JPH1156788A - Skin color evaluator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To press a skin color evaluator against a skin of an organism with adequate pressure without requiring any skill. SOLUTION: This skin color evaluator 84 is energized in such a direction as a housing 86 and a holding member 88 which slidably fits into the housing 86 in a linear direction within a predetermined range are separated from each other by a spring. When the color 84 is pressed against a skin of an organism and the spring is compressed, on the basis of the compressed position of the spring the pressing force of the skin color evaluator 84 against the skin of the organism is displayed by a pressure display 99 with indicates a pressure range where neither light leaks into the pressed region nor the pressed skin is subjected to ischemia, i.e., the optimum pressure range. Consequently, no skill is required for a to press the skin color evaluator 84 against the skin of the organism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a skin color measuring device for detecting the skin color of a living body from the epidermis of the living body in order to determine the peripheral circulation state of the living body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is known that the skin color of a living body such as the color of the face, limbs, and epidermis of the body reflects the physical condition of the living body, particularly the state of peripheral circulation. For this reason, the skin color of a living body is also important biological information for a medical worker, and is often referred to when diagnosing a living body. In particular, when performing home medical care for a patient at a remote location, quantitative determination is also required to determine the skin color of the patient from a color image transmitted from the patient side device to the medical staff side device via a telephone line. A device for measuring the skin color of a viewer is desired.

[0003] On the other hand, a housing which is brought into contact with a predetermined portion of an epidermis of a living body to shield the portion from light, a light source device for irradiating a portion of the epidermis of the living body which is shaded by the housing, And a light-receiving device for receiving light reflected from a portion of the epidermis irradiated by the light source device, and a flesh color measuring device for measuring the flesh color of the epidermis of the living body has been proposed. According to this, since the skin color is obtained as an objective value, the skin color of the living body can be easily determined without skill.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-mentioned skin color measuring device, the measurer presses the housing against the skin of the living body to such an extent that extraneous light is not mixed and the pressed part of the living body does not change color, that is, does not undergo ischemia. There is a need. However,
For the pressing, skill is required for the degree of force applied by the measurer, and because the pressing force varies,
There has been a problem that skin color cannot always be measured with sufficient accuracy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to press a skin color measuring device against the skin of a living body with an appropriate pressing force without skill. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flesh color measuring device that can be used.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the present invention is to provide a housing which is brought into contact with a predetermined part of the epidermis of a living body to shield the part from light,
A light source device that irradiates a portion of the epidermis of the living body that is shaded by the housing; and a light receiving device that receives reflected light from a portion of the epidermis of the living body that is irradiated by the light source device, A skin color measurement device for measuring the skin color of the epidermis, (a) directly or indirectly fitted so as to be movable in one direction within a predetermined range with respect to the housing, by a measurer A holding member to be held, (b) a spring for urging the housing and the holding member in a direction to separate from each other, and (c) a housing with respect to the skin of the living body based on a compression position of the spring. And a pressing force display device that indicates that the pressing force is a preset value.

[0007]

In this way, when the skin color is measured using the skin color measuring device, the pressing force display device indicates that the pressing force of the housing against the skin of the living body is within a preset range. When the measurer presses the holding member, the measurer can press the housing against the skin of the living body to such an extent that extraneous light is not mixed and the pressing part of the living body is not ischemic. Without this, it is possible to reliably measure the skin color with an appropriate pressing force.

[0008]

In another embodiment of the present invention, preferably, (d) an ischemia device which presses a part of the epidermis of the living body irradiated by the light source device to cause ischemia, and (e) an epidermis of the living body A first portion based on a spectrum obtained by the light receiving device in a state where the portion irradiated by the light source device is not ischemic;
A colorimetric value is calculated, a second colorimetric value is calculated based on a spectrum obtained by the light receiving device in a state where the part is ischemic by the ischemic device, and a second colorimetric value is calculated from the first colorimetric value. A colorimetric value difference calculating means for calculating the colorimetric value difference by subtracting the colorimetric value and outputting the colorimetric value difference. With this configuration, the colorimetric value difference calculating unit performs the first colorimetric measurement based on the spectrum obtained by the light receiving device in a state where the part of the epidermis of the living body irradiated by the light source device is not ischemic. A second colorimetric value is calculated based on a spectrum obtained by the light receiving device in a state where the value is calculated and the part is ischemic by the ischemic device, and a second colorimetric value is calculated from the first colorimetric value. By subtracting the value, a colorimetric value difference is calculated and output. Since the colorimetric value difference is blood obtained by subtracting the second colorimetric value at the time of the ischemic operation from the first colorimetric value, the skin color in a state where blood closely related to the change in skin color has been removed, that is, melanin It represents the skin color excluding the effect of the body-specific color related to the amount. Therefore, since the skin color is obtained as an objective value, the skin color of the living body can be easily determined without skill.

