JPH0438930A - Apparatus for evaluating characteristic of skin - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a numerical indication for characteristics of skin free from personal difference of a measuring person or the like, while making it possible with a simple operation, by a method wherein a skin is placed under a reduced pressure and a displacement of the skin on the spot and the reduced pressure at the moment are detected to be processed electrically. CONSTITUTION:This apparatus is equipped with an evaluator body 1 and a probe 2 which is put tight on a skin as an object to be measured to inspect softness of the skin in the area. A probe cap 10 further has a light emitting element 22 and a photodetecting element 24. A probe head 10 has a suction space 18 opened to the tip of the head. The suction space 18 lets the skin put tight at the tin of the probe head 10 sucked inside. Light emitted from the light emitting element 22 is emitted to the suction space 18 from an optical path 42 to be impinged into the photodetecting element 24 made up of a phototransistor, for instance, via a light transmitting light path 44. Light received with the photodetecting element 24 is converted into an electrical signal corresponding to a quantity of the light and supplied to an evaluator of the body 1 through a conductor 30.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a device for numerically and automatically electrically evaluating skin characteristics, particularly the flexibility or elasticity of human skin. .

[Conventional technology]

Dermatologists, especially dermatologists and dermatologists, usually evaluate human skin by directly touching or picking the skin to evaluate its elasticity. However, such evaluation subtly depends not only on the skin condition at the time but also on many other factors related to the skin, and it is difficult to reproducibly grasp the skin condition with certainty. These factors include age, gender, race, location of the test, specific physiological or pathological conditions, treatment with drugs or cosmetics, etc.In addition, the physical and mental condition of the person being tested and the person's habits. For example, even if the same inspector
The evaluation status may be somewhat different in the morning and evening. Furthermore, if another person evaluates the skin, the elasticity of the same skin may be evaluated differently.

This situation can be easily understood by using body temperature as an example. When assuming body temperature without a thermometer, there is a high possibility that the same person's body temperature will differ depending on the person measuring it, and even if the person measuring the body temperature is the same, the expected results will differ significantly depending on the person's mental and physical condition. This can be easily estimated.

In general, skin evaluation is performed from various viewpoints; for example, it is advantageous to examine skin color, skin light reflection, or gloss. However, in order to perform a reproducible evaluation, it is most important to perform a mechanical numerical evaluation of skin elasticity, and it seems to be versatile. However, this type of evaluation measurement device has not yet been provided on the market, nor has its principle or concept been suggested.

[Problem of the Invention] Therefore, the problem of the present invention is to eliminate the ambiguity that occurs in the evaluation of the skin characteristics mentioned above, that is, the softness and elasticity of the skin, and to
It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-operate, small-sized, and inexpensive skin electrical characteristic evaluation device that provides a general numerical display of skin characteristics without individual differences among measurers.

[Means to solve problems]

The above problem is solved by the present invention, which is a device that places the skin under reduced pressure in a suction space within a predetermined range, detects the displacement of the skin at that point and the reduced pressure at that point, and electrically processes the results. (a) a probe having a suction space that brings a predetermined portion of the skin into close contact with the opening and causes suction; and (b) a vacuum pump disposed within the main body that communicates with the suction space via a flexible conduit. , an exhaust system consisting of a solenoid valve and piping thereof, and (c) a light emitting element disposed on the outer periphery of the probe and facing each other across a suction space so that the amount of light received is determined by the suctioned skin; a photoelectric detection system consisting of a light-receiving element; (d) an electrical processing unit that calculates and outputs a characteristic numerical value indicating skin elasticity based on the value of the detection signal of the light-receiving element and its time change; and (e) ) The above exhaust system and photoelectric detection system are solved by a sequence control section installed inside the main body, and a device for evaluating skin characteristics consisting of.

Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the claims 2 and 3.

[For production]

According to the above configuration, the elasticity of the skin is measured over time. The suction distance of the skin is measured from a position where the skin surface is suctioned into the suction space and blocks the optical path between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, and the suction pressure at that time is measured from the pressure sensor. In time-series measurements, the skin displacement and pressure at each moment are processed and displayed as digital values.

