WO2024096178A1

WO2024096178A1 - Heart rate sensor module including vertically stacked light-emitting unit

Info

Publication number: WO2024096178A1
Application number: PCT/KR2022/017852
Authority: WO
Inventors: 정영우; 김지운
Original assignee: (주)파트론
Priority date: 2022-11-04
Filing date: 2022-11-14
Publication date: 2024-05-10
Also published as: KR20240064203A

Abstract

A heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light-emitting unit is disclosed. The heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light-emitting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing including a window; a mounting part that faces one side of the window; a base substrate including a support part supporting the mounting part and a connection part extending from the support part; a light-emitting part located on the mounting part; and a light-receiving part located on the mounting part, wherein the light-emitting part is formed such that at least two light-emitting layers having different wavelength bands are stacked in the vertical direction.

Description

Heart rate sensor module including vertically stacked light emitting units

The present invention relates to a heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.

Many recent electronic devices are equipped with a heart rate sensor module. This heart rate sensor module can detect data such as the user's heart rate and oxygen saturation and provide information related to healthcare to the user.

For its function, this heart rate sensor module must be installed in an area that comes into contact with the user's skin. For this purpose, in the past, it was often installed on the rear part of a smart watch or the rear part of a smartphone where the finger touches.

However, as the spread of wearable devices worn on the body increases recently, heart rate sensor modules are being considered to be mounted at specific locations in more diverse devices. These wearable devices are usually small and often have an irregular shape.

In order for a heart rate sensor module to be mounted on such a small and irregularly shaped electronic device, the light emitting portion of the heart rate sensor module needs to be small in size.

Prior art literature

(Patent Document 1) Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2209580

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a heart rate sensor module that is compact and has a vertically stacked light emitting unit.

A heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing including a window, a mounting portion facing one surface of the window, a support portion supporting the mounting portion, and a connection portion extending from the support portion. It includes a base substrate, a light emitting part located in the mounting part, and a light receiving part located in the mounting part, and the light emitting part is formed so that at least two light emitting layers having different wavelength bands are stacked in the vertical direction.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting unit may include a first light emitting layer that generates green light and a second light emitting layer that generates red light.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first light-emitting layer may be located lower than the second light-emitting layer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least two light emitting layers may emit light alternately.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the window may be formed with a curved surface, and the mounting portion may be formed with a curved surface and face one surface of the window.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be formed to surround the other one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are formed in a circle or ring shape, and the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be positioned in a concentric circle shape.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the light receiving unit includes an inner light receiving unit and an outer light receiving unit surrounding the inner light receiving unit, and the light emitting unit may be located between the inner light receiving unit and the outer light receiving unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a partition wall structure positioned between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, wherein the partition structure includes an inner partition wall structure positioned between the inner light receiving unit and the light emitting unit, and the light emitting unit. It may include an outer partition wall structure located between the outer light receiving units.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a partition wall structure positioned between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, wherein the partition structure is formed of a flexible material and is formed by compression between one surface of the housing and the base substrate. It can be.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the degree to which the partition structure is compressed may vary depending on the location.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting part may be an organic light emitting diode, and the light receiving part may be an organic photo diode.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the support part may further include a reinforcement part coupled to at least one of the support part and the mounting part capable of reinforcing support of the mounting part.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a waterproof member is coupled between one surface of the housing and the base substrate to watertightly seal the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to the outside.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a surface of the mounting unit opposite to one surface of the housing may be formed as a concave curved surface.

The present invention has the advantage of being able to provide a heart rate sensor module that is small and has a vertically stacked light emitting unit.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a heart rate sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a heart rate sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of a heart rate sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view from another angle of a portion of a heart rate sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration of a heart rate sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of a heart rate sensor module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, identical or similar components will be assigned the same reference numbers regardless of reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted. Additionally, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed descriptions will be omitted.

Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this application, each step described may be performed regardless of the listed order, except when it must be performed in the listed order due to a special causal relationship.

In this application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the heart rate sensor module of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a top view of the heart rate sensor module of the present invention.

The heart rate sensor module of the present invention is accommodated inside a housing 100 formed into a curved surface. The housing 100 is an outer structure of an electronic product or electronic component that accommodates the heart rate sensor module and forms an internal space in which the heart rate sensor module is accommodated.

