EP0575534B1 - Massage shower system - Google Patents

Abstract

The massage shower system (6) includes injectors (7) for directing jets of water and air and water under pressure substantially radially towards the body of a patient standing up, a frame (9, 42, 44) supporting the injectors (7), and an actuator (10, 43) for communicating to the frame a vertical reciprocating movement with respect to the patient. The frame is displaceable between a lower position and an upper position along the vertical direction, according to an ascending movement the speed of which varies from a minimum to a maximum value.

Description

The present invention relates to a massage shower system.

The present invention also relates to a massage shower cabin equipped with a massage shower system according to the invention.

There are known massage shower systems comprising injectors for directing jets of water or air and water under pressure substantially radially towards the body of a patient in a standing position.

These systems generally comprise one or more fixed vertical ramps each carrying a certain number of fixed injectors, and mechanisms for controlling these jets to feed them one after the other from the bottom up and / or at a certain rate.

A system is also known comprising a brush movable vertically along the patient's body, associated with a fixed jet.

We also know, in particular from EP-A-0 313 525, a massage shower system comprising injectors for directing jets of water or air and water under pressure substantially radially towards the body d 'A patient in a standing position, a frame supporting the injectors and driven in a vertical movement relative to the patient, and actuating means for communicating to the frame a vertical movement back and forth relative to the patient.

The frame is animated at a constant speed between two lower and upper levels spaced vertically.

These systems all have actions necessarily limited to successive physiological regions of the body of a patient, and have the disadvantage for those skilled in the art such as masseurs and physiotherapists. literally "chop" and "cut" into successive slices the entire body of said patient.

In no way, these means and these systems reproduce the progressive, accelerated, continuous and unctuous gestures of those skilled in the art, much less the gradual and increasing actions and pressures of the hands and fingers of a masseur, always directed in the direction going up from the ankles towards the heart.

For the same reasons, under no circumstances can these devices be suitable for performing and correctly executing true lymphatic drainage.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of known massage shower systems and to propose a massage shower system using jets of water or air and pressurized water reproducing actions and pressures as well as possible. continuous and progressive movements of a masseur.

According to the invention, the massage shower system of the aforementioned type is characterized in that the actuating means comprise means for communicating with the frame means, between two lower and upper levels spaced from one another in the direction vertical, an upward movement whose speed increases and goes from a substantially minimum value to a substantially maximum value when the frame means pass from the lower level to the upper level.

The massage carried out by the jets of water or air and water under pressure thus has a progressively increasing speed in the direction going up towards the heart of the patient, and approaches the progressive gesture of a masseur considerably.

According to an interesting version of the invention, the body of a patient being divided in the direction of the height into several regions capable of being massaged separately independently of one another or successively one after the other, the actuating means comprise means for communicating to the frame means, for each of these regions, an upward movement whose speed increases when the frame means pass from the lower part at the top of said region.

The system of the invention thus includes all the flexibility necessary for a person skilled in the art to adapt the operation of said system to the particular case of each of his patients, both in terms of morphology and in terms of the required mode of treatment. .

The shower system allows both localized treatment of a region of the patient's body, for example the legs or hips or the back, as well as an action on the entire surface of the body. It thus meets all the needs of use of massage specialists.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system comprises means for varying the pressure of the water at the same time and in the same direction as the speed of the frame means.

The pressurized water jets thus exert a massage action which reproduces both the increasing pressure and the increasing speed of the masseur's gesture.

According to another aspect of the invention, the shower cabin according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a massage shower system according to the invention.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the shower cabin has watertight walls and is adapted to be filled at least partially with water, the massage shower system being adapted to a movement of the means forming a frame and to an operation of the injectors in water.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description below.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'une cabine de douche équipée d'un système de douche de massage conforme à un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique de face, partiellement en coupe, du système de douche de massage de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique de dessus du système de douche de massage de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue très agrandie en élévation du tambour d'enroulement du câble du système de douche de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 représente une courbe de variation de la vitesse du mouvement vertical du cadre du système de douche de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 6 représente un schéma des liaisons permettant la commande du mouvement du cadre du système de douche de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue réduite semblable à la figure 3 d'un autre mode de réalisation du système de douche conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 8 est une vue semblable à la figure 7 d'un autre mode de réalisation du système de douche conforme à l'invention.

In the accompanying drawings, given only without limitation:

• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a shower cubicle equipped with a massage shower system according to one embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic front view, partially in section, of the massage shower system of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a schematic top view of the massage shower system of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged elevation view of the cable winding drum of the shower system of Figure 1;
• FIG. 5 represents a curve of variation of the speed of the vertical movement of the frame of the shower system of FIG. 1;
• 6 shows a diagram of the connections for controlling the movement of the frame of the shower system of Figure 1;
• Figure 7 is a reduced view similar to Figure 3 of another embodiment of the shower system according to the invention;
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 of another embodiment of the shower system according to the invention.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the massage shower cabin 1 has walls 2, 3, 4, 5, sealed and is adapted to be filled at least partially with water.

