JPH11128198A - Body fat weighing scale - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] A conventional weighing scale with a fat scale is designed on the premise that it is placed on a measuring instrument with bare feet. Due to the configuration of the system, when wearing shoes and socks with high resistance, The voltage drop at the resistance between the electrode and the living body (the sole of the foot) is large, and it is not possible to obtain a voltage at which a predetermined current flows into the living body, so that accurate measurement is impossible. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to greatly affect the contact resistance between the living body and the electrode for measuring the bioelectrical impedance, making the measurement unstable, even in the state of wearing shoes or socks with high resistance. An object of the present invention is to provide a weighing machine with a body fat meter that can easily and accurately estimate the amount of body fat. SOLUTION: A conventional foot scale equipped with a fat scale is detachably fitted with a foot attachment provided with electrodes capable of contacting portions other than the soles. [Effect] By attaching the foot attachment, shoes,
The upper part of the foot without socks is electrically connected to the electrode,
The impedance of the subject can be measured while wearing socks.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a weighing scale equipped with a body fat meter which measures body impedance and body weight at the same time and calculates and displays body fat based on physical data such as height, gender, age, etc. which are input separately. The present invention relates to an improvement in a bioelectrical impedance measuring section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The composition of a human body can be estimated using the impedance between living ends obtained by applying a minute constant current from the end of a subject and measuring a voltage drop between electrodes (The Ameri- can Journal of Clinical Nutrit
ion, 41 (4) 810-817 1985 "Assessment of fat-free ma
ss using bioelectrical impedance measurement of th
ehuman body ") has been proposed,
(USP. 4,008,721, Tokuho 5-4905)
0, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-51242, and the like).

[0003] In particular, a product related to Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-49050 has a flat metal electrode for measuring bio-impedance at a position where the soles of both feet are in contact when the subject is put on a weight scale. By simply placing it on the surface of the mounting table and placing it barefoot on the specified position on the mounting table, simultaneously measure the body-to-terminal impedance and body weight, which change with each measurement, among the factors for estimating fat mass in the body In addition, a device that can be incorporated into a calculation formula and that can most easily estimate the amount of body fat is commercialized as a weight scale with a fat meter.

[0004]

The above-mentioned weight scale with a fat scale is designed on the premise that it is mounted on a measuring instrument with bare feet. Due to the structure of the system, if the shoes and socks with high resistance are worn, The voltage drop at the resistance between the electrode and the living body (the sole of the foot) is large, and it is not possible to obtain a voltage at which a predetermined current flows into the living body, so that accurate measurement is impossible.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to wear shoes and socks with a large resistance, which greatly affect the contact resistance between the living body and an electrode for measuring the bioelectrical impedance and make the measurement unstable. An object of the present invention is to provide a weighing scale with a body fat meter that can easily and accurately estimate a body fat amount even in a state.

[0006]

An input device for inputting physical data such as the height of a person to be measured, a weight measuring device for measuring the weight of the person to be measured, and a measuring device mounted on a mounting table of the weight measuring device. Two pairs of sole electrodes that can be in contact with the backs of both feet of a subject, respectively, and an impedance measuring device for measuring the bioimpedance of the subject, and input physical data and measurement or input weight value and impedance measurement An arithmetic processing device that calculates the body fat mass by calculating the impedance value obtained by the device, a display device that displays the body fat mass obtained by the arithmetic processing device, the weight value measured by the weight measuring device, and the like, A foot attachment provided with a second electrode capable of contacting a portion other than the sole; and the switch for switching between the sole electrode and the second electrode is selectable.

A back electrode made of a conductive material is disposed on the lower back surface of the foot attachment at a position where the back electrode can be in contact with the sole electrode, and a second electrode is provided on the upper portion of the foot attachment at a position where it can contact the foot. Is arranged, and the back surface electrode of the foot attachment and the upper second electrode are electrically connected to each other. The attachment for the left foot and the attachment for the right foot are made independent of each other, or the attachment for the left foot and the attachment for the right foot are arranged in one member. The foot attachment has a structure that can be adjusted in height.

