JP2003310684A - Shape recognizing sensor and massage machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To overcome the disadvantages of a massage machine such as the lost-motion massage and lost-motion padding above the shoulder position, and operator's impossibility of reaching the position of a user's shoulder by adapting the amount of projection of an operating element from the backrest surface and the position in the shoulder length direction to the shape of the back of a user. <P>SOLUTION: In the back, the shape of a curve in the shoulder length direction and the shape of a curve in the posterior waist length direction are specified, whereby the shape of a user's back is recognized to specify the moving locus of the treating element 5 adapted for the shape. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shape recognition sensor applied to a massage machine capable of treating a user's back (including a waist and shoulders) with a massager, and a massager using the same. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A massage machine equipped with a massager (also called a "rubbing ball") has been known. For example,
In the case of a chair-type massage machine, the massager is provided on the backrest so that it protrudes forward.By contacting this massager with the back and moving it up and down, massage by rubbing or striking the back. Is possible.

However, the vertical movement locus of the vertical movement of the treatment element in this type of massage machine is constant, and the amount of protrusion of the treatment element from the back contact surface and the position in the shoulder width direction are as follows.
It may not fit the shape of the user's spine. Further, depending on the sitting height of the user, there is a case where the user massages or hits the ball above the shoulder position, or the treatment element does not reach the shoulder position of the user.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a shape recognition sensor and a massager capable of changing the movement locus of the treatment element according to the user. Is.

[0005]

That is, the present invention is applied to a massage machine provided with a massager which projects from a back-rest surface and abuts against a user's back. The shape recognition sensor is capable of recognizing and specifying the movement trajectory of the treatment element that conforms to the shape.

A method of recognizing the shape of the back is performed by specifying a curved shape in the width direction of the shoulder and a curved shape in the back length direction.

According to such a shape recognition sensor, in the massage machine, the amount of protrusion of the treatment element from the back contact surface and the position in the shoulder width direction can be adapted to the shape of the back of the user, and the shoulder can be adjusted. It is possible to solve problems such as rubbing and hitting in the air above the position, and the treatment element not reaching the shoulder position of the user.

Further, in order to eliminate the need for a complicated structure, the detecting portion having a contact portion protruding forward toward the user's back and movable in the front-rear direction and the shoulder width direction is fixed in the height direction. Or, it is provided at an indefinite interval, and the contact portion of each detection portion is moved in the shoulder width direction while being in contact with the user's back, and the protrusion distance of the contact portion at any position is read to determine the An example is one that specifies the curved shape in the shoulder width direction and the curved shape in the height direction.

Further, according to the present invention, the back of the user's back is identified by specifying the treatment element that projects forward from the back rest surface and contacts the back of the user, and the curved shape in the shoulder width direction and the curved shape in the back length direction of the back. A shape recognition sensor capable of recognizing the shape of the treatment element and specifying the movement trajectory of the treatment element that conforms to the shape, and the protrusion amount from the back rest surface of the treatment element and the position in the shoulder width direction are determined according to the movement trajectory. The massage machine is configured so that the treatment element can be reciprocally moved in the height direction while being changed.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The massage chair according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a seat 2, a backrest 3, an ottoman (not shown) capable of treating the feet, and a back motion by a rolling motion or a rocking motion. And a pair of treatment elements 5 that perform massage by rubbing or tapping. More specifically, armrests 6 are provided on the left and right sides of the seat 2, the backrest 3 can be tilted back and forth by an electric cylinder or the like, and the ottoman can be pressed against the foot portion by expansion and contraction. A compression bag is provided, and each treatment element 5 projects forward from the backrest surface 31 so that it can be moved up and down.

The massage chair according to this embodiment is provided with a shape recognition sensor described below.

This shape recognition sensor is composed of a plurality of detection units 71 provided at regular intervals in the height direction and a control unit for controlling the detection units 71.

Each of the detecting portions 71 is a contact portion 72 which can be freely moved in the front-rear direction and the shoulder width direction by a driving portion.
It is equipped with. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the contact portion 72 is projected forward from the drive portion, and by changing the protrusion distance 8 thereof, the contact portion 72 is always kept in contact with the user 10. It can be moved in the shoulder width direction while abutting on the back of the. In the present embodiment, each detection unit 71 is arranged inside the backrest 3 so that the contact portion 72 contacts the back of the user 10 via the backrest surface 31. is there. Further, in the present embodiment, the uppermost detection part 71 is arranged at the upper end inside the backrest 3, and the lowermost detection part 71 is placed on the backrest 3.
It is arranged at the lower end inside.