Preferably, the ischemia device comprises: (f) a relatively flat pressing wall provided on a portion of the housing which comes into contact with the skin of the living body; and (g) a light source device. And a light transmitting wall provided on at least a part of the pressing wall to transmit the irradiation light. According to this configuration, since at least a part of the pressing wall that is brought into contact with the epidermis of the living body is configured by the light transmitting wall, when only the living skin around the irradiation site is pressed by the pressing wall, In comparison, since the pressed portion is pressed uniformly and the ischemic operation is sufficiently performed, there is an advantage that the skin color can be measured more accurately.

Preferably, (h) an intermediate member provided between the housing and the holding member and slidably fitted to the housing and the holding member in one direction;
(i) a first spring that urges the housing and the intermediate member in a direction of separating each other; and (j) a second spring that urges the intermediate member and the holding member in a direction of separating each other. (K) one of the first spring and the second spring is set to an elastic force that does not change the skin color of the epidermis pressed by the pressing wall due to its contraction, and the other is the pressing wall due to its contraction. The subcutaneous epidermis pressed by is set to an elastic force for ischemia. According to this configuration, the measurer holding the holding unit for measuring the skin color using the skin color measurement device, when non-ischemic, can measure the skin color until one of the first spring and the second spring contracts by a predetermined amount. By simply pressing the measuring device against the skin of the living body, it is possible to generate an appropriate pressing force in which the skin color of the epidermis pressed by the pressing wall does not change, and at the time of ischemia, the other of the first spring and the second spring Only by pressing the skin color measurement device against the skin of the living body until the contraction of the skin color by a predetermined amount, it is possible to generate an appropriate pressing force by which the epidermis subcutaneously pressed by the pressing wall is fully ischemic, requiring skill. It is possible to press the skin color measuring device against the skin of the living body with an appropriate pressing force at the time of non-ischemia and at the time of ischemia without.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an interactive home medical care apparatus 14 provided with a skin color measuring apparatus 84 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
0 and a medical worker side device 12 arranged in a medical institution such as a hospital or a clinic. The patient device 10 and the medical worker device 12 are connected to a communication line 16 such as a telephone line.
Connected to each other.

The patient device 10 is connected to the communication line 16.
A control device 20 connected to the microphone 22, a microphone 22 functioning as a voice input device for inputting a voice of the patient 18,
A speaker 24 functioning as an audio output device for outputting audio to the patient 18, a color image display device 26 including a color CRT or a color liquid crystal plate for outputting an image to the patient 18, an image of the patient 18, Patient 1
8, an imaging device 28 with a skin color measuring device for measuring skin color, that is, skin color, and biological information measurement for measuring biological information such as blood pressure value, pulse rate, body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and electrocardiographic waveform of the patient 18. An operation provided with operation buttons for performing operations such as turning on the power of the device 32, the patient-side device 10, switching of the telephone 34, start of skin color measurement by the skin color measurement device 84, or start of biological information measurement by the biological information measurement device 32. The box 36 includes a storage device 38 for storing information obtained from the patient 18 such as the chromaticity value of the skin of the living body or the biological information. An imaging device with a skin color measuring device 28 includes a color imaging device 80 for imaging the patient 18 and a patient 18.
A skin color measuring device 84 capable of quantitatively measuring the skin color of the subject and a pointer device 82 for indicating a part where the skin color is measured by the skin color measuring device 84 are provided.

