JP7126672B2 - Bioelectrode and electrical connection structure between layers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electrode for acquiring a biomedical signal (hereinafter referred to as a biomedical electrode) and an electrical connection structure between layers in the biomedical electrode. and an electrical connection structure between layers in the bioelectrode.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a biomedical electrode used in contact with a living body, there has been known a medical electrode or the like that extracts a weak current in the living body to the outside of the body to measure an electrocardiogram, an electromyogram, or an electroencephalogram. Since such biomedical electrodes handle weak electrical signals, there are cases where noise is mixed in from electromagnetic waves flying around in the surrounding environment, making accurate detection impossible.

Therefore, in order to block such surrounding electromagnetic waves, it is desirable to provide a shield against electromagnetic noise. It has been proposed to form a shield layer so as to cover the .

For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-61799), a shield made of a conductive material that ensures flexibility is provided on the surface of the substrate opposite to the electrode, and is made of a similar conductive material. A biomedical electrode has been proposed in which an electric circuit portion 7 is covered with an insulating member having a shield formed on the surface thereof. In paragraph numbers [0029] and [0030] of this document, the potential of the shield is increased by electrically connecting the shield to a junction connected to a constant potential portion (GND, -Vcc, etc.) of the circuit. It is described that it stabilizes and stabilizes the shielding effect against noise.

In addition, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-132440), the applicant of the present application has proposed a biomedical electrode that can block not only electromagnetic waves from the outside but also electromagnetic waves from the living body and noise due to static electricity. . In this document, it is configured to include one or more measurement electrodes, and at least the measurement electrodes are made of a conductive material on one side of a flexible insulating base material, and are separated from the living body. A conductive material layer that acquires and transmits a signal is formed, and a region that transmits the acquired biosignal in the conductive material layer is electrically conductive via an insulating material layer on both sides in the thickness direction. proposed a bioelectrode in which a shield layer made of a flexible material is formed.

JP-A-2001-61799 JP 2013-132440 A

As described above, it has been proposed to shield the measurement electrodes, etc., in order to prevent noise due to electromagnetic waves from entering the bioelectrodes from the outside. However, biomedical electrodes have also been proposed that can prevent noise from entering. Further, when a shield is formed on the bioelectrode, the shield must be grounded (grounded: GND) in order to stabilize the potential of the shield and stabilize the shielding effect against noise. When this shield is formed as a shield layer by printing, it may be necessary to electrically connect between layers, and Patent Document 2 proposes a bioelectrode using through holes for electrical connection between layers. is doing.

However, when electrical connections are made through through-holes, the printing table on which the printing process is carried out (the table on which the object to be printed is placed) becomes dirty with the paint used to form the through-holes. It was necessary to wipe off the table each time printing was performed. Therefore, as a countermeasure to prevent the paint on the printing table from becoming dirty, a film with adhesive is pasted on the back side of the printing object before printing, and the film is peeled off after it dries. Non-woven fabric) was laid out for printing, and after printing, there was a need for a device that automatically winds up the film. That is, in the manufacturing process of the bioelectrode, it was necessary to form only the through hole in a separate process.

Therefore, in the present invention, the problem of contamination of the printing table associated with the formation of through holes in the past is eliminated, and the bioelectrode formed in a laminated structure is manufactured without the need to perform electrical connection between layers in a separate process. An object of the present invention is to provide a bioelectrode with reduced man-hours.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a bioelectrode that realizes electrical connection in overlapping layers in a laminated structure.

That is, the bioelectrode according to the present invention is a bioelectrode that acquires a biosignal from one or more measurement electrodes, and has an insulating material layer made of an insulating material and a conductive material layer made of a conductive material alternately. The conductive material layer includes a circuit layer that transmits the biosignal acquired by the measurement electrode, and two or more shield layers that are present on both sides of the circuit layer in the thickness direction. , and at least one of the shield layers has a portion extending in the width direction from the insulating material layer existing therebetween, and / or an opening portion penetrating in the thickness direction provided in the insulating material layer It can be formed as being electrically connected.

Moreover, the bioelectrode according to the present invention may further include a flexible insulating base material. Any of the two or more shield layers can be formed on the surface of the insulating base material on which the measurement electrodes are provided. This eliminates the need for through-holes or wiring that penetrates the insulating base material. In particular, when forming a conductive material layer by printing or coating, there is no need for through-hole holes for electrical connection in the printing and coating process of the conductive material. The equipment and facilities required for printing are no longer required, and even if the structure is as complex as through-holes, printing work can be carried out without selecting the type of standard printing machine, making high-speed printing possible and significantly reducing costs. Down is possible.

