EP2490642A1

EP2490642A1 - Massage table for recumbent or seated persons

Info

Publication number: EP2490642A1
Application number: EP10788356A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Jacques Racine
Original assignee: Racine Guillaume
Current assignee: Racine Guillaume
Priority date: 2009-10-23
Filing date: 2010-10-22
Publication date: 2012-08-29
Also published as: FR2951637A1; FR2951636B1; US20120209157A1; CA2778619A1; FR2951636A1; FR2951637B1; WO2011048291A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a massage or care table (1), consisting of an base (2) for receiving a set of movable elements (3), characterized in that the movable elements (3) include a plurality of height-adjustable rollers on which a person can rest in a recumbent and/or seated position, while a connecting band, for providing ventral and dorsal protection to the patient, and/or shells for providing lateral protection to the patient, is/are attached in the space located between two adjacent rollers. The invention can be used for massages and other body treatments.

Description

TABLE FOR MASSAGES OF ELONGATE OR SIDED PERSONS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of treatment of persons lying or sitting to enable them to perform exercises, to be manipulated and / or treated, for example for a massage operation or during it. It relates more particularly to a table device for adapting to the curves and / or curvatures of the body of the person to be treated, so that the table adapts to the morphology of the person being treated.

It thus relates more particularly to a new type of table adjustable by the practitioner and / or by the patient / client himself.

For simplicity, the type of table referred to here is called "massage table"; the invention is however applicable to all other applications in which a patient / client is placed in a lying position / sitting on a table for him to be provided care, including massage. The massage application is therefore preferred, but not limiting.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Currently the search for patient comfort / client settling on a massage table is done by positioning different types of cushions, shapes and different heights.

The installation of the person to be treated is performed by the practitioner who assesses, by his experience and the feelings of the patient / client, the height of the cushions to use and their location on the table.

This installation is therefore tedious and requires:

• a time of setting up;

• the practitioner's know-how and the presence of the latter;

• the provision of a large number of cushions, with the consequent need for storage.

Also known more or less effective systems of adaptation of tables / care beds of disabled or whose discomfort must be reduced during treatment. Therefore: US 5,235,710 A discloses a care bed for disabled persons, wherein the mattress is divided into independent sections of adjustable height.

The raising / lowering devices of these mattress parts can not be combined and integrated into a table base, in any order. They are instead set in a defined order in a double-walled space surmounted by a tub-type waterproof box, intended to allow the patient to be groomed.

The flat horizontal position of all the mattress elements is not conceivable, and these elements are tilting laterally.

The goal is to facilitate the care of the disabled and to allow for the selective replacement of soiled mattress pads. The intended pivoting (see column 3, lines 6-16) serves only to laterally tilt certain portions of the mattress to allow changing the bed and / or the patient thereby rotating the latter by action on the cylinders in manual operation only.

DE 93 13 660 U1 discloses a unit for adjusting bedding elements.

No massage operation can be practiced with such equipment, since the cushion pad surfaces thus proposed are limited in number, each have a large bearing surface, and have a limited mobility and are adjustable only in inclination.

DE 93 18 662 Ul describes a massage bench having a padded frame and a part for the feet, while to take into account the comfort of female patients whose chest can suffer if it is compressed in a position of massage on the stomach , there is provided an intermediate portion that can be adjusted in height (NB: it is the only part that can thus be adjusted) to alleviate the painful support of the patient on his chest on such a massage bench.

US 3,821,952 A discloses an adjustable chiropractic table.

The padded table is adjustable in height, as a whole, at one end or both. Only a foot portion (numbered 30 '), away from the sleeping part, but connected at 90 ° with it, can be adjusted separately, but in length to accommodate the size of the patient. The table has at one end a narrower portion to allow the patient to leave his arms dangling, and a slot to allow the patient to support his face without pain.

EP 0 354 271 A2 Document D5 discloses a non-modular mattress support consisting of non-joined slats and connecting pipes for adjusting the pressure of a control fluid. The objective is to avoid that the slats, moving diagonally, can get stuck in the frame where they are placed.

DE 29 42 287 A1 discloses a massage apparatus in which ramps of unitary massage members are movable by means of electromagnets in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the massage table. One or more rows of massage units are thus movable at a time, without the possibility of individualizing one or more elements inside these ramps which form a whole.

Thus, the problem that the present invention proposes to solve was not even supported by the techniques described in these documents.

