# US 12,594,050 B2 · Wheeze detection device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,594,050 B2
- Document ID: US12594050B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/934,391
- Filed: 2022-09-22
- Published: 2023-01-19
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27
- Assignees: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masayuki Fukutsuka; Katsuyoshi Morita; Hiroshi Ogawa; Seiji Fukunaga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594050B2

## CPC

- A61B 7/003: {Detecting lung or respiration noise}
- A61B 7/04: Electric stethoscopes
- A61B 2562/028: Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A wheeze detection device that allows suppressing a noise and improving detection accuracy of wheezing. The device includes a first microphone configured by a MEMS microphone, a space-forming member (a first housing, an O-ring, a flexible circuit board, and a second housing) forming an accommodation space that accommodates the first microphone, and a housing cover that forms a pressure receiving unit that closes the accommodation space and receives a pressure from a body surface. The space-forming member has a hole portion connected to an atmosphere. The accommodation space is connected to the atmosphere via the hole portion. The hole portion includes branch portions to between a groove and a terminal and two branched hole portions branched at each branch portion from a side of the groove. One branched hole portion among the two branched hole portions is connected to the terminal. The other branched hole portion is closed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wheeze detection device for detecting wheezing based on a sound measured from a living body while the wheeze detection device is in contact with a body surface of the living body, the wheeze detection device comprising:
a sound measurement element;
a space-forming member that forms an accommodation space accommodating the sound measurement element; and
a cover member that forms a pressure receiving unit that closes the accommodation space and is configured to receive a pressure from the body surface, wherein
the space-forming member has a hole portion connected to an atmosphere,
the accommodation space is connected to the atmosphere via the hole portion, and
the hole portion includes a branch portion between an inlet on a side of the accommodation space and an outlet on a side of the atmosphere and two branched other hole portions branched at the branch portion from a side of the inlet, one branched other hole portion among the two branched other hole portions being connected to the outlet, and the other branched other hole portion among the two branched other hole portions being closed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wheeze detection device according to claim 1, wherein the hole portion further includes at least one other branch portion in the one branched other hole portion among the two branched other hole portions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wheeze detection device according to claim 1, wherein
the space-forming member includes a tubular member and a placement member, the tubular member having one end surface in an axial direction covered with the cover member, and the placement member being fixed to another end surface in the axial direction of the tubular member in a way of closing an inner circumferential portion of the tubular member, wherein the placement member is to place the sound measurement element, and
the hole portion is configured by a groove formed in the placement member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The wheeze detection device according to claim 2, wherein
the space-forming member includes a tubular member and a placement member, the tubular member having one end surface in an axial direction covered with the cover member, and the placement member being fixed to another end surface in the axial direction of the tubular member in a way of closing an inner circumferential portion of the tubular member, wherein the placement member is to place the sound measurement element, and
the hole portion is configured by a groove formed in the placement member.