For convenience of explanation, the housing 100 accommodating the heart rate sensor module will be described as being a component of the heart rate sensor module. The housing 100 is not a housing 100 for accommodating only the heart rate sensor module of the present invention, but may be an outer structure of an electronic product or electronic component with another function and a structure that accommodates the heart rate sensor module.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the heart rate sensor module includes a housing 100, a base substrate 200, a light emitting unit 300, a light receiving unit 400, and a partition wall structure 500.

The housing 100 includes a window 111 formed as a curved surface. The window 111 is preferably made of a light-transmitting material through which light generated by the light emitting unit 300 can pass. For example, the window 111 may be made of glass or light-transmitting plastic.

The window 111 can be divided into one side 112 and the other side 113. One side 112 of the window corresponds to the inside of the housing 100 and is a part in direct contact with the internal space of the housing 100. The other side 113 of the window corresponds to the outside of the housing 100 and is a part that directly contacts the external space of the housing 100.

One surface 112 of the window may be formed as a concave curved surface. The curved shape of one surface 112 of the window is concave, and may be formed in the form of a free curved surface or a two-dimensional curved surface.

The housing 100 may include a curved portion 110, a support portion 120, and an extension portion 130. The curved portion 110 is a portion where the window 111 is formed. The support portion 120 extends from the end of the curved portion 110 and supports the curved portion 110. The connection part 230 is a part extending from the support part 120.

The base substrate 200 is a substrate on which the light emitting unit 300, the light receiving unit 400, and the partition structure 500, which will be described later, are combined, and is located in the internal space of the housing 100. The base substrate 200 may be formed of a flexible circuit board. In some cases, the base substrate 200 may be a plastic molded structure with a mounting pad on one surface of which electronic devices can be mounted.

The base substrate 200 includes a mounting portion 210, a support portion 220, and a connection portion 230.

The mounting portion 210 is formed as a curved surface and faces one surface 112 of the window. The upper surface 211 of the mounting unit refers to a surface directly opposite the one surface 112 of the window. The light emitting unit 300, the light receiving unit 400, and the partition wall structure 500, which will be described later, are coupled to one surface of the mounting unit 210.

The curved shape of the mounting unit 210 is preferably formed to be the same as or similar to the curved shape of the window 111, so that the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and one surface 112 of the window are spaced as uniformly as possible. However, in the actual design and production process, the gap between the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and the first surface 112 of the window is usually non-uniform. Accordingly, the partition wall structure 500, which will be described later, may be compressed to different degrees depending on the position at an uneven interval between the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and the one surface 112 of the window.

The upper surface 211 of the mounting portion may have a concave shape. The curved shape of the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit is concave, but may be formed in the form of a free curved surface or a two-dimensional curved shape.

The support part 220 is a part that supports the mounting part 210 so that it is close to one side 112 of the window. The support part 120 extends in a direction relatively perpendicular to or intersects the window 111 and supports the mounting part 210 to be positioned within a predetermined distance from the window 111.

The support part 220 may include a first support part 221 and a second support part 222 extending from two different parts of the mounting part 210 . The first end 212 of the mounting unit 210 connected to the first support unit 221 may be positioned at a higher position than the second end 213 connected to the second support unit 222 . In this case, the first support part 221 may be formed at a higher height than the second support part 222. The mounting portion 210 may be formed to droop downward between the first end 212 and the second end 213.

If the base board 200 is a flexible circuit board, it may be difficult to stably support the mounting part 210 by the support part 220 so as not to shake. In this case, there may be an additional reinforcement part that can reinforce the support part 220 to support the mounting part 210. The reinforcement part may be coupled to at least one of the support part 220 and the mounting part 210. The reinforcing part may be formed of a hard material such as an injection-molded plastic product, a processed metal product, or a rubber material. For example, the reinforcement part may be coupled to at least one of the side surface of the support part 220 and the bottom surface of the mounting part 210 to maintain the mounting part 210 in a position close to one side 112 of the window.

The connection part 230 extends from the support part 220 and refers to a part extending to an external terminal or signal input/output unit. The connection unit 230 includes a signal input and output terminal, and supplies power to the heart rate sensor module or transmits the sensing signal generated by the heart rate sensor module to the outside.

The upper surface of the connection part 230 may be coupled to one surface of the housing 100. Specifically, an adhesive member 150, such as a double-sided adhesive tape, is positioned between the upper surface of the connecting part 230 and one surface of the housing 100, and the upper surface of the connecting part 230 and one surface of the housing 100 can be coupled.