The problem that the present invention aims to solve was not supported, even implicitly, by the techniques described in these and other documents. And the device according to the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the apparatus of the prior art.

The tabletop device for massage and other care according to the present invention is instead designed so as to allow, whatever the application thus envisaged, an improved use and comfort customizable for the patient / client, which can then be adapted to suitability and without difficulty, or even adapt itself, different parameters of structure and / or equipment of the table, according to its own needs and / or the stage of advancement of massage and other care.

The table aims to improve the quality of care and massage provided and is more convenient to handle and adjust than existing tables. It also makes it possible to be adapted easily and programmed for each individual patient, according to parameters taking into account the morphology, the type of care to be provided and / or the personality of each patient. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to propose a new type of massage table, directly adjustable by the patient and / or the practitioner to take into account the morphology of the person to be treated, while dispensing with the use of adjustment cushions.

In the device according to the invention, the table is no longer monobloc as the standard massage tables, but is composed of cassettes forming roller blocks adjustable in height. In such an arrangement, the table becomes mobile and adapts to the curves and curvatures of the body of the person lying or sitting on the table.

The invention thus relates to a massage or treatment table consisting of a base for receiving a set of moving elements, wherein the movable elements comprise a plurality of rollers, adjustable in height and on which can rest a person in position lying and / or sitting, while in the space between two consecutive rollers are fixed a binding strip for providing ventral or dorsal protection of the patient, and / or scales for providing lateral protection of the patient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, advantages and features thereof will appear more clearly, in the light of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided for illustrative and not limiting, while are appended to the said description of the drawing plates in which:

Figure 1 schematically illustrates in vertical cross section an embodiment of a complete massage table, according to the invention.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates in vertical cross section an embodiment of a complete massage table, according to the invention, in a version with tilting back manually or electrically.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates, in cross-section and in section along A-A, a roller cassette for a massage table according to the invention. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates in cross section a method of fixing a safety strip between two rolls of a roll cassette according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 represents an end view, in elevation, and a diagrammatic section along A-A of a roller comprising a drawer 4 with scent block 5, fan 6 and LED 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings thus briefly described, which illustrate the invention without limiting it in any way, the massage or treatment table 1 according to the invention is composed of a base 2 intended to receive a set of moving parts. 3. The movable elements 3 comprise substantially horizontal rollers, adjustable in height and on which can rest a person lying down, while in the space between two consecutive rollers are fixed a connecting strip 3g providing ventral protection or dorsal patient, and / or scales 3f providing lateral protection of the patient.

The rollers 3 are advantageously driven by a motorized rack / pinion system. They can, however, be driven by any other motorization system known to those skilled in the art or be manually controlled.

Each of the rolls of the roller assembly 3 is part of a cassette comprising:

1 roll with coating 3a,

2 racks 3b,

1 transmission shaft, in practice with pinions 3c, and 1 electric motor or other 3d engine system for raising and lowering the rollers 3a.

In practice, in the massage or care table according to the invention, the base 2 on which is mounted all the rollers 3 further comprises the electronic equipment necessary for the operation of the table.

In one embodiment of the massage or care table, the rollers 3 are covered with a synthetic material.

In a complementary or alternative embodiment, the rollers 3 are adjustable in height, while the management of this adjustment in height can be achieved under the control of a traditional electronic box.

In advantageous embodiments of the various aspects of the invention, one or other of the following provisions / terms can be used, separately or in combination:

• The rolls can be of different sizes, if one wishes to assign to each a function more adapted to the part of the body of the patient to which it relates.

• The rolls may be of different shapes and / or sizes, within limits that the skilled person will easily conceive.

However, the rolls are preferably all or substantially all of the same size or approximate sizes.

• The rollers are of substantially cylindrical outer general shape, but this functional form provided by the foam or other external flexible material can be supported on a soul of any shape, for example a square or rectangular section tube, or a spar in U and not just a cylinder or a semi-cylinder.

• The rollers can be limited to semi-rolls, or fractions of rollers, to allow a saving of material and / or volume of the cassettes containing them. In this case, if a foam coating of the rollers is provided, it is advantageous that it marries the longitudinal periphery of said rollers, but itself has an outer surface of substantially cylindrical shape.

• The rollers may not all be of the same longitudinal dimension.

The characteristics of the foam coating of said rolls, such as, for example, hardness, thickness, shape, etc., may be chosen to suit.

• Some or all of the rollers may be equipped with heating resistors.

• The roll elevation system may include electric motors, hydraulic cylinders, or be manual.

