Physiology signal sensing device

A physiology signal sensing device includes an elastic pad and a strain sensor element. The elastic pad is used for contact with a human body, and corresponds a blood vessel of the human body. The strain sensor element is disposed in the elastic pad and includes a conductive element. The conductive element deforms according to the vibration of the blood vessel, and the resistance value of the conductive element varies according to the strain of the conductive element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 102111641, filed on Apr. 1, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sensing device, and in particular, to a physiology signal sensing device.

Description of the Related Art

In general, conventional mechanical blood pressure monitors have pumping cuffs to apply pressure on users. However, the pressure generated by the pumping cuff is not comfortable for users, and thus, the blood pressure monitors may not be continually used for a long time. Moreover, the blood pressure monitors are not be carried easily by a user because of the large size and the heavy weight of the pumping cuff.

Otherwise, an electronic type of conventional blood pressure monitors is available, which utilizes piezoelectric sensors for detecting. The piezoelectric sensors have the advantage of being small size, and continually used for a long time is available. However, the cost of the piezoelectric sensor is high, and the blood pressure detected by the blood pressure monitor is not accurate because the current generated by the piezoelectric sensor is unstable. Thus, the piezoelectric sensor is usually used for detecting heart rates only.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve the problems of the prior art, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a physiology signal sensing device that is accurate with a lower cost. In addition, the physiology signal sensing device may be continually used for a long time and be easily carried by user.

The present disclosure provides a physiology signal sensing device including an elastic pad and a strain sensor element. The elastic pad is for contact with a human body and corresponds to a blood vessel of the human body. The strain sensor element includes a sensing body and a conductive element. The sensing body is disposed in the elastic pad, and the conductive element disposed on the sensing body has a variable resistance value. The conductive element deforms according to a vibration of the blood vessel, and the resistance value of the conductive element varies according to the strain of the conductive element.

The present disclosure provides a physiology signal sensing device including an elastic pad, an elastic strip, a strain sensor element, and a processing module. The elastic pad is for contact with a human body and corresponds to a blood vessel of the human body. The elastic strip is disposed in the elastic pad. The strain sensor element is disposed on the elastic strip, and includes a sensing body and a conductive element. The conductive element disposed on the sensing body has a variable resistance value. The processing module is electrically connected to the conductive element.

The conductive element deforms according to a vibration of the blood vessel, and the resistance value of the conductive element varies according to the strain of the conductive element. The processing module generates a physiology signal according to the resistance value.

In conclusion, the physiology signal sensing device of the present disclosure generates a physiology signal according to changes of the resistance value, which depends on the strain of the conductive element, and thus, an accurate detection is provided and the manufacturing cost is decreased. Moreover, the physiology signal sensing device of the present disclosure excludes a pumping cuff. Thus, the physiology signal sensing device may be continually used for a long time and be easily carried by a user, and the size thereof is small and the weight thereof is light.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shape, size, or thickness in the drawings may not be drawn to scale or simplified for clarity purpose; rather, these drawings are merely intended for illustration.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a physiology signal sensing device1according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 2is an exploded view of the physiology signal sensing device1according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 3is a cross-sectional view of the physiology signal sensing device1according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The physiology signal sensing device1is for detecting physiology signals of users to obtain physiology information, such as blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate.

The physiology signal sensing device1includes a sensor10and a pressing element20. The sensor10is disposed on the pressing element20. The sensor10may contact with a human body and correspond to a blood vessel of the human body. The pressing element20presses the sensor10to increase the sensitivity of the sensor10. The sensor10deforms according to the vibration of the blood vessel.

The sensor10includes an elastic pad11, a strain sensor element12, and an elastic strip13. The elastic pad11includes soft rubber, soft plastic, soft polymer, liquid silicone rubber, or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The hardness of Shore A of the elastic pad11may be from 0 HA to 50 HA, or from 20 HA to 50 HA. The thickness of the elastic pad11is from 0.01 mm to 20 mm. In the embodiment, the elastic pad11includes polydimethylsiloxane, and the thickness of the elastic pad11is 7 mm.

The strain sensor element12is disposed in the elastic pad11, and includes a sensing body121and a conductive element122. The sensing body121may be a sheet structure and may be an insulated material, such as a rubber or a soft plastic. The conductive element122may be a sheet structure or a wire disposed in the sensing body121. In another embodiment, the conductive element122is disposed on a surface of the sensing body121.

