CN1302196A

CN1302196A - Jet pulse generator and massage and method

Info

Publication number: CN1302196A
Application number: CN00800758A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·T·伯恩斯; D·N·史里纳斯; R·D·斯托弗尔; S·拉古
Original assignee: Bowles Fluidics Corp
Current assignee: Bowles Fluidics Corp
Priority date: 1999-05-11
Filing date: 2000-05-11
Publication date: 2001-07-04
Also published as: WO2000067691A1; JP2003517855A; AU5266000A; BR0006118A; KR20010053414A; CA2336053A1; EP1096913A1

Abstract

This invention is a massaging system having at least a pair of fluid inflatable chambers (21, 22), and a fluidic switch (10) alternately connecting the at least a pair of fluid-inflatable chambers (21, 22) to a source of fluid (17) under pressure. The fluidic switch (10) is a crossover type fluid switch having a switching chamber (11) having two side walls (13, 14) in which fluid from the source (17) is switched from one side wall of the switching chamber to the other side of the switching chamber, is sensitive to load on the fluid inflatable chambers (21, 22), respectively, and vented passageways (19, 20) coupling the inflatable chambers (21, 22) to the switch.

Description

Fluid pulse generator and masseur and method

Quoting of related application

The application is based on following provisional application:

1. draw Gu, S. Berne this and D. Shi Linasi 60/133, No. 676 application that submit on May 11st, 1999, " fluid pulse generator/masseur " by name by S..

2. draw ancient in 60/140, No. 744 application submission on June 25th, 1999, " bearing method and the device of the jet capsule of massage effect " by name by S..

3. 60/163, No. 154 application that this was submitted on November 2nd, 1999 by the S. Berne, " description of the switching delay mechanism in the back of the body load jet switching circuit of seat massage system " by name.

The background of invention and concise and to the point the description

The present invention relates to the jet pulse system and method, it be specially adapted in the seat and bed pad in fluid massage system etc. the physical therapy system.This system for example can be formed in automobile and the aircraft seat integratedly, perhaps can be used among domestic, the independently massage machine such as automobile-used.

The jet vibrator that is used for producing pulse can find by massage spray head in the prior art, and can be used to provide pulse (seeing the patent No.3 of Jones, 390,674) for inflatable bed pad.

The somebody proposed positive interaction region staggered form fluid valving.Positive interaction region staggered form device by improving frequency of vibration in response to load.This can be by in not load (for example 1.4 to 1.5 hertz) be subjected under load (for example 2.2 hertz) situation to measure the inflation/deflation frequency and confirm.

On the contrary, the present invention has a negative interaction region fluid valving device.Pulse frequency under loading condition not for example is 2.2 hertz, and slows to 1.6 hertz when being subjected to load.Though the measurement of these numerical value is not very accurate, accelerating and slow down can be not wrong.

The operating characteristic of this system is that if do not carry on the back load, it just can not produce pulse.To export clasp joint in inflatable chamber or capsule (elastica), when squeezing bottle (semi-rigid) and laboratory flask (perfect rigidity), operation frequency improves with each variation (from elasticity to variation in rigidity), and this shows that carrying on the back load will produce vibration.

When adopting positive interaction region (self-sustaining) vibrator, be difficult to produce the low-frequency vibration of the required scope of massage (less than 10 hertz).Intrinsic vibration mechanism must be suppressed and the external signal that superposes produces low frequency.This is successfully realized by negative interaction region of the present invention fluid valving structure.

Though it is useful really making system keep simple and economical, if necessary, people can implement control with controlled frequency and amplitude to these devices.This can realize by variation, control mouth or their combination of vent, supply pressure.

In preferred embodiment, do not need pulse regular or foreseeable order arranged in the massage.And, mjector can be connected into airbag is inflated not according to particular order.Yet device can be designed to produce sequential or unrecognizable pulsation pattern form.Also can cause the passenger to move at every turn or change weight the dependency of back of the body load all has different massaging feels.Though not directly related, but still can quote the U.S. Patent No. 5,170,364 of " feedback system on load bearing surface " by name, to show the effort that the compensation load change is done.

