JP2003210540A - Massaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a massaging machine which can improve touch in use at the non-massaging position without impairing massaging functions of pressing sites to be treated in dots. <P>SOLUTION: The body 2 of a mat (body of the massaging machine) is provided with an air bag (a treating element drive means) 13 which supports a treating element 12 adapted to press sites to be treated of users while being substantially kept in shape. The air bag 13 makes the treating element move into or out of a recessed part 11. An expanding/shrinking body 14 having an escaping part 14a for allowing the treating element 12 to escape is housed into the recessed part. The expanding/shirking body 14 is made expandable or shrinkable with the supply or discharge of air from an airing tool and is held almost filling the recessed part 11 when expanded or held being shrunk during the operation of the air bag 13. The expanding/shrinking body 14 is held being expanded at the non-massaging position so as to make the surface thereof almost flush the surface of the body 2 of the mat, thereby making the hard touch of the treating element 12 less sensive. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a massage machine such as a mat type or a chair type, and in particular, a massage machine having a massager for pressing a portion to be treated of a user in a point-like manner so as to be acupressure. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a user is to be massaged by pressing a portion to be treated in a dot shape, a so-called massage ball is used as the treatment element. The massaging balls are made of a hard material such as hard rubber or hard plastic. The massaging balls are projected from the body-supporting surface of the mat body in the mat type massage machine and from the body-supporting surface of the backrest in the chair type massage machine. The protruding state is maintained even when the massage is not performed.

Therefore, when the mat-type massage machine is used as a normal mat in a non-massage state or when the chair-type massage machine is used as a normal chair, the user uses a hard massage ball as described above. Feeling, not comfortable sleeping or leaning.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The problem to be solved by the present invention is to obtain a massage machine which can improve the user-friendliness in a non-massage state without impairing the massage function of pressing the treatment area in a dot pattern. It is in.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is such that a massage machine main body having a recessed portion is pressed in a point-like manner with a portion to be treated by a user and is substantially shaped. Is provided with a treatment element drive means that supports a treatment element that does not change, and has an escape portion for escaping the treatment element and accommodating an expandable / contractible body that is expandable / contractible by supplying / exhausting air by an air supply / exhaust device, When massaging, hold the expander / contractor in a contracted state, and let the treatment element protrude and retract with respect to the recess by the treatment element drive means, and expand the expansion / contraction body so that the expansion / contraction body substantially fills the recess when not massaging. I am trying to hold it.

In the present invention, the expander / contractor is held in a contracted state, and the massager driving means causes the massager body to be retracted from the concave portion of the massager body, so that the user supported by the massager body can receive the massager. A massage can be performed by pressing the treated part in a dot shape. In the non-massage state, the expander is inflated so that the expander is substantially flush with the body-supporting surface of the body of the massage machine, and the expander allows the user to feel the hardness of the treatment element. Can be suppressed.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 4 is such that a massager is installed on a massager main body and is installed on a treatment element moving air bag which expands and contracts by supplying and exhausting air. A treatment air bag that expands and contracts in the thickness direction of the main body and is capable of maintaining an expanded state and presses the treatment site of the user in a point shape in this expanded and retained state is provided in an overlapping manner.

In the present invention, the treatment air bag is held in an inflated state, and then the treatment element moving air bag is inflated and contracted so that the portion to be treated of the user supported by the massage machine body is dotted. A massage can be performed by pressing on. In the non-massage state, the airbags are contracted to prevent the user from feeling the hardness of these treatment elements.

Note that these inventions can be applied to a chair-type or mat-type massage machine and the like, and the main body of the massage machine when the massage machine is a mat-type massage machine is the mat body. The massage machine body is a chair body with a backrest. Further, in these inventions, the air supply / exhaust device may be built in the massage machine main body or may be separately provided outside the massage machine main body.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The mat type massage machine 1 shown in FIG.
The mat body 2 as the body of the massage machine, and this body 2
A plurality of treatment air bags 3 to 5 attached to the body, a massage mechanism for punctate stimulation, such as a neck massage mechanism 6, and compressed air for the air bag and the air bags 3 to 5 to be described later that the mechanism 6 has. An air supply / exhaust device 7 for supplying / exhausting air and a remote controller 8 as an operation unit are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the foldable mat body 2 is a mat member 2 made of urethane foam or the like.
The whole a is covered with a cover 2b. Cover 2
b is made of a flexible cloth or the like so that the treatment element 12 to be described later can be easily displaced. The surface of the mat member 2a is used as a body supporting surface 2c. A neck massage mechanism 6 is provided at one longitudinal end of the mat member 2a.
A concave portion 11 for installing the is provided in the body supporting surface 2c so as to be open. The recess 11 is formed so as to extend in the width direction of the mat body 2.