[0008]

[Function] When the subject wears the foot attachment,
The second electrode contacts the upper part of the foot without shoes or socks. When the attachment is placed on the sole electrode of the mounting table of the weighing device so as to overlap the sole electrode, the second electrode and the back surface electrode on the lower surface of the attachment are electrically connected. In the case where the left and right foot attachments are arranged on one member, the foot attachments are first superimposed on the sole electrodes on the mounting table of the weighing device, and are placed on the foot attachments. When the measurer rides, the second electrode contacts the upper part of the foot without shoes or socks. The upper part of the foot and the sole electrode of the mounting table are electrically connected.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION On a mounting table of a weight measuring device, four electrodes for the heel and the tip of the left and right feet are respectively arranged electrically insulated. The attachment has an outer shape made of an insulating member, and has a shape that allows feet to be easily put on, and is large enough to allow feet from adults to children. The foot attachment
Left and right independent members or left and right members are arranged in one member. On the lower back surface of the foot attachment, a back surface electrode is provided at a position where the foot attachment is solely in contact with each electrode when the foot attachment is placed on the electrode of the mounting table. In fitting the foot attachment to the mounting table,
The fitting portion also serves as a connector, and is electrically connected to the impedance measuring device.

The upper part of the foot attachment is telescopic,
The tip is substantially U-shaped, and electrodes are arranged on both inner sides of the U-shape so as to sandwich the foot of the subject. The back surface electrode on the lower back surface of the foot attachment and the second electrode on the upper portion of the foot attachment are electrically connected.

[0011]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a foot attachment according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a body fat scale to which a foot attachment is attached, FIG. 2 is a diagram of a foot attachment of a second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a view of a foot attachment according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a body fat scale (1). On the mounting table (3) of the weighing device (2), four sole sole electrodes (4) for the heels and toes of the left and right feet are respectively arranged electrically insulated. . Further, a display device (5) and a setting button (7) for inputting and setting parameters of the subject are provided. The display unit and the setting button may be provided separately (separate, cordless) from the body fat meter.

When the person to be measured is barefoot and rides on the sole electrode (4) of the mounting table (3), the weight is measured by the weight measuring device (2), and at the same time, the impedance measuring device (FIG. The bioimpedance of the subject is measured through electrodes (not shown), processed by an arithmetic processing unit (not shown), and displayed on the display unit (5). In this body fat meter, an electrode for measuring impedance is brought into contact with the sole of the subject's foot, so if shoes or socks are worn, a non-conductive substance is applied between the living body and the electrode. Since certain shoes or socks are interposed, the impedance cannot be measured, and the subject must take off the shoes and socks and go barefoot.

In order to solve this problem, the inventor of the present invention has invented an attachment which can measure the weight at the same time as measuring the weight without removing shoes and socks. The attachment according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is an integrated attachment in which left and right foot attachments are disposed on an electrode cover, which is one member. The integrated attachment is placed on a mounting table of a conventional body fat scale, and the impedance is measured while the subject wears shoes and socks on the integrated attachment while wearing shoes and socks.

Next, the integrated attachment will be described. The integrated attachment (10) is composed of an electrode cover (9), a left foot attachment (11), and a right foot attachment (12). The electrode cover is formed of an insulating member, and has an inverted U shape whose lower part is opened so as to cover the mounting table (3) of the body fat scale (1). At the bottom of the back surface of the electrode cover (9), there are disposed four back electrodes (13) which are insulated from each other and are conductive members. When the electrode cover is put on the placing table of the body fat scale, the back electrode is in contact with the sole electrode (4) arranged on the placing table.

A hole (14) is provided in the front so that the setting button (7) can be operated and the display device (5) can be seen even when the electrode cover is put on the mounting table. At the rear, a left foot attachment (11) and a right foot attachment (12) are provided.

Each of the foot attachments has an upper part that can be vertically extended and contracted in accordance with the height of the upper part of the foot of the subject. The upper part is U-shaped, and foot electrodes (15), which are second electrodes, are disposed on the left and right inside the U-shaped side. This foot electrode,
The above-mentioned electrode cover is electrically connected to the back electrode (13). Back electrode under the left heel and left or right electrode for the left foot, left or right under the left toe, right or left electrode under the left foot, right or left electrode under the right heel and left or right electrode for the right foot, back electrode and right foot under the right toe The left or right electrode is electrically connected.

Next, a method of measuring body fat using an integrated attachment will be described. The height, age, gender, and the like of the subject are input and set using the setting button (7). The integrated attachment (10) is put on the mounting table (3) of the body fat scale (1). The person to be measured rides on the attachment without wearing bare feet while wearing socks and shoes. The height of the upper parts of the left and right foot attachments (11) and (12) is adjusted so that the left and right foot electrodes (15) are positioned on the upper part of the foot without socks, and the electrodes are brought into contact with the upper part of the foot. .

