Biological sound measurement device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12318241-B2
Application number	US-202117305568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2021
Priority date	Jan 11, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a biological sound measurement device to improve a measurement accuracy, that includes a sound measurement unit having a contact surface configured to be brought into contact with a body surface, and a gripping portion supporting the sound measurement unit and configured to be gripped by a measurer. The gripping portion is configured to be gripped in a state in which an index finger is placed in a recessed portion, the sound measurement unit includes a sound detector, a housing forming an accommodation space accommodating the sound detector and includes an opening, and a cover closing the opening from outside the accommodation space and forming a pressure-receiving region configured to receive pressure from the body surface. The contact surface is formed by a front surface of the cover, and the opening positioned on a straight line extending in a direction of a force applied from the index finger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A biological sound measurement device configured to measure a biological sound of a subject comprising:
a gripping portion having a columnar shape extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion and configured to be gripped by a measurer measuring the biological sound; and
a sound measurement unit including a contact surface configured to be brought into contact with the body surface of the subject, the sound measurement unit being disposed at the distal portion of the gripping portion so that the contact surface is inclined to the longitudinal direction of the distal portion of the gripping portion, wherein a recessed portion for placement of an index finger is formed on an upper surface of the gripping portion opposite to a lower surface supporting the sound measurement unit, at a position corresponding to a back surface of the sound measurement unit, and the gripping portion is configured to be gripped by the measurer in a state in which an index finger of the measurer is placed in the recessed portion,
the sound measurement unit includes a sound detector, a housing that forms an accommodation space accommodating the sound detector and including an opening, and a cover closing the opening from outside the accommodation space and forming a pressure-receiving region configured to receive pressure from the body surface,
the contact surface is formed by a front surface of the cover,
the opening is positioned on a straight line extending in a direction of a force applied to the recessed portion from the index finger when in a state in which the contact surface is pressed against the body surface by the index finger placed in the recessed portion, and
the upper surface of the distal portion of the gripping portion that has the recessed portion and the longitudinal direction of the distal portion of the gripping portion are inclined to the contact surface of the sound measurement unit in the state in which the contact surface is pressed against the body surface by the index finger placed in the recessed portion.

2. The biological sound measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
a plane perpendicular to the straight line and an opening plane of the opening are parallel, and
a center of the opening is positioned on the straight line.

3. The biological sound measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the recessed portion is constituted by a member different from a portion of a front surface of the gripping portion surrounding the inner peripheral surface.

4. The biological sound measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the recessed portion is constituted by a member different from a portion of a front surface of the gripping portion surrounding the inner peripheral surface, so that a friction coefficient of the inner peripheral surface of the recessed portion is higher than that of the portion of the front surface of the gripping portion surrounding the inner peripheral surface.

Assignees

• Omron Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukutsuka Masayuki
• Morita Katsuyoshi
• Inoue Kosuke
• Fukunaga Seiji
• Ogihara Tsuyoshi
• Yumoto Masahiko
• Takuma Yuki

Classifications

• A61B7/04

  Electric stethoscopes · CPC title

• A61B2562/14

  Coupling media or elements to improve sensor contact with skin or tissue · CPC title

• A61B2560/0418

  Pen-shaped housings · CPC title

• A61B2560/0425

  Ergonomically shaped housings (A61B2560/0418 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/683

  Means for maintaining contact with the body (A61B5/6802 takes precedence) · CPC title