JP7742075B2 - Tongue movement measuring device, tongue movement monitoring system, and tongue movement monitoring method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tongue movement measurement device, a tongue movement monitoring system, and a tongue movement monitoring method.

Various tongue movement measurement devices have been developed. One example of this type of technology is described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a breastfeeding monitoring device that includes a sensor that detects the movement of an infant's tongue, a breastfeeding detection output unit that generates and outputs a breastfeeding display signal that indicates the breastfeeding state, and metal leads that electrically connect the sensor and the breastfeeding detection output unit (see, for example, Claim 2, paragraph 0010, and Figure 1 of Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-340777

However, after investigations by the inventors, it was found that there was room for improvement in terms of wearability and durability of stretching in the breastfeeding monitoring device described in Patent Document 1.

Further research by the inventors led them to discover that by using stretchable wiring for the wiring connected to the pressure sensor in the tongue movement measurement device and by constructing the gloves in which these are mounted out of silicone rubber material, the device is easy to put on the subject's hand and breakage of the wiring can be reduced even when the gloves are repeatedly deformed during use or when putting on and taking off, thereby completing the present invention.

According to the present invention,
A tongue movement measuring device for measuring tongue movement of a subject,
a glove made of insulating silicone rubber to be worn on the hand of the measurer;
a pressure sensor provided in a fingertip region on the outer surface side of the glove for measuring tongue pressure;
an elastic wiring electrically connected to the pressure sensor;
A tongue movement measuring device is provided, comprising:

Further, according to the present invention,
The tongue movement measuring device,
a tongue movement information processing device;
A tongue movement monitoring system is provided, comprising:

Further, according to the present invention,
There is provided a tongue movement monitoring method, which includes a step of obtaining tongue movement information regarding tongue movement of a subject using the tongue movement measuring device described above.

The present invention provides a tongue movement measurement device that is easy to wear and has excellent durability against stretching, as well as a tongue movement monitoring system and tongue movement monitoring method that use the same.

FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a tongue movement measuring device. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the α region in FIG. 1 . 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing schematic diagrams of modified examples of the layered structure of the tongue movement measuring device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of a tongue movement information processing device. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a tongue movement monitoring system. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a tongue movement measuring device according to an embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that in all drawings, similar components are given similar reference numerals and descriptions will be omitted where appropriate. Also, the drawings are schematic and do not correspond to actual dimensional proportions.

This article provides an overview of the tongue movement measurement device of this embodiment.

The tongue movement measuring device of this embodiment comprises a glove made of insulating silicone rubber to be worn on the hand of the person being measured, a pressure sensor for measuring tongue pressure provided in the fingertip area on the outer surface of the glove, and an elastic wiring electrically connected to the pressure sensor.
Such a tongue movement measuring device is a wearable measuring device that is worn by the measurer to measure the tongue movement of the subject.

The subject is not particularly limited as long as it is a living organism with a tongue, and specifically may be a human or an animal including a non-human mammal.
The human may be an infant, a toddler, an elderly person, or an adult or child of any other age, and may be healthy or unhealthy, such as a rehabilitation subject.

The tongue movement measurement device described above makes it possible to monitor and even quantitatively evaluate a subject's tongue movement. Tongue movement is closely related to infant sucking movements and human eating and swallowing movements, and can serve as an indicator for understanding health status. Therefore, evaluating tongue movement not only allows for an accurate understanding of the state of a subject's tongue function, such as an infant's sucking ability, but is also expected to have a variety of applications, such as rehabilitation and various types of care.

Specific applications include the evaluation of infants' sucking ability during breastfeeding in various settings such as childcare, medical examinations, and medical care; the evaluation of the relationship between a subject's tongue motor function and various diseases; and the evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of diseases and health disorders associated with a decline in a subject's tongue motor function.

In the artificial nipple type measurement device described in Patent Document 1, the position of the sensor installed in the artificial nipple is fixed, making it difficult to fine-tune the sensor position within the subject's oral cavity.
In contrast, with the glove-type measurement device of this embodiment, the person wearing the device on their hand can move their fingers to fine-tune and fix the sensor position to an appropriate position in the subject's oral cavity, making it easy for anyone to perform measurements.

According to this embodiment, by forming the glove and the wiring from a stretchable material, it is possible to realize a tongue movement measuring device that has good stretchability and/or bending and is easy to operate.
Furthermore, even when the glove is stretched or deformed, breakage of the stretchable wiring is suppressed, enabling stable measurement of tongue movement. This makes it possible to realize a tongue movement measurement device with good durability against stretching.

The components of the tongue movement measurement device of this embodiment are described in detail below.

Figure 1 is a top view showing a schematic example of the configuration of a tongue movement measuring device 100. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of region α in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Figure 2.

The tongue movement measuring device 100 in Figure 1 includes a glove 120, a pressure sensor 110, and an elastic wiring 130.

The measurer is a person who performs measurements to monitor the tongue movement of the subject.
The examiner places hand 200, equipped with tongue movement measuring device 100, into the oral cavity of the subject. When the subject moves his or her tongue, pressure sensor 110 in the oral cavity detects a sensor signal indicating information related to the pressure of the tongue movement, and transmits the signal to the outside via elastic wiring 130.

(gloves)
The glove 120 is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure that allows it to be worn on the hand 200 of the person being measured.
The glove 120 needs to have at least one finger 123, and may have any number of fingers 123, from two to five. The glove 120 in Fig. 1 has two fingers 123, finger 123a (thumb) and finger 123e (little finger).
By setting the number of fingers 123 to four or less, the glove 120 can be made easier to put on and take off compared to when the number of fingers is five. By setting the number of fingers 123 to two or more, the positional deviation of the finger 123 in the circumferential direction of the finger 203 can be suppressed compared to when the number of fingers is one. This improves the measurement stability of the tongue movement measuring device 100.

A pressure sensor 110 is placed in the fingertip region of the finger portion 123. With the finger portion 123 inserted into the oral cavity of the subject together with the measurer's finger 203, the tongue movement of the subject is measured by the pressure sensor 110.
The pressure sensor 110 may be installed on one or more of the multiple finger portions (thumb portion, index finger portion, middle finger portion, ring finger portion, little finger portion). In the glove 120 of Fig. 1, the pressure sensor 110 is installed on the finger portion 123e (little finger portion). This makes it easy to insert the measurer's little finger 203e inserted into the finger portion 123e into the oral cavity of a young subject such as an infant or toddler.

The distal end region where the pressure sensor 110 is placed is not particularly limited as long as it is a location that can be inserted into the subject's oral cavity. An example of the distal end region may be, for example, the range from the tip to 1/2L or the range from the tip to 1/3L of the total length L of the finger portion 123, or the range from the fingertip to the distal phalanx when attached to the finger 203 of the measurer.

The glove 120 may have a back portion 124 connected to at least one finger portion 123. The back portion 124 may cover at least a portion of the back portion 204 of the examiner's hand 200, or may cover the entire back portion 204. An example of a partially covered back portion 124 that covers a portion of the back portion 204 is one that covers the upper half of the back portion 204, or one that covers the left half or right half of the back portion 204. The covering area of the partially covered back portion 124 can be adjusted appropriately depending on the number of fingers 123 to which the back portion 124 is connected.
Such back portion 124 can prevent the position of finger portion 123 from shifting compared to a finger cot alone.
The glove 120 may have a portion that connects the multiple finger portions 123, without having the back portion 124. This connecting portion will be in a state that aligns with the position of the webs of the hand 200 when the glove 120 is worn on the hand 200.

The glove 120 may have a back portion 124 and a flat portion that covers the palm of the hand 200. The flat portion may be configured to have a symmetrical structure to the back portion 124 when viewed from the top side of the back portion 124 when the glove 120 is placed flat, but may also have a different shape from the back portion 124, such as a different coverage area or shape.

The glove 120 may have a wrist portion 126 that is connected to the back portion 124 and circumferentially covers the wrist 206 of the person being measured. The wrist portion 126 preferably covers the entire circumference of the wrist 206 of the person being measured. The wrist portion 126 can prevent the back portion 124 from shifting position when the hand 200 is moved.

The glove 120 is made of insulating silicone rubber and is flexible and stretchable. This allows the glove 120 to fit comfortably on the subject's hand 200. Furthermore, the stretchable wiring 130 attached to the glove 120 can prevent bioelectric currents generated in the subject's hand 200 from passing through.

The glove 120 has a sheet-like insulating silicone rubber having an outer surface 121 and an inner surface 122 in a cross-sectional view in the thickness direction.
Glove 120 typically has a structure in which two sheets of insulating silicone rubber are stacked. When back portion 124 of glove 120 is viewed vertically, the two sheets of insulating silicone rubber may be seamlessly joined to each other except for holes through which hand 200 and fingers 203 pass, or the peripheral edges may be joined with a joining material such as thread or adhesive. Note that part of back portion 124 of glove 120 may be configured to be freely connectable to other parts of back portion 124 with buttons or the like.

An uneven structure may be formed on at least a portion of the surface of the inner surface 122 of the glove 120. This uneven structure is preferably formed on the surface of the inner surface 122 in the finger portion 123 and/or the surface of the inner surface 122 in the back portion 124. This improves the ease of putting on and taking off the glove 120 when putting the hand 200 in and out of it. It also prevents the two sheets of insulating silicone rubber from adhering to each other in the glove 120 before use.

The lower limit of the surface roughness Ra of the inner surface 122 having the uneven structure is, for example, 1.0 μm or more, preferably 1.5 μm or more, more preferably 2.0 μm or more, and even more preferably 5.0 μm or more.
On the other hand, the upper limit of the surface roughness Ra is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 100 μm or less, 50 μm or less, or 20 μm or less.

Surface roughness Ra is measured using a Keyence VK-9700 laser microscope with a lens magnification of 20x and a pitch of 0.2 μm. Next, the surface roughness Ra (μm) of the planar surface is measured using the VKanalyzer analysis software in accordance with JIS B0601-2001, with a measurement area of 300 μm x 300 μm.

The upper limit of the tack peak value TP of the inner surface 122 having the uneven structure is, for example, 4.0 N or less, preferably 3.0 N or less, and more preferably 1.0 N or less. This allows good slipperiness to be achieved on the inner surface 122 of the glove 120.
The lower limit of the tack peak value TP is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, more than 0 N or 0.1 N or more.

