U.S. patent application number 12/634364 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-17 for apparatus for measuring biological information and earphone having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Jung-Taek OH.
Application Number | 20100152556 12/634364 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42241354 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100152556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OH; Jung-Taek |
June 17, 2010 |
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION AND EARPHONE HAVING
THE SAME
Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring biological information
and an earphone having the same for contacting with a uniform
pressure a user body part using an elastic member. The apparatus
includes a first housing; a second housing foldably connected with
the first housing; a third housing foldably connected with the
second housing and provided with a sensor for measuring the
biological information; a plurality of joint parts for connecting
the housings to be folded or unfolded to each other; one or more
locking parts for restraining or releasing the housings to be
folded or unfolded to each other; and the elastic member for
applying the same pressure to make the sensor contact with the
user's body by enabling the respective housings to be folded or
unfolded using a stress-strain.
Inventors: |
OH; Jung-Taek; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE FARRELL LAW FIRM, LLP
290 Broadhollow Road, Suite 210E
Melville
NY
11747
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
42241354 |
Appl. No.: |
12/634364 |
Filed: |
December 9, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/309 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 5/02416 20130101;
A61B 5/6816 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/309 |
International
Class: |
A61B 5/145 20060101
A61B005/145 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 15, 2008 |
KR |
10-2008-0127461 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for measuring biological information, the apparatus
comprising: a first housing; a second housing foldably connected
with the first housing; a third housing foldably connected with the
second housing and provided with a sensor for measuring the
biological information; a plurality of joint parts connecting the
respective housings about which the housings fold and unfold; a
locking part provided between the respective housings to restrain
the housings in a folded state; and an elastic member provided
within the respective housings and joint parts that applies a
uniform pressure to unfold the respective housings and to contact
the sensor against an earlobe.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first housing is installed
in a mounting groove formed in an earphone.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of joint parts
include a first elastic joint and a second elastic joint, wherein
the first elastic joint is provided between the first housing and
the second housing, the second elastic joint is provided between
the second housing and third housing, and the first elastic joint
and second elastic joint have a smaller diameter than their
respective housings.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed
of from a Nitinol material.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking part comprises: a
first locking part provided between the first housing and the
second housing to restrain the first housing and the second housing
in the folded state; a second locking part provided between the
second housing and third housing to restrain the second housing and
the third housing in the folded state, wherein releasing the first
locking part rotates the first housing and the second housing, and
then releases and unfolds the second housing and third housing.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first locking part
comprises: first and second pressing members exposed outside of the
first housing; a hook part provided on one side of the second
housing; and a pair of wire latch parts provided at a location
corresponding to the hook part between the first and second
pressing members, wherein a central portion of the wire latch parts
expands to release the hook part when the first and second pressing
members are pressed.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the hook part includes a guide
ramp for contacting one of the wire latch parts.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second locking part
comprises: a first engaging member provided on one side of the
second housing; and a second engaging member provided at a location
corresponding to the first engaging member on one side of the third
housing, wherein the second engaging member contacts an outer
protrusion of an earphone to release the second housing from the
third housing, thereby unfolding the second housing from the third
housing via rotated by the elastic member.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein one end of the first engaging
member formed as a semi-sphere and one end of the second engaging
member is formed with a ridge to detachably engage the first
engaging member.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises:
a first elastic part provided in the first housing; a second
elastic part provided in the second housing to unfold the first
housing from the second housing; a third elastic part provided in
the third housing to unfold the second housing from the third
housing; and first and second elastic joints provided in respective
joint parts connecting the first, second and third elastic
parts.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second elastic
joints have a diameter smaller than a diameter of the elastic part
connected by opposite ends of the elastic joints.
12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first housing is provided
with an engaging groove having the first locking part.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to an application entitled
"Apparatus for Measuring Biological Information and Earphone Having
the Same" filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec.
