The present invention relates to a portable measuring instrument measuring the accumulation level of fluorescent substances in the skin and the elastic modulus of the skin.
AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) are regarded as substances generated by saccharification of proteins and causing the advancement of aging. The AGEs are fluorescent substances and emit fluorescence having a 440 nm wavelength when irradiated with excitation light having a 370 nm wavelength. A measuring instrument measuring the AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) utilizing such a property of the AGEs is known heretofore.
The measuring instrument of this type has an irradiation unit emitting excitation light and a light receiving unit receiving fluorescence generated from the AGEs accumulated in the skin irradiated with the excitation light and measures the accumulation level of the AGEs based on the intensity of the received fluorescence. The measuring instrument of this type is a relatively large-sized device having a base on which an arm or a hand is placed and the measurement place is fixed to, for example, an arm or a finger. The measurement is performed by irradiating an arm or a finger with excitation light in a state where the arm or a hand is placed on the base. Patent Document 1 describes a device having a measuring head having an irradiation unit and a light receiving unit and an operation box electrically connected to the measuring head as an example of such a measuring instrument of the AGEs.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-112375
A conventional instrument for measuring the AGEs is difficult to measure the accumulation level of the AGEs in the skin of a face, for example, because the measurement place is fixed to an armor a finger. On the other hand, in the measuring instrument described in Patent Document 1, the measuring head is separated from the operation box, and therefore the measurement place is not fixed but it is inconvenient to use the measuring instrument while carrying the measuring instrument.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument which is portable while enabling the measurement of the accumulation level of fluorescent substances accumulated in the skin.
(1) A portable measuring instrument according to the present invention is provided with an accumulation level measuring unit measuring the accumulation level of fluorescent substances accumulated per unit area in a skin, a display unit displaying the measured accumulation level, and a case which stores or supports the accumulation level measuring unit and the display unit and which is to be held by a user, in which the accumulation level measuring unit includes an irradiation unit emitting excitation light toward the skin, a light receiving unit receiving fluorescence generated from the fluorescent substances in the skin irradiated with the excitation light and detecting the intensity of the received fluorescence, and an accumulation level calculation unit calculating the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances based on the detected intensity.
According to the above-described configuration, the accumulation level measuring unit measuring the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances is stored in or supported by the case to be held by a user. Therefore, the portable measuring instrument of the above-described configuration is portable while enabling the measurement of the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances accumulated in the skin.
(2) Preferably, the portable measuring instrument is further provided with an elastic modulus measuring unit measuring the elastic modulus of the skin, in which the display unit displays the measured elastic modulus, the case stores or supports the elastic modulus measuring unit, the case is provided with an abutting member which is caused to abut on the skin, and the elastic modulus measuring unit includes a contact pressure sensor detecting the contact pressure applied to the abutting member from the skin, a deformation amount sensor detecting the deformation amount of the skin on which the abutting member is caused to abut, and an elastic modulus calculation unit calculating the elastic modulus of the skin based on the detected contact pressure and the detected deformation amount of the skin.
According to the above-described configuration, the accumulation level measuring unit measuring the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances and the elastic modulus measuring unit measuring the elastic modulus of the skin corresponding to the elasticity of the skin are supported by the same case. Therefore, the portable measuring instrument of the above-described configuration is portable while enabling both the measurement of the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances accumulated in the skin and the measurement of the elasticity of the skin.
(3) Preferably, the case is provided with a holding member which movably supports the abutting member and which is to be held by a user and an elastic member connecting the abutting member and the holding member, in which the holding member is provided with a contact surface which is brought into contact with the skin and the deformation amount sensor is a deformation amount calculation unit calculating the deformation amount of the skin by calculating the deformation amount of the elastic member when the abutting member abuts on the skin and the contact surface contacts the skin based on the contact pressure and the elastic constant of the elastic member and subtracting the deformation amount of the elastic member from the projection distance in which the abutting member projects from the contact surface when the abutting member does not abut on the skin.
According to the above-described configuration, the deformation amount of the skin is calculated by subtracting the deformation amount of the elastic member when the abutting member and the contact surface abut on the skin from the projection distance in which the abutting member projects from the contact surface when the abutting member does not abut on the skin. Since the deformation amount of the skin is detected without using a sensor directly detecting the deformation amount of the skin, the cost required for the sensor is reduced.
(4) Preferably, the abutting member stores the irradiation unit and the light receiving unit and the contact pressure sensor is fixed to the abutting member.