The procedure for measuring the tack peak value TP is as follows.
An aluminum probe having a flat surface with an area of 150 ^mm2 is brought into contact with the surface to be measured under the following conditions: probe movement speed: 2.3 mm/sec, probe crimping strength: 12 N, and crimping time: 6 seconds. The flat surface of the aluminum probe is then peeled upward at a probe movement speed of 2.3 mm/sec. The tack peak value of the surface to be measured by the probe tack test is measured five times, and the average of these five measured values is defined as the tack peak value TP.

The lower limit of the tear strength of the glove 120 is, for example, 25 N/mm or more, preferably 28 N/mm or more, more preferably 30 N/mm or more, even more preferably 33 N/mm or more, and even more preferably 34 N/mm or more. This improves durability during repeated use. Also, a device that is tear-resistant even when thin can be configured. This improves the design freedom of the glove 120. Also, the glove 120 can be sewn with thread.
On the other hand, the upper limit of the tear strength of the glove 120 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 80 N/mm or less, or 70 N/mm or less, so that the various properties of the glove 120 can be balanced.

The upper limit of the sheet thickness of the glove 120 can be set depending on the application, and may be, for example, 2 mm or less, preferably 1 mm or less, but from the viewpoint of ease of deformation, it is more preferably 500 μm or less.
On the other hand, the lower limit of the sheet thickness of the glove 120 is, for example, 20 μm or more, preferably 50 μm or more, and more preferably 100 μm or more, from the viewpoint of mechanical strength.

The upper limit of the durometer hardness A of the glove 120 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 80 or less, and preferably 70 or less, which improves the ease of deformation, such as bending and stretching.
On the other hand, the lower limit of the durometer hardness A of the glove 120 is, for example, 10 or more, preferably 20 or more, and more preferably 30 or more. This can improve the friction durability and mechanical strength.

The lower limit of the breaking elongation of the glove 120 is, for example, 100% or more, preferably 200% or more, more preferably 300% or more, and even more preferably 400% or more, thereby improving the high stretchability and durability of the glove 120.
On the other hand, the upper limit of the breaking elongation of the glove 120 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 2000% or less, or 1800% or less, so that the various properties of the glove 120 can be balanced.

The lower limit of the tensile strength of the glove 120 is, for example, 5.0 MPa or more, preferably 8.0 MPa or more, and more preferably 10.0 MPa or more. This can improve the mechanical strength of the glove 120. In addition, it can realize the glove 120 having excellent durability that can withstand repeated deformation.
On the other hand, the upper limit of the tensile strength of the glove 120 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 25 MPa or less, or 20 MPa or less, so that the various properties of the glove 120 can be balanced.

In this embodiment, the characteristics of each component of the tongue movement measurement device and the method for measuring the characteristics of each component may be to use each component as a test piece as is, or to use a test piece made by cutting each component into a predetermined shape or stacking multiple components to a predetermined thickness. Furthermore, measurements may be made using the silicone rubber (insulating silicone rubber or conductive silicone rubber) used in each component.

(Procedure for measuring durometer hardness A)
A sheet-like test piece is prepared using silicone rubber, and the durometer hardness A of the obtained sheet-like test piece at 25° C. is measured in accordance with JIS K6253 (1997).

(Procedure for measuring tensile strength)
Using silicone rubber, a dumbbell No. 3 test piece is prepared in accordance with JIS K6251 (2004), and the tensile strength of the dumbbell No. 3 test piece at 25°C is measured.

(Measurement conditions for elongation at break)
Dumbbell No. 3 test pieces are prepared using silicone rubber in accordance with JIS K6251 (2004), and the resulting dumbbell No. 3 test pieces are measured for breaking elongation at 25° C. The breaking elongation is calculated by [gauge line movement distance (mm)] ÷ [initial gauge line distance (20 mm)] × 100.

(Procedure for measuring tear strength)
A crescent-shaped test piece is prepared using silicone rubber in accordance with JIS K6252 (2001), and the tear strength of the obtained crescent-shaped test piece at 25°C is measured.

The gloves 120 may be configured to be sterilizable by boiling. That is, the insulating silicone rubber constituting the gloves 120 may be resistant to alcohol, and the rubber properties described above may vary little before and after heat treatment at 100°C. This allows the gloves 120 to be sterilized with alcohol or heat before use. Such properties are even more effective when the gloves 120 are used repeatedly.
The glove 120 may be configured to be alcohol-resistant. For example, the glove 120 may be configured so that the volume change (volume after immersion/volume before immersion) before and after immersion in alcohol for 5 minutes is 10% or less. Examples of alcohol include, but are not limited to, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, which are commonly used for disinfection.
Furthermore, the glove 120 may be configured so that the change in physical properties (physical property value after heating/physical property value before heating) before and after heating at 100° C. for 10 minutes is 1% or less.
The physical properties include, but are not limited to, the hardness, elongation at break, and tensile strength as described above.

The glove 120 may be configured to be biocompatible. That is, the insulating silicone rubber that constitutes the glove 120 may be one that is biocompatible.
Furthermore, since the gloves 120 are made of silicone rubber having the above tear strength, it is possible to prevent fragments of the gloves 120 from being accidentally swallowed by the subject due to breakage of the gloves 120. This improves safety when using the gloves 120.

(Pressure sensor)
The pressure sensor 110 converts the external force received by the pressure-receiving surface into an electrical signal.
The pressure sensor 110 may be any sensor that includes at least a component whose electrical characteristics change in response to an external force, such as a sensor that utilizes the piezoresistive effect, a sensor that utilizes the piezoelectric effect, or a sensor that utilizes capacitance.
The pressure sensor 110 may be a commercially available pressure sensor such as a strain gauge type, a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber type, a capacitance type, a film type, a resistance wire type, or a mechanical type.
The pressure sensor 110 includes a force sensor made of a micro electromechanical system such as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System), and may be any sensor capable of detecting a force received from an external force on a pressure receiving surface.

The pressure sensor 110 only needs to have a pressure-receiving surface and may be configured, for example, in the form of a chip, but is not limited to this.

An example of the pressure sensor 110 may include a pressure-sensitive resistor having a piezoresistive effect, a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric effect, or a capacitance film. Among these, the pressure-sensitive resistor may include an elastomer or plastic, and preferably may include silicone rubber.

Specific examples of the pressure sensor 110 include pressure-sensitive conductive silicone rubber, which is a type of pressure-sensitive resistor, and preferably conductive silicone rubber containing a conductive filler and silicone rubber. When both the pressure sensor 110 and the elastic wiring 130 are made of conductive silicone rubber, the volume resistance of the conductive silicone rubber of the pressure sensor 110 should be configured to be higher than the volume resistance of the conductive silicone rubber of the elastic wiring 130.

As a specific example, the conductive silicone rubber constituting the pressure sensor 110 can contain a conductive carbon material as a conductive filler. In this case, the conductive silicone rubber constituting the stretchable wiring 130 may contain metal powder such as silver powder.
For example, the volume resistivity of the conductive silicone rubber containing a conductive carbon material in the pressure sensor 110 may be 10 ⁻¹ Ω·cm to 10 ³ Ω·cm. In this case, the volume resistivity of the conductive silicone rubber of the elastic wiring 130 may be, for example, 10 ⁻⁵ Ω·cm to 10 ⁻¹ Ω·cm. This volume resistivity is measured at 25°C when unstretched.
Such a pressure sensor 110 may be formed by a printing method using a conductive paste containing a conductive carbon material and silicone rubber, for example.

1 is mounted on the surface of the outer surface 121 of the finger portion 123 of the glove 120 as shown in FIG. 3. However, the position of the pressure sensor 110 in the thickness direction is not limited to this. The entire pressure sensor 110 or a part of the entire pressure sensor 110 may be embedded in the sheet-like insulating silicone rubber that constitutes the glove 120.
The pressure sensor 110 may be disposed in the circumferential direction either in the nail region where the nail 210 is present, in the pad region of the finger 203, or in the side region of the finger 203. From the viewpoint of the installation area of the pressure sensor 110, the pressure sensor 110 may be disposed in the nail region or the pad region, but from the viewpoint of the measurement stability of the pressure sensor 110, the pressure sensor 110 is preferably disposed in the nail region. The pressure sensor 110 reinforces the underside of the pressure sensor 110, thereby improving the measurement stability of the pressure sensor 110.

The measurer can stimulate the palate of the infant with the pad of a finger 203, which does not have a pressure sensor 110, to induce a sucking reflex. If necessary, the measurer (healthcare professional) can check the state of the subject's tongue movement by palpation (feeling with the fingers) in addition to monitoring tongue movement with the tongue movement measuring device 100.

The number of pressure sensors 110 may be one or more, or may be two or more.
The pressure sensor 110 in FIG. 2 includes, for example, two pressure sensors, 110a and 110b.

When the direction from the tongue base to the tongue tip is defined as the front direction of the tongue, the multiple pressure sensors 110 are preferably arranged in a row in this front direction of the tongue. This makes it possible to measure the tongue movement of the tongue base and tongue tip independently. It also makes it possible to detect tongue pressure, which is the pressure or force exerted by the tongue during peristaltic movements of an infant. Furthermore, the number of pressure sensors 110 in the row may be two or more, or three or more. This makes it possible to more accurately evaluate tongue movement from the tongue base side to the tongue tip side.
Furthermore, the arrangement of the multiple pressure sensors 110 when viewed in the front direction of the tongue may be in one row or in two or more rows, such as two rows of three, two rows of five, or three rows of five, etc. This allows for more accurate evaluation of tongue movement from the right side of the tongue to the left side of the tongue.

The number and placement of pressure sensors 110 can be selected appropriately based on the tongue movement information to be acquired.

(Stretchable wiring)
The elastic wiring 130 is electrically connected to the pressure sensor 110 and can transmit an electrical signal from the pressure sensor 110 to the outside.

The elastic wiring 130 may be made of conductive silicone rubber.
Since the elastic wiring 130 and the glove 120 are made of the same type of elastomer, silicone rubber, the adhesion between the elastic wiring 130 and the glove 120 at the portion where they come into direct contact can be improved.

Furthermore, the stretchable wire 130 may be configured by printing a conductive paste containing a conductive filler and silicone rubber. The printing method improves the degree of freedom in the wiring design of the stretchable wire 130.
However, the method for forming the elastic wiring 130 is not limited to the printing method using a paste, and other general printing methods using conductive paint may also be used.

The elastic wiring 130 has elasticity.
In this specification, stretchability is expressed as the stretch rate when stretched in a predetermined direction.
The predetermined direction may be the extension direction in which the length of the elastic wire 130 is at its maximum.
Having elasticity when stretched in the extension direction means that the stretchable wiring 130 can be stretched to an elongation rate of, for example, 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, and more preferably 50% or more, and does not break at that elongation rate.

