Physiological signals sensing structure, stethoscope therewith and manufacturing method thereof

• US 9,226,725 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Ko, Wen-Ching, Tseng, Kuo-Hua, Liou, Chang-Ho, Chen, Chang-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US13/628,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 381/67, 381/173, 381/190, 381/430, 156/286, 156/292, 600/586
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/02 Stethoscopes acoustic details thereof G10K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14

Abstract

A physiological signal sensing structure, a stethoscope therewith, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The sensing structure for physiological signals includes a flexible substrate, a piezoelectric sensing structure and a damping structure. The piezoelectric sensing structure is disposed over the flexible substrate, and includes a first surface and a second surface. The second surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure faces the flexible substrate. The piezoelectric sensing structure is an arc with a curvature, and the first surface thereof may face outward. The damping structure may be disposed between the flexible substrate and the piezoelectric sensing structure. In an embodiment, a further amplifying structure is disposed over the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure and contacts or does not contact a top region of the first surface.

Claims

1. A physiological signal sensing structure, comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a piezoelectric sensing structure, disposed over the flexible substrate, wherein the piezoelectric sensing structure at least comprises a curved surface area and an edge area, the piezoelectric sensing structure comprises a first surface and a second surface, the second surface faces the flexible substrate, and the piezoelectric sensing structure has an arc with a curvature, and the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure faces outward; and

a damping structure, disposed between the flexible substrate and the piezoelectric sensing structure.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric sensing structure comprises a top conductive layer, a bottom conductive layer, and a piezoelectric material layer located between the top conductive layer and the bottom conductive layer.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric material layer comprises a PVDF or a material combination of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).

4. The structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric material layer comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP).

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the damping structure is an air, a foam, or a soft plastic.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an amplifying structure, disposed over the curved surface area of the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure, wherein a side of the amplifying structure contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains a distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the amplifying structure comprises a support body and an amplifier structure, the support body is disposed on the edge area of the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure, and an edge of the amplifier structure is disposed on the support body, wherein a middle area of a side surface of the amplifier structure contacting the support body contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains the specific distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the amplifier structure comprises a body and a protruding portion, the body comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is a plane surface, and the protruding portion is located at a middle area of the second surface, wherein the protruding portion contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains the distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

9. The structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the material of the body comprises a plastic.

10. A stethoscope, comprising:

a plurality of physiological signal sensing structures, wherein each of the plurality of physiological signal sensing structures comprises;

a flexible substrate;

a piezoelectric sensing structure, disposed over the flexible substrate, wherein the piezoelectric sensing structure comprises a curved surface area and an edge area, the piezoelectric sensing structure comprises a first surface and a second surface, the second surface faces the flexible substrate, and the piezoelectric sensing structure has an arc with a curvature, and the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure faces outward; and

a damping structure, disposed between the flexible substrate and the piezoelectric sensing structure.

11. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of physiological signal sensing structures comprises a top conductive layer, a bottom conductive layer, and a piezoelectric material layer located between the top conductive layer and the bottom conductive layer.

12. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a first signal processing apparatus, configured to connect to the top conductive layers and the bottom conductive layers of the plurality of physiological signal sensing structures, for obtaining a sensed physiological signal, and generating a corresponding signal through amplification processing upon the sensed physiological signal, thereby the physiological signal is received an external second signal processing apparatus by transmitting the corresponding signal.

13. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first signal processing apparatus comprises a wireless transmission unit, wherein the corresponding signal is wirelessly transmitted by the wireless transmission unit to the second signal processing apparatus.

14. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric sensing structure comprises a top conductive layer, a bottom conductive layer, and a piezoelectric material layer located between the top conductive layer and the bottom conductive layer.

15. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 14, wherein the piezoelectric material layer comprises a PVDF or a material combination of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).

16. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 14, wherein the piezoelectric material layer comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP).

17. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 10, wherein a material of the damping structure is an air, a foam, or a soft plastic.

18. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an amplifying structure, disposed over the curved surface area of the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure, wherein a side of the amplifying structure contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains a distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

19. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 18, wherein the amplifying structure comprises a support body and an amplifier structure, the support body is disposed on the edge area of the first surface of the piezoelectric sensing structure, and an edge of the amplifier structure is disposed on the support body, wherein a middle area of a side surface of the amplifier structure contacting the support body contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains the distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

20. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 19, wherein the amplifier structure comprises a body and a protruding portion, the body comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is a plane surface, and the protruding portion is located at a middle area of the second surface, wherein the protruding portion contacts the piezoelectric sensing structure or maintains the distance from the piezoelectric sensing structure.

21. The stethoscope as claimed in claim 18, wherein the material of the body comprises a plastic.