JP7186437B2 - Muscle contraction detection sensor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a muscle contraction detection sensor that detects muscle contraction.

In recent years, power assist suits (robot suits) and electric power gloves, which are worn on the human body and used in fields such as medical care and welfare, detect the contraction of the user's muscles as a man-machine interface. A sensor is used.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of pressing members are pressed against a human body toward muscles to be detected, and based on changes in the reaction force (pressure) applied to each of the pressing members from the human body as the muscles contract, A muscle contraction detection sensor for detecting muscle contraction is disclosed.

WO2018/186348

However, the conventional muscle contraction detection sensor may not be able to appropriately detect changes in the pressure applied from the human body to each of the pressing members due to muscle contraction when the sensor is greatly tilted with respect to a part of the human body. There was a risk that the accuracy of detecting muscle contraction would decrease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention, which has been made in view of such circumstances, is to provide a muscle contraction detection sensor that improves the accuracy of detecting muscle contraction.

The muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention is
A muscle contraction detection sensor that detects muscle contraction,
a substrate;
a first pressing member to be pressed against the muscle, the first fluid storage portion being disposed on an upper plate portion of the substrate facing the muscle; a first pressing member composed of the first fluid storage portion and a second fluid storage portion connected by a flow path;
a first pressure detection unit having a contact surface with the second fluid storage unit and detecting a first pressure applied from the second fluid storage unit to the contact surface;
a second pressing member that is pressed against the muscle, the second pressing member having a different protrusion height from the upper plate portion of the substrate in an unloaded state from that of the first pressing member;
a second pressure detection unit that detects a second pressure applied from the second pressing member,
Contraction of the muscle is detected based on a change in the difference or ratio between the first pressure and the second pressure.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, it is preferable that the second pressing member has a higher protrusion height from the upper plate portion of the substrate in an unloaded state than the first pressing member.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, it is preferable that the first fluid storage section is formed in a ring around the second pressing member on the upper plate section.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, it is preferable that the first pressing member is detachably formed on the substrate.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, it is preferable that the second fluid storage section is arranged in the internal space of the substrate.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, it is preferable that the fluid stored in the first fluid storage section and the second fluid storage section is air.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor of the present invention, the second pressing member includes a third fluid storage portion arranged on the upper plate portion of the substrate, a position other than the upper plate portion of the substrate, and the third The second pressure detection unit includes a fluid storage unit and a fourth fluid storage unit connected by a flow path, and the second pressure detection unit has a contact surface with the fourth fluid storage unit. Preferably, said second pressure applied to the contact surface is detected.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a muscle contraction detection sensor that improves the accuracy of detecting muscle contraction.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a muscle contraction detection sensor in a no-load state according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the muscle contraction detection sensor shown in FIG. 1; (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of a muscle contraction detection sensor pressed vertically against a predetermined part of the human body, and (b) is a muscle contraction sensor pressed against the predetermined part of the human body at a large inclination. It is a sectional view showing a state of a detection sensor. (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the muscle contraction detection sensor when worn on the human body, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the muscle contraction detection sensor when the muscle contracts. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor shown in FIG. 1; FIG.

Hereinafter, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described more specifically by way of example with reference to the drawings.

A muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a predetermined part of a human body such as an arm, a leg, or a torso by an elastic belt or the like, and detects muscle contraction at the predetermined part. The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 may be used, for example, as a man-machine interface in human-body-worn motion support devices such as power assist suits and electric power gloves used in medical and welfare fields.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention in a no-load state. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 shown in FIG. The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 includes a first pressing member 3 and a second pressing member 4 which are pressed against the muscle on an upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 . As shown in FIG. 1, the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are configured to have different projection heights from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state. For example, in FIG. 1, the second pressing member 4 protrudes from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state higher than the first pressing member 3 does. As a result, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against a predetermined portion of the human body so that the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 faces closely, the first pressing member 3 is applied to the first pressing member 3 as the muscles contract. Based on the change in the difference or ratio between the first pressure and the second pressure applied to the second pressing member 4 before and after the contraction, contraction of the muscle at the site can be detected.

In this specification, one direction on a plane horizontal to the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 is called an x-axis direction, and a direction perpendicular to the x-axis direction on the plane is called a y-axis direction. A direction orthogonal to the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction is called a z-axis direction. In this specification, in the z-axis direction, the direction in which the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against a predetermined portion of the human body is called the upward direction, and the direction opposite to the upward direction is called the downward direction. Further, in this specification, the upward surface in the z-axis direction of the members constituting the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is referred to as the upper surface, and the downward surface is referred to as the lower surface.