15, 2008 and assigned Serial No. 10-2008-0127461, the contents of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring
biological information and an earphone incorporating the apparatus
having a sensor for measuring biological information by contact
with a portion of a user's body.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Measurement of biological information obtained from blood
streams of a human body, such as a pulse rate, a number of
heartbeats or the like, is performed using a variety of
conventional devices of a variety of shapes or sizes, often
miniaturized in a portable size or incorporated into other
products.
[0006] For example, a measuring apparatus is provided in which a
pulse sensor is installed within a wristwatch. When a user touches
the pulse sensor using an inner surface of his/her fingertip, the
pulse sensor optically detects a pulse count, and the pulse rate is
displayed of the wristwatch.
[0007] The conventional apparatus for measuring the biological
information as described above will typically use an
electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor designed to measure the pulse rate
by detecting signals using a multi-polar electrode. Further, a
photo sensor has been disclosed to measure the biological
information that irradiates light onto a skin surface of the user's
body via a Light Emitting Diode (LED) and detects reflected light,
observing scattering of light within the user's body via a Photo
Diode (PD).
[0008] WO/2005/034742, the contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference, is an example of a conventional apparatus for
measuring the biological information. When this apparatus is used
as a sensor for measuring the pulse rate using a transmission-type
photo sensor applied to an earlobe, the sensor is adapted to
compress the earlobe using pincers, that typically include two
arms, a pivot and a spring.
[0009] However, the conventional ECG sensor needs to employ an
electrode made from a conductive material or a special pad on which
a high viscosity material, such as a gel, is applied. In addition,
in order to perform a test while the user is exercising, the
conventional ECG sensor must be installed on the user's body in a
location, such as the chest, where muscles move. Further, it is
difficult to obtain the number of heartbeats due to the disturbance
of the ECG signals by the electromyogram (EGM) signal.
[0010] Special clothing, such as a bio-shirt, has been developed
for use when tests are performed during exercise. However, use of
such special clothing is inconvenient.
[0011] In order to solve the drawbacks described above, studies
have been published for miniaturizing measuring devices for
collecting biological information. As a result, an apparatus which
can be mounted on an earphone using the structure of the user's ear
has been developed.
[0012] When the apparatus for measuring the biological information
is installed on the earphone, the apparatus adopts a measuring
method to check the biological information with a transmission-type
sensor positioned in an earflap of the user. However, such
apparatus has drawbacks in that a significant amount of noise is
generated by relative movement of the earphone against the user's
skull. However, this relative movement is difficult to prevent due
to the physical proximity of the earlobe to the skull and the
weight of the earphone.
[0013] To solve the problems caused by the relative movement due to
the weight of the earphone as described above, a lightweight chip
of a sensor part is separated from the apparatus when the apparatus
is in use. However, such construction is inconvenient in that the
user must additionally care for the lightweight chip. A method to
mount the chip in the earlobe of the user has also been proposed,
but is structurally complicated due to its construction using a
heavy earphone and an additional chip, making transport of the
apparatus inconvenient.
[0014] As another way of solving the above drawbacks, an apparatus
is provided in which the sensor part is completely inserted in the
user's ear. Such apparatus, however, has disadvantages in that the
user cannot listen to music because the apparatus interferes with
an earphone function.
[0015] The above-described pincer-type apparatus is inconvenient to
use since the spring force will vary depending on thickness and
length of a user's earlobe, and further it is very difficult to
obtain exact measurements.
[0016] Moreover, more space is needed due to the configuration of
the pincer-type, and there is a practical inconvenience for the
user because opening operations of the pincers for inserting the
sensor part are totally contradicted with operations for inserting
the earphone, when the apparatus is incorporated with the
earphone.
[0017] Hence, there is a need for an apparatus capable that
accurately measures exact biological information by elimination of
the pressure difference caused by thickness and length variations
in user earlobes, allowing the sensor to contact the earlobe with
uniform pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve
the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices, and the
present invention provides an apparatus for measuring biological
information and an earphone having the same which can reduce a
signal deviation of the biological information due to the
difference in the thickness and length of the user's body part and
obtain a signal in its optimal state. In the present invention, a
sensor apparatus is provided that contacts the user's body part
with a uniform pressure for measuring biological information.
