JP3766973B2 - Mastication number detection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mastication number detection device for counting the number of mastications during a meal.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, increasing the number of chewing cycles during a meal not only reduces the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, but also prevents the effects of overeating due to the feeling of fullness associated with mastication, and thus has the effect of preventing obesity and also prevents the elderly from becoming burned. It is extremely beneficial in terms of dentistry and health care, and it is encouraged to increase the number of chewing cycles regardless of age or age.
[0003]
However, conventionally, there is no device that can easily count the number of mastications in a general household, and the person himself or herself can count the number of mastications during a meal, or another person can only visually count the number of mastications of the eater.
On the other hand, many proposals have been made regarding an apparatus for counting the number of mastications in a specialized facility such as a hospital. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-171136 discloses a base unit that is in close contact with a human body and maintains the position thereof, a detection unit that includes detection means 2a that senses movement derived from mastication on the base unit, There has been proposed a mastication number recording device comprising a recording unit that processes signals from the unit and displays the number of mastication times. Thus, as a detection means for detecting movements derived from mastication, as a type that is attached to a person's cheek, a tension detection sensor or a muscle voltage detection sensor is used as a type that is attached to the human auditory canal. It is said that a pressure sensor is used.
However, according to this prior art, there is a problem that it is not possible to distinguish the movement of muscle derived from conversation during meals other than mastication and the movement of muscle derived from mastication, and it is impossible to accurately count the number of mastications. there were.
[0004]
In order to solve such problems, the inventors have disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-371484 an indenter capable of contacting the skin and a displacement of the indenter corresponding to a change in muscle movement or hardness accompanying mastication. And a mastication number detecting device characterized by having means for detecting as an ON-OFF signal. The inventors have shown that this mastication frequency detection device has a simple structure and does not require a signal processing circuit, and can directly convert a mastication operation into an ON / OFF signal of an electric circuit by identifying conversation and mastication. Has confirmed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The inventors aimed to distinguish more sharply the conversation and the displacement corresponding to the change in muscle movement or hardness due to mastication. In addition, the above-described mastication frequency detection device previously proposed by the inventors cannot adjust mastication detection sensitivity under the condition of being attached to the skin. However, it is not always easy to assemble the device for optimal chewing detection sensitivity for everyone from small children to the elderly.
[0006]
The present invention further identifies sharply the displacement corresponding to the conversation and the change in muscle movement or hardness due to mastication, and easily adjusts the mastication detection sensitivity with the mastication number detection device mounted on the skin. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for detecting the number of chewing times that can be used.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0007]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is an indenter support member for carrying an indenter that abuts against the skin and changes its dip depth in response to a change in muscle movement or hardness accompanying mastication. And an auxiliary displacement member that follows the indenter support member within the range of the friction force in the direction of the indenter by the friction force between the indenter support member and the indenter support member in the direction in which the indenter is immersed in the skin. An elastic body for biasing the machine, a pair of auxiliary displacement member displacement limiting bodies provided with at least one sensitivity adjustment mechanism for limiting the displacement area in the indenter displacement direction of the auxiliary displacement member and changing the displacement area, and the auxiliary displacement It is a mastication number detection device comprising a member and a contact member that is disposed at opposing portions of the auxiliary displacement member displacement limiting body and functions to open and close an electric circuit.
[ 0008 ]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described according to preferred embodiments thereof.
[ 0009 ]
1 to 3 show a mastication number detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mastication frequency detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a side view thereof. In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a base, which has a cylindrical shape with one end open, and has a flange at the open end. In the radial direction of the base 1, the elastic body 7 and the lever mounting portion 2 are fixedly provided at opposing portions. In the lever mounting portion 2, an indenter support lever (indenter support member) 3 that fixes and supports the indenter 5 and an auxiliary lever (auxiliary displacement member) 4 are pivotally supported by a shaft 8. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a friction member 6 is sandwiched between the outer side surface of the auxiliary lever 4 and the inner side surface of the indenter support lever 3 in the support portion by the shaft 8, and between the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4. It functions to give a friction torque _Tf to.