(Muscle contraction detection sensor)
The configuration of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 includes a substrate 2, a first pressing member 3, a second pressing member 4, a first pressure detection section 5, a second pressure detection section 6, and a controller. A part 7 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter corresponding to the muscle width (the width in the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction) of the muscle to be detected by the muscle contraction detection sensor 1, for example. can do. The substrate 2 includes an upper plate portion 21 , a lower plate portion 22 facing the upper plate portion 21 , and side wall portions 23 connecting the upper plate portion 21 and the lower plate portion 22 . An internal space 2a is thus formed in the substrate 2 . The side wall portion 23 is provided with an opening portion 24 for accommodating the second fluid storage portion 32 of the first pressing member 3 in the internal space 2a, as will be described later. The substrate 2 is formed of, for example, polyetherimide resin, but is not limited to this, and can be any material having rigidity to the extent that excessive deformation does not occur during use, such as synthetic resin materials such as engineering plastics, and metal materials. may be formed by In this embodiment, the diameters of the upper plate portion 21 and the lower plate portion 22 are set to, for example, about 30 mm, but the diameters can be set arbitrarily according to the muscle or the like to be detected. Also, the shape of the upper plate portion 21 and the lower plate portion 22 is not limited to a disk shape, and may be an arbitrary shape such as a rectangular plate shape.

The first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are members that are pressed toward the muscle to be detected. The first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are arranged such that at least a part thereof protrudes vertically upward from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 . As a result, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is fixed to the human body while being urged toward the muscle by an elastic belt or the like, the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 move toward the target muscle to be detected. pushed towards. The first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 may be directly pressed against the skin of a predetermined part of the human body where the muscle to be detected is located, or may be pressed against the skin via clothes, a towel, or the like. . Hereinafter, the skin of a predetermined portion of the human body having muscles to be detected, or the clothing, towel, or the like covering the skin will also be referred to as the "human body or the like."

The first pressing member 3 includes a first fluid storage portion 31 arranged on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 and a position other than the upper plate portion 21 . It is composed of a connected second fluid storage section 32 .

The first fluid storage part 31 is formed in a bag-like shape in which fluid is stored in an internal space 31a. The first fluid storage part 31 can be made of, for example, a flexible material that can be deformed when pressure is applied from the outside. The first fluid storage part 31 may be made of a non-stretchable material. The first fluid storage section 31 is made of a synthetic resin material such as vinyl chloride resin, but the material is not limited to this. The first fluid storage portion 31 is arranged on the upper surface of the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 . Thus, the first fluid storage section 31 can directly receive pressure from the human body or the like when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed toward the muscles against the human body or the like. At this time, by forming the first fluid storage part 31 in the shape of a flexible bag in which the fluid is stored, the feeling received by the human body when the first fluid storage part 31 is pressed against the human body is improved. can be done. Also, the outer diameter of the first fluid storage part 31 may be larger than the outer diameter of the substrate 2 . As a result, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like toward the muscles, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the substrate 2 is pressed against the human body or the like and the comfort is impaired.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the first fluid storage portion 31 is formed in a ring shape on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 around the second pressing member 4 . Thus, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like, the first pressing member 3 can stably support the substrate 2 against the human body or the like. In the present specification, "formed in an annular shape around" means that the first fluid storage portion 31 is formed continuously so as to surround the entire circumference of the second pressing member 4 without gaps. , but also formed in a C-shape with a cut-out around the second pressing member 4 or a plurality of separations intermittently arranged side by side around the second pressing member 4 Any form surrounding the periphery of the second pressing member 4, such as the case where it is divided into parts, is included. As described above, when the first fluid storage portion 31 is formed by a plurality of separated portions arranged intermittently along the circumferential direction around the second pressing member 4, By connecting the separate parts of the first fluid storage part 31 with a tube or the like so that the internal pressures of the first fluid storage parts 31 are the same, the pressure received by the first fluid storage part 31 from the human body or the like is detected as a single first pressure detection. It can be configured to be detected by the unit 5 . In addition, in this specification, the term “annular” means not only a shape (annular shape) surrounding the second pressing member 4 in a circular shape, but also an arbitrary ring shape such as a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape. Shall be included.

