Patent Publication Number: US-2017354375-A1

Title: Wearable device and electric signal detection unit thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to a physiological signal detection belt; in particular, to a wearable device for detecting physiological signals having high detection efficiency and an electric signal detection unit thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The conventional detection belt for detecting physiological signals that can be worn on a living body (e.g., user&#39;s hand) by binding bands or fasteners is well known. The conventional detection belt can always detect physiological signals (e.g., heartbeat) of the living body by using its electrode assembly to contact the body surface (e.g., user&#39;s skin). The conventional detection belt not only can be used for specific patients, but also can be widely used by athletes to monitor their physiological signals. 
     However, there are many problems with using the conventional detection belt to detect physiological signals. One of the most serious problems is that the electrode structure of the conventional detection belt always includes dry electrodes. The dry electrodes cannot effectively detect physiological signals of the living body in a dry environment or when user&#39;s skin is too dry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the instant disclosure is to provide a wearable device for detecting physiological signals and an electric signal detection unit thereof, which can solve the problem of the conventional detection belt which cannot effectively detect physiological signals of the living body in a dry environment or when user&#39;s skin is too dry. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, according to a preferred embodiment of the instant disclosure, the wearable device is configured for wearing on a living body to detect physiological signals, and comprising a tape-like fabric body, at least one electrically conductive unit, at least one electric signal detection unit, and a data transmission unit. The tape-like fabric body has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein one end thereof is configured to selectively connect the other end thereof. The electrically conductive unit is arranged on the tape-like fabric body. The electric signal detection unit is arranged on the first surface of the tape-like fabric body, and includes a sensing portion and a connection portion connected to the sensing portion, wherein the sensing portion is configured to detect micro electric signals of the living body by using an external surface thereof away from the first surface to contact a body surface of the living body, and the connection portion is configured to transmit the micro electric signals to the electric signal detection unit. The data transmission unit is arranged on the second surface of the tape-like fabric body and electrically connected to the electrically conductive unit, configured to convert the micro electric signals into the digital signals. At least one of the tape-like fabric body and the sensing portion of the electric signal detection unit includes a heat accumulating fiber for blocking heat dissipated from the body surface of the living body when the sensing portion of the electric signal detection unit comes in contact with the body surface of the living body. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, according to a preferred embodiment of the instant disclosure, the electric signal detection unit is characterized in that it comprises an electrically conductive fabric and a heat accumulating fiber, and an external surface thereof defines a sensing portion to be in contact with a body surface of a living body to detect micro electric signals. The heat accumulating fiber is configured to block heat dissipated from the body surface of the living body when the sensing portion of the electric signal detection unit comes in contact with the body surface of the living body. 
     The benefits of the present invention include: at least one of the tape-like fabric body and the sensing portion of the electric signal detection unit has a heat accumulating fiber disposed therein for blocking heat dissipated from the body surface of the living body when the sensing portion of the electric signal detection unit comes in contact with the body surface of the living body, such that the detection efficiency can be increased remarkably. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded diagram of a wearable device for detecting physiological signals according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially assembled diagram of the wearable device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled diagram of the wearable device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front-side schematic diagram of the wearable device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional diagram of an electric signal detection unit of the wearable device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of the wearable device according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded diagram of the wearable device according to still another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 8 to 10  are schematic diagrams illustrating locations of the heat accumulating fabric of the wearable device of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . The wearable device  1  includes a tape-like fabric body  10 , two electrically conductive units  20 , two electric signal detection units  30 , and a data transmission unit  40 . The electric signal detection units  30  and the data transmission unit  40  are arranged on two opposite surfaces of the tape-like fabric body  10  respectively. The electrically conductive units  20  are arranged through the tape-like fabric body  10  such that the electric signal detection units  30  can be electrically connected to the data transmission unit  40 . The electric signal detection units  30  have an external surface away from the tape-like fabric body  10  which is configured to come in contact with a body surface of a living body to detect micro electric signals. The electric signal detection units  30  can transmit the micro electric signals to the data transmission unit  40  via the electrically conductive units  20 . The data transmission unit  40  can convert the micro electric signals into digital signals and transmit the digital signals to a terminal device such as computer and smart phone via wire or wireless communications. Please note that at least one of the tape-like fabric body  10  and the electric signal detection unit  30  includes a heat accumulating fiber for blocking heat dissipated from the body surface of the living body when using the electric signal detection unit  30  to detect the micro electric signals of the living body. Thereby, sweat discharged from the body surface as a result of the heat accumulation can be used to promote the detection efficiency of the electric signal detection units  30 . For the instant embodiment, specific examples of the heat accumulating fiber include, but are not limited to, polyester fiber, acrylic fiber, and acrylate fiber. In practice, the heat accumulating fiber is capable of absorbing moisture. 