Prevailing seat massage system is the pneumatic system of band electromechanical controller on the at present used market.These are generally used for complicated system in conjunction with the controller that mechanical component is used for producing pulse.

According to the present invention, its frequency should be about 0.5-2 hertz.Such as 10 hertz big frequency the time, it just belongs to the category of vibrator, can accept like that not as the low frequency massage device usually.And its amplitude should be bigger, is about 0.5 inch to 1 inch, and vibrator is then opposite, frequency be about its 1/10th.In addition, for preferred embodiment, the lifting of air bag or inflatable chamber should not be discernible pattern form.

The invention provides a kind of jet masseur and method, it can realize above-mentioned all characteristics, especially realizes these characteristics with unduplicated, unrecognizable pattern form in a preferred embodiment.This realizes by three kinds of modes:

In many examples, the outlet of capsule or inflatable chamber is to be provided with in couples, and wherein one air-flow alternately switches between an exit passageway and another exit passageway.Be subjected to identical load, two capsules will be in opposite phases, and be discernible pattern form.Yet when the load change of a capsule was big, this capsule spent the long period to switch.The variation of Here it is pattern form, it resembles duty ratio and changes very much.Utilize the present invention can realize being used for obtaining the device and the structure of order and unrecognizable pattern form.

Even without load variations, fluidic also can freely be worked.That is to say that they do not have phase interlinkage, thereby the pattern form is in pairs changing all the time.

At last, inflatable chamber or capsule can be arranged to make the both sides of a centering not to be positioned at relevant regularly each other position.Like this, the present invention just can provide a kind of massage system, it has the fluid valving that at least one pair of inflatable chamber and one alternately is connected in capsule one pressure fluid source, its improvement is, this fluid valving has a negative pressure interaction region, and this fluid valving is connected in capsule by a pair of exit passageway for the fluid valving from the back of the body load sensitivity on the capsule to be one, and this exit passageway leads at least one vent that is connected in exit passageway.

One object of the present invention is to use fluidic circuits, and this loop can be divided into each several part, thereby can make economically, thereby need not just can provide massage functions by any movable part.In preferred embodiment, use negative interaction region fluid valving to form pulse, this pulse charges into the resistance that a fluid that is used for massaging (air or liquid) chamber and an atmosphere vent run into when (being used for air) by the outlet jet and is caused in advancing.In other words, back of the body load causes switching.And, user during to the air chamber imposed load this pulse frequency reduce, and then change massaging feel intensity.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a kind of improved massage system, and it is compared with pneumatic massage system with existing mechanical and can reduce total system cost, raising massage quality, the maintenance of minimizing system and very simple structure is arranged.

The advantage general introduction:

Compare with traditional pneumatic or mechanical massage system, the present invention has the following advantages:

Cost is lower;

System complexity significantly reduces;

Power consumption reduces;

There is not movable part;

Weight is lighter;

Junction point is less;

More firm;

Packing/installation is more convenient;

Can wear point not arranged on the sealing foam because of mechanical roller massage contact;

Effective to different auto costs;

In/can realize luxurious function on the short distance automobile;

Can increase massage functions to existing independent lumbar support system with minimum fringe cost;

Be common to various automobiles.