[ 0010 ]
In the present invention, the means for applying the friction torque _Tf between the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4 is not limited to the sandwiching of the friction member 6, for example, any one of the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4. One end of the shaft 8 and the shaft 8 are integrally rotated. One end of either the auxiliary lever 4 or the indenter support lever 3 is wound around the outer periphery of the shaft 8 and the elastic deformation of the winding portion is used to The friction torque _Tf can be applied by the friction between the two. Further, the friction member 6 is not interposed between the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4, and the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4 are directly rubbed by using elastic deformation in the member cross section, etc. It can also be configured to provide _Tf .
[ 0011 ]
The indenter support lever 3 is urged by an elastic body 7 fixed to the base 1 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. The elastic body 7 is a U-shaped leaf spring in this embodiment, but may be a coil spring or a leaf spring, for example, and various forms of elastic bodies can be used in the present invention. As a result, a counterclockwise rotational moment T ₁ is applied to the indenter support lever 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the elastic body 7 is restricted in displacement by the lower end (stopper) of the cylindrical wall surface opening of the base 1, and displaces the indenter support lever 3 counterclockwise to that position. Further, as described above, since the friction member 6 is sandwiched between the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4 and the friction torque _Tf is applied as shown in FIGS. The auxiliary lever 4 is also displaced following the counterclockwise or clockwise displacement of the lever 3.
[ 0012 ]
As shown in FIG. 1, the base 1 is provided with a fixed displacement limiting body 11 and a movable displacement limiting body 9, and the auxiliary lever 4 is displaced between the both displacement limiting bodies 9, 11. Configured to get. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the movable displacement limiter 9 is changed in position by a screw 10, thereby defining the displacement range of the auxiliary lever 4. In this embodiment, the screw 10 and the movable displacement limiter 9 constitute a sensitivity adjustment mechanism. The rotation of the screw 10 is also included in the present invention when it is less than one rotation. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, contact members 13 and 13 are attached via insulating members 12 and 12 above one end of the auxiliary lever 4 and below the opposing movable displacement limiter 9, respectively. The cords 14 and 14 are connected to the contact members 13 and 13, respectively, and when the contact members 13 and 13 come into contact, the electric circuit is closed and an ON signal is generated. For the purpose of sharply distinguishing a conversation and a displacement corresponding to a change in muscle movement or hardness due to mastication, the movable displacement limiter 9 may be replaced with a fixed displacement limiter.
[ 0013 ]
In the present invention, the means for changing the position of the movable displacement restricting body 9 constituting the sensitivity adjusting mechanism is not limited to the screw 10, for example, using a cam rotated by a lever, or by moving the wedge back and forth. Etc. can be used as appropriate. In addition, a ratchet stop or the like can be used in combination as means for holding the cam or wedge in a desired position.
[ 0014 ]
Next, the operation of the mastication number detection device of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be described. Before the mastication frequency detection device main body is attached to the skin surface, the elastic body 7 is positioned such that its displacement is regulated by the lower end (stopper) of the cylindrical wall surface opening of the base 1, as shown in FIG. The indenter support lever 3 is displaced counterclockwise to the position shown in FIG.
[ 0015 ]
When the mastication frequency detection device main body is mounted on the skin surface, a reaction force against the force pressing the indenter 5 against the skin surface, that is, a force to push the indenter 5 back in the clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. A clockwise rotational moment acts, and the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4 rotate clockwise. In this process, if the contact members 13 are in contact with each other, only the indenter support lever 3 rotates clockwise after the contact, and the indenter 5 pushing back force from the skin is (T _l ) as shown in FIG. Stop where it matches the size of + _Tf ).
