C), in the gauge 30a of the present embodiment, the mark 36 indicates an oblique boundary line 40 and indicates both sizes (S and M) of the two regions (39S, 39M). Will do. In this case, according to the position of the oblique boundary line 40 indicated by the mark 36, the user, for example, on the oblique line 40, the diagonal lines (40S, 40M) divided with the point 40p indicated by the mark 36 as the boundary. Of these, the size of the longer line segment may be selected. In the illustrated example, “M” may be selected.

=== Other Embodiments ===
The overlapping area is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is only necessary to identify that the adjacent size display portions overlap each other. For example, as in the gauge 30b shown in FIG. 6A, the color and shade of each size display part (39S, 39M, 39L) are changed, and the overlapping area 40b is arranged in the size display part ( (39S-39M, 39M-39L) may be formed by gradation display that gradually changes to colors and shades. When the thickness of the detection region 12 corresponds to the overlapping region, one size may be selected according to the gradation color and density of the portion indicated by the mark 36. Of course, gradation display is performed only in the overlapping area, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the width of each size display portion (39S, 39M, 39L) is changed, and the width of the overlapping area 40c gradually increases. It is good also as an area | region which transfers to the width | variety of one size display part (39S-39M, 39M-39L).

  A scale for indicating the length in the longitudinal direction from the reference point may be added to the band portion. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a gauge having the scale. In the gauge 30d, in addition to the size display portions (39S, 39M, 39L), a scale 41 indicating the left and right positions of the belt portion 31 by length is added. Accordingly, when the mark 36 points on the oblique line 40, it is more accurately measured which of the line segments (FIG. 5: 40S, 40M) divided into two by the mark 40 is longer, and the correct size. The supporter 20 can be selected.

  In the gauges (30a to 30d) of the above embodiment, supporters 20 of three types of sizes S, M, and L are prepared, and the number of size display portions (39S, 39M, 39L) is also the type of the size. The same number was marked. Of course, more supporters 20 than the number of size display parts (39S, 39M, 39L) such as SS size smaller than S size or LL size larger than L may be prepared. As a result of measuring the thickness, if it is thinner than S, it may be SS size, if it is thicker than L, it may be LL size.

  The slits (34, 35) are formed in the above-described embodiment in order to hold the belt portion 31 in a state of being wound around the detection region 12, but the structure for holding the belt portion 31 is the slit (34, 35). For example, an appropriate structure can be employed such that the front and back of the gauges (30a to 30d) are respectively a male surface and a female surface of the magic tape.

  The detection part is not limited to the part targeted by the above embodiment, and may be any part that can detect a pulse, such as a wrist, a neck, an upper arm, and a thigh, and is necessary for specifying the corresponding supporter and the size of the supporter. A gauge with a long length is sufficient.

1 Wrist-type pulse meter, 8 Pulse wave sensor, 12 Detection part, 20 Supporter,
30a-30d gauge, 31 belt part, 33 wide part, 34, 35 slit,
36 mark, 39S, 39M, 39L size display,
40, 40b, 40c Overlapping area

Claims (5)

A band gauge for specifying a size of a supporter for fixing a pulse wave sensor for detecting a pulse by contacting a detection part with an appropriate pressure to the detection part,
A band of uniform width formed of a flexible material that can be wound around the detection site;
A wide part integrally formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the belt part,
The wide part has a band holding part for holding the band in a state wound around the detection site, and has a reference point for the length in the longitudinal direction,
In the band portion, a plurality of size display portions indicating a specific size of the supporter are continuously written in the longitudinal direction,
Each size display portion is described so that the corresponding size can be identified, and the boundary between adjacent size display portions is provided with an overlapping region of two sizes in the longitudinal direction. Size-specific gauge for supporters for pulse wave sensors.   2. The size specifying gauge for a pulse wave sensor supporter according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping region is a diagonal line inclined with respect to the width direction of the belt portion.   2. The pulse wave sensor supporter size specification gauge according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping region is a gradation display that gradually shifts in color and lightness toward the longitudinal direction.   2. The display according to claim 1, wherein the size display units adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction have different widths, and the overlapping region gradually changes from the width of one size display unit to the width of the other size display unit. The size-specific gauge of the supporter for pulse wave sensors, characterized by   2. The size specifying gauge for a pulse wave sensor supporter according to claim 1, wherein a scale for indicating a length in a longitudinal direction from the reference point is attached to the band portion.