JP6815060B2 - Digital angle meter for joints - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a compact and lightweight digital angle meter for joints suitable for measuring the flexion / extension angle of a joint.

In the medical field, the flexion / extension angles of the hip, elbow, and knee joints are measured to determine the treatment plan and the effect of the treatment. Non-cited document 1 and non-cited document 2 are known as angle meters for measuring the flexion / extension angle of the waist, elbow, and knee.

By the way, in the medical field, the flexion / extension angle is measured not only at the hip, elbow and knee joints but also at the finger joints. However, large angle meters used for the waist, elbows, and knees are too large to be suitable for measuring knuckles. Therefore, there is Non-Cited Document 3 as a commercially available angle meter for finger joints.

However, the angle meter of Non-cited Document 3 and other angle meters for finger joints currently on the market are all of a method of reading the scale. Not only for finger joints, angle meters that read the scale have problems such as viewing angles and human reading errors, small scales that are difficult to read, problems that the scale prints peel off after long-term use, and metal. Has the problem of being difficult to read due to reflection. In particular, the difficulty of reading the scale poses a major problem for elderly doctors and nurses.

Therefore, a digital angle meter can be considered, but a digital angle meter for finger joints is not currently on the market. Further, although it is not commercially available, as a disclosed technique, there is an angle meter for a wrist joint of Cited Document 1.

Utility model registration No. 2531673

Mail order Monotaro homepage, [online], Matsuyoshi Medical Equipment Telescopic Angle Meter, [Search on July 21, 2018], Internet <URL: https://www.monotaro.com/p/2042/4267/> Techno Rising Co., Ltd. Homepage, [online], Ticking Goniometer, [Search on July 21, 2018], Internet <URL: http://www.techno-rising.co.jp/kachigoni/> Sakai Medical Co., Ltd. Homepage, [online], Evaluation of range of motion of finger joints, [Search on July 21, 2018], Internet <URL: https://www.sakaimed.co.jp/knowledge/hand-therapy/ evaluation / evaluation01 //>

Cited Document 1 is not exclusively for the joints of the hands, but can be widely used not only for the hands but also for the elbows and knees, and the two guides are pivotally supported by the main body. For this reason, the main body is inevitably large because two axes are required. Moreover, since it is a contact type rotary encoder, the main body inevitably has a large shape.

Angle meters for finger joints are reasonably light and easier to hold if the overall weight is balanced. In addition, since a pen or a chestpiece of a stethoscope may be put in the pocket of a doctor or a nurse, it is preferable that the angle meter is as small as possible to carry it in the pocket. Further, the guide used for measuring the finger joint is difficult to use if it is too long or too short, and an appropriate length is required.

In fields other than medical use, digital angle meters used in the construction and manufacturing industries are commercially available, but since these are made on the assumption that they are easy to use in the field, the guide is too long and the medical field. It cannot be used in.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and lightweight digital angle meter for joints that is optimal for finger joints. It also aims to provide a digital angle meter for joints that can be applied to elbows, hips and knees.

In order to solve the above problem, the digital angle meter for a joint according to one aspect of the present invention has a rectangular plate shape composed of a front surface, a back surface and a side wall, and has a side wall along the long side in measuring flexion of a knuckle. A first guide as one measurement surface, a second guide having a rectangular plate shape consisting of a front surface, a back surface, and a side wall and having a side wall along the long side as a second measurement surface in measuring flexion of a knuckle, and the first guide. One guide and one end side of the second guide are pivotally supported by the same central axis, and a display unit for digitally displaying an angle change between the first measurement surface and the second measurement surface opened by the shaft support is provided. The first guide and the second guide have a total length of 120 mm or less, and the first guide and the display portion are fixed to each other on the surface of the first guide .

As a result, the first guide and the second guide are pivotally supported by the same central axis, and the total length of the first and second guides is 120 mm or less. Therefore, joints other than the finger joints such as Non-cited Document 1 are measured. Compared to the angle meter and the angle meter of Reference 1, it is smaller and lighter, and is most suitable as a digital angle meter for finger joints. Therefore, the digital angle meter for joints can be carried in the pocket, and a pen, a chestpiece of a stethoscope, etc. can be put in the pocket together.

Further, in the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention, when the axially supported first guide and the second guide are closed, the convex portion and the concave portion to be fitted are the first guide and the second guide. It is preferably formed in. This makes it stable and easy to measure when the digital angle meter for joints is applied during measurement.

Further, in the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention, it is preferable that the second measurement surface of the second guide is provided with an auxiliary guide extending toward the first guide side. This makes it stable and easy to measure when the digital angle meter for joints is applied during measurement.

Further, in the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention, an insertion hole for inserting an extension rod is provided in at least one of the side wall along the short side of the first guide or the side wall along the short side of the second guide. It is preferable that This makes it possible to measure the angles of elbows and hips other than the fingers by inserting the extension rod into the insertion hole and attaching it, even though it is the most suitable digital angle meter for joints.
Further, the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention preferably includes a rotational force adjusting unit for adjusting the rotational friction of the first and second guides.

As a result, it is possible to rotate the finger with a light force when measuring the angle, and prevent the finger from rotating with a light force when measuring the angle of the elbow or the like, so that the joint angle can be easily measured.

Further, since the rotational frictional force can be adjusted, the frictional force can be adjusted so that when only one of the first guide and the second guide is held, the measurement angle does not change due to the weight of the other guide. That is, the first guide and the second guide in the open state can be held as they are. For example, since the angle meter of Non-Patent Document 3 cannot be held in an open state, it is necessary to carefully operate it at the time of measurement. Further, although the guide can be held in Non-Patent Document 2 in that the guide is held in the open state, the angle meter of Non-Patent Document 2 is 5 degrees by the V-shaped groove provided every 5 degrees. It is configured to measure each time. For this reason, when observing the progress of knuckle treatment, it is not possible to perform precise measurement because the measurement is performed every 5 degrees.