According to the above-described configuration, the irradiation unit and the light receiving unit are stored in the abutting member and the contact pressure sensor is fixed to the abutting member. Therefore, when the abutting member abuts on the skin, the irradiation unit can irradiate the skin with excitation light, the light receiving unit can receive fluorescence, and the contact pressure sensor can detect the contact pressure.
(5) Preferably, the holding member is provided with a probe unit movably supporting the abutting member and a body unit to/from which the probe unit is attachable and detachable, in which the probe unit stores the elastic member and the body unit stores the accumulation level calculation unit, the deformation amount calculation unit, and the elastic modulus calculation unit.
According to the above-described configuration, the display unit, the accumulation level calculation unit, the deformation amount calculation unit, and the elastic modulus calculation unit are stored in the body unit, the elastic member is stored in the probe unit, and the irradiation unit and the light receiving unit are stored in and the contact pressure sensor is fixed to the abutting member supported by the probe unit. Since the probe unit is attachable and detachable to/from the body unit, the irradiation unit, the light receiving unit, and the contact pressure sensor are easily exchanged.
(6) Preferably, the irradiation unit is an ultraviolet LED emitting the excitation light having a 370 nm peak wavelength.
According to the above-described configuration, the excitation light having a 370 nm peak wavelength is emitted, and therefore the accumulation level of the AGEs emitting 440 nm fluorescence to the excitation light having a 370 nm wavelength is efficiently measured.
According to the present invention, the portable measuring instrument is portable while enabling both the measurement of the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances accumulated in the skin and the measurement of the elasticity of the skin.
Hereinafter, a preferable embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is only an example of the present invention. It is a matter of course that the embodiment of the present invention can be altered as appropriate without changing the gist of the present invention.
The portable measuring instrument 10 is a device measuring the accumulation level of fluorescent substances per unit area in a skin 30 and the elastic modulus of the skin 30. In this embodiment, the fluorescent substances to be measured are AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products). The measurement of the accumulation level of the AGEs is performed by irradiating the AGEs in the skin 30 with excitation light 15 to cause the AGEs to generate fluorescence 16, and then detecting the intensity of the generated fluorescence 16. The measurement of the elastic modulus of the skin 30 is performed by detecting the depression amount of the skin 30 and the contact pressure when an abutting member 11 described later is caused to abut on the skin 30.
As illustrated in
In the following description, a direction where the abutting member 11 and the holding member 12 are arranged is defined as a central axis direction 17 of the portable measuring instrument 10. In the central axis direction 17, the side where the abutting member 11 is present is a front end side and the side where the holding member 12 is present is a rear end side. A first radial direction 18 and a second radial direction 19 are directions orthogonal to each other and are directions orthogonal to the central axis direction 17. In particular, the first radial direction 18 is a direction where a display surface of a display unit 62 described later stored in the holding member 12 is directed.
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As illustrated in
The package 33 is hollow inside and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The package 33 is provided with a light emitting space 34 where the ultraviolet LED 31 is disposed and a light receiving space 35 where the photodiode 32 is disposed. The package 33 is provided with a through-hole 36 causing the light emitting space 34 to communicate with the outside, a silicon microlens 37 disposed in the through-hole 36, and a through-hole 38 causing the light receiving space 35 to communicate with the outside.
The ultraviolet LED 31 is a device emitting the excitation light 15 toward the skin 30. Herein, the AGEs are fluorescent substances generating the 440 nm fluorescence 16 when the excitation light 15 having a 370 nm wavelength is emitted thereto. Therefore, the ultraviolet LED 31 is configured to emit the excitation light 15 having a 370 nm peak wavelength so as to obtain the fluorescence 16 corresponding to the AGEs. The ultraviolet LED 31 maybe able to emit the excitation light 15 in a wavelength range including 370 nm and is not limited to the case where the peak wavelength of the excitation light 15 is 370 nm.
The excitation light 15 emitted from the ultraviolet LED 31 is output to the outside of the package 33 to be emitted to the skin 30 located at the position facing the abutting member 11 through the silicon microlens 37. When the AGEs in the skin 30 are irradiated with the excitation light 15, the fluorescence 16 is generated from the AGEs.
The photodiode 32 is a device receiving the fluorescence 16 generated from the AGEs in the skin 30 irradiated with the excitation light 15 and detecting the intensity of the received fluorescence 16. Based on the intensity of the detected fluorescence 16, the accumulation level of the AGEs per unit area in the skin 30 is measured.