The second fluid storage part 32 is formed in a bag-like shape in which a fluid is stored in an internal space 32a. The second fluid storage part 32 can be made of a flexible material that can be deformed when fluid flows in from the first fluid storage part 31 . The second fluid storage portion 32 may be made of a non-stretchable material. The second fluid storage section 32 is made of a synthetic resin material such as vinyl chloride resin, but is not limited to this. The second fluid storage portion 32 is arranged at a position other than on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 . In this embodiment, the second fluid storage section 32 is arranged in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2 and is located under the substrate 2 so as to be in contact with the first pressure detection section 5 arranged on the lower plate section 22 of the substrate 2 . It is arranged on the upper surface of the plate portion 22 . Also, the second fluid storage section 32 is connected to the first fluid storage section 31 by a channel 33 . As a result, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like toward the muscles, the second fluid storage section 32 does not directly receive the pressure from the human body or the like, but the first fluid storage portion 32 does not receive the pressure from the human body or the like. The internal pressure of the internal space 32 a of the second fluid storage section 32 changes according to the pressure applied to the section 31 . In addition to the first pressure detecting portion 5 on the upper surface of the lower plate portion 22 of the substrate 2, the second fluid storage portion 32 is also provided on the lower surface of the upper plate portion 21 in a no-load state accommodated in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2. can be placed in contact with each other. Thereby, the second fluid storage section 32 can be arranged so as to be stably in contact with the first pressure detection section 5 at a desired position and a desired contact area.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the second fluid storage section 32 is formed in a circular shape in plan view, but is not limited to this, and may be formed in an arbitrary shape such as a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape. good too.

The channel 33 connects the first fluid storage section 31 and the second fluid storage section 32 . The channel 33 is, for example, a rubber tube or the like, but may be any cylindrical material that is flexible enough to be bent when the first pressing member 3 is arranged on the substrate 2 . The flow path 33 may be formed integrally with each of the first fluid storage part 31 and the second fluid storage part 32 in advance so that the fluid does not flow out from the connecting portion, or may be formed integrally with the first fluid storage part 31 and the second fluid storage part 32 . It may be attached to each of the second fluid storage portions 32 using means such as thermal welding or adhesion. The first fluid storage portion 31, the second fluid storage portion 32, and the channel 33 may be made of the same material.

In the present embodiment, the fluid stored in the first fluid storage section 31 and the second fluid storage section 32 is air, but is not limited to this, and may be gas other than air or liquid such as water. However, by using air as the fluid stored in the first fluid storage portion 31 and the second fluid storage portion 32, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be manufactured at low cost.

The first pressing member 3 is detachably formed on the substrate 2 . For example, in the first pressing member 3 , the first fluid containing portion 31 is detachably arranged on the upper surface of the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 by a hook-and-loop fastener or the like, and the second fluid containing portion 32 is arranged on the lower plate portion of the substrate 2 . 22 may be detachably arranged on the upper surface. In this case, when the first pressing member 3 is damaged or soiled, it can be easily replaced with a new first pressing member 3 . The first pressing member 3 may be fixed to the substrate 2 . In such a case, the first pressing member 3 can be arranged more stably on the substrate 2 .

The second pressing member 4 is composed of a third fluid storage portion 41 arranged on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 .

The third fluid storage part 41 is formed in a bag-like shape in which fluid is stored in an internal space 41a. The third fluid storage part 41 can be made of a flexible material that can be deformed when pressure is applied from the outside. The third fluid storage part 41 may be made of a non-stretchable material. The third fluid storage section 41 is made of a synthetic resin material such as vinyl chloride resin, but is not limited to this. The third fluid storage portion 41 is arranged on the upper surface of the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 so as to be in contact with the second pressure detection portion 6 arranged on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 . As a result, the third fluid storage section 41 can directly receive pressure from the human body or the like when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed toward the muscles against the human body or the like. At this time, by forming the third fluid storage portion 41 into a flexible bag-like shape in which the fluid is stored, the feeling received by the human body or the like when the third fluid storage portion 41 is pressed against the human body or the like is improved. can be done.

In this embodiment, the third fluid storage section 41 is formed in the center of the upper plate section 21 of the substrate 2, as shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the third fluid storage part 41 is formed in a circular shape in a plan view, but is not limited to this, and may be formed in an arbitrary shape such as a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape. .

In the present embodiment, the fluid stored in the third fluid storage unit 41 is air, but is not limited to this, and may be gas other than air or liquid such as water. Further, the fluid stored in the third fluid storage portion 41 may be the same fluid as the fluid stored in the first fluid storage portion 31 and the second fluid storage portion 32, or may be a different fluid. However, by using air as the fluid stored in the third fluid storage unit 41, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be manufactured at low cost.

