KR102737174B1 - Respiration measuring apparatus using dual measuring means - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means, which comprises a main body unit that is placed on a user's nose; and a sensing unit that is coupled inside the main body unit so as to be positioned at a lower portion of the user's nose and has a pressure sensor for measuring pressure that changes according to the user's breathing and a temperature sensor for measuring temperature, respectively.
According to the present invention, by enabling respiration measurement to be performed using temperature as well as pressure, it can contribute to improving the accuracy of respiration measurement, and further, by enabling respiration measurement in real time, it enables rapid utilization and response of respiration measurement data, and not only can accurate respiration volume measurement be performed even when the user is continuously moving or engaged in strenuous activities such as exercise, but also it has the effect of improving the portability of the measuring device and the wearability of the user by enabling miniaturization and lightweighting.

Description

{Respiration measuring apparatus using dual measuring means}

The present invention relates to a respiration measurement device, and more particularly, to a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means that uses pressure and temperature to increase the accuracy of respiration measurement, and enables accurate respiration volume measurement even when a user is continuously moving or engaging in strenuous activity (e.g., exercising), and can also enhance the portability and wearability of the measurement device by making it miniaturized and lightweight.

Vital signs, which are vital signs of the body, can be measured by measuring body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate per minute, and respiratory rate, and are widely used to detect or judge medical problems. Among them, respiratory rate can increase with fever, disease, and medical conditions, and changes rapidly depending on whether you are active, at rest, or exposed to illness or a harmful environment.

Common methods for measuring respiratory volume include listening to breathing sounds using a stethoscope, measuring changes in oxygen saturation through signal processing of an electrocardiogram test, and wearing a mask to continuously measure chest movements caused by inhalation and exhalation with a sensor.

However, these methods had problems such as the results of respiration measurement varied depending on the measurer, expensive equipment was required, and accurate measurement was difficult when the subject was constantly moving. In addition, these methods had problems such as the size of the measuring device making it difficult to carry or uncomfortable for the user to wear.

Therefore, there is a need to develop a respiration measurement device that can accurately measure respiratory volume even when the subject of measurement is continuously moving, and can also be made smaller and lighter to improve portability and wearability of the measurement device.

Additionally, there is a need to develop technologies to further increase the accuracy of measuring respiratory volume.

Korean Patent No. 10-2113999, “Portable breathing exercise and breathing measurement device (registered on May 18, 2020)”

In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, the present invention contributes to improving the accuracy of respiration measurement by enabling respiration measurement to be performed using temperature as well as pressure, and further, by enabling real-time respiration measurement, rapid utilization and response of respiration measurement data are enabled, and not only accurate respiration volume measurement is possible even when the user is continuously moving or engaging in strenuous activities such as exercise, but also miniaturization and lightweighting are possible to improve the portability of the measuring device and the wearability of the user.

Other objects of the present invention will be readily understood through the description of the following embodiments.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to one aspect of the present invention, a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means is provided, which includes a main body unit that is placed on a user's nose; and a sensing unit that is coupled inside the main body unit so as to be positioned at a lower portion of the user's nose and has a pressure sensor for measuring pressure that changes according to the user's breathing and a temperature sensor for measuring temperature, respectively.

The above main body unit may include: a housing; a support plate coupled to the inside of the housing and having a curved surface corresponding to the outer shape of the user's nose on its inner surface; a support frame formed to cross the curved surface of the support plate; and a support protrusion protruding from the support frame toward the curved surface of the support plate, connecting the support frame and the curved surface, and forming an internal space for air to flow therein.

The sensing unit may include: a first PCB inserted into the internal space of the support protrusion; a pressure sensor disposed in the first PCB, which measures a pressure changed by air flowing through the opened lower surface of the internal space; and a temperature sensor disposed in the first PCB, which measures a temperature changed by air flowing through the opened lower surface of the internal space.

The sensing unit may further include an A/D converter that converts the measurement values of each of the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor into digital signals; and a data processing unit that removes high-bandwidth noise from the signal converted by the A/D converter and performs a normalization process.

