JPH0449421B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field] The present invention relates to an electroauscultation device. In the present invention, for example, a microphone picks up the sound detected by the chest piece and converts it into an electrical signal, and then performs general audio processing using a transmitting device and a receiving device, making it possible to record, playback, and auscultate simultaneously using multiple earphones and speakers. Used when obtaining a stethoscope.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]

A stethoscope is indispensable for diagnosis based on sounds within the chest and abdominal cavity. The stethoscope has long been comprised of a chest piece, an ear tip, and a tube that provides an acoustic connection between the chest piece and the ear tip.

However, the stethoscope with the above configuration has several problems. In other words, a diaphragm is placed in contact with the chest/abdomen to detect peristalsis, pulsation, and vibrations in the internal cavity as sound, so if there are generally weak and subtle changes, the information is further transmitted through the tube and perceived by the ear. They are often very poorly defined and even distorted, making it difficult to obtain a correct diagnosis and easily leading to misdiagnoses and misdiagnoses. On the other hand, the earpiece is designed to reduce interference from external noise.
They require sufficient hardness and elasticity, and they tend to be pressed too tightly into the ears, which can cause discomfort and even pain when used for a long time.

In addition, in clinical training or clinical consultations (where multiple doctors auscultate the same patient and discuss them with each other), only one person can auscultate at a time, and there may be differences due to changes in the location and time of auscultation, and the inconvenience felt by the patient. There are many inconveniences and drawbacks for both oneself and others, and there are also problems such as the inability to record concrete medical history data.

The present invention solves the above problems, amplifies even the slightest change in vibrational sound detected from a diaphragm, etc. so that it can be heard clearly, can be easily listened to with headphones, can be recorded and played back, and can be used in training or interviews. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional electric auscultation device that allows a plurality of doctors to listen at the same time, such as in the case of .

(Means for Solving the Problems and Effects) According to the present invention, a conduit made of a flexible three-way pipe is connected to a chest piece made of a diaphragm and a bell-shaped body to a hollow connecting part via a tubular connecting end. A microphone is fixed to the branch opening of the conduit, and the mechanical vibration sound transmitted from the conduit is transmitted as an electric signal by a transmitting circuit device through the microphone in the holding shell, and the electric signal is received. An electroauscultation device is provided that is adapted to be received by a device, such as a recording and playback device, multiple headphones, and the like.

In the electric auscultation device according to the present invention, vibration sounds detected at the chest piece are guided by a conductor, picked up by a microphone, converted into an electrical signal, and input to a transmitting circuit device. The transmitting circuit device has a built-in battery as a power source and is electrically connected to the microphone.
Since the electrical signal is amplified and transmitted as a telecommunication signal through a wire antenna, the receiving device receives it, records and reproduces it, and by providing a plurality of auxiliary output terminals, multiple signals can be transmitted at the same time. It becomes possible to output signals to headphones, oscilloscopes, etc. On the other hand, the transmission signal circuit device can also be provided with a plurality of output connection terminals to supply mutually amplified electrical signals to other output devices.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 illustrate an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, in which 10 is a chest piece, which normally has a diaphragm 11 and a bell 1.
2 are provided back to back, and the hollow connecting part 1
3 and a tubular connecting end 1 whose internal parts communicate with each other.
4 is protruding.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a holding shell body, which connects and holds the chest piece 10 on its upper part, and has a flat shell body 21 with an oval cross section suitable for auscultation by normally holding the chest piece 10 in one hand and applying the chest piece 10 to the chest. An oval cap 22 which is reduced in size to form a hollow circular opening 221 and whose lower end opening 222 is fitted integrally with the upper part of the shell main body 21; and a bottom lid 23 which is removably fitted integrally with the lower part of the shell main body 21. It is made up of.

The upper part of the holding shell 20 has an inverted Y shape with an opening 32 at the upper end and openings 31 and 31 branching at the lower end.
Conduit 30 consisting of a flexible three-way tube
However, the upper end opening 32 is inserted into the opening 2 from inside the cap 22.
21 is inserted upward and is fitted into the connection end 14 of the chest piece 10, and the cap 22 holds the lower end openings 31 and 31 integrally connected to the shell body 21.