Further, in the bioelectrode according to the present invention, the insulating material layer and the conductive material layer can be formed by stacking sheet-like members or thin film members. It is desirable to form by Especially when each layer and each member are formed by printing, continuous printing becomes possible. Therefore, for example, when a roll-shaped base material is used as the base material and the base material is continuously supplied, it is possible to continuously print each layer and each member on this, and the production efficiency can be greatly improved. can.

Further, in the bioelectrode according to the present invention, the conductive material layer has two or more circuit layers, and the circuit layers can be insulated from each other by the insulating material layer. In particular, by forming the conductive material layer and the insulating material layer by printing, if the printing range of each layer is set, the insulation by the insulating material layer can be easily formed.

Further, in the bioelectrode according to the present invention, at least one of the two or more shield layers can form an outline of a laminated structure composed of the insulating material layer and the conductive material layer. That is, in the laminated structure, any conductive material layer can be formed so as to exist within the region of at least any shield layer. This makes it possible to reliably shield the conductive material layer. Further, the measurement electrodes can be provided at the end of the circuit layer and can be formed so as to be exposed from the insulating material layer. This is to allow the measurement electrodes to come into contact with the living body.

In the bioelectrode according to the present invention, it is preferable that the shield layers be the bottom layer and the top layer in the laminated structure in which the insulating material layers and the conductive material layers are alternately laminated. Moreover, it is desirable that all of the conductive material layers (especially circuit layers) constituting the laminated structure are formed so as to exist between the shield layers. This is to eliminate the influence of electromagnetic waves, static electricity, etc. on the conductive material layer (particularly the circuit layer) and prevent noise from entering.

Since it is sufficient for the shield layer to be present in the thickness direction of the conductive material layer to exhibit an electromagnetic shielding effect, it is desirable that the shield layer be present on both sides of the circuit layer in the thickness direction. At that time, it is of course desirable that an insulating material layer exists between the shield layer and the circuit layer to insulate them. Therefore, for example, a shield layer is provided on one side of an insulating substrate, one or more insulating material layers and conductive material layers are provided, and a shield layer is provided thereon to form a laminated structure, or a shield A laminated structure in which a layer, an insulating material layer, a conductive material layer, and an insulating material layer are repeated in this unit can also be used.

And when the conductive material layer is composed of a measuring electrode that acquires a signal from a living body (also referred to herein as a "biological signal") and a circuit layer that transmits the biosignal acquired by the measuring electrode, At least the circuit layer is preferably provided with shield layers on both sides in the thickness direction. Since the circuit layer that transmits biological signals has a long distance to the inspection device, there is a high possibility that it will be affected by electromagnetic noise and static electricity noise from the outside. This is because contamination can be prevented.

The shield layers present on both sides in the thickness direction of the circuit layer are the first shield layer present on the side where the measurement electrodes are exposed (that is, the living body side) and the side opposite to the first shield layer (at the time of wearing). , and a second shield layer present on the side away from the living body). The second shield layer can be formed only on the measuring electrodes or only on the circuit layer, but it is desirable to shield (that is, cover) both the measuring electrodes and the circuit layer (signal portion). ) should be formed. In addition, the above-mentioned "so as to shield" means that the electromagnetic shielding effect can be exhibited, and for example, it can be formed so as to cover the entire shielding target.

Moreover, the first shield layer and the second shield layer may be formed of the same material, or may be formed of different materials. This is because it is conceivable that the factors that affect the biosignals may differ depending on whether they come from the outside or from the living body. For this reason, for example, carbon or a mixture of carbon and metal or metal compound can be used as the first shield layer formed on the living body side.

It is desirable that the shield layer be grounded in order to stabilize its potential. Therefore, in the present invention, it is desirable that the shield layers provided with the conductive material sandwiched therebetween are grounded to the living body. Therefore, in order to install the shield layer on the living body, it is desirable to include a ground electrode, and to electrically connect the shield layer to the ground electrode or a circuit layer connected to the ground electrode. The electrical connection adjusts the existence area (printing area when forming by printing) of the shield layer, the ground electrode, the circuit layer, and the insulating material layer existing between each layer, and the shield layer is the ground electrode and /or can be formed in direct contact with circuitry.