Each of the airbags 3 to 5 extending in the width direction of the mat body 2 is mounted on the body supporting surface 2c in a stacked manner and covered with a cover 2b. Air bag 3 for shoulder, air bag 4 for waist, air bag 5
Are for legs, and are arranged so as to individually correspond to respective body parts of a user (not shown) lying on the mat body 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the neck massage mechanism 6 disposed in the recess 11 includes an air bag 13 having a pair of treatment elements 12 supported on the upper surface thereof, and an inflating / deflating body 14.

The treatment element 12 is made of a hard material such as a hard rubber or a hard plastic that does not substantially change its shape, and allows the user to massage the neck portion, which is the portion to be treated, in a point shape. For example, it is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape.

The air bag 13 serves as a treatment element driving means for retracting the pair of treatment elements 12 into and out of the recess 11. The air bag 13 is formed by connecting a pair of bag portions 13 a arranged side by side in the width direction of the mat body 2 with a non-inflatable sheet portion 13 b, and the non-inflatable sheet portion 13 b extends to the bottom surface of the recess 11. Used as a mounting part. However, the pair of bag portions 13a may form the airbag 13 independent of each other.

In the present invention, the treatment element driving means is not limited to the air bag 13, and the treatment element 12 is set in the concave portion 11 by a mechanical structure which is driven by the power of an electric motor, an electromagnetic solenoid or the like as a power source. It may be configured to appear and disappear. However, the structure in which the air bag 13 is used as the treatment element drive means as described above has a minimum number of parts and is extremely simple in structure, and requires a large space particularly in the thickness direction when it is incorporated in the mat body 2. Not only is it excellent in that it does not, but it is also excellent in that it can share the air supply / exhaust device 7 that is the drive source of the treatment air bags 3-5.

The treatment elements 12 are fixed to the upper surface of each bag portion 13a with an adhesive or the like. The height position of the upper end (tip) of the treatment element 12 when the airbag 13 is contracted is lower than the body support surface 2c as shown in FIG. 2 (A). The descending dimension D is such that the treatment element 1 does not substantially feel the treatment element 12, that is, even when the mat member 2a is deformed so as to be thin due to the weight of the user, the treatment element 1
2 is set so that the user does not feel it or touches it lightly.

As shown in FIG. 2, the expansion / contraction body 14 is a treatment element 1.
It has an escape portion 14a for escaping 2 and is formed of an air bag which expands and contracts by supplying and exhausting air as a preferable example. The escape portion 14a is formed of, for example, a hole that penetrates the airbag in its thickness direction. However, not limited to holes,
It is also possible to form the escape portion 14a by a recess having a closed upper end.

The expander / contractor 14 is arranged in the recess 11 by accommodating the treatment elements 12 individually in a pair of escape portions 14a. The expansion / contraction body 14 is contracted and held in a flat state during massage, and is maintained in an expanded state during non-massage. The height position of the upper surface of the expansion / contraction body 14 in the expanded state is
As shown in FIG. 2A, it is set to be substantially flush with the body supporting surface 2c.

The air supply / exhaust device 7 as shown in FIG.
A drive unit 21 that supplies and exhausts air to and from each of the airbags 3 to 5, 13 and the inflating and contracting body 14, a control unit 22 that controls the air supply and exhaust operation of the drive unit 21, and the drive unit 21 and the control unit 22. And a relay member 23 electrically connected to each other. The air supply / exhaust device 7 is built in the other end portion of the mat body 2 in the longitudinal direction, that is, the end portion on the toe side of the user lying on the mat body 2. By providing the relay member 23, the drive unit 21 and the control unit 22 can be arranged close to each other in the width direction of the mat main body 2 so as to be arranged with a large distance between them, so that control can be performed in accordance with heat generation in the drive unit 21. It is excellent in that the temperature of the portion 22 can be prevented from rising.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drive unit 21 is an air pump 25 composed of a diaphragm type electromagnetic pump or the like, and air distribution means connected to the pump 25 via an air tube 26, for example, individual air bags 3-5. The electromagnetic supply / exhaust valves 27 to 29 corresponding to the above, the electromagnetic supply / exhaust valve 30 corresponding to the expansion / contraction body 14, and the electromagnetic supply / exhaust valve 31 corresponding to the airbag 13. Air supply / exhaust valve with exhaust port 2
A valve that can switch between an exhaust position and an air supply position is used for each of 7 to 30. As the air supply / exhaust valve 31 with an exhaust port, a valve that can switch between an exhaust position, an air supply position, and a closing position is used.

