JPS63135142A - Electric stethoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field] The present invention relates to an electric stethoscope. In the present invention, for example, a microphone picks up the sound detected by the chestpiece and converts it into an electrical signal, so that general audio processing can be performed from one transmitting device and one receiving device, recording and playback, and simultaneous auscultation can be performed using multiple earphones and speakers. Used when obtaining a stethoscope with a

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]

A stethoscope is indispensable for diagnosis based on sounds within the chest and abdominal cavity. The stethoscope has long been comprised of a chestpiece, an ear tip, and a tube that provides an acoustic connection between the chest piece and the ear tip.

However, the stethoscope with the above configuration has several problems. In other words, the principle is that a diaphragm is placed in contact with the chest/abdomen to detect the spiral movement, pulsation, and vibration of the internal cavity as sound, so if there is a weak and subtle change, the information will further travel through the tube and be heard by the ear. The complaints are that the clarity is often very low and even distorted, making it difficult to get a correct diagnosis and easily leading to misdiagnoses and misdiagnoses. On the other hand, the earpiece is designed to reduce interference from external noise.
They require sufficient hardness and elasticity, and they tend to be pressed too tightly into the ears, which can cause discomfort and pain when used for long periods of time.

In addition, in the case of clinical training or rounds, only one person can auscultate at a time, and there may be differences in the location and time of auscultation.
There are many inconveniences and drawbacks for patients and others, such as the annoyance they feel, and there are also problems such as the inability to record concrete medical history data.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, amplifies even the slightest change in vibrational sound detected from a diaphragm, etc. so that it can be heard clearly, can be easily listened to with headphones, can be recorded and played back, and can be played by multiple people at the same time. The purpose is to provide a stethoscope that allows listening.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] Based on the above, the present invention provides a stethoscope equipped with a chest piece consisting of a sounding diaphragm and a bell, which detects vibration sound signals detected by the chest piece. The vibration sound signal is guided to a microphone by a conduit, the vibration sound signal is converted into an electrical signal by the microphone, and then transmitted as a telecommunication signal by a transmitting circuit device powered by a built-in battery, and the transmitted signal is received by a receiving device. Provided is an electric stethoscope which is capable of recording and reproducing information, and which is capable of receiving the telecommunication signals by being connected to a plurality of headphones etc. by providing a plurality of connection terminals on the transmission circuit device. be done.

In the electric stethoscope according to the present invention, the vibration sound detected at the chestpiece is guided to the conduit, picked up by the microphone, converted into an electrical signal, and input to the transmitting circuit device. The transmitting circuit device is
It has a built-in battery as a power source and is electrically connected to the microphone, and the electrical signal is amplified and transmitted as a telecommunications signal through a wire antenna.
A receiving device receives it, records and plays it, and
By providing multiple auxiliary output terminals, signals can be output to multiple headphones, oscilloscopes, etc. at the same time. On the other hand, the transmission signal circuit device can also be provided with a plurality of output connection terminals to supply pressure-contact amplified electrical signals to other output devices.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, in which IO is a chest piece, which usually has a diaphragm 11 and a bell 12 back to back, and its hollow connecting part. Projecting from 13 is a tubular connecting end 14 which internally communicates with each other.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a holding shell body, which has a flat shell body 21 with an oval cross section suitable for connecting and holding the chest piece 10 on the upper part thereof and usually holding it in one hand and applying the chest piece 10 to the chest for auscultation. The upper end is reduced to a hollow circular opening 221
It consists of an oval camp 22 whose lower end opening 222 is integrally fitted with the upper part of the shell body 21, and a bottom M23 which is removably fitted integrally with the lower part of the shell body 21.

At the top of the holding shell 20, there is a condition 30, which is a flexible three-way tube shaped like an inverted Y and has an opening 32 at the upper end and openings 31, 31 at the lower end, which caps the upper opening 32. The opening 221 is inserted upward from the inside of the chest piece 10, and the lower end opening 31 and the 31 side are connected to the shell body 2 by the cap 22 while the opening 221 is inserted upward from the inside of the chest piece 10.
1 and are held integrally together.

In the branch openings 31, 31 of the above-mentioned conduit 30,
Each high-sensitivity microphone 24 is fixedly fitted, and the microphone 24 is inserted into the shell main body 21 by a conductive wire 241.
It is drawn in through a slot 212 provided in the end surface 211,
As shown in FIG. 4, it is electrically connected to a known transmitting circuit device 25 housed within the shell body 21. Shell body 2
1 further includes a battery 26, which serves as a power source for the transmitting circuit device 25.