The volume resistivity of the elastic wiring 130 at 25°C when unstretched is, for example, 1×10 ^-5 Ω·cm or more and 1×10 ^-1 Ω·cm or less, preferably 5×10 ^-5 Ω·cm or more and 5×10 ^-2 Ω·cm or less, and more preferably 1×10 ^-4 Ω·cm or more and 1×10 ^-2 Ω·cm or less. By setting the volume resistivity within such a range, an elastic wiring 130 with excellent electrical properties can be achieved when unstretched and even when stretched. Furthermore, stable tongue movement measurement becomes possible.

The elastic wiring 130 may have two output signal wirings for each pressure sensor 110, and may further have a constant voltage power supply wiring and/or a GND (ground) wiring depending on the circuit design of the pressure sensor 110.
The GND wiring may be common to a plurality of pressure sensors 110 .

2 are connected to the pressure sensor 110a, and the wires 130c and 130d are connected to the pressure sensor 110b. These elastic wires 130 serve as wires for output signals.
When an external force is applied to the pressure sensor 110a to change the resistance value thereof, the output voltage between the wiring 130a and the wiring 130c changes. Based on this output voltage change, the external force received by the pressure sensor 110a is measured.

The elastic wiring 130 in FIG. 3 is disposed on the surface of the outer surface 121 of the glove 120, but is not limited thereto.
The entire elastic wiring 130 may be placed on the surface of the outer surface 121, or a portion of it may be embedded inside the glove 120, or the lead-out wiring portion other than the end may be embedded in the glove 120.

The stretchable wiring 130 may have an extraction wiring portion that extends from the finger portion 123 to the back portion 124 of the glove 120. The extraction wiring portion may be arranged not only on the back portion 124, but also on the opposite palm portion or wrist portion 126. This allows for a variety of wiring structures, making it possible to integrate the pressure sensor 110.

The stretchable wiring 130 may have a multi-layer wiring structure. One example of a multi-layer wiring structure is one in which wiring layers made of conductive silicone rubber and insulating layers made of insulating silicone rubber are alternately stacked, resulting in two or more wiring layers. This allows for a higher level of integration of the pressure sensor 110.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a modified example of the layered structure of the tongue movement measuring device 100. As shown in FIG.
The tongue movement measuring device 100 may have a cover part 140 that covers at least a part of the surface of the elastic wire 130 in Fig. 4(a) . This can further increase the mechanical strength of the elastic wire 130.

The cover 140 may be made of insulating silicone rubber, which can be given boiling disinfection properties and biocompatibility, thereby increasing safety for subjects and facilitating hygiene management during use.
Furthermore, the cover part 140 may cover the outer surface 121 of the glove 120 after covering the elastic wiring 130. This allows for improved adhesion between the cover part 140 and the glove 120 and/or the elastic wiring 130, since they are made of the same silicone rubber.

The cover portion 140 is also configured so as not to cover the external connection portion at one end of the elastic wiring 130. The one end is the end opposite the other end where the elastic wiring 130 connects to the pressure sensor 110. For example, an opening may be formed in the cover portion 140, and one end of the elastic wiring 130 may be positioned in the opening.

The cover portion 140 in FIG. 4( a ) is configured so as not to cover the pressure receiving surface (upper surface) of the pressure sensor 110 , while the cover portion 141 in FIG. 4( b ) is configured so as to cover the pressure receiving surface of the pressure sensor 110 .
By exposing the pressure receiving surface, the external force sensitivity of the pressure sensor 110 can be maintained at a high level.
Covering the pressure-receiving surface can more firmly securely fasten the pressure sensor 110 to the glove 120, thereby improving safety in use. Furthermore, by using insulating silicone rubber for the cover 141, even if the cover 141 covers the pressure-receiving surface, it is possible to prevent the external force that the pressure-receiving surface receives from being reduced due to elastic deformation of the cover 141.

The reinforcing portion 150 shown in Figure 4(c) may be disposed on the inner surface 122 of the glove 120 at a position opposite the pressure sensor 110. The reinforcing portion 150 can improve the measurement stability of the pressure sensor 110.

Reinforcing portion 150 may be made of, for example, insulating silicone rubber. For example, a thicker layer of glove 120 may serve as reinforcing portion 150, or reinforcing portion 150 may be made of a separate material that is harder than glove 120.

(Tongue movement monitoring system)
The tongue movement monitoring system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
5 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the tongue movement information processing device 10. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the tongue movement monitoring system 1.

The tongue movement monitoring system 1 comprises at least a tongue movement measuring device 100 and a tongue movement information processing device 10. The tongue movement information processing device 10 is a device that acquires, analyzes, stores, and/or displays information (electrical signals) acquired by the pressure sensor 110 of the tongue movement measuring device 100.

The tongue movement monitoring system 1 (tongue movement information processing system) in Figure 6 comprises a tongue movement measuring device 100, a network 20, and a terminal 30. The tongue movement information processing device 10 is installed in the tongue movement measuring device 100. However, some or all of the functions of the tongue movement information processing device 10 may be realized on a device (computer) separate from the tongue movement measuring device 100.

The tongue movement information processing device 10 in Figure 5 includes an acquisition unit 11, a memory unit 12, an analysis unit 13, and a communication unit 14.

The acquisition unit 11 acquires tongue movement information regarding the subject's tongue movement, such as the sensor signal of the pressure sensor 110 sent from the tongue movement measuring device 100.

The tongue movement information includes at least one or more of tongue pressure, tongue pressure distribution, and changes therein over time. The tongue pressure information includes information for each measurement point on the subject's tongue. The tongue pressure information may be a value at a predetermined time, a maximum value, a minimum value, an average value over a predetermined period, or a time corresponding to a predetermined value such as the maximum or minimum value of the tongue pressure, and/or waveform data showing changes therein over time.
The tongue pressure distribution information may include information on a plurality of measurement points, and may be a calculated value calculated using an appropriate formula from tongue pressure information such as the sum of tongue pressures within a specified area.

The acquisition unit 11 can calculate tongue pressure by, for example, dividing the output voltage from the pressure sensor 110, which fluctuates depending on the pressure received from the tongue, by the area of the pressure-receiving surface, and may convert it into a digital signal using an A/D conversion circuit, or may approximate the output voltage using an approximation curve.
Furthermore, the acquisition unit 11 can calculate the above-mentioned tongue movement information based on the sensor signal of the pressure sensor 110 .

The acquisition unit 11 stores the subject's tongue movement information in the memory unit 12.

The analysis unit 13 analyzes the tongue function of the subject based on the tongue movement information.
As an example of the analysis, the analysis unit 13 reads out the tongue movement information and the predetermined conditions stored in the storage unit 12, and determines whether the predetermined conditions are appropriate.

The predetermined conditions can be set appropriately depending on the purpose of measurement, and examples include classification criteria and pass/fail criteria. An example of a classification criteria is to classify the degree of success of the infant's sucking into three or more levels.

The analysis unit 13 stores the analysis results of the subject's tongue function, such as the pass/fail result of the subject's tongue function, in the memory unit 12.

The communication unit 14 outputs the analysis results stored in the storage unit 12 to the display unit 31 .
The display unit 31 is provided in the terminal 30 in FIG. 6, but is not limited to this and may be provided in the tongue movement information processing device 10 or another device (external monitor, etc.).

The display unit 31 includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, a lamp, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (ElectroLuminescence) display, or the like.
The display unit 31 displays the tongue movement information and/or the analysis results.

The tongue movement information processing device 10 may further include an operation unit.
The operation unit receives operations of the operation unit by the user and notifies the processor that controls the tongue movement information processing device 10. The operation unit is composed of physical buttons such as switches or a touch panel, and a voice input means.
By operating the operation unit, it is possible to start or end various operations of the tongue movement measuring device 100, or to set various operations.

The tongue movement information processing device 10 may further include a notification unit.
The notification unit notifies the measurer by light means, sound means, etc. Examples of the light means include a lamp, and examples of the sound means include a speaker.
The notification unit can notify various information such as the pass/fail result of the tongue function of the subject by emitting a sound from a speaker or turning on or off a lamp, etc. For example, instead of displaying on the display unit 31 that the infant's sucking ability is good, the notification unit may notify the subject.

The tongue movement information processing device 10 is equipped with a power source. The power source may be a primary battery, a secondary battery, or an indoor power outlet.

The analysis unit 13 may analyze the tongue movement information output from the acquisition unit 11 .
The communication unit 14 may output the analysis result output from the analysis unit 13 to the display unit 31 .
The operation unit and/or the notification unit may be provided in the terminal 30 .
Furthermore, the storage unit 12 may be provided on the tongue movement measuring device 100, but is not limited to this and may be an external storage device such as a cloud.

An example of the hardware configuration of the tongue movement information processing device 10 is described below. The tongue movement information processing device 10 has a bus, a processor, memory, a storage device, an input/output interface, a network interface, etc.

A bus is a data transmission path through which processors, memories, storage devices, input/output interfaces, and network interfaces transmit and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting processors and the like to each other is not limited to bus connection.
The processor is implemented by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or the like.
The memory is a main storage device realized by a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like.

The storage device is an auxiliary storage device realized by a hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), memory card, or read-only memory (ROM). It stores program modules that realize each function of the tongue movement information processing device 10 (e.g., the acquisition unit 11 and analysis unit 13). The processor loads and executes each of these program modules into memory, thereby realizing each function corresponding to that program module.

The input/output interface is an interface for connecting the tongue movement information processing device 10 to various input/output devices. For example, the tongue movement information processing device 10 communicates with the tongue movement measuring device 100, the operation unit, the display unit 31, the notification unit, etc. via the input/output interface.

The network interface is an interface for connecting the tongue movement information processing device 10 to the network 20. This network is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). The network interface may connect to the network 20 wirelessly or via a wired connection. The tongue movement information processing device 10 may communicate with the tongue movement measuring device 100 and the terminal 30 via the network interface.

An example of a tongue movement measuring device 100 having some of the functions of the tongue movement information processing device 10 includes at least an acquisition unit 11 and a communication unit 14 .
Tongue movement measuring device 100, which includes acquisition unit 11 and communication unit 14, may be a wireless communication measuring device having a wirelessly connectable network interface installed in glove 120. This allows wireless communication connection with another device via the wirelessly connectable network interface. In this case, analysis of the subject's tongue function is performed in a device separate from tongue movement measuring device 100.
Furthermore, the wireless communication type tongue movement measuring device 100 may be a portable measuring device further including a mobile power source that is installed in the glove 120 and can be powered by a primary battery, a secondary battery, or the like.
This makes it possible to communicate the tongue movement information of the subject measured by tongue movement measuring device 100 to an external party and use or utilize the information, making it easy to measure on the go or at home.
The tongue movement measuring device 100 may further include not only the network interface and mobile power supply, but also some or all of the hardware constituting the tongue movement information processing device 10, which is installed in the glove 120. Since the glove 120 is made of silicone rubber having the above tear strength, even if the hardware is installed on the glove 120, damage to the glove 120 can be suppressed.

