JP2004073881A - Massage machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a massage machine which can suitably massage a human body corresponding to a physique and positions of a human body. <P>SOLUTION: This massage machine is equipped with a means to change a projecting amount of a therapeutical element 5 toward a human body side, a pressure detecting means to detect pressure applied on the therapeutical element 5 by a human body, and a moving means to vertically move the therapeutical element. A back shape of the human body is obtained from an output of the pressure detecting means upon vertically moving the therapeutical element 5 and a projecting amount of the therapeutical element 5 is controlled based on the obtained back shape of the human body. Pressure detected by the pressure detecting means during therapy by the therapeutical element 5 and a preset standard value of pressure are compared to correct a projection amount of the therapeutical element 5. The preset standard value of pressure is changed by positions of the human body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The present invention relates to a massage machine in which the amount of the treatment element protruding toward the human body is variable and the treatment element can be moved up and down.

There is a massage machine having an automatic treatment function for performing massage while sequentially changing the operation mode, operation position, operation time, and the like of the treatment element based on a preset program. In this case, a pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure applied to the treatment element from the human body is provided so that the massage can be performed in a state in which the physique of the human body is grasped, and the pressure detection means when the treatment element is moved up and down is provided. The back shape of the human body is obtained from the output, and the protrusion amount of the treatment element is controlled based on the obtained back shape of the human body.

At this time, the protruding amount of the treatment element is controlled so that a massage of the same strength can be obtained in a part such as a shoulder or a waist of a human body. Sometimes too strong.
JP-A-4-343846

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and has as its object to provide a massage machine that can always obtain an appropriate massage according to the physique and a part of a human body.

In order to solve the above problem, a massage machine according to the present invention includes a means for changing the amount of protrusion of the treatment element toward the human body, a pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure applied to the treatment element from the human body, and Moving means for moving the treatment element up and down, obtaining the back shape of the human body from the output of the pressure detecting means when the treatment element is moved up and down, and controlling the protrusion amount of the treatment element based on the obtained human body back shape. A massager for correcting the amount of protrusion of the treatment element by comparing the detected pressure of the pressure detecting means during treatment by the treatment element with a preset pressure reference value, and the set pressure reference value Is characterized in that its value differs depending on the part of the human body.

In this case, it is preferable to reduce the protrusion amount by detecting a pressure exceeding the set pressure reference value, and it is also preferable to make the set pressure reference value variable.

The present invention seeks the back shape of the human body and controls the amount of protrusion of the treatment element based on the obtained back shape of the human body, wherein the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means during treatment by the treatment element is set in advance. In addition to correcting the amount of protrusion of the treatment element by comparing with the pressure reference value, since the set pressure reference value differs depending on the part of the human body, an appropriate pressure corresponding to the part of the human body is set. You can get a massage.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment. The illustrated massage machine is incorporated in the back of a chair or in a bed. In the illustrated example, as shown in FIG. 4, the chair can be reclined freely. Show what is built into the backrest. In this chair, a seat 82 and an armrest 83 are provided on a lower frame 81 framed by a pipe, and a lower portion of a frame 85 of a backrest 84 is pivotally connected to the lower frame 81, and a gas spring is provided between the lower end of the frame 85 and the lower frame 81. The backrest 84 can be reclined by the expansion and contraction of the gas spring 86 by the operation of a lever 87 provided on the side of the armrest 83, and the frame 85 on both sides of the backrest 84 has a U-shaped cross section. The pair of rails 90 facing each other are fixed. A headrest 88 is provided at the upper end of the backrest 84, and support bands 89 are provided vertically on both sides of the back surface of the cover sheet provided up to the headrest 88 on the front surface of the backrest 84. Racks 91, 91 are fixed to the opening edges of the pair of rails 90, 90 along the longitudinal direction, respectively. A massage machine having a meshing pinion 17 is installed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the massage machine includes a motor block 20 at one end and a speed reducer block 19 at the other end, and the rollers 18 and the pinion 17 that is driven to rotate are protruded from both blocks 20 and 19. The main shaft 1, the screw shaft 14, and the auxiliary shaft 13 are provided between the blocks 20, 19. The auxiliary shaft 13 whose both ends are supported by both blocks 20 and 19 is connected to the main shaft 1, the screw shaft 14, and the rotary shaft 15 via a pair of rotating plates 15 and 15 rotatable with respect to the auxiliary shaft 13. A rotating shaft 12 parallel to the auxiliary shaft 13 is attached so that the rotating shaft 12 can rotate around the auxiliary shaft 13. The rotating shaft 12 whose both ends are supported by the pair of rotating plates 15, 15 is rotatable with respect to the rotating plate 15. The rotating shaft 12 is formed by connecting a pair of crankshafts 12a and 12b whose eccentric directions are opposite to each other in the axial direction, and non-eccentric portions at both ends are supported by the rotating plate 15.