• The rollers are preferably fixed on their horizontal axis.

• The rollers may be movable, in particular by rotation or by oscillation along their longitudinal axis. Drive systems with motors, pinions and racks are fully integrated in the rollers.

The motors, pinions and racks for moving the rollers are actuated by means of a main power supply, advantageously integrated in the base of the table and connected to the actuating devices of the rollers by a functional wiring, for example electric, appropriate.

The ascents and / or descents of the individual rolls can be driven / adjusted to suit, independently, for example so as to provide a relaxing wave effect. The massage table may comprise, in one or more appropriate places, easily determinable by those skilled in the art after probative tests, one or more drawers adapted to receive scent-giving materials, in particular per perfume capsule, as well as LEDs. identical or different to provide visual effects, and / or speakers connected to a sound diffusion apparatus for a sound environment, including a musical ambience and / or prerecorded instructions and broadcast by this apparatus. These additional elements may be reserved for some of the rollers, jointly or separately.

The scent diffusion drawers can be reserved for the extreme rollers and be functionally associated with at least one fan also integrated in said rollers.

Foams coating the rollers can be replaced, partially or completely by a silicone element, in particular transparent silicone. In the latter case, one can integrate in at least some of the rollers a chromotherapy effect, using known means of production and light diffusion for this purpose. The control motors of the rollers, in particular for adjusting the rollers in height, as well as the possibly associated racks, can be integrated in said rollers and thus provide a saving of space.

All of the aforementioned additional optional functionalities can be controlled via a software application, advantageously of the type of those which can be integrated in touch paddles or "smartphones", especially of a type known under the trade names iPhone or iPad, for a command by wireless link, type WiFi or other.

• An overall vertical elevation system of the table, for adequate height of the latter, especially for greater comfort of the officiating practitioner, can also be provided.

In an advantageous embodiment, the wave effect mentioned above can be provided by successions of descents and climbs of at least some of the rollers equipping the table. It can be achieved by piloting, manual or preferably automated, advantageously according to a prerecorded program, with possibility of variation of the parameters of speed and vertical amplitude or stroke movements.

In an equally advantageous embodiment, the base of the table does not integrate or only a minority of the aforementioned functional elements. In this case, it can take any form and participate in this way, by a design or styling appropriate to the visual identity and / or personalization of the massage table.

By way of illustrative and non-limiting example, we will detail below an embodiment as shown schematically in Figures 1-4 attached.

The table shown in Figures 1-2 is intended for the care of a person lying or sitting to allow him to perform exercises, be manipulated and / or treated, for example during a massage operation. It allows adaptation to curves and curvatures of the body. It is the table that adapts to the morphology of the "treated" person.

This table according to the invention is called in the following "massage table", but the skilled person will understand that it can be used in other applications.

Thus, in a form of advantageous implementation, the various elements of the table can be arranged and controlled to perform their up and down movements according to a defined program, offering the table itself a ripple movement such a wave, allowing the patient / client disposed on it to feel these effects (relaxation, relaxation, soft body stretching).

It is adjustable by the practitioner and / or the patient / client. While currently known facilities require:

a set up time

the practitioner's knowledge and presence, as well as

the availability of a large number of cushions (possible storage problem).

The device according to the invention overcomes these disadvantages.

11 is a massage table adjustable directly by the patient and / or the practitioner, depending on the morphology of the person to be treated without the use of cushions. The table is no longer monoblock like the standard tables, but is composed of cassettes blocks-roller adjustable in height. It is therefore the table that becomes mobile and adapts to the curves of the body.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-2, the table includes

12 rolls, but it can equally well include between 8 and 16, and preferably between 10 and 14.

It is, in this example, a device consisting of independently sized rollers independently motorized, vertical elevation and locking height desired.

This device can be adjustable at any time during the session / treatment.

This adjustment is done by an electronic control independently managing the twelve rollers constituting the table and managed by the patient and or the practitioner.

The elevation of each roller is done by a rack-and-rack system driven by an electric motor.

In addition, the movements of the different rollers can be organized and programmed so that their vertical strokes (up and down), achieve a wave "wave" of the table. This wave movement provides the patient / client with a feeling of stretching, relaxation and well-being.

In general, this new type of massage and care table consists of a base for supporting a table on which a person can lie in a reclining position and is characterized in that: The base is the structure on which the table will fit. It is designed so that it can receive the electronics necessary for the proper functioning of the massage table.