In this embodiment, the first pressing member 3 (more specifically, the first fluid storage portion 31) and the second pressing member 4 (more specifically, the third fluid storage portion 41) are connected to the substrate in an unloaded state. 2 are configured to have different projection heights from the top of the upper plate portion 21 . As used herein, the term "unloaded state" refers to a state in which the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is not pressed against the muscle. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the second pressing member 4 may have a higher protrusion height than the first pressing member 3 from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state. As shown in FIG. 1, the second pressing member 4 protrudes from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 so that the protrusion height of the second pressing member 4 from the upper plate portion 21 is higher than that of the first pressing member 4 . It may be arranged on the upper surface of the protrusion 21b formed thereon. As a result, when the second pressing member 4 is pressed against the human body or the like toward the muscles, it is possible to reduce the risk that the protrusion 21b will be pressed against the human body or the like, resulting in loss of comfort.

The first pressure detection unit 5 and the second pressure detection unit 6 detect externally applied pressure. The first pressure detection unit 5 and the second pressure detection unit 6 may detect, as pressure, the deformation of the pressure sensing surface on which the strain gauges are arranged, using, for example, strain gauge pressure transducers. The first pressure detection unit 5 and the second pressure detection unit 6 are, for example, disc-shaped, but are not limited to this, and may be of any shape such as a square shape or a polygonal shape.

The first pressure detection unit 5 has a contact surface with the second fluid storage unit 32 and detects a first pressure applied from the second fluid storage unit 32 to the contact surface. Specifically, the first pressure detection unit 5 detects the internal pressure of the internal space 32a of the second fluid storage unit 32, which changes according to the magnitude of the pressure applied to the first fluid storage unit 31 from the human body, etc. Detected as 1 pressure. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the first pressure detection section 5 is fitted into a groove 22a formed on the inner space 2a side of the lower plate section 22 of the substrate 2, and is connected to the second fluid storage section 32. The contact surfaces are arranged so as to be exposed to the internal space 2a. The first pressure detection unit 5 and the second fluid storage unit 32 are configured such that the contact surface of the second fluid storage unit 32 with respect to the lower plate 22 covers the entire pressure sensing surface of the first pressure detection unit 5 . is preferred. This allows the first pressure detector 5 to more accurately detect the internal pressure of the internal space 32 a of the second fluid storage section 32 .

Thus, the first pressure detection unit 5 is not the first fluid storage unit 31 to which pressure is applied directly from the human body or the like, but the second fluid storage unit connected to the first fluid storage unit 31 via the flow path 33. The effect of being arranged so as to be in contact with 32 will be described below with specific examples.

FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 pressed vertically against a predetermined part of the human body. In FIG. 3A, the pressures F1 and F2 applied from the human body or the like are equal to the left side and the right side of the annular continuous first fluid storage portion 31 . FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 pressed against a predetermined part of the human body with a large inclination. In FIG. 3B, the pressures F1 and F2 applied from the human body or the like are different between the left side and the right side of the first fluid storage section 31 . For example, it is conceivable that the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is greatly tilted with respect to the human body due to a change in the posture of the person wearing the muscle contraction detection sensor 1, or a rise of the muscles due to exercise or the like. As shown in FIG. 3(b), even if the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is greatly inclined with respect to the human body or the like, the force applied to the first fluid storage unit 31 is the same as in the case shown in FIG. 3(a). If the total pressure (F1+F2) is the same, the internal pressure of the internal space 32a of the second fluid storage section 32, which varies according to the magnitude of the pressure applied to the first fluid storage section 31, does not change. Therefore, regardless of the angle or position at which the human body or the like applies pressure to the first fluid storage section 31, the single first pressure detection section 5 can accurately detect the pressure applied to the first fluid storage section 31 by the human body or the like. can do. Moreover, since the first pressure detection unit 5 is housed in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2, it is possible to reduce the risk of the first pressure detection unit 5 being damaged by an external impact.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, the second pressure detecting portion 6 has a contact surface with the third fluid storage portion 41 of the second pressing member 4, and a second pressure applied from the third fluid storage portion 41 to the contact surface. Detect pressure. Specifically, the second pressure detection unit 6 detects the internal pressure of the internal space 41a of the third fluid storage unit 41, which changes according to the magnitude of the pressure applied to the third fluid storage unit 41 from the human body, etc. 2 Detected as pressure. As shown in FIG. 1, the second pressure detecting portion 6 is fitted into a groove 21a formed on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2, and the contact surface with the third fluid storage portion 41 is on the upper plate portion 21. arranged to be exposed. The second pressure detecting portion 6 and the third fluid containing portion 41 are configured so that the contact surface of the third fluid containing portion 41 with the upper plate portion 21 covers the entire pressure sensing surface of the second pressure detecting portion 6 . is preferred. This allows the second pressure detection section 6 to more accurately detect the internal pressure of the internal space 41 a of the third fluid storage section 41 .

