JP7092266B2 - EEG measuring device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electroencephalogram measuring device.

Various developments have been made on electrodes for EEG detection. As this kind of technique, for example, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. The brain wave measurement electrode (brain wave electrode holder) disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a main body portion arranged around the head, a plurality of support portions attached to the main body portion, and at least a part of the support portions. A brain wave electrode holder provided on the tip side and supported inside the main body portion, wherein the main body portion has a size that allows fingers to be inserted and touched with the brain wave electrode. The brain wave electrode has an opening, and the base end side is supported by the support portion, and the flexible portion is flexible and elastically deformed, and the flexible portion is provided on the tip end side of the flexible portion and is provided on the head surface. The flexible portion has an electrode portion to be brought into contact with the flexible portion, and the flexible portion can be deformed until the electrode portion is moved in a direction away from the axis of the support portion. The contact pressure of the flexible portion is applied, and the flexible portion also applies a contact pressure with the head surface to the electrode portion moved in a substantially parallel direction along the head surface.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-94054

In general, since the electrodes and the headset are fixed in the electroencephalogram measuring device, there is a problem that other electrodes move when each electrode is adjusted, and an improved technique is required. The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is the same, and the pressure can be adjusted by moving it in the direction perpendicular to the scalp, but there is no adjustment function in the front-back and left-right directions, and if an electrode is adjusted as described above, The electrode, which originally does not need to be adjusted in position, also moves, which requires readjustment, which causes a problem that the adjustment work is very troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for facilitating the work of adjusting the position of an electrode in an electroencephalogram measuring device.

According to the present invention
Electrodes used to detect brain waves and
An electrode unit provided with the electrode portion and
A fixing frame that has a pair of rails installed in parallel and is attached to the head,
It has a plurality of electrode holding portions having electrode mounting holes into which the electrode unit can be screw-fitted.
The electrode holding portion includes a connecting portion in which a surplus space is formed by the pair of rails and three connecting surfaces, and the rails are accommodated in the surplus space.
By screw fitting the electrode unit into the electrode mounting hole, the electrode portion is in pressure contact with the scalp, and the electrode holding portion moves in a direction away from the scalp to strengthen the fixation with the rail.
The connecting part is
With the first connecting portion having the electrode mounting hole,
A second connecting portion extending in the direction of the head from the first connecting portion,
A third connecting portion extending from the second connecting portion and provided so as to face the first connecting portion.
Have,
The rail is arranged between the first connecting portion and the third connecting portion.
Provided is an electroencephalogram measuring device provided with the extra space in which the relative position between the connecting portion and the rail can be adjusted in a state where the electrode unit is not fixed to the electrode holding portion .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for facilitating the work of adjusting the position of an electrode in an electroencephalogram measuring device.

It is a figure which shows typically the electroencephalogram measuring apparatus in the state which is attached to the human head which concerns on embodiment. It is a front view of the electroencephalogram electrode unit which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view of the fixing frame to which the electrode holding part was attached which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which showed the electrode holding part which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure explaining the transition of the fixed state of the electrode holding part and the fixing frame which concerns on embodiment.

<Overview>
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an electroencephalogram measuring device 10 in a state of being attached to a human head 99. In addition, in FIGS. 1 to 5, for convenience, it will be described in the up / down / front / back / left / right directions indicated by the arrows.

The electroencephalogram measuring device 10 is attached to a human head 99, detects an electroencephalogram as a potential fluctuation from a living body, and outputs the detected electroencephalogram to a brain wave display device (not shown). The electroencephalogram display device acquires the electroencephalogram detected by the electroencephalogram measuring device 10, displays it on a monitor, stores data, and performs well-known electroencephalogram analysis processing.

<Structure of EEG measuring device 10>
As shown in FIG. 1, the electroencephalogram measuring device 10 has a plurality of electroencephalogram electrode units 80, a fixing frame 20, and an electrode holding portion 40 for attaching the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 to the fixing frame 20. The electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is attached to the electrode holding portion 40 and then attached to the fixing frame 20.

In the present embodiment, the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is provided for 5 channels (5 pieces), and the electrode holding portions 40 are also provided accordingly. The position of the 5ch (that is, the mounting position of the EEG electrode unit 80) corresponds to the positions of T3, C3, Cz, C4, and T4 in the international 10-20 electrode arrangement method.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80. The electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 has a substantially columnar body portion 81, and an electrode protrusion 83 provided on one end side (lower side in the figure) thereof. A screw is provided on the side surface portion of the body portion 81, and is screw-fitted into the electrode mounting hole 49 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) provided in the electrode holding portion 40.

