Biological information detection device

• US 8,792,959 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Okuda, Hideki, Kato, Teruo, Terasawa, Dai, Kawamata, Hiroshi, Omori, Nobukazu, Koshoji, Hideaki, Kaneko, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US13/669,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 600/390, 600/509
• US Class Current: 600/390
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

A biological information detection device has a device main body and a biological signal detection portion formed integrally with the device main body. The detection portion has at least one electrode for contacting a biological surface of a human body. A mounting portion mounts the main body and the detection portion to a human body without the mounting portion being directly attached to the detection portion. The main body and the detection portion are integrally connected by a mechanical connection portion that mechanically connects the main body and the detection portion to each other, and by an electrical connection portion that electrically connects the main body and the electrode of the detection portion to each other. The mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion are positioned relative one another so as not to be arranged alongside a load direction of an external force acting on the mechanical connection portion.

Claims

1. A biological information detection device comprising:

a device main body;

a biological signal detection portion formed integrally with the device main body, the biological signal detection portion having an electrode for contacting a biological surface of a human body; and

a fixing portion configured to mount the device main body and the biological signal detection portion to a human body without the fixing portion being directly attached to the biological signal detection portion;

wherein the device main body and the biological signal detection portion are integrally connected by a mechanical connection portion that mechanically connects the device main body and the biological signal detection portion to each other, and by an electrical connection portion that electrically connects the device main body and the electrode of the biological signal detection portion to each other; and

wherein the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion are positioned relative one another so as not to be arranged alongside a load direction of an external force acting on the mechanical connection portion.

2. The biological information detection device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection portion and the mechanical connection position are positioned relative one another so that a sidewall of the mechanical connection portion is configured to receive a load due to an external force acting on the mechanical connection portion to thereby suppress transmission of the external force to the electrical connection portion.

3. The biological information detection device according to claim 1, further comprising a deformable portion disposed between the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion.

4. The biological information detection device according to claim 1, wherein the biological signal detection portion is formed of a conductive elastomer serving as the electrode.

5. The biological information detection device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion are positioned relative one another so that an array direction of the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion is a direction intersecting the load direction of an external force acting on the mechanical connection portion.

6. The biological information detection device according to claim 5, wherein the array direction of the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion intersects the load direction substantially at a right angle.

7. The biological information detection device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion are integrally connected together through an intermediate connection portion having a lower rigidity that the mechanical connection portion or the electrical connection portion.

8. The biological information detection device according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate connection portion is integrally formed together with the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion.

9. The biological information detection device according to claim 7, wherein a constricted portion is formed in the intermediate connection portion so that when a load is applied to the mechanical connection portion due to an external force, the intermediate connection portion is easily elastically deformed, thereby allowing the load to be absorbed and application of the external force to the electrical connection portion to be suppressed.

10. A biological information detection device comprising:

a main body portion;

a biological signal detection portion integral with the main body portion and having at least one electrode configured to be brought into contact with a biological surface of a human body for detecting a biological signal;

a connection structure provided at a terminal end of the electrode for integrally connecting the biological signal detection portion to the main body portion, the connection structure having a mechanical connection portion that mechanically connects the main body portion to the biological signal detection portion, an electrical connection portion that electrically connects the main body portion to the electrode of the biological signal detection portion, and at least one intermediate connection portion integrally connecting the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion to one another, the intermediate connection portion having a lower rigidity than that of the mechanical connection portion or the electrical connection portion so that when a load is applied to the mechanical connection portion due to an external force, the intermediate connection portion is easily elastically deformed, thereby allowing the load to be absorbed and application of the external force to the electrical connection portion to be suppressed; and

a mounting portion for removably mounting the main body portion and the biological signal detection portion to a human body to detect a biological signal of the human body.

11. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the mechanical connection portion comprises a convex portion protruding from a surface of the electrode, and the electrical connection portion comprises a circular plate integrally connected to the convex portion through the intermediate connection portion.

12. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate connection portion has a constricted portion that further facilitates elastic deformation of the intermediate connection portion when a load is applied to the mechanical connection portion due to an external force.

13. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion removably mounts the main body without the mounting portion being directly attached to the biological signal detection portion.

14. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the electrical connection portion and the mechanical connection portion are positioned relative one another so that a sidewall of the mechanical connection portion is configured to receive the load due to an external force acting on the mechanical connection.

15. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the biological signal detection portion is formed of a conductive elastomer serving as the electrode.

16. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion are positioned relative one another so that an array direction of the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion is a direction intersecting the load direction of an external force acting on the mechanical connection portion.

17. The biological information detection device according to claim 16, wherein the array direction of the mechanical connection portion and the electrical connection portion intersects the load direction substantially at a right angle.

18. The biological information detection device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one electrode of the biological signal detection portion comprises a pair of electrodes each having the connection structure for integrally connecting the electrodes to the main body portion so as to extend from respective opposite sides thereof.

19. The biological information detection device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one intermediate connection portion comprises a pair of intermediate connection portions;

and wherein the mechanical connection portion comprises a pair of convex portions, and the electrical connection portion comprises a circular plate disposed between and connected to each of the convex portions through the respective intermediate connection portions.

20. The biological information detection device according to claim 19, wherein each of the convex portions, the circular plate, and each of the respective intermediate connection portions is formed from a conductive elastomer.