When the conductive material layer consists of a measurement electrode, a circuit layer, and a shield layer, at least one of them can be formed using a metal material lamination technique such as vapor deposition, sputtering, or metal plating. In order to simplify equipment and improve reliability, it is desirable to manufacture by printing or coating. In particular, by forming by screen printing, the step of forming the wiring pattern and the step of electrically connecting the layers can be performed at the same time.

Moreover, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a bioelectrode having a laminated structure.

That is, a method for producing a bioelectrode having a laminated structure in which insulating material layers made of an insulating material and conductive material layers made of a conductive material are alternately laminated, wherein the insulating material layers are composed of two or more resists. The conductive material layer includes a circuit layer that transmits the biosignal acquired by the measurement electrode, and two or more shield layers present on both sides of the circuit layer in the thickness direction, and the resist layer , at least one of the circuit layer and the shield layer is formed by printing or coating, and at least one of the resist layer, the circuit layer and the shield layer formed by the printing or coating is at least one The shield layers are printed so as to be electrically connected at a portion extending in the width direction from the insulating material layer existing therebetween and/or at an opening portion penetrating in the thickness direction provided in the insulating material layer. Alternatively, there is provided a method for manufacturing a bioelectrode characterized by coating.

According to this bioelectrode manufacturing method, since at least one of the resist layer, the circuit layer, and the shield layer is formed by printing or coating, the formation pattern (printing shape or coating shape) can be freely adjusted. can be done.

The bioelectrode according to the present invention has a laminated structure in which an insulating material layer made of an insulating material and a conductive material layer made of a conductive material are alternately laminated, and the conductive material layer is a measurement electrode. contains a circuit layer that transmits the acquired biosignal, and two or more shield layers present on both sides in the thickness direction of the circuit layer. are electrically connected in the width direction and/or in the opening penetrating in the thickness direction provided in the insulating material layer.

That is, the electrical connection between the shield layers is achieved by a portion extending in the width direction from the insulating material layer existing between the shield layers and/or an opening penetrating through the insulating material layer in the thickness direction. Since it can be performed reliably, it is possible to eliminate the need to form through holes in the base material or the like.

As a result, it is possible to eliminate the problem of contamination of the printing table due to the formation of the through-holes, and eliminate the need to carry out the printing process in a separate process. Therefore, it is possible to provide a bioelectrode that is formed in a laminated structure, eliminates the need to perform electrical connection between layers in a separate process, and reduces man-hours during manufacturing.

In addition, when a base material is used and the base material is continuously supplied, such as in a roll form, continuous printing is possible by forming the conductive material layer by printing, thereby significantly shortening the manufacturing time. can be achieved, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

(A) Front view, (B) exploded perspective view, (C) exploded plan view showing the bioelectrode according to the first embodiment. Process chart explaining the laminated structure (A) front view, (B) side view, and (C) exploded plan view showing the bioelectrode according to the second embodiment. (A) front view, (B) side view, and (C) exploded plan view showing a bioelectrode according to a third embodiment (A) exploded perspective view, (B) front view of main part showing an electrical connection structure according to another embodiment of the shield layers (A) An exploded perspective view and (B) a front view of a main part showing an electrical connection structure between shield layers according to still another embodiment.

Several embodiments of the bioelectrode 10 according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is (A) a front view, (B) an exploded perspective view, and (C) an exploded plan view showing a bioelectrode 10 according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a process drawing explaining a laminated structure. 3 are (A) a front view, (B) a side view, and (C) an exploded plan view showing a biomedical electrode 20 according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a biomedical electrode 20 according to a third embodiment. It is (A) a front view, (B) a side view, and (C) an exploded plan view showing an electrode 30, and FIGS. 5 and 6 show an electrical connection structure between shield layers according to another embodiment (A). It is an exploded perspective view and (B) a front view of a main part.

First, a bioelectrode 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In particular, the bioelectrode 10 according to this embodiment is formed with two measurement electrodes 15 and a circuit layer 14 connected to each measurement electrode 15 . Further, in the present embodiment, the base material 11 is used, and on one surface of the base material 11, conductive material layers and insulating material layers are alternately laminated. The conductive material layer is composed of a measuring electrode 15, a circuit layer 14 and a shield layer, which will be described in detail below, and the insulating material layer is composed of resist layers (13, 16) present on both sides of the measuring electrode 15. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, a shield layer 12 is provided using a conductive material on a substrate 11 that functions as a base material that retains a fixed shape. The shield layer 12 can be formed by coating or printing a conductive material, or by attaching a thin film made of a conductive material. In this embodiment, the shield layer provided on the base material 11 exists on the side away from the living body. Second, a second shield layer 12 is formed. In addition, in this embodiment, the side facing the living body at the time of attachment is described as the upper side.

