BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION DETECTION APPARATUS

• US 20140276116A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Hideto, Kuroda, Masao, Aoshima, Ichiro, Takahashi, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,814,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices

Abstract

A biological information detection apparatus includes a detection unit which has a light receiving unit receiving light from a subject, a light transmitting member which is provided on a housing surface side in contact with the subject of the biological information detection apparatus, transmits light from the subject, and comes into contact with the subject when measuring biological information of the subject, and a diaphragm unit which is provided between the light transmitting member and the detection unit, between the light transmitting member and the subject, or inside the light transmitting member, and narrows light from the subject in an optical path between the subject and the detection unit. The detection unit includes a light emitting unit which emits light to the subject, and the biological information detection apparatus has a light shielding unit which is provided between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit.

Claims

1. A biological information detection apparatus comprising:

a detection unit which has a light receiving unit receiving light from a subject;

a light transmitting member which is provided on a housing surface side in contact with the subject of the biological information detection apparatus, transmits light from the subject, and comes into contact with the subject when measuring biological information of the subject; and

a diaphragm unit which is provided between the light transmitting member and the detection unit, between the light transmitting member and the subject, or inside the light transmitting member, and narrows light from the subject in an optical path between the subject and the detection unit.

2. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes a light emitting unit which emits light to the subject,

the light transmitting member transmits light from the light emitting unit, and

the diaphragm unit narrows light from the light emitting unit in the optical path between the subject and the detection unit.

3. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the diaphragm unit includes a first diaphragm unit provided on the light receiving unit side and a second diaphragm unit provided on the light emitting unit side.

4. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the area of an opening of the second diaphragm unit provided on the light emitting unit side is smaller than the area of an opening of the first diaphragm unit provided on the light receiving unit side.

5. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a light shielding unit which is provided between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit.

6. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein, when the height of the light shielding unit in a direction orthogonal to the housing surface is H1, and the height of a lower surface which is the surface of the diaphragm unit on the detection unit side is H2, H1>

H2.

7. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the diaphragm unit and the light shielding unit are formed integrally as a light shielding member.

8. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the light shielding member is attached to a substrate, on which the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit are mounted, from the top of the substrate.

9. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the light shielding unit is a light shielding wall which is formed to extend in a direction orthogonal to the housing surface.

10. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the width of the light shielding wall becomes thin toward a line connecting the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit.

11. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when the angle between a line, which connects a first end portion of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a second end portion as an end portion away from the first end portion of the light transmitting region out of two end portions of the light receiving unit, and the optical axis of the light receiving unit is θ

r, and the angle between a line, which connects the second end portion of the light receiving unit and an end portion on an opening side of the diaphragm unit, and the optical axis is θ

a, θ

a<

θ

r.

12. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the diaphragm unit is arranged and set such that the diaphragm unit is located on a line, which connects a first end portion of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion as an end portion close to the first end portion of the light transmitting region out of two end portions of the light receiving unit, and a line, which connects a second end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a second end portion as an end portion close to the second end portion of the light transmitting region out of the two end portions of the light receiving unit.

13. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, when the angle between a line, which connects a second end portion of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion as an end portion away from the second end portion of the light transmitting region out of two end portions of the light emitting unit, and the optical axis of the light emitting unit is θ

t, and the angle between a line, which connects the first end portion of the light emitting unit and an end portion on an opening side of the diaphragm unit, and the optical axis is θ

b, θ

b<

θ

t.

14. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the diaphragm unit is arranged and set such that the diaphragm unit is located on a line, which connects a first end portion of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion as an end portion close to the first end portion of the light transmitting region out of two end portions of the light emitting unit, and a line, which connects a second end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a second end portion as an end portion close to the second end portion of the light transmitting region out of the two end portions of the light emitting unit.

15. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the area of a diaphragm region of the diaphragm unit is smaller than the area of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member.

16. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the light transmitting member has a convex portion which comes into contact with the subject when measuring the biological information of the subject and gives a pressing force, and

the diaphragm unit shields light passing through the marginal region of the convex portion.

17. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a pressing force suppression unit which is disposed in periphery of the convex portion, and suppresses the pressing force given to the subject by the convex portion.

18. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein, when the amount of change in pressing force of the convex portion with respect to a load by a load mechanism generating the pressing force of the convex portion is defined as the amount of change in pressing force,

the pressing force suppression unit suppresses the pressing force given to the subject by the convex portion such that the amount of change in pressing force in a second load range in which the load of the load mechanism is greater than FL1 becomes smaller than the amount of change in pressing force in a first load range in which the load of the load mechanism is 0 to FL1.

19. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the shape of a diaphragm region of the diaphragm unit is similar to the shape of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member.

20. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a pulse wave is detected as the biological information.