When the third fluid storage portion 41 of the second pressing member 4 is formed in the center of the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 as in the present embodiment, the human body or the like applied to the third fluid storage portion 41 is less affected by the angle or position of the pressure. Therefore, the structure of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is simplified by forming the second pressure detection part 6 on the upper plate part 21 of the substrate 2 so as to be in contact with the third fluid storage part 41 to which pressure is applied from the human body or the like. can be Therefore, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be manufactured at low cost.

The control unit 7 performs a process of detecting muscle contraction based on the first pressure and the second pressure. The control unit 7 is communicably connected to each of the first pressure detection unit 5 and the second pressure detection unit 6 by wire or wirelessly. Based on the detection signal input from the first pressure detection unit 5 and the detection signal input from the second pressure detection unit 6, the control unit 7 detects contraction of the target muscle. The control unit 7 may include a memory that stores a program describing the above-described processing content, a processor that reads and executes the program, and the like. The control unit 7 may be arranged on the substrate 2 of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1, or may be arranged at a position separated from the substrate 2 of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 as shown in FIG. When the control unit 7 is arranged at a position away from the substrate 2, it may be incorporated in a control device such as equipment to which the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is applied. For example, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is used as a man-machine interface for input of a motion support device worn on the human body such as a power assist suit or an electric power glove, the control unit 7 controls the motion support device. It may be a device.

Details of an example of a method for detecting muscle contraction using the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 will be described below. FIG. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the above-described muscle contraction detection sensor 1 when it is attached to a human body or the like, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows a state.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 uses, for example, an elastic belt 8 so that the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 face the muscle (not shown) to be detected. , fixed to a predetermined portion of the human body. When the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is fixed to a predetermined part of the human body by the elastic force of the elastic belt 8, the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are pressed against the human body or the like toward the muscles. . The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be fixed to a predetermined part of the human body not only by the elastic belt 8 but also by other members such as a corset or a supporter.

When the muscle contraction detecting sensor 1 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the human body, the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 may be fixed so as to be directly pressed against the skin SK of the human body, or may be fixed with clothes, a towel, or the like. It may be pinched and pressed against the skin SK. FIGS. 4A and 4B show the case where the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are directly pressed against the skin SK of the human body.

As shown in FIG. 4( a ), in a state in which the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are pressed against the human body toward the muscles, each of the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 moves toward the human body. It is in a state of being slightly deformed by receiving a reaction force from the skin SK.

At this time, the skin SK is flexibly bent and comes into contact with both the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4, so that the first pressing member 3 (more specifically, the first fluid storage portion 31) receives the force from the skin SK. While the pressure FD is applied, the pressure FB from the skin SK is applied to the second pressing member 4 (more specifically, the third fluid storage portion 41). When the pressure FD is applied to the first fluid storage section 31 , the internal pressure of the internal space 32 a of the second fluid storage section 32 increases and the pressure FD is applied to the first pressure detection section 5 . Further, when the pressure FB is applied to the third fluid storage section 41, the pressure in the internal space 41a of the third fluid storage section 41 increases, and the pressure FB is applied to the second pressure detection section 6. FIG. The pressure FB and the pressure FD detected by the first pressure detector 5 and the second pressure detector 6 are input to the controller 7 . The control unit 7 detects the contraction of the target muscle based on the difference or the change in the ratio between the input pressure FB and the pressure FD.