An image signal comprising a lightness signal (Y signal) and chromaticity signals (I, Q signals) to represent a color image picked up by the image pickup device 28 with the skin color measuring device is described later. A color adjustment circuit 40 for adjusting based on the color adjustment signal transmitted from the transmission image color adjustment device 60, and a reference color signal output circuit (not shown) for outputting a reference color signal for displaying the reference color sample image 70 Is provided. The control device 20 includes, for example, a microcomputer and a transmission / reception device. The control device 20 demodulates a signal transmitted from the medical worker side device 12 and converts an image captured by the medical worker side color imaging device 52. The sound input to the microphone 44 on the medical staff side is displayed on the color image display device 26 and the sound is input to the speaker 2.
4, and supplies the color adjustment signal input and transmitted from the transmission image color adjustment device 60 on the medical staff side to the color adjustment circuit 40. The control device 2
0 is the voice of the patient 18 input to the microphone 22, the image captured by the imaging device 28 with the skin color measuring device, the chromaticity value of the skin of the patient 18, and the biological information measured by the biological information measuring device 32. Is modulated and transmitted to the medical worker side device 12.

Here, the chromaticity quantitatively defines the type of light color excluding lightness. In the present embodiment, when a line connecting cyan blue and reddish orange on the chromaticity diagram, that is, the I axis and a line orthogonal to the I axis in a white portion, that is, the Q axis, are set as coordinate axes,
The component value and the Q component value are used.

The medical worker side device 12 includes a control device 42 connected to the communication line 16 and a medical worker 5
Microphone 44 functioning as a voice input device for inputting voice 0, a speaker 46 functioning as a voice output device for outputting voice to a medical worker 50, and a color cathode ray tube for outputting an image to the medical worker 50. Alternatively, a color image display device 48 composed of a color liquid crystal plate or the like, a color imaging device 52 for imaging the medical worker 50, and an operation body 54 manually operated to adjust the display color on the color image display device 48 _Y , 54 _Q , 5
It includes a 4 _I, the operating body 54 _Y, 54 _Q, 54 brightness according to the operation of _I (Y signal) adjustment value, the chromaticity (Q signal) adjustment value and chromaticity (I signal) display image outputs an adjustment value A color adjusting device 56, an operation body 58 _Y , 5 that is manually operated to adjust a display color on the color image display device 48;
8 _Q, 58 includes a _I, lightness in accordance with the operation of the operation member 58 _Y, 58 _Q, 58 _I in order to adjust the color signals constituting the image captured at the skin color measuring device with an imaging device 28 of the patient ( A transmission image color adjustment device 60 that outputs a Y signal) adjustment value, a chromaticity (Q signal) adjustment value, and a chromaticity (I signal) adjustment value, power-on of the control device 42, switching of a telephone 62, measurement of biological information An operation box 64 provided with operation buttons for performing operations such as start, and a storage device 66 for storing information and the like transmitted from the control device 20 on the patient side are provided. The reference color sample is located at the lower right position of the front case of the color image display device 48 so as to be in the vicinity of the reference color sample image 70 displayed at a predetermined fixed position on the display screen. A member 72 is provided.

The medical worker 50 operates the operating members 54 _Y , 54 _Q , 54 _I of the display image color adjusting device 56 or the transmission image so that the color of the reference color sample image 70 matches the color of the reference color sample member 72. The operation bodies 58 _Y , 58 _Q , of the color adjustment device 60,
Operate 58 _I manually. Thus, the color of the skin of the patient 18 is accurately reproduced on the color image display device 48 on the medical staff side.

The control unit 42 also includes a microcomputer and a transmission / reception device. The control unit 42 demodulates a signal transmitted from the patient-side device 10 and converts an image picked up by the patient-side image pickup device 28 with a skin color measuring device. The image is displayed on the color image display device 48 and the sound input to the microphone 22 on the patient side is output from the speaker 46. In addition, the control device 42 controls the microphone 4
4, modulates the voice of the medical worker 50, the image captured by the color imaging device 52, and the color adjustment signal input from the transmission image color adjustment device 60, and transmits the modulated signal to the patient-side device 10.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the imaging device 28 equipped with a flesh color measuring device provided with a flesh color measuring device 84 according to an embodiment of the present invention and operated by a patient-side worker, and FIG. 3 is a front view. The imaging device with a flesh color measuring device 28
A color image pickup device 80 for picking up the image 8, a relatively thin light beam is output into the image pickup range of the color image pickup device 80, and a portion of the skin of the patient 18 to be measured by the skin color measuring device 84. Is integrally provided with a pointer device 82 provided with a light source for indicating the light beam by the light beam and a skin color measuring device 84 which is in contact with the skin of the patient 18 and measures the skin color of the living body. For this reason, the patient-side worker sets the skin color measuring device 84
Can be indicated by the light beam output from the pointer device 82, and the medical staff can accurately know the colorimetric site from the image captured by the color imaging device 80 transmitted. be able to. Therefore, it is possible to accurately position the colorimetric site by the skin color measuring device 84 to the site specified by the medical staff.