In particular, the two shield layers (12, 17) according to the present embodiment are formed so as to cover the area where the circuit layer 14 described later is provided, and the first shield layer 12 is further provided with the measurement electrode 15. It is formed so as to cover the area. Further, in the present embodiment, since two circuit layers 14 are formed, each circuit layer 14 is formed with a width that covers it.

A resist layer 13 is provided on the second shield layer 12 using an insulating material. The resist layer 13 can also be formed by coating or printing an insulating material, or by attaching a thin film made of an insulating material. Since the resist layer provided on the second shield layer 12 exists in the direction away from the living body with the circuit layer 14 as a reference, in the present embodiment, the second resist layer 13 is positioned closer to the living body than the circuit layer 14. is distinguished from the resist layer (first resist layer 16) present in the .

The second resist layer 13 is formed so as to expose at least one region of the second shield layer 12 . That is, the width or length of any one of the regions is reduced, the peripheral edge is recessed in the plane direction, or an opening is formed in the second resist layer 13 to form the second region. Shield layer 12 is exposed. Especially in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. so that a portion of the second shield layer 12 (especially the edge portion) is exposed from the second resist layer 13. As shown in FIG.

Formed on the second resist layer 13 are a measuring electrode 15 for acquiring a biological signal and a circuit layer 14 for transmitting the signal acquired by the measuring electrode 15 . Both the measurement electrode 15 and the circuit layer 14 are made of a conductive material, and both may be made of the same material or different materials. At least one of the measuring electrode 15 and the circuit layer 14 may be formed by printing, or both may be formed of a thin film and attached to each other, or may be formed of a plate or a conductive wire. . However, the measuring electrode 15 and the circuit layer 14 must be formed on the second resist layer 13 so as not to contact the second shield layer 12 .

A first resist layer 16 made of an insulating material is provided on the measuring electrode 15 and the circuit layer 14 . The first resist layer 16 may be formed of the same material as the second resist layer 13, or may be formed of a different material. The first resist layer 16 is formed to have a width capable of covering at least the circuit layer 14 . By forming such a first resist layer 16 , the circuit layer 14 has a structure sandwiched between the first resist layer 16 and the second resist layer 13 . However, even after providing the second resist layer 13, the second shield layer 12 needs to be exposed at least partially. That is, in order to expose the second shield layer 12, the first resist layer 16 has a width or length smaller than that of the second shield layer 12, or a peripheral edge. It is necessary to form a recess in the plane direction or to form an opening. In the present embodiment, since the first resist layer 16 is formed to have the same width as the second resist layer 13, the edge region of the second shield layer 12 is exposed. is formed as

A first shield layer 17 is provided on the first resist layer 16 so as to cover the first resist layer 16 . The first shield layer 17 may be formed using the same material as the second shield layer 12, or may be formed using a different material. The first shield layer 17 may be formed by coating or printing a conductive material, or by attaching a thin film made of a conductive material. However, the first shield layer 17 is formed so as to contact the second shield layer 12 without contacting the circuit layer 14 and the measurement electrodes 15 . In this embodiment, the exposed edge portion of the second shield layer 12 has a laminate structure in which they are in direct contact with each other, and are electrically connected by surface contact (lamination) at the edge portion.

With the above configuration, the circuit layer 14 that transmits the biological signal acquired by the measurement electrode 15 is covered with the first and second shield layers 12 on both sides in the thickness direction. Moreover, since the first and second resist layers 13 are provided between the measuring electrode 15 and each shield layer, insulation between the circuit layer 14 and the first and second shield layers 12 is achieved. has been fulfilled. This eliminates the influence of external electromagnetic waves, static electricity, and the like on the circuit layer 14, and prevents noise from entering. The proximal end of the circuit layer 14 with the measuring electrode 15 provided on the distal end side converges at a position close to each other to form a connector, and the connector is connected to a medical measuring instrument (not shown). become.

Especially in the bioelectrode according to the present embodiment, since the shield layer, the resist layer, the measurement electrode, and the circuit layer are provided on one side of the base material, through holes for electrically connecting the conductive material layers can be made unnecessary. When the shield layer, the resist layer, the measuring electrodes and the circuit layer are formed by printing or coating, the base material is continuously supplied in the form of a roll, and the shield layer, the resist layer and the measuring electrodes are formed thereon. Efficient manufacturing can be achieved by continuous printing of circuit layers.

