JP2006263034A - Massage unit and chair-type massage machine equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the massaging effects of a massage unit with acupressure members in an annular belt as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: The foot massage unit comprises a recessed receiving part 23 for storing an affected part of a treated person and side air bags 30 and 30 at least on one inner side surface of the recessed receiving part 23, and massages calves or feet of the treated person with the inflation/deflation of the side air bags 30 and 30. The foot massage unit also has a rotatable roller 55 connected to a driving means 50, a roller 56 disposed parallel with a prescribed gap to the roller 55, the annular belt 42 stretched between the rollers 55 and 56, and acupressure members 40 and 40 projecting from the outer surface of the belt 42 for massaging the affected part of the treated person. The side air bags 30 and 30 are inflated to press the affected part when the affected part is massaged with the acupressure members 40 and 40 by driving the driving means 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a massage unit that massages an affected area of a user, and more specifically to a massage unit that can be massaged by an acupressure element disposed on a belt and an airbag.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is a massage unit that has a recess for accommodating a calf of a user, attaches an airbag to the recess, and expands and contracts the airbag to perform massage (see, for example, Patent Document 1)

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-128289

The massage by the airbag is a massage that slowly tightens the affected area of the user, and the affected area cannot be massaged by hitting or vibrating.
In order to apply massage to the affected area by hitting or vibrating, there is a massage unit that mounts an acupressure belt on the annular belt and rotates the annular belt to rub the acupressure element against the affected area and massage. When hit, the affected part is pushed up by the pressing force of the acupressure element, and the pressing force of the acupressure element may not be sufficiently transmitted to the affected part.

  An object of the present invention is to enhance as much as possible the massage effect of a massage unit having an annular belt provided with an acupressure element.

In order to solve the above problems, the massage unit of the present invention is
A leg having a concave receiving part for accommodating the affected part of the user, having a side airbag on at least one of the inner side surfaces of the concave receiving part, and massaging the calf or toes by expansion and contraction of the side airbag In the massage unit for
On the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion, a rotatable roller linked to the driving means, a roller arranged in parallel with the roller at a predetermined interval, an annular belt suspended between the rollers, Acupressure that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface and massages the affected area of the user,
When the driving means is driven and massage is performed with the acupressure element, the side airbag is inflated to hold the affected area.

  In the state where the affected part of the user is accommodated in the concave receiving part, the side airbag is inflated, and the affected part is pressed into the concave receiving part. The massage effect can be enhanced as much as possible because it does not float and the pressing force of the acupressure element is efficiently transmitted to the affected area.

  An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a massage unit (20) for massaging the calf of a user will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chair type massage machine (10) includes a seat (12) on which a user sits, and a backrest (13) can be tilted and positioned at the rear end of the seat (12). It is deployed as possible. Further, a calf massage unit (20) for massaging the calf of the user is disposed at the front end of the seat (12), and at the tip of the calf massage unit (20), the user's calf is massaged. A massage unit (60) for massaging the toes is provided.
In the backrest (13), a known massage means (15) for performing massage from the shoulder to the waist of the user is disposed so as to be able to be lifted and lowered along the backrest (13).
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover and cushion covering the outer periphery of the chair type massage machine (10) are removed.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the calf massage unit (20) and the foot massage unit (60). In FIG. 3, reference numerals (21) and (61) indicate a part of the cloth cover that covers the massage units (20) and (60).
4 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the calf massage unit (20), and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

The calf massage unit (20) and the foot massage unit (60) are connected to the seat (12) by frames (17), (22), (62) as shown in FIGS. The calf massage unit (20) can be tilted upward and positioned from the state shown in FIG. 1 by a known tilting mechanism, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the calf massage unit (20) for the seat (12) is connected to the frame (22) of the calf massage unit (20) and the frame (17) of the seat (12). An angle detector (72) for detecting the tilt angle is provided. A potentiometer can be exemplified as the angle detector (72). The angle detector (72) is electrically connected to the control means (70) described later.

