JPWO2013018295A1 - Body moisture meter - Google Patents

Abstract

Maintaining measurement accuracy and improving hygiene in body moisture meters. The in-vivo moisture meter 200 according to the present invention includes a sensor unit 110 that measures data indicating the capacitance of the body surface of a subject, and a protective film 211 that supports the sensor unit 110 and covers the sensor unit 110. A mounting unit to which the protective cover 200 is mounted, and a control unit that calculates a moisture content in the subject based on data measured by the sensor unit 110, the control unit including the mounting unit When the protective cover 200 is attached to the subject, the correction amount corresponding to the material of the protective film 211 is used to calculate the moisture content in the subject based on the data measured by the sensor unit 110. The body water content is corrected.

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vivo moisture meter that measures moisture in a living body of a subject.

  It is important to measure the moisture in the subject's living body. Dehydration in the living body is a condition in which water in the living body decreases, and it often develops daily, especially when exercising when a lot of water is discharged from the body due to sweating or rising body temperature, or when the temperature is high It is. In particular, it is said that elderly people are more likely to cause dehydration than ordinary healthy people because the water retention ability of the living body itself is often lowered.

  Similar dehydration is also observed in infants. Infants and infants have a lot of water, but they cannot complain of hydration themselves, and parents may be late to notice.

  Usually, it is said that the body temperature regulation is impaired when the body water is lost by 3% or more of the body weight. The body temperature regulation disorder causes the body temperature to rise, and the body temperature rise further increases the body water. It will fall into a vicious cycle of causing a decrease in the number of people, and eventually it will lead to a condition called heat stroke. Heat stroke has pathological conditions such as heat convulsions, heat fatigue, and heat stroke, and sometimes systemic organ damage may occur. By accurately grasping dehydration, the risk of heat stroke can be avoided. It is desirable to be able to do this.

  As a so-called body moisture meter for grasping dehydration symptoms, for example, a device that measures the human body impedance with a device that holds the handle with both hands and calculates the body moisture content from the measurement result is known (patent) Reference 1).

JP 11-318845 A

  However, in the case of the moisture meter in the body described in Patent Document 1, since the subject himself / herself is required to hold the handle with both hands, other people than the subject can easily measure the moisture content in the subject. There is a problem that you can not do. That is, in the structure of the moisture meter in the body based on the measurement site described in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that it is difficult to measure the moisture content in the body of an infant or a subject who has suffered a disturbance of consciousness.

  On the other hand, examples of a site that can be easily measured by others other than the subject and are suitable for measuring the amount of moisture in the body include, for example, the skin of the armpit. However, the armpit is originally a site with a high amount of sweat, and assuming the skin of the armpit as the measurement site, for example, when trying to continuously measure the moisture content in the body of a plurality of subjects, It is conceivable that sweat or the like adhering at the time of measurement by the examiner affects the measurement result of the next subject. For this reason, in order to maintain high measurement accuracy, it is indispensable to completely wipe off sweat and the like adhering to the contact part (sensor part) during the measurement journey.

  In the first place, in a body moisture meter that measures the amount of moisture in the body by making contact with the body surface of the person to be measured, the contact part (sensor part) is always kept clean from a hygienic viewpoint. desirable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to maintain measurement accuracy and improve hygiene in a body moisture meter for measuring body moisture content of a subject.

In order to achieve the above object, the moisture meter in the body according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
A sensor unit that measures data on moisture in the living body by contacting the body surface of the subject; and
A mounting portion that supports the sensor unit and is mounted with a protective cover on which a protective film that covers the sensor unit is disposed;
A controller that calculates the amount of water in the subject based on the data measured by the sensor unit; and
The control unit is configured to calculate the moisture content in the subject based on the data measured by the sensor unit when the protective cover is mounted on the mounting unit. The moisture content in the body is corrected using a correction value corresponding to.

  In the in-vivo moisture meter that measures the in-vivo moisture content of the subject, it is possible to maintain measurement accuracy and improve hygiene.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The accompanying drawings are included in the specification, constitute a part thereof, show an embodiment of the present invention, and are used to explain the principle of the present invention together with the description.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external configuration of an in-vivo moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a protective cover attached to the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a state where the protective cover is attached to the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a state where the protective cover is removed from the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a measurement circuit of the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining holding of measurement information by the memory. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a protective cover attached to the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the protective cover arranged in the case is attached to the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state where the protective cover is removed from the in-vivo moisture meter by the eject button. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a moisture meter in the body having a rectangular tip portion. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an external configuration of the in-vivo moisture meter according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the cartridge unit fixed to the moisture meter in the body and a configuration of the fixing unit to which the cartridge unit is fixed. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a film winding operation. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a film included in the cartridge. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the moisture meter in the body. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an external configuration of the moisture meter in the body according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the cartridge unit fixed to the moisture meter in the body and a configuration of the fixing unit to which the cartridge unit is fixed.

  Hereinafter, the details of each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings as necessary. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following embodiment, It shall change suitably.

