Posture detecting device and breathing function measuring device

• US 20010007923A1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Published: 07/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 6,514,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

The rotational position sensor of the posture detection unit consists of a hollow housing comprising an insulating member and a movable body, the surface of which comprises a conductive member, such that the movable body can freely move in the housing. Contact points are located at the four corners of the side walls of the housing and essentially midway up the height of the side walls such that they protrude toward the central axis, and terminals that are individually electrically connected to these contact points are located on the surfaces of the side plates opposite from the surfaces that face each other, such that the terminals protrude outward. The distance between adjacent contact points is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the movable body, and the areas of the contact points that face the movable body are formed such that together they form a circle when seen from above. Multiple rotational position sensors are located on the circuit substrate such that they are rotated around the central axes by a prescribed angle relative to each other.

Claims

1. A posture detecting device comprising:

a first movable body of which the surface comprise conductive member;

a first container for housing the first movable body, such that it is contained and freely movable therein, and for having a first multiple contact points of which the surfaces comprise conductive members;

a second movable body of which the surface comprise conductive member; and

a second container for housing the second movable body, such that it is contained and freely movable therein, and for having a second multiple contact points of which the surfaces comprise conductive members,

wherein the first and second containers are positioned such that when the two adjacent contact points of the first container are not short-circuited by the first movable body, two adjacent contact points of the second container are short-circuited by the second movable body.

2. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein said first and second multiple contact points are located respectively at equal intervals around the central axis of the containers and in a plane perpendicular to the central axis.

3. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein said first and second containers are fitted onto the object of measurement such that they are rotated around the central axes of the containers by a prescribed degree so that the positions of the multiple contact points around the central axes have different phases.

4. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein the central axes of the first and second container are approximately parallel to each other.

5. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein when the two adjacent contact points are not short-circuited, said movable body exists between one adjacent contact points and another adjacent contact points.

6. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein said first and second containers have an identical construction.

7. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, wherein said posture detecting device detects at least that the object of measurement is lying down.

8. A posture detecting device according to

claim 1

, further comprising a first circuit, when the two adjacent contact points of the first container are short-circuited by the first movable body, for outputting a signal to discriminate the short-circuited two adjacent contact points, and a second circuit for outputting a signal to discriminate whether the two adjacent contact points of the second container are short-circuited or not.

10. A breathing function measuring device according to

claim 8

, wherein said posture detector comprising:

a first movable body of which the surface comprise conductive member;

a first container for housing the first movable body, such that it is contained and freely movable therein, and for having a first multiple contact points of which the surfaces comprise conductive members;

a second movable body of which the surface comprise conductive member; and

a second container for housing the second movable body, such that it is contained and freely movable therein, and for having a second multiple contact points of which the surfaces comprise conductive members,

wherein the first and second containers are positioned such that when the two adjacent contact points of the first container are not short-circuited by the first movable body, two adjacent contact points of the second container are short-circuited by the second movable body.

9. A breathing function measuring device comprising:

a wrapping member for wrapping around the chest or the abdomen of the object of measurement;

a change amount detecting unit, which is located at one end of the wrapping member, for detecting the amount of change in the circumferential length of the chest or the abdomen due to the breathing effort of the object; and

a posture detector, which is located inside the change amount detecting unit, for detecting the posture of the object.