The elastic strip13is disposed in the elastic pad11and disposed on the sensing body121. The elastic strip13may be located between a contact surface111of the elastic pad11and the sensing body121, and is disposed about 0.01 mm to 10 mm away from the contact surface. In the embodiment, the distance is about 2 mm. The elastic strip13may be parallel to the sensing body121and the conductive element122. The area of the elastic strip13is greater than the area of sensing body121. The elastic strip13includes metal material, such as carbon steel. The tensile strength of the elastic strip13is from 600 Mpa to 1000 Mpa, the yield strength thereof is from 350 Mpa to 500 Mpa, the brinell hardness thereof is about 248, and the thickness thereof is from 0.1 um to 500 um.

The pressing element20is disposed on a pressure surface112and a side surface of the elastic pad11. The pressure surface112and the contact surface111are respectively located at two opposite sides of the elastic pad11. The pressing element20includes a retaining belt21, a housing22, and a plurality of elastic elements23. The retaining belt21may be elastic material, such as an elastic fabric. In another embodiment, the retaining belt21may include two belt structures hooked to each other, such as a watch belt.

The housing22is disposed on the retaining belt21. In the embodiment, two ends of retaining belt21are fixed on two opposite sides of the housing22. The housing22may include two retaining holes221and a receiving groove222. The retaining hole221is located at a sidewall of the housing22, and communicates with the receiving groove222. The elastic element23may be a spring disposed in the receiving groove222.

The cover24is located between the elastic element23and the elastic pad11, and located in the receiving groove222of the housing22. The cover24has a holding groove241and two retaining protrusion242communicating with the holding groove241. The pressure surface112of the elastic pad11may be fixed in the holding groove241. The retaining protrusion242is located in the retaining hole221to limit the cover24from moving in the receiving groove222.

The pressing element20may be a watch like structure, and thus, the physiology signal sensing device1may be fixed on the wrist of a user by the retaining belt21. The cover24presses the elastic pad11by the elastic element23to make the sensor10of the elastic pad11stably attach on the skin of the human body. Thus, the sensor10may continually process detection of a user for a long period of time.

In another embodiment, the elastic element23includes elastic material, such as rubber or soft plastic, and the cover24may be excluded. The two opposite sides of the elastic element23are respectively fixed on the receiving groove222and the pressure surface112of the elastic pad11.

FIG. 4is a top view of the physiology signal sensing device1of the present disclosure during a detection process.FIGS. 5 and 6are cross-sectional views of the physiology signal sensing device1of the present disclosure during a detection process. For the purpose of simplification and clarity, the pressing element20is not drawn onFIGS. 4 to 6.

When the user uses the physiology signal sensing device1, the physiology signal sensing device1may be fixed on the human body A1(such as wrist), and the elastic pad11contacts with the skin A2of the human body A1and corresponds to a blood vessel A3of the human body A1. Namely, the elastic pad11, the strain sensor element12, and the elastic strip13are located above the blood vessel A3and adjacent to blood vessel A3. The blood vessel A3may be an artery, such as a radial artery.

Since the material of the elastic pad11is soft, it is comfortable for a user to carry with, and decreases the noise signal generated by the vibration of the blood vessel A3. The length of the elastic strip13is greater than (double of the size in the embodiment) the diameter of the blood vessel A3and the material of the elastic strip13is elastic metal, and thus, the strain of the elastic strip13may accurately match to a minor vibration of the blood vessel A3. Because the strain sensor element12is attached to the elastic strip13, the curvatures of the strain sensor element12and the elastic strip13are the same.

The conductive element122within the strain sensor element12may be a wire, curved inside of the sensing body121. As shown inFIG. 4, the conductive element122may include a plurality of straight sections parallel to each other. The straight sections may be substantially perpendicular to the blood vessel A3to obtain detection.

As shown inFIG. 5, the blood vessel A3constricts in the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle. The elastic pad11, the strain sensor element12, and the elastic strip13are not bent, or bent according to the curvature of the skin A2. As shown inFIG. 6, the blood vessel A3dilates in the phase systolic of the cardiac cycle. The skin A2is curved according to the vibration of the blood vessel A3.

The elastic pad11and the elastic strip13continually deforms according to the degree of the vibration of the skin A2and the blood vessel A3, and the strain sensor element12continually deforms according to the strain of the elastic strip13. Thus, the strain of the strain sensor element12corresponds to the degree of the vibration of the blood vessel A3and the skin A2. Also, the elastic pad11, the strain sensor element12, the conductive element122, and the elastic strip13disposed above the blood vessel A3have a greater curvature according to the diastolic blood vessel A3.