Further, in the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention, the second guide protruding from the first guide in a state where the first measurement surface opened by the shaft support and the second measurement surface are at right angles. The length or the length of the first guide protruding from the second guide is preferably 20 mm to 40 mm. This makes it possible to obtain the optimum guide length as a digital angle meter for joints, especially in the measurement of knuckles.

Further, in the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention, it is preferable that the shaft support side of the first guide and the second guide has a semicircular plate shape. This makes it easy to use as a digital angle meter for joints.

A is a perspective view from the front surface side of the digital angle meter for joints according to the first embodiment, and B is a perspective view from the back surface side thereof. It is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1A. It is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1B. A is a plan view of FIG. 1A, and B is a plan view of the second guide of FIG. 4A opened 180 degrees. A is a plan view of the second guide of FIG. 4A opened 90 degrees, and B is a sectional view of VB-VB of FIG. 4A. A is a measurement diagram of the flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint of the index finger, B is a measurement diagram of the flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the index finger, and C is a measurement diagram of the flexion of the middle interphalangeal joint of the index finger. Is. A is a measurement diagram of the abduction angle of the ring finger, and B is a measurement diagram of the close distance between the tips of both fingers when pinching with the thumb and index finger. A is a perspective view showing an extension rod which is an accessory of the digital angle meter for joints according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and B is a perspective view in which the extension rod of A is inserted into the first guide and the second guide. Is. A is a measurement diagram of an elbow flexion angle using the joint digital angle meter according to the second embodiment. A is a perspective view from the front surface side of the digital angle meter for joints according to the third embodiment, and B is a perspective view from the back surface side thereof. It is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 10A. It is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 10B. A is a plan view of the digital angle meter for joints according to the third embodiment with the second guide opened 90 degrees, and B is a cross-sectional view of XIIIB-XIIIB of FIG. 13A. A is a perspective view showing an extension rod which is an accessory of the digital angle meter for joints according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and B is a perspective view in which the extension rod of A is inserted into the first guide and the second guide. C is a measurement diagram of the flexion angle of the wrist using the digital squint meter for joints according to the fourth embodiment. A is a perspective view from the surface side of the digital angle meter for joints according to the fifth embodiment, and B is a perspective view showing a state in which the second guide of A is opened 90 degrees. FIG. 15A is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 15A. It is an exploded perspective view seen from the back surface side of FIG. A is a plan view of FIG. 15A with the second guide opened 180 degrees, B is a front view of A, and C is a bottom view of A. A is a rear view of the digital angle meter for joints according to the sixth embodiment with the second guide opened 180 degrees, B is a plan view of A, and C is a front view of B. A is a bottom view of FIG. 19B, B is a left side view of FIG. 19B, and C is a plan view of FIG. 19B with the second guide closed. A is a photographic view from the plane side in which the flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the index finger was actually measured using the prototype of the digital angle meter for joints according to the sixth embodiment, and B is the front side. It is a photograph figure from. It is a photographic figure which actually measured the angle of a knee joint using the prototype of the digital angle meter for a joint which concerns on 6th Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments and drawings, but the embodiments shown below are not intended to limit the present invention to those described herein. The invention can be equally applied to those with various modifications without departing from the technical idea shown in the claims. In each drawing used for the explanation in this specification, in order to make each member recognizable on the drawing, the scale is different for each member, and it is not always actual. It is not displayed in proportion to the dimensions of.

[First Embodiment]
The configuration of the main part of the joint digital angle meter (hereinafter, simply referred to as a digital angle meter) 100 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the front surface of the digital angle meter with the angle display side as the front side, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the back surface. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1A. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1B. 4A is a plan view of FIG. 1A, FIG. 4B is a plan view of the second guide of FIG. 4A opened 180 degrees, and FIG. 5A is a plan view of the second guide of FIG. 4A opened 90 degrees. 5B is a sectional view taken along line VB-VB of FIG. 4A.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment has four display units 1 having a rotation shaft 12, a first guide 2, and four guides 2 fixed to the display unit 1. Friction resistance to the rotation of the tapping screw 3, the second guide 4, the pair of bolts 5 that engage and hold the second guide 4 on the rotating shaft 12 of the display unit 1, the rotational force adjusting knob 6, and the rotation of the second guide 4. It is composed of a rubber washer 7 having a thickness of about 0.5 mm for producing the above.

The display unit 1 is a main body 11, a rotating shaft 12 in which convex 121 is formed radially at one end thereof, and seven segments that display numerical values obtained by converting the change in the rotating angle of the rotating shaft 12 into digital by a capacitance method. The display SSD, the power switch P1, the holding / reversing switch P2 for holding or reversing the displayed value, the zero switch P3 for resetting the start to zero, and the tapping screw 3 for fixing the first guide 2. The four pilot holes to be screwed in (here, the penetrating hole is referred to as a "hole" and the non-penetrating hole is referred to as a "hole") 13 and the second guide 4 are engaged with the rotation shaft 12 of the display unit 1. It is provided with a shaft hole 14 through which a bolt 5 to be jointly held penetrates, a first index line 15, a second index line 16, and a friction surface 17 described later.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the schematic shape of the display unit 1 is a shape in which a rectangular portion and a semicircular portion are integrated, and is a semicircular shape when viewed from the front side. The center of the semicircle coincides with the center of rotation of the rotation shaft 12, and the radius is about 12.5 mm (see L1 in FIG. 4A). The total length is about 60 mm (see L2 in FIG. 4A). The thickness D of the display unit 1 is about 10 mm.