The air supply / exhaust valve 27 is connected to the shoulder air bag 3 via an air tube 32, the air supply / exhaust valve 28 is connected to the waist air bag 4 via an air tube 33, and is connected to the air supply / exhaust valve 29. Is connected to the leg airbag 5 via an air tube 34, and the expansion / contraction body 14 is connected to the air supply / exhaust valve 30 via an air tube 35. The air tube 36 connected to the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is branched into two branches, and each branch portion is individually connected to the pair of bag portions 13 a of the airbag 13. Each of the air tubes 32 to 36 has flexibility.

The control unit 22 including a microcomputer or the like is configured to control the air supply / exhaust operation of the drive unit 21 in various operation modes according to instructions from the remote controller 8. The remote controller 8 operably provided outside the mat body 2 is connected to the control unit 22 via a signal cable 8a. The signal cable 8a can be inserted into and removed from the controller 22 as required. The remote controller 8 gives an instruction or the like for operating or stopping in a desired operation mode.

Mat type massage machine 1 having the above structure
Is used as a normal mat or as an air massager. When used as a normal mat,
The neck massage mechanism 6 is not used, and the air supply / exhaust valves 27 to 29 are all controlled to maintain the exhaust position, and all the treatment air bags 3 to 5 are contracted and maintained in a flat state. To use. In this use, the air bags 3 to 5 in the contracted state can be freely deformed, and the air bags 3 to 5 do not give a hard different texture to the user lying on the mat body 2 and the mat body The feeling of use of No. 2 can be improved.

When the neck massage mechanism 6 is not in use, the air supply / exhaust valve 30 is controlled so as to maintain the air supply position, so that the air bag 13 is kept in an inflated state. When the neck massage mechanism 6 is not used, the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is first selected to be in the air supply position, and is then controlled to hold the closed position after a certain period of time. Therefore, a predetermined amount of air is supplied to the expansion / contraction body 14, and the expansion / contraction body 14 is held in an expanded state. At this time, the pair of escape portions 14a prevent the central portion of the expandable and contractable body 14 in the longitudinal direction from bulging so as to largely project.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 2 (A), the upper surface of the inflated and deflated body 14 which is inflated and held is disposed at substantially the same height as the body support surface 2c of the mat member 2a, so that the body to the recess 11 is placed. Can be prevented from falling. Not only that, since the upper part of the expansion / contraction body 14 is located above the hard massaging element 12, the body of the user who is laid and supported by the mat body 1 substantially pushes the massaging element 12, It is possible to prevent feeling a foreign body. Moreover, since the expansion / contraction body 14 is an air bag and has cushioning properties, the feel of being supported by it is also good.

Therefore, in the non-massage state of the neck massage mechanism 6, the usability as a normal mat can be improved even though the mechanism 6 has the hard massaging element 12.

When massaging the neck of the user using the neck massaging mechanism 6, the state shown in FIG. 2 (B) and the state shown in FIG. 2 (C) are repeated a predetermined number of times,
A massage is given.

In the state shown in FIG. 2B, the supply / exhaust valve 30
After switching to the exhaust position and the expansion / contraction body 14 is in the contracted state, the supply / exhaust valve 30 is held as it is or in the closed position. In this state, the supply / exhaust valve 31
Since the air supply position and the air exhaust position are repeatedly selected, when the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is in the air supply position, the pair of bag portions 13a are inflated for a certain period of time to be in the state shown in FIG. 2 (C). When the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is in the exhaust position, the pair of bag portions 13a contracts for a certain period of time.
The state shown in FIG.