In the bioelectrode 10 configured as described above, each measuring electrode 15 can be provided with an electrolyte part 18 in order to attach the measuring electrode 15 to the living body and transmit a biosignal to the measuring electrode 15. . The electrolyte part 18 is provided so as to be electrically connected to each measuring electrode 15 without being in contact with each shield layer, as shown in FIG. 1(A). For this reason, in the present embodiment, the second resist layer is formed so that the tip side thereof covers the second shield layer, and the width of the base end side is narrowed by the reduction amount (W). there is

Also, the first shield layer 17 may be provided with an electrolyte portion 18 for improving adhesion to the living body in order to reduce the potential of the shield layer to the living body. The electrolyte part 18 may be the same as the electrolyte part 18 provided in the measuring electrode 15, or may be made of a different material.

Moreover, in the bioelectrode 10 according to the first embodiment, the first shield layer 17 can be covered to prevent direct contact with the living body. For this purpose, the first shield layer 17 may be formed of the same material as the resist layer, or may be made of resin such as urethane, polyolefin resin, polypropylene, polyethylene, vinyl chloride, silicon rubber, urethane rubber, or fluorine. Synthetic rubber such as rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber may be applied, or a thin film of these rubbers may be attached. However, the covering layer (not shown) covering the first shield layer 17 can be provided after ensuring electrical connection between the first shield layer 17 and the electrolyte portion.

Here, the base material 11 can be formed of an insulating material that has sufficient flexibility and a certain shape retention property and has a tensile strength to the extent that it is not easily cut. For example, polyethylene naphthalate film and polyethylene terephthalate film In addition to resin materials such as polyamide-imide films, materials having electrical insulation such as synthetic non-woven fabrics can be used. However, the base material 11 is not always necessary. The base material 11 may be omitted and the second shield layer 12 may also serve as the base material 11 .

In the present embodiment, among the conductive material layers, the circuit layer 14 is made of silver, and the measuring electrodes 15 are made of a mixture of silver and silver chloride. However, the circuit layer 14 and the measuring electrode 15 may be formed as layers using any conductive metal such as other conductive materials such as silver-silver chloride, silver, gold, copper, carbon, aluminum, and nickel. can be done. In particular, in the present embodiment, the circuit layer 14 is formed as a silver layer, and the measurement electrode 15 electrically connected to the circuit layer 14 is formed of silver-silver chloride for ion exchange with the electrolyte part. is doing. By providing such a layer of silver-silver chloride, it is possible to prevent the polarization of the conductive material layer in the measuring electrode 15 at the time of measurement. is particularly desirable. It is also particularly desirable for achieving smooth ion exchange in cases where drugs are introduced into the body by applying electricity as in iontoforest therapy.

In the present embodiment, the first shield layer 17 is made of carbon and the second shield layer 12 is made of a mixture of carbon and silver. Although 17 and the second shield layer 12 are made of different materials, they may be made of the same material, or may be made of any conductive material such as silver-silver chloride, silver, gold, copper, carbon, aluminum, nickel, etc. It can also be formed using metal. That is, the shield layers (12, 17) can be used without any particular problem as long as they are conductive materials.

The resist layers (13, 16) are not particularly limited, and photocurable resin compositions such as novolac type epoxy acrylate compounds, bisphenol fluorene type epoxy acrylate compounds, or acid-modified products of these epoxy acrylate compounds. Alternatively, it may be formed of a thermosetting resin composition or a thermoplastic resin composition. Also, the resist layer does not necessarily need to be made of a photoresist material, and any material having electrical insulation such as vinyl chloride film, PET film, synthetic non-woven fabric, etc. can be used.

The conductive electrolyte portion can be composed of acrylic resin, urethane resin, or the like, and can also be composed of karaya rubber. It is desirable that the electrolyte part has semi-fluidity or fluidity such as gel or gel.