The tongue movement monitoring method of this embodiment can monitor tongue movement using the tongue movement measuring device 100. This tongue movement monitoring method includes a step of acquiring tongue movement information regarding the subject's tongue movement from the detection results of the tongue movement measuring device 100.

The movement monitoring method also includes a step of determining whether the above-mentioned predetermined conditions are met based on the obtained tongue movement information.

(silicone rubber)
The silicone rubber that constitutes each component of the tongue movement measuring device 100 will be described below.

In this specification, silicone rubber refers to a stretchable elastic material. Among elastomers, silicone rubber is chemically stable and has excellent flexibility. Silicone rubber is also preferred from the standpoints of hygiene and biocompatibility.

Silicone rubber is classified into insulating silicone rubber and conductive silicone rubber.

Insulating silicone rubber contains silicone rubber but does not contain conductive filler. Because it does not contain conductive filler, it can further improve elasticity and other properties.

Conductive silicone rubber contains silicone rubber and conductive filler, which improves the elasticity and conductivity of the conductive silicone rubber.

The conductive filler may include, for example, one or more selected from the group consisting of powdered or fibrous metal-based fillers, carbon-based fillers (conductive carbon materials), metal oxide fillers, and metal-plated fillers.

At least one of the insulating silicone rubber and the conductive silicone rubber, and preferably both, may contain a non-conductive filler, which further increases the mechanical strength.
As the non-conductive filler, known materials can be used, for example, silica particles, silicone rubber particles, talc, etc. Among these, silica particles may be included.

Furthermore, the silicone rubber contained in the insulating silicone rubber and/or conductive silicone rubber may be composed of a cured product of a silicone rubber-based curable composition containing a vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane.

At least two or all of the insulating silicone rubber of the glove 120, the conductive silicone rubber of the stretchable wiring 130, and the conductive silicone rubber of the pressure sensor 110 may be configured to contain the same silicone rubber.

In this specification, "containing the same silicone rubber" means that the silicone rubber-based curable composition contains at least the same type of vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane, and may further contain one or more selected from the group consisting of the same type of crosslinking agent, the same type of non-conductive filler, the same type of silane coupling agent, and the same type of catalyst.

The same type of vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxanes are those that contain at least the same vinyl group as the functional group and have a linear structure, but may differ in the amount of vinyl groups in the molecule, molecular weight distribution, or amount added.

The same type of crosslinking agent must have at least a common structure, such as a linear or branched structure, and may have different molecular weight distributions or contain different functional groups, or the amounts added may differ.

Non-conductive fillers of the same type may have at least common constituent materials, but may differ in particle size, specific surface area, surface treatment agent, or amount of surface treatment agent added.

Silane coupling agents of the same type only need to have at least one common functional group, and may differ in other functional groups in the molecule or in the amount added.

The same type of catalysts are those that at least share common constituent materials, but may contain different compositions or may be added in different amounts.

A silicone rubber-based curable composition that constitutes the same silicone rubber may further contain one or more different components selected from the group consisting of vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxanes, crosslinking agents, non-conductive fillers, silane coupling agents, and catalysts.

The components of the above silicone rubber-based curable composition are described in detail below.

The silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment may contain a vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A). The vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) is a polymer that serves as the main component of the silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment.

The vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) may include a vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) having a linear structure.

The vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) has a linear structure and contains vinyl groups, which become crosslinking points during curing.

The vinyl group content of the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the vinyl group content be 15 mol% or less and that the vinyl group content be two or more per molecule. This optimizes the amount of vinyl groups in the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1), ensuring the formation of networks with the components described below.

In this specification, "to" indicates that the upper and lower limits are included unless otherwise specified.

In this specification, the vinyl group content refers to the mole percentage of vinyl group-containing siloxane units when all units constituting the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) are taken as 100 mole percent. However, it is considered that there is one vinyl group per vinyl group-containing siloxane unit.

The degree of polymerization of the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) is not particularly limited, but is preferably within the range of approximately 1,000 to 10,000, and more preferably approximately 2,000 to 5,000. The degree of polymerization can be determined, for example, as the polystyrene-equivalent number-average degree of polymerization (or number-average molecular weight) measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using chloroform as a developing solvent.

Furthermore, the specific gravity of the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of approximately 0.9 to 1.1.

By using a vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) with a degree of polymerization and specific gravity within the above ranges, the heat resistance, flame retardancy, chemical stability, and other properties of the resulting silicone rubber can be improved.

The vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) is particularly preferably one having a structure represented by the following formula (1):

In formula (1), ^R1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group, or a hydrocarbon group consisting of a combination thereof, each having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Examples of alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include methyl, ethyl, and propyl groups, with methyl being preferred. Examples of alkenyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include vinyl, allyl, and butenyl groups, with vinyl being preferred. Examples of aryl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include phenyl groups.

Furthermore, ^R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group, or a hydrocarbon group that combines these and has 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, with a methyl group being preferred. Examples of the alkenyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a vinyl group, an allyl group, and a butenyl group. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a phenyl group.

Furthermore, ^R3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aryl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbon group consisting of a combination thereof. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, with a methyl group being preferred. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include a phenyl group.

Furthermore, examples of the substituents for R ¹ and R ² in formula (1) include a methyl group and a vinyl group, and examples of the substituent for R ³ include a methyl group.

In formula (1), the R ^1s are independent of each other and may be the same or different from each other. The same applies to R ² and R ³ .

Furthermore, m and n represent the number of repeating units constituting the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) represented by formula (1), where m is an integer from 0 to 2000 and n is an integer from 1000 to 10000. m is preferably 0 to 1000, and n is preferably 2000 to 5000.

Specific examples of the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) represented by formula (1) include those represented by the following formula (1-1):

In formula (1-1), R ¹ and R ² are each independently a methyl group or a vinyl group, and at least one of them is a vinyl group.

The vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) may include a first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) having two or more vinyl groups in the molecule and having a vinyl group content of 0.4 mol% or less. The vinyl group content of the first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) may be 0.1 mol% or less.

Furthermore, the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1) may contain a first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) and a second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) having a vinyl group content of 0.5 to 15 mol %.

By combining a first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) with a second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) with a high vinyl group content as the raw rubber used to make silicone rubber, it is possible to unevenly distribute the vinyl groups and more effectively create a variation in crosslink density within the crosslinked network of the silicone rubber. As a result, the tear strength of the silicone rubber can be more effectively increased.

Specifically, as the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1), it is preferable to use, for example, a first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) having two or more units in which R1 is a vinyl group and/or units in which R2 is a vinyl group in the molecule, and containing 0.4 mol% or less of these units in the molecule, as represented by the above formula (1-1), and a second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) containing 0.5 to 15 mol% of units in which R1 is a vinyl group and/or units in which R2 is a vinyl group.

Furthermore, the first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) preferably has a vinyl group content of 0.01 to 0.2 mol %. Furthermore, the second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) preferably has a vinyl group content of 0.8 to 12 mol %.

Furthermore, when the first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) and the second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) are combined and blended, the ratio of (A1-1) to (A1-2) is not particularly limited, but, for example, the weight ratio of (A1-1):(A1-2) is preferably 50:50 to 95:5, and more preferably 80:20 to 90:10.

The first and second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxanes (A1-1) and (A1-2) may each be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) may also contain a vinyl group-containing branched organopolysiloxane (A2) having a branched structure.

<<Organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B)>>
The silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment can contain an organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B).
The organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) is classified into a linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) having a linear structure and a branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) having a branched structure, and may contain either one or both of these.

Linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) has a linear structure and a structure in which hydrogen is directly bonded to silicon (≡Si-H). It undergoes a hydrosilylation reaction with the vinyl groups of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and with vinyl groups of components blended into the silicone rubber-based curable composition, forming a polymer that crosslinks these components.

The molecular weight of the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferable that the weight average molecular weight is 20,000 or less, and more preferably 1,000 or more and 10,000 or less.

The weight-average molecular weight of the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) can be measured, for example, by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using chloroform as a developing solvent, in terms of polystyrene.

In addition, it is generally preferable that the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) does not contain vinyl groups. This effectively prevents crosslinking reactions from occurring within the molecules of the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1).

As the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) described above, for example, one having a structure represented by the following formula (2) is preferably used.

In formula (2), ^R4 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group, a hydrocarbon group combining these, or a hydride group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, with a methyl group being preferred. Examples of the alkenyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a vinyl group, an allyl group, and a butenyl group. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a phenyl group.

Furthermore, ^R5 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group, a hydrocarbon group formed by combining these groups, or a hydride group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, with a methyl group being preferred. Examples of the alkenyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a vinyl group, an allyl group, and a butenyl group. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a phenyl group.

In formula (2), the multiple ^R4s are independent of each other and may be different from each other or the same. The same applies to ^R5s . However, at least two of the multiple ^R4s and ^R5s are hydrido groups.

Furthermore, ^R6 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aryl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbon group that is a combination thereof. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, and among these, a methyl group is preferable. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include a phenyl group. Multiple ^R6s are independent of each other and may be different from each other or the same.

In addition, examples of the substituents R ⁴ , R ⁵ and R ⁶ in formula (2) include a methyl group and a vinyl group, and from the viewpoint of preventing intramolecular crosslinking reaction, a methyl group is preferred.

Furthermore, m and n are the numbers of repeating units constituting the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) represented by formula (2), where m is an integer from 2 to 150 and n is an integer from 2 to 150. Preferably, m is an integer from 2 to 100 and n is an integer from 2 to 100.

The linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Because of its branched structure, branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) forms regions with high crosslink density, making it a component that significantly contributes to the formation of a sparsely crosslinked structure within the silicone rubber system. Like the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1), it has a structure in which hydrogen is directly bonded to silicon (≡Si-H), and undergoes a hydrosilylation reaction with the vinyl groups of the vinyl-group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and other components blended into the silicone rubber-based curable composition, forming a polymer that crosslinks these components.

Furthermore, the specific gravity of the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) is in the range of 0.9 to 0.95.

Furthermore, it is generally preferable that the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) does not contain vinyl groups. This effectively prevents crosslinking reactions from occurring within the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) molecules.