A signal extraction portion is formed at one end (upper end in the drawing) of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80. An electrode protrusion 83 is provided at the other end (lower end in the drawing) of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80. The electrode protrusion 83 is provided with a conductive electrode member, for example, in the structure of a rubber-like elastic body (silicone rubber or the like) having a predetermined shape, and the signal detected by the electrode member is taken out from the signal extraction portion by a signal line. ing.

The predetermined shape of the rubber-like elastic body exhibited by the electrode protrusion 83 is, for example, a shape in which a plurality of protrusions extend in an annular shape from a columnar base. A conductive electrode member is provided on the protrusion.

<Structure of fixing frame 20 and electrode holding portion 40>
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the fixing frame 20 to which the electrode holding portion 40 is attached. The fixing frame 20 and the electrode holding portion 40 are made of a hard member such as a polyamide resin, but the purpose is not limited to these materials, they do not affect the electroencephalogram detection, and are suitable for wearability and workability. Any material will do. Further, different materials may be used for the fixing frame 20 and the electrode holding portion 40.

<Structure of fixing frame 20>
The fixing frame 20 has a pair (two) of rails 21 arranged in parallel, and a rail fastening portion 23 for connecting the rails 21 so as to be passed at a plurality of places.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the pair of rails 21 are curved along the head 99. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the space surrounded by the pair of rails 21 and the rail fastening portion 23 is a movable region 29 in which the electrode holding portion 40 can move. That is, the movable region 29 is provided in a range in which the electrode holding portion 40 (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80) is arranged and moves within a certain range. In other words, the rail fastening portion 23 is provided at a position that does not hinder the movement of the electrode holding portion 40. In the present embodiment, the movable regions 29 are provided at five locations corresponding to each of the five electrode holding portions 40 (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80).

<Structure of fixing frame 40>
The structure of the electrode holding portion 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 4A and 4B are views showing the electrode holding portion 40, FIG. 4A is a perspective view, and FIG. 4B is a side view.

The electrode holding portion 40 includes a rectangular first connecting surface 41 that is substantially plate-shaped and long in the front-rear direction, and an arm-shaped connecting portion 50 that extends downward at each of the front and rear end portions of the first connecting surface 41. Has. At the center of the first connecting surface 41, an electrode mounting hole 49 is provided so that the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 can be screw-fitted.

Specifically, the connecting portion 50 is predetermined from the second connecting surface 42 extending downward from each of the front and rear ends of the first connecting surface 41 and inward from the lower end of the second connecting surface 42. It has a long extending third connecting surface 43. Here, the inward direction means the direction of the end portions on the opposite sides of the front and rear, and specifically, the third connecting surface 43 extending from the second connecting surface 42 on the front side has a predetermined length on the rear side. Only postpone. The third connecting surface 43 extending from the second connecting surface 42 on the rear side extends to the front side by a predetermined length. At this time, the distance between the extending ends of the front and rear connecting surfaces 42 is such that they do not interfere with each other when the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is attached to the electrode mounting holes 49.

Further, a regulation surface 44 extending upward by a predetermined length is provided at an end portion extending inward of the third connecting surface 43. The extending end portion (upper end portion) of the regulation surface 44 does not hit the inner wall surface of the first connecting surface 41 and has a certain interval.

The space surrounded by the first connecting surface 41, the second connecting surface 42, the third connecting surface 43, and the regulating surface 44 is referred to as a cotangent space 48. When the electrode holding portion 40 is attached to the rail 21, the rail 21 is accommodated in this extra space 48 (see FIG. 5). The distance between the upper end of the regulation surface 44 and the inner wall surface of the first connecting surface 41 is used when the electrode holding portion 40 is attached to the rail 21.

<Transition of the fixed state of the electrode holding portion 40 and the fixing frame 20>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the transition of the fixed state of the electrode holding portion 40 and the fixing frame 20.
FIG. 5A shows a state in which the electrode holding portion 40 to which the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is attached is arranged on the fixing frame 20 (rail 21). In this state, the rail 21 and the electrode holding portion 40 are not fixed, and the electrode holding portion 40 can move up, down, left, and right with respect to the rail 21 and in the extending direction of the rail 21.

FIG. 5B shows an electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 screwed into the electrode holding portion 40, the electrode protrusion 83 is in contact with the head 99, and the rail 21 is in contact with the contact surface 45 of the connecting portion 50. be. When the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is further screwed in from this state, the fixed state between the rail 21 and the contact surface 45 becomes stronger. Further, the tip of the electrode protrusion 83 in contact with the head 99 is bent, and the force with which the electrode protrusion 83 is pressed against the scalp becomes stronger. That is, as the pressure contact state between the electrode protrusion 83 of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 and the scalp (head 99) becomes stronger, the fixation between the electrode holding portion 40 (contact surface 45 of the connecting portion 50) and the rail 21 becomes stronger. ..

