JP2001258965A - Massage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a massage device that has the same effect as that of acupressure. SOLUTION: This device has a drive means 18 for driving a treating element 15, a human body information detecting means 14, which is disposed on a body contact surface of the treating element 15 for detecting physiological information of the human body, and a drive control means 27 for controlling the drive means based on the human body information detecting means 14. The human body information detecting means 14 precisely detects physiological changes such as a rise of skin temperature, increase of blood stream, rise of blood pressure, increase of heartbeat due to various massage techniques. When the drive means 18 is operated according to these physiological changes, massage optimal to the patient's physiological state can be provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for massaging a human body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a massage apparatus of this type described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-134012. As shown in FIG. 8, the device includes a bed 1, a treatment element 2 that is incorporated in the bed 1, and is configured with a roller that can run in the longitudinal direction of the bed 1.
An air cushion 3 provided on an upper part of the treatment element 2;
A number of air chambers 4 provided in the air cushion 3, a pressure sensor 5 for detecting a load applied to the treatment element 2 for measuring a load distribution of a person sleeping on the bed 1, and The control means 6 is configured to selectively inflate the air chamber 4 of the air cushion 3 located at a predetermined distance from the treatment element 2 based on the signal.

[0003] The massage device having the above-described structure obtains a massage effect by the treatment element 2 and the pressurized air chamber 4.
And the interval between the pressurized air chambers 4 can be arbitrarily set, and adapted to various users of different heights.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional massage device has the following problems. That is, the human body is rubbed, rubbed, and various massage procedures such as pressing, skin temperature rise, blood flow rise, blood pressure and heartbeat rise, and changes in physiological conditions occur, but in the massage device, Such a change in the physiological state cannot be visually or visually sensed, and the position of the treatment element 2 with respect to the user is detected by the pressure sensor 5, and the distance between the treatment element 2 and the pressurized air chamber 4 is determined. It was just an adjustment.

[0005] Here, as shown in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-134012, one air chamber 4 of the air cushion 3 is provided.
There is also a method of providing a sensor for human body information that reads changes in physiological conditions on the human body contact surface only, but changes in human physiological responses due to massage appear more than in the whole body,
In many cases, the massage appears only at the part being massaged by the moving treatment element 2, so even if the human body information other than that in contact with the treatment element 2 is detected, it is possible to perform the massage corresponding to the physiological change of the human body. There was nothing.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a treatment element, driving means for driving the treatment element,
The medical device includes a human body information detecting means provided on a body contact surface of a treatment element for detecting physiological information of a human body, and a drive control means for controlling a driving means based on the human body information detecting means.

[0007] According to the above invention, the human body information detecting means for detecting the physiological state of the human body is provided on the body contact surface of the treatment element, so that various massage procedures increase the skin temperature, increase the blood flow, It is possible to accurately detect changes in physiological conditions, such as an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and to perform optimal massage for the physiological condition of the human body by operating the driving means by the drive control means in accordance with the changes in physiological conditions. Can be.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 comprises a treatment element, driving means for driving the treatment element, and human body information detecting means provided on the body contact surface of the treatment element for detecting physiological information of the human body. With the provision of drive control means for controlling the drive means based on the human body information detection means, it is possible to accurately detect changes in physiological conditions, such as an increase in skin temperature, an increase in blood flow, an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, by various massage techniques. It is possible to perform an optimal massage for the physiological condition of the human body by operating the driving means in accordance with the change of the physiological condition.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the driving means comprises an air cell which expands and contracts by air pressure to drive the treatment element, and pressurizing and depressurizing means for pressurizing and depressurizing air in the air cell. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, since a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of an object in contact with the treatment element is used as the human body information detecting means, the temperature of the skin surface can be particularly detected by the temperature sensor. Massage that is optimal for the condition can be performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the human body information detecting means, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an object in contact with the treatment element, and a temperature removing means for substantially eliminating a temperature effect other than the object in contact with the treatment element in contact with the temperature sensor With this configuration, it is possible to accurately detect the temperature of the treatment element contact object.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the temperature removing means includes:
By using the non-metallic body, the heat transfer coefficient of the non-metallic body is lower than that of the metal, so that the temperature influence by the temperature removing unit itself can be suppressed, and the temperature of the treatment element contact object can be detected more accurately.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the human body information detecting means has a body motion sensor for detecting the movement of an object in contact with the treatment element, so that the human body approaches or separates from the treatment element. Movement is detected by a body motion sensor,
Since the start and stop of the drive control hand can be performed based on the detection signal, the massage device can be easily operated.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the human body information detecting means has a sound sensor for detecting a sound of an object in contact with the treatment element, thereby detecting a heart rate or the like from a heart beat sound. By controlling the intensity of the massage based on the change in the heart rate, a more detailed massage based on the change in the physiological condition of the human body can be performed.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of use of a massage apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the massage apparatus, FIGS. FIG. 2 is an overall system diagram of the massage device.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 7 denotes a human body, and the human body back portion 8 is placed on a floor 10 with the human body back portion 8 being in contact with a housing 9 which is the exterior of the massage device.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the massage device, that is, a contact surface of the housing 9 with the human body rear portion 8. The housing 9 is formed of a resin such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (commonly called ABS resin) or polypropylene (commonly called PP) having an antibacterial material. Housing 9
A hole 12 having a substantially triangular shape is disposed symmetrically about a center line 11 of the housing 9.