[0019] The present invention provides an earphone including an
apparatus for measuring biological information. The present
invention is constructed from a reduced number of components,
thereby facilitating lower cost manufacture, and can be installed
within a small space.
[0020] Further, the present invention provides an apparatus for
measuring biological information and an earphone having the same
which allows a product to be conveniently operated by providing a
locking part to restrain or release folding or unfolding operations
of a housing with a sensor for measuring the biological information
using an elastic member.
[0021] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an apparatus for measuring biological information,
including a first housing; a second housing foldably connected with
the first housing; a third housing foldably connected with the
second housing and provided with a sensor for measuring the
biological information; a plurality of joint parts provided between
the respective housings for connecting the housings to be folded or
unfolded to each other; one or more locking parts provided between
the respective housings for restraining or releasing the housings
to be folded or unfolded to each other; and an elastic member
provided within the respective housings and joint parts, which
applies a same pressure to make the sensor contact with the user's
body by enabling the respective housings to be folded or unfolded
using a stress-strain which tends to return to its initial state
when the locking part is restrained or released.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction
of an apparatus for measuring biological information in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2a is a perspective view illustrating a state in which
the apparatus for measuring biological information installed in an
earphone, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 2b is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
present invention inserted in a user's ear;
[0026] FIG. 2c is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the
apparatus of FIG. 2b;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a top plan view illustrating an elastic member of
the apparatus for measuring biological information in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 4(a) shows the elastic member in a non-operating
state;
[0029] FIG. 4(b) shows the elastic member in an operating
state;
[0030] FIG. 4(c) shows the elastic member after operation;
[0031] FIG. 5(a) is a side view of the earphone of an embodiment of
the present invention in the nonoperated state;
[0032] FIG. 5(b) illustrates the earphone of an embodiment of the
present invention installed in the user's ear, in the non-operating
state;
[0033] FIG. 5(c) illustrates the earphone installed in the user's
ear, at the start of being operated;
[0034] FIG. 5(d) illustrates the earphone in close contact with the
earlobe of the user;
[0035] FIG. 6(a) is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the
present invention, wherein a first locking part is not yet
operated;
[0036] FIG. 6(b) is a top plan view of the embodiment of the
present invention, wherein the first locking part is not yet
operated;
[0037] FIG. 6(c) is a top plan view illustrating operation of the
first locking part;
[0038] FIG. 6(d) is a side sectional view illustrating operation of
the first locking part;
[0039] FIG. 7(a) is a sectional view of an embodiment of the
present invention, wherein a second locking part is not yet
operated;
[0040] FIG. 7(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion
as indicated by arrow "A" in FIG. 7(a), illustrating the state that
the second locking part is not yet operated; and
[0041] FIG. 7(c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion
as indicated by arrow "A" in FIG. 7(a), illustrating the state that
the second locking part is being operated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In
the following description, the same elements will be designated by
the same reference numerals although they are shown in different
drawings. Further, various specific definitions found in the
following description, such as specific values of packet
identifications, contents of displayed information to provide a
general understanding of the present invention. Further, in the
following description of the present invention, a detailed
description of known functions and configurations incorporated
herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the
present invention rather unclear.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, an apparatus 10 for
measuring biological information includes first, second and third
housings, 20, 30 and 40, a plurality of joint parts 50, a locking
part (FIGS. 1, 6 and 7), and an elastic member 70 (FIG. 3).
[0044] The first housing 20 is connected with one end of the second
housing 30 so that the second housing 30 can be folded or unfolded
against the first housing 20. The second housing 30 is connected
with one end of the third housing 40 such that the third housing 40
can be folded or unfolded against the second housing 30. The third
housing 40 is connected with the other end of the second housing 30
and provided with a Light Emitting Diode (LED) 2a of a sensor 2
(FIGS. 5(b)-5(d)) for measuring the biological information, when in
contact with an earlobe of the user.