[ 0016 ]
When the masticatory muscle contracts and tensions due to mastication, the pushing back force of the indenter 5 against the elastic body 7 increases, and the indenter support lever 3 further rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. Thereafter, when the masticatory force decreases, the pushing back force of the indenter 5 decreases due to the relaxation of the masticatory muscles, so that the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary driven by friction by the elastic body 7 are integrally driven. The lever 4 starts to rotate counterclockwise. After the fixed displacement limiter 11 restricts the rotation of the auxiliary lever 4, the auxiliary lever 4 stops and only the indenter support lever 3 rotates counterclockwise, and as shown in FIG. 7, the indenter 5 pushes back force from the skin. Stops when it matches the size of (T ₁ −T _f ).
[ 0017 ]
When the masticatory muscle contracts and tensions again by mastication, the indenter support lever 3 and the auxiliary lever 4 start to rotate clockwise by the pushing back force of the indenter 5, and after the contact of the contact members 13 and 13, the auxiliary lever 4 stops, and the indenter Only the support lever 3 rotates clockwise, and stops when the force of pushing back the indenter 5 from the skin matches the magnitude of (T ₁ + T _f ) as shown in FIG. Thereafter, this operation is repeated. When the mastication number detecting device main body is removed from the skin, the elastic body 7 is energized to be in the state before wearing as shown in FIG.
[ 0018 ]
In the series of operations described above, the contact members 13 and 13 are contacted once for one mastication operation. Therefore, if the cords 14 and 14 are connected to a counter that counts only 1 when the electrical circuit is closed and connected to a counter that counts 1 when the electrical circuit is open and non-conductive, the number of mastications is counted. Can be displayed. Moreover, if the cords 14 and 14 are connected as switches that can be recognized visually or auditorily, the state of mastication can be easily grasped.
[ 0019 ]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 7, the movable displacement limiter 9 is configured to change its position by turning a screw 10. If the interval between the movable displacement limiting body 9 and the fixed displacement limiting body 11 is adjusted by the rotation of the screw 10, the detection sensitivity of mastication can be changed. That is, for example, if the distance between the movable displacement limiter 9 and the fixed displacement limiter 11 is reduced by turning the screw 10, mastication can be detected even by a small movement of the indenter support lever 3.
[ 0020 ]
FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 21 denotes a base, which has the same shape and dimensions as those shown in the embodiment shown in FIGS. Reference numeral 22 denotes a support cylinder, which is fixed and suspended at the center of the lower surface of the top plate of the base 21. Reference numeral 23 denotes an indenter support slider (indenter support member), which has an indenter 25 fixed and supported on its lower surface, and a hole through which an auxiliary slider (auxiliary displacement member) 24 is slidably inserted. In this embodiment, in order to apply a frictional force between the indenter support slider 23 and the auxiliary slider 24, an inner peripheral surface of a hole formed in the center of the upper plane of the indenter support slider 23 and an outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary slider 24. A friction member 26 is interposed therebetween.
[ 0021 ]
The indenter support slider 23 is urged by an elastic body 27 downward as viewed in FIG. The indenter support slider 23 is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the support cylinder 22 so that the outer peripheral surface of the upper cylindrical portion is slidable in the vertical direction as seen in FIG. On the other hand, the upper end of the auxiliary slider 24 is a flange, which engages with the lower end locking portion of the fixed displacement limiting body 31, and the lower limit of displacement of the auxiliary slider 24 is determined by the fixed displacement limiting body 31. . Reference numeral 29 denotes a movable displacement limiter whose position in the vertical direction is changed by a screw 30 (sensitivity adjusting mechanism) as viewed in FIG. 8, and thereby the upper limit of displacement of the auxiliary slider 24 is determined. Thus, the displacement range (chewing detection sensitivity) of the auxiliary slider 24 is adjusted by the fixed displacement limiter 31 and the movable displacement limiter 29.