Furthermore, the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) is preferably one represented by the following average composition formula (c):

Average composition formula (c)
(H _a (R ⁷ ) _3-a SiO _1/2 ) _m (SiO _4/2 ) _n
(In formula (c), R ⁷ is a monovalent organic group, a is an integer ranging from 1 to 3, m is the number of H _a (R ⁷ ) _3-a SiO _1/2 units, and n is the number of SiO _4/2 units.)

In formula (c), ^R7 is a monovalent organic group, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aryl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbon group consisting of a combination thereof. Examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group, with a methyl group being preferred. Examples of the aryl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms include a phenyl group.

In formula (c), a is the number of hydride groups (hydrogen atoms directly bonded to Si) and is an integer ranging from 1 to 3, preferably 1.

In addition, in formula (c), m is the number of H _a (R ⁷ ) _3-a SiO _1/2 units, and n is the number of SiO _4/2 units.

Branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) has a branched structure. Linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) and branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) differ in their structures, whether they are linear or branched. The number of alkyl groups R bonded to Si (R/Si), where the number of Si is 1, is in the range of 1.8 to 2.1 for linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) and 0.8 to 1.7 for branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2).

Note that because branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) has a branched structure, it leaves a residue amount of 5% or more when heated, for example, to 1,000°C at a heating rate of 10°C/min in a nitrogen atmosphere. In contrast, because linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) is linear, it leaves almost no residue after heating under the above conditions.

Specific examples of branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) include those having a structure represented by the following formula (3):

In formula (3), ^R7 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or aryl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbon group formed by combining these, or a hydrogen atom. Examples of alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include methyl groups, ethyl groups, and propyl groups, with methyl groups being preferred. Examples of aryl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include phenyl groups. Examples of substituents for ^R7 include methyl groups.

In addition, in formula (3), multiple R ^7s are independent of each other and may be different from each other or the same.

Also, in formula (3), "-O-Si≡" indicates that Si has a branched structure that extends three-dimensionally.

The branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Furthermore, the number of hydrogen atoms (hydride groups) directly bonded to Si in the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) and the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) is not particularly limited. However, in the silicone rubber-based curable composition, the total number of hydride groups in the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) and the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) is preferably 0.5 to 5 moles, and more preferably 1 to 3.5 moles, per mole of vinyl groups in the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1). This ensures the reliable formation of a crosslinked network between the linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B1) and the branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B2) and the vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1).

<<Silica particles (C)>>
The silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment may contain silica particles (C) as a non-conductive filler, if necessary.

The silica particles (C) are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include fumed silica, calcined silica, and precipitated silica. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

The silica particles (C) preferably have a specific surface area of 50 to 400 ^{m 2} /g, more preferably 100 to 400 m ² /g, as measured by the BET method, and an average primary particle size of 1 to 100 nm, more preferably about 5 to 20 nm.

By using silica particles (C) that have a specific surface area and average particle size within this range, the hardness and mechanical strength of the resulting silicone rubber can be improved, particularly the tensile strength.

<<Silane Coupling Agent (D)>>
The silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment may contain a silane coupling agent (D).
The silane coupling agent (D) may have a hydrolyzable group. The hydrolyzable group is hydrolyzed by water to form a hydroxyl group, which undergoes a dehydration condensation reaction with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the silica particles (C), thereby modifying the surface of the silica particles (C).

The silane coupling agent (D) may also contain a silane coupling agent having a hydrophobic group. This imparts the hydrophobic group to the surface of the silica particles (C), thereby reducing the cohesive strength of the silica particles (C) in the silicone rubber-based curable composition and, ultimately, in the silicone rubber (reducing aggregation due to hydrogen bonding through silanol groups). This is thought to result in improved dispersibility of the silica particles in the silicone rubber-based curable composition. This increases the interface between the silica particles and the rubber matrix, enhancing the reinforcing effect of the silica particles. Furthermore, it is thought that the slipperiness of the silica particles within the matrix improves during deformation of the rubber matrix. The improved dispersibility and slipperiness of the silica particles (C) then improve the mechanical strength (e.g., tensile strength, tear strength, etc.) of the silicone rubber due to the silica particles (C).

Furthermore, the silane coupling agent (D) can contain a silane coupling agent having a vinyl group. This introduces vinyl groups onto the surfaces of the silica particles (C). Therefore, when the silicone rubber-based curable composition is cured, that is, when the vinyl groups of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and the hydride groups of the organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) undergo a hydrosilylation reaction to form a network (crosslinked structure), the vinyl groups of the silica particles (C) also participate in the hydrosilylation reaction with the hydride groups of the organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B), and the silica particles (C) are incorporated into the network. This allows for the formation of a silicone rubber with low hardness and high modulus.

As the silane coupling agent (D), a silane coupling agent having a hydrophobic group and a silane coupling agent having a vinyl group can be used in combination.

Examples of silane coupling agents (D) include those represented by the following formula (4):

Y _n -Si-(X) _4-n ...(4)
In the above formula (4), n represents an integer of 1 to 3. Y represents a functional group having a hydrophobic group, a hydrophilic group, or a vinyl group, and when n is 1, it is a hydrophobic group, and when n is 2 or 3, at least one of the groups is a hydrophobic group. X represents a hydrolyzable group.

The hydrophobic group is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group, or a hydrocarbon group that combines these. Examples include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, and a phenyl group, with a methyl group being particularly preferred.

Examples of hydrophilic groups include hydroxyl groups, sulfonic acid groups, carboxyl groups, and carbonyl groups, with hydroxyl groups being particularly preferred. While hydrophilic groups may be included as functional groups, it is preferable that they not be included in order to impart hydrophobicity to the silane coupling agent (D).

Further, examples of the hydrolyzable group include alkoxy groups such as methoxy and ethoxy groups, chloro groups, and silazane groups, among which silazane groups are preferred due to their high reactivity with silica particles (C). Note that a compound having a silazane group as the hydrolyzable group will have two (Y _n -Si-) structures in the above formula (4) due to its structural characteristics.

Specific examples of the silane coupling agent (D) represented by the above formula (4) include those having a hydrophobic group as a functional group, such as alkoxysilanes such as methyltrimethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, n-propyltrimethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane, hexyltrimethoxysilane, hexyltriethoxysilane, and decyltrimethoxysilane; chlorosilanes such as methyltrichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, and phenyltrichlorosilane; and hexamethyldisilazane. Examples of those having a vinyl group include alkoxysilanes such as methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, and vinylmethyldimethoxysilane; chlorosilanes such as vinyltrichlorosilane and vinylmethyldichlorosilane; and divinyltetramethyldisilazane. However, taking the above into consideration, hexamethyldisilazane is particularly preferred as a compound having a hydrophobic group, and divinyltetramethyldisilazane is particularly preferred as a compound having a vinyl group.

In this embodiment, the lower limit of the content of the silane coupling agent (D) is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more, relative to 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A). The upper limit of the content of the silane coupling agent (D) is preferably 100% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less, relative to 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A).
By setting the content of the silane coupling agent (D) to the above lower limit or more, the silicone rubber has a suitable adhesion to the glove 120, and when silica particles (C) are used, it can contribute to improving the mechanical strength of the silicone rubber as a whole. Furthermore, by setting the content of the silane coupling agent (D) to the above upper limit or less, the silicone rubber can have suitable mechanical properties.

<<Platinum or platinum compound (E)>>
The silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment may contain platinum or a platinum compound (E).
Platinum or a platinum compound (E) is a catalytic component that acts as a catalyst during curing. The amount of platinum or a platinum compound (E) added is a catalytic amount.

Platinum or platinum compounds (E) that can be used include known compounds, such as platinum black, platinum supported on silica or carbon black, chloroplatinic acid or an alcohol solution of chloroplatinic acid, complex salts of chloroplatinic acid and olefins, and complex salts of chloroplatinic acid and vinylsiloxanes.

The platinum or platinum compound (E) may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

<<Water (F)>>
Furthermore, the silicone rubber-based hardening composition of this embodiment may contain water (F) in addition to the above components (A) to (E).

Water (F) functions as a dispersion medium to disperse the various components contained in the silicone rubber-based curable composition, and is also a component that contributes to the reaction between the silica particles (C) and the silane coupling agent (D). This allows the silica particles (C) and the silane coupling agent (D) to be more reliably linked to each other in the silicone rubber, allowing the composition to exhibit uniform properties overall.

When water (F) is further contained, its content can be set as appropriate. Specifically, it is preferably in the range of 10 to 100 parts by weight, and more preferably in the range of 30 to 70 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the silane coupling agent (D). This allows the reaction between the silane coupling agent (D) and the silica particles (C) to proceed more reliably.

(Other ingredients)
Furthermore, the silicone rubber-based curable composition of this embodiment may further contain other components in addition to the above components (A) to (F), such as inorganic fillers other than the silica particles (C), such as diatomaceous earth, iron oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, barium oxide, magnesium oxide, cerium oxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, zinc carbonate, glass wool, and mica, as well as additives such as reaction inhibitors, dispersants, pigments, dyes, antistatic agents, antioxidants, flame retardants, and thermal conductivity improvers.

The content ratio of each component in the silicone rubber-based curable composition is not particularly limited, but is set, for example, as follows:

In this embodiment, the upper limit of the content of silica particles (C) may be, for example, 60 parts by weight or less, preferably 50 parts by weight or less, and more preferably 40 parts by weight or less, per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A). This allows for a good balance between hardness, tensile strength, and other mechanical strengths. Furthermore, the lower limit of the content of silica particles (C) is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10 parts by weight or more, per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A).

The silane coupling agent (D) is preferably contained in an amount of 5 to 100 parts by weight, and more preferably 5 to 40 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A). This ensures improved dispersibility of the silica particles (C) in the silicone rubber-based curable composition.

Specifically, the content of organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) is preferably 0.5 to 20 parts by weight, and more preferably 0.8 to 15 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A), silica particles (C), and silane coupling agent (D). Keeping the content of (B) within this range may result in a more effective curing reaction.

The content of platinum or platinum compound (E) refers to the catalytic amount and can be set as appropriate. Specifically, it is an amount such that the platinum group metal in this component is 0.01 to 1000 ppm by weight, and preferably 0.1 to 500 ppm, relative to the total amount of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A), silica particles (C), and silane coupling agent (D). By ensuring that the content of platinum or platinum compound (E) is at or above the above-mentioned lower limit, the resulting silicone rubber composition can be sufficiently cured. By ensuring that the content of platinum or platinum compound (E) is at or below the above-mentioned upper limit, the curing rate of the resulting silicone rubber composition can be improved.

