Biologic information detecting apparatus

• US 8,652,053 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Tatara, Naoe, Aihara, Kimihisa, Mino, Shinji, Koizumi, Hiroshi, Hayashida, Shoichi, Oguchi, Taisuke, Shimada, Junichi, Sudo, Shoichi, Tochikubo, Osamu, Miura, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Assistant Examiner(s): MESSERSMITH, ERIC J
• Application Number:
  US13/183,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20110295132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 600323-324, 600/485, 600/490, 600500-504, 381/322, 381/326, 381/328, 381/374, 381/380, 381/334, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 379/433.02
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02241 of small dimensions, e.g. adapted to fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44427 with position locking-means for gripping members

Abstract

In measurement requiring application of pressure to a tissue of a living body such as blood pressure measurement, noise due to vibration tends to occur. It is difficult to accurately measure a pulse wave and a blood pressure value. It is also difficult to measure blood pressure in life activities or to measure blood pressure at intervals or continuously where a tonometer is always attached. There is consequently a problem of holding a biologic information detecting apparatus. The present invention solves the problems by providing an easy-to-wear biologic information detecting apparatus for stably detecting biologic information. The biologic information detecting apparatus includes a sensor for detecting biologic information in a pair of arms connected via a spindle, and the sensor is tightly attached to a projecting part in a living body, particularly, a tragus of an auricle.

Claims

1. A biologic information detecting apparatus comprising:

a pair of arms that face each other;

a spindle connecting the arms at one end of each of the arms;

a distance varying mechanism arranged on the spindle and adjusting an interval between the other ends of the arms by rotation about a first axis;

a cuff for pressing a living body, which is attached to the other end of at least one of the arms and attached on a facing side of at least one of the arms; and

a sensor for detecting biologic information that is attached to the other end of at least one of the arms,

characterized in that

the biologic information is a blood pressure and the sensor detects the blood pressure,

a projecting part of an auricle is sandwiched by the arms,

a front end part of at least one of the arms is adapted to be fixed to a surface position of a tragus,

the cuff can vary a direction in which the cuff comes into contact with the living body, and

a rotating mechanism is provided for varying an angle β

between the arms by rotation about a second axis different from the first axis, and

the rotating mechanism is obtained by breaking a tip of the spindle, and the rotating mechanism moves the spindle in a rotating direction.

2. The biologic information detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bridge adapted to extend across right and left auricles and to connect the arms to one of right and left auricles and the other auricle to which the arms are not attached; and

a power supply unit disposed in some midpoint of the bridge and driving the sensor.

3. The biologic information detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ear attachment that is adapted to be placed around the base of an auricle; and

a power supply unit disposed in the ear attachment.