Although not shown, the rotating shaft 12 is rotatably supported by a plurality of rotating electrodes arranged at equal intervals, and the main body 11 is provided with a fixed electrode at a position facing the rotating electrode. With this configuration, the change in the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 12 can be digitally converted by the capacitance type.

The first guide 2 is made of a transparent plate-shaped synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the schematic shape is a semi-circular shape having the same dimensions as the display unit 1 when viewed from the front side, and the thickness is about 4 mm. Further, the first guide 2 has a measurement surface 21 of two parallel side walls formed by a long side 2a and a thickness side 2b which are the extending directions of the rectangular portion, and a short portion which is an end portion of the rectangular portion in the extending direction. It includes an end surface 22 of a side wall formed by a side 2c and a thickness side 2b. The corners of the first guide 2 are appropriately rounded in order to eliminate discomfort when touching the skin.

The first guide 2 is provided with an insertion hole 23 extending in parallel with the measurement surface 21 at the center of the end surface 22. The extension rod 8 described in the second embodiment described later is detachably inserted into the insertion hole 23. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a straight line extending in parallel with the measurement surface 21 is printed on the back side of the first guide 2, and this straight line serves as an index line 24 indicating the extending direction of the first guide 2. ..

As shown in FIG. 3, the first guide 2 is provided with an escape hole 25 for avoiding contact with the rotating shaft 12 of the display unit 1, and the first guide 2 and the second guide 2 are provided on the back side of the escape hole 25. A ring-shaped protrusion 26 having a height of about 1 mm is provided so as to form a gap between the four and the four. The first guide 2 is fixed to the display unit 1, and specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, is screwed to the display unit 1 with tapping screws 3 penetrating the four screw holes 27.

Like the first guide 2, the second guide 4 is also made of a transparent plate-shaped synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the schematic shape is a semi-circular shape having the same dimensions as the display unit 1, and the thickness is about 4 mm. Further, the second guide 4 has a measurement surface 41 of two parallel side walls formed by a long side 4a and a thickness side 4b which are the extending directions of the rectangular portion, and a short portion which is an end portion of the rectangular portion in the extending direction. It includes an end surface 42 of a side wall formed by a side 4c and a thickness side 4b. The corners of the second guide 4 are appropriately rounded in order to eliminate discomfort when touching the skin.

The second guide 4 is provided with an insertion hole 43 extending in parallel with the measurement surface 41 at the center of the end surface 42. The extension rod 8 described in the second embodiment described later is detachably inserted into the insertion hole 43. Further, straight lines extending in parallel with the measurement surface 41 are printed on the front side and the back side of the second guide 4, and these straight lines serve as index lines 44 and 45 indicating the extending direction of the second guide 4.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the second guide 4 is provided with a cylindrical engaging rib 46 projecting to the front side in order to engage with the rotating shaft 12 of the display unit 1, and the engaging rib 46 is provided. A concave portion 461 that engages with the convex portion 121 of the rotating shaft 12 is formed at the tip of the rotating shaft 12.

Further, the second guide 4 is formed with a shaft hole 47 through which a bolt 5 for engaging and holding the second guide 4 with the rotating shaft 12 of the display unit 1 penetrates, and the bolt 5 is formed on the front side of the shaft hole 47. A hexagonal counterbore 471 is formed to sink the head. Further, on the back side of the second guide 4, as shown in FIG. 3, two scales 48 in mm units are printed along the two long sides 4a.

Next, a method of assembling the digital angle meter 100 will be described. As shown in the exploded perspective views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the bolt 5 is pierced through the shaft hole 47 of the second guide 4, the rubber washer 7 is fitted into the bolt 5, and the display unit 1 is fixed to the first guide 2. The bolt 5 is pierced through the shaft hole 14 of the shaft hole 14, and the rotational force adjusting knob 6 is screwed into the bolt 5. At this time, since the convex portion 121 formed radially on the rotating shaft 12 engages with the concave portion 461 of the engaging rib 46 of the second guide 4, the rotational force of the second guide 4 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 12 and rotates. The angle display of the SSD of the display unit 1 that displays the angle changes.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the rubber washer 7 is arranged between the engaging rib 46 of the second guide 4 and the friction surface 17 of the display portion 1, and the second guide is provided by the tightening force of the rotational force adjusting knob 6. The frictional force of the rotation of 4 can be adjusted. This rotational force adjustment is performed with reference to the second index line 16 of the display unit 1 and the scale 61 of the rotational force adjustment knob 6. As described above, the digital angle meter 100 of the present embodiment is configured to include a rotational force adjusting unit for adjusting the rotational friction of the second guide 4.

When the adjustment by the rotational force adjusting knob 6 is loosened, the rotational force adjusting knob 6 slightly moves in the direction of disengagement from the bolt 5, but the moving distance is such that the recess 461 of the engaging rib 46 is the rotating shaft 12. It is a distance that does not deviate from the convex portion 121. Therefore, even if the rotational force adjusting knob 6 is loosely adjusted, the rotational force of the second guide 4 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 12, so that the angle display on the display unit 1 can be performed without any problem.

Further, even if only one of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 is held by the rotational force adjusting unit, the rotational force is adjusted so that the open angle of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 does not change due to its own weight. can do. As a result, the measured angle can be held even if the holding / reversing switch P2 is not operated, and the measurement result can be easily recorded.

Next, three usage examples of the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. 6A, B, and C are measurement diagrams of flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint DIP, the proximal interphalangeal joint PIP, and the middle interphalangeal joint MP of the index finger F2, respectively. FIG. 7A is a measurement diagram of the abduction angle of the ring finger F4, and FIG. 7B is a measurement diagram of the distance between the tips when pinching with the thumb F1 and the index finger F2.

