DE102017120665B4 - Fluid mattress arrangement with infrasound excitation - Google Patents

Abstract

Fluid mattress assembly comprising
- A mattress body (102) with an outer shell (134), wherein a fluid is enclosed by the outer shell;
- An actuator (108, 110) which is designed to excite the fluid in the mattress body (102) with a signal in the infrasound range;
- A sensor (136) which is designed to detect at least one physiological parameter of a user of the fluid mattress arrangement; and
- A control device (138), which is designed to control the actuator depending on the detected physiological variable, whereby the actuator (108, 110) changes the excitation of the fluid in the mattress body in the infrasound range; characterized in that
- the fluid is largely a liquid; and
- the fluid mattress arrangement has a plurality of actuators (108, 110), the control device (138) being designed to activate the actuators (108, 110) such that predetermined interference patterns result on the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the activation.

Description

The present invention relates to an improved fluid mattress assembly in which the fluid, typically water, is infrasound excited.

State of the art

So-called acoustic couches or wellness couches are known in the prior art, in which actuators stimulate the couch support surfaces to vibrate. Embodiments are known in which the vibrations are introduced via stable wooden panel constructions, for example in upholstered foam mattresses or waterbed pads.

Commercially available actuators that emit in a frequency range of about 40 Hz to about 100 Hz are used in such couches. It can be observed that such constructions do not meet the physical acoustic requirements. For example, upholstery foams are not suitable for transmitting sound waves in the range from about 40 Hz to 10 kHz, since such a material acts more as an insulating material and can therefore only transmit greatly weakened vibrations to the body.

In the case of loungers with a water pad (water mattress), stable substructures are used because of the high weight of the water-filled mattresses, for example around 200 kg to around 500 kg, which, however, have a limit frequency that is above important natural resonances of body parts, so that an effective transmission a user on the mattress is only weakened or does not take place at all.

In addition, all embodiments are limited to transmitting relaxation music in the audible frequency range. At a higher frequency range of over 100 Hz, headphones, wrist vibrators and ankle vibrators are used, which on the one hand amplify the vibration sensation and on the other hand ensure that the entire audible frequency range is transmitted.

The EP 1 325 727 A2 , the WO 1997/040748 A1 , the WO 1998/015252 A1 and the WO 2016/147125 A1 disclose water mattresses with subsonic excitation.

The WO 00/67693 A1 discloses a patient comfort system having a reference generator for generating a reference sine wave to serve as a carrier signal. Using frequency modulation, this signal becomes a frequency-modulated sinusoidal signal. This frequency modulated carrier signal is then amplitude modulated at a different modulation rate to create an AM/FM signal. This AM/FM signal is applied to a transducer, which is a bladder attached to a chair, bed, pillow or the like to create a calming effect on a user sitting on the chair.

The DE 197 43 902 A1 discloses a relaxation device having support means for supporting a person's body with vibrating means for vibrating the support means and vibrating the person's entire body at a frequency not exceeding 25 Hz. The vibration device is arranged in the foot of the carrier device and thus applies the same signal to the carrier device.

Description of the invention

The object of the invention is to create a fluid mattress arrangement that is optimized for the needs of the user.

The object of the invention is achieved by a fluid mattress arrangement according to claim 1, a couch according to claim 6 and a method according to claim 9. The dependent claims claim preferred embodiments.

A fluid mattress arrangement according to the invention comprises a mattress body with an outer shell, with a fluid being enclosed by the outer shell. The fluid mattress arrangement also includes an actuator which is designed to excite the fluid in the mattress body with a signal in the infrasonic range. The fluid mattress arrangement also includes a sensor which is designed to record at least one physiological parameter of a user of the mattress. The fluid mattress arrangement also includes a control device that is designed to control the actuator as a function of the detected physiological variable, as a result of which the actuator changes the excitation of the fluid in the mattress body in the infrasound range.