The light emitting unit 300 is located on the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit. The light emitting unit 300 may be formed of an organic light emitting diode. The light receiving unit 400 is located on the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit. The light receiving unit 400 may be formed of an organic photo diode.

The light generated by the light emitting unit 300 is reflected from the detection target object and is detected by the light receiving unit 400. A partition structure 500 is installed to prevent the light generated by the light emitting unit 300 from being reflected by the sensing target object and being detected by the light receiving unit 400 along a different path.

The organic light emitting diode and the organic photo diode can be formed with a curved surface, and can be combined along the curved shape of the upper surface 211 of the mounting part in close contact with the upper surface 211 of the mounting part.

The upper surface 211 of the mounting unit is formed in a concave shape as described above, so the light emitting unit 300 and the light receiving unit 400 coupled to the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit will be inclined toward the center of the concave curved surface. You can. Therefore, in the case of the light emitting unit 300 in the shape of a circle, closed curve, or ring, the light generated by the light emitting unit 300 may be concentrated at the center of the circle, the center of the closed curve, or the center of the ring. Therefore, the amount of light per unit area of the center of a circle, the center of a closed curve, or the center portion of a ring may be greater than the amount of light per unit area of the periphery of a circle, the periphery of a closed curve, or the periphery of a ring. Since the light receiver 400 is also inclined toward the center as described above, in the case of the light receiver 400 in the shape of a circle or ring, the light emitted from the center of the circle, the center of a closed curve, or the center of the ring is radiated from the periphery. It is sensed with higher efficiency than the light produced.

Referring to FIG. 2, the light emitting unit 300 and the light receiving unit 400 may be formed in a circle, closed curve, or ring shape. The light emitting unit 300 and the light receiving unit 400 may be positioned in a concentric circle shape.

Specifically, the light receiving unit 400 may include an inner light receiving unit 410 and an outer light receiving unit 420.

The inner light receiving unit 410 is located inside the outer light receiving unit 420 and may be formed in a circular or closed curve shape. The outer light receiving unit 420 is formed to surround the inner light receiving unit 400 and may be formed in a ring shape. The inner light receiving unit 410 and the outer light receiving unit 420 may be positioned in a concentric circle shape.

The light emitting unit 300 may be formed in a closed curve shape or a ring shape, and may be located between the inner light receiving unit 410 and the outer light receiving unit 420.

The partition wall structure 500 may include an inner partition wall structure 510 and an outer partition wall structure 520. The inner partition wall structure 510 may be located between the inner light receiving unit 410 and the light emitting unit 300. The outer partition wall structure 520 may be located between the light emitting unit 300 and the outer light receiving unit 420.

The partition structure 500 may be formed of a light-blocking material to prevent light from the light emitting unit 300 from being directly irradiated to the light receiving unit 400. The partition wall structure 500 is formed to be higher than the height of the light emitting unit 300 and the light receiving unit 400.

The partition wall structure 500 is located between the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and one surface 112 of the window. In the actual design and production process, the gap between the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and the first surface 112 of the window is usually non-uniform. Accordingly, the partition structure 500, which will be described later, may be compressed to different degrees depending on the position at an uneven interval between the upper surface 211 of the mounting unit and the one surface 112 of the window. For this purpose, the partition structure 500 is preferably formed of a flexible material such as foam or rubber.

Referring to FIG. 1, the heart rate sensor module of the present invention may further include a waterproof member 600.

The waterproof member 600 may be coupled between the housing 100 and the base substrate 200. Specifically, the waterproof member 600 is located between the lower surface of the extension portion 130 of the housing 100 and the upper surface of the connection portion 230 of the base substrate 200 to couple the housing 100 and the base substrate 200. You can do it.

The waterproof member 600 may be formed in a closed curve shape to form an isolated internal waterproof space. The waterproof space refers to a space surrounded by one side of the housing 100, the top surface of the base substrate 200, and the waterproof member 600.

The light emitting unit 300, the light receiving unit 400, and the partition wall structure 500 can be accommodated in this waterproof space. The waterproof space can be watertightly isolated from the outside to achieve waterproofing.

Although not shown in the drawing, the waterproof member 600 may be coupled between one surface 110 of the housing 100 and the mounting portion 210 of the base substrate 200.