[First Embodiment]
<1. External structure of moisture meter in the body>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an external configuration of a moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment. The moisture meter 100 in the body brings the sensor unit into contact with the armpit skin, which is the body surface of the subject, and detects the physical amount corresponding to the electrical signal supplied in the sensor unit, thereby determining the moisture content in the subject's body. To detect. In the in-vivo moisture meter 100 according to the present embodiment, the sensor unit is brought into contact with the subject's armpit, and the capacitance of the subject is measured as a physical quantity (data related to moisture in the living body). Detects how wet the skin is and calculates the amount of water in the body. The physical quantity detected for calculating the amount of water in the body is not limited to the capacitance, and may be, for example, impedance measured by supplying a constant voltage or a constant current to the subject.

  In the in-vivo moisture meter 100, the main body 101 is provided with various user interfaces and an electronic circuit for calculating the in-body moisture content. As a user interface, a power switch 102 and a display unit 103 are arranged. When the power switch 102 is turned on, power supply from the power supply unit 411 (FIG. 4), which will be described later, to each part of the moisture meter 100 in the body is started, and the moisture meter 100 in the body enters an operating state. The display unit 103 displays the current moisture content measurement result 131. For reference, the previous measurement result 132 is also displayed. Further, in the display unit 103, the battery display unit 133 displays the remaining amount of the battery (power supply unit 411 in FIG. 4). When an invalid measurement result is obtained or when a measurement error is detected, “E” is displayed on the display unit 103 to notify the user to that effect.

  A sensor unit 110 is provided at the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body so as to be slidable in the directions of arrows 141a and 141b. The sensor unit 110 is urged in the direction of the arrow 141a by a spring (not shown) in order to ensure a pressing force for ensuring the close contact of the sensor head 111 with the skin (for example, an urging force of about 200 g). The sensor head 111 is pressed against the skin of the armpit and the sensor unit 110 is moved in the direction of the arrow 141b by a predetermined amount (for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, 5 mm in the present embodiment) to start measurement. Yes. For example, when it is detected that the user turns on the power switch 102 to activate the moisture meter 100 in the body and presses the sensor head 111 against the subject's body surface for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds or more), Measurement of body water content is started. Alternatively, the user turns on the power switch 102 to activate the moisture meter 100 in the body, and the sensor head 111 is placed on the body surface of the subject with a predetermined load (for example, 100 g to 300 g, more preferably 150 g to 250 g, in this embodiment). 200g) When it is detected that the body is pressed, measurement of the amount of water in the body is started. With such a mechanism, the degree of adhesion of the sensor head 111 to the skin under the arm during measurement is made constant.

  An electrode is laid on the contact surface of the sensor head 111 with the subject, and a protective material is provided so as to cover the electrode.

  The contact surface of the sensor head 111 may be a flat shape or a convex curved shape. An example of the shape of such a contact surface is a part of a spherical surface (for example, a spherical surface having a radius of 15 mm).

  The front end 104 that supports the sensor unit 110 is further provided with notches 151 and 152 so that a locking portion of a protective cover, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, is locked. With this configuration, the protective cover can be detachably attached to the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 (that is, the distal end portion of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 supports the sensor unit 110 and the protective cover is attached). Function as the mounting portion 104). In addition, the notch parts 151 and 152 are assumed to be provided with a protective cover detection part that detects when the locking part of the protective cover is locked.

<2. Body moisture meter protective cover>
Next, a protective cover that covers the sensor unit 110 of the moisture meter 100 in the body will be described. As described above, the moisture meter 100 in the body is configured to detect the amount of moisture in the body of the subject by bringing the sensor unit 110 (the sensor head 111) into contact with the skin of the subject's armpit. . For this reason, it is necessary to consider the influence on the measurement result of the previous test subject's armpit sweat and the hygiene management of the sensor unit 110. And in the moisture meter 100 in a body which concerns on this embodiment, as a countermeasure for it, it is comprised so that the disposable protective cover which covers the said sensor part 110 can be mounted | worn.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external configuration of the protective cover 200 attached to the in-vivo moisture meter 100 according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a housing, which includes a semicircular side surface arranged in parallel to each other and an upper surface along the circumference of the semicircular shape so as to match the outer shape of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body. It has a hollow structure. Thereby, it can be made to fit in the front-end | tip part 104 of the moisture meter 100 in a body.

  Reference numeral 202 denotes a protrusion, which is a member that is pressed by a user's finger when removing the housing 201 fitted to the tip 104 of the moisture meter 100 (attached to the tip 104 of the moisture meter 100) Details of the work for removing the protective cover 200 will be described later).

  Reference numeral 211 denotes a protective film, which is arranged so as to cover the opening 212 provided at the center position on the upper surface side of the housing 201 and is configured to be stretchable. Thereby, when the housing 201 is fitted to the front end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body, the sensor portion 110 is completely covered by extending along the sensor portion 110. Furthermore, even when the sensor unit 110 moves a predetermined amount in the direction of the arrow 141b during measurement, the movement of the sensor unit 110 can be followed.

  Reference numerals 221 and 222 denote locking portions which are locked to the notches 151 and 152 provided in the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 when the housing 201 is fitted to the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body. Is done. As a result, the protective cover 200 is fixed to the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body.

<3. Installation of protective cover>
Next, a procedure for attaching the protective cover 200 to the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 will be described. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the protective cover 200 is attached to the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100.