As a first use example, a method of using the measurement surfaces 21 and 41 will be described. This method can be used, for example, to flex the knuckles, specifically the interphalangeal joints (MP), the interphalangeal joints (IP), the proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP), and the distal interphalangeal joints (DIP). Used for measurement.

First, the measurer presses the power switch P1 to turn on the power. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the second guide 4 is opened 180 degrees and the zero switch P3 is pressed to reset the display to zero. In order to open the second guide 4 at 180 degrees, the measurement surface 21 of the first guide 2 and the measurement surface 41 of the second guide 4 may be brought into contact with a flat surface such as glass. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the measurer brings the measurement surfaces 21 and 41 of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 into contact with the outside of the bent finger F to read the scale of the display unit 1. At this time, the display may be held by operating the hold / reverse switch P2.

As a second use example, a method of using the index line 44 will be described. This method is used, for example, to measure the abduction angle of the finger F. First, the user turns on the power, sets the second guide 4 in the retracted state, and resets the display to zero, as shown in FIG. 4A. Then, as shown in FIG. 7A, the measurer aligns the index line 15 and the index line 44 in the extending direction of the two open fingers F to read the angle.

As a third use example, a method of using the scale 48 will be described. This method is used, for example, to measure the distance between the tips of two fingers F. As shown in FIG. 7B, the measurer visually reads the distance between the tips of the two fingers F using the scale 48.

As described above, the digital angle meter 100 for the finger joint of the present embodiment has the same dimensions of the display unit 1, the first guide 2, and the second guide 4, and has a short width of about 25 mm and a total length of about 60 mm. It has become. For this reason, the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 are much shorter than the angle meters for the waist, elbows, and knees as in Non-cited Document 1, etc., so that the angle meters are also very compact and light. There is.

In the digital angle meter 100 for finger joints, the lengths of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 are very important. This is because a patient with a handicapped finger may not be able to measure the bending angle of the finger by hitting the back of the hand if the guide is long.

According to various verifications by the present inventor, when verified with a digital angle meter 100 having a guide width of 25 mm, the limit of a long guide is a total length of up to 120 mm, and on the contrary, 50 mm is a little too short and difficult to measure. It was. The optimum length of the guide was 55 mm.

Regarding the width of the guide of 25 mm, various guides other than the present embodiment can be considered, and of course, the width of the guide may be different from that of the present embodiment. Even if the width of the guide is different from that of the guide of the present embodiment, the lengths L3 and L4 of the guides protruding from the other guides in the state where the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 of FIG. 5A are at right angles are the L3 and L4. It was found that if the shorter one is 20 mm to 40 mm, it is most suitable as a digital angle meter for finger joints. Therefore, in the digital angle meter 100 of the present embodiment, the protruding length is about 60 mm-about 25 mm = about 35 mm.

Further, since the digital angle meter 100 has a configuration in which the first guide 2 integrated with the display unit 1 and the second guide 4 rotate around one rotation axis 12, the digital angle meter 100 can be used as the angle meter of the cited document 1. It has a compact structure even when compared. Further, since the display unit 1 does not exceed the widths of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4, it can be inserted into the chest pocket with a small occupied area. For example, you can put multiple pens in your pocket with an angle meter, or you can put a stethoscope chestpiece with an angle meter.

In the digital angle meter 100 of the present embodiment, the display unit 1 and the first guide 2 are fixed to each other, but the display unit 1 and the first guide 2 are integrated. That is, those made of the same member are also included in the fixation referred to here. Then, if the display unit 1 and the first guide 2 are integrated, the size and weight can be further reduced. Further, in the digital angle meter 100, the shapes of the display unit 1, the first guide 2, and the second guide 4 are all the same, but for example, the width of the display unit 1 is the width of the first guide 2 and the second guide. It may be slightly larger than the width of 4, or the lengths of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 may be slightly longer than the length of the display unit 1.

Further, in the present embodiment, the dimensions of the display unit 1, the first guide 2, and the second guide 4 are all the same, and the width is about 25 mm and the total length is about 60 mm. Therefore, due to the fixed display unit 1 and the first guide 2, not only the measurement surface 21 of the first guide 2 but also the side surface (side wall) of the display unit 1 also serves as the measurement surface 21. Therefore, since the area of the measurement surface 21 is widened, the digital angle meter 100 can be easily applied to a measurement point such as a finger, and measurement can be easily performed. In particular, in the digital angle meter 100, since it is necessary to house the display device, the battery, and the like in the main body 11 of the display unit 1, the display unit 1 needs to have a certain size. Therefore, in the design of the digital angle meter 100, it is easy to design based on the shape of the display unit 1. Therefore, as in the present embodiment, by determining the sizes of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 according to the dimensions of the display unit 1, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the digital angle meter. ..

Further, the shape of the display unit 1, the first guide 2, and the second guide 4 of the digital angle meter 100 is a shape in which a rectangular portion and a semicircular portion are integrated, but is composed of only a rectangular shape. It is also possible. However, since the digital angle meter 100 has a configuration in which it can rotate around the rotation shaft 12, it is easier to use if the rotation shaft 12 side has a semicircular plate shape as in the present embodiment. Is preferable.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the configuration of the main part of the digital angle meter 100A of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing the extension rod 8, and FIG. 8B is a perspective view in which the extension rod 8 of FIG. 8A is inserted into the first guide 2 and the second guide 4.