[0045] The joint parts 50 are provided between the first, second
and third housings, 20, 30 and 40, which allow the first, second
and third housings, 20, 30 and 40 to be foldably or unfoldably
connected therewith, respectively. The locking part 60 is disposed
between the first, second and third housings, 20, 30 and 40, to
restrain or release the first, second and third housings, 20, 30
and 40 in a folded state. The elastic member 70 is provided within
the respective first, second and third housings, 20, 30 and 40, and
the joint parts 50, to apply a uniform pressure bringing the LED 2a
into contact with the user's earlobe 3, and enable the respective
housings 20, 30 and 40 to unfolded when the locking part 60 is
released.
[0046] The apparatus 10 is applied to an earphone 1 as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 5, and is applicable to a variety of other small
electronic devices, such as an information transmission device, a
multimedia device or the like which can be in contact with the
user's body portion.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 2(a), the first housing 20 is installed in
a mounting groove 1a formed in the earphone 1, which makes it
possible for the user to listen to music as well as measure the
number of his/her heartbeats.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the joint parts 50 include first and
second joint parts, 51 and 52, respectively. The first joint part
51 is provided between the respective ends of the first and second
housings, 20 and 30, connecting the first housing 20 with the
second housing 30 and enabling the second housing 30 to fold and
unfold against the first housing 20. The second joint part 52 is
provided between the respective ends of the second and third
housings, 30 and 40, connecting the second housing 30 with the
third housing 40 and enabling the folding and unfolding. The first
and second joint parts 51 and 52 have smaller thickness than the
respective housings 20, 30 and 40, facilitate folding and
unfolding.
[0049] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4(a) through 4(c), the elastic
member 70 is designed to receive a constant force, and to be
deformed up to about 8% of the strain.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, locking part 60 includes
first and second locking parts 61 and 62, respectively. The first
locking part 61 is provided between opposite facing sides of the
first and second housings, 20 and 30, to restrain the first housing
20 to the second housing 30. When the user presses first and second
pressing members, 61a and 61b, which are exposed outside of the
first housing 20, the second housing 30 unfolds from the first
housing 20.
[0051] The second locking part 62 is provided between opposite
facing sides of the second and third housings, 30 and 40, to
restrain the third housing 40 to the second housing 30. The second
and third housings, 30 and 40, are retained by the first locking
part 61.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), the first locking part 61
includes the first and second pressing members 61a and 61b, a hook
part 61c, and a pair of wire latch parts 61d. The first and second
pressing members 61a and 61b are exposed outside of the first
housing 20 and are designed to expand or shrink the pair of wire
latch parts 61d by pressing down the first and second pressing
members 61a and 61b. The hook part 61c is provided on one side of
the second housing 30 to hook on one of the wire latch parts 61d
and to release therefrom upon rotation of the second housing 30.
One of the wire latch parts 61d is disposed at a location
corresponding to the hook part 61c, and between the first and
second pressing members 61a and 61b. A central portion of the wire
latch parts 61d expands or shrinks in the opposite directions to
hook or release the hook part 61c when the first and second
pressing members 61a and 61b are pressed by the user. The hook part
61c is formed with a guide ramp 601 for helping one of the wire
latch parts 61d smoothly engage the hook part 61c when the latter
is brought into contact with the former.
[0053] The wire latch parts 61d are formed in a semi-sphere shape
from a soft material to allow easy expansion or shrinking when
pressed.
[0054] FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) show first and second engaging members
62a and 62b of the second locking part 62. The first engaging
member 62a is provided on one side of the second housing 30 to hook
the second engaging member 62b. The second engaging member 62b is
provided at a location corresponding to the first engaging member
62a on one side of the third housing 40. The second engaging member
62b comes in contact with an outer protrusion A1 of the earphone 1
and is engaged with the latter or released therefrom to fold or
unfold the second and third housings 30 and 40 when the second and
third housings 30 and 40 are rotated by the elastic member 70. One
end of the first engaging member 62a is in the form of the
semi-sphere in order to easily disengage from a ridge 602 formed on
one end of the second engaging member 62b. The ridge 602 hooked on
and released from the first engaging member 62a.