  As shown in 3a-1 of FIG. 3A, the housing 201 is fitted to the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body by moving the protective cover 200 in the arrow 301 direction with the protruding portion 202 facing upward. Is done.

  At this time, the protective cover 200 is positioned so that the sensor unit 110 matches the opening 212 of the housing 201. Thereby, the protective film 211 is extended, and the housing 201 can be fitted more deeply into the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body. As a result, the locking portions 221 and 222 are locked to the notches 151 and 152, and the protective cover 200 is fixed to the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100.

<4. Removing the protective cover>
Next, a procedure for removing the protective cover 200 from the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 will be described. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a state where the protective cover 200 is removed from the distal end portion of the moisture meter 100 in the body.

  As shown in 3a-2 of FIG. 3B, the tip of the thumb comes into contact with the protrusion 202 of the protective cover 200 by extending the thumb while holding the main body 101 of the moisture meter 100 in the body. In this state, by further pushing the thumb forward, the locking portion 221 is detached from the cutout portion 151 and the housing 201 is detached from the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body and falls downward. As a result, the protective cover 200 is removed from the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body.

  Thus, in-vivo moisture meter 100 concerning this embodiment is constituted so that protection cover 200 can be removed with one hand, and, thereby, a user's work load at the time of replacement of protection cover 200 is reduced. Can do.

<5. Functional configuration of body moisture meter>
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 4, the control unit 401 includes a CPU 402 and a memory 403, and the CPU 402 executes various programs in the body moisture meter 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 403. For example, the CPU 402 performs display control of the display unit 103, which will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6, drive control of the buzzer 422 and the LED lamp 423, measurement of moisture in the body (capacitance measurement in this embodiment), and the like. The memory 403 includes a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is used as a program memory, and the volatile memory is used as a work memory for the CPU 402.

  The power supply unit 411 has a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, and supplies power to each part of the moisture meter 100 in the body. The voltage regulator 412 supplies a constant voltage (for example, 2.3 V) to the control unit 401 and the like. The remaining battery level detection unit 413 detects the remaining battery level based on the voltage value supplied from the power source unit 411 and notifies the control unit 401 of the detection result. The control unit 401 controls the display of the battery display unit 133 based on the remaining battery level detection signal from the remaining battery level detection unit 413.

  When the power switch 102 is pressed, power supply from the power supply unit 411 to each unit is started. And if the control part 401 detects that pressing by the user of the power switch 102 continued for 1 second or more, it will maintain the power supply to each part from the power supply part 411, and will make the moisture meter 100 in a body into an operation state. As described above, the measurement switch 414 is turned on when the sensor unit 110 is pushed a predetermined amount or more in the direction of the arrow 141b. When the ON state of the measurement switch 414 continues for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), the control unit 401 starts measuring the body water content. In order to prevent exhaustion of the power supply unit 411, if the measurement does not start even after 5 minutes have passed since the in-vivo moisture meter 100 is in the operating state, the control unit 401 automatically turns on the in-vivo moisture meter 100. Transition to the off state.

  The measurement circuit 421 is connected to the sensor head 111 and measures the capacitance. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the measurement circuit 421. A CR oscillation circuit is formed by the operational amplifiers 501 and 502, the resistors 503 and 504, and the subject capacitor 510. Since the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 varies depending on the subject volume 510, the control unit 401 calculates the subject volume 510 by measuring the frequency of the output signal 505. In the sensor head 111 of the present embodiment, for example, two comb-shaped electrodes are arranged so that the respective comb teeth are alternately arranged, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  Returning to FIG. The protective cover detection unit 431 is provided in the notches 151 and 152 of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body, and detects this when the locking portions 221 and 222 of the protective cover 200 are locked. If the protective cover detection unit 431 is in an on state during the measurement of the moisture content in the body, the protective film 211 is calculated in calculating the subject volume 510 based on the measured frequency of the output signal 505. Correction is performed using correction values corresponding to the material and film thickness.

  Here, in order to obtain a correction value corresponding to the material and film thickness of the protective film 211, when the protective cover 200 is not mounted and when various protective covers 200 with different materials and film thickness of the protective film 211 are mounted. The measurement results were as shown in the following table (Table 1).

  As shown in Table 1, when the moisture content in the body was measured in the axilla of the subject without wearing the protective cover 200, the protective film thickness was 0 when measured as 32.2%. When a protective cover 200 having a protective film made of a polyethylene sheet of 0.03 mm, 0.06 mm, and 0.09 mm and a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet having a protective film thickness of 0.13 mm was attached and measured, They were 3%, 3.6%, 1.3%, and 0.7%. Therefore, the correction value is set based on these measurement results.

  Specifically, when the material of the protective film 211 is polyethylene and the film thickness of the protective film is 0.03 mm, for example, a correction value of 25 is calculated for the calculated amount of water in the body (for example, X%). A value obtained by adding% (X% + 25%) can be output as the final amount of water in the body.

  Returning to FIG. The display unit 103 performs display as described in FIG. 1 under the control of the control unit 401. The buzzer 422 rings when the sensor unit 110 is pressed to start measurement or when the moisture content in the body is completed, and notifies the user of the start or completion of measurement. The LED lamp 423 also performs the same notification as the buzzer 422. That is, the LED lamp 423 is turned on when the measurement is started by pressing the sensor unit 110 or when the moisture content in the body is completed, and notifies the user of the start or completion of the measurement. The timer unit 424 operates by receiving power supply from the power source unit 411 even when the power is off, and notifies the control unit 401 of the time in the operating state.