The digital angle meter 100A of the second embodiment is obtained by adding two extension rods 8 as an accessory shown in FIG. 8A to the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment as removable attachments. As shown in FIG. 8A, the extension rod 8 is a rod-shaped member, and is detachably inserted into the insertion hole 23 of the end surface 22 of the first guide 2 and the insertion hole 43 of the end surface 42 of the second guide 4. The extension rod 8 projects about 120 mm from each of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4. Therefore, the index line 15 of the display unit 1, the index line 24 of the first guide 2, and the index lines 44 and 45 of the second guide 4 are extended by about 120 mm.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a fourth use example using the digital angle meter 100A of the second embodiment. In this method, a digital angle meter 100 designed for short measurement surfaces 21 and 41 exclusively for the finger joint is added with an extension rod 8 attached to the joints other than the finger joint that do not require the measurement surfaces 21 and 41. This method is also applied to the measurement of (for example, elbows, hips, knees, heels, etc.).

First, the user attaches the two extension rods 8 to the first guide 2 and the second guide 4. At this time, it is preferable to turn the rotational force adjusting knob 6 to make the rotational force of the second guide 4 stronger than that of the finger joint. This is because the inventor, who developed the digital angle meter 100A for finger joints, decided to use this digital angle meter 100A for joint measurement other than finger joints, and found it as a result of various verifications. is there. That is, it has been found that in the measurement of joints other than the finger joints, it is easier to measure when the second guide 4 is less likely to rotate than in the measurement of the finger joints.

Next, the power is turned on, the second guide 4 is set to the retracted state, and the display is reset to zero, as shown in FIG. 4A. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the measurer aligns the two extension rods 8 in the extending direction of the two objects to be measured (upper arm A1 and forearm A2 in FIG. 9) and reads the angle.

As described above, according to the verification of the inventor, it is easier to use the weaker rotational force of the second guide 4 when measuring the finger joint, and the second guide 4 when measuring the elbow, waist, knee, heel, etc. It is easier to use if the rotational force is strong. Therefore, the rotational force adjusting function of the second guide 4 is very useful for the joint digital angle meter 100A of the present embodiment.

As described above, the method of measuring the angle of the finger joint is the method of applying the measurement surface, and the method of measuring the angle of the joints such as the elbow, the waist, the knee, and the heel is the method of adjusting to the index. The digital angle meter 100A of the present embodiment can be applied to the measurement of joints other than the finger joints while being specialized for the finger joints by attaching the extension rod 8 as an index to the digital angle meter 100 for the finger joints. It was made possible.

Since the extension rod 8 is removable, it is possible to change it to a longer extension rod 8 and extend it to a desired length, for example, 500 mm. Further, the extension rod 8 can be made telescopic like a telescopic fishing rod.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, the configuration of the main part of the digital angle meter 100B of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13. 10A is a perspective view from the front surface side of the digital angle meter 100B for joints, FIG. 10B is a perspective view from the back surface side thereof, FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 10A, and FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 10B. It is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 13A is a plan view in a state where the second guide of the digital angle meter for joints according to the third embodiment is opened 90 degrees, and FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view of XIIIB-XIIIB of FIG. 13A.

The differences between the digital angle meter 100B of the third embodiment and the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment are the mechanism of the rotation adjusting unit, the length of the second guide 4B, and the insertion holes 23B and 43B. In the digital angle meter 100B of the third embodiment, the same reference reference numerals are given to the parts having the same configuration as the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment, the detailed description thereof is omitted, and the configurations are different. For the part with the same name, add the subscript "B" to the reference code.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13B, the display unit 1B of the digital angle meter 100B of the third embodiment includes a main body 11B and a rotation shaft 12B. Although not shown, the rotating shaft 12B is rotatably supported by a plurality of rotating electrodes arranged at equal intervals, and the main body 11B is provided with a fixed electrode at a position facing the rotating electrode. With this configuration, the change in the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 12B can be digitally converted by the capacitance type. The rotation shaft 12B is provided with two small cylindrical convex portions 121B protruding toward the surface side, and a female screw 122 coaxial with the rotation is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the first guide 2B is provided with insertion holes 23B extending in parallel with the measurement surface 21B at three locations at the center and both ends of the end surface 22B. Further, the first guide 2B is provided with an escape hole 25B for avoiding contact of the display unit 1B with the rotating shaft 12B. Further, on the back side of the escape hole 25B, a ring-shaped protrusion 26B having a height of about 1 mm is provided so as to form a gap between the first guide 2B and the second guide 4B.

The second guide 4B is provided with insertion holes 43B extending in parallel with the measurement surface 41B at three locations at the center and both ends of the end surface 42B. Further, a shaft hole 47B through which the bolt 5B for holding the second guide 4B on the rotating shaft 12B penetrates is formed in the second guide 4B. Further, a hexagonal counterbore 471B for sinking the head of the bolt 5B is formed on the front side of the shaft hole 47B. Further, the total length L2B of the second guide 4B is about 5 mm shorter than the total length L2 of the first guide 2B, and is about 55 mm. This is the ideal length of the guide described in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the first guide 2B has the same length as that of the first embodiment in consideration of operability and visibility on the display unit 1B.

Next, a method of assembling the digital angle meter 100B will be described. First, the first guide 1B is screwed to the display unit 1B by the four tapping screws 3. Next, a rubber washer 7B having a thickness of about 5 mm is sandwiched between the second guide 4B and the rotating shaft 12B, and the bolt 5B is screwed into the female screw 122 of the rotating shaft 12B so that the second guide 4B becomes the rotating shaft 12B. Be retained. The bolt 5B is screwed in until the protruding portion 26B of the first guide 2B and the second guide 4B come into contact with each other. At this time, the rubber washer 7B is sandwiched between the second guide 4B and the rotating shaft 12B and compressed, and the two convex portions 121B of the rotating shaft 12B bite into the rubber washer 7B.