<Features / Functions of EEG Measuring Device 10>
The features and functions of the electroencephalogram measuring device 10 of the present embodiment are summarized as follows.
(1) The electroencephalogram measuring device 10 is
The EEG electrode unit 80 (electrode unit) used for EEG detection, and
A fixing frame 20 having a pair of rails 21 provided in parallel and mounted on the head 99,
A plurality of electrode holding portions 40 to which the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is attached, and
Have,
The electrode holding portion 40 has a connecting portion 50 that connects to each of the rails 21.
In the state where the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is not attached, the connecting portion 50 and the rail 21 are not fixed, and the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is attached, and the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 and the scalp (head 99) are in a pressure contact state. As the strength increases, the fixing between the electrode holding portion 40 and the rail 21 becomes stronger.
As described above, the electrode holding portion 40 has a fixing structure in which two parallel rails 21 are fixed by the two connecting portions 50. In this fixing structure, the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is screwed into the electrode mounting hole 49 of the electrode holding portion 40, and the fixing strength is adjusted by the screwing amount. That is, with the screwing operation of the electrode holding portion 40, the two connecting portions 50 provided in the electrode holding portion 40 are pressed against the two parallel rails 21. As a result, the attachment operation of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (position adjustment operation in the vertical direction) and the fixing operation of the rail 21 and the electrode holding portion 40 (connecting portion 50) proceed at the same time. That is, as the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 is screwed into the head 99 and the contact state becomes stronger, the fixed state of the rail 21 and the electrode holding portion 40 also becomes stronger.
The mounting operation and the fixing operation are performed independently by the respective electrode holding portions 40. Therefore, the attachment work and the position adjustment work of a certain electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 do not affect the attachment state of another electroencephalogram electrode unit 80.

(2) In a state where the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (electrode portion) is not fixed to the electrode holding portion 40, a cotangent space 48 capable of adjusting the relative position between the connecting portion 50 and the rail 21 is provided.
That is, the position of the connecting portion 50 can be adjusted up, down, front, back, left, and right relative to the rail 21 within the range of the extra space 48. This does not affect the fixed state of the other electrode holding portions 40.

(3) In a state where the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (electrode portion) is not fixed to the electrode holding portion 40, the relative position of the connecting portion 50 and the rail 21 in the extending direction (extending direction) is adjusted by the extra space 48. It is possible. That is, the position of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 can be adjusted in the left-right direction within the range in which the movable region 29 is formed. This does not affect the fixed state of the other electrode holding portions 40.

(4) In a state where the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (electrode portion) is not fixed to the electrode holding portion 40, the positions of the connecting portion 50 and the rail 21 in the passing direction of the two rails 21 can be adjusted by the extra space 48. Is. That is, the position of the electrode holding portion 40 can be adjusted in the width direction of the rail 21 (front-back direction in the drawing). This does not affect the fixed state of the other electrode holding portions 40.

(5) In a state where the electrode portion (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80) is not fixed to the electrode holding portion 40, the connecting portion 50 and the rail 21 are positioned in the distance direction between the rail 21 and the head 99 due to the extra space 48. It is adjustable. That is, the electrode holding portion 40 (connecting portion 50) can move up and down within the range of the cotangent space 48. This does not affect the fixed state of the other electrode holding portions 40.

(6) The fixing of each of the electrode holding portions 40 and the electrode portion (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80) is independent of the fixing of the other electrode holding portions 40 and the electrode portion (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80).
When adjusting the fixed position of a certain electroencephalogram electrode unit 80, the fixing work between the other electrode holding portion 40 and the electrode portion (electroencephalogram electrode unit 80) is not affected. If the fixed state of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 whose fixed state or detection level has been adjusted is changed, the detection level or the like needs to be adjusted again. That is, if the adjustment of the fixed state of one brain wave electrode unit 80 affects the fixed state of another brain wave electrode unit 80, the above adjustment work is required, and it takes time to detect the brain wave. However, in the electroencephalogram measuring device 10 of the present embodiment, such useless work can be avoided.