The skin color measuring device 84 includes a cylindrical housing 86 and a cylindrical holding member 88 which is held by a patient-side worker and is fitted to the housing 86 so as to be slidable in a linear direction within a predetermined range. It is urged in a direction away from each other by 104. A pressing member 89 having a pressing surface pressed against the colorimetric site of the living body is detachably attached to the housing 86 by being screwed into the housing 86. The pressing member 89 is replaced every measurement or every patient 18 to prevent infection.
A light transmitting member 92 that constitutes a part of the holding member 88 is provided on the distal end side of the holding member 88, and a pressing member that is provided in advance so as to go around the outer peripheral surface of the housing 86 through the light transmitting member 92 is provided. The pressure display line 94 can be confirmed. The light transmitting member 92 does not need to be colorless and transparent, and may be any as long as the pressing force display line 94 can be confirmed through the light transmitting member 92. As shown in FIG. 3, a disc-shaped light transmitting wall 90 made of a relatively hard colorless and transparent acrylic resin or glass is fitted in the center of the pressing surface of the pressing member 89 against the patient's 18 skin. I have.

Further, on the tip side of the light transmitting member 92,
An optimum pressing force lower limit display line 96 indicating the lower limit of the pressing force for pressing the skin color measuring device 84 against the skin of the patient 18 so that external light does not leak is provided so as to go around the outer peripheral surface thereof, An optimum pressing force upper limit display line 98 indicating the upper limit of the pressure at which the portion pressed by the base end portion 12 skin color measuring device 84 does not change color, that is, does not enter an ischemic state, is provided so as to go around the outer peripheral surface. That is, if the pressing force display line 94 is within the range between the optimum pressing force lower limit display line 96 and the optimum pressing force upper limit display line 98, the skin color measuring device 8
The fourth pressing force applied to the skin of the patient 18 is a pressing force at which external light does not leak in and the pressing portion does not become an ischemic state, that is, an optimum pressing force. Therefore, the pressing force display line 94, the optimum pressing force lower limit display line 96, and the optimum pressing force upper limit display line 98 function as the pressing force display device 99. Here, the ischemia is a state in which blood is removed from a part of the skin of the living body by pressing a part of the skin of the living body.