[Example] This invention will be explained in more detail based on drawings showing examples.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of an apparatus for numerically evaluating skin softness according to the present invention. This device consists of an evaluation device main body 1, a probe 2 that is brought into close contact with the skin to be measured and examines the softness of the skin in that area, and an electric and vacuum pump system that connects the main body 1 and the probe 2. It is composed of connecting conduits 8. The probe 2 can be detachably connected to the main body 1 via a connection joint 9 attached to the tip of the conduit 8. The main body 1 is broadly divided into an operating section 3 for specifying measurement operations, a display section 6 for displaying measurement data, and a printing section 7 for printing and storing these measurement data. The operation section 3 is provided with a main switch 4 for powering the device and operation keys 5a to 5d for selecting an operation mode.

In Figures 2a-c details of probe 2 are shown. The probe 2 can be roughly divided into two parts, preferably a plastic probe head 0 and a plastic probe holder made of a cap 50.

This probe head 10 has a suction space 18 that opens toward the tip of the head around the central axis. This suction space 18 allows the skin that is brought into close contact with the tip of the probe head 10 to be suctioned into the suction space 18 .

Furthermore, the center conduit 16 is opened at the bottom of the suction space 18 along the center of the joint protrusion 26 . This joint protrusion 26
As shown in Figure 2b, the probe holder is attached to the cap 5.
The exhaust pipe 58 of the conduit 8 introduced from one end of the
connected. The probe cap 10 is further provided with a storage space 12 for a light emitting element 22 and a storage space 14 for a light receiving element 24, which face each other with the suction space 18 in between. The light emitting element 22 is electrically conductive! It emits light by the excitation current introduced through 28, and can be composed of, for example, a light emitting diode. The light emitted by this light emitting element 22 is emitted toward the suction space 18 from an optical path 42 made of a translucent material (for example, transparent synthetic resin), and is emitted toward the suction space 18 from a light passage 42 made of a translucent material (for example, transparent synthetic resin), and is emitted from a light passage 42 made of a translucent material (for example, transparent synthetic resin) toward the suction space 18. The light receiving element 2 formed of, for example, a phototransistor is connected to the light receiving element 2 via the optical path 44.
4 (see Figures 2a and 2b). The transmitted light is partially blocked depending on the degree of curvature of the skin sucked into the suction space 18.

In this way, the received light is converted into an electrical signal according to the amount of light, and is supplied to the evaluation device of the main body 1 (not shown) via the conductive wire 30. Light emitting element 22 and light receiving element 2
The conductors 28 and 30 of 4 are connected to the jacket 56 of the conduit 8 and the vacuum pipe 5.
8 to an electrical conductor 34, which is not shown in detail in FIG. 2b.

At the bottom corner of the suction space 18 there is an additional opening 20 . The suction space 18 is connected to the pressure measurement passage 3 through this opening 20.
6 to the pressure sensitive surface of a pressure sensor 38 disposed on the back side of the probe head 10 (see Figure 2c).
. This pressure sensor 38 can be assumed to have various styles, but
For example, it is composed of a strain gauge or the like in which a diaphragm and a surface deformation (strain) are bridge-connected, and the pressure is electrically measured from the deformation of the diaphragm according to the pressure. The driving current supplied to the pressure sensor 38 and the conductive wire 40 for measuring the detection potential are connected to the outer sheath 56 of the conduit 8 in the same way as the conductive wires of the light emitting and light receiving elements.
The electrical conductor 34 is connected between the vacuum pipe 58 and the vacuum pipe 58 .

Since the range of the skin to be measured is selected to be about 10 to 20 -Iφ, the opening of the suction space is selected to have a cross section of about that size. When performing test measurements, the surface of the skin is brought into close contact with the tip of the probe head IO. Therefore, the suction space 18 is completely sealed by the skin that is in close contact with the skin, and the surface of the skin is drawn into the suction space 18 by the air sucked from the central conduit 16. It is implicitly shown in Figure 2b that the maximum position drawn by suction is at reference mark 5.
2, and the position of the state maintained as an equilibrium state when suction is interrupted is indicated by the reference symbol 54. These conditions will be discussed further below.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the electrical system of the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. The power source to be supplied to the main body 1 is exemplified as an AC power source, but it may also be a DC power source from a battery or the like. The input AC power supply is supplied to the rotary vacuum pump VP via relay RE1.
will be introduced in

On the other hand, the input power is introduced into the DC power generation section 60,
For example, it is converted to a DC power supply of 12V DC.