The support frame may further include a cover piece that is detachably coupled to the support frame and covers the opened upper and lower surfaces of the internal space of the support projection, wherein the cover piece may include: a cover frame formed to correspond to the outer shape of the support frame; a pair of extension projections that protrude apart from the cover frame toward the support projection; and a plurality of communication holes formed in the pair of extension projections so as to communicate with the internal space of the support projection.

The housing is formed by the curved surface of the support plate, the support frame, and the support protrusion therein, and a pair of ventilation holes are formed to assist the user's breathing, and the main body unit may be provided with a pair of straps at each of the two side ends for fixing the housing to the user's nose.

According to the respiration measurement device using a dual measuring means according to the present invention, respiration measurement can be performed using not only pressure but also temperature, thereby contributing to improving the accuracy of respiration measurement.

In addition, according to the present invention, by enabling real-time respiration measurement, it has the effect of enabling rapid utilization and response of respiration measurement data.

In addition, according to the present invention, not only is it possible to accurately measure respiratory volume even when the user is continuously moving or engaged in strenuous activities such as exercise, but it also has the effect of improving the portability of the measuring device and the wearability of the user by making it miniaturized and lightweight.

Figure 1 is a respiratory measurement device using a dual measurement means according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is
Fig. 3 is
Fig. 4 is
Fig. 5 is

The present invention can have various modifications and various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the technical spirit and technical scope of the present invention, and can be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing symbols, identical or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a main body unit (110) and a sensing unit (120).

The main body unit (110) forms the main body of a respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means according to the present invention, can be placed and fixed on the user's nose, and can be formed of a synthetic resin material such as PP (Polypropylene).

The main body unit (110) may specifically include a housing (111), a support plate (112), a support frame (117), and a support protrusion (118).

The housing (111) forms the outer shape of the main body unit (110) and can be formed to be curved by connecting multiple surfaces to each other.

The support plate (112) is coupled to the inside of the housing (111) and may have a curved surface (113) corresponding to the outer shape of the user's nose on the inner surface. Specifically, the support plate (112) is formed by bending a thin plate, and a curved surface (113) may be formed in the center to correspond to the shape of the user's nose so that the user's nose can be inserted and secured.

The support frame (117) may be formed to cross the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112). A space into which the user's nose is inserted is formed by the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112), and the support frame (117) may be provided across the space to connect both ends of the curved surface (113) to each other.

The support protrusion (118) protrudes from the support frame (117) toward the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112) to connect the support frame (117) and the curved surface (113), and an internal space (119) for air to flow can be formed therein.

The support protrusion (118) has a certain thickness, one end is connected to the center of the support frame (117), and the other end is connected to the center of the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112), connecting the curved surface (113) and the support frame (117), and has an internal space (119) for air to flow inside. The internal space (119) has an upper surface and a lower surface that are open to form an open surface, and an insertion hole (116) for inserting a first PCB (123) to be described later can be formed in a portion that comes into contact with the curved surface (113).

The sensing unit (120) is coupled inside the main body unit (110) so as to be positioned at the lower part of the user's nose, and can measure the amount of air flowing in/out according to the user's breathing. A pressure sensor (121) for measuring pressure that changes according to the user's breathing and a temperature sensor (129) for measuring temperature are provided, respectively.

The sensing unit (120) may include a first PCB (123), a pressure sensor (121), and a temperature sensor (129).

The first PCB (123) can be inserted and placed in the internal space (119) of the support protrusion (118). The first PCB (123) is inserted into the internal space (119) through an insertion hole (116) formed at the contact portion between the internal space (119) of the support protrusion (118) and the curved surface (113), where the pressure sensor (121) is placed, so that the pressure sensor (121) is placed at the position of the open surface of the internal space (119), and the pressure is measured through the open lower surface of the internal space (119) as the user breathes.