Here, a treatment element 15 having a human body information detecting means 14 covered with an elastic material 13 at its tip is disposed in the hole 12 so as to be able to move in and out. The elastic member 13 is made of, for example, a urethane resin having a film of a vinyl chloride resin having an antibacterial material. The treatment element 15 is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (commonly known as A) having an antibacterial material.
(BS resin), polyacetal (commonly known as POM), polyethylene, polypropylene, and other resin materials.
The human body contact surface of the housing 9 is formed so as to substantially conform to the shape of the human back or waist body surface.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the housing 9 is provided with a case 17 for guiding the movement of the treatment element 15 due to the expansion and contraction of the air cell 16. The air cell 16 is made of a resin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) or a rubber-based resin (E
VA or an elastomer).

The driving means 18 is a pressure increasing / decreasing means 21 comprising an air cell 16, an air pump 19 and a switching valve 20.
The pressurized air from the air pump 19 is supplied into and discharged from the air cell 16 through the switching valve 20 and the thin tube 22.
Expands and contracts, and drives the treatment element 15.

The switching valve 20 is an electromagnetic valve having an inflow port 23 through which pressurized air flows, a blow port 24 through which the pressurized air flows into the air cell 16, and a discharge port 25 through which air remaining in the air cell 16 is discharged. The switching valve 20 is provided with a time adjusting means 26 which is a timer for controlling the time for pressurizing the air from the air pump 19 into the air cell 16, that is, the time for opening the air outlet 24. Further, the drive control unit 27 controls the drive unit 18 based on a signal from the human body information detection unit 14. By the way, in the present embodiment, the driving means 18 has a mechanical configuration using pneumatic pressure using the air cell 16, but it is also possible to use a mechanical configuration in which the power of a motor or the like is transmitted by a power transmission element such as a gear.

The distal end of the air cell 16 as a driving member is screwed to the treatment element 15, and the fixed end 28 of the air cell 16 is also screwed to the case 17.

When the air pump 19 and the switching valve 20 are operated and the air cell 16 and the treatment element 15 expand and contract, the inner diameter of the treatment element 15 and the air cell 16 are adjusted so that the air cell 16 and the treatment element 15 do not slide. There is a sufficient gap between the outer diameter and the outer diameter.

Further, as shown in FIG.
One switching valve 20 is provided for each switching valve, and a valve activation device 29 which is a timer for sequentially activating the switching valves 20 is provided for each switching valve 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, the human body information detecting means 14 provided at the distal end of the treatment element 15 includes a temperature sensor 30 and a non-metallic body 31 which covers the temperature sensor 30 and removes temperatures other than the human body 7. The temperature removing means 32 is configured. For example, a thermistor, a thermocouple, or the like is used for the temperature sensor 30, and, for example, a foaming resin such as polystyrene foam, ceramics, or the like is used for the nonmetallic body 31.

Next, the operation and operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the user puts his back on the housing 9 and sleeps. And
When the air pump 19 and the valve activation device 29 are activated, the air pump 19 and the switching valve 20 are activated, and each air cell 16
Internal pressure is adjusted according to the massage menu,
Each treatment element 15 operates so as to press the human body back part 8 with acupressure. Specifically, the valve actuating device 29 is provided with one switching valve 20.
Is activated, while the switching valve 20 is activated, the blowing port 24 is opened and the arbitrary time t is stored in the two air cells 16.
Only one air is sent through the tube 22. And
When the valve activation device 29 activates the next switching valve 20, air is similarly sent into the next two air cells 16 for an arbitrary time t1. However, when the activation of the switching valve 20 by the valve activation device 29 is stopped, the blowing port 24 is closed and the discharge port 2 is closed.
5 is opened, and the air in the air cell 17 is discharged. In addition, the human body is massaged and loosened by the treatment element 15, and the blood flow increases and the skin temperature rises. The temperature change is detected by the temperature sensor 30, which is the human body information detecting means 14, and the drive control means 27 controls the driving means 18 based on the detection signal to control the pressing force of the treatment element 15.