On the outer periphery of the shell body 21, there are three open/close control switches 215 for the battery 26 that are operated from the outside.

A control switch 216 for the electrical signal output of the transmitting circuit device 25 is provided, which can be operated individually. Connection jacks 217 serving as output terminals for each of the switches 216 are provided on the bottom cover 23, and a wire antenna 200 for transmitting signals is provided.
A connection jack 242 is also provided on the bottom cover 23 to directly draw out electrical signals without a control switch.

The operation of the electric stethoscope configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. Before placing the chest piece 10 on the chest and abdomen and auscultating the internal organs, first press the switch 215 to connect the electric stethoscope to the power source 26. , diaphragm 11 or bell 1
The vibration sound detected by the microphone 24 is emitted along the conduit 3° communicating with the connecting portion 13, and the vibration sound detected by the microphone 24,
24 picks up the signal and converts it into an electrical signal.

The electrical signal obtained by the microphone 24 is
Subsequently, after being amplified by the transmitting circuit device 25, if the plug is connected to the jack 242 via the cord 110 to a known pocket-sized receiving circuit device 50a, the switch of the receiving circuit device 50a can be freely operated to control the power supply opening/closing. Then, it becomes possible to perform auscultation by using headphones 60 or by adding headphones 60.

On the other hand, by operating the control switch 216, a plug inserted into one of the jacks 217 of the corresponding holding shell 20 allows output to be remotely controlled via the cord 210 to the receiving circuit device 50.

Moreover, at the same time as above, since the signal is transmitted from the wire antenna 200 through the transmitting circuit part, the receiving circuit device 50 with a built-in receiving circuit can be used even without the above connection cord 210.
Accordingly, the telecommunication signal can be received within the distance range, and can be used not only for auscultation but also for recording and playback. In FIG. 4, 70 is a multi-purpose earphone jack.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show other embodiments of the present invention.

5 and 6, the connecting portion 13a of the chest piece loa is provided with a transverse through hole 15 in the radial direction,
Both ends 331 and 331 of the hollow cylindrical body that forms a condition in the through hole 15 are formed into mounting seats with a slightly larger diameter, and the sleeve is engaged so as to be freely rotatable by screwing screws 332 and 333. 33, and the screw 33
2.333 is formed with a head having a larger diameter than the through hole 15, and is engaged with the sleeve 33. Among them, the screw 333 has a cap 22a whose upper end is elongated.
The opening 221 and the center hole 336 communicate with each other.

A communication hole 334 that communicates between the inside and outside in the radial direction is bored in the substantially longitudinal center of the peripheral wall of the sleeve 33. By rotating the sleeve 33, the communication hole 334 can be selectively connected to the diaphragm 11 and the bell 12, respectively. If they are directed towards either of the lumens 111 and 121 of the lumens 111 and 121, they will communicate with each other. Each microphone 24 is mounted and held on both ends 331.331 of the sleeve 33, which form the mounting seats, and are connected by connecting conductive wires 241.241 through a through hole 335 bored in the peripheral wall of the sleeve 33 and a center hole 336. Each is drawn into the holding shell 20.

Note that small holes and depressions are provided in the outer circumferential portion of the sleeve 33 and the inner circumferential portion of the through hole 15 so as to face each other so that the communicating hole 334 properly stops at a position where it communicates with the inner cavities 111 and 121.
A positioning means 337 is provided in the small hole and is fitted with a spring so as to urge the small ball to protrude.

When the above configuration is changed, the chest piece 10a is rotated with respect to the screw 333 that integrally connects the sleeve 33, and the direction of the communication hole 334 is aligned with the inner cavity 111 or 121 of either the diaphragm 11 or the bell 12. When the anastomosis is established, the positioning means 337 stops the diaphragm 11 (in the illustrated example, the diaphragm 11 side), and when auscultation is performed from that side, the detected vibration sound is caused by the lumen 111 or 121.
The microphones 24 at both ends 331 and 331 of the sleeve 33 are transmitted from the through the communication hole 334 into the sleeve 33,
24 can now be picked up. Thereafter, the detected vibration sound converted into an electrical signal by the microphones 24, 24 is amplified and transmitted as a telecommunication signal following the same process as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4 described above.