The shower cabin 1 is equipped with a massage shower system 6 comprising injectors 7 for directing jets of water or air and water under pressure substantially radially towards the body of a patient in a standing position at center of cabin 1, on the bottom 8 thereof.

According to the invention, this massage shower system 1 comprises a frame 9 supporting the injectors 7 and movable vertically according to a relative movement relative to the patient, and actuation means 10 for communicating to the frame 9 a relative vertical movement relative to to the patient.

In the embodiment shown, the frame 9 is movable relative to the walls 2, 3, 4, 5, and to the bottom 8 of the shower cabin 1, but it would be possible to make a bottom 8 movable relative to the walls 2 to 5 of the cabin and frame 9, or any other equivalent system.

As shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3, the frame 9 is in one piece and has a generally oval shape; this oval comprises in a zone of larger radius a median part 11 which is turned inward and slightly concave corresponding to the back of the patient.

The frame 9 is a tubular frame and carries the injectors 7 which are oriented substantially radially. The injectors 7 are fixed in an adjustable manner and orientable in any way on the frame 9. Their number is arbitrary and variable, adapted to the case of the patient to be treated.

The injectors 7 are injectors of any known type capable of directing towards the patient a jet of pressurized water of any shape, for example a cylindrical jet or a flattened jet with a brush, the pressurized water arriving at the frame 9 by the fixed pipes 12 connected to the frame 9 by the hoses 13, the length of which is adapted to the amplitude of movement of the frame 9.

The injectors 7 can also be of the type suitable for directing jets of water and pressurized air, in particular hot air. The injectors 7 are then generally connected in any known manner, for example by a hose connecting each injector to a second tubular frame (not shown), to a source of pressurized air (not shown).

In the example shown, the frame 9 is connected by two arms 14 to a carriage 15 movable along a vertical post 16. The post 16 has a T-shaped cross section, and the carriage 15 has rollers 17 placed on either side of the upper bar 16a of the T to roll along it and guide the carriage 15.

The carriage 15 carries a projecting finger 18 which is adapted to come into engagement, when the carriage 15 moves along the post 16, with the rocking lever 19 of several pneumatic and / or hydraulic contactors 20 placed in an adjustable manner on a support 21 parallel to the post 16. We will see below the function of these contactors 20.

The carriage 15 moves along the post 16 under the action of the actuating means 10 constituted by a cable 22 which is wound on a drum 23 driven by a motor 24.

A mast 25 located inside the frame 9 carries two shields 26, 27, movable along the mast and intended to protect from the force of the jets the sensitive parts of the body of a patient at the level of the chest and the bottom. belly. The mast 25 also carries a support and support bar 28 on which are fixed two handles 29 and 30 which the patient must hold permanently and whose function will be seen below.

It is known that, in the art of massage, the body of a patient is traditionally divided in the direction of height into several regions capable of being massaged independently of one another or successively one at a time. following each other. These regions successively include the legs, from the ankles or even the feet to the knees, then the thighs, from the bottom to the top of them, the hips, from the top of the Swiss to the waist, finally the back, from the waist to the shoulders.

We also know that masseurs, especially for lymphatic drainage, start first with the ankles if not the feet of their patients. They then continue their more or less supported manipulations, going up all along the calves towards the knees, then from the knees along the thighs towards the pelvis and finally, from the pelvis to the region of the heart in the chest.

During these manipulations, the masseurs have wide, continuous gestures, which are accelerated by going up towards the heart, and exert on the tissues a pressure which increases while going up towards the heart. These principles are valid both for a localized action on one of the aforementioned regions and for a massage all over the body.

To reproduce these basic characteristics of the masseurs' gestures, the frame actuation means 10 are adapted to communicate to the frame 9, for each of the regions of the body of a patient, an upward movement whose speed increases when the jets of water or air and water pass from the lower part to the upper part of said region. Naturally, this speed returns to its minimum value by approaching the region of the body located immediately above the previous one. In parallel, the massage shower system 6 also includes means which will be detailed below to vary the pressure of the water at the same time and in the same direction as the speed of the frame 9.

Thus, and as shown in detail in Figure 4, the drum 23 has on its peripheral surface a helical groove 31 whose radius is variable and increases to increase the speed of the jets of water or air and water between the lower part and the upper part of each region of a patient's body, and very quickly returns to its minimum value by approaching the region located immediately above the previous one.