According to this embodiment, the human body information detecting means 14
Based on the output, it is possible to accurately detect changes in physiological conditions and movements of the human body, such as an increase in skin temperature, movement of the human body, and an increase in heart rate. By operating and starting, it is possible to perform a simple and optimal massage for the physiological condition of the human body.

Further, by detecting the temperature of the human body, particularly the skin surface temperature, at which the change in the physiological state of the human body is easily detected by the temperature sensor 30, it is possible to perform the most suitable massage for the physiological state of the human body, By using the temperature removing means 32 for substantially removing the temperature effects other than the above, it is possible to accurately detect the temperature of the treatment element contact object. further,
Since the non-metallic body 31 has a lower heat transfer coefficient than metal and can suppress the temperature influence by the temperature removing means itself,
A more accurate temperature of the treatment element contact object can be detected.

(Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 6 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the massage device shown in FIG. 3, in which the human body information detecting means 14 provided at the distal end of the treatment element 15 is constituted by a body movement sensor 33. The body movement sensor 33 includes an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like.

Next, the operation and operation will be described.
When the human body 7 approaches the treatment element 15, the body motion sensor 3
3 detects the human body 7 and activates the driving means 18 by the driving control means 27 according to the detection signal. When the human body 7 separates from the treatment element 15, the body movement sensor 33 detects that the human body 7 separates from the treatment element 15.
Is to stop.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the massage device shown in FIG. 3, in which the human body information detecting means 14 provided at the distal end of the treatment element 15 is constituted by a sound sensor 34. The sound sensor 34 includes a microphone and the like.

Next, the operation and operation will be described.
When the human body 7 is in contact with the treatment element 15, the sound sensor 34 detects the pulsating sound of the human body 7. The drive control means 27 calculates the heart rate from the beat sound, and when the heart rate becomes higher,
The driving means 18 is controlled to reduce the pressing force of the treatment element 15.

[0036]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the human body information detecting means can increase the skin temperature, increase the blood flow, and increase the blood pressure and heart rate by various massage procedures. It is possible to accurately detect a change in the state, and the drive control means operates the driving means in accordance with the change in the physiological state, so that a massage optimal for the physiological state of the human body can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the most suitable massage for the human body physiological state is performed by detecting the human body temperature, particularly the skin surface temperature, at which the change of the human body physiological state is easily detected by the temperature sensor. be able to.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the temperature of the treatment element contact object can be accurately detected by using the temperature removing means for substantially eliminating the temperature effect other than the treatment element contact object. .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the non-metallic body has a lower heat transfer coefficient than the metal and can suppress the influence of the temperature by the temperature removing means itself. Temperature can be detected.

Further, according to the invention, when performing or stopping the massage, the movement of the human body such as approaching or leaving the treatment element is detected by the body motion sensor.
Since the start and stop of the drive control hand can be performed based on the detection signal, simple operation of the massage device can be realized.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to detect the heart rate and the like from the heart beat sound using the sound sensor, and to control the intensity of the massage based on the change in the heart rate. By doing so, more detailed massage can be performed based on a change in the physiological state of the human body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of use of a massage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the massage device.

FIG. 3 is an overall system diagram of the massage device.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram near a switching valve of the massage device.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view around a treatment element of the massage device.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view around a treatment element of a massage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view around a treatment element of a massage device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a conventional massage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 Human Body Information Detecting Means 15 Treatment Element 16 Air Cell 18 Driving Means 21 Pressurizing / Depressurizing Means 27 Driving Control Means 30 Temperature Sensor 31 Non-Metallic Body 32 Temperature Removing Means 33 Body Motion Sensor 34 Sound Sensor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Shirai 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomoo Tao 1006 Okadoma Kadoma Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (72) Inventor Koji Oka 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (reference) 4C100 AD13 AD14 AD21 AE06 AE15 BA07 BB05 BC12 BC14 CA13 CA15 DA05

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A treatment element, a driving means for driving the treatment element, a human body information detection means provided on a body contact surface of the treatment element for detecting physiological information of a human body, and the human body information detection means And a drive control means for controlling the drive means. 2. The massage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving means includes an air cell which expands and contracts by air pressure to drive the treatment element, and a pressure increasing / decreasing means for pressurizing and depressurizing the air in the air cell. 3. The human body information detecting means includes a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an object in contact with the treatment element.
Or the massage device according to 2. 4. The human body information detecting means includes a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an object in contact with the treatment element, and a temperature removing means for substantially removing a temperature effect other than the object in contact with the temperature sensor. The massage device according to any one of claims 3 to 3. 5. The massage device according to claim 4, wherein the temperature removing means is made of a non-metallic body. 6. The human body information detecting means includes a body motion sensor for detecting a motion of an object in contact with the treatment element.
Or the massage device according to 2. 7. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the human body information detecting means includes a sound sensor for detecting a sound of an object in contact with the treatment element.