Since, the conductive element122is bent or curved, the length and/or the curvature of the conductive element122changes, and thus, resistance value of the conductive element122changes. Namely, the length and/or the curvature of the conductive element122continually changes with each of the systolic or diastolic vibrations of the blood vessel A3, and the resistance value continually changes according to the changing of the length and/or the curvature of the conductive element122. Therefore, the resistance value of the conductive element122according to the vibration of the blood vessel A3, and the frequency of the change of the resistance value corresponds to the heart rate of the user.

Since the present disclosure utilizes the strain of the sensor10to detect, it is possible to continually detect the physiology signal. Moreover, the sensor10has the advantages of being small in size and having a light weight, and thus, the sensor10can be easily carried by a user.

FIG. 7is a system diagram of the physiology signal sensing device1according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The physiology signal sensing device1further includes a signal processing device30electrically connected to the sensor10and generating the physiology signal according to the strain of the sensor10. The signal processing device30is selectively disposed on the retaining belt21. The signal processing device30includes a processing module31, a display module32, a wireless transmission module33, a positioning module34, and an input module35. The processing module31is electrically connected to the display module32, the wireless transmission module33, the positioning module34, the input module35, and the conductive element122.

The processing module31detects and records the resistance value according to the strain, such as the change of the length and the curvature, of the element122, and generates a physiology signal according to the record. In the embodiment, the processing module31includes a wheatstone bridge311. The wheatstone bridge311is electrically connected to the conductive element122, and the processing module31utilizes the wheatstone bridge311to detect the resistance value of the conductive element122. The physiology signal may be a wave-shaped signal according to the vibration of the blood vessel A3in real-time, and thus, the processing module31may calculate the physiology information, such as pulse, blood pressure, and heart rate of the user according to the physiology signal. The processing module31may control the display module32to display the physiology signal and the physiology information.

The positioning module34receives the coordinate signal and transmits it to the processing module31. The processing module31controls the wireless transmission module33to transmit a wireless signal to a remote electronic device, such as a mobile phone or computer, according to the physiology signal. Thus, the health condition of a user may be analyzed or tracked by doctors or family of the user. If the health condition of the user gets worse, the position of the user can be known and appropriate actions may be executed.

The input module35may be a button operated to switch the information, such as the blood pressure, pulse, or heart rate of the user, displayed by the display module32.

In another embodiment, the signal processing device30may just include the processing module31and the wireless transmission module33to further decrease the size and the weight of the physiology signal sensing device1.

FIG. 8is a cross-sectional view of a physiology signal sensing device1aaccording to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The physiology signal sensing device1amay exclude the pressing element20of the first embodiment. The sensor10amay be adhered to the human body A1(as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6) or retained on the human body A1by a hand of a user. The sensor10amay provide pressure by the gravity thereof on the human body A1. The elastic strip13may be selectively excluded to further decrease the size and the weight of the physiology signal sensing device1a.

FIG. 9is across-sectional view of a physiology signal sensing device1baccording to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The differences between the third embodiment and the first embodiment are described as follows. The third embodiment excludes the elastic element23of the first embodiment. The housing22bmay exclude the retaining hole221of the first embodiment, and the cover24bmay exclude the retaining protrusion242of the first embodiment. The distance between the strain sensor element12of the sensor10band the pressure surface112of the elastic pad11bis greater than the first embodiment, and the pressure of the elastic pad11bto the skin A2(as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6) is increased due to the weight of the housing22band the elastic pad11b.

In the embodiment, the retaining belt21may be excluded. The physiology signal sensing device1bmay be disposed on another device, such as a pen or a mobile phone. The user may directly or indirectly apply a force to the physiology signal sensing device1bto place the physiology signal sensing device1bon the human body. In addition, in the disclosed embodiment, the retaining belt21may be excluded, too. Moreover, in the embodiment, the cover24amay be excluded, and the pressure surface112of the elastic pad11adirectly contacts with the housing22a.

In conclusion, the physiology signal sensing device of the present disclosure generates a physiology signal according to changes of the resistance value, which depends on the strain of the conductive element, and thus, accurate detection is provided and the manufacturing cost is decreased. Moreover, the physiology signal sensing device of the present disclosure excludes a pumping cuff. Thus, the physiology signal sensing device may be continually used for a long time and be easily carried by a user, and the size thereof is small and the weight thereof is light.

The disclosed features may be combined, modified, or replaced in any suitable manner in one or more disclosed embodiments, but are not limited to any particular embodiments.