Branch openings 31, 31 of the conduit 30
Each of the high-sensitivity microphones 24 is fixedly fitted into the shell body 21, and the microphones 24 are drawn into the shell body 21 by conductive wires 241 through slots 212 provided in the end face 211 of the shell body 21, as shown in FIG. As shown in
A known transmitting circuit device 2 housed within a shell body 21
5 and is electrically connected. Inside the shell body 21,
Furthermore, a battery 26 is built in and serves as a power source for the transmitting circuit device 25.

On the outer periphery of the shell main body 21, an open/close control switch 215 for the battery 26, which is operated from the outside, is provided.
A control switch 216 for the electrical signal output of the transmitting circuit device 25 is provided, which can be operated individually. Each said switch 216
Connecting jack 21 corresponding to and serving as its output terminal
7 is provided on the bottom cover 23, and a wire antenna 200 for transmitting signals and a connection jack 242 from which electrical signals can be directly drawn out without a control switch are also provided on the bottom cover 23.

The fourth step is to operate the electric stethoscope configured as described above.
To explain with reference to the figure, if the chest piece 10 is applied to the chest/abdomen and the internal organs are auscultated, if the switch 215 is first pressed to connect it to the power source 26, the vibration sound detected by the diaphragm 11 or the bell 12 will be Condate 3 communicating with section 13
0, the microphones 24, 24 are picked up and converted into electrical signals.

The electrical signal obtained by the microphone 24 is then amplified by a transmitting circuit device 25, and then connected to a known, for example, pocket-sized receiving circuit device 50a by a cord 110 via a plug in a jack 242. , receiving circuit device 5
It becomes possible to perform auscultation by controlling the opening and closing of the power supply by freely operating the switch 0a, or by adding a headphone 60.

On the other hand, by operating the control switch 216, the corresponding jack 21 of the holding shell 20 is
7, the inserted plug enables output to be remotely controlled via the cord 210 to the receiving circuit device 50.

Moreover, at the same time as above, since the signal is transmitted from the wire antenna 200 through the transmitting circuit part,
Even without the connection cord 210, the receiving circuit device 50 having a built-in receiving circuit can receive the telecommunication signal within a certain distance range, and can perform not only auscultation but also recording and playback. In FIG. 4, 70 is a multi-purpose earphone jack.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show other embodiments of the present invention. 5 and 6, the connecting portion 13a of the chest piece 10a is provided with a transverse through hole 15 in the radial direction, and both ends 331, 331 of the hollow cylindrical body forming a conduit in the through hole 15 are provided.
is formed on the mounting seat with a slightly larger diameter, and the screw 3
32 and 333, the sleeve 33, which is freely rotatably engaged, is inserted and the screw 33 is inserted.
2, 333 is formed with a head having a larger diameter than the through hole 15, and is engaged with the sleeve 33. The screw 333 has its upper end integrally connected to the tip of the elongated cap 22a, and communicates with the tip opening 221 through the center hole 336.

A communication hole 334 that communicates the inside and outside in the radial direction is bored in the substantially longitudinal center of the peripheral wall of the sleeve 33.
4 can be selectively directed toward either of the lumens 111 and 121 of the diaphragm 11 and the bell 12, respectively, so that they communicate with each other. This sleeve 3
Each microphone 24 is mounted and held on both ends 331, 331 forming the mounting seat of the sleeve 33.
A through hole 335 and a center hole 336 bored in the peripheral wall
The connecting conductors 241 and 241 are respectively drawn into the holding shell 20 through the connecting conductors 241, 241. In addition, sleeve 3
3 and the inner circumference of the through hole 15 are provided with small holes and depressions facing each other so that the communicating hole 334 is properly stopped at the position where it communicates with the inner cavities 111 and 121, and a spring is installed in the small hole. A positioning means 337 is provided which is fitted so as to urge the small ball to protrude.