To this end, the drum 23 comprises, from its longitudinal end 32 to which is fixed one end 33 of the cable 22, a first zone 34 whose radius increases from a minimum value R₀ to a value R₁, this zone 34 corresponding to the region of the legs going from the ankles to the knees, a second zone 35 whose radius increases from said minimum value R₀ and which corresponds to the region of the thighs going from the knees to the top of the thighs, a third zone 36 whose radius is constant at its minimum value R₀ and which corresponds to the region of the hips going from the top of the thighs to the waist, and a fourth zone 37 whose radius increases from said minimum value R₀ and which corresponds to the region of the back between the waist and shoulders.

Thus, and as represented by the curve C1 in solid lines in FIG. 5, as soon as the motor 24 rotates at constant speed, the frame 9 rises along the post 26; its speed increases by a value V₀, which corresponds to the minimum radius R₀, to a value V₁ which corresponds to the maximum radius R₁, descends very quickly to V₀, rises to a value V₂ weaker than V₁, remains at the V₀ value for the hip region, then increases again from V₀ to V₁ for the back region.

During the same time, the pressure of the water, or of the air and of the water, passes from a value P₀, which is for example substantially zero, to a value P₁ appreciably maximum, rapidly decreases to P₀, rises up to a value P₂ lower than P₁, remains at the value P₂ for the hip region, returns to P₀ then increases from P₀ to P₁ for the back region, in perfect synchronization with the speed, as indicated by the curve C2 in dashes in Figure 5.

As shown in the figure, the total journey from the ankles to the shoulders can last for example approximately 4 seconds, the frame passing after approximately 1.3 seconds at the knees, after about 2 seconds at the top of the thighs, and after about 2.6 seconds at the waist. The return trip is fast and takes 1.5 or 2 seconds, for example.

The movement of the carriage 15 is adjusted and adapted to the size of the patient by means of the contactors 20. The contactor 20a is adjusted at the foot of the support 21 so that its lever 19a swings down under the action of the finger 18 when the jets of pressurized water are at the feet or ankles of the patient, the carriage 15 being in its extreme low position. The contactor 20c is placed at the top of the support 21 so that its lever 19c swings upwards under the action of the finger 18 when the jets of water under pressure are at the level of the patient's shoulders, the carriage 15 being in its position extreme high. Other contactors such as 20b can be placed in an intermediate position which will be specified below. It is also possible to mount a small patient on an adjustable height stool.

To further improve the flexibility and operational safety of the system 6, the handle 29 on the support and support bar 28 must be tightened by the patient for the system 6 to work: if the patient releases it, the system will stopped. On the contrary, the handle 30 is an adjustment handle available to the patient, who can adjust by tightening it more or less a parameter such as the speed of rotation of the motor 24 and / or the maximum pressure of the water in the jets. Similarly, a safety clutch shown diagrammatically at 24a in FIG. 4 is inserted between the motor 24 and the drum 23.

Finally, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6, the system 6 comprises a control member 39 associated with a control and signaling desk 40 available to the operator.

The control member 39 is thus connected to the console 40, to the contactors 20a, 20b, 20c, to the handles 29, 30, to the valve 38 for adjusting the water pressure, to the motor 24 and to a power source. 41 which is preferably a source of compressed air, but which could also be a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid or a source of low voltage electric current.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the frame 42 is constituted by two individual sectors 42a, 42b independent of one another and each actuated by respective individual actuating means 43a, 43b independent of each other , which in this example are telescopic cylinders, preferably pneumatic or hydraulic.

In the embodiment of Figure 8, the frame 44 is constituted by at least two arcuate parts 44a, 44b hinged to each other to adapt to the morphology of a patient. These articulated parts 44a, 44b are fixed to the carriage 15 by arms 45a, 45b articulated respectively on the carriage 15 and on the corresponding arm 44a, 44b, these arms being blocked by any blocking means not shown.

We will now describe the operating mode of the cabin and the massage shower system according to the invention.

The cabin can be more or less filled with water at will, the level of the surface of the water reaching the maximum at the level of the patient's shoulders, so as to add the effect of the hydrostatic pressure on the extremities lower than the massage effect of the system of the invention.

The means of the massage shower system 6 that have just been described are obviously adapted to a movement of the frame 9 and of the carriage 15 and to an operation of the injectors 7 in the water.

The frame 9 is initially in its low position. When the patient presses on the two handles 29 and 30, the motor 24 is powered and rotates the drum 23 on which the cable is wound 22. The water circuit supplying the injectors is open, and the injectors direct towards the patient jets of water or air and water under pressure which move in an upward movement whose speed varies according to the diagram in Figure 5. The pressure of water can also vary at the same time and in the same sense that speed.

The jets of pressurized water therefore have an effect on the patient's body comparable to that of the movements of a masseur.