  The frame (22) of the calf massage unit (20) is made of resin in which a concave receiving part (23) (23) for a calf having a U-shaped cross section for inserting the left and right calves of the user is respectively formed. A frame (24) is attached. As shown in FIG. 3, the concave receiving part (23) is provided with a calf side airbag (30) for massaging the calf from the side on the outer side and an elastic member (34) on the inner side from the center. ing. The side airbags (30) and (30) are connected to an air pump (32) (see FIG. 5) through a valve, and are expanded by receiving compressed air supplied from the air pump.

The elastic member (34) can be made from an elastic member such as sponge or urethane.
In FIG. 3, the elastic member (34) is provided on the inner surface from the center, but an airbag may be provided instead of the elastic member (34). Further, an airbag may be disposed on the inner side surface from the center, and an elastic member may be provided on the outer side surface.

Long holes (26) and (26) are formed in the bottom surface of the concave receiving portions (23) and (23), and the calf of the user is stimulated inside the frame (24) as shown in FIG. Shiatsu depressors (40) and (40) are provided.
Between the frames (22) and (22), the base end side and the tip end side are connected by horizontal frames (27) and (27), respectively, and the frames (22) and (22) are connected as shown in FIGS. Further, a plate (28) having a narrow center is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of bearings (57), (57), (58), and (58) are arranged on the back and front of the wide portions at the left and right ends of the plate (28), respectively.
A drive shaft (53) is rotatably fitted to the bearings (57) and (57) on the base end side, and one end of the drive shaft (53) is connected to drive means (50) described later. A cylindrical roller (55) is fitted to the drive shaft (53) so as to be rotatable integrally with the drive shaft (53).
A driven shaft (54) is rotatably fitted to the front end side bearings (58) and (58), and a roller (56) is fitted to the driven shaft (54).

  On one left end side of the plate (28), as shown in FIG. 4, a motor (51) serving as driving means (50) is disposed on the back surface of the plate (28). The motor (51) is connected to the drive shaft (53) of the roller (55) through a speed reduction mechanism (52) including a pinion and a gear so as to be able to transmit power.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a flexible annular belt (42) is suspended between the rollers (55) and (56). The belt (42) sandwiches the plate (28) up and down, and the upper surface of the plate (28) and the inner surface of the belt (42) are arranged so as to approach or contact each other.
The belt (42) can be formed by forming an annular shape by connecting both ends of a flexible rectangular material. The belt (42) can be formed of, for example, a cloth spring or rubber.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, finger depressors (40) and (40) are attached to the belt (42). Acupressure (40) (40) is attached to each of the left and right sides of the belt (42) so as to protrude from the long holes (26) (26) established in the bottom of the concave receiving part (23). The acupressure elements (40) and (40) that appear and disappear from the same long hole (26) are attached so that the phases are different by 180 °.
The acupressure elements (40) and (40) can be made of a resin such as rubber or plastic.

  When the motor (51), which is the driving means (50), is driven, power is transmitted through the speed reduction mechanism (52), and the roller (55) rotates. The belt (42) circulates by the rotation of the roller (55), the acupressure element (40) (40) attached to the belt (42) appears from one end of the long hole (26), and the acupressure element (40) is concave. It moves from the bottom surface of the receiving portion (23) to the other end of the long hole (26) and returns to the inside of the frame (24). By repeating this operation, a continuous massage is applied to the calf of the user by the acupressure element (40).

  Further, by repeating driving and stopping of the motor (51), and repeating forward and reverse rotations, massage similar to tapping and vibration can be performed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the foot tip massage unit (60) is disposed at the tip of the calf massage unit (20) so as to be tiltable and positionable. In addition, it has concave receiving portions (63) and (63) for the tip of the foot, each of which has a U-shaped cross-section into which the lower portion is inserted. In FIG. 3, only a part of the cloth cover (61) covering the foot massage unit (60) is shown.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the concave receiving portion (63) is provided with a foot side airbag (64) for massaging the foot tip from the side surface on the inner side surface of the outer side. An elastic member (65) is attached to the side surface. Each of the airbags (64) is connected to an air pump (not shown) via a valve, and is expanded by receiving compressed air supplied from the air pump.
In addition, a well-known massage means can be provided on the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (63) of the foot massage unit (60), and a massage with a shiatsu like the above-described calf massage unit (20). Means may be deployed.