According to the invention, feedback is generated in order to optimize the signal in the infrasonic range for stimulating the fluid so that the user feels as comfortable as possible on the fluid mattress arrangement or the energies important to him are introduced precisely into the body through interference formation in three-dimensional space.

In one embodiment, the fluid may be largely a liquid. The fluid may be mostly water. The expression largely means that the presence of other fluids, For example, air or other media with water-like densities within the outer shell cannot be excluded.

According to the invention, the fluid mattress arrangement has a plurality of actuators. For this purpose, the control device is designed in such a way that it activates the actuators in such a way that predetermined interference patterns result on and in the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the activation. By laying the human body on the mattress, its mass, which consists mostly of water and has a similar density, is coupled to the vibration system. The vibrating three-dimensional space expands around this body.

Through the formation of local interference, deterministically specific points on the body of a user lying on the fluid mattress arrangement can be excited. The fact that feedback is provided by the at least one sensor results in a self-learning system with the help of an intelligent controller and an algorithm, in which the excitation is optimized by the signal in the infrasonic range and/or by the local interference pattern in such a way that it is be adapted or optimized for the respective purpose for the respective user.

The control device can control the actuators in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different amplitude to the fluid. As an alternative to this or in addition, the control device can control the actuators in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different frequency to the fluid. As an alternative to this or in addition, the control device can control the actuators in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different phase to the fluid. The generation of local interference is known to those skilled in the art and need not be further specified here.

The sensor may be a brainwave or voltage sensor configured to sense the user's brainwaves or voltages. As an alternative to this or in addition, the sensor can be a heart rate sensor that is designed to record the heart rate of the user. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor can be a blood pressure sensor that is designed to record the blood pressure of the user. Any other sensors can be used to capture the user's condition. In particular, the brain waves can be measured, which can be assigned to individual organs or individual body parts in order to improve the stimulation and thus the functionality of these organs or body parts by an infrasound signal.

At least one actuator can be arranged on the underside of the fluid mattress arrangement or the mattress body. As an alternative to this or in addition to this, at least one actuator can be arranged on a side wall of the fluid mattress arrangement or of the mattress body. As an alternative to this or in addition, at least one actuator can be arranged on a side wall that is not orthogonal to the underside of the fluid mattress arrangement or the mattress body. This three-dimensional arrangement of a plurality of actuators enables more interference patterns to be generated.

The invention also relates to a lounger with the fluid mattress arrangement described above.

The couch can have a plate which is arranged under the mattress and under which at least one actuator is arranged. The plate can be designed as a vibration plate, which distributes the vibrations of the actuator in the fluid mattress arrangement. Furthermore, the plate can support the bulk of the water so that the actuator is not loaded by the bulk of the water.

The couch can also have a decoupling element which is arranged between the fluid mattress arrangement and a frame of the couch and decouples vibrations of the fluid mattress arrangement and/or the plate relative to the frame. In one embodiment, the decoupling element can comprise a plurality of springs which are arranged in the vertical direction between the fluid mattress arrangement or the panel and the frame of the bed. The frame can support the fluid mattress assembly against the floor of a room.

The invention further relates to a method for exciting a fluid in a fluid mattress arrangement with the step of exciting the fluid in the fluid mattress arrangement with a signal in the infrasonic range. The method also includes the step of detecting at least one physiological variable of the user of the fluid mattress arrangement and the step of adjusting the excitation of the fluid in the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the detected physiological variable of the user of the fluid mattress arrangement.

character list

• 1 eine Schnittansicht durch eine erfindungsgemäße Liege mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Fluidmatratzenanordnung zeigt.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached figure, which shows an illustrative and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, in which

• 1 shows a sectional view through a bed according to the invention with a fluid mattress arrangement according to the invention.