[ 0022 ]
Reference numeral 33 denotes a contact member, which is disposed on the lower surface of the movable displacement limiter 29 and the upper end portion of the auxiliary slider 24 via insulating members 32, 32 as shown in FIG. Cords 34 and 34 are connected to the contact members 33 and 33, respectively.
[ 0023 ]
The operation of the device for detecting the number of mastications according to another embodiment of the present invention configured as described above is the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 except that the rotational moment is replaced with a force and the rotational angle is replaced with a displacement amount. It is the same as the chewing frequency detection device shown in FIG.
[ 0024 ]
【Example】
FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Producing a mastication number detection device with a simple sensitivity adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the movable displacement limiter 9 by turning the screw 10 with an outer diameter of the flange (flange) of the base 1 in contact with the skin of about 40 mm, The device was attached to the cheek approximately 30 mm ahead of the ear hole using a commercially available headphone and the cords 14 and 14 were connected to a commercially available digital pedometer C to perform chewing counting. As a result, the sensitivity can be easily adjusted to the optimum sensitivity while wearing the mastication frequency detection device of the present invention, and the counter C does not operate in normal conversation, and the hardness of the food is reduced for the mastication operation. Counts could be made regardless. In FIG. 9, B is a band.
[ 0025 ]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a simple apparatus configuration is used to sharply discriminate between a change in muscle movement or hardness associated with mastication and a movement of muscle due to an operation other than mastication such as conversation, and this is directly detected by an ON-OFF signal. Therefore, it is possible to count the number of chewing times very reliably and accurately. In addition, the sensitivity adjustment mechanism has a simple structure and the detection sensitivity can be adjusted with the device for detecting the number of mastication times installed. Therefore, the device should be used with the optimal sensitivity for mastication detection for everyone from small children to the elderly. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a mastication frequency detecting device main body according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a mastication frequency detecting device main body according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a mastication frequency detection device main body according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state before the mastication frequency detection device main body according to one embodiment of the present invention is attached to the skin. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state after the mastication number detecting device main body according to one embodiment is attached to the skin. Fig. 6 shows the state of the mastication number detecting device main body according to one embodiment of the present invention after the mastication is detected. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state when the masticatory muscles contract or tension. Fig. 7 shows that the masticatory force decreases after the mastication frequency detection device body according to one embodiment of the present invention is attached to the skin, and the masticatory muscles are in a relaxed state. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state of the mastication frequency detection device main body when it becomes Perspective view showing an embodiment of a chewing frequency detecting apparatus of a longitudinal sectional view showing a chewing frequency detecting apparatus according to the facilities embodiment [9] The present invention Description of Reference Numerals]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 Lever attachment part 3 Indenter support lever 4 Auxiliary lever 5 Indenter 6 Friction member 7 Elastic body 8 Axis 9 Movable displacement limiter 10 Screw 11 Fixed displacement limiter 12 Insulation member 13 Contact member 14 Code 21 Base 22 Support cylinder 23 Indenter support slider 24 Auxiliary slider 25 Indenter 26 Friction member 27 Elastic body 29 Movable displacement limiter 30 Screw 31 Fixed displacement limiter 32 Insulating member 33 Contact member 34 Code B Band C Counter

Claims (1)

  An indenter supporting member that carries an indenter that contacts the skin and changes its depth of immersion in response to a change in muscle movement or hardness accompanying mastication, and a direction of indenter displacement by friction force between the indenter supporting member An auxiliary displacement member that follows the indenter support member within the range of the friction force, an elastic body that urges the indenter support member in a direction in which the indenter is immersed in the skin, and an indenter displacement direction of the auxiliary displacement member And a pair of auxiliary displacement member displacement limiting bodies provided with at least one sensitivity adjustment mechanism for restricting the displacement area and changing the displacement area, and disposed at opposing portions of the auxiliary displacement member and the auxiliary displacement member displacement limiting body. A mastication number detecting device comprising a contact member that functions to open and close an electric circuit.

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