<6. Operation of body moisture meter>
The operation of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S601, the control unit 401 detects a measurement start instruction. In the present embodiment, the state of the measurement switch 414 is monitored, and it is determined that the measurement start instruction has been detected when the measurement switch 414 remains on for 2 seconds or longer. When detecting the measurement start instruction, the control unit 401 measures the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 from the measurement circuit 421 in step S602.

  In step S603, when the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 is measured in step S602, it is determined whether or not the protective cover detection unit 431 is in an on state. In step S603, when it is determined that the protective cover detection unit 431 is in the ON state, in calculating the moisture content in the subject based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S602, It is determined that correction is necessary, and the process proceeds to step S604.

  In step S604, a correction value stored in advance in the memory 403 (a correction value that takes into account the effect of the presence or absence of the protective film 211) is read, and then the process proceeds to step S605.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S603 that the protective cover detection unit 431 is not in the on state, the moisture content in the body of the subject is calculated based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S602. In this case, it is determined that no correction is necessary, and the process proceeds to step S604.

  In step S605, the moisture content in the body of the subject is calculated based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S602. At this time, if a correction value has been read in step S604, correction is performed using the correction value.

  In step S606, it is determined whether or not the subject is dehydrated based on whether or not the amount of water in the body calculated in step S605 exceeds a predetermined threshold. The threshold value in this case is preferably a value corresponding to 25% when water is 100% and air is 0%.

  In step S607, the current measurement information is stored in the memory 403. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of measurement information stored in the memory 403. In FIG. 7, a measured value 701 is the amount of water in the body calculated by the current measurement. The determination result 702 is information indicating whether the dehydration state or the non-dehydration state is determined in step S606 with respect to the amount of water in the body calculated by the current measurement. The measurement time 703 is information indicating the time notified from the time measuring unit 424 in the current measurement. The measurement time 703 can be, for example, the time notified from the time measuring unit 424 when the measurement is executed in step S602.

  In step S608, the water content in the body calculated by the current measurement is displayed on the display unit 103. At this time, display is performed in a display form according to the determination result of the dehydrated state or the non-dehydrated state (for example, in the case of the dehydrated state, the amount of water in the body is displayed in red, and in the case of the non-dehydrated state, The amount of water in the body is displayed in blue).

  As is clear from the above description, the moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment is configured such that the protective cover 200 can be attached and detached. In this way, in contact with the skin of the subject's armpit, in the moisture meter in the body that measures the amount of moisture in the body of the subject, to the measurement accuracy of the sweat of the armpit that was attached during the previous measurement of the subject It became possible to eliminate the influence of. In addition, the sensor unit 110 can always be kept clean, and hygiene improvement can be achieved.

  In addition, when the protective cover 200 is attached, this is detected and correction is made in the calculation of the amount of moisture in the body, so that it is possible to eliminate the influence on the measurement result associated with the attachment of the protective cover 200. became.

  Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which the protective cover 200 can be easily removed, it is possible to reduce the user's work load accompanying the attachment / detachment of the protective cover 200.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the opening 212 is provided at the center position on the upper surface side of the housing 201, and the stretchable protective film 211 is disposed in the opening. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, the entire housing 201 may be made of a stretchable material (see 8a in FIG. 8), or a part of the housing 201 may have a stretchable structure such as a bellows structure (see 8b in FIG. 8).

  In the first embodiment, it is assumed that when the protective cover 200 is attached, the user moves the protective cover 200 to fit the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body. It is not limited to.

  For example, a case in which a plurality of protective covers 200 are arranged as shown in FIG. 9 is prepared, and the user moves the tip 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the direction of the arrow 901, so that the tip of the moisture meter 100 in the body is moved. You may comprise so that the part 104 may be fitted to the protective cover 200 (refer FIG. 9). Thereby, the user can perform all the work of attaching the protective cover 200 and the work of measuring the moisture content in the body by one-hand operation, and the convenience for the user is improved.

  In the first embodiment, the protective cover 200 is removed by pushing out the protrusion 202 of the protective cover 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, the in-body moisture meter 100 is provided with an eject button 1001 for releasing the locked state of the protective cover 200, and when the user presses the eject button 1001, the locked state of the protective cover 200 is released, and the protective cover 200 is protected. The cover 200 may be removed (FIG. 10).

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the protective cover detector 431 is provided to automatically detect whether or not the protective cover 200 is attached. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to manually input that the protective cover is attached. Or you may make it provide the input part for a user to input a correction value directly according to the presence or absence of a protective cover.

  In the first embodiment, the same protective cover 200 can be used for different subjects, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the measurement of the moisture content in the body is completed with the protective cover 200 attached, an instruction to urge removal of the protective cover 200 may be displayed on the display unit 103. As a result, the risk of repeatedly using the protective cover 200 can be reduced.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the case where the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body has a circular shape has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a rectangular shape (see, for example, FIG. 11). ). In this case, it goes without saying that the housing 201 of the protective cover 200 also has a rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the distal end portion 104 of the in-vivo moisture meter 100.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In the said 1st thru | or 4th embodiment, although comprised so that a protective cover could be attached or detached, this invention is not limited to this, It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions the film which can be wound up in a sensor part. Details of this embodiment will be described below.