Next, a bioelectrode 20 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The bioelectrode 20 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of measurement electrodes (25b, 25c) and a grounding electrode 25a. In addition, the circuit layers (24a, 24b, 24c) that serve as wiring for each electrode (earth electrode 25a and measurement electrodes 25b, 25c) are formed in different layers, respectively, and by overlapping each other, the It is possible to narrow the width of the circuit layers (24a, 24b, 24c), and thus the width of the wiring portion (the portion where the circuit layers (24a, 24b, 24c) are present) in the bioelectrode 20. Furthermore, in the bioelectrode 20 according to this embodiment, the grounding electrode 25a and the two measuring electrodes (25b, 25c) are linearly arranged. In addition, in the present embodiment, the materials constituting the base material 11, the shield layers (22, 27), the measurement electrodes (25b, 25c), and the resist layers (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 29) and the forming method are the same as those in the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 is (A) a front view, (B) a side view, and (C) an exploded plan view showing a bioelectrode 20 according to a second embodiment. In the bioelectrode 20 according to this embodiment, the flexible sheet-like base material 11 has a belt-like shape in which the measuring electrodes (25b, 25c) and the grounding electrode 25a protrude in a circular shape. is formed in In FIG. 3, a protruding portion 21a for a grounding electrode 25a is formed on the distal end side, and a protruding portion 21a for forming two measuring electrodes (25b, 25c) is formed on the proximal side. They are formed at predetermined intervals. The projecting portions 21a are connected to each other by the band-shaped portion 21b.

On the substrate 11 thus formed, a shield layer (second shield layer 22) made of a conductive material is provided on the area of the substrate 11 other than the area where the connector on the base end side is formed. A fourth resist layer 23a made of an insulating material is provided on the second shield layer 22. As shown in FIG. The fourth resist layer 23a has the same shape as the shield layer 22, but the width of the band-shaped portion 21b provided between the projecting portions 21a is narrower than that of the second shield layer 22. there is As a result, the second shield layer 22 is exposed on both widthwise sides of the strip portion 21b of the fourth resist layer 23a. Further, in the present embodiment, a gap s is formed in the belt-like portion 21b existing between the protruding portion 21a for the grounding electrode 25a and the protruding portion 21a for the measuring electrode 25b. This gap portion s realizes electrical connection between the second shield layer 22 and the third circuit layer 24a connected to the grounding electrode 25a provided on the fourth resist layer 23a.

A ground electrode 25a and a third circuit layer 24a for transmitting signals from the ground electrode 25a are provided on the fourth resist layer 23a. The grounding electrode 25a is placed on the living body to obtain a reference voltage, and electrically connects the shield layers (22, 27) to the living body to stabilize the potential. be able to. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ground electrode 25a is electrically connected to the second shield layer 22 at the gap s.

A third resist layer 23b is provided on the ground electrode 25a and the third circuit layer 24a so as to cover the third circuit layer 24a. This third resist layer 23b is also formed so that the strip portion 21b has the same width as that of the fourth resist layer 23a, and corresponds to the gap s formed in the fourth resist layer 23a. A gap portion s is formed in the region. Since the first shield layer 27, which will be described later, is provided in the gap s, the third circuit layer 24a is electrically connected to the first and second shield layers (22, 27) in the gap s. will be physically connected. Note that the gap portion may be formed only in one of the fourth and third resist layers (23a, 23b). This is because the first shield layer 27 and the second shield layer 22 are electrically connected at the edge portion of the strip portion 21b.

A second measuring electrode 25b and a second circuit layer 24b for transmitting signals obtained by the second measuring electrode 25b are provided on the third resist layer 23b. In this embodiment, the second circuit layer 24b is laminated so as to exist directly above the third circuit layer 24a.

A second resist layer 23c is provided on the second measuring electrode 25b and the second circuit layer 24b so as to cover the second circuit layer 24b. This second resist layer 23c is formed so as to cover the second circuit layer 24b, and the width of the strip portion 21b is formed to be the same width as the third and fourth resist layers (23a, 23b). is doing. As a result, the second shield layer 22 is exposed at the side edge of the band-shaped portion 21b.

A first measuring electrode 25c and a first circuit layer 24c for transmitting signals obtained by the first measuring electrode 25c are provided on the second resist layer 23c. The first measuring electrode 25c is in line with the second measuring electrode 25c, and the first circuit layer 24c is positioned directly above the second circuit layer 24b. is formed in

A first resist layer 23d is provided on the first measuring electrode 25c and the first circuit layer 24c. Since the strip portion 21b of the first resist layer 23d is also formed to have the same width as that of the fourth resist layer 23a, the second shield layer 22 is exposed at the side edge of the strip portion 21b. is doing.

A first shield layer 27 is provided on top of the lamination as described above so as to cover each strip portion 21b. Since the first shield layer 27 is formed to have the same width as the belt-shaped portion 21b of the second shield layer 22, the second shield layer 22 and the first shield layer 27 are separated from each other at the edge portion. are electrically connected. Since the second shield layer 22 and the first shield layer 27 are electrically connected to the third circuit layer 24a connected to the ground electrode 25a in the gap s, the shield layer ( 22, 27) can be grounded. This stabilizes the potentials of the first and second shield layers (22, 27) in the bioelectrode 20, making it possible to obtain more accurate biosignals.