The control unit is a known microcomputer provided with a CPU and a storage means such as a semiconductor memory for storing programs and various data, and the abutting portion 72 of each detecting portion 71 is used by the user 10. When moved in the shoulder width direction while abutting against the back, the abutting portion 7 is placed at an arbitrary position.
The role of reading the protrusion distance 8 of 2 and the read contact portion 7
The role of recognizing the shape of the back by specifying the curved shape in the shoulder width direction and the curved shape in the height direction on the back from the protrusion distance 8 of 2 and the movement locus of the treatment element 5 that matches the recognized back shape. A role and a role of controlling the elevating mechanism of the treatment element 5 so that the treatment element 5 moves along the movement locus,
It has a role of storing the movement track. In addition, the curved shape of the back in the shoulder width direction has a contact portion 7 of each detection portion 71.
It is possible to identify from the change in the protrusion distance 8 of the contact portion 72 when 2 is moved in the shoulder width direction, and the more the number of reading portions of the protrusion distance 8 is, the more accurate the curved shape in the shoulder width direction can be identified. Is. On the other hand, the curved shape of the back in the height direction is defined by the contact portions 72 of all the detection portions 71.
It is determined by comprehensively determining the change in the protrusion distance 8 and the more the number of the detection units 71, the more accurate the curved shape in the height direction can be specified. The protrusion distance 8
2 is obtained from the isolation distance between the preset virtual reference line M and the contact portion 72, as shown in FIGS. Also,
Among the roles of the control unit, the role of specifying the movement trajectory of the treatment element 5 that matches the recognized back shape is performed from an empirical or medical point of view.

When using the massage chair having the shape recognition sensor as described above, the controller (not shown) is operated to operate the shape recognition sensor.
Then, each detection unit 71 operates and each contact portion 72
Moves in the shoulder width direction while contacting the back of the user 10. Then, the control unit reads the protrusion distance 8 of each contact portion 72, identifies the curved shape in the length direction and the curved shape in the shoulder width direction, and recognizes the shape of the back extending from the shoulder portion to the waist portion of the user 10. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, it is possible to specify the movement locus suitable for the shape. As a result, the treatment element 5 reciprocates in the height direction while changing the protrusion amount of the treatment element 5 from the back contact surface 31 and the position in the shoulder width direction according to the movement locus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Become.

Therefore, in the massage chair as described above, the treatment element 5 is in a state in which the amount of protrusion of the treatment element 5 from the back contact surface 31 and the position in the shoulder width direction conform to the shape of the back of the user 10. Since it reciprocates in the height direction, a good massage effect can be obtained as a result. In addition, like the conventional massage chair, the treatment element 5
Does not occur such that the user does not reach the shoulder position of the user 10, and there is no problem such as rubbing or hitting in the air above the shoulder position.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned illustrated example. For example, the detection units may be provided at irregular intervals in the height direction, or one detection unit may be provided and moved up and down to read the protrusion amount of the contact portion at a predetermined height position. Good. Alternatively, the movement loci of a plurality of persons may be stored, and the movement loci of each person may be extracted by operating the controller when each person uses it.

[0019]

According to the shape recognition sensor of the present invention as described above, in the massage machine, the amount of protrusion of the treatment element from the back contact surface and the position in the shoulder width direction can be adapted to the shape of the user's back. In addition, it is possible to eliminate problems such as rubbing and hitting in the air above the shoulder position, and the treatment element not reaching the shoulder position of the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a massage chair according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a detection unit of the massage chair according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a detection unit of the massage chair according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a movement locus in the height direction of the massager of the massage chair according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a locus of movement of the massager of the massage chair in the height direction in the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a movement locus in the height direction of the treatment element of the massage chair according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a movement locus in the height direction of the massager of the massage chair according to the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 treatment child 10 users 31 Back 71 Detector 72 Contact part 8 Projection distance

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A massage machine having a massager (5) protruding from a back-rest surface (31) and abutting against the back of a user (10), wherein the back has a curved shape in the shoulder width direction. A shape recognition sensor capable of recognizing the shape of the back of the user (10) by specifying the curved shape in the height direction and specifying the movement trajectory of the treatment element (5) that matches the shape. 2. A detection part (71) having a contact part (72) protruding forward toward the back of the user (10) and movable in the front-rear direction and the shoulder width direction is fixed in the height direction or The contact portions (72) of the respective detection portions (71) are moved in the shoulder width direction while being in contact with the back of the user (10), and the contact portions (72) are provided at arbitrary positions. 3. The shape recognition sensor according to claim 1, wherein the curved shape of the back in the shoulder width direction and the curved shape of the back in the height direction are specified by reading the protruding distance (8). 3. A treatment element (5) projecting forward from the back-rest surface (31) and abutting against the back of the user (10), and a curved shape in the shoulder width direction and a curved shape in the back length direction of the back. With a shape recognition sensor capable of recognizing the shape of the back of the user (10) and specifying the movement trajectory of the treatment element (5) conforming to the shape, the back contact surface of the treatment element (5) ( 31) A massager configured such that the treatment element (5) can be reciprocally moved in the height direction while changing the amount of protrusion from 31) and the position in the shoulder width direction according to the movement locus.