[0055] Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c), the elastic
member 70 is composed of first, second and third elastic parts 71,
72 and 73 and a plurality of elastic joints 74. The first elastic
part 71 is provided in the first housing 20 and can be folded to or
unfolded from the second elastic part 72. The second elastic part
72 is provided in the second housing 30 for applying a stress
strain which can return itself to its initial state, to fold to or
unfolded from the first elastic part 71 along with the second
housing 30. Further, the third elastic part 73 is provided in the
third housing 40 for providing a stress strain which can return
itself to its initial state, to fold or unfold from the second
elastic part 72 along with the third housing 40.
[0056] A plurality of elastic joints 74 are provided in the joint
parts 50, between the first, second and third elastic parts 71, 72
and 73, to connect the first, second and third elastic parts 71, 72
and 73, and to apply a stress strain to return the first, second
and third elastic parts 71, 72 and 73 to their initial states. The
elastic joint 74 has a smaller thickness than those of the elastic
parts 71, 72 and 73 to provide a stress strain for returning the
latter to their initial states.
[0057] The first housing 20 is formed with an engaging groove 21 to
receive the first locking part 61.
[0058] Operations of the apparatus for measuring the biological
information and the earphone having the same in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 7.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c), the inventive
apparatus 10 is provided with the sensor 2 for measuring the
biological information. The sensor 2 is preferably a
photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor or a transmission-type sensor,
which is used to obtain the number of heartbeats, typically during
a user's exercise state, measuring an amount of exercise, and
checking/removing the stress of the user. The sensor 2 for
measuring the biological information includes LED 2a and a Photo
Diode (PD) 2b (FIGS. 5(b)-5(c)).
[0060] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, the apparatus 10 for
measuring the biological information includes the first, second and
third housings, 20, 30 and 40, a plurality of joint parts 50, a
locking part 60, and the elastic member 70. The joint parts 50 are
composed of first and second joint parts 51 and 52, respectively.
The first joint part 51 is provided between the first and second
housings 20 and 30, while the second joint part 52 is provided
between the second and third housings 30 and 40.
[0061] The elastic member 70 is provided within the respective
housings 20, 30 and 40 and the joint parts 50. Here, the elastic
member 70 includes the first elastic part 71 provided in the first
housing 20, the second elastic part 72 provided in the second
housing 30, the third elastic part 73 provided in the third 40, and
a plurality of elastic joints 74 provided in the first and second
joint parts 51 and 52.
[0062] It can be noted that the LED 2a of the sensor 2 for
measuring the biological information is provided at the third
housing 40, while the PD 2b is disposed on the earphone 1
positioned at an opposite side of the user's earlobe 3, as shown in
FIGS. 5(b)-5(c).
[0063] The first locking part 61 is disposed in the engaging groove
21 formed in the first housing 20, while the second locking part 62
is provided between the second and third housings 30 and 40. In
this state, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the first housing 20 of the
apparatus 10 is installed in the mounting groove 1a formed in the
earphone 1. Then, the user puts the earphone 1 having the inventive
apparatus 10 for measuring the biological information into his/her
ear, as shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c).
[0064] It should be noted here that the earphone 1 is in close
contact with the earlobe 3 of the user, and the PD 2b installed
within the earphone 1 also makes contact with the earlobe 3. When
the user presses both the first and second pressing members 61a and
61b of the first locking part 61, the central portion of a pair of
wire latch parts 61d disposed between the first and second pressing
members 61a and 61b expands in the opposite direction. Accordingly,
the hook part 61c provided at one side of the second housing 30 is
released from a pair of wire latch parts 61. At the same time, the
second and third housings 30 and 40 are released from their
restraint state by the first housing 20, rotating against the first
housing 20 to be unfolded.