FIG. 4 is an end view of a section taken along line AA of FIG. The end (the base end) of the housing 86 opposite to the side where the pressing member 89 is screwed so that the irradiation condition on the skin of the living body and the reflection condition of the reflected light are constant regardless of the position of the holding member 88. ), The light source device 100 and the light receiving device 102 are fixed. The light source device 100 irradiates the skin of the patient 18 whose surroundings are shielded by the housing 86 with a certain amount of white light.
Is for receiving reflected light from a portion irradiated by the light source device 100. Housing 86 and holding member 88
Are biased by a spring 104 in a direction away from each other. The spring constant of the spring 104 is set relatively low so that the optimum pressing force range is widened, that is, the distance between the optimum pressing force lower limit display line 96 and the optimum pressing force upper limit display line 98 is increased. I have. Therefore, since the patient-side worker can easily maintain the optimum pressing force, the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurement can be suitably improved.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the position where the skin color of the patient 18 is to be measured by the light beam output from the pointer device 28. In addition, the skin color measuring device 8 of FIG.
In FIG. 4, the pressing force display device 99 is omitted. The patient-side worker holds the imaging device 28 with a flesh color measuring device in his hand and irradiates the skin of the patient 18 with a light beam output from the pointer device 82, thereby indicating a portion to be measured by the flesh color measuring device 84. The medical worker can accurately know the part to be measured by the skin color measuring device 84 from the image captured by the color imaging device 80 transmitted thereto. Therefore, it is possible to accurately position the colorimetric site by the skin color measuring device 84 to the site specified by the medical staff.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the skin color measuring device 84 is pressed against the skin of the patient 18 and the skin color is measured after the colorimetric scheduled portion is accurately positioned according to the instruction of the medical worker 50. Note that the skin color measuring device 84 is not shown with the pressing force display device 99 omitted. When the patient-side worker presses a measurement start button (not shown) with the pressing force of the skin color measuring device 84 set to the optimum pressing force, the light source device 100 is pressed.
The light receiving device 102 receives the light reflected from the skin of the patient 18 and the skin color of the patient is measured based on the obtained spectrum. The measured colorimetric values are displayed on the color image display device 26 of the patient device 10 and stored in the storage device 38. Further, the image data is transmitted to the medical staff by the communication line 16 and is displayed on the color image display device 48.
And stored in the storage device 66.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the skin color is measured using the skin color measuring device 84, the pressing force of the skin color measuring device 84 on the skin of the patient 18 by the pressing force display device 99 is set in a predetermined range. By pressing the skin color measuring device 84 by the patient side operator as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to press the skin of the patient 18 to such an extent that extraneous light is not mixed and the pressing portion of the skin of the patient 18 is not ischemic. Since it is possible, the skin color can be reliably measured with an appropriate pressing force without any skill.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that portions having the same configuration as the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the skin color measuring device 106
Is different from the above-described embodiment. Therefore, in the interactive home medical care support device similar to that of FIG.
6 is used. FIG. 7 is a side view of the imaging device 108 with a flesh color measuring device, and FIG. 8 is an end view of the flesh color measuring device 106 cut along a plane similar to the line AA in FIG. The housing 110 is
It is cylindrical, and is detachably attached by screwing a contact member 111 on the side (tip portion) of the patient 18 that comes into contact with the skin. A disc-shaped light transmitting wall 90 made of hard colorless and transparent acrylic resin or glass is fitted, and a soft material such as rubber is provided on the surface of the contact member 111 on the side pressed against the skin of the living body. , And a pressing wall 112 whose pressing surface against the skin is relatively flat, that is, a pressing member 112 is attached with an adhesive or the like. The contact member 111 to which the pressing member 112 is attached is for preventing infection and the like.
It can be replaced every measurement or every patient 18. The pressing member 112 is used when the skin color measuring device 106
8 is brought into close contact with the skin when it comes into contact with the skin of No. 8 to further prevent the entry of extraneous light. At the center of the pressing member 112, a light transmitting wall 114 made of a colorless and transparent material having the same center as the light transmitting wall 90 and having substantially the same diameter is provided. In addition, a light source device 100 and a light receiving device 102 similar to those in the above-described embodiment are fixed to an end (base end) of the housing 110 opposite to the side that comes into contact with the skin. The body temperature sensor 116 has a relatively thin rod shape, and a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the housing 110 so that the distal end surface is substantially the same as the surface of the pressing member 112 pressed against the skin of the patient 18. Is inserted through. The body temperature sensor 116 simultaneously detects the skin color of the patient 18 when the skin color measurement device 106 is pressed against the skin of the patient 18 and the skin color is measured.
Is pressed against the skin of the subject and the body temperature of the pressed portion is measured.

The housing 110 has a cylindrical intermediate member 118 so as to be slidable in a linear direction within a predetermined range.
And the housing 110 and the intermediate member 118
Are urged by the first spring 120 in a direction away from each other. The intermediate member 118 fitted to the housing 110 is fitted to a cylindrical holding member 122 so as to be slidable in a linear direction within a predetermined range.
The intermediate member 118 and the holding member 122 are connected to the second spring 1
24 are urged in a direction away from each other. The first spring 120 is set to have an elastic force that does not change the skin color of the skin of the patient 18 pressed by the pressing member 112 due to its contraction, that is, does not cause ischemia, and the spring constant of the second spring 124 is Large enough for the spring constant of the first spring 120, such that when the skin color measuring device 106 is pressed against the skin of the patient 18, the second spring 124 starts hardly contracting until the first spring 120 is completely contracted. Is set to

The first pressing force display device 126 includes a guide projection 128 provided on the housing 110 and an intermediate member 118.
And a guide hole 128 for guiding the guide protrusion 128 in the moving direction of the housing 110, and an optimum pressing force display portion 132 displayed on both sides of the guide hole 130.
The optimal pressing force display unit 132 is a pressure at which the pressing force of the pressing member 112 can prevent the mixing of extraneous light by bringing the skin of the patient 18 into close contact with the pressing member 112, and a portion pressed by the pressing member 112. Is displayed as the optimum pressing force in a range where the pressure is not ischemia. The first pressing force display device 126 also has a function of preventing the housing 110 from falling off from the intermediate member 118.