When water (F) is further contained, its content can be set as appropriate. Specifically, it is preferably in the range of 10 to 100 parts by weight, and more preferably in the range of 30 to 70 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the silane coupling agent (D). This allows the reaction between the silane coupling agent (D) and the silica particles (C) to proceed more reliably.

<Silicone rubber manufacturing method>
Next, a method for producing the silicone rubber of this embodiment will be described.
In the method for producing the silicone rubber of this embodiment, a silicone rubber-based curable composition is prepared, and the silicone rubber can be obtained by curing the silicone rubber-based curable composition.
Details are provided below.

First, the components of the silicone rubber-based curable composition are mixed uniformly using any kneading device to prepare the silicone rubber-based curable composition.

[1] For example, predetermined amounts of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A), silica particles (C), and silane coupling agent (D) are weighed, and then kneaded using any kneading device to obtain a kneaded product containing these components (A), (C), and (D).

It is preferable to obtain this kneaded mixture by first kneading the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) with the silane coupling agent (D) and then kneading (mixing) the silica particles (C). This further improves the dispersibility of the silica particles (C) in the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A).

Furthermore, when obtaining this kneaded mixture, water (F) may be added to the kneaded mixture of components (A), (C), and (D) as needed. This allows the reaction between the silane coupling agent (D) and the silica particles (C) to proceed more reliably.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the kneading of components (A), (C), and (D) be carried out through a first step in which the components are heated at a first temperature, and a second step in which the components are heated at a second temperature. This allows the surfaces of the silica particles (C) to be surface-treated with the coupling agent (D) in the first step, and also ensures that by-products produced by the reaction between the silica particles (C) and the coupling agent (D) are removed from the kneaded mixture in the second step. If necessary, component (A) may then be added to the resulting kneaded mixture, followed by further kneading. This improves the compatibility of the components in the kneaded mixture.

The first temperature is preferably, for example, about 40 to 120°C, and more preferably, about 60 to 90°C. The second temperature is preferably, for example, about 130 to 210°C, and more preferably, about 160 to 180°C.

Furthermore, the atmosphere in the first step is preferably an inert atmosphere such as a nitrogen atmosphere, and the atmosphere in the second step is preferably a reduced pressure atmosphere.

Furthermore, the time for the first step is preferably, for example, about 0.3 to 1.5 hours, and more preferably about 0.5 to 1.2 hours. The time for the second step is preferably, for example, about 0.7 to 3.0 hours, and more preferably about 1.0 to 2.0 hours.

By setting the conditions for the first and second steps as described above, the above effects can be obtained more significantly.

[2] Next, predetermined amounts of organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) and platinum or platinum compound (E) are weighed out, and then, using any kneading device, components (B) and (E) are kneaded into the mixture prepared in step [1] above, thereby obtaining a silicone rubber-based curable composition. The obtained silicone rubber-based curable composition may be a paste containing a solvent.

When kneading components (B) and (E), it is preferable to first knead the mixture prepared in step [1] above with organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B), and then knead the mixture prepared in step [1] above with platinum or a platinum compound (E), and then knead these mixtures together. This ensures that components (A) to (E) are dispersed reliably in the silicone rubber-based curable composition without promoting the reaction between the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and the organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B).

The temperature at which components (B) and (E) are kneaded is preferably set at a roll temperature of, for example, approximately 10 to 70°C, and more preferably approximately 25 to 30°C.

Furthermore, the kneading time is preferably, for example, about 5 minutes to 1 hour, and more preferably about 10 to 40 minutes.

By maintaining the temperature within the above range in steps [1] and [2], the progress of the reaction between the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and the organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) can be more effectively prevented or inhibited. Furthermore, by maintaining the kneading time within the above range in steps [1] and [2], components (A) to (E) can be more reliably dispersed in the silicone rubber-based curable composition.

The kneading device used in each of steps [1] and [2] is not particularly limited, but examples that can be used include a kneader, two-roll mill, Banbury mixer (continuous kneader), and pressure kneader.

In addition, in step [2], a reaction inhibitor such as 1-ethynylcyclohexanol may be added to the kneaded mixture. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent or inhibit the reaction between the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) and the organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) even if the temperature of the kneaded mixture is set to a relatively high temperature.

[3] Next, the silicone rubber-based curable composition is cured to form silicone rubber.

In this embodiment, the curing process for the silicone rubber-based curable resin composition is carried out by, for example, heating at 100 to 250°C for 1 to 30 minutes (primary curing), followed by post-baking at 200°C for 1 to 4 hours (secondary curing).

Through the above steps, a silicone rubber consisting of a cured product of the silicone rubber-based curable resin composition is obtained.

[3] Next, the silicone rubber-based hardening composition obtained in step [2] is dissolved in a solvent to obtain an insulating paste.
[3] Next, the silicone rubber-based curable composition obtained in step [2] is dissolved in a solvent, and a conductive filler is added to the solution, thereby obtaining a conductive paste.

(solvent)
The conductive paste and the insulating paste contain a solvent.
As the solvent, various known solvents can be used, including, for example, high-boiling point solvents, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The lower limit of the boiling point of the high-boiling solvent is, for example, 100°C or higher, preferably 130°C or higher, and more preferably 150°C or higher. This improves printing stability in screen printing and other processes. On the other hand, the upper limit of the boiling point of the high-boiling solvent is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 300°C or lower, 290°C or lower, or 280°C or lower. This prevents excessive thermal history during wiring formation, thereby preventing damage to the substrate and maintaining the shape of the wiring formed from the conductive paste.

The solvent can be appropriately selected from the perspective of the solubility and boiling point of the silicone rubber-based curable resin composition, but can include, for example, aliphatic hydrocarbons having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably aliphatic hydrocarbons having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and more preferably aliphatic hydrocarbons having 10 to 15 carbon atoms.

Examples of the solvent include aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, methylcyclohexane, ethylcyclohexane, octane, decane, dodecane, and tetradecane; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, mesitylene, trifluoromethylbenzene, and benzotrifluoride; diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, dibutyl ether, cyclopentyl methyl ether, cyclopentyl ethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, and diethylene glycol. Examples of such solvents include ethers such as dichloromethane, chloroform, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and 1,1,2-trichloroethane; carboxylic acid amides such as N,N-dimethylformamide and N,N-dimethylacetamide; sulfoxides such as dimethyl sulfoxide and diethyl sulfoxide; and esters such as diethyl carbonate. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The solvent used here may be appropriately selected from among solvents that can uniformly dissolve or disperse the components in the conductive paste.

The solvent may contain a first solvent having an upper limit of the polarity term (δ _p ) of the Hansen solubility parameter of, for example, 10 MPa ^1/2 or less, preferably 7 MPa ^1/2 or less, and more preferably 5.5 MPa ^1/2 or less. This allows the silicone rubber-based curable resin composition to have good dispersibility and solubility in the paste. The lower limit of the polarity term (δ _p ) of this first solvent is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 Pa ^1/2 or more.

The upper limit of the hydrogen bond term (δ _h ) of the Hansen solubility parameter in the first solvent is, for example, 20 MPa ^1/2 or less, preferably 10 MPa ^1/2 or less, and more preferably 7 MPa ^1/2 or less. This allows the silicone rubber-based curable resin composition to have good dispersibility and solubility in the paste. The lower limit of the hydrogen bond term (δ _h ) of the first solvent is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 Pa ^1/2 or more.

The Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) is an index that indicates the solubility of a substance, i.e., how much a substance dissolves in another substance. The HSP represents solubility as a three-dimensional vector. This three-dimensional vector can be typically expressed by a dispersion term (δ _d ), a polar term (δ _p ), and a hydrogen bonding term (δ _h ). Similar vectors can be determined to have high solubility. The similarity of vectors can be determined by the distance of the Hansen solubility parameter (HSP distance).

The Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP values) used herein can be calculated using software called HSPiP (Hansen Solubility Parameters in Practice), which is a computer software developed by Hansen and Abbott that includes a function for calculating HSP distances and a database listing the Hansen parameters of various resins and solvents or non-solvents.
The solubility of each resin in pure solvents and mixed solvents of good and poor solvents is investigated, and the results are entered into the HSPiP software to calculate D: dispersion term, P: polar term, H: hydrogen bond term, and R0: radius of the solubility sphere.

The solvent selected for this embodiment may have a small difference in HSP distance, polarity term, or hydrogen bond term between the silicone rubber or the structural units that make up the silicone rubber and the solvent.

The lower limit of the viscosity of the conductive paste and/or insulating paste when measured at a shear rate of 20 [1/s] at room temperature of 25°C is, for example, 1 Pa·s or more, preferably 5 Pa·s or more, and more preferably 10 Pa·s or more. This improves film-forming properties. It also improves shape retention even when forming thick films. On the other hand, the upper limit of the viscosity of the conductive paste and/or insulating paste at room temperature of 25°C is, for example, 100 Pa·s or less, preferably 90 Pa·s or less, and more preferably 80 Pa·s or less. This improves the printability of the paste.

At room temperature of 25°C, the viscosity measured at a shear rate of 1 [1/s] is defined as η1, the viscosity measured at a shear rate of 5 [1/s] is defined as η5, and the thixotropy index is defined as the viscosity ratio (η1/η5).
In this case, the lower limit of the thixotropic index of the conductive paste and/or insulating paste is, for example, 1.0 or more, preferably 1.1 or more, and more preferably 1.2 or more. This allows the shape of the wiring obtained by the printing method to be stably maintained. On the other hand, the upper limit of the thixotropic index of the conductive paste and/or insulating paste is, for example, 3.0 or less, preferably 2.5 or less, and more preferably 2.0 or less. This allows the paste to be easily printed.

The content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition in the insulating paste is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the insulating paste. The content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition in the insulating paste is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the insulating paste.

(Conductive filler)
As the conductive filler, a known conductive material may be used, but metal powder (G) or a conductive carbon material may also be used.
The metal constituting the metal powder (G) is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, at least one of copper, silver, gold, nickel, tin, lead, zinc, bismuth, antimony, or metal powders alloyed with these, or two or more of these. Among these, the metal powder (G) preferably contains silver or copper, i.e., silver powder or copper powder, due to its high conductivity and easy availability. Note that these metal powders (G) coated with other metals may also be used.

Examples of conductive carbon materials include conductive carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

In this embodiment, there are no restrictions on the shape of the metal powder (G), but conventional shapes such as dendritic, spherical, and scale-shaped can be used. Among these, scale-shaped metal powder (G) may also be used.