In the bioelectrode 20 according to the present embodiment, a resist layer 29 or a layer of a material having insulating, waterproof, and cushioning properties is provided on the first shield layer 27 that exists on the living body side when worn. It covers and eliminates the discomfort of the user when worn. An electrolyte portion 28 is provided on each electrode to ensure contact with the living body.

In the bioelectrode 20 according to the second embodiment formed as described above, the circuit layers (24a, 24b, 24c) are sandwiched between the resist layers (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) and are insulated from each other. Each electrode and circuit layer (24a, 24b, 24c) is provided with shield layers (22, 27) on both sides in the thickness direction. As a result, the biosignals acquired by the measurement electrodes (25b, 25c) are less likely to be contaminated with noise, and more accurate biosignals can be acquired.

In the bioelectrode 20 according to the present embodiment, each circuit layer (24a, 24b, 24c) of the connector on the base end side of the base material 11 is the same via the resist layers (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d). Although it is configured to be exposed on a line, it is also possible to line it up in the width direction and take it out by changing the formation pattern of the circuit layers (24a, 24b, 24c).

That is, like the bioelectrode according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the circuit layers in the connector portion can be arranged in the width direction. That is, the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has a laminated structure similar to that of the second embodiment, but the connector portion, that is, the base end side of each layer is different. Therefore, reference numerals in the drawings are the same as those in FIG. 3, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

In the bioelectrode according to the third embodiment, the base end side of the fourth resist layer 23a is formed wide, and the second shield layer 22 is formed so as not to be exposed. formed to the same width as The base end side of the third circuit layer 24a laminated thereon is bent so as to exist on one of the left and right sides. The third resist layer 23b laminated on the third circuit layer 24a has a length that exposes the base end side of the third circuit layer 24a and the base end side of the second circuit layer 24a. The width of the shield layer 22 is the same as that of the fourth resist layer 23a so that the shield layer 22 is not exposed. A second circuit layer 24b is laminated on the third resist layer 23b in the same manner as in the second embodiment, and a third circuit layer 24b is formed thereon in the same manner as the third resist layer 23b. Two resist layers 23c are deposited to expose the proximal end of the second circuit layer 24b. A second resist layer 23c is laminated thereon, and a first circuit layer 24c is laminated thereon. The base end of the first circuit layer 24c is bent to the side opposite to the third circuit layer 24a. By laminating the first resist layer 23d thereon, a bioelectrode having a connector portion in which circuit layers are arranged in the width direction is formed on the base end side of the substrate.

In the above two embodiments, the width of any one of the resist layers (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) is adjusted, and the upper and lower shield layers (22, 27) are electrically connected at the edges of the region. However, it is not limited to this. That is, by changing the formation pattern of the resist layers (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) and the shield layers (22, 27), the laminated shield layers (22, 27) are electrically connected in an arbitrary region. be able to. For example, it may be an embodiment as shown in FIGS.

FIG. 5 is (A) an exploded perspective view and (B) a front view of a main part showing an electrical connection structure between shield layers (32, 37) according to another embodiment. In the connection structure between the shield layers (32, 37) according to this embodiment, the resist layers (33, 36) sandwiching the circuit layer 34 from above and below, and the shield layers (32, 32) sandwiching the resist layer from above and below. , 37) are formed to have the same width. On top of that, the resist layer (33, 36) is partially recessed at the edges. As a result, the lower shield layer 32 is exposed at the recessed portion 30 as shown in the laminated perspective view of FIG. 5B. If a resist layer 36 having the recessed portion 30 is laminated thereon and then a shield layer 37 is laminated thereon, the two shield (32, 37) layers can be electrically connected at the recessed portion 30. can be done. That is, electrical connection between the upper and lower shield layers can be realized by the printed pattern of the resist layer.