The second pressing force display device 134 is provided for the intermediate member 1.
A guide protrusion 136 provided on the holding member 122 and a long guide hole 138 for guiding the guide protrusion 136 in the moving direction of the intermediate member 118 are provided. The second spring 124 is set to a relatively high spring constant such that the second spring 124 starts contracting after the pressed part of the skin of the patient 18 pressed by the pressing member 112 becomes an ischemic state.
When the pressed portion of the skin of the patient 18 becomes an ischemic state and contraction of the second spring 124 is started, the guide protrusion 136 is formed.
Is separated from the end of the guide hole 138 which is in contact with the second pressing force display device 134 when there is no pressing force.
Indicates an ischemic state of the pressed portion of the skin of the patient 18. Accordingly, a pressing member 112 having a light transmitting wall 114, pressing the skin of the patient 18, a contact member 111 to which the pressing member 112 is adhered, a housing 110 in which the contact member 111 is screwed, a second spring 124, Holding member 122 and second pressing force display device 13 held by patient-side worker
4 also functions as an ischemic device. That is, the skin color measurement device 106 also has a function as an ischemia device due to a part of its configuration. According to this ischemia device, in order to obtain the ischemic state of the skin of the living body, the second pressing force display device 13 is used.
Since the guide protrusion 136 of No. 4 may press the skin color measurement device 106 against the skin of the patient 18 with a pressing force such that the pressing protrusion is separated from the end of the guide hole 138 with which there is no pressing force, ischemia due to insufficient pressing. Is insufficient, and it is possible to prevent the patient 18 from being unnecessarily burdened because the pressing force is too strong. Further, the second pressing force display device 134
Also has a function of preventing the intermediate member 118 from falling off from the holding member 122.

FIG. 9 shows the skin color in a non-ischemic state measured by the skin color measuring device 106 and the intrinsic color of the living body related to the amount of melanin closely related to the change in skin color from the skin color in the ischemic state. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main part of a control function of a control device 20 when calculating a skin color value from which an influence is removed.

When the operator of the patient presses the skin color measuring device 106 against the skin of the patient 18, the first pressing force display device 126 determines that the pressing force of the skin color measuring device 106 is within the optimum pressing force range.
When the patient-side operator operates a first measurement start button (not shown) of the skin color measurement device 106 in the case indicated by, a certain amount of white light is emitted from the light source device 100 and the light from the skin of the patient 18 is emitted. Light receiving device 10 for reflected light
2 receives light. The colorimetric value calculating means 140
The colorimetric value of the skin of the patient 18, that is, the colorimetric value is calculated based on the light received by the second colorimeter 2, and the calculated colorimetric value is stored as the first colorimetric value C ₁ by the first colorimetric value storage unit 142. Device 3
8 is stored.

The pressing force of the skin color measuring device 106 against the skin of the patient 18 is further increased, and the second pressing force display device 13
4, the patient side operates the second measurement start button (not shown) of the skin color measurement device 106 with the pressing force indicating that the skin of the patient is in an ischemic state, so that the first measurement from the light source device 100 is performed. , And the light receiving device 102 receives the reflected light from the skin of the patient 18. The colorimetric value calculating unit 140 calculates a colorimetric value of the skin of the patient 18 based on the light received by the light receiving device 102, and the calculated colorimetric value is stored in the second colorimetric value storage unit 144 by the second colorimetric value storage unit 144.
It is stored in the storage device 38 as colorimetric values C _2. Colorimetric value difference calculating means 146, the second from the first colorimetric values C ₁ stored
By subtracting the colorimetric values C _2, i.e., to calculate a colorimetric value difference DC by Equation 1.

[0034]

## EQU1 ## DC = C ₁ -C ₂

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the main part of the control operation of the controller 20 when calculating the colorimetric value difference DC. In the drawing, in step (hereinafter, step is omitted) S1, the skin color measuring device 106 is pressed against the skin of the patient 18, and the pressing force is indicated by the first pressing force display device 126 as being the optimum pressing force. In some cases,
Whether or not the patient-side operator has operated a first measurement start button (not shown) of the skin color measurement device 106 in a state where the pressing force is held, that is, whether or not the primary pressing force is determined by the patient-side worker's judgment. Is determined. If the determination at S1 is negative, the determination at S1 is repeatedly performed.