When the second guide 4B is rotated due to the friction caused by the biting of the rubber washer 7B and the repulsive force of compression, the rotating shaft 12B rotates and the angle changes. Further, by adjusting the tightening force of the bolt 5B, first, the side surface 7Ba of the rubber washer 7B (see FIGS. 11 and 13B) and the side surface 25Ba of the escape hole 25B of the first guide 2B (FIG. 11) are swelled by the compression of the rubber washer 7B. , See FIG. 13B) come into contact. The rotational resistance of the second guide 4B generated by this contact changes. Then, by further tightening the bolt 5B, the contact pressure (friction force during rotation) between the protrusion 26B of the first guide 2B and the surface of the second guide 4B changes, and the rotational resistance of the second guide 4B changes. .. As described above, this embodiment is a two-stage stepless rotation adjusting unit. Further, the bolt 5B serves as a rotational force adjusting screw for the second guide 4B.

Although nothing is sandwiched between the protrusion 26B and the second guide 4B of the first guide 2B, an elastic body is formed between the protrusion 26B and the second guide 4B in order to widen the adjustment range of the bolt 5B. Etc. may be sandwiched. In this way, the second guide 4B can be attached to the rotating shaft 12B and the rotational force can be adjusted by the single bolt 5B of the third embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, the configuration and usage of the digital angle meter 100C of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14A is a perspective view showing the extension rod 8C, FIG. 14B is a perspective view in which the extension rod 8C of FIG. 14A is inserted into the first guide 2B and the second guide 4B, and FIG. 14C is a perspective view of the bending angle of the wrist A3. It is a measurement figure. The same reference code is assigned to a portion having the same configuration as that of the digital angle meter 100 of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted. For a portion having the same name having a different configuration, a subscript " Add "C".

The extension rod 8C has a columnar fitting portion 81 that fits into the insertion hole 23B of the end surface 22B of the first guide 2B and the insertion hole 43B of the end surface 42B of the second guide 4B, and a columnar exposed portion 82 that is exposed even after insertion. Consists of. The diameter D1 of the exposed portion 82 of the extension rod 8C is longer than the diameter D2 of the fitting portion 81, and has the same dimensions as the thickness side 2bB of the end surface 22B of the first guide 2 and the thickness side 4bB of the end surface 42B of the second guide 4B. .. The length of the exposed portion 82 is about 60 mm. The length of the exposed portion 82 can be changed as needed.

A total of three insertion holes 23B at the center and both ends of the end surface 22B are provided for the first guide 2B, and three insertion holes 42B for the second guide 4B are also provided at the end surface 42B. Then, the required number of extension rods 8C are inserted into the insertion holes 23B and the insertion holes 43B at the required positions as needed.

FIG. 14B is a diagram showing an insertion position of the extension rod 8C when measuring the bending angle of the wrist A3 of FIG. 14C. As shown in FIG. 14C, the second guide 4B is opened so as to be measured, and the insertion holes 23B of the first guide 2 and the insertion holes of the second guide 4 on the human body side can be seen in an upright position. The extension rod 8C is inserted into 43B.

As shown in FIG. 8A of Patent Document 1, the bending angle of the wrist A3 is measured by applying two measurement surfaces to the forearm A2 and the instep A4. However, in the digital angle meter 100B of the third embodiment for finger joints, the measurement surface 21B of the first guide 2B and the measurement surface 41B of the second guide 4B are short, so that the flexion angle can be measured at the wrist A3. difficult.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, the extension rod 8C is inserted into the digital angle meter 100B. At this time, the insertion holes 23B and 43B at the ends where the extension rod 8C is inserted are provided at positions where the inserted extension rod 8C and the measurement surfaces 21B and 41B are flush with each other. Therefore, the lengths of the measurement surfaces 21B and 41B can be extended by inserting the extension rod 8C.
Since the insertion holes 23B and 43B are also provided in the center of the guide end face, the central insertion hole may be used depending on the preference of the user and the measurement location.

[Fifth Embodiment]
The digital angle meter 100D of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17. FIG. 15A is a perspective view from the front surface side, and FIG. 15B is a perspective view showing a state in which the second guide 4D is opened 90 degrees. FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 15A. FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view seen from the back surface side of FIG. 18A is a plan view of the second guide 4D opened 180 degrees, FIG. 18B is a front view of FIG. 18A, and FIG. 18C is a bottom view of FIG. 18A. The same reference code is assigned to the portion having the same configuration as that of the digital angle meter of another embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. For the portion having the same name having a different configuration, the subscript "D" is added to the reference code. "Is attached.

In the digital angle meter 100D of the fifth embodiment, as shown in the figure, a recess 28 cut out by two concentric arcs is formed in the center of the first guide 2D. Further, the second guide 4D is formed with a convex portion 49 that fits into the concave portion 28 of the first guide 2D.

As described above, the concave portion 28 of the first guide 2D and the convex portion 49 of the second guide 4D provided on the facing surfaces of the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D are formed with the first guide 2D as shown in FIG. 15A. And the second guide 4D are fitted to each other in a closed state.

By providing the concave portion 28 in the first guide 2D and the convex portion 49 in the second guide 4D, the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D are provided in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 123. A region overlapping the measurement surfaces (shaded portion of the width W1 region in FIG. 18B) is formed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 18B, when the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D are open, the measurement surface 21D of the first guide 2D and the measurement surface 41D of the convex portion 49 of the second guide 4D are formed. A portion overlapping each other (a shaded portion in the width W1 region of FIG. 18B) is formed.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the concave and convex portions as in the present embodiment are not provided on the facing surfaces of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4. When, for example, the knuckles are measured using such a digital angle meter 100 as shown in FIG. 6, the digital angle meter 100 placed on the finger is stable because there is no area where the measurement surface 21 and the measurement surface 41 overlap. It's hard to do. In particular, when the finger is thin, if the digital angle meter 100 is strongly applied to the finger, it is difficult to balance and tilt easily, which may make measurement difficult.