When the carriage is at the level of the patient's shoulders, the lever 19c of the contactor 20c switches over under the action of the finger 18, which has the effect of commanding an inversion of the direction of rotation of the motor 24. The drum 23 then unwinds the cable 22 for lowering the frame 9 to its low position, preferably at a speed greater than the climb speed; the pressure of the water supplying the injectors is also preferably greatly lowered or even sometimes, entirely canceled out during the downward movement of the frame 9.

When the carriage 9 arrives at its low position, the finger 18 causes the lever 19a of the contactor 20a to tilt, which has the effect of commanding a new reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor 24, and the system 6 starts a new cycle.

The operator can also choose to have the system act only on a region of the patient's body, for example the hip region. It suffices to place the two contactors 20a and 20c respectively at the top of the thighs and at the level of the patient's waist.

It will be understood that it is also possible, by means of one or more intermediate contactors such as 20b and / or of programmers known in themselves, to vary the movement cycle of the frame 9 so as to massage according to the sequence that is desired the different regions of the body of a patient.

The above also applies in the case where the cabin is not filled with water, and in the case where the frame 9 is replaced by the frame 42 in FIG. 7 or by the frame 44 in FIG. 8.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described, and many modifications and modifications can be made to them without departing from the scope of the invention.

We can thus use, as we have seen, any means to control and vary the mode, speed and amplitude of the movement of the frame.

One can also modify the shape and structure of the frame, the type and number of injectors, the means and organs for controlling and adjusting the displacements of the frame.

The invention also covers the case where the bottom 8 on which the patient stands is movable vertically under the action of actuating means such as a jack, the frame 9, 42, 44 being itself fixed or movable vertically .

Claims (12)

1. Massage shower system (6), comprising injectors (7) for directing jets of water or air and water under pressure substantially radially towards the body of a patient in standing position, means forming frame (9, 42, 44) supporting the injectors (7) and animated by a vertical movement with respect to the patient, and actuation means (10, 43) for communicating to the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) a vertical reciprocating movement with respect to the patient, characterized in that the actuation means (10) comprise means for communicating to the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44), between two lower and upper levels spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, an ascending movement whose speed increases and passes from a substantially minimum value to a substantially maximum value when the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) pass from the lower level to the upper level.
2. Shower system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two lower and upper levels are adjustable in the vertical direction independently of each other.
3. Shower system according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuation means (10), at the end of stroke, rapidly return the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) from the upper level to the lower level.
4. Shower system according to one of Claims 1 to 3, the body of a patient being divided heightwise into a plurality of regions capable of being massaged separately independently of one another or successively one following the other, characterized in that the actuation means (10) comprise means (22, 23, 24) for communicating to the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44), for each of these regions, an ascending movement whose speed increases when the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) pass from the lower part to the upper part of laid region.
5. Shower system according to Claim 4, characterized in that the actuation means (10) comprise a drum (23) on which is wound a cable (22) supporting the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44), said drum (23) comprising on its peripheral surface a helicoidal groove (31) whose radius is variable and increases in order to increase the speed of the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) between the lower part and the upper part of each region of the body of a patient, and returns very rapidly to its minimum value on reaching the region located immediately above the preceding one.
6. Shower system according to Claim 5, characterized in that the drum (23) comprises from its longitudinal end (32) to which is fixed one end (33) of the cable (22), a first zone (34) whose radius increases from a minimum value (R₀), this zone (34) corresponding to the region of the legs going from the ankles to the knees, a second zone (35) whose radius increases from said minimum value (R₀) and which corresponds to the region of the thighs going from the knees to the top of the thighs, a third zone (35) (sic.) whose radius is constant at its minimum value (R₀) and which corresponds to the region of the hips going from the top of the thighs to the waist, and a fourth zone (37) whose radius increases from said minimum value (R₀) and which corresponds to the region of the back between the waist and the shoulders.
7. Shower system according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the frame-forming means (42) are constituted by individual sectors (42a, 42b) independent of one another and each actuated by respective individual actuation means (43a, 43b) independent of one another.
8. Shower system according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises means (38) for varying the pressure of the water at the same time and in the same sense as the speed of the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44).
9. Shower system according to Claim 8, characterized in that the means (38) reduce, during the descending movements of the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44), or upon passage of the latter from one region of the body of a patient to the adjacent upper region, the pressure of the water or of the mixture of air and water to a substantially zero value.
10. Shower system according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the injectors (7) are adjustable in position and in orientation.
11. Massage shower cubicle (1), characterized in that it is equipped with a massage shower system (6) according to one of Claims 1 to 10.
12. Shower cubicle according to Claim 11, characterized in that it comprises water-tight walls (2, 3, 4, 5) and is adapted to be filled at least partly with water, the massage shower system (6) being adapted to a movement of the frame-forming means (9, 42, 44) and to operation of the injectors (7) in the water.

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