The main motor housed in the motor block 20 drives each of the main shaft 1, the rotary shaft 12, and the pinion 17, and also drives the rotary shaft 12 around the auxiliary shaft 13. That is, a driven shaft 31 disposed on the outer surface of the speed reducer block 19 is connected to the pulley 28 mounted on the output shaft of the motor projecting below the motor block 20 via the belt 29 and the pulley 30. The driven shaft 31 and the speed reduction mechanism in the speed reducer block 19 are connected by a clutch 33, pulleys 34 and 36, and a belt 35. A speed reduction mechanism (not shown) in the speed reducer block 19 includes a speed reduction unit and a plurality of clutches. When the clutch 33 is connected, a motor output is transmitted to the main shaft 1 or the pinion 17. Communicate selectively. A worm wheel 41 mounted on the auxiliary shaft 13 is connected to the driven shaft 31 via a clutch 32, a pulley 37, a belt 38, a pulley 39, and a worm 40, and a pulley 42 integrated with the worm wheel 41. Are connected to a pulley 43 fixed to the rotating shaft 12 by a belt 44. When the clutch 32 is connected, the motor output is transmitted to the rotating shaft 12 by each of the above members, and the rotating shaft 12 rotates around the shaft.

Further, on the outer surface of the motor block 20, a high / low motor 24 is provided, and a feed screw 25 driven by the high / low motor 24 is provided. A feed nut 26 screwed to the feed screw 25, One of the pair of rotating plates 15, 15 is connected by an extendable pressure sensor block 16. When the feed screw 25 rotates at the output of the motor 24, the feed nut 26 moving in the axial direction of the feed screw 25 moves the rotary plate 15 via the pressure sensor block 16, and as a result, the rotary plate 15 The rotary shaft 12 supported by the rotary shaft 13 rotates around the auxiliary shaft 13.

幅 The width motor 23 arranged on the outer surface of the speed reducer block 19 rotates the screw shaft 14 because the worm 22 attached to the output shaft is engaged with the worm wheel mounted on the screw shaft 14. Now, a pair of inner rings 2 and 2 are attached to the main shaft 1 at intervals. The two inner rings 2 and 2 are eccentric in the same direction with respect to the main shaft 1 by the same amount and are inclined in opposite directions, and rotate with the main shaft 1 by engagement with the ridges 11 formed on the main shaft 1. So that the outer ring 3 is freely slidable in the axial direction of the main shaft 1. One end of each of the connecting arms 6 and 6 is freely rotatably connected to the outer peripheral surface of the non-eccentric portion of each of the inner rings 2 and 2. The connecting arm 6 that slides in the axial direction of the main shaft 1 together with the inner ring 2 is screwed with the screw shaft 14, and the screw direction of the screw shaft 14 is reversed. A pair of connecting arms 6 and 6 screwed to the portions respectively move the pair of inner rings 2 and 2 closer to and away from each other as the screw shaft 14 rotates.

The middle portion of each of the arms 4 is fixed to each of the outer races 3, and a roller-shaped treatment element that is freely rotatable with respect to the arm 4 is provided at a bent portion at the tip of each arm 4. The other end of each arm 4 is connected to the rotating shaft 12 via a connecting link 8. As shown in FIG. 10, the two connecting links 8, 8 are a pair of molded halves 8a, 8b, a screw 8d for connecting the halves 8a, and a reinforcing member made of sheet metal which is put on the combined halves 8a, 8b. As shown in FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. Further, a connecting portion between the connecting link 8 and the arm 4 is also formed as a ball joint 70 so that the connecting link 8 and the arm 4 can be freely three-dimensionally rotated. The other connecting link 8 engages with a sphere 80 provided on the crankshaft 12b, which is also an eccentric part of the rotary shaft 12, and a sphere 80 provided on the crankshaft 12a which is an eccentric part of the rotary shaft 12. And . The non-eccentric portion at the center of the rotary shaft 12 and the auxiliary shaft 13 are connected to each other by a connecting plate 9 which is freely rotatable.