All control of the chair type massage machine (10) including the calf massage unit (20) is performed by the control means (70) shown in FIG. The control means (70) stores all control programs of the massage machine (10), various massage programs, treatment patterns, etc., and receives operation commands from the operation unit (73) related to the operation of the user. The massage means (15), the massage units (20), (60) and the like are controlled.
As shown in FIG. 6, the control means (70) includes an operation unit (73), an air pump (32) of the calf massage unit (20), and driving means (50) of the acupressure elements (40) and (40). The motor (51), the angle detector (72) of the calf massage unit (20), and the like are connected. In addition, an air pump of a massage means (15) and a massage unit for foot (60) are connected (not shown).

  With the chair type massage machine (10) configured as described above, with the user sitting on the seat (12), the calf is inserted into the concave receiving part (23) of the massage unit for calf (20), and the side surface for calf By repeatedly supplying and exhausting compressed air from the air pump to the air bag (30), the calf is sandwiched between the calf side air bag (30) and the elastic member (34), and the calf is massaged from the side. The

  Also, insert the foot of the user (below the ankle) into the concave receiving part (63) of the massage unit for foot (60), and supply compressed air and exhaust air from the air pump to the side airbag (64). By repeating, a pressure massage is given to the foot from the side.

  With the calf inserted into the concave receiving part (23) of the calf massage unit (20), the acupressure element is rotated from the bottom of the concave receiving part (23) by rotating the motor (51) as the driving means (50). (40) (40) can run while repeatedly appearing and giving a stimulus that rubs the calf.

At this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the calf massage unit (20) is in a vertical orientation, even if the user inserts the calf into the concave receiver (23), the concave receiver The calf cannot be pressed sufficiently against the bottom of the part (23). Even if the acupressure elements (40) and (40) are run in such a state, a sufficient treatment force is not transmitted to the calf and a highly effective massage cannot be performed.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, even when the calf massage unit (20) is turned sideways, when the acupressure element (40) (40) is run, the acupressure element (40) (40) has a calf. Is pushed up, and the treatment force of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) is not sufficiently transmitted to the calf, and a highly effective massage cannot be performed.

  Therefore, in the present application, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, when the massage of the calf with the acupressure element (40) (40) is started by the pre-programmed massage course or the selection of the user (step 1), First, air is supplied to the side airbags for calves (30) and (30) and inflated (steps 2 and 3). Thus, the calf of the user is held in the concave receiving portions (23) and (23) and is not pushed up even if the pressing force of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) is received.

  In this state, the motor (51), which is the driving means (50), is driven to perform massage with the acupressure elements (40) and (40) (step 4). Thereby, the pressing force of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) is sufficiently transmitted to the calf, and a highly effective massage can be performed.

  When the massage with the acupressure elements (40) and (40) is completed (step 5), the motor (51) is stopped (step 6), the acupressure elements (40) and (40) are stopped, and then the side airbag (30 ) (30) is evacuated and contracted (step 7) to release the calf.

  As described above, the side airbags (30) and (30) did not lift the calf, which is the affected area of the user, from the concave receiving part (23), and was pressed against the acupressure elements (40) and (40). Since massage can be performed in a state, the pressing force of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) can be sufficiently transmitted to the calf.

In the chair type massage machine (10), the calf massage unit (20) is arranged so as to be tiltable and positionable as described above, and the user adjusts the calf massage unit (20) to a desired angle. You can get a massage.
Due to the tilt angle θ of the calf massage unit (20) (see FIG. 2), when the user inserts the calf into the concave receiving part (23), the strength with which the calf hits the bottom surface of the concave receiving part (23) Different. That is, when the tilt angle of the calf massage unit (20) is close to the vertical as shown in FIG. 1, the calf is not strongly pressed against the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (23). On the contrary, when the tilt angle θ of the calf massage unit (20) is almost horizontal as shown in FIG. 2, the calf is strongly pressed against the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (23) by its own weight. .
That is, if the tilt angle of the calf massage unit (20) changes, the massage effect of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) that press the calf will also differ.
Therefore, the tilt angle θ of the calf massage unit (20) is detected by the angle detector (72), and the treatment pattern of the acupressure element (40) (40) is changed according to the detected tilt angle θ. did.