The sensor chip 26 or the substrate 27 may be provided with an amplification circuit amplifying an electric signal output by the photodiode 32.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
An opening portion 51a is formed in the center of the front end wall 51. In the opening portion 51a, the side wall 43 of the abutting member 11 is disposed. The inner diameter of the opening portion 51a is substantially in agreement with the outer shape of the side wall 43 and is smaller than the outer diameter of the flange portion 42b. Therefore, the abutting member 11 is supported without falling off from the probe unit 13. The front end surface of the front end wall 51 is a contact surface 51b which is brought into contact with the skin 30.
An opening portion 52a allowing a wiring line, such as a signal line, to pass is formed in the center of the intermediate wall 52. An opening portion 53a allowing a wiring line, such as a signal line, to pass is formed also in the center of the rear wall 53.
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The abutting member 11 is pressed against the skin 30 until the contact surface 51b contacts the skin 30 when the elastic modulus of the skin 30 is measured as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The engagement recess portion 45 is provided with a cylindrical cylinder portion 45a extending to the front end side and a flange portion 45b expanding radially outward from the front end of the cylinder portion 45a. The outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 45a is depressed to the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 45b. Therefore, the engagement projection portion 55 of the probe unit 13 can be engaged with the engagement recess portion 45 of the body unit 14.
The two portions to be engaged 46 correspond to the two engagement portions 58 of the probe unit 13 and are arranged along the first radial direction 18. The portion to be engaged 46 has a first recess portion 46a, a second recess portion 46b, and an engagement piece 46c. The first recess portion 46a is formed to be depressed from the front end surface of the body unit 14 and the outer surface in the first radial direction 18. The second recess portion 46b is formed to be depressed from the outer surface in the first radial direction 18 on the rear end side of the first recess portion 46a. The engagement piece 46c is a portion extending outward in the first radial direction 18 and partitions the first recess portion 46a and the second recess portion 46b. The engagement pieces 58b of the probe unit 13 can be engaged with the second recess portions 46b of the body unit 14.
By moving the probe unit 13 in a separated state to the rear end side to the body unit 14, the probe unit 13 can be attached to the body unit 14. When the probe unit 13 is brought close to the body unit 14, the engagement pieces 58b of the probe unit 13 first enter the first recess portions 46a of the body unit 14. When the probe unit 13 further moves to the rear end side, the engagement pieces 58b of the probe unit 13 abut on the engagement pieces 46c of the body unit 14. Since the engagement portions 58 (probe unit 13) are formed of resin, the extension portions 58a of the probe unit 13 are elastically deformed with the movement, and then the engagement pieces 58b of the probe unit 13 move beyond the engagement pieces 46c of the body unit 14. As a result, the engagement pieces 58b of the probe unit 13 enter the second recess portions 46b of the body unit 14, and then the engagement portions 58 of the probe unit 13 are engaged with the portions to be engaged 46 of the body unit 14. Since the engagement projection portion 55 (probe unit 13) is formed of resin, the engagement projection portion 55 of the probe unit 13 is elastically deformed with the movement to move beyond the flange portion 45b of the body unit 14. As a result, the engagement projection portion 55 of the probe unit 13 is engaged with the engagement recess portion 45 of the body unit 14. Thus, the probe unit 13 is attached to the body unit 14. Conversely, by moving the probe unit 13 to the front end side from the body unit 14, the probe unit 13 is removed from the body unit 14 similarly utilizing the elastic deformation of the probe unit 13.
The display unit 62 is a device displaying the measured accumulation level of the AGEs and the measured elastic modulus of the skin 30. The display unit 62 is configured so that at least characters can be displayed and is a liquid crystal panel, for example.
The operating unit 63 is a device for a user to input instructions into the control unit 66 (
The connector 64 is a connector electrically connectable to the connector 56 provided in the probe unit 13. The connector 64 is electrically connected to the connector 56 provided in the probe unit 13 in a state where the body unit 14 is attached to the probe unit 13 (see
The electric configuration of the portable measuring instrument 10 is described with reference to
The control unit 66 is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. The memory stores various programs for controlling the operation of the portable measuring instrument 10. The control unit 66 controls the lighting of the ultraviolet LED 31 and controls the display of the display unit 62 through the signal processing unit 68 and the connectors 56 and 64 based on the instructions input from the operating unit 63. Moreover, detection signals from the photodiode 32 and the contact pressure sensor 24 are input into the control unit 66 through the connectors 56 and 64 and the signal processing unit 68.
The power supply unit 67 is a lithium ion battery, for example. The power supply unit 67 supplies power to the ultraviolet LED 31, the display unit 62, and the signal processing unit 68 based on the instructions from the control unit 66.
