BODY COMPOSITION MEASURING APPARATUS

• US 20090024053A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: KASAHARA, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,409,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1079 using optical or photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/50 having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height

Abstract

A CPU (134) of a body composition measuring apparatus (100) drives a navel position indicator (118) so that it emits light. The height of a frame (114) is adjusted so that a beam of light from navel position indicator (118) irradiates the navel of a human subject. Plural sensors (106) are mounted on the frame (114), and each sensor measures a distance from the sensor to a position to be measured, whereby the abdominal width (X) of the human subject is determined. Subsequently, CPU (134) obtains measured values of weight (W) and bioelectrical impedance (Z). CPU (134) then reads an equation for calculating the visceral fat area and estimates the visceral fat area (Y) based on the measured abdominal width (X), weight (W), bioelectrical impedance (Z), and the equation.

Claims

1. A body composition measuring apparatus, for estimating a body composition index, comprising:

a bioelectrical impedance measurer that measures foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance by applying at least one electrode to the sole of each foot of a human subject;

an abdominal width measurer that measures an abdominal width of the human subject;

a weigher that measures a body weight of the human subject; and

a calculator that calculates a body composition index with respect to the human subject based on the abdominal width, the weight, and the foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance,

wherein the abdominal width measurer uses a reflection-type contactless distance measuring sensor to measure the abdominal width, the contactless distance measuring sensor measuring a gap distance between a position of the sensor and a position of a point to be measured.

2. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a height inputter that receives input of the height of the human subject,

wherein the calculator uses the height received by the height inputter in addition to the abdominal width, the weight, and the foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance to estimate the body composition index.

3. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an age inputter that receives input of the age of the human subject,

wherein the calculator concurrently serves as a body density estimator that estimates body density based on the abdominal width, the weight, and the foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance, and the calculator calculates the body composition index based on the abdominal width, the body density, and the age input by the age inputter.

4. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the abdominal width measurer comprises:

at least two contactless distance measuring sensors; and

a frame on which the contactless distance measuring sensors are arranged so that the at least two contactless distance measuring sensors are facing each other and are sandwiching the abdomen in parallel in a lateral direction of the abdomen, with a straight line connecting the sensors being in parallel with a lateral direction of the abdomen, and the two contactless distance measuring sensors measuring the gap distance at plural positions that are in parallel with an anteroposterior direction of the abdomen,

wherein the abdominal width measurer executes a predetermined calculation on plural gap distances measured at the plural positions to output a result of the calculation as the abdominal width.

5. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein a side of the frame is open so that a human subject can enter the interior area of the frame.

6. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the frame comprises a navel position indicator that indicates the position of a navel of the human subject;

wherein the apparatus further comprises a rod for supporting the frame so that the frame can slide along a medial line of the standing human subject and a frame level changer for changing a level of the frame along the rod,

wherein the frame level changer brings the frame to rest at a position at which the navel of the human subject is indicated by the navel position indicator; and

wherein the abdominal width measurer measures the abdominal width when the frame is stopped.

7. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the abdominal width measurer further comprises a frame on which plural contactless distance measuring sensors are arranged so that the sensors move in the anteroposterior direction of the abdominal width independently of one another to measure gap distances at plural positions, and

wherein the abdominal width measurer executes a predetermined calculation on the plural gap distances measured at the plural positions to output a result of the calculation as the abdominal width.

8. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein a side of the frame is open so that a human subject can enter the interior area of the frame.

9. A body composition measuring apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the frame comprises a navel position indicator that indicates the position of a navel of the human subject;

wherein the apparatus further comprises a rod for supporting the frame so that the frame can slide along a medial line of the standing human subject and a frame level changer for changing a level of the frame along the rod;

wherein the frame level changer brings the frame to rest at a position at which the navel of the human subject is indicated by the navel position indicator; and

wherein the abdominal width measurer measures the abdominal width when the frame is stopped.