JPH0532084Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a pulse wave detection device.

BACKGROUND ART A pulse wave detection device includes a pressing member having a pressing surface on which a pressure sensitive element is arranged, and detects a pressure pulse wave generated from an artery by pressing the pressing member onto an artery on the surface of a living body. Are known.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, the pressing surface of the pressing member is usually provided at the tip of a protrusion that is integrally provided on the pressing member, and when the protruding height of the protrusion is high, In cases where the artery is located at a relatively shallow position from the body surface due to the subject being thin, the appropriate size can be determined by simply pressing the pressing surface of the convex part of the pressing member against the biological surface. Since pressure pulse waves are obtained and the surface of the pressing member on which the convex portion is provided (the surface located on the outer circumferential side of the convex portion) is relatively far away from the living body surface, body movements of the living body, etc. As a result, the pressing position of the pressing member was tilted, and the pressure pulse wave could not be detected stably in some cases. On the other hand, when the protrusion height of the convex part is low, not only the pressing surface of the convex part but also the surface of the pressing member located on the outer peripheral side of the convex part can be reliably pressed against the living body surface. Although the pressure pulse wave can be stably detected because the pressing position of the pressing member is hardly tilted due to movement, etc., the artery may be located relatively deep from the body surface due to the subject being overweight. In some cases, a pressure pulse wave of an appropriate size cannot be detected unless the pressing member is pressed with a considerably large pressing force, which may put strong pressure on bones, tendons, etc. and cause pain to the subject. Ta.

The present invention was developed against the background of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to stably detect pressure pulse waves regardless of differences in the physique of the subject and to inflict pain on the subject. The object of the present invention is to provide a pulse wave detection device that is free of

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a first pressing member having a first pressing surface on which a pressure-sensitive element is disposed, and the first pressing member is connected to an artery on the surface of a living body. A pulse wave detection device that detects a pressure pulse wave generated from an artery by pressing upward, the device comprising: (a) a pulse wave detection device that is provided on the outer peripheral side of the first pressing surface to detect the pressure pulse wave; (b) a second pressing member having a second pressing surface that is pressed against the biological surface together with the first pressing surface and is movable relative to the first pressing surface in a direction toward and away from the biological surface; provided between a first pressing member and a second pressing member, the first pressing member and the second pressing member
It is characterized by including a protrusion amount adjusting device that adjusts the protrusion amount of the first press surface from the second press surface by changing the relative position in the press direction with respect to the press member.

Effects of operation and invention According to the pulse wave detection device configured as described above,
A second pressing surface of a second pressing member is provided on the outer peripheral side of the first pressing surface of the first pressing member, and is pressed against the biological surface together with the first pressing surface in order to detect a pressure pulse wave. The second pressing surface is movable relative to the first pressing surface in the direction of approaching and separating from the living body surface, and the projection amount adjustment device adjusts the pressing direction of the first pressing member and the second pressing member. By changing the relative position, the amount of protrusion of the first pressing surface from the second pressing surface can be adjusted depending on the subject. As a result, in cases where the subject is thin, etc., by reducing the amount of protrusion of the first pressing surface from the second pressing surface, the first pressing surface is pressed against the body surface in order to detect pressure pulse waves. The first thing to do is
Since the second pressing surface can be reliably pressed against the body surface together with the pressing surface, it is possible to suitably prevent the pressing posture of the first pressing member from tilting due to body movements of the subject, and stabilize the pressure pulse wave. On the other hand, in cases where the subject is overweight, etc., the amount of protrusion of the first pressing surface from the second pressing surface may be increased to increase the amount of pressure pulse waves that can be detected. 1. Since the pressing force of the pressing member can be prevented from increasing, it is possible to avoid causing pain to the subject due to strong pressure on bones, tendons, etc.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a housing having a cylindrical shape with a bottom, the open end of which is connected to the body surface 12 of the human body.
It is adapted to be detachably attached to the wrist 16 by means of a band 14 in a state facing the . A pulse wave sensor 20 is provided inside the housing 10 via a diaphragm 18 so as to be relatively movable and protrude from the open end of the housing 10 . 22 is formed. Pressure fluid such as pressurized air is supplied to the first pressure chamber 22 from a fluid supply source 24 via a pressure regulating valve 26, so that the pulse wave sensor 20 is is pressed against the body surface 12 with a pressing force corresponding to the pressure of.