The pressure sensor (121) is arranged in the internal space (118) of the support protrusion (118) and measures the pressure changed by air flowing into the internal space (119) through the opened lower surface of the internal space (119) according to the user's breathing. It is provided in the housing (111) and can measure the amount of air flowing by being introduced/expelled according to the user's breathing. At this time, the pressure sensor (121) can measure the amount of breathing of the user's inhalation or exhalation by measuring the intensity of positive or negative pressure formed by the flowing air.

The temperature sensor (129) is placed on the first PCB (123) like the pressure sensor (121) to measure the temperature changed by air flowing through the open lower surface of the internal space (119).

The pressure sensor (121) can use a sensor that can measure the flow of air as absolute pressure. In addition, the temperature sensor (129) can recognize the breathing state by applying a complementary equation to the measured temperature value and the pressure value of the pressure sensor (121). That is, when a human exhales, the pressure increases and the temperature value increases, and when a human inhales, the pressure decreases and the temperature value decreases relatively. The sensing unit (120) senses this.

The sensing unit (120) may further include an A/D converter (131) and a data processing unit (132). In addition, each of the A/D converter (131) and the data processing unit (132) may be implemented in at least one of the first PCB (123) to the third PCB (125).

The A/D converter (131) converts the measurement values of each of the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129) into digital signals. Since the measurement values of the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129) are analog signals, converting them into digital signals enables data processing or wireless transmission to an external device.

The data processing unit (132) removes high-frequency noise from the signal converted by the A/D converter (131) and performs a normalization process. As shown in FIG. 5, for the temperature and pressure measured from the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129), natural high-frequency noise is removed through each LPF algorithm, and a normalization process is performed through bias and scale calibration. For example, to explain normalization more specifically, when the pressure value is P and the temperature value is T, if P is based on the pa unit, it is maintained at a value of about 1013, which is the atmospheric pressure. At this time, the temperature corresponds to room temperature. In order to normalize the bias to 0 and the absolute maximum value to 1, the average is subtracted and the absolute maximum value is divided. This is called normalization and is a concept that can also be used in machine learning. Data collection starts by calculating the average and the absolute maximum value of data for a specific time T' at the start in order to meet the conditions for real-time measurement. Then, it includes a calibration process of continuously calculating the average of the previous data for T' seconds at a specific time interval T" and calculating the absolute maximum value. Through this process, real-time measurement of pressure and temperature values is enabled. These normalized P data and T data are synthesized by applying a specific ratio weight, and the weight calculation after sensing can be performed in a processor such as a data processing unit (132), and more specific or final calculations can be performed in an external device provided as a wireless signal, but are not necessarily limited thereto, and can be configured to be performed in the above-mentioned processor, etc.

According to this embodiment, the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112) is formed to be curved to correspond to the shape of the user's nose, thereby allowing the inflowing air to be gathered toward the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129), thereby enabling more accurate measurement of the respiratory volume.

The sensing unit (120) may further include a second PCB (124) and a third PCB (125).

The second PCB (124) is provided on one side of the first PCB (123) and spaced apart from the first PCB (123), and the third PCB (125) is provided on the other side of the first PCB (123) and spaced apart from the first PCB (123). The second PCB (124) and the third PCB (125) may be provided with batteries (126, 127) for power supply. At this time, the batteries (126, 127) may be lithium ion polymer batteries. At this time, the second PCB (124) or the third PCB (125) may be provided with a connector (128) for cable connection, and the cable may be an FFC (Flat Flexible Cable).

According to this embodiment, by dividing the PCB for controlling the respiration measurement device (100) into several parts and arranging them, a compact and diverse design is possible, thereby promoting miniaturization and weight reduction of the measurement device.