However, if the determination in S1 is affirmative, in S2 corresponding to the colorimetric value calculation means 140,
A constant amount of white light is emitted from the light source device 100, and a colorimetric value of the skin of the patient 18 is calculated based on the reflected light from the skin of the patient 18 received by the light receiving device 102. In S3 corresponding to the first colorimetric value storage unit 142 that follows, colorimetric values calculated in S2 is stored in the storage device 38 as the first colorimetric values C _1.

In the subsequent S4, the second pressing force display device 134 displays the skin color measuring device 106 in a state where the ischemic state is maintained at the pressing force indicating that the skin of the patient 18 is in an ischemic state. It is determined whether or not the patient-side operator has operated the second measurement start button not to be used, that is, whether or not the secondary pressing force has been determined by the patient-side worker. If the determination in S4 is denied, repeat S4
Is determined.

However, if the determination in S4 is affirmative, in S5 corresponding to the colorimetric value calculation means 140,
A constant light is emitted from the light source device 100 and the light receiving device 10
The colorimetric value of the skin of the patient 18 is calculated based on the reflected light from the skin of the patient 18 which is received by 2. In S6 corresponds to a second colorimetric value storage unit 144 that follows, colorimetric values calculated in S5 is stored in the storage device 38 as the second colorimetric values C _2. Step S7 corresponds to the subsequent colorimetric value difference calculating means 146, by subtracting from the first colorimetric values C ₁ stored second colorimetric values C _2, i.e., colorimetric value difference DC is calculated using Equation 1 You.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the skin color measuring device 106 also has a function as an ischemic device that presses a predetermined part of the skin of the patient 18 with a part of its constituent members to cause ischemia. Then, the light receiving device 1 in a state where the part of the skin of the patient 18 irradiated by the light source device 100 is not ischemic.
02 based on the spectrum obtained by the first colorimetric value C
₁ is calculated, and the light receiving device 1 is
Second colorimetric value C based on the spectrum obtained by
₂ is calculated, and the colorimetric value difference calculator 146 calculates the colorimetric value difference DC by subtracting the _second colorimetric value C2 from the _first colorimetric value C1. The colorimetric value difference DC represents a skin color in which blood closely related to a change in skin color has been removed, that is, a skin color in which the influence of a color unique to a living body related to the amount of melanin has been removed. Therefore, since the skin color is obtained as an objective value, the skin color of the living body can be easily determined without requiring skill.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the skin color measuring device 1
The pressing member 112 adhered to the surface of the abutment member 111 on the side of the abutment with the skin of the patient 18 has a relatively flat surface pressed against the skin, and has a light transmitting wall 11 at the center thereof.
4, the pressed part is pressed evenly and the ischemic operation is sufficiently performed as compared with the case where only the living skin around the irradiated part is pressed by the pressing member 112, so that the skin color is Measured more accurately.

According to the present embodiment, the housing 11
0 and the holding member 122, an intermediate member 118 is provided, the housing 110 and the intermediate member 118 are urged in a direction separating from each other by a first spring 120, and the intermediate member 118 and the holding member 122 are Spring 124
Are urged in a direction away from each other. And
Due to the contraction of the first spring 120, the pressing member 11
The second spring 124 is contracted after the subcutaneous epidermis of the patient 18, which is pressed by the pressing member 112, becomes ischemic, because the skin color of the skin of the patient 18 pressed by the second member 2 does not change, that is, ischemia does not occur. Is set to be started, and the start of the contraction, that is, the ischemic state is indicated by the second pressing force display device 134. For this reason, the patient-side worker holding the holding member 122 in order to measure the skin color using the skin color measurement device 106, when the patient is not ischemic, has the elastic force of the first spring 120, that is, the pressing force, being the first pressing force display device. By simply pressing the skin color measurement device 106 against the skin of the patient 18 as indicated by 126 as the optimum pressing force, an appropriate pressing force that does not change the skin color of the skin at the pressed portion can be generated. Further, at the time of ischemia, the second spring 124 is contracted, that is, the pressed portion is in an ischemic state, which is indicated by the second pressing force display device 134. A suitable pressing force without imposing a burden on the patient 18 can be generated by the pressing force of the patient 18, and the skin color measuring device 106 can be applied to the patient 18 with appropriate pressing force at the time of non-ischemia and at the time of ischemia without skill. 18 skins can be pressed.