In this embodiment, in order to more accurately detect muscle contraction, the control unit 7 controls the pressure FD that the first pressing member 3 receives from the human body and the pressure FB that the second pressing member 4 receives from the human body. The sum FT is calculated, and the value obtained by dividing the pressure FB by the sum FT is used as the parameter value S of the degree of muscle contraction to detect muscle contraction. Formula (1), which is a formula for calculating the parameter value S, is shown below. The parameter value S is a dimensionless variable that ranges from 0 to 1.
S=FB/(FB+FD)=FB/FT Expression (1)

The control unit 7 calculates the parameter value S in the state shown in FIG. 4(a), and detects muscle contraction based on changes in the parameter value S based on this. Here, the parameter value S is a value that changes based on changes in the ratio between the pressure FD applied to the first pressing member 3 and the pressure FB applied to the second pressing member 4 . Therefore, detecting muscle contraction based on changes in the parameter value S means detecting muscle contraction based on changes in the ratio of the pressure FD received by the first pressing member 3 and the pressure FB received by the second pressing member 4. It is the same thing as detecting. Note that the control unit 7 is not limited to the configuration that detects muscle contraction based on a change in the ratio of the pressure FD that the first pressing member 3 receives and the pressure FB that the second pressing member 4 receives. It is also possible to detect muscle contraction based on a change in the difference between the pressure FD applied to the second pressing member 4 and the pressure FB applied to the second pressing member 4 .

As the muscles gradually contract and harden from the state shown in FIG. As it is deformed, it gradually separates from the first pressing member 3 . Therefore, the ratio of the pressure FB to the sum FT gradually increases as the muscles contract, and conversely, the ratio of the pressure FD gradually decreases. That is, the parameter value S gradually increases from the reference value as the muscle contracts. When the muscles contract further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the skin SK strongly contacts the second pressing member 4 while elastically deforming it, and weakly contacts the first pressing member 3. As a result, the parameter value S becomes a value close to 1, and when the muscle contracts further, the skin SK contacts only the second pressing member 4 and the parameter value S becomes 1. Thus, the parameter value S increases from the reference value to 1 as the muscle contracts. Therefore, the control unit 7 can detect contraction of the muscle from the increase in the parameter value S, and can also detect the degree of contraction of the muscle from the parameter value S at that time.

Conversely, when the muscle relaxes from the state shown in FIG. descend. Therefore, the control unit 7 can detect that the muscles are relaxed from the decrease in the parameter value S, and can also detect the degree of contraction of the muscles from the parameter value S at that time.

The parameter value S can also be set, for example, to S=FD/(FB+FD)=FD/FT. In this case, since the parameter value S gradually decreases as the muscle contracts, the controller 7 can detect that the muscle contracts from the decrease in the parameter value S.

As described above, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to the present embodiment responds to changes in the difference or ratio (changes in the parameter value S) between the pressure FD applied to the first pressing member 3 and the pressure FB applied to the second pressing member 4. Since the contraction of the muscles is detected based on this, it is not necessary to accurately detect the values of the pressures FB and FD themselves. Therefore, even if the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is worn on the human body or the like over clothes or a towel, it is possible to detect muscle contraction with high accuracy. Therefore, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be easily attached to a predetermined part of the human body having muscles to be detected using the stretchable belt 8 or the like, so that the body-worn motion support device can be used on a daily basis. Even in this case, the mounting work becomes easy.

In the above description, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the pressure FD applied from the skin SK to the first pressing member 3 is assumed to be equal to the pressure FD detected by the first pressure detection unit 5. . Similarly, the description has been given assuming that the pressure FB applied from the skin SK to the second pressing member 4 and the pressure FB detected by the second pressure detection unit 6 are equal. However, in practice, the detected pressure may be less than the pressure applied from the skin SK. Even in such a case, as described above, it is not always necessary to accurately detect the values of the pressures FB and FD themselves, so muscle contraction may be detected based on the detected pressures.

(Modified example of muscle contraction sensor)
5, 6, and 7 are cross-sectional views of modifications of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 shown in FIG. 1, respectively. 5 to 7, members corresponding to the members described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 in which the second pressing member 4 is made of a soft material such as silicon. In FIG. 5, the second pressing member 4 is made of a soft material such as silicon and is formed into a protruding shape having a hemispherical tip and a circular cross section. As shown in FIG. 5 , a rubber sheet 9 may be arranged between the second pressing member 4 and the second pressure detection section 6 . According to such a configuration, when a muscle contracts, a difference in height is likely to occur between the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4, so that the contraction of the muscle can be detected more accurately. . In addition, by forming the second pressing member 4 with a soft material such as silicon, while obtaining the above effect, when the second pressing member 4 is pressed against the human body or the like toward the muscles, the feeling received by the human body or the like can be reduced. can do better.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 in which the second pressing member 4 has the same configuration as the first pressing member 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the second pressing member 4 includes a third fluid storage portion 41 arranged on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 and a third fluid storage portion 41 arranged at a position other than the upper plate portion 21. It is composed of a fourth fluid storage section 42 connected by a flow path 43 . The second pressure detection portion 6 has a contact surface with the fourth fluid storage portion 42 and detects a second pressure applied from the fourth fluid storage portion 42 to the contact surface.