Accompanying drawing is described

After the description and accompanying drawing below having considered, above-mentioned purpose, advantage and characteristics with other of the present invention will be more clear, in the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is the sketch map that is connected in a pair of inflatable chamber of a pressure fluid source by a pair of vent passages and the negative interaction region of back of the body load response fluid valving;

Fig. 2 is connected in pair of cross formula fluid valving and is connected in the sketch map of a pair of inflatable chamber of a pressure air source by vent passages;

The fluid valving of Fig. 3 presentation graphs 1 adds stable feedback channel;

Fig. 4 is the sketch map of a plurality of fluid valvings, and they have the negative pressure interaction region to back of the body load sensitivity;

Fig. 5 one is used to produce that capsule orderly expands and the sketch map of the fluidic circuits that shrinks;

Fig. 6 A is the plane graph of another embodiment, and Fig. 6 B is wherein a part of enlarged drawing; And

Fig. 7 is the sketch map that a car seat of the present invention is housed.

The detailed description of invention

Referring to Fig. 1, fluidic circuits 10 has a negative interaction region and switches chamber 11, this switching chamber has a upstream extremity power jet 12, this nozzle has the sidewall of dispersing 13 and converges sidewall 14, they lead to an exit ramp 15, this exit ramp is relaxed or open so that the interaction region can become negative-pressure type, and can switch in response to back of the body load.Power jet 12 is connected in a pressure fluid source such as air pump 17 by a connection channel 18.Though the fluid of being discussed is air preferably, be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention can use such as water or oil liquid.

Outlet 15 is connected in a pair of

exit passageway

19 and 20, and they lead to inflatable chamber or

capsule

21 and 22 respectively.Passage 19 and 20 has

air vent

23,24 respectively.It may be noted that inflatable chamber or

capsule

21 and 22 have different shapes or structure, but they can be of similar shape also or structure.And if necessary, they can have different volumes, and switching manipulation is played different back of the body load effects.In some cases, can only use single capsule.In operation, import the mutual effect chambers or distinguish 11 by power jet 12, and will be connected in the sidewall 13 of a side or opposite side and flow through outlet 15 and passage 20, make passage 20 superchargings and make capsule 22 expansions because some is unusual from the air of pressure air source 17.Simultaneously, in mutual effect chamber 11 in forming an eddy current along the relative left side of the side that flows with pressure current.At this moment, passage 19 and capsule 21 are not pressurized.In case capsule 22 fully expands, it just applies back of the body load and makes switching manipulation by 20 pairs of switches of passage, and fluid stream flows from flowing to transform to along sidewall 14 along sidewall 13, thereby forms eddy current in sidewall chamber side 13, makes passage 19 and capsule 21 superchargings.Simultaneously, owing to passage 20 no longer is pressurized, thereby the air in the capsule 22 is discharged by air vent 24.Along with air is discharged from capsule 22, capsule 21 quilts expand and superchargings capsule 21 from the air inflation of the passage 19 of supercharging.Like this, capsule 21 because of the supercharging of passage 19 by inflation in, capsule 22 allows air pass through air vent 24 to flow out and shrink.Channels designs can be become make air-flow take away air from " aerofluxus " passage.After capsule 21 abundant aerofluxuss are shunk, it sends to cross bar switch with a back of the body load signal by passage 19, and make the switch effect of switching and pressure is flowed along sidewall 13, and outflow and admission passage 20, thereby make passage 20 and capsule 22 superchargings, said process constantly repeatedly.Because interaction region and staggered form switch are one can be in response to the negative interaction region of load, therefore, when on capsule 21 and/or 22 weight being arranged, will cause the passenger to move at every turn or all different massaging feels can be arranged when changing weight the dependency of load.And, when user on air bag during imposed load, the frequency of pulse or switching reduces, and then changes massaging feel intensity.