Next, the operation will be described. When the main shaft 1 is rotated by the main motor, the inner ring 2 that rotates together with the main shaft 1 is eccentric and inclined with respect to the main shaft 1. The treatment element 5 attached via the arm 4 to the arm 4 is restricted by the rotation of the main shaft 1 because the movement of the arm 4 is restricted by the connecting link 8, as shown in FIGS. A motion that draws a dimensional trajectory TR, that is, a motion that changes the position in the up-down direction, the axial direction of the main shaft 1, and the protruding direction from the main shaft 1 is performed. FIG. 7 shows the trajectory TR when the treatment element 5 is viewed from the front. The pair of treatment elements 5 and 5 that perform such a movement symmetrically give a so-called “sticky massage” massage to the back of the user. The connecting link 8 connected to the arm 4 via the ball joint 70 swings up, down, left and right with the rotation of the inner ring 2. The connecting link 8 and the rotating shaft 12 constitute a ball joint. The operation of the treatment element 5 is performed smoothly since the treatment elements 5 are connected via the sphere 80.

When the rotation shaft 12 is rotated around the auxiliary shaft 13 via the pressure sensor block 16 and the rotation plate 15 by rotating the feed screw 25 by the high / low motor 24, the arm 4 and the outer race 3 Is rotated around the inner ring 2 and the treatment element 5 changes the amount of projection in the front direction where the back of the user is located. And a weak fir massage can be selectively performed. It is possible to adjust the strength.

When the rotary shaft 12 is rotated around the main shaft 1 as shown in FIG. 8 instead of the main shaft 1, the connecting link 8 that is moved as the crankshafts 12a and 12b, which are eccentric portions of the rotary shaft 12, rotates, The arm 4 connected via the joint 70 is moved. At this time, the movement of the arm 4 turns around the stopped inner ring 2 together with the outer ring 3. Depending on the position of the inner ring 2, the child 5 is substantially linearly reciprocated in a vertical direction when viewed from the front, and performs tapping massage. Since the respective eccentric directions of the two crankshafts 12a and 12b of the rotary shaft 12 are opposite to each other, the tapping operation by the pair of treatment elements 5 and 5 is performed alternately.

(4) When the pinion 17 is rotated by the main motor, the massager moves the chair backrest 84 up and down along the rail 90 due to the engagement between the rack 91 and the pinion 17. Therefore, the position of the treatment element 5 can be changed up and down. At this time, a rolling massage in which the treatment element 5 moves while rubbing the back of the human body can be obtained. Further, when the screw shaft 14 is rotated by the width motor 23, the treatment element 5 moves in the axial direction of the main shaft 1 as shown by a chain line in FIG. The position of the treatment element 5 in the axial direction can be changed depending on whether the part to be treated is the shoulder or the neck.

In this massage machine that selectively performs the massage and the tapping massage as described above, the pressure sensor block 16 connected to the arm 4 via the connection link 8 and the rotation shaft 12 and the rotation plate 15 includes a treatment element. The reaction force when the body 5 presses the human body from the back surface acts as a pulling force via the arm 4 and the rotating plate 15. FIG. 11 shows the pressure sensor block 16. In the figure, reference numeral 160 denotes a sensor box connected to the rotating plate 15, and 161 denotes a sensor shaft connected to the feed nut 26. The above-mentioned tensile force compresses the spring 163 disposed between the spring holding plate 162 disposed at one end of the sensor shaft 161 and the sensor box 160, and protrudes from the displacement sensor 164 attached to the sensor box 160 and the sensor shaft 161. 165 is widened. The pressure applied to the treatment element 5 is detected by detecting the change in the interval with the movable pin 166 of the displacement sensor 165. As described above, if pressure is detected by detecting mechanical displacement, there is an advantage in terms of cost.

FIG. 12 shows another example of the pressure sensor block 16. In this example, the movement of the sensor shaft 161 with respect to the sensor box 160 can be freely rotated with respect to the sensor box 160, and the cam groove 168 provided on the sensor shaft 161. The pressure is detected by converting the rotation into the rotation of the variable resistor 167 that is engaged with. In this case, downsizing can be achieved and mounting restrictions are reduced.