     Specifically, the tape-like fabric body  10  has a first surface  101  and a second surface  102  opposite to the first surface  101 . The two ends of the tape-like fabric body  10  each has a connection member  11  arranged thereon, and the tape-like fabric body  10  can be shaped from a linear shape into the ring-like shape by fastening the two connection members  11  together. In practice, the tape-like fabric body  10  can be worn on a living body (e.g., human body) in its ring-like shape. For the instant embodiment, each connection member  11  can be any type of conventional fastener such as, but not limited to, Velcro fastener and magnetic fastener. The tape-like fabric body  10  can be made of an elastic fiber, and selectively including a light accumulating fiber, an antibacterial fiber, a thermochromics fiber, etc., according to the end product requirements. There is no particular restriction on the material which may be used for the tape-like fabric body  10 . 
     Each electrically conductive unit  20  is arranged through the tape-like fabric body  10 , including a plurality of conductive members  21 ,  21 ′. The conductive members  21 ,  21 ′ are configured to be installed on the first and second surfaces  101 ,  102  of the tape-like fabric body  10  respectively and electrically connected to each other. The tape-like fabric body  10  is thus formed with two through holes  103 . For the instant embodiment, the conductive members  21 ,  21 ′ can be metal conductive structures, wherein the design of each conductive member  21 ′ on the second surface  102  is in relation to a corresponding electrical connection structure  41  of the data transmission unit  40 . For example, each conductive member  21 ′ and the corresponding electrical connection structure  41 , as shown  FIGS. 1 and 2 , are configured to be fastened to each other. 
     Similarly, the design of each conductive member  21  on the first surface  101  is in relation to a corresponding connection portion  33  of the electric signal detection unit  30 , as described below. Please note that, in practice, each electrically conductive unit  20  may include only one conductive member (e.g., conductive member  21 ′ shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) installed on the second surface  102 . The conductive member  21 ′ is designed to pass through the tape-like fabric body  10  to be fastened to the connection portion  33 . 
     Each of the two electric signal detection units  30  includes an electrically conductive fabric, and they are arranged on the first surface  101  of the tape-like fabric body  10  at an interval. Specifically, the two electric signal detection units  30  can be attached fixedly to the tape-like fabric body  10  by adhering, ultrasonic welding, or sewing, etc. In addition, the contour of each electric signal detection unit  30  and the fiber material disposed in each electric signal detection unit  30  can be changed according to the end product requirements. For example, each electric signal detection unit  30  can further include any functional fiber such as, but not limited to, light accumulating fiber, antibacterial fiber, and thermochromics fiber. 
     Each electric signal detection unit  30  has a sensing portion  31 , an extension portion  32 , and a connection portion  33 . The extension portion  32  is connected to the sensing portion  31 , and the connection portion  33  is connected to the extension portion  32 . The contour of the sensing portion  31  is in relation to that of the tape-like fabric body  10 , and the width of the sensing portion  31  is smaller than that of the tape-like fabric body  10 . The sensing portion  31  has an external surface (unnumbered) away from the first surface  101  which is used as a sensing surface for attaching to a body surface of a living body to detect its micro electric signals. The connection portion  33  is arranged on the first surface  101  and electrically connected to the corresponding conductive member  21 . Thereby, micro electric signals detected by the sensing portion  31  can be transmitted to the data transmission unit  40  by the extension portion  32  and the connection portion  33  which extends from the sensing portion  31  and the corresponding conductive members  21 ,  21 ′. The contour of the connection portion  33  of each electric signal detection unit  30  is in relation to that of the corresponding conductive member  21  on the first surface  10 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each connection portion  33  and the corresponding conductive member  21  on the first surface  101  are circular in shape. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the insulating member  50  is arranged on the first surface  101  of the tape-like fabric body  10  to cover the connection portions  33 . The area of the insulating member  50  is larger than the total area of the extension portions  32  and the connection portions  33 , and is smaller than the area of the tape-like fabric body  10 . The insulating member  50  is used to prevent the conductive members  21  on the first surface  101  from contacting with a living body. Preferably, the area of the insulating member  50  is approximately equal to the area of each electric signal detection unit  30 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a cross-sectional diagram of each electric signal detection unit  30 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , each electric signal detection unit  30  is a composite material including a conductive layer  301 , an interface layer  302 , and a base layer  303 . The conductive layer  301  and the base layer  303  are arranged on two opposite surfaces of the interface layer  302  respectively. The conductive layer  301 , the interface layer  302 , and the base layer  303  can be made from the same or a different fabric, and laminated together by adhering, ultrasonic welding, or sewing, etc., wherein the conductive layer  301  is used to sense and transmit the micro electric signals. 
     Specifically, the conductive layer  301  can be made from an electrically conductive fabric, or it can be made from an electrically conductive fabric and a heat accumulating fabric. The interface layer  302  can be made from a water-absorbing fabric, and the base layer  303  can be made from an insulating fabric. An external surface of the conductive layer  301  away from the interface layer  302  is used as the aforementioned sensing surface, and an external surface of the base layer  303  away from the interface layer  302  is connected to the first surface  101 . In practice, each electric signal detection unit  30  is flexible. The conductive layer  301  can be made using any suitable method, for example, it can be made from a blended fabric including fibers and metal fines, an electrospun fabric including metal nanoparticles, a blended fabric including a conductive polymer, or a base fabric coated with a conductive material. 