Detailed description of the figure

1 shows a perspective sectional view of a lounger 100 according to the invention with a water mattress 102 according to the invention. The water mattress 102 according to the invention comprises an outer shell 134 which is filled with water 106 on the inside. A vibrating plate 118 is arranged under the water mattress 102 and supports the water mattress 102 downwards. A plurality of first actuators 108 are arranged under the water mattress 102 and under the vibration plate 118 , which emit a signal 130 in the infrasound range to the vibration plate 118 and thus to the water in the water mattress 102 . The side wall of the outer cover 134 of the water mattress is arranged obliquely, ie not orthogonally to the underside of the water mattress 102, due to an obliquely arranged side frame 124, 125 of the lounger. Second actuators 110 are arranged on the side walls of the water mattress, which transmit vibrations 130 in the infrasound range via an exciter membrane 128 into the water inside 106 of the outer shell 134 of the water mattress 102 . The excitation membrane of the actuator is supported against the hydrostatic water pressure with compression springs 126 .

A frame 112 supports vibration dampers 114 which in turn support vibration plate 118 . The vibration dampers 114, which are designed as helical springs in the embodiment shown, transmit no mechanical vibrations, or only to a very small extent, from the vibration plate 118 via the vibration dampers 114 to the spacer surfaces 116 of the frame 112. This mechanically decouples the vibration plate so that its modes do not depend on the modes of the frame 112 .

The couch also has a plurality of sensors 136, for example sensors for measuring brain currents or voltages, which are coupled to a control device 138. The control device 138 controls the plurality of first actuators 108 and the plurality of second actuators 110 in such a way that predetermined wave patterns 130 form in the water. Depending on the currents or voltages detected by the sensors 136, the wave patterns can be used to optimize the excitation 132 in the infrasonic range on the body of a user 104 lying on the water mattress 102 for a predetermined treatment purpose. A water mattress 102 is preferred because what has the same density as the human body and thus the signals in the infrasound range 130, 132 can be transmitted particularly well from the water mattress to the user 104.

The control device 138 controls the first actuators 108 and the second actuators 110 in such a way that targeted interferences 130, 132, i.e. vibration maxima with high energy and vibration minima with low or no energy, occur in the water inside 106 of the water mattress and in the body of a user 104. The vibration patterns can stimulate individual body parts or organs of the user 104 and thus stimulate healing. The individual frequencies and frequency mixes can be adjusted in such a way that the desired organ is stimulated.

A first type of actuator can have a frequency range of approximately 4 Hz to approximately 40 Hz, for example for excitation by means of the vibrating floor 118 using high-energy infrasound waves. These actuators can work with a drive power of up to around 2 kW and an oscillating mass of several kg. The lateral actuators 110 can have a frequency range from about 0 Hz to about 20 Hz. Furthermore, wellness music with bass impulses in a range from about 40 Hz to about 100 Hz can be introduced to increase the stimulation of relaxation. All actuators are attached either to the vibrating floor 116 or to the side walls 124 . The user 136 may also listen to relaxation music through headphones in the range of 40 Hz to about 20 kHz.

Because the human body has approximately the same density as water, the three-dimensional waveforms 130 generated by the actuators 108, 110 propagate in the user's 104 body. In this way, deeper-lying organs inside the body of the user 104 can also be reached by the waves. The application of the invention is based on triggering a reaction in the form of sensations in the brain with the introduction of energy, possibly in the resonance range of individual organs or body parts. These currents and voltages can be measured by the sensor 136 . It is assumed that it can be assigned which brain waves can be arranged in which organ or body part and which brain waves or which patterns of brain waves indicate a positive contribution to the health of the human body through the infrasound range.

For example, brain currents that react to the vibration patterns 130, 132 introduced can be measured by means of neuronal scientific intelligence. The brainwaves as a reaction to the oscillations 130, 132 in the form of voltages and/or currents are in turn converted into excitations for the actuators 108, 110 by intelligent software in the control device 138, so that closed-loop control arises. Consequently, the relevant areas (hot spots) in the body of a user 104, in which energy with specific frequencies has a positive effect, can be detected iteratively in comparatively short cycles. Consequently, the present couch 100 according to the invention aims to create a balanced energy budget in the body of a user 104 . An individual vibration pattern can be generated for each user 104, which can be stored on a data carrier. Furthermore, the combination of excitation and sensor signal can be used to diagnose diseases.