<1. External structure of moisture meter in the body>
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an external configuration of the in-vivo moisture meter 1200 according to the present embodiment. In-body moisture meter 1200 brings the sensor unit into contact with the armpit skin that is the body surface of the subject, and the sensor unit detects a physical quantity corresponding to the supplied electrical signal, thereby detecting the moisture content in the subject. Is calculated. In the in-vivo moisture meter 1200 according to the present embodiment, the sensor unit is brought into contact with the subject's armpit, and the capacitance of the subject is measured as a physical quantity (data on moisture in the living body), thereby measuring the moisture in the body. Calculate the amount. The physical quantity detected for calculating the amount of water in the body is not limited to the capacitance, and may be, for example, an impedance measured by supplying a constant voltage or a constant current to the subject.

  In the body moisture meter 1200, the main body unit 101 includes various user interfaces and stores an electronic circuit for calculating the body moisture content. As the user interface, a power switch 102 and a display unit 103 are arranged. When the power switch 102 is turned on, power supply from the power supply unit 411 (FIG. 4) to each part of the in-vivo moisture meter 100 is started, and the in-vivo moisture meter 1200 enters an operating state. The display unit 103 displays the current moisture content measurement result 131. For reference, the previous measurement result 132 is also displayed. Further, the battery display unit 133 of the display unit 103 displays the remaining amount of the battery (power supply unit 411 in FIG. 4). When an invalid measurement result is obtained or when a measurement error is detected, “E” is displayed on the display unit 103 to notify the user to that effect.

  The tip portion 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body is provided with the sensor portion 110 slidable in the directions of arrows 141a and 141b (contact direction when the sensor portion 110 is brought into contact with the skin) (that is, the moisture meter in the body). The tip portion 104 of 1200 functions as a support portion that supports the sensor portion 110). The sensor unit 110 is urged in the direction of the arrow 141a by a spring (not shown) in order to ensure a pressing force for ensuring the close contact of the sensor head 111 with the skin (for example, an urging force of about 200 g). The measurement is started when the sensor head 111 is pressed against the skin of the subject's armpit and the sensor unit 110 moves a predetermined amount (for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, 5 mm in the present embodiment) in the direction of the arrow 141b. ing. For example, when it is detected that the user turns on the power switch 102 to activate the moisture meter 1200 in the body and presses the sensor head 111 against the body surface of the subject for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds or more), Measurement of body water content is started. Alternatively, the user turns on the power switch 102 to activate the moisture meter 1200 in the body, and puts the sensor head 111 on the body surface of the subject with a predetermined load (for example, 100 g to 300 g, more preferably 150 g to 250 g, in this embodiment). 200g) When it is detected that the body is pressed, measurement of the amount of water in the body is started. With such a mechanism, the degree of adhesion of the sensor head 111 to the skin under the arm during measurement is constant.

  An electrode is laid on the contact surface of the sensor head 111 with the body surface of the subject, and a protective material is provided so as to cover the electrode. The contact surface of the sensor head 111 may be a flat shape or a convex curved shape. Alternatively, it may be a part of a spherical surface (for example, a spherical surface having a radius of 15 mm).

  Openings 1251 and 1252 are further provided in the tip 104 that supports the sensor unit 110. A cartridge film (strip-shaped member) 1260 fixed inside the housing of the tip 104 extends from the opening 1251 to the outside of the housing, and is accommodated in the opening 1252 through the contact surface of the sensor unit 110. A part of the housing of the distal end portion 104 is configured to be detachable, and the user can replace the cartridge by removing a part of the housing. The configuration inside the housing of the tip 104 and the configuration of the cartridge will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The distal end portion 104 that supports the sensor unit 110 is further provided with an operation unit 1270, and the cartridge film 1260 is rotated in a predetermined direction on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 by rotating in a predetermined direction. Slide.

  In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the film of the cartridge is stretched through the sensor unit 110, the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 is covered by the film 1260, and the subject is covered with the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. It is possible to prevent the perspiration or the like from adhering (that is, the sensor unit 110 can be kept clean).

  Further, even if the subject's sweat or the like adheres to the film 1260 positioned on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 by performing the measurement, the operation unit 1270 is rotated in a predetermined direction, thereby The film of the part to which etc. adhered is wound up, and the film of an unused part will be arrange | positioned on the sensor head 111 of the sensor part 110. FIG. That is, as compared with a conventional plastic film replacement operation, it is possible to arrange an unused film on the sensor unit with a simpler operation, and the convenience of the user during measurement is improved.

  In the present embodiment, the operation unit 1270 is rotated in a predetermined direction so that the film is wound. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the sensor unit 110 slides in the direction of the arrow 141b. Then, when it is slid in the direction of the arrow 141a (that is, when the sensor unit 110 reciprocates), it may be automatically wound. In this case, it is not necessary to operate the operation unit 1270, and the convenience of the user at the time of measurement is further improved.

<2. Internal Configuration of Tip and Cartridge Configuration>
Next, the structure inside the housing of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body and the structure of the cartridge will be described. FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the internal configuration of the housing of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body and the configuration of the cartridge.

