JP2005160960A - Assistive device for otolaryngology - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical assistance device capable of appropriate otolaryngological treatment even for an elderly doctor.
SOLUTION: A portable microphone 1 worn by a doctor, an amplifying device 2 for amplifying an audio signal from the microphone 1, and a speaker box 4 respectively attached to the back side of a chair on which a patient sits are provided. Can be heard from the speaker SP of the speaker box 4.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical assistance device that is mainly used in an otolaryngology clinic and enables an appropriate otolaryngological treatment even to an elderly doctor.

  As we move to an aging society, it is hoped that elderly doctors will continue to be active as active doctors, taking advantage of their precious experiences. However, even doctors may experience some inconvenience in conversation with age, and it may be difficult for patients to hear questions and explain symptoms. In addition, the otolaryngology clinic includes many patients who have problems with the auditory system, especially for elderly people whose auditory function is deteriorating. If you make a mistake, the patient will not be able to give an appropriate answer, and the doctor's judgment may be misled.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to this problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a medical assistance device capable of appropriate otolaryngological treatment even for an elderly doctor.

  In order to solve the above problems, a medical assistance device according to the present invention is attached to a portable microphone worn by a doctor, an amplifying device for amplifying an audio signal from the microphone, and a back side of a chair on which a patient sits. A speaker box is provided so that a voice from a doctor can be heard from a speaker of the speaker box.

  The amplification device is preferably also connected to a bone vibration type earphone worn by a patient, and is configured to be able to switch between sound from the speaker and sound from the earphone. Moreover, it is preferable that a suppression circuit for suppressing an excessive audio signal is mounted on the output side of the amplification device. The present invention is not particularly limited, but is optimally used in an otolaryngology clinic.

  According to the present invention described above, even an elderly doctor can perform appropriate otolaryngological treatment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the entire configuration of a medical assistance device EQU according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a use state.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the medical assistance device EQU includes a portable microphone 1 worn by a doctor on the head, an amplification device 2 that amplifies an audio signal from the microphone 1, and an output of the amplification device 2. A connection cable 3 for transmitting a certain speaker signal and earphone signal, a speaker box 4 for receiving a speaker signal from the connection cable 3 and outputting a doctor's voice, and an output terminal (pin jack) 4b of the speaker box 4 It is comprised with the earphone 5.

  Here, the speaker box 4 includes an input pin jack (input terminal) 4 a, a speaker SP, an output pin jack (output terminal) 4 b, and a mounting flange 6. And this speaker box 4 is being fixed to the back side of chair CH where a patient sits by screwing a fixing screw through the through-hole 7 of the mounting flange 6. FIG. A pin member (pin plug) 3a attached to the terminal end of the connection cable 3 is inserted into the input pin jack 4a, and a terminal member of the connection cable 8 from the earphone 5 is attached to the output pin jack 4b. A pin member (pin plug) 8a is inserted.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the amplifying device 2 limits the amplitude of the output signal of the main amplifier 10 and the preamplifier 9 that amplifies the signal from the microphone 1, the main amplifier 10 that further amplifies the output of the preamplifier 9. The first limiter circuit 11 is configured to include a second limiter circuit 12 that limits the amplitude of the output signal of the preamplifier 9 and a changeover switch SW provided on the output side of the limiter circuits 11 and 12. The main amplifier 10 is configured to be able to input a BGM signal from an external acoustic device.

  In this apparatus, the first limit circuit 11 outputs a speaker signal S1 supplied to the speaker SP, and the second limit circuit 12 outputs an earphone signal S2 supplied to the earphone 5. The output signals of the limit circuits 11 and 12 are ON / OFF controlled according to the contact position of the changeover switch SW. That is, in the state shown in the figure, only the speaker signal S1 that is the output of the limiter circuit 11 is supplied to the speaker box 4. On the other hand, when the switch SW is pressed from the state shown in the figure, only the earphone signal S2 which is the output of the limiter circuit 12 is supplied to the speaker box 4. It should be noted that when the changeover switch SW is pressed again, it returns to the state shown in the figure.

  The first and second limiter circuits 11 and 12 prevent excessive volume from being transmitted to the patient even when an elderly doctor suddenly coughs or makes a sound related to a throat entangled in the throat. It is a circuit for making. Excessive volume is forbidden for patients who have undergone ear treatment, and the need for these limiter circuits 11 and 12 is high.

  The limiter circuit has the circuit configuration of FIG. 3A, and is configured by connecting Zener diodes ZD1 and ZD2 having the same characteristics in series in the reverse direction and a current limiting resistor Rs. The breakdown voltage Ez of the Zener diodes ZD1 and ZD2 is determined based on the maximum voltage amplitude allowed to be output from the limiter circuits 11 and 12, and therefore different components are selected in the limiter circuit 11 and the limiter circuit 12. .