At this time, at least one of the first PCB (123) to the third PCB (125) may be equipped with a wireless communication module (not shown). The wireless communication module (not shown) processes the pressure and temperature measured by the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129) respectively by the A/D converter (131) and the data processing unit (132), and transmits them as wireless signals to an external device. At this time, the external device may be a smart device such as the user's smartphone, or further, a PC, and various other information processing and communication devices may be used. An application for analyzing respiration from values acquired from the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129) may be installed on the external device, and the user's health status can be continuously managed by identifying the user's breathing condition such as the amount and quality of respiration using the application. These applications can be configured to obtain the amount of inspiration or expiration that varies depending on pressure and temperature using experimentally obtained data, or using known formulas, and to substitute correction amounts that are obtained experimentally, considering that pressure and temperature vary depending on surrounding pressure and temperature conditions. Without being limited thereto, the pressure and temperature provided by the present invention can be used in various ways to measure respiration-related numerical values, and the specific usage method is not related to the present invention, and its limitations are not specifically set. In addition, the application can use only the pressure sensor (121), only the temperature sensor (129), or both the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129), and there is no limitation with respect to these choices.

The respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means according to the present embodiment may further include a cover piece (141). The cover piece (141) is detachably coupled to the support frame (117) and covers the opened upper and lower surfaces of the internal space (119) of the support protrusion (118), thereby preventing contamination of the support frame (117) and the support protrusion (118). Specifically, the cover piece (141) includes a cover frame (143), an extension protrusion (144), and a communication hole (145), and the cover frame (143) is formed to correspond to the outer shape of the support frame (117) and is detachably coupled to the support frame (117). At this time, a groove may be formed along the length direction on one side of the cover frame (143) so that it can be inserted into the support frame (117), and the support frame (117) may be inserted into the groove of the cover frame (143) by the pressure of the cover frame (143), thereby forming a structure in which the cover frame (143) and the support frame (117) are combined.

The extension protrusions (144) are formed in a pair spaced apart from each other vertically and protrude from the cover frame (143) toward the support protrusion (118), and a plurality of communication holes (145) can be formed in the pair of extension protrusions (144).

Referring to (a) of Fig. 6, a pair of extension protrusions (144) are formed to protrude toward the support protrusion (118) from the upper and lower portions of the cover frame (143). The extension protrusions (144) cover the upper and lower surfaces of the support protrusions (118), and a plurality of communication holes (145) that communicate with the internal space (119) of the support protrusions (118) may be formed in the pair of extension protrusions (144).

When a respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means is used, the user's saliva or dust may adhere to the pressure sensor (121). Such foreign substances not only interfere with accurate respiration measurement by the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129), but are also unhygienic. Therefore, the respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means according to the present embodiment is provided with a detachable cover piece (141) on the support frame (117) to filter foreign substances such as dust, thereby preventing foreign substances from directly adhering to the pressure sensor (121). In addition, when cleaning or replacement is required depending on use, only the cover piece (141) can be separated and cleaned or replaced, thereby ensuring the user's hygiene (see FIG. 6 (b)).

At this time, the cover frame (143) and the extension protrusion (144) can be formed of silicone or polyurethane material.

Meanwhile, referring to (b) of FIG. 6, a pair of ventilation holes (148) formed by the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112), the support frame (117), and the support protrusion (118) may be formed inside the housing (111). The pair of ventilation holes (148) assist the user's breathing by allowing carbon dioxide exhaled during exhalation to be discharged to the outside, thereby facilitating the user's breathing. In addition, the ventilation holes (148) are formed adjacent to the user's nostrils and are distinct from the opened lower surface (119) of the internal space (119) of the support protrusion (118), thereby having the effect of maintaining the user's breathing smoothly even when the user's breathing volume increases depending on the user's activity.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 7, a pair of straps (153) may be provided on each side end of the main body unit (110) for fixing the housing (111) to the user's nose. Specifically, a connection port (151) is provided on each side end of a support plate (112) fixed to the inside of the housing (111), and a pair of straps (153) are respectively connected to the connection port (151) and extended in a ring shape, and the user fixes the housing (111) to the user's nose by fixing the straps (153) to their ears.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state of wearing a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state of use of a respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a state of use of a respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means according to the present embodiment will be described.

The user places the curved surface (113) of the support plate (112) on the user's nose and then adjusts the support plate (112) so that the cover piece (141) is positioned under the user's nose. Once the cover piece (141) is positioned in the correct position, the housing (111) is fixed using the straps (153) provided on both side ends of the housing (111).