Referring to Fig. 2, a pair of back of the body load staggered form fluid valving has

negative interaction region

30 and 31, they have isolating

vent passages

32,33 separately, and these passages are connected to four capsule B1, B2, B3 and B4, and they are connected in a shared air source 35 by pipeline or manifold 34.In this embodiment, the outlet of capsule is provided with in pairs, and wherein one air-flow alternately switches to another exit passageway from an exit passageway.Under load, these two capsules will be in opposite phases and have discernible pattern.Yet, when during greater than the load of another capsule, just spending the long period to switch to the load variations of a capsule.The both sides that inflatable chamber or capsule B1, B2, B3 and B4 can be arranged to a centering are not in each other relevant regularly position (see figure 4).Like this, the present invention just can provide a massage system, it has one or more inflatable chambers and a fluid valving that alternately capsule is connected in a pressure fluid source by negative mutual effect, back of the body load fluid valving is that this fluid valving is connected in capsule by a pair of draft outlet passage to the back of the body load sensitivity on the capsule.

Referring to Fig. 3, fluid valving 36 has a pair of draft outlet passage 37,38, and they lead to a pair of inflatable chamber or capsule 38 and 40, and this also is expressed as capsule has different shapes or structure.In other words, like this expression be for the shape that shows capsule unimportant.In this embodiment, fluid valving 36 has a pair of control mouth 41,42 that connects by a pair of stable feedback 43,44, and this was connected in exit passageway 37,38 to feedback before air vent V1, V2.But these feedback channel stabilization transform and the handover operation that slows down.Attention, when passage 38 superchargings, the control fluid passes through passage 44 by control mouth 42, with the fluid flow on the maintenance sidewall relative with it.When beaming back a signal and cause air-flow or jet 36 to switch when inflatable chamber 40 abundant inflations and by passage 38, passage 38 begins decompression, and switch work and make passage 37 and capsule 38 superchargings.Simultaneously, the pressure in the passage 38 is by reducing by air vent 42, and capsule 40 aerofluxuss are shunk, simultaneously capsule 39 inflations.This causes the feedback by passage 43, fully expand this condition is maintained to capsule 39, and switch 34 detects a back of the body load signal by passage 37, to produce the switching effect and circulation is repeated.

Fig. 4 represents to have the switching of the inflatable chamber of different jet switch, and therefore expression can regulate the expansion and the contraction of different pattern form.In Fig. 4, capsule B5 and B7 are connected in fluid valving 4-1, and capsule B6 and B8 are connected in switch 4-2.The operation of each switch is with described above the same.

In order only to use a fluidic to realize the orderly massage effect of one group of four capsule, can be referring to Fig. 5.In Fig. 5, the typical fluidic 50 that alternately switches between an outlet and another outlet by back of the body load is connected in paired capsule B9, B10 and B11, B12.Like this, a pair of capsule is connected in each exit passageway by one of them.Two capsules of each centering by one fixedly antivibrator/or disk flow channel (R/D) 51,52 be connected to each other.If connect antivibrator and low resistance device, then capsule B9, B10 will expand together, and after switching, alternative group of B11, B12 will expand in capsule B9 and B10 contraction together.Yet if the resistance of

antivibrator

51 or 52 increases, capsule 9 will expand earlier, and the impedance of capsule 10 damped devices subsequently postpones then to expand.When capsule 9 reaches its maximum, the fluidic switch will make the deflated capsule B11 inflation that makes simultaneously of capsule B9 and B10, and wherein the aerofluxus of capsule B9 elder generation is shunk.Because connect antivibrator, the contraction of capsule B10 lags behind capsule B9.Where capsule is arranged on the seat according to their numerical order is several, makes capsule B9, B10, B11, B12 occur in sequence expansion according to this.Because though capsule B9 and B11 can reach the maximum swelling value, and capsule B10 and B12 do not reach maximum because of the sequential effects delay that necessary antivibrator causes is provided between paired each capsule, so the mode that inflation and aerofluxus are subsequently shunk is not flawless.This defective does not have harm, because the expansion rate of motion felt to be better than sensation to the relative expansion amplitude.

The intensity of wave action depends on the relative amplitude of expansion phase for systolic pressure speed.Therefore, expansible relative variation can be by substituting antivibrator rather than using stationary conduit antivibrator as previously described to be improved with first-class body diode.The fluid diode has higher resistance in the inflation direction, and has lower resistance at the aerofluxus shrinkage direction.Can use minor air cell's diode.