On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, by providing the concave portions 28 and the convex portions 49 that are fitted to each other on the facing surfaces of the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D, the measurement surfaces 21D and the second guide 2D of the first guide 2D are provided. Since a portion overlapping the measurement surface 41D of the guide 4D is formed, the digital angle meter 100D is stable even when it is touched with a finger, and measurement becomes easy.

In particular, in the case of a digital angle meter as in the present invention, since it is necessary to accommodate a display device, a battery, or the like in the main body 11 of the display unit 1, the display unit 1 needs to have a certain size. Therefore, when trying to reduce the size of the digital angle meter 100, the shapes of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 tend to match the shape of the display unit 1 as in the embodiment. That is, the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 are designed based on the shape of the display unit 1.

In such a case, if the thickness of the second guide 4 is the sum of the thickness of the display unit 1 and the thickness of the first guide 2 (the thickness of the first guide 2 side and the thickness of the second guide 4 side are the same). Then, the digital angle meter 100 becomes thicker than necessary. Therefore, in order to make the digital angle meter 100 as small as possible, the thicknesses of the first guide 2 side and the second guide 4 side become asymmetric as in the embodiment.

In such a digital angle meter, if the concave and convex portions are not provided on the facing surfaces of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 as in the first to fourth embodiments, at the time of measurement as described above. It is easy to lose balance.

On the other hand, by providing the concave portion 28 and the convex portion 49 that are fitted to each other on the facing surfaces of the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D as in the present embodiment, stable measurement can be easily performed during measurement. That is, by providing the concave portion 28 and the convex portion 49 in the first guide 2D and the second guide 4D as in the present embodiment, it is possible to realize a digital angle meter 100D that is compact and easy to measure.

In the present embodiment, the concave portion 28 is provided on the first guide 2D side and the convex portion 49 is provided on the second guide 4D side, but it may be provided in reverse. However, since the display portion 1D of the first guide 2D is fixed, there is little risk of a decrease in strength even if a thin portion is formed by the recess 28. On the other hand, if the second guide 4D is provided with a recess, the strength of the second guide 4D may decrease in a thin portion due to the recess. Therefore, in terms of miniaturization and strength, it is preferable to provide the concave portion 28 in the first guide 2D and the convex portion 49 in the second guide 4D as in the present embodiment.

Further, in the present embodiment, the length of the second guide 4D provided with the convex portion 49 is up to the convex portion 49, which is shorter than that of the first guide 2D. As a matter of course, the lengths of the first guide 2 and the second guide 4 can be made the same as in the first to fourth embodiments. However, when the insertion hole 23D is provided on the side wall of the first guide 2D and the insertion hole 43D is provided on the side wall of the second guide 4D, the length of the second guide 4D is shortened as in the present embodiment, and the thick convex portion 49 It is preferable to provide an insertion hole 43D on the side surface.

[Sixth Embodiment]
The digital angle meter 100E of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 20. 19A is a rear view of the second guide opened 180 degrees, FIG. 19B is a plan view of FIG. 19A, and FIG. 19C is a front view of FIG. 19B. 20A is a bottom view of FIG. 19B, FIG. 20B is a left side view of FIG. 19B, and FIG. 20C is a plan view of the second guide 2E of FIG. 19B in a closed state. The same reference code is assigned to the portion having the same configuration as that of the digital angle meter of the other embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. For the portion having the same name having a different configuration, the subscript "E" is added to the reference code. "Is attached.

Like the digital angle meter 100D of the fifth embodiment, the digital angle meter 100E of the sixth embodiment is provided with a concave portion 28 in the first guide 2E and a convex portion 49 in the second guide 4E, and is shown. An auxiliary guide 90 extending toward the first guide 2E is provided on the measurement surface 41E of the second guide 4E. In FIGS. 19B, 19C, and 20, the auxiliary guide 90 is shown by a solid cross diagonal line for easy understanding.

In the digital angle meter 100D of the fifth embodiment, in order to stabilize the digital angle meter 100D during measurement and facilitate measurement, a concave portion 28 and a convex portion 49 are provided, and the measurement surface 21D and the second guide of the first guide 2D are provided. A portion overlapping the 4D measurement surface 41 is created, and this auxiliary guide 90 is also provided so that the digital angle meter 100E can be stabilized during measurement.

By providing the auxiliary guide 90 on the measurement surface 41E of the second guide 4E as in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, the shaft of the shaft 123 on which the first guide 2E and the second guide 4E rotate is provided. In the direction orthogonal to the direction, a region that overlaps with the side surface (side wall) of the display unit 1E fixed to the first guide 2E is formed, so that the digital angle meter 100E becomes more stable during measurement, which makes measurement easier. ..

FIG. 21A is an actual photograph from the plane side measuring the flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) of the index finger F2 using a prototype of a digital angle meter 100E equipped with an auxiliary guide 90. Yes, FIG. 21B is a photograph from the front side. The arrangement of the power switch and the like of this prototype is different from that of the display unit 1E of the digital angle meter 100E shown in FIGS. 19 and 20.

In this way, by providing the auxiliary guide 90 on the measurement surface 41E of the second guide 4E, an area overlapping the side surface of the display unit 1E is created, so that the digital angle meter 100E at the time of measurement becomes very stable. Become.

