Biological information detection apparatus

• US 9,814,399 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yusuke, Yamashita, Hideto, Kuroda, Masao, Aoshima, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fardanesh, Marjan
• Application Number:
  US14/205,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20140276116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 housing surface;

a detection unit which has a light emitting unit which is configured to emit light to a subject and a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the subject, wherein the biological information detection apparatus is configured to be attached to the subject externally;

a light transmitting member which is provided on the housing surface configured to be in contact with the subject of the biological information detection apparatus, transmits light from the light emitting unit and the subject, and configured to be placed adjacent to and comes into contact with skin of the subject while measuring biological information of the subject;

a first diaphragm provided adjacent to or integral with the light transmitting member, wherein the first diaphragm is provided on light receiving unit side, wherein the first diaphragm is provided between the light transmitting member and the light receiving unit, between the light transmitting member and the subject, or inside the light transmitting member, wherein the first diaphragm includes an opening that is configured to narrows light from the subject in an optical path between the subject and the light receiving unit, wherein;

an angle between a first line, which connects a first end portion of a light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion of the light receiving unit 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 an optical axis of the light receiving unit is θ

r,

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

a, and

θ

a is less than θ

r; and

a processing unit for processing an output of the detection unit.

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

a second diaphragm adjacent to the first diaphragm, wherein the second diaphragm is provided on light emitting unit side, the second diaphragm includes an opening that narrows light from the light emitting unit.

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

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

4. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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

5. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

a height of the light shielding unit in a direction orthogonal to the housing surface is H1, a height of a lower surface which is the surface of the first diaphragm on the detection unit side is H2, and H1 is greater than H2.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first diaphragm is located on a line, which connects the first end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a second end portion of the light receiving unit 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.

11. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the angle between a line, which connects a second end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion of the light emitting unit 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,

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 second diaphragm, and the optical axis is θ

b, and

θ

b is less than θ

t.

12. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first diaphragm is located on a line, which connects the first end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a first end portion of the light emitting unit 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 the second diaphragm is located on a line, which connects a second end portion of the light transmitting region of the light transmitting member and a second end portion of the light emitting unit 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.

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

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

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

wherein the light transmitting member has a convex portion which is configured to come into contact with the subject while measuring the biological information of the subject and gives a pressing force, and

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

15. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

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

16. The biological information detection apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, an amount of change in the 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 is configured to suppress 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.

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

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

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

wherein a pulse wave is detected as the biological information.