Using the headphones described above and the sensor 136, a tinnitus can be analyzed and tinnitus frequencies can be measured, which are mixed directly into the music signal via active acoustic elimination (anti-noise) or a complementary signal. The brain reacts to this stimulation in such a way that the self-production of the whistling signal or noise signal is stopped with repeated treatment.

With the actuators 108, 110 with an effective frequency range of about 0 Hz to about 20 kHz (infrasound range and audible range), the couch 100 represents a platform with which any vibration phenomena 132 in the body of a user 104 can be formed.

The invention has the advantage that, on the one hand, infrasound can be introduced three-dimensionally into the body of a user and, on the other hand, feedback about the physical well-being of the user is generated immediately, so that the excitation through the infrasound range can be immediately adapted to the respective user.

Claims (9)

Fluid mattress assembly, comprising - a mattress body (102) with an outer shell (134), wherein a fluid is enclosed by the outer shell; - An actuator (108, 110) which is designed to excite the fluid in the mattress body (102) with a signal in the infrasound range; - A sensor (136) which is designed to detect at least one physiological parameter of a user of the fluid mattress arrangement; and - a control device (138) which is designed to control the actuator as a function of the detected physiological variable, as a result of which the actuator (108, 110) changes the excitation of the fluid in the mattress body in the infrasound range; characterized in that - the fluid is largely a liquid; and - the fluid mattress arrangement has a plurality of actuators (108, 110), the control device (138) being designed to activate the actuators (108, 110) such that predetermined interference patterns result on the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the activation. Fluid mattress arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that - the fluid is mostly water. Fluid mattress arrangement according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the control device (138) - controls the actuators (108, 110) in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different amplitude to the fluid; - controls the actuators (108, 110) in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different frequency to the fluid; and/or - controls the actuators (108, 110) in such a way that they emit an infrasound signal with a different phase to the fluid. Fluid mattress arrangement according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the sensor (136) comprises at least one of the following sensors: - a brain wave sensor, which is designed to detect the brain waves of the user (104); - a brain voltage sensor which is designed to detect the brain voltages of the user (104); - A pulse sensor, which is designed to detect the pulse of the user (104); - a blood pressure sensor which is designed to detect the blood pressure of the user (104). Fluid mattress arrangement according to one of Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that - at least one actuator (110) is arranged on the underside of the mattress body (102); - At least one actuator (110) is arranged on a side wall of the mattress body (102); - At least one actuator (110) is arranged on the side wall of the mattress body (102) which is not orthogonal to the underside. Couch (100), comprising the fluid mattress arrangement according to one of Claims 1 until 5 . Lay down (100). claim 6 , characterized by a plate (118) which is arranged under the fluid mattress assembly (102) and under which at least one actuator (108) is arranged. Lay down (100). claim 6 or 7 , characterized by a decoupling element (114) which is arranged between the mattress body (102) and a frame (112) of the couch and the vibrations of the mattress body (102) and/or the plate (118) is decoupled from the frame (112). Method for exciting a fluid in a fluid mattress arrangement, comprising the following steps: - exciting the fluid in the fluid mattress arrangement with a signal in the infrasonic range by means of a plurality of actuators (108, 110); - Detecting at least one physiological parameter of the user (104) of the fluid mattress arrangement; and - adjusting the excitation of the fluid in the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the detected physiological variable of the user (104) of the fluid mattress arrangement; characterized in that - the fluid is largely a liquid; and - the actuators (108, 110) are controlled in such a way that predetermined interference patterns result on the fluid mattress arrangement as a function of the control.

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