In the state shown in FIG. 2C, the expanded bag portion 13
The treatment element 12 above it projects upward from the recess 11 by a, deforming the cover 2a, and pressing the user's neck in a point-like manner from the rear direction. At this time, the inflatable body 14 that is contracted and held in a flat state follows the movement of the air bag 13 due to its flexibility. In the state of FIG. 2 (B), since the bag portion 13a is pushed by the body via the treatment element 12 and the bag portion 13a contracts, the treatment element 2 releases the pressure on the neck portion of the user and is pushed by the neck portion so that the inside of the recess 11 is depressed. Pushed back to.

As described above, in the mat type massage machine 1 having the above-mentioned structure, the neck massage mechanism 6 is operated to press the user's neck from both sides in the width direction in a dotted manner by using the hard massaging elements 12. Acupressure type massage can be realized, and when the mat type massage machine 1 is used as a normal mat in a non-massage state, it is possible to suppress the user from feeling the hard massager 12 and improve the sleeping comfort.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Since the second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, the same components are given the same reference numerals as the corresponding portions of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted. A different configuration will be described.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the expansion / contraction body. For details, the expansion / contraction body 14 of the second embodiment.
Is formed of an air bag 15 and an elastically deformable sponge-like cushion 16 accommodated therein.
The expansion / contraction body 14 is contracted as shown in FIGS. 4 (B) and 4 (C) by sucking air into the air bag 15.
By supplying air into the air bag 15, the cushion 16 is restored to be thick due to its elasticity.
The air bag 15 is inflated as shown in FIG. The air supply / exhaust system is provided with a suction pump connected to the air bag 15 to suck the air in the bag 15, and an electromagnetic supply / exhaust valve (not shown) for maintaining the suction state. The configuration other than the points described above is the same as that of the first embodiment, including the portion not shown in FIG.

Therefore, also in the second embodiment, since the same operation as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, the object of the present invention can be achieved.

5 to 7 show a third embodiment of the present invention. Since the third embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment and the description thereof is omitted. A different configuration will be described.

The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the neck massage mechanism. Specifically, the neck massage mechanism 6 of the third embodiment is formed of a treatment element driving air bag 41 installed on the body support surface 2c and a treatment air bag 42 stacked on the treatment element driving air bag 41.

The air bag 41 is formed by connecting a pair of bag portions 41a arranged side by side in the width direction of the mat body 2 with a non-inflatable sheet portion 41b. Used as a mounting part of.
However, the pair of bag portions 41a may form mutually independent air bags.

In order to inflate and inflate the air bag 41, the air tube 36 connected to the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is bifurcated as shown in FIG. 7, and each branch portion is a pair of air bags 41. Are individually connected to the bag portion 41a. The expansion and contraction of each bag portion 41a of the air bag 41 is performed in synchronization with the control unit 22 by the air supply / exhaust valve 31 repeatedly selecting the air supply position and the air exhaust position.

The treatment air bag 42 also includes the mat body 2
Is formed by connecting a pair of bag portions 42a arranged side by side in the width direction with a non-expandable sheet portion 42b, and the non-expandable sheet portion 42b is used as a mounting portion to the mat body 2. However, the pair of bag portions 42a may form mutually independent air bags. The bag portion 42a of the air bag 42 is smaller than the bag portion 41a of the treatment element driving air bag 41.

The bag portion 42a has a disk shape in a contracted state, and has a spherical shape in an expanded state so as to press the neck portion of the user in a point shape and to substantially expand the shape. Retained. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the air tube 36 connected to the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is bifurcated, and each branched portion is individually connected to the pair of bag portions 42 a of the air bag 42. . When the air bag 42 is used, the air supply / exhaust valve 31 is first selected in the air supply position, and then controlled to hold the closed position after a predetermined time. Therefore, a predetermined amount of air keeps the air bag 42 in an inflated state.

Further, the air tube 36 is provided with a control valve 43 whose valve opening can be arbitrarily changed by the controller 22. The valve 43 and the control unit 22 are provided in the air bag 42.
The hardness changing means for adjusting the hardness in the expanded and retained state is formed. By this changing means, the amount and pressure of air supplied to the bag portion 42a of the air bag 42 can be changed, and the bag portion 42a can be adjusted to any hardness desired by the user.
The configuration other than the points described above is the same as that of the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), the air bag overlapped with the back side of the bag portion 42a in a state where the bag portion 42a of the treatment air bag 42 is expanded and held in a spherical shape. The bag portion 41a of 41 is inflated as shown in FIG. 6 (C) and repeatedly contracted after a certain period of time, so that the neck portion of the user is rigidly inflated and held from both sides in the width direction of the bag portion 42a. Shiatsu massage that presses in points can be done.