In this modification, the fourth fluid storage section 42 is arranged in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2 and is in contact with the second pressure detection section 6 arranged on the lower plate section 22 of the substrate 2 so as to be in contact with the lower plate section 22 . is placed on the top of the An opening 25 is provided on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 to accommodate the fourth fluid storage portion 42 in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2 . The fourth fluid storage part 42 is arranged in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2 in a non-loaded state so that it contacts the lower surface of the upper plate part 21 in addition to the second pressure detection part 6 of the lower plate part 22 of the substrate 2 . may be placed in As a result, even if the angle or position at which the pressure is applied from the human body or the like to the third fluid storage section 41 is biased, the influence on the pressure detected by the second pressure detection section 6 can be reduced. can be done. In addition, since the second pressure detection unit 6 is arranged at a position other than the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the second pressure detection unit 6 will be damaged by an external impact.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the muscle contraction detection sensor 1, in which the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are configured by a cover body 10 detachably attached to the substrate 2. FIG. In FIG. 7, the cover body 10 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material such as vinyl chloride resin. A thin surface sheet 10b having a convex shape corresponding to the first fluid storage portion 31 of the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 is adhered using means such as heat welding or adhesion. A channel 33 is connected to the surface sheet 10 b of the cover body 10 at a position corresponding to the first fluid storage portion 31 of the first pressing member 3 . Thereby, the first fluid storage portion 31 and the second fluid storage portion 32 are connected by the channel 33 . The cover body 10 is attached to the substrate 2 by placing the base sheet 10a on the upper surface of the substrate 2 and covering the outer periphery of the substrate 2 with the outer periphery of the base sheet 10a. By configuring the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 with the cover body 10, when the substrate 2 is mounted, the first pressing member 3 and the second pressing member 4 are pressed against the substrate 2. It can be fixed stably.

As described above, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to the present embodiment is a muscle contraction detection sensor 1 that detects muscle contraction. The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 includes a substrate 2, and a first fluid storing portion 31, which is a first pressing member 3 that is pressed against the muscles, and is arranged on an upper plate portion 21 that closely faces the muscles of the substrate 2. , a first pressing member 3 and a second fluid storage unit 32 arranged at a position other than the top plate 21 and connected to a first fluid storage unit 31 and a flow path 33 . A first pressure detecting portion 5 that has a contact surface with the portion 32 and detects a first pressure applied to the contact surface from the second fluid storage portion 32, and a second pressing member 4 that is pressed toward the muscle. a second pressing member 4 having a different protrusion height from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state from the first pressing member 3; and a second pressure applied from the second pressing member 4. 2 pressure detection unit 6; The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 detects muscle contraction based on a difference or a change in the ratio between the first pressure and the second pressure. According to such a configuration, since the first pressure detection unit 5 is arranged at a position other than the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is greatly tilted and pressed against the human body, etc. Even if a biased pressure is applied to the fluid storage section 31 from the human body or the like, the influence on the pressure detected by the first pressure detection section 5 can be reduced. Therefore, the accuracy of detecting muscle contraction by the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be improved. In addition, since the first pressure detection unit 5 is arranged at a position other than the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2, it is possible to reduce the risk of damage to the first pressure detection unit 5 due to an external impact.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to the present embodiment, it is preferable that the second pressing member 4 protrudes from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in an unloaded state higher than the first pressing member 3 . According to such a configuration, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like, the influence of the angle or position of the pressure from the human body or the like applied to the second pressing member 4 can be reduced. Therefore, the structure of the muscle contraction detecting sensor 1 can be simplified by forming the second pressure detecting portion 6 on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 so as to be in contact with the second pressing member. Therefore, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be manufactured at low cost.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to the present embodiment, it is preferable that the first fluid storage portion 31 is formed annularly around the second pressing member 4 on the upper plate portion 21 . According to such a configuration, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like, the substrate 2 can be stably supported on the human body or the like by the first fluid storage section 31 .

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the first pressing member 3 is detachably formed on the substrate 2 . According to this configuration, when the first pressing member 3 is damaged or soiled, it can be replaced with a new first pressing member 3 .