The signal processing unit 68 is a circuit for signal processing and includes an amplification circuit, an A/D conversion circuit, and a drive circuit of the ultraviolet LED 31, for example. The signal processing unit 68 outputs drive current. The drive current is transmitted to the ultraviolet LED 31 of the sensor chip 26 through the connectors 56 and 64. The signal processing unit 68 amplifies an electric signal received from the photodiode 32 of the sensor chip 26 through the connectors 56 and 64 and converts the same into a digital signal.
Accumulation Level Calculation Unit 71, Deformation Amount Calculation Unit 72, and Elastic Modulus Calculation Unit 73
The control unit 66 is provided with an accumulation level calculation unit 71, a deformation amount calculation unit 72, and an elastic modulus calculation unit 73. The accumulation level calculation unit 71 calculates the accumulation level of the AGEs per unit area in the skin 30 irradiated with the excitation light 15 based on the intensity of the fluorescence 16 detected by the photodiode 32. The deformation amount calculation unit (example of the deformation amount sensor) 72 calculates the deformation amount (depression amount) 82 of the skin 30 on which the abutting member 11 is caused to abut. The deformation amount calculation unit 72 can calculate the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 utilizing the fact that the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 is specified based on the contact pressure detected by the contact pressure sensor 24 and the elastic modulus of the elastic member 23 as described above. Therefore, the deformation amount calculation unit 72 functions as a sensor detecting the deformation amount (depression amount) 82 of the skin 30 on which the abutting member 11 is caused to abut. The elastic modulus calculation unit 73 calculates the elastic modulus of the skin 30 based on the contact pressure detected by the contact pressure sensor 24 and the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30.
The portable measuring instrument 10 is provided with an accumulation level measuring unit measuring the accumulation level of the AGEs and an elastic modulus measuring unit measuring the elastic modulus of the skin 30 by the above-described configuration. The accumulation level measuring unit is provided with the ultraviolet LED 31, the photodiode 32, and the accumulation level calculation unit 71. The elastic modulus measuring unit is provided with the contact pressure sensor 24, the deformation amount calculation unit 72 as the deformation amount sensor, and the elastic modulus calculation unit 73.
The portable measuring instrument 10 is used as follows, for example. A user holds the portable measuring instrument 10 by putting the body unit 14 which is a part of the holding member 12 between fingers. A user starts the portable measuring instrument 10 by inputting and operating the operating unit 63. The user moves the started portable measuring instrument 10 to bring the abutting member 11 close to the skin 30 of the face of the user, for example. The user presses the portable measuring instrument 10 against the skin 30 until the contact surface 51b of the probe unit 13 contacts the skin 30. As a result, the skin 30 is depressed by the abutting member 11 and the abutting member 11 is pressed into the probe unit 13. When the abutting member 11 contacts the skin 30 and further abuts on the same, the contact pressure applied to the abutting member 11 from the skin 30 is detected by the contact pressure sensor 24. An electric signal corresponding to the contact pressure is output to the control unit 66 from the contact pressure sensor 24.
When the electric signal corresponding to the contact pressure is input, the control unit 66 starts the ultraviolet LED 31 to cause the ultraviolet LED 31 to emit the excitation light 15. By the irradiation with the excitation light 15, the fluorescence 16 is generated from the AGEs in the skin 30. The fluorescence 16 is detected by the photodiode 32. An electric signal corresponding to the intensity of the fluorescence 16 is output from the photodiode 32. The electric signal is input into the control unit 66 via the signal processing unit 68. The accumulation level calculation unit 71 of the control unit 66 calculates the accumulation level of the AGEs per unit area in the skin 30 based on the electric signal corresponding to the intensity of the fluorescence 16.
When the electric signal corresponding to the contact pressure is input, the deformation amount calculation unit 72 of the control unit 66 calculates the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 based on the electric signal. The elastic modulus calculation unit 73 of the control unit 66 calculates the elastic modulus of the skin 30 based on the detected contact pressure and the calculated deformation amount 82 of the skin 30.
The control unit 66 may calculate an evaluation result of the AGEs corresponding to the accumulation level of the AGEs in accordance with the accumulation level of the AGEs. The evaluation result of the AGEs is an estimated age corresponding to the accumulation level of the AGEs, for example. Similarly, an evaluation result of the elasticity of the skin 30 may be calculated in accordance with the elastic modulus of the skin 30. The evaluation result of the elasticity of the skin 30 is the skin age, for example.