When using the digital angle meter 100E, as shown in FIG. 19B, first the first guide 2E and the second guide 4E are opened, and then the measurement surface 21E of the first guide 2E and the auxiliary guide 90. Place the lower surface parallel to the desk, for example (at this time, the measurement surface 41E of the second guide 4E is slightly oblique to the upper surface of the desk due to the thickness of the auxiliary guide 90), and in this state, the display unit 1E is zero. Use the switch to reset the display to zero and measure.

Further, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary guide 90 is configured to be detachable from the second guide 4E. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 19B and 20B, the auxiliary guide 90 includes a guide portion 91 and a fitting portion 92. The fitting portion 92 includes a claw 95 having a semicircular protrusion 94 at the tip thereof, and the protrusion 94 at the tip of the claw 95 is easily bent by the notch 96. Further, as seen from FIG. 19B, a guide hole 4L into which the fitting portion 92 of the auxiliary guide 90 is fitted is formed below the tip of the second guide 4E. The guide hole 4L has a size so that the auxiliary guide 90 can be attached and detached with an appropriate force by utilizing the bending of the claw 95.

Further, the auxiliary guide 90 does not necessarily have to be detachable, and the fitting portion 92 may not be provided and may be provided integrally with the second guide 4E. Further, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary guide 90 is detachably provided below the tip of the second guide 4E as viewed from FIG. 19B, but it may also be detachable above the tip of the second guide 4E. I do not care.

Further, although a usage example of the digital angle meter 100E of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 21, the usage is not limited to such usage. For example, it is of course possible to measure using the measurement surface 41E on the side of the second guide 4E without the auxiliary guide 90. In addition to this, since the digital angle meter 100E is a digital angle meter, it is possible to perform measurement based on that state by resetting an arbitrary state to zero with a zero switch. Further, FIG. 22 is an actual photograph in which the extension rod 8E is attached to the prototype of the digital angle meter 100E to measure the angle of the knee joint. The digital angle meter 100E can also be used for measuring joints other than finger joints.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20A, a plurality of semi-cylindrical anti-slip 4Ss are formed on the arc surface of the second guide 4E. The non-slip 4S facilitates the rotation operation of the second guide 4E. Further, the non-slip 4S may be a jagged knurl.

As described above, the digital angle meter for joints of the present invention is small and lightweight, and is most suitable for measurement for finger joints, and can be easily carried in a pocket. Moreover, although it is a digital angle meter for finger joints, it can measure angles of elbows and hips other than fingers.

100: Digital angle meter 1: Display unit 12: Rotation axis 2: First guide 21: Measurement surface 28: Concave part 4: Second guide 41: Measurement surface 49: Convex part 6: Rotational force adjustment knob 8: Extension rod 90: Auxiliary guide

Claims (9)

A rectangular plate made of a front and back and side walls, a first guide for the side walls along the long sides and the first measurement surface in the measurement of the bending of the finger joints,
A rectangular plate made of a front and back and side walls, and a second guide for the side walls along the long side and the second measurement surface in the measurement of the bending of the finger joints,
A display unit in which the first guide and one end side of the second guide are pivotally supported by the same central axis and the angle change between the first measurement surface and the second measurement surface opened by the shaft support is digitally displayed. Prepare,
The first guide and the second guide have a total length of 120 mm or less.
A digital angle meter for joints, wherein the first guide and the display unit are fixed to each other on the surface of the first guide. Claim 1 is characterized in that, in a state where the axially supported first guide and the second guide are closed, a convex portion and a concave portion to be fitted are formed on the first guide and the second guide. Digital angle meter for joints described in. The digital angle meter for joints according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary guide extending toward the first guide is provided on the second measurement surface of the second guide. The first aspect of claim 1, wherein an insertion hole for inserting an extension rod is provided in at least one of the side wall along the short side of the first guide or the side wall along the short side of the second guide. Digital angle meter for joints. The digital angle meter for joints according to claim 4, further comprising a rotational force adjusting unit for adjusting the rotational friction of the first and second guides. The length of the second guide protruding from the first guide or the length of the first guide protruding from the second guide in a state where the first measurement surface opened by the shaft support and the second measurement surface are at right angles. The digital angle meter for joints according to claim 1, wherein the length is 20 mm to 40 mm. The digital angle meter for joints according to claim 1, wherein the first guide and the shaft support side of the second guide have a semicircular plate shape. A first guide that has a rectangular plate shape consisting of a front surface, a back surface, and a side wall, and the side wall along the long side is the first measurement surface in measuring the flexion of the finger joint .
A second guide that has a rectangular plate shape consisting of a front surface, a back surface, and a side wall, and has a side wall along the long side as a second measurement surface in measuring flexion of the finger joint .
A display unit in which one end side of the first guide and the second guide are pivotally supported by the same central axis, and the angle change between the first measurement surface and the second measurement surface opened by the shaft support is digitally displayed.
With
The first guide and the display unit are fixed on the surface of the first guide .
A digital joint characterized in that, in a state where the axially supported first guide and the second guide are closed, a convex portion and a concave portion to be fitted are formed on the first guide and the second guide. Degree Ruler. A first guide that has a rectangular plate shape consisting of a front surface, a back surface, and a side wall, and the side wall along the long side is the first measurement surface in measuring the flexion of the finger joint .
A second guide that has a rectangular plate shape consisting of a front surface, a back surface, and a side wall, and has a side wall along the long side as a second measurement surface in measuring flexion of the finger joint .
A display unit in which one end side of the first guide and the second guide are pivotally supported by the same central axis, and the angle change between the first measurement surface and the second measurement surface opened by the shaft support is digitally displayed.
With
The first guide and the display unit are fixed on the surface of the first guide .
A digital angle meter for joints, characterized in that an auxiliary guide extending toward the first guide is provided on the second measurement surface of the second guide.