This direct current is applied to each circuit (sequence control unit 68, operation keyboard 62, central processing unit 64, initial electrical processing unit 66).
, display section 6. The power source is introduced into the printing unit 7) as a driving power source for the printing unit 7). Further, this direct current is introduced as a driving direct current power source to the light emitting/light receiving detection system and pressure sensor of the probe 2, which are arranged to measure the degree of deformation of the skin.

The vacuum pump VP includes a solenoid valve V and a conduit 58 indicated by a chain line.
Air is exhausted from the suction space 18 via.

The lighting current supplied to the light emitting element 22 is supplied from the DC power generation section 60 by the relay RE2, which is driven according to a predetermined sequence, as will be explained later.

The signals detected by the light receiving element 24 and the pressure sensor 38 are first sampled at predetermined time intervals by the initial electric processing unit 66, and each sampled analog signal is held and converted into digital data by an A/D converter (not shown). Convert to signal. The converted signal is supplied to the central processing unit 64. This calculation unit 64 is specified by a storage device such as a RAM that temporarily stores the supplied signals, a microprocessor that processes digital signals in a predetermined order and calculation method, and a digital input signal from the operation keyboard 62. It consists of an EP-ROM that stores processing procedures and hash lines that connect these circuit sections. The various results calculated by the calculation section 64 are converted into digital signals and are supplied to the display section 6, which is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and are displayed numerically. Similarly, if necessary, these results are printed out as numbers by a printing section 7, which is a printer, for example.

Next, a procedure for using the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention will be explained.

First, an external power supply is connected to the device, and the main power switch 4 of the device in the operation section 3 is turned on. Next, the probe 2 is applied to the area of the skin to be examined. The user presses the mode selection keys 5a to 5c on the operation unit 3 to specify the measurement mode to be tested. As soon as the mode selection key is pressed, the evaluation device begins operating in that mode. The measurement modes 5a to 50 are the following modes: 5a: Measurement related to skin elongation/time and display display of the results 5b: Display display of measurement and results related to skin elongation/suction pressure 5c: Measurement related to skin elongation/time Printer printout of measurements and results 5d: There is a printer printout of measurements and results regarding skin stretch and suction pressure.

Furthermore, the operation sequence of the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention will be explained.

When the main power switch 4 is turned on, the DC power supply unit 60 in the main body 1 generates a predetermined DC voltage, and each circuit unit 6, 7, 6
2, 64, 66, 68 and light receiving element 24 and pressure sensor 3
8 is supplied with a power supply of a predetermined DC voltage. Place the probe 2 on the skin part you want to examine and press the selection key 5a-5 in the operation section 3.
d to start the selected measurement mode, and simultaneously with the push, a start signal is supplied from the operation board 62 to the sequence control section 68. Upon receiving this signal, the sequence control unit 68 first supplies an open command signal to the relay REI to start the vacuum pump ■P. At this time, the solenoid valve V is still closed. As the rotation of the vacuum pump VP increases, the degree of vacuum within this pump increases. After the specified time has elapsed, the lowest pressure of the vacuum pump VP is reached. After a certain period of time corresponding to the elapsed time, the solenoid valve (2) opens under the control of the sequence control section 68.

At that time, the relay RE2 is made conductive to start feeding power to the power supply line to the light emitting element 22 under the control of the sequence control unit 68.

This procedure evacuates the suction space 18 and suctions the skin surface inward. The maximum suction state is the state of the skin surface indicated by the reference symbol 52 schematically shown in FIG. 2b.

Then, after a predetermined period of time (usually 0.2 to 0.3 seconds), the solenoid valve ■ is closed, and then the vacuum pump V is turned on via the relay RE1.
Stop P. In this state, the skin surface reaches an equilibrium position corresponding to reference symbol 54 in FIG. During the above process, the light receiving element 24 and the pressure sensor 38 capture changes in their respective states. These state quantities are calculated from the detected values by the initial electrical processing section 66 and the central processing section 64 one by one.