The control unit 66 causes the display unit 62 to display the calculated accumulation level of the AGEs and the calculated elastic modulus of the skin 30. The control unit 66 may cause the display unit 62 to display the evaluation result of the accumulation level of the AGEs and the evaluation result of the elasticity of the skin 30 in place of or in addition to the accumulation level of the AGEs and the elastic modulus of the skin 30.
When the electric signal corresponding to the contact pressure disappears, the control unit 66 stops the drive of the ultraviolet LED 31. When the measurement of the accumulation level of the AGEs and the elastic modulus of the skin 30 is completed, the user stops the portable measuring instrument 10 by inputting and operating the operating unit 63.
According to the portable measuring instrument 10 of this embodiment, the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) measuring the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances (AGEs) are stored in or supported by the case 20. Therefore, the portable measuring instrument 10 of the above-described configuration is portable while enabling the measurement of the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances (AGEs) accumulated in the skin 30.
Moreover, the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) measuring the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances (AGEs) and the elastic modulus measuring units (24, 72, 73) measuring the elastic modulus of the skin 30 corresponding to the elasticity of the skin 30 are supported by the same case 20. Therefore, the portable measuring instrument 10 of the above-described configuration is portable while enabling both the measurement of the accumulation level of the fluorescent substances (AGEs) accumulated in the skin 30 and the measurement of the elasticity of the skin 30.
Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 is calculated by subtracting the deformation amount 83 of the elastic member 23 when the abutting member 11 and the contact surface 51b abut on the skin 30 from the projection distance 81 in which the abutting member 11 projects from the contact surface 51b when the abutting member 11 does not abut on the skin 30. Since the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 is detected without using the sensor directly detecting the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30, the cost required for the sensor is reduced.
Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, the ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32 are stored in the abutting member 11 and the contact pressure sensor 24 is fixed to the abutting member 11. Therefore, when the abutting member 11 abuts on the skin 30, the ultraviolet LED 31 can irradiate the skin 30 with the excitation light 15, the photodiode 32 can receive the fluorescence 16, and the contact pressure sensor 24 can detect the contact pressure.
Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, the display unit 62, the accumulation level calculation unit 71, the deformation amount calculation unit 72, and the elastic modulus calculation unit 73 are stored in the body unit 14, the elastic member 23 is stored in the probe unit 13, and the ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32 are stored in and the contact pressure sensor 24 is fixed to the abutting member 11 supported by the probe unit 13. Since the probe unit 13 is attachable and detachable to/from the body unit 14, the ultraviolet LED 31, the photodiode 32, and the contact pressure sensor 24 are easily exchanged.
Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, the excitation light 15 having a 370 nm peak wavelength is emitted, and therefore the accumulation level of the AGEs emitting the 440 nm fluorescence to the excitation light 15 having a 370 nm wavelength is efficiently measured.
In the embodiment described above, the portable measuring instrument 10 is provided with the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) and the elastic modulus measuring units (24, 72, 73) and the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) and the elastic modulus measuring units (24, 72, 73) are stored in or supported by the same case 20. In place of such a configuration, the portable measuring instrument 10 may be provided with only the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) and the accumulation level measuring units (31, 32, 71) may be stored in or supported by the case 20.
In the embodiment described above, the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30 is calculating by subtracting the deformation amount 83 of the elastic member 23 from the projection distance 81 in which the abutting member 11 projects from the contact surface 51b when the abutting member 11 does not abut on the skin 30. The calculation is performed by the deformation amount calculation unit 72. In place of such a configuration, the portable measuring instrument 10 may be provided with a sensor detecting the deformation amount 83 (movement amount of the abutting member 11) of the elastic member 23 varying corresponding to the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30. Alternatively, the portable measuring instrument 10 may be provided with a sensor directly detecting the deformation amount 82 of the skin 30, e.g., a laser distance sensor.
In the embodiment described above, although the compression coil spring is used as the elastic member 23, elastic bodies, such as a sponge, a porous elastic body, and a gel elastic body, may be used.
In the embodiment described above, although the abutting member 11 stores the ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32, the position where the ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32 are disposed is not limited. The ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32 may be disposed in the probe unit 13 or the body unit 14 in place of the abutting member 11 insofar as the ultraviolet LED 31 and the photodiode 32 are disposed in the case 20.
In the embodiment described above, although the holding member 12 is provided with the probe unit 13 and the body unit 14 to/from which the probe unit 13 is attachable and detachable, the holding member 12 may be configured by one inseparable container.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2016-227918 | Nov 2016 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2017/038390 | 10/24/2017 | WO | 00 |