     Preferably, the conductive layer  301 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , can be formed with a plurality of micro-holes  3011 . When the external surface of the conductive layer  301  comes in contact with a body surface of a living body, sweat discharged from the body surface will pass through the micro-holes  3011  to be absorbed by the interface layer  302  and thus to promote the detection efficiency of the conductive layer  301  upon detecting micro electric signals of the living body. In various embodiments, the base layer  303  can be made from a waterproof fabric. 
     In various embodiments, the conductive layer  301  with the heat accumulating fabric can selectively include a plurality of functional fibers. When the conductive layer  301  comes in contact with a body surface of a living body, the heat accumulating fabric can block heat dissipated from the body surface to assist in discharge of sweat, and sweat discharged from the body surface can be absorbed by the interface layer  302  thus to promote the detection efficiency of the conductive layer  301 . In practice, the heat accumulating fiber is capable of absorbing moisture. 
     The data transmission unit  40  is detachably installed on the second surface  102  of the tape-like fabric body  10 , and has two electrical connection structures  41  designed to be fastened to the two conductive members  21 ′ respectively. Thereby, the data transmission unit  40  can be electrically connected to the two conductive members  21 ′ on the second surface  102  by the two electrical connection structures  41 , and receive the micro electric signals which are detected by the two electric signal detection units  30  from the two conductive members  21  on the first surface  101 . 
     In other words, the micro electric signals detected by the sensing portion  31  of each electric signal detection unit  30  can be transmitted to the data transmission unit  40  by the corresponding electrically conductive unit  20  (i.e., conductive members  21 ,  21 ′ on the first and second surfaces  101 ,  102 ), and converted into output digital signals by a corresponding converting module within the data transmission unit  40 . Thus, the output digital signals are then transmitted to a terminal device such as computer and smart phone. In practice, the data transmission unit  40  can selectively include functional modules based on users&#39; requirements for converting the micro electric signals into output digital signals and then transmitting the output digital signals to a terminal device. Specific examples of the function modules include a processing module, power supply management module, signal converting module, data transmission module (e.g., bluetooth or infrared data transmission module), filtering module, and signal amplifier. 
     For the instant embodiment, the data transmission unit  40  is detachably installed on the second surface  102  of the tape-like fabric body  10  by fastening the two electrical connection structures  41  to the two conductive members  21 ′ respectively. However, in various embodiments, the data transmission unit  40  can be directly fixed on the second surface  102  of the tape-like fabric body  10 , such that the wearable device  1  can be used as a one-time product. In addition, the data transmission unit  40  can be used with a replaceable battery, and it is thus reusable. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the wearable device  1  further includes two anti-slip structures  60  arranged on the first surface  101  of the tape-like fabric body  10  and attached adhesively to each outer periphery of the two sensing portions  31  of the two electric signal detection units  30 , wherein each anti-slip structure  60  is circular in shape. When the sensing portion  31  of each electric signal detection unit  30  comes in contact with a body surface of a living body, the frictional force between the sensing portion  31  and the body surface can be increased. Thereby, each electric signal detection unit  30  cannot break away easily from its attachment to the body surface. Specifically, each anti-slip structure  60  has a microstructure exposed from the first surface  101  of the tape-like fabric body  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the instant wearable device  1 , which is different from the aforementioned wearable device  1  of  FIGS. 1  thru  6  including two electric signal detection units  30 , includes only one tape-like electric signal detection units  30 . The electric signal detection unit  30  has a non-conductive area Z 1  at its central position and two conductive areas Z 2  divided by the non-conductive area Z 1 . Each conductive area Z 2  defines a sensing portion  31  and a connection portion  33  which extends from the sensing portion  31 , wherein the sensing portion  31  is configured to come into contact with a body surface of a living body, and the connection portion  33  is electrically connected to the corresponding conductive member  21  on the first surface  101 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 8 to 10 , which are schematic diagrams illustrating locations of the heat accumulating fabric of the wearable device  1 . Specifically, one aspect of the heat accumulating fabric, as shown in  FIG. 8 , can be disposed in the sensing portion  31  of the electric signal detection units  30 . Other aspects of the heat accumulating fabric, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , can be disposed in the tape-like fabric body  10 , the insulating member  50 , or the anti-slip structure  60 . Thereby, when the sensing portion  31  comes in contact with a body surface of a living body, the heat accumulating fabric can cover the corresponding body surface to assist in discharge of sweat, such that sweat discharged from the body surface as a result of the heat accumulation can be used to promote the detection efficiency of the electric signal detection unit  30 . Please note that any or all of the tape-like fabric body  10 , the insulating member  50 , or the anti-slip structure  60  can include the heat accumulating fabric. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alterations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.