When changed as in the above configuration, the sleeve 33
When the chest piece 10a is rotated with respect to the screw 333 that is integrally connected, and the direction of the communication hole 334 is anastomosed with the inner cavity 111 or 121 of either the diaphragm 11 or the bell 12, the positioning means 337 If you stop (diaphragm 11 side in the illustrated example) and perform auscultation from that side,
The detected vibration sound is transmitted from the inner cavity 111 or 121 through the communication hole 334 into the sleeve 33,
The microphones 24, 24 at both ends 331, 331 of the sleeve 33 can now be picked up.
Thereafter, the detected vibration sound converted into an electrical signal by the microphones 24, 24 is amplified and transmitted as a telecommunication signal following the same process as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 above.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the above configuration of the present invention, the vibration sound detected by the chest piece is guided to the microphone by the conduit and picked up, and the weak and variable vibration sound is converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted by the transmitting circuit device. By amplifying the sound and making it audible through headphones, you can be freed from the pain of traditional earpieces. At the same time, it became possible to connect to a receiving circuit device through a connecting jack, etc. to input or receive signals for recording and playback, and by providing multiple connecting jacks, a large number of By connecting a headphone, it is possible to conduct a physical examination or clinical training at the same time, and it is possible to reduce misdiagnosis and misdiagnosis based on differences in auscultation.

Incidentally, if necessary, as illustrated in FIG. 4, an interface 80 as a known voice control circuit may be used.
By inserting the oscilloscope 90,
It is also possible to observe the vibration sound detected by the stethoscope as waveform video data through an oscilloscope 90a or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an exploded appearance of an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled appearance of the device shown in FIG.
Figure 4 is an electric circuit diagram illustrating various application modes of an electric stethoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a side view of the device as seen from the right side. A perspective view showing an exploded appearance of an electric stethoscope.
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 5. Explanation of symbols, 10... Chest piece, 10a...
Chest piece, 11...Diaphragm, 12...Bell, 13...Connection part, 14...Connection end part, 20...Holding shell body, 21...Shell body, 22...Cap, 22a...
Cap, 23...Bottom cover, 24...Microphone, 2
5... Transmission circuit device, 26... Battery, 30... Condate, 30a... Condate, 31... Opening, 3
2... Opening, 50... Receiving circuit device, 50a... Receiving circuit device, 60... Headphone, 70... Multipurpose earphone jack, 80... Interface, 90... Oscilloscope, 90a... Oscilloscope, 110...
Cord, 200...Antenna, 216...Control switch, 217...Connection jack, 221...Aperture, 22
2...Opening, 241...Conducting wire, 242...Connection jack.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A chest piece consisting of a diaphragm and a bell-shaped body is connected to a conduit made of a flexible three-way tube through a tubular connecting end to a hollow connecting part, and a microphone is fixed to a branch opening of the conduit. The mechanical vibration sound transmitted from the conduit is transmitted as an electrical signal by a transmitting circuit device through a microphone in the holding shell, and the electrical signal is transmitted to a receiving device, such as a recording/reproducing device,
An electroauscultation device adapted to be received by multiple headphones, etc. 2. The battery and the transmitting device are integrated into a flat shell body having an oval cross section, and the conduit is held by a cap that is integrally fitted to the upper part of the shell body, and is connected to the chest piece;
A removable bottom cover is provided at the bottom of the shell body, and a control switch for the battery that can be operated from the outside is provided on the surface of the shell body, and a wire antenna for signal transmission and a plurality of transmitting devices are provided on the bottom cover. The electric auscultation device according to claim 1, wherein an output terminal for transmitting a signal is provided so as to be connectable to the outside. 3. The electric auscultation device according to claim 2, wherein the output terminal for signal transmission is a connection jack, and the shell body is provided with a switch that can be opened and closed by operation from the outside. . 4. The above-mentioned conduit is made of a flexible three-way tube in the shape of an inverted Y, the upward opening end of which is connected to the chest piece, and the other forked opening end is held by a cap so as to be connected to the shell main body. , an electric auscultation device according to claim 1, wherein a microphone is fitted in each of the forked opening ends. 5 The above-mentioned conduit is a sleeve having a hollow cylindrical shape and having a communicating hole that communicates with the inside and outside in the radial direction in the approximate center of the longitudinal wall, and a through hole that crosses the inner cavity in the connecting part of the chest piece. The sleeve is rotatably fitted into the through hole by screws screwed into both ends, and a microphone is attached to the inside of each screw in the sleeve, and the communication is established by rotating the sleeve. The electric auscultation device according to claim 1, wherein the hole picks up vibration sound toward either the diaphragm side or the bell-shaped body side. 6. A positioning means is provided on the outer periphery of the sleeve and the inner periphery of the through hole so as to stop when the sleeve rotates and directs the communication hole to each predetermined position on the diaphragm side and the bell-shaped body side. The electroauscultation device according to claim 5, wherein