Both air bags 4 when not massaged
Each of the bag portions 41a and 42a of Nos. 1 and 42 contracts and is held in a flat state as shown in FIG. 6 (A). Since both of the air bags 41 and 42 can be freely deformed, the air bag 41,
42 does not give a hard and different texture to the user lying on the mat body 2, and the feeling of use of the mat body 2 can be improved.

As described above, also in the mat type massage machine 1 of the third embodiment, by operating the neck massage mechanism 6, the neck of the user is dotted with the hard massaging elements 12 from both sides in the width direction. It is possible to realize a shiatsu massage to be pressed to the user, and when the mat type massage machine 1 is used as a normal mat in a non-massage state, it is possible to suppress the user from feeling the hard massager 12 and improve the sleeping comfort. .

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the massage mechanism is not limited to the neck part, and can be applied to the leg, the waist, the back, the hand, etc. by appropriately selecting the location of placement on the body of the massage machine.

[0047]

The present invention is carried out in the form as described above, and has the following effects.

According to the inventions according to claims 1 to 3, the treatment element driving means causes the treatment element to be retracted from the concave portion of the massage machine main body so that the portion to be treated of the user supported by the massage machine main body is formed into a dot shape. Since it can be pressed, it does not impair the massage function, and in the non-massage state it can suppress the user's feeling of the hardness of the hard massager due to the expansion and contraction body, so the massage feeling can be improved in the non-massage state Machine can be provided.

According to the inventions of claims 4 and 5, by expanding the treatment element moving air bag and the treatment air bag, the portion to be treated of the user supported by the main body of the massage machine is formed into dots. Since it can be pressed, the massage function is not impaired, and both airbags can be contracted in the non-massage state to prevent the user from feeling these hardnesses, so the comfort in the non-massage state can be improved. A massage machine can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mat type massage machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2A to 2C are cross-sectional views showing different states of the neck massage mechanism along line ZZ in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an air supply / exhaust system of the massage machine of FIG. 1.

4A to 4C are cross-sectional views showing different states of the neck massage mechanism included in the mat type massage machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a mat type massage machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

6A to 6C are cross-sectional views showing different states of the neck massage mechanism along the line YY in FIG.

7 is a block diagram showing an air supply / exhaust system of the massage machine of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Mat type massage machine (massage machine) 2 ... Mat body (massage machine body) 6 ... Neck massage mechanism (massage mechanism for point stimulation) 7 ... Air supply / exhaust device 11 ... Recess 12 ... Massager treatment element 13 ... Air bag (treatment element driving means of massage mechanism) 14 ... Expansion / contraction body 14a of massage mechanism ... Escape portion 15 ... Air bag 16 of expansion / contraction body ... Cushion 22 of expansion / contraction body ... Control unit (hardness changing means) 41 ... Treatment element drive air bag 42 ... Treatment air bag 43 ... Control valve (hardness changing means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A massaging machine main body having a concave portion, and a massaging machine main body supporting a massaging element which presses a treatment area of a user in a point shape and whose shape is not substantially changed. Is housed in the recess having a treatment element drive means for retracting the treatment element into and out of the recess and an escape portion for escaping the treatment element, and can be expanded and contracted by air supply / exhaust, and substantially fills the recess during expansion. While being held
A massager comprising: a massage mechanism having an expansion / contraction body that is held in a contracted state when the treatment element drive means operates; and an air supply / exhaust device that supplies and exhausts air to / from the expansion / contraction body. 2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the expandable body is formed of an air bag. 3. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the expandable body is formed by accommodating a sponge-like cushion material in an air bag. 4. A massager main body, an air bag for moving a treatment element that is attached to the main body and expands and contracts in the thickness direction of the massager main body, and a thickness of the massager main body provided over the air bag. A massage mechanism having a treatment air bag capable of expanding and contracting in the direction and holding an inflated state and pressing the treatment site of the user in a dotted manner in the inflated and retained state; A massager equipped with an air supply and exhaust device that supplies and exhausts air. 5. The massage machine according to claim 4, further comprising hardness changing means for controlling the supply of air to the treatment air bag to adjust the hardness of the treatment air bag in an inflated and held state. ing.