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to this embodiment, the second fluid storage section 32 is preferably arranged in the internal space 2 a of the substrate 2 . According to such a configuration, the first pressure detection section 5 having the contact surface with the second fluid storage section 32 can be arranged in the internal space 2a of the substrate 2, and the first pressure detection section 5 can be damaged by an external impact. It is possible to reduce the risk of

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to this embodiment, the fluid stored in the first fluid storage section 31 and the second fluid storage section 32 is preferably air. With such a configuration, the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be manufactured at low cost.

In the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 according to the present embodiment, the second pressing member 4 is arranged on the third fluid storage portion 41 arranged on the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 and on a position other than on the upper plate portion 21. , a third fluid storage portion 41 and a fourth fluid storage portion 42 connected by a channel 33. The second pressure detection portion 6 has a contact surface with the fourth fluid storage portion 42, and a fourth fluid storage portion 41 and a fourth fluid storage portion 42. Preferably, the second pressure applied to the contact surface from fluid containment 42 is detected. According to this configuration, the second pressure detection unit 6 is arranged at a position other than the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the second pressure detection unit 6 due to an external impact. be able to.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that various variations and modifications can be easily made based on the present invention by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations and modifications are included within the scope of the present invention. For example, configurations or functions included in each embodiment can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent. In addition, the configurations or functions included in each embodiment can be used in combination with other embodiments. It is possible to

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the second pressing member 4 has a higher protrusion height than the first pressing member 3 from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state. do not have. For example, in the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 , the first pressing member 3 may have a higher protrusion height than the second pressing member 4 from the upper plate portion 21 of the substrate 2 in the no-load state. According to such a configuration, when the muscle contraction detection sensor 1 is pressed against the human body or the like, the first pressing member 3 annularly surrounding the second pressing member 4 has a larger contact area with the human body. The muscle contraction detection sensor 1 can be more stably supported by the human body or the like by the 1-fluid storage section 31 .

Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, one first pressure detection unit 5 and one second pressure detection unit 6 are arranged, but this is not the only option. A plurality of second fluid storage portions 32 may be provided in the first pressing member 3 , and one first pressure detection portion 5 may be arranged for each of the second fluid storage portions 32 . Thereby, the pressure applied to the first pressing member 3 can be detected more accurately.

1 Muscle contraction detection sensor 2 Substrate 2a Internal space 21 Upper plate portion 21a Groove 21b Protruding portion 22 Lower plate portion 22a Groove 23 Side wall portion 24 Opening 25 Opening 3 First pressing member 31 First fluid storage portion 31a Internal space 32 Second 2 Fluid storage part 32a Internal space 33 Channel 4 Second pressing member 41 Third fluid storage part 41a Internal space 42 Fourth fluid storage part 43 Channel 5 First pressure detection part 6 Second pressure detection part 7 Control part 8 Expansion and contraction elastic belt 9 rubber sheet 10 cover body 10a base sheet 10b surface sheet SK skin

Claims (7)

A muscle contraction detection sensor that detects muscle contraction,
a substrate;
A first pressing member to be pressed against the muscle, the first fluid storage portion being disposed on an upper plate portion of the substrate facing closely to the muscle; , a first pressing member composed of the first fluid storage portion and a second fluid storage portion connected by a flow path;
a first pressure detection unit having a contact surface with the second fluid storage unit and detecting a first pressure applied from the second fluid storage unit to the contact surface;
a second pressing member that is pressed against the muscle, the second pressing member having a different protrusion height from the upper plate portion of the substrate in an unloaded state from that of the first pressing member;
a second pressure detection unit that detects a second pressure applied from the second pressing member,
A muscle contraction detection sensor that detects contraction of the muscle based on a change in the difference or ratio between the first pressure and the second pressure. 2. The muscle contraction detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein said second pressing member has a higher protrusion height from said upper plate portion of said substrate in an unloaded state than said first pressing member. 3. The muscle contraction detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein said first fluid storage portion is formed in a ring around said second pressing member on said upper plate portion. The muscle contraction detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first pressing member is detachably formed on the substrate. The muscle contraction detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second fluid storage section is arranged in the inner space of the substrate. The muscle contraction detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fluid stored in the first fluid storage section and the second fluid storage section is air. The second pressing member is arranged at a position other than the third fluid storage portion arranged on the upper plate portion of the substrate, and at a position other than the upper plate portion, and is connected to the third fluid storage portion by a flow path. and a fourth fluid storage unit,
2. The muscle according to claim 1, wherein said second pressure detection section has a contact surface with said fourth fluid storage section, and detects said second pressure applied from said fourth fluid storage section to said contact surface. Contraction detection sensor.

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