Bio-signal analyzer, seat and bio-signal analyzing method

• US 8,251,447 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujita, Etsunori, Ogura, Yumi, Ochiai, Naoki, Maeda, Shinichiro, Wagata, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): CRANMER, LAURIE K
• Application Number:
  US12/527,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 2972841-2843, 297/284.6, 297/284.9, 297/217.2, 297/217.3
• US Class Current: 297/284.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 9/002 with exercising means or having special therapeutic or ergonomic effects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/005 Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles , e.g. dismountable auxiliary seatsB60N2/02 takes precedence ; for railway vehicles B61D1/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 using inflatable bladders

Abstract

There are provided a bio-signal analyzer using a sensor capable of detecting, even though it is non-invasive, a more prominent bio-signal, and a seat using the bio-signal analyzer. Air cushions (10), which are sensors detecting a bio-signal in a non-invasive manner, are disposed at the positions corresponding respectively to left and right iliocostalis lumborum muscles of a person, in a substantially vertically long state along the iliocostalis lumborum muscles, with upper ends thereof being set at least at the height corresponding to a lower face of a human diaphragm. In the diaphragm, bio-signals such as heartbeats, breaths, or pulsations of aorta passing through the vicinity of the diaphragm are resonated and amplified. Further, the iliocostalis lumborum muscles are at positions where they are easily vibrated by pulsations of aorta passing through the vicinity of the lumbar region. Therefore, by disposing the air cushions (10) as described above, bio-signals amplified by the diaphragm and the iliocostalis lumborum muscles can be detected.

Claims

1. A bio-signal analyzer, comprising:

a pair of air cushions each having an air bag formed by sealing except an air inlet/outlet port and a resilience applying member, which applies resilience in an expansion direction to the air bag when air is exhausted from the inlet/outlet port by pressing with a load, and which allows air to enter the air bag through the inlet/outlet port accompanying decrease of the load, the air cushions being incorporated in portions supporting a vicinity of a lumbar region of a person in a human body support means;

an air pressure measuring instrument connected to the inlet/outlet port of each of the air cushions to detect an air pressure variation in each of the air cushions caused by a human bio-signal; and

an analyzing means that receives an electric signal of the air pressure variation in each of the air cushions detected by the air pressure measuring instrument to analyze a human condition,

wherein each of the air cushions is disposed at one of positions corresponding respectively to left and right iliocostalis lumborum muscles of the person, in a substantially vertically long state along the respective iliocostalis lumborum muscles, and has a length such that an upper end thereof is set at least at a height corresponding to a lower face of a human diaphragm, and

wherein the resilience applying member includes a three-dimensional solid knitted fabric which is accommodated in the air bag and which applies resilience to the air bag from inside.

2. The bio-signal analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the length of each air cushion is in a range of 150 mm to 300 mm.

3. The bio-signal analyzer according to claim 1, wherein each air cushion comprises two air bags, and is structured such that the two air bags overlap each other.

4. The bio-signal analyzer according to claim 3, wherein the analyzing means is configured to perform analysis using a sum of values of respective air pressure variations of the two air bags of each air cushion.

5. A seat, comprising:

air cushions incorporated in a portion supporting a vicinity of a lumbar region in a seat back,

wherein the air cushions each include an air bag formed by sealing except an air inlet/outlet port and a resilience applying member, which applies resilience in an expansion direction to the air bag when air is exhausted from the inlet/outlet port by pressing with a load, and which allows air to enter the air bag through the inlet/outlet port accompanying decrease of the load,

wherein the resilience applying member includes a three-dimensional solid knitted fabric which is accommodated in the air bag and which applies resilience to the air bag from inside,

wherein the air cushions are disposed in a pair at portions corresponding respectively to left and right iliocostalis lumborum muscles of a person, in a substantially vertically long state along the respective iliocostalis lumborum muscles, such that upper ends thereof are set at least at a height corresponding to a lower face of a human diaphragm, and

wherein the seat further comprises an air pressure measuring instrument connected to the inlet/outlet ports of each air cushion that detects an air pressure variation in each of the air cushions caused by a human bio-signal and that transmits the air pressure variation to an analyzing means.

6. The seat according to claim 5, wherein a length of the air cushions is in a range of 150 mm to 300 mm.

7. The seat according to claim 6, wherein the air cushions are disposed so that respective inside lower ends of the air cushions are located in ranges of 20 mm to 80 mm leftward and rightward respectively from a center of the seat back forming the seat and in a range of 10 mm to 80 mm upward along the seat back from a boundary between a seat cushion and the seat back.

8. The seat according to claim 7, wherein the air cushions are disposed so that respective inside upper ends of the air cushions are located in ranges of 40 mm to 100 mm leftward and rightward respectively from the center of the seat back and separated from the center of the seat back farther than the inside lower ends.

9. The seat according to claim 5, wherein the air cushions each comprise two air bags, and is structured such that the two air bags overlap each other.

10. The seat according to claim 9, wherein the analyzing means is configured to perform analysis using a sum of values of respective air pressure variations of the two air bags of the air cushions.

11. The seat according to claim 5, wherein the analyzing means analyzes a human condition from the air pressure variation in the air cushions generated by a human bio-signal, the analyzing means being attached to a portion of one of a seat cushion and the seat back.

12. A bio-signal analyzing method using air cushions incorporated in portions supporting a vicinity of a lumbar region in a seat back, the method comprising:

using, as each of the air cushions, an air cushion having an air bag formed by sealing except an air inlet/outlet port and a resilience applying member, which applies resilience in an expansion direction to the air bag when air is exhausted from the inlet/outlet port by pressing with a load, and which allows air to enter the air bag through the inlet/outlet port accompanying decrease of the load, the resilience applying member including a three-dimensional solid knitted fabric which is accommodated in the air bag and applies resilience to the air bag from inside;

setting the air cushions in a pair at positions corresponding respectively to left and right iliocostalis lumborum muscles of a person, in a substantially vertically long state along the iliocostalis lumborum muscles, upper ends thereof being at least at a height corresponding to a lower face of a human diaphragm; and

detecting an air pressure variation in each of the air cushions generated by a breath, a heartbeat, or a voice as a bio-signal, the air pressure variation being detected by an air pressure measuring instrument connected to the inlet/outlet port of each of the air cushions to transmit an electric signal corresponding to the air pressure variation to an analyzing means, the analyzing means determining a biological state.