The particle size of the metal powder (G) is not limited either, but is preferably 0.001 μm or more, more preferably 0.01 μm or more, and even more preferably 0.1 μm or more, in terms of average particle size D _50. The particle size of the metal powder (G) is preferably 1,000 μm or less, more preferably 100 μm or less, and even more preferably 20 μm or less, in terms of average particle size D ₅₀ .
By setting the average particle size _D50 within this range, the silicone rubber can exhibit appropriate electrical conductivity.
The particle size of the metal powder (G) can be defined as the average particle size of 200 arbitrarily selected metal powder particles, for example, by observing the conductive paste or silicone rubber molded using the conductive paste with a transmission electron microscope or the like and performing image analysis.

The content of the conductive filler in the conductive paste is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more, based on the total amount of the conductive paste, and is preferably 85% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, and even more preferably 65% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the conductive paste.
By setting the content of the conductive filler to the above lower limit or more, the silicone rubber can have appropriate conductive properties, and by setting the content of the conductive filler to the above upper limit or less, the silicone rubber can have appropriate flexibility.

The content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition in the conductive paste is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the conductive paste. The content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition in the conductive paste is preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 15% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the conductive paste.
By adjusting the content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition to be equal to or greater than the lower limit, the silicone rubber can have an appropriate degree of flexibility, while by adjusting the content of the silicone rubber-based curable composition to be equal to or less than the upper limit, the mechanical strength of the silicone rubber can be improved.

The lower limit of the content of silica particles (C) in the conductive paste can be, for example, 1% by mass or more, preferably 3% by mass or more, and more preferably 5% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the total amount of silica particles (C) and conductive filler. This improves the mechanical strength of the silicone rubber. On the other hand, the upper limit of the content of silica particles (C) in the conductive paste can be, for example, 20% by mass or less, preferably 15% by mass or less, and more preferably 10% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the total amount of silica particles (C) and conductive filler. This allows for a balance between the elastic electrical properties and mechanical strength of the silicone rubber.

The lower limit of the conductive filler content in the conductive cured product obtained by curing the conductive paste that constitutes the stretchable wiring 130 is, for example, 65% by mass or more, preferably 70% by mass or more, and more preferably 75% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the conductive cured product. This improves the stretchable electrical properties. On the other hand, the upper limit of the conductive filler content in the conductive cured product is, for example, 95% by mass or less, preferably 90% by mass or less, and more preferably 85% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the stretchable wiring 130. This prevents a decrease in rubber properties such as stretchability.

(Method for manufacturing a tongue movement measuring device)
Next, a method for manufacturing the tongue movement measuring device of this embodiment will be described.

For forming the glove, a method of overlapping two sheets of insulating silicone rubber and processing them into a predetermined glove shape is used, but the method is not limited to this.
The sheet-shaped insulating silicone rubber may be produced by a general molding method such as calendar molding or compression molding using a silicone rubber-based curable composition (compound) that does not contain a conductive filler, or by a printing method using an insulating paste that contains a silicone rubber-based curable composition.

For processing into a glove shape, a method using a mold, a cutting method, or in the case of insulating paste, a method using a mask with openings, etc. After forming the stretchable wiring on a sheet-shaped insulating silicone rubber, it may be processed into a glove shape, or the stretchable wiring may be formed on the glove-shaped insulating silicone rubber after processing into a glove shape.
It is also possible to form a glove having a three-dimensional structure by immersing a mold in an insulating paste and drying and hardening the insulating paste attached to the surface of the mold.

For forming the stretchable wiring, a printing method using a conductive paste containing a silicone rubber-based curable composition is used, but the method is not limited to this.
For example, a conductive paste is applied to a sheet of insulating silicone rubber or the outer surface of a glove made of insulating silicone rubber through a mask having a predetermined opening pattern. The application method may be a squeegee printing method using a squeegee. The conductive paste is then dried to form a wiring pattern.
Drying conditions can be set appropriately depending on the type and amount of solvent in the insulating paste, but for example, the drying temperature can be set to 120° C. to 180° C., and the drying time can be set to 1 minute to 30 minutes.
Subsequently, the wiring pattern is cured to form the stretchable wiring.
The curing conditions can be set appropriately depending on the silicone rubber-based curable composition, but for example, the curing temperature is set to 120° C. to 220° C., and the curing time is set to 1 hour to 3 hours.
The pressure sensor is then mounted on the stretchable wiring, and they can be electrically connected using a connecting material such as conductive paste or solder material.
In this way, a tongue movement measuring device is obtained.

If necessary, a step of forming a cover portion on the wiring pattern or on the stretchable wiring having the wiring pattern cured may be added. Examples of a method for forming the cover portion include the printing method using the insulating paste described above.
The curing treatment of the insulating paste for the cover may be performed together with the curing treatment of the conductive paste for the stretchable wiring, but is not limited to such a collective curing treatment, and each paste may be cured individually.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations may be adopted. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.
Below, examples of reference forms are given.
1. A tongue movement measuring device for measuring tongue movement of a subject,
a glove made of insulating silicone rubber to be worn on the hand of the measurer;
a pressure sensor provided in a fingertip region on the outer surface side of the glove for measuring tongue pressure;
an elastic wiring electrically connected to the pressure sensor;
A tongue movement measuring device comprising:
2. The tongue movement measuring device according to 1.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the tear strength of the glove is 25 N/mm or more.
3. The tongue movement measuring device according to 1. or 2.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove can be sterilized by boiling.
4. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 3.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove is alcohol-resistant.
5. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 4.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein an uneven structure is formed on the surface of the inner surface of the glove.
6. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 5.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove sheet thickness is 20 μm or more and 2 mm or less.
7. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 6.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the durometer hardness A of the glove is 10 or more and 80 or less.
8. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 7.,
The glove is a tongue movement measuring device having a back portion that covers the back of the hand of the person being measured and at least one finger portion connected to the back portion.
9. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 8.,
A tongue movement measuring device having a reinforcing portion on the inner surface of the glove at a position facing the pressure sensor.
10. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 9.,
The glove is a tongue movement measuring device having a structure in which two sheets of insulating silicone rubber are layered on top of each other.
11. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 10.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring is made of conductive silicone rubber.
12. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 11.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring is made of a printed conductive paste containing a conductive filler and silicone rubber.
13. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 12.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the elastic wiring has an extraction wiring portion that extends from the fingers to the back of the glove.
14. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 13.,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring has a multilayer wiring structure.
15. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 14.,
A tongue movement measuring device comprising a cover portion made of insulating silicone rubber that covers the surface of the stretchable wiring.
16. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 15.,
A tongue movement measuring device is attached to the glove and includes a wirelessly connectable network interface.
17. A tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 16.;
a tongue movement information processing device;
A tongue movement monitoring system comprising:
18. A tongue movement monitoring method, comprising a step of acquiring tongue movement information regarding the tongue movement of a subject using the tongue movement measuring device according to any one of 1. to 16.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the descriptions in these examples.

The raw material components shown in Table 1 are as follows:
(A1-1): First vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane: a vinyl group-containing dimethylpolysiloxane (structure represented by the above formula (1-1)) synthesized according to the following synthesis scheme 1.
(A1-2): Second vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane: a vinyl group-containing dimethylpolysiloxane synthesized according to the following synthesis scheme 2 (a structure represented by the above formula (1-1) in which R ¹ and R ² are vinyl groups).

(Organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B))
(B-1): Organohydrogenpolysiloxane: "TC-25D" manufactured by Momentive Corporation

(Silica particles (C))
(C): Silica fine particles (particle size 7 nm, specific surface area 300 ^{m 2} /g), manufactured by Nippon Aerosil Co., Ltd., "AEROSIL300"

(Silane Coupling Agent (D))
(D-1): Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ), manufactured by Gelest, "HEXAMETHYLDISILAZANE (SIH6110.1)"
(D-2) Divinyltetramethyldisilazane, manufactured by Gelest, "1,3-DIVINYLTETRAMETHYLDISILAZANE (SID4612.0)"

(Platinum or platinum compound (E))
(E-1): Platinum compound (manufactured by Momentive, trade name "TC-25A")

(Water (F))
(F): Pure water

(Metal powder (G))
(G1): Silver powder, manufactured by Tokuriki Chemical Laboratory Co., Ltd., product name "TC-101", median diameter d ₅₀ : 8.0 μm, aspect ratio 16.4, average major axis 4.6 μm

(Synthesis of vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A))
[Synthesis Scheme 1: Synthesis of First Vinyl Group-Containing Linear Organopolysiloxane (A1-1)]
A first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) was synthesized according to the following formula (5).
Specifically, 74.7 g (252 mmol) of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and 0.1 g of potassium siliconate were placed in a 300 mL separable flask equipped with a condenser and a stirring blade and purged with Ar gas, and the mixture was heated to 120° C. and stirred for 30 minutes. An increase in viscosity was confirmed during this process.
The temperature was then raised to 155°C and stirring was continued for 3 hours, after which 0.1 g (0.6 mmol) of 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane was added and the mixture was further stirred at 155°C for 4 hours.
After another 4 hours, the mixture was diluted with 250 mL of toluene and washed three times with water. The washed organic layer was reprecipitated and purified by washing with 1.5 L of methanol several times, and the oligomer and polymer were separated. The resulting polymer was dried under reduced pressure at 60°C overnight to obtain a first vinyl group-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-1) (Mn = 2.2 × 10 ⁵ , Mw = 4.8 × 10 ⁵ ). The vinyl group content calculated by H-NMR spectroscopy was 0.04 mol%.

[Synthesis Scheme 2: Synthesis of Second Vinyl Group-Containing Linear Organopolysiloxane (A1-2)]
A second vinyl-containing linear organopolysiloxane (A1-2) was synthesized as shown in formula (6) below in the same manner as in the synthesis of (A1-1), except that 0.86 g (2.5 mmol) of 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane was used in addition to 74.7 g (252 mmol) of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane. Furthermore, the vinyl group content calculated by H-NMR spectroscopy was 0.92 mol%.

(Preparation of silicone rubber-based curable composition)
Silicone rubber-based curable compositions Samples 1, 2, and 3 were prepared according to the following procedure.
First, a mixture of 90% vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A), silane coupling agent (D), and water (F) was pre-kneaded in the proportions shown in Table 1 below, and then silica particles (C) were added to the mixture and further kneaded to obtain a kneaded product (silicone rubber compound).
Here, the kneading after the addition of the silica particles (C) was carried out through a first step of kneading for 1 hour under conditions of 60 to 90°C in a nitrogen atmosphere for the coupling reaction, and a second step of kneading for 2 hours under conditions of 160 to 180°C in a reduced pressure atmosphere for the removal of the by-product (ammonia). Thereafter, the mixture was cooled, and the remaining 10% of the vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane (A) was added in two portions, followed by kneading for 20 minutes.
Next, organohydrogenpolysiloxane (B) and platinum or a platinum compound (E) were added to 100 parts by weight of the resulting kneaded product (silicone rubber compound) in the proportions shown in Table 2 below, and the mixture was kneaded with a roll to obtain a silicone rubber-based curable composition.