  13a in FIG. 13 shows a state where a part of the housing (housing on the front side of the paper) of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body is removed. As shown to 13a of FIG. 13, the moisture meter 1200 in a body is comprised so that the housing part 1320 of the front-end | tip part 104 can be attached or detached, and the cartridge 1300 is fixed by removing the housing part 1320. Part 1310 is exposed.

  The cartridge 1300 fixed to the fixing unit 1310 includes a supply roller (first roller) 1301, a take-up roller (second roller) 1302, and feed rollers 1304 and 1305 on the cartridge main body 1303.

  A film 1260 supplied to the sensor unit 110 is wound around the supply roller 1301. The take-up roller 1302 is a roller for taking up the film 1260 supplied to the sensor unit 110.

  The feed roller 1304 is disposed so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the opening 1252 when the cartridge 1300 is fixed to the fixing portion 1310. Further, the feed roller 1305 is disposed so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the opening 1251 when the cartridge 1300 is fixed to the fixing portion 1310. In the cartridge 1300, the film 1260 is stretched between the supply roller 1301 and the take-up roller 1302 via the feed rollers 1304 and 1305.

  On the other hand, gears 1311 and 1312 that rotate by rotating the operation unit 1270 are arranged in the housing of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body. The gear 1311 is connected to a gear (not shown) disposed on the lower side of the take-up roller 1302 when the cartridge 1300 is fixed to the fixing portion 1310. Accordingly, by rotating the operation unit 1270 in a predetermined direction, the take-up roller 1302 of the cartridge 1300 fixed to the fixed unit 1310 rotates, and the film 1260 can be taken up (that is, the rotary unit Form).

  13b of FIG. 13 has shown the mode that the cartridge 1300 was fixed to the fixing | fixed part 1310 of the front-end | tip part 104 of the moisture meter 1200 in a body. As shown in 13 b of FIG. 13, when fixing the cartridge 1300 to the fixing portion 1310, the film 1260 is disposed so as to pass through the sensor head 111 of the sensor portion 110. As a result, when the operation unit 1270 is operated and the take-up roller 1302 rotates, the film 1260 slides on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110.

  As shown in 13b of FIG. 13, since the film 1260 is pulled by a predetermined amount of tension between the feed rollers 1304 and 1305, the sensor unit 110 slides in the directions of arrows 141a and 141b during measurement. Even so, the film 1260 can follow the sliding operation of the sensor unit 110.

<3. Film winding operation>
Next, a winding operation for winding the film 1260 using the operation unit 1270 will be described. 14 shows a case where a part 1320 of the housing of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter 100 in the body is removed and the cartridge 1300 is newly fixed to the fixing part 1310, and then the part 1320 of the housing is reattached. This shows a state where the measurement is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 14, when the measurement of the moisture content in the body of the subject is completed and the user grasps the main body 101 of the moisture meter 1200 in the body, the tip of the thumb is in contact with the operation unit 1270. Become. In this state, by further pushing the thumb forward, the operation unit 1270 rotates in a predetermined direction, and the film 1260 is taken up by the take-up roller 1302. As a result, the portion of the film 1260 that was located on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 at the time of measurement moves in the direction of the arrow 1401, and the unused portion of the film 1260 newly moves on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. Will be.

  As described above, in the in-vivo moisture meter 1200 according to the present embodiment, the used film 1260 can be replaced with the unused film 1260 by a simple operation.

<4. Operation of body moisture meter>
The operation of the moisture meter 100 in the body according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S1501, the control unit 401 detects a measurement start instruction. In the present embodiment, the state of the measurement switch 414 is monitored, and it is determined that the measurement start instruction has been detected when the measurement switch 414 remains on for 2 seconds or longer.

  Note that the measurement start condition is not limited to this. For example, a pressure sensor or the like is disposed on the surface of the sensor unit 110, and it is monitored whether the film 1260 accurately covers the surface of the sensor unit 110. You may comprise. Alternatively, a pressure sensor or the like may be arranged on the fixing unit 1310 to monitor whether the cartridge 1300 is fixed accurately.

  Furthermore, when the rearmost part of the film 1260 of the cartridge is configured so that any one of the thickness, conductivity, and transmittance is different from the other parts, the rearmost part is located on the surface of the sensor unit 110. In addition, it may be configured to detect this and recognize that the remaining number is small or measurement is impossible.

  When the control unit 401 detects the measurement start instruction and determines that the measurement start condition is satisfied, the control unit 401 measures the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 from the measurement circuit 421 in step S1502.

  In step S1503, the moisture content in the body of the subject is calculated based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S1502.

  In step S1504, it is determined whether or not the subject is dehydrated based on whether or not the amount of water in the body calculated in step S1503 exceeds a predetermined threshold. The threshold value in this case is preferably a value corresponding to 25% when water is 100% and air is 0%.

  In step S1505, the current measurement information is stored in the memory 403. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of measurement information stored in the memory 403. In FIG. 7, a measured value 701 is the amount of water in the body calculated by the current measurement. The determination result 702 is information indicating whether the dehydrated state or the non-dehydrated state is determined in step S1504 with respect to the amount of water in the body calculated by the current measurement. The measurement time 703 is information indicating the time notified from the time measuring unit 424 in the current measurement. The measurement time 703 can be, for example, the time notified from the time measuring unit 424 when the measurement is performed in step S1502.