(7) The electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (electrode portion) may be fixed to the electrode holding portion 40 by a fitting mechanism.
(8) The electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 (electrode portion) may be fixed to the electrode holding portion 40 by a magnet joining mechanism.
As the fixing structure of the electroencephalogram electrode unit 80 and the electrode holding portion 40, various fitting mechanisms (insertion fitting and thumb turn mechanism) and magnet joining mechanisms can be used, not limited to the screw fitting of the above embodiment. can. In addition, as the above-mentioned fixing structure, in the case of a mechanism involving a screwing / returning operation, a function of scraping the hair by the fixing operation can be realized at the same time. In particular, in a structure in which a plurality of protrusions are formed in an annular shape at the base of a cylinder as in the electrode protrusion 83 of the present embodiment, an appropriate contact position can be obtained regardless of the screwing position (rotational position), and an electroencephalogram can be obtained. The measurement accuracy is stable.

This application is a Japanese application Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-0 filed on February 7, 2020.
Claim priority on the basis of 19314 and incorporate all of its disclosures here.
Hereinafter, an example of the embodiment will be added.
1. 1. Electrodes used to detect brain waves and
A fixing frame that has a pair of rails installed in parallel and is attached to the head,
A plurality of electrode holding portions to which the electrode portions are attached, and
Have,
The electrode holding portion has a connecting portion that connects to each of the rails.
In the state where the electrode portion is not attached, the connecting portion and the rail are not fixed, and the electrode portion is held as the electrode portion is attached and the pressure contact state between the electrode portion and the scalp becomes stronger. The fixing between the part and the rail becomes stronger,
EEG measuring device.
2. 2. 1. A cotangent space is provided in which the relative position between the connecting portion and the rail can be adjusted in a state where the electrode portion is not fixed to the electrode holding portion. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to.
3. 3. 2. In a state where the electrode portion is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the position of the connecting portion and the rail in the extending direction of the rail can be adjusted by the extra space. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to.
4. 2. In a state where the electrode portion is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the positions of the connecting portion and the rail in the passing direction of the two rails can be adjusted by the extra space. Or 3. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to.
5. 2. In a state where the electrode portion is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the position of the connecting portion and the rail in the distance direction between the rail and the head can be adjusted by the extra space. From 4. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to any one of the above.
6. The fixing of each of the electrode holding portions and the electrode portions is performed by the other electrodes 10.
1. It is independent of the fixing of the holding part and the electrode part. From 5. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to any one of the above.
7. The electrode portion is fixed to the electrode holding portion by a fitting mechanism. From 6. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to any one of the above.
8. The electrode portion is fixed to the electrode holding portion by a magnet joining mechanism. From 6. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to any one of the above.

10 EEG measuring device 20 Fixing frame 21 Rail 23 Rail fastening part 29 Movable area 40 Electrode holding part 41 First connecting surface 42 Second connecting surface 43 Third connecting surface 44 Restricting surface 45 Contact surface 48 Extra space 49 Electrode mounting hole 50 Connection part 80 EEG Electrode unit 81 Body part 83 Electrode protrusion part

Claims (5)

Electrodes used to detect brain waves and
An electrode unit provided with the electrode portion and
A fixing frame that has a pair of rails installed in parallel and is attached to the head,
It has a plurality of electrode holding portions having electrode mounting holes into which the electrode unit can be screw-fitted.
The electrode holding portion includes a connecting portion in which a surplus space is formed by the pair of rails and three connecting surfaces, and the rails are accommodated in the surplus space.
By screw fitting the electrode unit into the electrode mounting hole, the electrode portion is in pressure contact with the scalp, and the electrode holding portion moves in a direction away from the scalp to strengthen the fixation with the rail.
The connecting part is
With the first connecting portion having the electrode mounting hole,
A second connecting portion extending in the direction of the head from the first connecting portion,
A third connecting portion extending from the second connecting portion and provided so as to face the first connecting portion.
Have,
The rail is arranged between the first connecting portion and the third connecting portion.
An electroencephalogram measuring device provided with a cotangent space capable of adjusting the relative position between the connecting portion and the rail in a state where the electrode unit is not fixed to the electrode holding portion . The brain wave according to claim 1 , wherein in a state where the electrode unit is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the position of the connecting portion and the rail in the extending direction of the rail can be adjusted by the extra space. measuring device. According to claim 1 or 2 , in a state where the electrode unit is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the positions of the connecting portion and the rail in the passing direction of the two rails can be adjusted by the extra space. The described electroencephalogram measuring device. According to claim 1 , in a state where the electrode unit is not fixed to the electrode holding portion, the positions of the connecting portion and the rail in the distance direction between the rail and the head can be adjusted by the extra space. The electroencephalogram measuring device according to any one of up to 3 . The electroencephalogram measurement according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the fixing of each of the electrode holding portions and the electrode unit is independent of the fixing of the other electrode holding portions and the electrode unit. Device.

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