The pulse wave sensor 20 has a convex portion 28 protruding toward the opening side of the housing 10 on the side opposite to the diaphragm 18 side, and a predetermined sensor such as a pressure-sensitive diode is mounted on a pressing surface 30 of the protruding end of the convex portion 28. A pressure element (not shown) is provided. Pulse wave sensor 20
is pressed onto the radial artery 32 on the body surface 12 with its pressing surface 30, so that the radial artery 32
A pressure vibration wave, that is, a pressure pulse wave, generated from the body surface 12 and transmitted to the body surface 12 is detected. The electrical signal output from the pulse wave sensor 20, that is, the pulse wave signal SM representing the pressure pulse wave, is supplied to the control device 34. In this embodiment, the pulse wave sensor 20 is attached to the first pressing member,
The pressing surface 30 is the first pressing surface, and the body surface 1 of the wrist 16
2 corresponds to the biological surface, and the radial artery 32 corresponds to the artery.

The control device 34 includes a microcomputer, outputs a drive signal SD ₁ to the pressure regulating valve 26 to regulate the pressure in the first pressure chamber 22, and controls the pressure in the first pressure chamber 22 according to a pre-stored program. Pulse wave signals sequentially collected during the slow pressure increase process in the first pressure chamber 22
The optimum pressing force of the pulse wave sensor 20 was determined based on the SM, and the pressure pulse wave was detected based on the pulse wave signal SM collected at the optimum pressing force, and a display recording signal SI was output and detected. The pressure pulse wave is displayed and recorded on the display/recording device 36.

On the surface of the pulse wave sensor 20 located on the outer peripheral side of the convex portion 28 and facing the body surface 12, an annular bellows rubber 38 that can be expanded and contracted in the direction of approaching and separating from the body surface 12 is integrally fixed. A second pressure chamber 40 is formed inside the bellows rubber 38, and an annular plate member 42 is fixed to the side of the bellows rubber 38 opposite to the fixed portion side.
Pressure fluid is supplied to the second pressure chamber 40 from the fluid supply source 24 via the pressure regulating valve 44 and the rubber pipe 46 in accordance with the drive signal SD ₂ output from the control device 34. As a result, when pressure is supplied to the first pressure chamber 22 and the convex portion 28 of the pulse wave sensor 20 is pressed against the body surface 12, the press surface 48 of the plate member 42 is pressed together with the press surface 30 of the convex portion 28. is pressed against the body surface 12, and the amount of protrusion of the pressing surface 30 of the convex portion 28 from the pressing surface 48 of the plate member 42 is determined according to the pressure within the second pressure chamber 40. In this embodiment, the plate material 42 corresponds to the second pressing member, and the pressing surface 48 of the plate material 42 corresponds to the second pressing surface. Also,
The above-mentioned bellows rubber 38 connects the pulse wave sensor 20 and the plate material 4.
2, and adjusts the amount of protrusion of the pressing surface 30 from the pressing surface 48 by changing the relative position of the pulse wave sensor 20 and the plate material 42 in the pressing direction. There is. In addition,
Usually, restraint rings (not shown) are provided on the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall of the bellows rubber 38 in order to suppress deformation of the bellows rubber 38 in the radial direction when pressure is supplied into the second pressure chamber 40.

Next, the operation of the pulse wave detection device configured as described above will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when the power is turned on, step S1 is executed, and it is determined whether a starting switch (not shown) has been operated to the ON state. If this judgment is denied, step S1 is repeatedly executed and the system is put into a standby state, but if it is judged that the start switch is in the ON state, step S2 is executed and the second pressure chamber is Pressure within 40 P ₂
is increased to a predetermined constant pressure. This constant pressure is applied to the plate material 4 of the convex portion 28 at the time of pressure pulse wave detection.
In other words, even if the subject is thin, the body surface 12 can be suitably pressed by the plate 42 during pressure pulse wave detection, and the pulse wave sensor The first pressure chamber 22
is determined in relation to the pressure P ₁ etc. supplied to the Next, by executing step S3, the pressure inside the first pressure chamber 22 is increased to a predetermined constant pressure (for example, 250 mmHg) at a relatively slow constant speed, and during this slow pressure increase process, a pressure pulse wave is generated. are sequentially detected and represent each pressure pulse wave.
SM is stored together with the pressure _P1 in the first pressure chamber 22, and then step S4 is executed to evacuate the pressure in the first pressure chamber 22. In the following step S5, the first pressure chamber 22 is
The pressure P _1A is determined as the pressure corresponding to the optimum pressing force of the pulse wave sensor 20, and in step S6, the pressure P _1A determined in step S5 is determined to be below a predetermined constant pressure α (for example, 150 mmHg). It is determined whether there is or not.