[0065] The second and third elastic parts 72 and 73 received within
the second and third housings 30 and 40, then respectively rotate
the second and third housings 30 and 40, using the stress strain to
return the second and third housings 30 and 40 to their initial
states.
[0066] Referring to FIGS. 5(c) and 5(d), the elastic joint 74
provided between the second and third elastic parts 72 and 73 and
the first and second elastic parts 71 and 72 shows its stress
strain with inclination to be returned to its initial state.
[0067] As shown in FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c), the second and third
housings 30 and 40 rotate around the plurality of joint parts 50 to
unfold, and then the third housing 40 comes in contact with the
protrusion A1 formed outside of the earphone 1. At this moment,
both the first engaging member 62a formed on the second housing 30
and the second engaging member 62b formed on the third housing 40
disengage from each other, allowing the third housing 40 to rotate
and unfold from the second housing 30. Here, the third housing 40
is rotated and unfolded by the second joint part 52. In addition,
the third elastic part 73 of the elastic member 70 rotates the
third housing 40 using its stress strain with inclination to return
to its initial state.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 5(d), the light emitting diode 2a of the
sensor 2 for measuring the biological information provided in the
third housing 40 makes contact with the user's earlobe 3 to provide
a uniform pressure. The LED 2a is provided at the opposite position
from the PD 2b, at opposite sides of the user's earlobe 3. The
third housing 40 brings the LED 2a into contact with the user's
earlobe 3 with a uniform pressure, regardless of the difference in
thickness and length of the earlobe 3, which makes it possible to
reduce the signal deviation of the user's biological information
and pick up an exact signal in an optimal status.
[0069] Meanwhile, the first and second joint parts 51 and 52 have a
smaller thickness than those of the respective housings 20, 30 and
40. Similarly, the elastic joint 74 is formed in a smaller
thickness than those of the first, second and third elastic parts
71, 72 and 73.
[0070] When the elastic joint 74 is manufactured with a
cross-sectional thickness, for example 0.5 mm.times.0.5 mm, the LED
2a of the third housing 40 will contact with the user's earlobe 3
with a force of 0.5 N. Here, the thickness of the elastic joint 74
is not limited to 0.5 mm, but may be less or more than 0.5 mm.
[0071] The cross-sectional thickness of the respective elastic
parts 71, 72 and 73 and the elastic joint 74 are preferably set
more than 2.0 mm.times.0.5 mm, to increase their inertia values of
the second moment.
[0072] With different thicknesses for the respective elastic parts
71, 72 and 73 and the elastic joint 74, the inertia value of the
second moment due to rotation when the second and third housings 30
and 40 are folded or unfolded can be increased, thereby improving
the folding or unfolding operation of the second and third housings
30 and 40.
[0073] The disengaging operation of the inventive apparatus 10 for
measuring the biological information is now described. Referring to
FIGS. 1 through 7a, 7b and 7c, the earphone 1 is first withdrawn
from the user's ear. The third housing 40 is folded onto the second
housing 30, and the second engaging member 62b of the third housing
40 is hooked and secured to the first engaging member 62a of the
second housing 30, whereby the third housing 40 is restrained to
the second housing 30.
[0074] In the above folded state, as shown in FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c),
the second and third housings 30 and 40 are folded to each other,
and the hook part 61c of the second housing 30 is engaged and
secured to a pair of wire latch parts 61d of the first housing 20.
Since the hook part 61c is provided with the guide ramp 601, the
hook part 61c is smoothly guided along the latter and secured to
the wire latch parts 61d when it is coupled with the wire latch
parts 61d.
[0075] The second and third housings 30 and 40 are restrained
together to the first housing 20 in the folded state. At this
moment, both the second and third elastic parts 72 and 73 and the
elastic joint 74 are folded together with the second and third
housings 30 and 40, and further restrained in the folded state.
[0076] The embodiments of the apparatus for measuring biological
information and the earphone having the same set forth hereinabove
have been presented for illustrative purposes only and, therefore,
the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and
drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the scope of the invention defined in the claims.
* * * * *