At this time, the pressure sensor (121) and the temperature sensor (129) arranged in the internal space (119) of the support protrusion (118) are positioned below the user's nostrils, and air flows through the opened lower surface of the internal space (119) according to the user's breathing, and the pressure sensor (121) measures the intensity of positive or negative pressure formed by the flowing air, thereby enabling the measurement of the amount of breathing of the user when inhaling or exhaling, and the temperature sensor (129) uses the fact that the temperature rises when exhaling and relatively decreases when inhaling to enable the breathing state to be checked.

Afterwards, when the cover piece (141) needs to be replaced due to the use of the respiration measurement device (100) using a dual measurement means, the cover piece (141) can be separated from the support frame (117) and washed or replaced. After washing or replacing, the cover piece (141) can be reassembled to the support frame (117) to continue to use the respiration measurement device (100) hygienically.

According to the respiration measurement device using the dual measurement means according to the present invention, respiration measurement can be performed using not only pressure but also temperature, thereby contributing to improving the accuracy of respiration measurement, and further, by enabling respiration measurement in real time, rapid utilization and response of respiration measurement data can be enabled.

In addition, according to the present invention, not only is it possible to accurately measure respiratory volume even when the user is continuously moving or engaged in strenuous activities such as exercise, but the device can also be made smaller and lighter, thereby improving the portability of the measuring device and the wearability of the user.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the attached drawings, it is obvious that various modifications and variations can be made within the scope that does not depart from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the claims described below but also by equivalents of these claims.

110: Main body unit 111: Housing
112: Support plate 113: Curved surface
116: Insertion hole 117: Support frame
118: Supporting stone 119: Internal space
120: Sensing unit 121: Pressure sensor
123: PCB 1 124: PCB 2
125: 3rd PCB 126: Battery
127: Battery 128: Connector
129: Temperature sensor 131: A/D converter
132: Data processing unit 141: Cover piece
143: Cover frame 144: Extension protrusion
145: chimney 148: air vent
151: Connector 153: Strap

Claims (6)

A main unit that is placed on the user's nose; and
A sensing unit coupled inside the main body unit so as to be positioned at the lower part of the user's nose, and each provided with a pressure sensor for measuring pressure that changes according to the user's breathing and a temperature sensor for measuring temperature;
Including,
The above main unit,
housing;
A support plate coupled to the inside of the housing and having a curved surface on its inner surface corresponding to the outer shape of the user's nose;
A support frame formed to cross the curved surface of the support plate; a support projection protruding from the support frame toward the curved surface of the support plate, connecting the support frame and the curved surface, and having an internal space formed therein for allowing air to flow;
Including,
The above sensing unit,
A first PCB inserted into the inner space of the above supporting protrusion;
A pressure sensor arranged on the first PCB and measuring the pressure changed by air flowing through the opened lower surface of the internal space; and
A temperature sensor arranged on the first PCB and measuring a temperature changed by air flowing through the opened lower surface of the internal space;
Including,
The above sensing unit,
An A/D converter that converts the measurement values of each of the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor into digital signals; and
A data processing unit that removes high-bandwidth noise from a signal converted by the above A/D converter and performs a normalization process;
Including more,
The above housing,
A pair of ventilation holes are formed inside by the curved surface of the support plate, the support frame and the support protrusion to assist the user's breathing.
The above main unit,
A respiration measurement device using a dual measurement means, characterized in that each side end is provided with a pair of straps for fixing the housing to the user's nose. delete delete delete In claim 1,
It further includes a cover piece that is detachably connected to the above support frame and covers the opened upper and lower surfaces of the internal space of the above support protrusion,
The above cover piece is,
A cover frame formed to correspond to the outer shape of the above support frame;
A pair of extension protrusions protruding apart from the cover frame toward the support protrusion; and
A plurality of communication holes formed in a pair of the extension protrusions so as to communicate with the internal space of the support protrusions;
A respiratory measurement device using a dual measuring means, including: delete

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