If it is determined in step S6 that the pressure P _1A is greater than the constant pressure α, for example, as shown in FIG. The artery 32 is located, and when detecting the pressure pulse wave, the plate material 42
Step S7 is executed because there is a possibility that the pressing surface 48 of the patient is pressed to the position shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. By this,
The pressure in the second pressure chamber 40 is lowered by a predetermined pressure ΔP ₂ via the pressure regulating valve 44, and steps S3 to S7 are repeatedly executed until the determination in step S6 is affirmed. In this way, the pressure in the first pressure chamber 22 corresponding to the optimum pressing force of the pulse wave sensor 20 is
When P _1A is lowered to a constant pressure α or less, the pressing surface 48 of the plate 42 moves the radius 5 from the position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3 to the position shown by the solid line.
0 and the tendon 52, and the amount of protrusion of the convex portion 28 from the plate material 42 is increased. This avoids causing pain to the subject during pressure pulse wave detection.

Next, by executing step S8,
After the pressure inside the first pressure chamber 22 is increased to the determined pressure _P1A in step S5 and held at that pressure, a pressure pulse wave is detected in step S9.
If a pressure pulse wave is detected, the subsequent step S10 is executed to determine whether or not the activation switch has been operated to the OFF state. If this judgment is negative, steps S9 and S10 are executed again and pressure pulse waves are sequentially detected until the judgment in step S10 is affirmed, but in step S10 it is judged that the activation switch has been operated to the OFF state. If so, step S11 is executed to evacuate the pressure inside the first pressure chamber 22 and the second pressure chamber 40, and then step S1 is executed again.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, when the subject is relatively thin and the radial artery 32 is located at a relatively shallow position from the body surface 12, the pressure pulse wave is detected as described above. Convex portion 28 in
Even if the amount of protrusion from the plate material 42 is set to be small in advance, the optimal pressing force of the pulse wave sensor 20 will not become that large, so the judgment in step S6 is not denied, and step S8 immediately follows step S6.
The following will be executed:

As described above, according to this embodiment, the pulse wave sensor 20
The bellows rubber 3 provided on the outer peripheral side of the convex portion 28 of
By increasing the pressure in the second pressure chamber 40 in the second pressure chamber 8 to a constant pressure in advance, the amount of protrusion of the convex part 28 from the plate material 42 when the pulse wave sensor 20 is pressed is made necessary and sufficiently small. Since the pressing surface 48 of the plate material 42 can be reliably pressed against the body surface 12 together with the pressing surface 30 of 28, the pressing posture of the pulse wave sensor 20 is suitably prevented from being tilted due to body movements of the subject, etc. While being able to stably detect waves, the first
When the pressure P _1A in the pressure chamber 22 exceeds a predetermined constant pressure α, the pressure in the second pressure chamber 40 is lowered to reduce the pressure of the protrusion 28 from the plate 42 when the pulse wave sensor 20 is pressed. Since the amount of protrusion is increased and the pressure P _1A is lowered to below the constant pressure α, detection of pressure pulse waves in a state where the radius 50 and tendon 52 are strongly compressed is prevented, and the pressure pulse waves are prevented from being detected. Pain to the examiner is avoided.

One embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but
The invention can also be implemented in other embodiments.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the bellows rubber 3
8 has a plate material 42 fixed to it, but this plate material 4
2, the surface of the bellows rubber 38 facing the body surface 12 may be used as the pressing surface.

Further, in the above embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the convex portion 28 from the plate material 42 is automatically adjusted by supplying pressure to the second pressure chamber 40 in accordance with the drive signal SD ₂ from the control device 34. However, it is not necessary that the second pressure chamber 40
Pressure may also be supplied manually.