This waterproof member 600 may be formed of an adhesive such as waterproof tape or epoxy. However, the waterproof member 600 must be used in an appropriate amount so as not to cover the light emitting unit 300 and the light receiving unit 400 during the attachment or application process.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the light emitting unit 300 may be formed such that at least two light emitting

layers

310 and 320 having different wavelength bands are stacked in the vertical direction. The light emitting unit 300 may include a first light emitting layer 310 that generates green light and a second light emitting layer 320 that generates red light. Specifically, the first light emitting layer 310 may be located lower than the second light emitting layer 320. It should be noted that the top and bottom of each component disassembled in Figure 5 are shown in reverse. In some cases, the light emitting unit 300 may further include an infrared light emitting layer (not shown) that generates infrared light.

These at least two light emitting layers alternately emit light. Therefore, while the first light emitting layer 310 generates green light, the second light emitting layer 320 does not emit light, so the green light can be irradiated to the outside without being mixed with light of other colors. Likewise, while the second light emitting layer 320 generates low-color light, the first light emitting layer 310 does not emit light, so red light can be emitted to the outside without being mixed with light of other colors.

Referring to FIG. 6, the light emitting unit 300 and the

light receiving units

400, 410, and 420 may be formed in various shapes. As shown in FIG. 6, it may be formed in a square or rectangular shape, or may be formed in another closed curve shape. And in some cases, the partition wall structure 500 may be omitted.

The technical features disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the corresponding embodiment, and unless they are incompatible with each other, the technical features disclosed in each embodiment may be combined and applied to other embodiments.

Therefore, in each embodiment, each technical feature is mainly explained, but unless the technical features are incompatible with each other, they can be applied in combination with each other.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and variations will be possible from the perspective of those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be determined not only by the claims of this specification but also by equivalents to these claims.

100: housing

110: curved part

111: Windows

112: One side of the window

113: The other side of the window

120: support part

130: extension part

150: Adhesion member

200: base substrate

210: implementation unit

211: Top surface of mounting part

212: First end of mounting portion

213: second end of mounting portion

220: support part

221: first support

222: second support

230: connection part

300: light emitting unit

400: light receiving unit

410: inner light receiving unit

420: outer light receiving unit

500: Bulkhead structure

510: inner bulkhead structure

520: Outer bulkhead structure

600: Waterproof member

Claims

a housing containing a window;

a base board including a mounting portion facing one surface of the window, a support portion supporting the mounting portion, and a connection portion extending from the support portion;

a light emitting unit located in the mounting unit; and

It includes a light receiving unit located on the mounting unit,

The light emitting unit is formed so that at least two light emitting layers with different wavelength bands are stacked in the vertical direction.

Heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.
According to claim 1,

The light emitting unit includes a first light emitting layer that generates green light and a second light emitting layer that generates red light.

Heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.
According to clause 2,

The first light-emitting layer is located lower than the second light-emitting layer.

Heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.
According to clause 2,

The light emitting unit further includes an infrared light emitting layer that generates infrared light.

Heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.
According to claim 1,

The at least two light-emitting layers alternately emit light.

Heart rate sensor module including a vertically stacked light emitting unit.
According to claim 1,

The window is formed as a curved surface,

The mounting portion is formed as a curved surface and faces one surface of the window.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

One of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit is formed to surround the other one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to clause 7,

The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are formed in a circle or ring shape,

The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are located in a concentric circle shape.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to clause 7,

The light receiving part includes an inner light receiving part and an outer light receiving part surrounding the inner light receiving part,

The light emitting unit is located between the inner light receiving unit and the outer light receiving unit.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to clause 9,

Further comprising a partition wall structure located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit,

The partition structure is,

an inner partition wall structure located between the inner light receiving unit and the light emitting unit; and

Comprising an outer partition wall structure located between the light emitting unit and the outer light receiving unit.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

Further comprising a partition wall structure located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit,

The partition structure is formed of a flexible material,

Formed by compression between one surface of the housing and the base substrate

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 11,

The degree to which the partition structure is compressed varies depending on the location.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

The light emitting part is an organic light emitting diode,

The light receiving part is an organic photo diode.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

The support part further includes a reinforcement part coupled to at least one of the support part and the mounting part capable of reinforcing the support of the mounting part.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

Further comprising a waterproof member coupled between one surface of the housing and the base substrate to watertightly seal the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to the outside.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.
According to claim 1,

The mounting portion is formed with a concave curved surface opposite to one surface of the housing.

A heart rate sensor module including a curved mounting unit.