(Preparation of insulating paste)
32 parts by weight of the obtained silicone rubber-based hardening composition of Sample 1 was immersed in 68 parts by weight of decane (solvent) and then stirred with a planetary centrifugal mixer to obtain an insulating paste.

(Preparation of Conductive Paste)
13.7 parts by weight of the obtained silicone rubber-based curable composition of Sample 2 was immersed in 31.8 parts by weight of decane (solvent), then stirred with a planetary centrifugal mixer, 54.5 parts by weight of metal powder (G1) was added, and the mixture was kneaded with a triple roll mill to obtain a conductive paste 1.

11.1 parts by weight of the obtained silicone rubber-based curable composition of Sample 2 was immersed in 25.9 parts by weight of decane (solvent), then stirred using a planetary centrifugal mixer. 63.0 parts by weight of metal powder (G1) was added, and the mixture was then kneaded using a triple roll mill to obtain conductive paste 2.

[Example 1]
(Production of tongue movement measurement device)
The obtained silicone rubber-based curable composition of Sample 3 was pressed at 170°C and 10 MPa for 10 minutes to form a sheet with a thickness of 150 μm, and was subjected to primary curing. Subsequently, secondary curing was performed at 200°C for 4 hours to obtain two A4-sized sheets of silicone rubber (cured product of the silicone rubber-based curable composition).
Next, as shown in FIG. 7 , the obtained conductive paste 1 was used to draw seven wiring patterns, each 0.4 mm wide and 40 μm thick, on one surface (outer surface) of the sheet-like silicone rubber using a mask having a predetermined pattern, and the resulting pattern was dried at 140° C. for 30 minutes to form seven wiring patterns.
Subsequently, the obtained insulating paste was used to form a coating film on the seven wiring patterns through a mask having a predetermined pattern, and dried at 140° C. for 30 minutes to form a cover part pattern with a thickness of 50 μm. However, openings were formed in the cover part pattern so that both ends of the wiring pattern were exposed.
Thereafter, two pressure sensors (force sensor, HSFPAR003A, manufactured by Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.) were placed so as to straddle the ends of the four corresponding wiring patterns (power supply, GND (common to the two pressure sensors), output signal (+), output signal (-)), and these were adhered with the conductive paste 1 described above, dried and cured at 120°C for two hours. This curing treatment formed stretchable wiring from the seven wiring patterns, formed a stretchable cover portion from the cover portion pattern, and electrically joined each stretchable wiring to each pressure sensor.
A laminated sheet was prepared by placing another sheet of silicone rubber on which no wiring was printed on the printed surface of the sheet of silicone rubber on which the stretchable wiring had been formed.
The laminated sheet was sewn into a glove shape using a sewing machine with thread, and the margins were cut off.
Thereafter, the glove-shaped laminated sheet was turned inside out to produce the tongue movement measuring device shown in Figure 7.
The tongue movement measuring device in Figure 7 included a five-finger glove, two pressure sensors formed on the outer surface of the little finger part of the glove, and seven stretchable wires formed on the outer surface of the glove and electrically connected to the pressure sensors.

(hardness)
The silicone rubber-based curable composition of Sample 3 used for the glove was pressed at 170°C and 10 MPa for 10 minutes to form it into a sheet, and then subjected to primary curing. Subsequently, secondary curing was performed at 200°C for 4 hours, and a sheet-like glove 120 (cured product of the silicone rubber-based curable composition) having a thickness of 150 μm was used as a test specimen.
The above test pieces were stacked to a thickness of 6 mm, and the durometer hardness A of the resulting sheet-like test piece at 25° C. was measured in accordance with JIS K6253 (1997).
(tear strength)
Using the above test piece, the tear strength at 25°C was measured in accordance with JIS K6252 (2001), with the unit being N/mm.
(Tensile strength)
Using the above test pieces, the tensile strength at 25°C was measured in accordance with JIS K6251 (2004), with the unit being MPa.
(Elongation at break)
The test specimens were used to measure the breaking elongation in accordance with JIS K6251 (2004). The breaking elongation was calculated by [chuck movement distance (mm)] ÷ [initial chuck distance (35 mm)] × 100. The unit is %.

The obtained glove for the tongue movement measuring device had a hardness of 29.7, a tear strength of 39.1 N/mm, a tensile strength of 9.4 MPa or more, and a breaking elongation of 1,036%.
Furthermore, the volume resistivity of the elastic wiring of the tongue movement measuring device at 25° C. was 3.2×10 ⁻⁴ Ω·cm.
Furthermore, the volume of the resulting silicone rubber sheet changed by within 10% after immersion in ethanol for 5 minutes, and the tear strength changed by within 1% after heating at 100°C for 10 minutes.

[Comparative Example 1]
A tongue movement measuring device was fabricated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a 0.5 mm thick urethane rubber sheet (commercially available) with a hardness of 90 was used instead of the above-mentioned sheet-like silicone rubber.

The resulting tongue movement measurement device was evaluated for the following items:

<Wearability>
The ease of wearing (wearability) of the tongue movement measurement device when attaching it to the subject's hand and when removing it from the hand was evaluated.
It was confirmed that the tongue movement measuring device of Example 1 provided a much better wearing feeling than that of Comparative Example 1.

<Stretching durability>
The obtained tongue movement measuring device of Example 1 was subjected to 10 repeated stretching operations in which the device was stretched by 20% in the extension direction of the expandable wire, and the resistance value between the wires was measured over time.
In Example 1, the resistance value when unstretched was 9.1Ω, the resistance value when unstretched after 10 stretches was 9.5Ω, and the maximum resistance value when stretched during 10 stretches was 13.3Ω. It was confirmed that the tongue movement measuring device of Example 1 can measure the resistance between the wires even after the stretching operation. The resistance was measured in an environment of 25°C.
Furthermore, it was confirmed that in the tongue movement measuring device of Example 1, separation of the glove from the elastic wiring did not occur even after repeated stretching operations.

<Tongue movement measurement>
(Development of a tongue movement monitoring system)
The elastic wiring of the obtained tongue movement measuring device of Example 1 was electrically connected to a personal computer via an A/D conversion circuit (sampling frequency: 100 Hz, quantization resolution: 10 bit) to prepare a tongue movement monitoring system.

(Characteristics evaluation)
An external force (N) was applied to the pressure sensor using a load measuring device, and the output voltage (V) from the pressure sensor was measured. The force (N) was divided by the area of the pressure-receiving surface to convert it into pressure (kPa).
The nonlinear output voltage of the pressure sensor was converted into pressure (kPa) using an approximation curve so that the approximation error was within 12%.
A force of 3 N was applied to the pressure-receiving surface of the pressure sensor, and the response time when the force was instantly removed was measured.
It was confirmed that the above tongue movement monitoring system can be used to measure the relationship between the force (Pa) applied to the pressure sensor (when the output voltage is converted into pressure) and the response time.

(Subject tongue movement monitoring)
After putting the glove of the tongue movement measuring device on the examiner's hand, the examiner inserted his little finger into the oral cavity of the subject (adult, male, 38 years old), and placed the pressure sensor placed on the fingertip on the surface of the subject's tongue.
It was confirmed that when a subject moved their tongue, the external force (pressure) from the tongue movement could be monitored over time.

1 Tongue movement monitoring system 10 Tongue movement information processing device 11 Acquisition unit 12 Memory unit 13 Analysis unit 14 Communication unit 20 Network 30 Terminal 31 Display unit 100 Tongue movement measuring device 110 Pressure sensor 110a Pressure sensor 110b Pressure sensor 120 Glove 121 Outer surface 122 Inner surface 123 Finger portion 123a Finger portion (thumb portion)
123e Finger part (little finger part)
124 Back of hand 126 Wrist part 130 Elastic wiring 130a Wiring 130b Wiring 130c Wiring 130d Wiring 140 Cover part 141 Cover part 150 Reinforcement part 200 Hand 203 Finger 203a Thumb 203e Little finger 204 Back of hand 206 Wrist 210 Nail 210e Nail

Claims (18)

A tongue movement measuring device for measuring tongue movement of a subject,
a glove made of insulating silicone rubber to be worn on the hand of the measurer;
a pressure sensor provided in a fingertip region on the outer surface side of the glove for measuring tongue pressure;
an elastic wiring electrically connected to the pressure sensor;
Equipped with
The glove has at least one finger,
The pressure sensor converts a force received by a pressure receiving surface from an external force into an electric signal, and is disposed in a nail region where the measurer's nail is present in a circumferential direction of the finger portion, but is not disposed in a pad region where the measurer's finger is present.
Tongue movement measurement device. The tongue movement measuring device according to claim 1,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the tear strength of the glove is 25 N/mm or more. 3. The tongue movement measuring device according to claim 1,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove can be sterilized by boiling. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove is alcohol-resistant. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein an uneven structure is formed on the surface of the inner surface of the glove. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the glove sheet thickness is 20 μm or more and 2 mm or less. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the durometer hardness A of the glove is 10 or more and 80 or less. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The glove is a tongue movement measuring device having a back portion that covers the back of the hand of the person being measured and at least one finger portion connected to the back portion. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A tongue movement measuring device having a reinforcing portion on the inner surface of the glove at a position facing the pressure sensor. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The glove is a tongue movement measuring device having a structure in which two sheets of insulating silicone rubber are layered on top of each other. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring is made of conductive silicone rubber. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring is made of a printed conductive paste containing a conductive filler and silicone rubber. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the elastic wiring has an extraction wiring portion that extends from the fingers to the back of the glove. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
A tongue movement measuring device, wherein the stretchable wiring has a multilayer wiring structure. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
A tongue movement measuring device comprising a cover portion made of insulating silicone rubber that covers the surface of the stretchable wiring. The tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
A tongue movement measuring device is attached to the glove and includes a wirelessly connectable network interface. A tongue movement measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 16,
a tongue movement information processing device;
A tongue movement monitoring system comprising: A tongue movement monitoring method comprising a step of acquiring tongue movement information regarding the tongue movement of a subject using the tongue movement measuring device described in any one of claims 1 to 16.