A weight measuring device (2) of the body fat weigher measures the weight of the subject, an impedance measuring device (not shown) measures the impedance through the foot electrode, and an arithmetic processing device (not shown). , The body fat weight of the subject is calculated and displayed on the display device (5). The weight, body fat percentage, and the like are displayed as necessary.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 will be described. This is basically the same as the first embodiment. The attachment is independent for each of the left and right feet. Enter the height, age, gender, etc. of the person to be measured using the setting buttons.
Then, the user attaches the left and right attachments in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and rides on the mounting table so that the back electrode (13) overlaps the sole electrode (4). Body fat scale (1)
The weight measuring device (2) measures the weight of the subject, the impedance measuring device (not shown) measures the impedance through the foot electrode (15), and is processed by an arithmetic processing device (not shown). Then, the body fat weight of the subject is calculated and displayed on the display device (5).
The body fat percentage is displayed.

In a third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, an attachment is fitted and mounted on a mounting table. The circuit is connected to the impedance measuring device at the fitting section (16). When the attachment is mounted on the mounting table, the measurement is switched automatically or by the setting button (7), which is a switching device, to switch to impedance measurement using the foot electrode. Further, it is also possible to electrically determine whether the sole electrode is conductive (contact with the living body) or whether the foot electrode is conductive (contact with the living body), and switch the applicable electrode.

The height, age, gender, etc. of the person to be measured are input and set using the setting buttons, and the foot electrode (15) is mounted on the mounting table (3) as in the first embodiment. The weight measuring device of the body fat weighing scale measures the body weight of the subject, the impedance measuring device measures the impedance through the foot electrode, and the arithmetic processing device performs arithmetic processing to calculate the body fat weight of the subject. Are displayed on the display device (5). The weight, body fat percentage, and the like are displayed as necessary.

[0022]

In the first embodiment, when the subject mounts on the foot attachment mounted on the mounting table, in the second embodiment, the subject mounts the foot attachment, and the back electrode at the lower part of the attachment is placed on the mounting table. When the user rides on the mounting table so as to overlap with the sole electrode, in the third embodiment, the subject rides on the mounting table,
When attaching the attachment arranged at the rear of the mounting table,
The electrodes are electrically connected to the upper part of the foot without shoes and socks,
It becomes possible to measure the impedance of the subject while wearing shoes and socks.

As described above, by using the attachment of the present invention, the impedance of the subject can be measured while wearing shoes, socks, etc., which are non-conductive members.
The body fat mass can be calculated. At home, taking off socks is not a problem, but users who have been hesitant to take off socks in front of the public, such as at exhibitions, can easily measure weight and fat mass without any hesitation. There is a very good effect that it can be done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an attachment according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an attachment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an attachment according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 body fat meter 2 weight measuring device 3 mounting table 4 sole electrode 5 display device 7 setting button 9 electrode cover 10 integrated attachment 11 left foot attachment 12 right foot attachment 13 back surface electrode 14 hole 15 foot electrode 16 mating part

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input device for inputting physical data such as the height of a subject, a weight measuring device for measuring a weight of the subject, and a mounting table of the weight measuring device on both sides of the feet of the subject. Providing two pairs of sole electrodes that can be in contact with the back surface, obtained with an impedance measuring device that measures the bioimpedance of the subject, and with the input physical data and the measured or input weight value and impedance measuring device An arithmetic processing device for calculating the body fat mass by calculating the impedance value, a display device for displaying the body fat mass obtained by the arithmetic processing device, a weight value measured by the weight measuring device, and a portion other than the soles A body fat weighing device having an attachment provided with a second electrode capable of contacting the body. 2. An attachment is provided on a foot other than the sole.
The body fat weighing device according to claim 1, wherein the weighing device is a foot attachment that can be contacted by the electrodes. 3. The foot attachment is provided with a back electrode that can contact the sole electrode provided on the mounting table, and a second electrode is provided above the foot attachment at a position that can contact the foot. And a back electrode of the attachment and a second upper electrode.
The body fat weighing device according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes are electrically connected to each other. 4. The body fat meter according to claim 3, wherein the left foot attachment and the right foot attachment are independent of each other. 5. The body fat meter according to claim 3, wherein the attachment for the left foot and the attachment for the right foot are provided in one member. 6. The body fat meter according to claim 2, wherein the height of the foot attachment is adjustable. 7. The body fat meter according to claim 1, wherein the sole electrode and the second electrode are selectively switched by a switching device.