  In any case, since the output voltage of the limiter circuits 11 and 12 cannot exceed the breakdown voltage Ez of the Zener diode, the output audio signal may have a distorted waveform as shown in FIG. There is. FIG. 4A shows the waveform of the output signal eo when the audio signal ei of the normal input level is received, and FIG. 4B shows the output signal eo when the level of the input signal increases. The waveform is shown. When the breakdown voltage Ez of the Zener diode is assumed and the forward voltage drop is α, the output signal eo of the limiter circuit is within a range of ± (Ez + α).

  As the acoustic signal, the sound quality of the waveform as shown in FIG. 4 (b) is a big problem, but the apparatus EQU only needs to be able to convey the remarks of the doctor, so there is no problem with the waveform of FIG. 4 (b). Does not occur. In addition, even if the waveform of FIG.4 (b) is further distorted, it has confirmed that the content of a statement can be understood without any problem by the reasoning function of the human brain.

  FIG. 3B illustrates another limiter circuit 11 or 12. In this circuit, if the level of the input signal ei is a normal value, the operational amplifier OP outputs a signal eo obtained by amplifying the input signal by R2 / R1 times. On the other hand, when the level of the input signal ei increases from the limit value, the output signal is limited by two chainer diodes, and thus is limited to an amplitude of ± (Ez + α).

  The earphone 5 shown in FIG. 1B is a member used according to the patient's preference, and is selectively used with the speaker SP. That is, a question from a doctor is transmitted through the speaker SP. In this case, even a question that is not desired to be heard by other people is heard by surrounding patients with a relatively loud voice. Therefore, a patient who does not desire such a situation has the earphone 5 worn instead of turning off the speaker output. When the earphone 5 is used, a nurse or the like presses the changeover switch SW to cut off the output of the speaker signal S1 and output the earphone signal S2 instead.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the earphone 5 includes a mounting bar 13, 13 that sandwiches both sides of the face, a curved bar 14, that connects the left and right mounting bars 13, 13 via the back of the head, and bone vibration. Part 15. And the bone vibration part 15 is pressed on both sides of a patient's face, without plugging up an ear hole. That is, the earphone 5 uses bone vibration and can listen to a doctor's question without closing the ear. In addition, when using the earphone 5, the patient's question content of the doctor is appropriately considered in terms of privacy so that only a Yes / No answer is required.

  By the way, it is as follows when a mechanism in which a human listens to a sound is explained. Voice vibration is transmitted to the eardrum through the ear canal. Then, the vibration of the tympanic membrane is transmitted to the ossicle, and the ossicle transmits this vibration to the cochlea, and the inner ear fluid in the cochlea is vibrated, which is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the brain through the auditory nerve.

  If any organ of the above route is impaired, it will be deaf, but if it is other than a sensory sensory deafness, such as an auditory nerve, the doctor's voice can be heard with the above-mentioned bone vibration earphone. , Will not interfere with medical practice. Moreover, since the external auditory canal is always open, it does not interfere with assisting actions by nurses.

  According to the medical assistance device EQU described above, even a doctor who is somewhat inconvenienced in conversation can perform medical activities without any trouble. In addition, according to this apparatus EQU, since BGM can be output from the amplifier 2 and the BGM sounds gently from the back of the patient, the patient can be relaxed. In addition, BGM does not flow from the ceiling or walls unlike conventional clinics, and music is quietly flowing in the immediate vicinity of the patient, so the examination room is guaranteed a quiet environment and the doctor's instructions are given to the nurse. There is no risk of being overlooked.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described concretely, the concrete description content is not the meaning which limits this invention at all. For example, in the embodiment, an example in which a speaker box is single has been described for convenience of explanation, but a central amplification device and N speaker boxes are connected to convey a doctor's question to a specific patient. BGM may be communicated to the patient. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a switching box is provided on the output side of the amplifying device, and a communication path with a specific patient is selected by an operation of a nurse or the like.

  In the embodiment, the speaker signal S1 and the earphone signal S2 are switched by the changeover switch SW provided in the amplifying apparatus 2. However, instead of this configuration, the changeover switch SW may be provided in the speaker box. In this case, the switch SW may be a switch for turning on / off the speaker signal S1, and the earphone signal S2 may be always output.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the medical assistance apparatus which concerns on an Example. It is drawing which shows the use condition of the medical assistance apparatus which concerns on an Example. It is a circuit diagram which shows a limiter circuit. The output waveform from an amplifier is shown in figure. The modification of a medical assistance device is illustrated.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microphone 2 Amplifying device 4 Speaker box SP Speaker EQ Medical assistance apparatus

Claims (4)

A portable microphone worn by a doctor, an amplifying device for amplifying an audio signal from the microphone, and a speaker box attached to the back side of a chair on which a patient sits, and a voice from the doctor is transmitted from a speaker of the speaker box Medical assistance device that can be heard. The medical assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the amplification device is also connected to a bone vibration type earphone worn by a patient, and is configured to be able to switch between sound from the speaker and sound from the earphone. The medical assistance device according to claim 1, wherein a suppression circuit that suppresses an excessive audio signal is mounted on an output side of the amplification device. The medical assistance apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3 used in an otolaryngology clinic.

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