  Specifically, as shown in the flowchart in FIG. 8, the inclination angle θ (see FIG. 2) of the calf massage unit (20) detected by the angle detector (72) is less than 60 ° with respect to the vertical plane. 1 (steps 1 and 2), as shown in FIG. 1, the calf massage unit (20) is nearly vertical, and the calf does not hit the bottom of the concave receiving part (23). ) Is increased, and the acupressure elements (40) and (40) are moved quickly, and reciprocation is performed at short intervals (steps 4 and 5) to obtain a highly stimulating massage. Conversely, when the tilt angle θ of the calf massage unit (20) is 60 ° or more (step 2), as shown in FIG. 3, the tilt angle of the calf massage unit (20) is nearly horizontal, The calf is strongly against the bottom of the concave receiving part (23), reducing the number of rotations of the motor (51), slowing the movement of the acupressure elements (40) (40), and increasing the interval between reciprocating movements (Steps 3 and 5), a massage with weak stimulation is obtained.

  As mentioned above, by changing the treatment pattern according to the tilt angle of the calf massage unit (20), a moderately strong massage is given, and the calf massage feels unsatisfactory or too strong There is no.

  When the calf massage unit (20) is automatically tilted by a driving means (not shown) such as a motor, the motor (51) is rotated as shown in the flowchart of FIG. (40) After moving (40) to the position desired by the user (steps 1 to 3), the calf massage unit (20) is moved so that the pressing force of the acupressure elements (40) and (40) changes. Tilt (steps 4-7) and when the calf massage unit (20) becomes horizontal (step 7), a predetermined time (for example, 3) is applied so that the strong pressing force by the acupressure elements (40), (40) is transmitted to the calf. Second, by repeating the massage that stops the tilting of the calf massage unit (20) (steps 8 and 9), it is possible to provide a massage that can change the stimulation. 9 represents the angle θ (see FIG. 2) with respect to the vertical plane, as in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the massage unit (20) for massaging the calf of the user. For example, it is used as a massage unit for massaging the thigh, sole, arm, neck, back, waist, etc. Of course you can.
Moreover, although the massage unit (20) of the present invention is provided in the chair type massage machine (10), the massage unit (20) can be used alone.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a massage unit that can enhance a massage effect by acupressure.

It is a perspective view of the chair type massage machine in the state where the massage unit for calves is near the perpendicular. It is a perspective view of the chair type massage machine in the state where the calf massage unit is almost horizontal. It is a front view of the massage unit for calves and the massage unit for feet. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the massage unit for calves. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4. It is a block diagram of a control means. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the massage unit for calves of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the massage unit for calves of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the massage unit for calves of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

(10) Massage machine
(20) Calf massage unit
(23) Concave receiving part
(30) Side airbag
(40) Acupressure
(50) Drive means
(51) Motor
(60) Foot massage unit

Claims (4)

A concave receiving portion (23) for accommodating the affected area of the user; and a side airbag (30) (30) provided on at least one of the inner side surfaces of the concave receiving portion (23), the side airbag (30 In the foot massage unit that massages the calf or toes by the expansion and contraction of (30),
On the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (30), a rotatable roller (55) connected to the driving means (50), and a roller (56) arranged in parallel with the roller (55) at a predetermined interval. And an annular belt (42) suspended between the rollers (55) and (56), and an acupressure element (40) (40) projecting on the outer peripheral surface of the belt (42) to massage the affected area of the user And,
When the driving means (50) is driven and massage is performed by the acupressure elements (40) and (40), the side airbags (30) and (30) are inflated to hold the affected area. Massage unit.   A chair-type massage machine in which the massage unit (20) according to claim 1 is arranged at the front end of a seat (12) of the chair so as to massage the calf of the user.   The chair type massage machine according to claim 2, wherein the massage unit (20) is tiltable with respect to the seat (12), and the treatment pattern of the massage unit (20) is changed according to the tilt angle. The tip of the massage unit (20) is provided with a toe massage unit (60) for massaging the toes of the user, and the toe massage unit (60) has a concave receiving part (63 ), And provided with side airbags (64) (64) on at least one of the inner surfaces of the concave receiving part (63),
When a massage is performed by the acupressure elements (40) and (40) of the massage unit (20), the side airbags (64) and (64) of the massage unit for foot (60) are inflated so that the feet of the user The chair type massage machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the massage is pressed.

Images