  In step S1506, the water content in the body calculated by the current measurement is displayed on the display unit 103. At this time, display is performed in a display form according to the determination result of the dehydrated state or the non-dehydrated state (for example, in the case of the dehydrated state, the amount of water in the body is displayed in red, and in the case of the non-dehydrated state, The amount of water in the body is displayed in blue).

  As is clear from the above description, the moisture meter 1200 in the present embodiment has a cartridge having a supply roller, a take-up roller, and a film stretched between the rollers fixed to the front end in a replaceable manner. It was set as the structure to do. In addition, when the cartridge is fixed, the film can be disposed through the sensor unit 110. Further, by operating the operation unit 1270 while the cartridge is fixed, the take-up roller takes up the film, and the film located on the sensor unit 110 is easily replaced with the unused film. The configuration can be made.

  As a result, it is possible to improve user convenience while keeping the sensor unit clean.

[Sixth Embodiment]
In the fifth embodiment, when the film 1260 is disposed on the contact surface of the sensor unit 110 and the moisture content in the subject is measured, sweat or the like of the subject adheres to the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. It was set as the structure which prevents doing. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, it is configured to measure the amount of moisture in the body of the subject in a state where the contact surface of the sensor unit 110 is exposed without being covered with a film, and wipes sweat or the like adhering to the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. When taking, it is good also as a structure using the said film.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a film 1600 included in the cartridge 1300 attached to the moisture meter 1200 in the body according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, the film 1600 is provided with openings 1601 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. The opening 1601 generally corresponds to the size of the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. An absorbing member 1602 is disposed between the openings 1601.

  The cartridge 1300 having the film 1600 is arranged such that the film 1600 is stretched through the sensor unit 110 as described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, at this time, any one of the openings 1601 is arranged on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110. With such an arrangement, the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 can be brought into direct contact with the skin of the subject's armpit.

  And after a measurement, as demonstrated using FIG. 14, the film 1600 moves by rotating the operation part 1270 to a predetermined direction. At this time, since the absorbing member 1602 of the film 1600 slides on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110, the subject's sweat or the like adhering to the sensor head 111 is wiped off by the absorbing member 1602. That is, the wiping operation by the absorbing member 1602 is performed until the film 1600 is moved by a predetermined amount and the next opening 1601 of the film 1600 is positioned on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110.

  When the film 1600 moves by a predetermined amount, the next opening 1601 is positioned on the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110, and the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 is exposed again. Since the previous test subject's sweat is wiped off by the absorbent member 1602, the next measurement can be started in a clean state.

  As is clear from the above description, the moisture meter in the body according to the present embodiment is configured to use a film in which openings are provided at predetermined intervals and an absorbing member is arranged between the openings. As a result, measurement can be performed in a state where the sensor head 111 of the sensor unit 110 is in direct contact with the skin of the subject's armpit, and measurement accuracy can be improved. Further, the subject's sweat or the like attached to the sensor head 111 by direct contact is wiped off by the absorbing member 1602 of the film 1600 by the winding operation of the film 1600.

  As a result, it is possible to improve the convenience for the user while keeping the sensor section clean, and to improve the measurement accuracy.

[Seventh Embodiment]
In the fifth embodiment, a film for preventing the subject's sweat from adhering to the sensor unit 110 is arranged. In the sixth embodiment, the subject attached to the sensor unit 110. A film for wiping off perspiration and the like was provided.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each cartridge having films having different purposes may be detachably mounted. However, a cartridge provided with a film for preventing the subject's sweat from adhering to the sensor unit 110 and a film for wiping the subject's sweat attached to the sensor unit 110 were provided. The calculation procedure for calculating the amount of moisture in the body of the subject is different from that of the cartridge based on the data measured by the sensor unit 110.

  That is, in the case of a cartridge in which a film for wiping off the subject's sweat attached to the sensor unit 110 is provided, the sensor head 111 directly contacts the skin of the subject's armpit, In the case of a cartridge in which a film for preventing the subject's sweat or the like from adhering to the section 110 is disposed, the sensor head 111 contacts the skin of the subject's armpit through the film; Become. For this reason, in the latter case, when calculating the amount of moisture in the body based on the measured data, it is necessary to perform correction using a correction value corresponding to the material of the film. Hereinafter, the operation of the moisture meter in the body according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the moisture meter in the body according to the present embodiment. Note that S1501, S1502, and S1504 to S1506 in FIG. 17 are the same as those in FIG.

  In step S1701, the type of cartridge 1300 when the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 is measured in step S1702 is determined. If it is determined in step S1701 that the cartridge is provided with a film for preventing the subject's sweat from adhering to the sensor unit 110, the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S1502 Based on the above, it is determined that correction is necessary in calculating the moisture content in the body of the subject, and the process proceeds to step S1702.

  In step S1702, the correction value stored in advance in the memory 403 (correction value taking into account the effect of the presence or absence of the film 1260) is read, and the process proceeds to step S1703.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1701 that the cartridge is provided with a film for wiping the subject's sweat or the like attached to the sensor unit 110, the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S1502 is determined. Based on the above, it is determined that no correction is necessary in calculating the moisture content in the body of the subject, and the process proceeds to step S1703.