FIG. 4 shows the results of the displacement of the skin surface with respect to elapsed time, obtained by the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. Further, FIG. 5 shows the pressure change in the suction space 18 with respect to the displacement of the skin. The curve α in FIG. 4 shows a state in which an equilibrium state is reached from the start of suction. Moreover, the curve β shows the state after the equilibrium state and after the evacuation is interrupted. The curve T in FIG. 5 shows the state from the start of suction until the equilibrium state is reached, and the curve δ shows the state after the equilibrium state is reached and exhaustion is interrupted.

Skin elasticity can be characterized from the specific values of these curves α, β, T and δ. That is, the maximum displacement value HI
, the slopes of the residual displacement value H22 curves γ and δ (or the slopes of the curves α and β), and the area surrounded by the curves γ and 6 serve as a measure of the elasticity of the skin. That is, what can be determined from FIG. 4 is that (1) H is proportional to the elongation of the epidermis.

(2) The larger the initial slope of the curve β (or the slope of the curve δ), the greater the recovery power of the dermis.

(3) If the K bump is large, it will bounce back, indicating a large amount of moisture in the skin.

(4) The lower the H2, the better the skin returns and the more flexible it is.

It is. What can be determined from FIG. 5 is (1) From the curve T, the energy received by the skin can be found.

(2) The energy released by the skin is determined from the curve δ.

(3) From (1) and (2), the energy that cannot be returned by the skin (so-called hysteresis energy) can be determined.

(4) The slope of the curve T directly indicates the elasticity of the skin.

The gentler the slope, the more elastic it is.

These quantities are printed on a printer and/or displayed as digital values on a display as digital values representing the characteristics.

The various functional configurations of the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention described above are shown by way of example for ease of explanation, and various modifications can be made to them. However, any modifications that fall within the scope of the configuration described in the claims that define this invention belong to the scope of this invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The evaluation value obtained by the apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention is displayed as a reproducible value regardless of differences depending on the person making the evaluation and the mental and physical condition of the person making the evaluation. Furthermore, when observing and diagnosing skin conditions over time, we were able to provide extremely common and universal judgments, providing an epoch-making diagnostic method that had never been used before.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. Figures 2a-20 are plan and cross-sectional views of a probe used in the device for evaluating skin properties according to the invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the electrical system and exhaust system of the device for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a graph showing evaluation values (displacement of the skin surface with respect to time) obtained with the device for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a graph showing evaluation values (relationship of suction pressure to displacement) obtained by the device for evaluating skin characteristics according to the present invention. Reference symbols in the figure: 1...Evaluation device main body, 2...Probe, 3...Operation section, 6...Display section, 7...Printing section, 8...Conduit, 18... - Suction space, 12... Light emitting element, 14... Light receiving element, 38... Pressure sensor, 60... DC power supply section, 62... Operation keyboard, 64... Central processing section, 66. 68 ・V ・・VP ・・Initial electrical processing section, ・Sequence control section, solenoid valve, ・Vacuum pump.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The skin is placed under reduced pressure in a suction space within a predetermined range, the displacement of the skin at that point and the reduced pressure at that time are detected, and the results are electrically processed and displayed numerically. An apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics includes: (a) a probe having a suction space in which a predetermined portion of the skin is brought into close contact with an opening and suctioned; and (b) communicating with the suction space via a flexible conduit. (c) An exhaust system consisting of a vacuum pump, a solenoid valve, and their piping arranged inside the main body; (d) From the value of the detection signal of the light receiving element and its time change,
(e) a sequence control unit in which the exhaust system and the photoelectric detection system are installed in the main body; Equipment to be evaluated. 2. Equipped with a pressure sensor that communicates with the suction space and electrically measures pressure changes in the suction space, and further calculates skin elasticity numerically from the pressure value and its time change. An apparatus for evaluating skin characteristics according to claim 1. 3. Equipped with a display unit that digitally displays the above characteristic values, such as a liquid crystal, plasma display panel, or CRT, and/or a printer and/or recorder that digitally prints or plots the characteristic values. The device for evaluating skin characteristics according to claim 1 or 2.