Further, according to this embodiment, the body temperature sensor 116 is provided so that the housing 110 is inserted so that the tip of the housing 110 is located at substantially the same position as the surface of the pressing member 112 pressed against the skin. For this reason, the pressing member 112 is
Since the body temperature sensor 116 is also pressed against the epidermis when pressed against the skin of the patient 18, the colorimetric value of the skin of the patient 18 can be measured, and at the same time, the body temperature of the pressed portion of the skin of the patient 18 can be measured. And the relationship between body temperature.

While the embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, the present invention can be applied to other embodiments.

For example, in the above embodiment, the light transmitting member 9 provided on a part of the holding member 88 of the flesh color measuring device 84 is used.
Although 2 is provided over the entire circumference, it may be a part of the circumference. Further, the pressing force display line 94, the optimum pressing force lower limit display line 96, and the optimum pressing force display line 98 of the pressing force display device 99 may be provided on a part of the circumference.

In the above-described embodiment, the imaging devices 28 and 106 with the flesh color measuring device are operated by the patient side operator, but may be directly operated by the patient himself.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pressing force display devices 99 and 126 correspond to the holding members 8 of the housings 86 and 110.
8 or the movement distance to the intermediate member 118 is displayed on the flesh color measuring devices 84 and 106. However, the movement distance of the housing 86, 110 to the holding member 88 or the intermediate member 118 is calculated by a position sensor or the like, and the movement is performed. Other methods such as calculating the pressing force from the distance and displaying it on the color image display device 26 may be used. When the pressing force is displayed on the color image display device 26, the problem that it is difficult to confirm the pressing force when the patient 18 presses the skin color measuring devices 84 and 106 on the face of the patient 18 is solved.

Further, in the other embodiment described above, the skin color measuring device 106 is provided with two first pressing force display devices 126 as shown in FIG. 7, but one or three or more pressing force displaying devices 126 are provided. It does not matter.

Further, in the other embodiment described above, the skin color measuring device 106 is provided with one body temperature sensor 100. However, a plurality of body temperature sensors 100 are provided, and the average of the body temperature sensors 100 is determined. The temperature may be calculated as the body temperature.

In the other embodiment described above, the pressing member 1
Although the contact member 111 to which the adhesive member 12 is attached is detachably attached by being screwed into the housing 110, the contact member 111 and the pressing member 112 are joined by a flat fastener or the like, so that the pressing member 112 is pressed. Only the member 112 may be replaceable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an interactive home medical care support apparatus including an imaging apparatus with a skin color measurement apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the imaging device with a skin color measuring device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the imaging device with a skin color measurement device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a cross section taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part to be measured by the skin color measuring device by a pointer device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the skin color of the patient is being measured by the skin color measuring device.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an imaging device with a flesh color measuring device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

8 is an end view of the skin color measurement device of FIG. 7 cut along a plane similar to the line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main part of a control function of the patient-side control device when calculating a skin color in which an influence of a color unique to a living body is removed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a main part of a control function of a patient-side control device when calculating a skin color in which an influence inherent to a living body is removed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 84: skin color measuring device 86: housing 88: holding member 99: pressing force display device 100: light source device 102: light receiving device 104: spring 106: skin color measuring device 110: housing 118: intermediate member 120: first spring 122: holding member 124: second spring 126: first pressing force display device 134: second pressing force display device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing which is brought into contact with a predetermined portion of an epidermis of a living body to shield the portion from light, a light source device for irradiating a portion of the epidermis of the living body which is shielded by the housing, and a skin of the living body A light receiving device for receiving reflected light from a portion irradiated by the light source device, wherein the skin color measuring device measures the skin color of the epidermis of the living body. A holding member fitted directly or indirectly so as to be movable in the direction and held by a measurer, a spring for urging the housing and the holding member in a direction away from each other, A pressing force display device that indicates that a pressing force of the housing against the skin of the living body is a preset value based on a compression position of a spring. .