  In step S1703, the moisture content in the body of the subject is calculated based on the oscillation frequency of the output signal 505 measured in step S1502. At this time, if a correction value has been read in step S1702, correction is performed using the correction value.

  As is apparent from the above description, the moisture meter in the body according to the present embodiment is configured to detachably mount cartridges each having a different purpose film. Further, in view of the fact that the calculation procedure of the moisture content in the body differs depending on which cartridge is installed, the type of the installed cartridge is determined, and the correction is performed according to the determination result.

  As a result, it is possible to improve user convenience while keeping the sensor section clean, and to avoid a decrease in measurement accuracy.

[Eighth Embodiment]
In the seventh embodiment, the type of cartridge is automatically determined. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the configuration may be such that the type of cartridge is manually input. Or you may make it provide the input part for a user to input a correction value directly according to the kind of cartridge.

[Ninth Embodiment]
In the fifth to eighth embodiments, the case where the tip portion 104 has a disk shape has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the shape of the tip portion 104 may be rectangular. . Moreover, you may comprise so that it may become thinner than the main-body part 101 as it approaches a front-end | tip.

  FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a moisture meter in the body configured such that the distal end portion 104 has a rectangular shape and becomes narrower toward the distal end. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration inside the housing of the distal end portion 104 of the moisture meter in the body and a configuration of the cartridge.

  As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, functions similar to those of the fifth to eighth embodiments can be realized regardless of the shape of the distal end portion 104, and therefore, the same as the fifth to eighth embodiments. The same effect can be enjoyed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, in order to make the scope of the present invention public, the following claims are attached.

  This application claims priority on the basis of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-167407 filed on July 29, 2011 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-175268 filed on August 10, 2011, The entire contents of the description are incorporated herein.

Claims (13)

A body moisture meter,
A sensor unit that measures data on moisture in the living body by contacting the body surface of the subject; and
A mounting portion that supports the sensor unit and is mounted with a protective cover on which a protective film that covers the sensor unit is disposed;
A controller that calculates the amount of water in the subject based on the data measured by the sensor unit; and
The control unit is configured to calculate the moisture content in the subject based on the data measured by the sensor unit when the protective cover is mounted on the mounting unit. A moisture meter in the body, wherein the moisture content in the body is corrected using a correction value corresponding to. A detection unit for detecting whether or not the protective cover is mounted;
The said control part correct | amends the said body moisture content using the said correction value, when it is detected by the said detection part that the said protective cover is mounted | worn. Body moisture meter. An input unit for inputting that the protective cover is attached;
The said control part performs correction | amendment of the said body moisture content using the said correction value, when it is input that the said protective cover is mounted | worn by the said input part. Body moisture meter. An input unit for inputting the correction value;
The moisture meter in a body according to claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects the amount of moisture in the body using the correction value input by the input unit.   The protective cover is provided with an opening at a position corresponding to the sensor unit when mounted on the mounting unit, and the protective film is a stretchable film disposed in the opening. The moisture meter in a body of any one of Claims 2 thru | or 4 characterized by these.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to claim 5, wherein the protective cover includes a locking portion that is locked to a notch provided in the mounting portion when the protective cover is mounted on the mounting portion.   The in-vivo moisture meter according to claim 5, wherein the protective cover includes a housing having a shape conforming to an outer shape of the mounting portion so as to be fitted to the mounting portion. A sensor unit that measures data on moisture in the living body by contacting the body surface of the subject, and a support unit that supports the sensor unit, and based on the data measured by the sensor unit, A moisture meter for calculating a body moisture content of a subject,
The support part is
A fixing portion for fixing a cartridge having a first roller, a second roller, and a belt-like member stretched between the first and second rollers in the housing of the support portion;
A rotating portion for rotating the second roller that winds the belt-like member in a state where the cartridge is fixed to the fixing portion,
In a state where the cartridge is fixed to the fixing portion, the belt-like member stretched between the first and second rollers is wound on the sensor portion according to winding by the second roller. An in-vivo moisture meter that can be arranged so as to slide on a surface that comes into contact with the body surface of a subject.   9. The band-shaped member is provided with openings having a size corresponding to the size of the sensor portion at predetermined intervals, and an absorbing member is disposed between the openings. The body moisture meter as described in 1. An input unit for inputting the type of the cartridge;
9. The moisture meter in the body according to claim 8, wherein the moisture content in the body is corrected using a correction value according to the type of the cartridge input from the input unit. It further includes an input unit for inputting a correction value,
The in-vivo moisture meter according to claim 8, wherein the in-vivo moisture content is corrected using a correction value input by the input unit.   The said rotation part is further equipped with the operation part which receives operation for rotating the said 2nd roller which winds up the said strip | belt-shaped member in the state in which the said cartridge was fixed to the said fixing | fixed part. Body moisture meter as described. The sensor unit is configured to slide in the contact direction by contacting the body surface of the subject.
9. The internal body according to claim 8, wherein the rotating unit rotates the second roller that winds the belt-shaped member when the sensor unit reciprocates in the contact direction by the sliding operation. Moisture meter.

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