FIG. 6 is (A) an exploded perspective view and (B) a front view of a main part showing an electrical connection structure between shield layers (42, 47) according to another embodiment. In the connection structure between the shield layers (42, 47) according to this embodiment, the resist layers (42, 47) sandwiching the circuit layer 44 from above and below, and the shield layers (42, 47) sandwiching the resist layer from above and below. , 47) are formed to have the same width, and an opening 40 penetrating in the thickness direction is formed in a partial region of the shield layer. As a result, the lower shield layer 42 is exposed at the opening 40, as shown in the laminated perspective view of FIG. 6B. By laminating a resist layer having the opening 40 thereon and then laminating a shield layer 46, the two shield (42, 47) layers can be electrically connected at the opening 40. can. That is, electrical connection between the upper and lower shield layers can be realized by the printed pattern of the resist layer.

The bioelectrode according to the present invention can be used in the medical field and the like. Moreover, the electrical connection structure between the layers in the above laminated structure can be used not only for bioelectrodes but also for multi-layer boards such as electronic circuit boards.

10,20 bioelectrodes
11,21 base material
12,,22,32 First shield layer
13,16, 23,33,36 Resist layer
14,24 circuit layers
15,25 Measuring electrodes
17,27,37 Second shield layer
18,28 Electrolyte section
21a overhang
21b strip
25a Ground electrode
25b,25c Measuring electrodes
27 Shield layer
30 recessed part
40 openings

Claims (6)

A biomedical electrode that acquires a biosignal from one or more measurement electrodes,
It is formed in a laminated structure in which insulating material layers made of an insulating material and conductive material layers made of a conductive material are alternately laminated,
The conductive material layer includes a circuit layer that transmits the biosignal acquired by the measurement electrode, and two or more shield layers present on both sides in the thickness direction of the circuit layer,
The insulating material layer is provided between the circuit layer and the shield layers present on both sides in the thickness direction,
Between the insulating material layers existing on both sides of the circuit layer in the thickness direction, there are recessed portions in which the periphery is recessed in the plane direction from the shield layers existing above and below, openings penetrating in the thickness direction, or band-shaped portions. The gap part formed in is provided at the same position,
stacked on top of each other At least one of the shield layers has a layer of insulating material therebetween.The recessed portions provided at the same position on each otherthe part that spreads wider than, thisPenetrating in the thickness direction provided in the insulating material layerSaidopening, or the gap portion formed in the band-shaped portion of the insulating material layerelectrically atdirectlyis connected and
The biomedical electrode, wherein the shield layer is electrically connected to a ground electrode for placing the shield layer on the living body or a circuit layer connected to the ground electrode. Furthermore, it is configured to include a flexible insulating base material,
2. The bioelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the two or more shield layers are all formed on the surface of the insulating base material on which the measuring electrode is provided.
Both the insulating material layer and the conductive material layer are formed by printing,
the conductive material layer comprises two or more circuit layers;
each circuit layer is insulated from each other by the insulating material layer;
3. The bioelectrode according to claim 1, wherein each circuit layer serving as wiring for the grounding electrode and the measuring electrode is formed in a different layer.
At least one of the two or more shield layers forms an outline of a laminated structure composed of the insulating material layer and the conductive material layer,
The bioelectrode according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the measuring electrode is provided at an end of the circuit layer and is exposed from the insulating material layer.
In a laminated structure in which the insulating material layers and the conductive material layers are alternately laminated, the bottom layer and the top layer are the shield layers,
The bioelectrode according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the shield layers is made of a material different from that of the other shield layers.
A method for producing a bioelectrode having a laminated structure in which insulating material layers made of an insulating material and conductive material layers made of a conductive material are alternately laminated,
The insulating material layer includes two or more resist layers, and the conductive material layer includes a circuit layer for transmitting biosignals acquired by the measurement electrode and two or more shields present on both sides of the circuit layer in the thickness direction. contains layers,
The insulating material layer is provided between the circuit layer and the shield layers present on both sides in the thickness direction,
At least one of the resist layer, the circuit layer, and the shield layer is formed by printing or coating,
Between the insulating material layers existing on both sides in the thickness direction of the circuit layer, there are recessed portions in which the peripheral edge is recessed in the planar direction from the shield layers existing above and below, openings penetrating in the thickness direction, or band-shaped portions. The gap part formed in is provided at the same position,
by such printing or coatingstacked on top of each otherformeda littlelayers of insulating material between which at least one shield layer existsThe recessed portions provided at the same position on each otherthe part that spreads wider than, thisPenetrating in the thickness direction provided in the insulating material layerSaidopening, or the gap portion formed in the band-shaped portion of the insulating material layerelectrically atdirectlyprinted or painted to be connected,
A method for producing a bioelectrode, wherein the shield layer is electrically connected to a ground electrode for placing the shield layer on the living body or a circuit layer connected to the ground electrode.

Images