Further, in the above embodiment, the plate material 42 of the convex portion 28
The amount of protrusion from the press is set small in advance, and if the optimum pressing force is greater than a predetermined constant pressure, the amount of protrusion is automatically increased, but this is not necessarily necessary. For example, the amount of protrusion of the convex portion 28 may be set large in advance, and if the optimum pressing force is smaller than a predetermined constant pressure, the amount of protrusion may be automatically reduced. Alternatively, the convex portion 2
8 is set to a medium level in advance, and if the optimum pressing force exceeds the upper limit of a predetermined range, the protrusion amount is automatically increased, and if it is smaller than the lower limit, the protrusion amount is automatically reduced. It may also be configured to reduce the amount of energy.

Alternatively, a pulse wave detection device as shown in FIG. 4 may be used. In FIG. 4, the same parts as in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. In the figure, a container-shaped member 56 having a hole 54 on the surface facing the body surface 12 is fixed to the diaphragm 18.
A pulse wave sensor 20 is attached inside the body 6 via a diaphragm 58 so as to be movable toward and away from the body surface 12. The pulse wave sensor 20 is constantly biased by a spring 60 with a relatively small biasing force toward the side opposite to the side where the hole 54 of the container-shaped member 56 is formed. When no pressure is supplied to the second pressure chamber 62 formed by the pulse wave sensor 20 , the pressing surface 30 of the convex portion 28 of the pulse wave sensor 20 is a predetermined distance from the pressing surface 64 of the container-shaped member 56 . Although it is made to protrude by a relatively small fixed amount, by supplying pressure into the second pressure chamber 62, the convex part 28 is pushed out against the biasing force of the spring 60, and the convex part 28 is shaped like a container. Part 5
The amount of protrusion from 6 can be adjusted. In this embodiment, the container-shaped member 56 corresponds to the second pressing member, the pressing surface 64 corresponds to the second pressing surface, and the diaphragm 58 corresponds to the protrusion amount adjusting device. The operation of the present device is the same as in the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, except that step S2 is deleted and step _S7 is changed to increase the pressure in the second pressure chamber 62 by .DELTA.P.sub.2. Even in this case, the same effects as in the above-mentioned embodiment can be obtained. In this case, it is also possible to perform the protruding operation of the pulse wave sensor 20 using a drive motor or the like.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the pressure pulse wave is detected from the radial artery 32 has been described, but the present invention can also be used when detecting the pressure pulse wave from other arteries other than the radial artery, such as the dorsalis pedis artery. It is possible to obtain the following effects.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first pressure chamber 22 and the second pressure chamber 40 are connected to the pressure regulating valves 26 and 44.
The pressure fluid supplied to the pressure fluid may be an incompressible fluid such as oil or water.

In addition, various changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a pulse wave detection device to which the present invention is applied, and is a diagram showing an example of a pressing state of the pulse wave sensor at the optimal pressing force when the subject is thin. . FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. Figure 3 is the first
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main part of the pulse wave detection device shown in the figure, and is a diagram illustrating an example of a pressing state of the pulse wave sensor at an optimal pressing force when the subject is obese. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the present invention, which corresponds to the essential parts of the pulse wave detection device shown in FIG. 1, and shows a state before the pulse wave sensor is pressed. 12... Body surface, 20... Pulse wave sensor (first pressing member), 30... Pressing surface (first pressing surface), 32...
...Radial artery, 38... Bellows rubber (protrusion amount adjustment device), 42... Plate material (second pressing member), 44...
...pressure regulating valve, 48, 64...pressing surface (second pressing surface),
56... Container-shaped member (second pressing member), 58...
Diaphragm (protrusion amount adjustment device).

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A first press having a first pressing surface on which a pressure sensitive element is disposed.
A pulse wave detection device comprising a pressing member and detecting a pressure pulse wave generated from the artery by pressing the first pressing member onto the artery on the surface of the living body, the device being provided on the outer peripheral side of the first pressing surface. a second pressing surface that is pressed against the biological surface together with the first pressing surface in order to detect the pressure pulse wave, and is movable relative to the first pressing surface in a direction toward and away from the biological surface; , a second pressing member provided between the first pressing member and the second pressing member, and by changing the relative position of the first pressing member and the second pressing member in the pressing direction. 1
A pulse wave detection device comprising: a protrusion amount adjusting device that adjusts the amount of protrusion of the pressing surface from the second pressing surface.