The table consists of twelve cassettes each composed of:

• a roll

• two racks

• a drive shaft

• an electric motor.

Roller management is done using an electronic control box that allows height adjustment of each roll individually.

As a material for covering the rollers, synthetic materials can be used to provide comfort during use, for example a thermo-compressed foam.

The new type of table according to the invention, in its embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying figures, is designated by the general reference 1. It therefore consists of a base designated by reference 2 supporting a set of rollers reference 3 on which can rest a person lying down.

The base 2 is constituted such that it will contain the electronics necessary for the operation of the table, can come to integrate an audio set and a diffuser of perfume, (possible options).

The roll assembly 3 consists of twelve "cassettes", each cassette consists of:

1 roll covered with foam 3a,

2 racks 3b,

1 drive shaft equipped with 2 pinions 3c,

1 electric motor for raising and lowering the 3D roller,

1 3rd light strip (option).

The safety of the patient is ensured by the scales 3f and / or a binding strip between two rollers 3g.

The management of the rise and the lowering of the rollers is ensured thanks to an electronic box controlled either by the patient, or by the practitioner. Of course, the invention is not limited to the concrete example of embodiment described and it is possible to envisage:

a manual or electric lift-up backrest;

a specific design depending on the cabinet or fitness room, for example for the base;

a specific coating for the rolls (color, texture, etc.); a multicolored strip of light embedded in the rollers;

a wireless remote control for adjusting height rollers, music or fragrance diffuser;

- color scales of your choice.

In another embodiment, all or a portion of the rollers 3, strips 3g and / or flakes 3f are replaced by a technical equivalent consisting of a covering mat (not shown) or a superposition of one or more overlapping mats on a deformable support member, all then being activatable up and down and / or in waves by means equivalent to those described above.

This table according to the invention is particularly intended for the realization of care, and / or the application of manual or mechanical techniques on a patient / client.

Claims

A massage or care table, consisting of a base (2) for receiving a set of movable elements (3), characterized in that the movable elements (3) comprise a plurality of rollers, adjustable in height and on which a person can lie while lying and / or sitting, while in the space between two consecutive rollers are fixed a binding strip (3g) for providing ventral or dorsal protection of the patient, and / or scales (3f) for providing lateral protection of the patient.

2. massage or care table according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises between 8 and 16, preferably between 10 and 14, and more preferably 12 rolls.

3. massage or care table according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the rollers (3) are driven by a rack / pinion motorized system.

Massage or care table according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the rolls of the roller assembly (3) is part of a cassette comprising:

1 roll with coating (3a),

2 racks (3b),

1 transmission shaft, in practice with pinions (3c), and

1 electric motor or other motorization system (3d) for raising and lowering the rollers (3a).

5. Massage or care table according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base (2) on which is mounted the set of rollers (3) further comprises the electronic equipment necessary for operation of the table.

6. massage or care table according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rollers (3) are covered with a synthetic material.

Massage or treatment table according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rollers (3) are adjustable in height, while the management of this height adjustment is carried out under the control of an electronic box.

Massage or treatment table according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises secondary characteristics chosen from one or more of the following characteristics:

the rolls are of different shapes and / or sizes;

the roller raising system comprises electric motors or hydraulic cylinders;

the rollers are fixed on their horizontal axis or movable by rotation or oscillation along their longitudinal axis;

the rolls are limited to semi-rolls, or roll fractions;

the rollers are not all of the same longitudinal dimension; some or all of the rollers may be equipped with heating resistors;

the table comprises one or more drawers adapted to receive scent-giving materials, in particular per perfume capsule, as well as identical or different LEDs for providing visual effects, and / or speakers connected to a sound diffusion apparatus for a sound atmosphere;

the rolls are coated with transparent silicone;

drive systems by motors, gears and racks are integrated in the rollers;

the motors, pinions and racks for moving the rollers are actuated by means of a main power supply, advantageously integrated in the base of the table and connected to the actuators of the rollers by appropriate electrical wiring;

the ascents and / or descents of the individual rollers can be driven / adjusted to suit, independently, so as to provide a wave effect with relaxing virtues.

Massage or treatment table according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a wave effect is provided by successions of descents and climbs of at least some of the rollers equipping the table by driving, preferably according to a pre-recorded program.

Massage table according to claim 3, characterized in that all or part of the rollers (3), strips (3g) and / or flakes (3f) are replaced by a covering mat or a superposition of a or several mats stacked on a deformable support member.