Blank below [Effects of the Invention] According to the above configuration of the present invention, the vibration sound detected by the chestpiece is guided to the microphone by the condition.
By picking up the weak and variable vibration sound into an electrical signal, amplifying it using a transmitting circuit and making it audible through headphones, you can be freed from the pain caused by conventional earpieces. At the same time, it became possible to connect to a receiving circuit device through a connection jack, etc. to input signals, or to receive and record and play back signals, and by providing multiple connection jacks, a large number of headphones could be connected By connecting the devices, it is possible to perform medical rounds or clinical training at the same time, and it is possible to reduce misdiagnosis and misdiagnosis due to differences in auscultation.

If necessary, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by inserting an interface 80 as a known audio control circuit, the vibration sound detected by the stethoscope can be transmitted through an oscilloscope 90, an oscilloscope 90a, etc. It is also possible to observe it as waveform video data.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an exploded appearance of an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled appearance of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the device shown in FIG. 2. 4 is an electric circuit diagram illustrating various application modes of an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a side view of an electric stethoscope as another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an exploded appearance of the device, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the device shown in FIG. (Explanation of symbols) IO...Chest piece, 10a...Chest piece, 11...Diaphragm, 12...Bell, 13...
- Connecting portion, 14... Connection end, 20... Holding shell, 21... Shell body, 22... Cap, 22a... Cap, 23... Bottom cover,
24... Microphone, 25... Transmission circuit device, 26... Battery, 30... Condition, 3
0a...condition, 31...opening,
32... Opening portion, 50... Receiving circuit device, 50a
... Receiving circuit device, 60... Headphones, 70... Various earphone jacks, 80... Interface, 90... Oscilloscope, 90a... Oscilloscope, 110ψ code, 200
...Antenna, 216...Control switch, 2
17... Connection jack, 221... Opening, 222
...Opening, 241...Conductor, 242...
・Connection jack. Below, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 5 Procedural amendment (voluntary) February 2, 1988 Commissioner of the Patent Office Kuro 1) Akio Yu 1, Indication of the case 1986 Patent Application No. 280909 2, Invention Name of Electric Stethoscope 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Patent applicant address: 8-10-5, Toranomon-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105
In Column 6 of "Detailed Description of the Invention" of the specification subject to amendment, in the description of the contents of the amendment, ■ The description "rounds" in the 4th line of the 5th column has been changed to r. Auscultate and discuss) Correct with J%. ■ Correct the description ``rounds'' on page 13, line 13 to read ``rounds''.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electric stethoscope equipped with a chest piece consisting of a sound detection diaphragm and a bell, in which a vibration sound signal detected by the chest piece is guided to a microphone by a condit, and the vibration sound signal is transmitted by the microphone. converting it into an electrical signal and transmitting it as a telecommunication signal by a transmitting circuit device powered by a built-in battery, and receiving, recording and reproducing the telecommunication signal by a receiving circuit device. The electric stethoscope is capable of receiving the telecommunication signals by connecting a plurality of headphones or the like by providing a plurality of connection terminals on the transmission circuit device. 2. The battery and the transmitting circuit device are integrated into a flat shell body having an oval cross section, and the conduit is held by a cap that is integrally fitted to the upper part of the shell body, and is connected to the chest piece. A removable bottom cover is provided at the bottom of the shell body, and a control switch for the battery that can be operated from the outside is provided on the surface of the shell body, and a wire antenna for signal transmission and a plurality of transmitters are provided on the bottom cover. The electric stethoscope according to claim 1, wherein an output terminal for signal transmission of the circuit device is provided so as to be connectable to the outside. 3. The electric stethoscope according to claim 2, wherein the output terminal for signal transmission is a connection jack, and the shell body is provided with a switch that can be opened and closed by operation from the outside. 4. The condit is made of a flexible three-way tube in the shape of an inverted Y, and its upward open end is connected to the chest piece, and the other forked open end is connected to the shell body by a cap. 2. The electric stethoscope according to claim 1, wherein the electric stethoscope is held in a fork shape and has a microphone fitted in each of the forked opening ends. 5. The above-mentioned condit is a sleeve having a hollow cylindrical shape and having a communication hole that communicates inside and outside in the radial direction in the approximately central part of the longitudinal wall, and a hole that crosses the inner cavity at the connecting part of the chest piece. A through hole is provided, the sleeve is rotatably fitted into the through hole by screws screwed into both ends, and a microphone is installed inside each screw in the sleeve, and the sleeve is rotated to establish the communication. The electric stethoscope according to claim 1, wherein the hole picks up vibration sound toward either the diaphragm side or the bell side. 6. The outer periphery of the sleeve and the inner periphery of the through hole are provided with positioning means that stops when the sleeve rotates and directs the communication hole to each predetermined position on the diaphragm side and the bell side. An electric stethoscope according to claim 5.