As shown in Figure 6A and 6B, an one air vent 60 is set between two

exit passageways

61,62 of fluid valving 63.The area of this one air vent 60 is identical with the area summation of two air vents that use previously, so its diameter is bigger, and unlikely by obstructions such as chips.In addition, this single air vent has been eliminated the seat masseur and has been caused the inconsistent probability of performance because of each air vent size in a loop different slightly (because of manufacture process, obstruction etc. causes).

Fig. 7 is the sketch map that a car seat of the present invention is housed.In this case, the quantity of fluid valving can be four groups or more groups, each switch drives or inflation two capsules among this embodiment, these two capsules are schematically illustrated as to have different shapes and is positioned at different seat parts, among the capsule B7 some are arranged in the backrest, some are arranged in the seat cushion, and some are arranged in the wing plate, in some settings wing plate on cushion.If necessary, different switches can be installed so that some fluid valving and selected capsule are not worked.

Though below invention has been described at preferred embodiment of the present invention, be appreciated that other embodiment, transformation and variation of the present invention is conspicuous to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. massage system, it has at least one pair of inflatable sac and alternately described capsule is connected in a staggered form fluid valving and a pair of channels of a pressure fluid source, its improvement is that described staggered form fluid valving is a negative pressure interaction region switch, and it depends on the back of the body load from capsule.

2. massage system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that described fluid is an air, and fluid source is an air pump.

3. massage system as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that, each capsule is connected in the described switch of being carried on the back load by a vent passages.

4. massage system as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, an one air vent is shared by each passage in each described passage.

5. massage system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, each fluid valving comprises pair of control mouth and the stabilized fluid feedback network from described each passage to described control mouth respectively.

6. massage system as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that each inflatable sac is made of at least two chambers, and these chambers are connected into by a fluid path and make described at least two chambers respectively in different dilation of time and contraction.

7. massage system as claimed in claim 6 is characterized in that, described fluid passage comprises one selected in fluid damper and the fluid diode.

8. in a kind of massage system, this system have at least one pair of can fill fluidic chamber and alternately with described at least one pair of can fill the fluid valving that fluidic chamber is connected in a pressure fluid source, described fluid valving is one to have one and switch the staggered form fluid switch of chamber, this switching chamber has two sidewalls, switch to the opposite side of this chamber therein from a sidewall of described switching chamber from the fluid of described fluid source, and respectively to from described back of the body load sensitivity of filling fluidic chamber.

9. in a kind of massage system, this system has the fluid valving that at least one pair of inflatable chamber and alternately is connected in described at least one pair of inflatable chamber one pressure fluid source, this fluid valving has one and switches the chamber, pressure fluid from a power jet imports a chamber therein, sidewall is from the power nozzle diverging in this chamber, converge to a shared outlet then, fluid flows along a wall or another wall, and front and back switch to a pair of lead to described at least one pair of can fill the exit passageway of fluidic chamber, and have at least one air vent to be connected in described exit passageway.

10. in a kind of massage method, this method adopt at least one pair of can fill fluidic chamber and alternately with described at least one pair of can fill a fluid valving that is connected in a pressure fluid source in the fluidic chamber, its improvement is, described fluid valving is one to have one and switch the staggered form fluid switch of chamber, this switching chamber has two sidewalls, switch to the opposite side of this chamber from the fluid of described fluid source from a sidewall of described switching chamber therein, and respectively to from described back of the body load sensitivity of filling fluidic chamber.

11. massage system, but it has the pumping chamber, wherein at least one is to fill fluidic capsule, and have a staggered form fluid valving and an a pair of vent passages that alternately but described pumping chamber is connected in a pressure fluid source, described staggered form fluid valving is a negative pressure mutual effect formula switch, but it depends on the back of the body load from described pumping chamber.