Now, in a massage machine having such a pressure sensor block 16 and a mechanism capable of changing the amount of protrusion of the treatment element 5 toward the human body, as shown in FIG. The massage machine is moved up and down while maintaining the state of protruding by a certain amount toward the side, and the pressure applied to the treatment element 5 during this time is detected by the pressure sensor block 16, and if the pressure distribution is taken, the pressure Since the height indicates the back position of the human body, it is possible to automatically determine the shoulder position of the human body by plotting the back shape of the human body, and this data is stored and stored in this data. By controlling the amount of protrusion of the treatment element 5 based on this, it is possible to perform appropriate treatment at an appropriate position appropriate for the physique of the human body. Also, during treatment, the pressure obtained from the pressure sensor block 16 is fed back to control the amount of protrusion of the treatment element 5, so that treatment can be performed with a constant strength, and the user changes his or her posture during treatment. Will be able to respond.

Further, since the shoulder position of the user can be automatically determined from the above pressure distribution, the range to be treated by the treatment element 5 is recognized as a neck region, for example, 10 cm above the determined shoulder position as shown in FIG. However, even above the moving range AR of the treatment element 5, the treatment operation is prohibited above, thereby eliminating the risk of performing the treatment operation on the head. At the time of the feedback in which the amount of protrusion of the treatment element is corrected by comparison with a preset pressure reference value, by making the set pressure reference value different depending on the part of the human body, massage of a preferable strength for each part is performed. It can be performed. The strength of the treatment may be selectable by the user.

In order to determine the shoulder position from the pressure distribution, for example, the treatment element 5 is moved downward from the upper end of the upper and lower movement area with the amount of projection of the treatment element 5 being maximized, and the pressure distribution during this period is taken. As shown in FIG. 13, a position where the detected pressure value P exceeds a predetermined pressure value Ps is set as a shoulder position, or as shown in FIG. 14, a predetermined section (ab, bc) of the movement of the treatment element 5 is performed. ., Cd), the pressure change rate δ ((Pb−Pa) / (ab), (Pc−Pb) / (bc), (Pd−Pc) / (cd)) is determined. When the pressure change rate δ exceeds a predetermined value δs, the start point of the section is set to the shoulder position (when the value of (Pd−Pc) / (cd) exceeds the predetermined value, the point c is set to the shoulder position). Or by differentiating the pressure change to obtain a change rate δ, and a point where the change rate δ exceeds a predetermined value δs is determined as a shoulder position. Bayoi. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, if the movement distances L1 and L2 of the treatment element 5 within a certain pressure difference P0 exceed the predetermined distance L, the start point of the movement is set to the shoulder position (L1 <L ≦ L2). For example, the point b in the figure may be the shoulder position). A shoulder position may be obtained by each of these methods, and a position determined as a shoulder position by two or more methods may be used as the shoulder position.

As shown in FIG. 16, a position where the pressure value P is higher than the statistical average pressure value Pav at the average shoulder position when measuring the shoulder positions of a large number of people is defined as the shoulder position (point a in the figure). When the shoulder position cannot be determined by this, that is, when the pressure distribution is not A but B and the pressure value P does not reach the pressure value Pav, the shoulder position cannot be determined. It is also conceivable that Sav is the shoulder position b of the person. In the figure, c indicates a statistical central value.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 17 does not rely on any one of the above methods to determine the shoulder position, but instead performs the shoulder position determination by each method sequentially, and can determine the shoulder position by any method. Sometimes, the shoulder position determination operation is stopped at that time, and when the shoulder position cannot be determined, this operation is repeated a plurality of times. When the shoulder position still cannot be determined, the statistical average shoulder position Sav is changed to the shoulder position. Is shown. Note that the movement of the treatment element 5 for measuring the pressure distribution is preferably performed by moving the treatment element 5 from above to below as described above. This is because the pressure value P shifts from a state in which the pressure value P is zero to a state in which the pressure element P is increased by the treatment element 5 hitting the shoulder, so that the shoulder position can be easily determined.

In addition, due to the structural limitation of the detection member of the vertical position, the vertical position can be detected only in a stepwise manner at a certain interval, and the vertical position of the treatment element 5 can be set only at this interval. As shown in FIG. 18, when an intermediate position between the upper and lower positions a and b which can be detected is determined as a shoulder position, one of the positions a and b must be set as a shoulder position. When such ambiguity occurs, in performing the shoulder position determination operation while moving the treatment element 5 up and down, the time t _ab required for the movement between the points a and b and the time t _ab passing through any point, for example, the point a, are passed. From the time t until the treatment element 5 comes to the upper and lower position determined as the shoulder position after that, which point a or b is closer to the position determined as the shoulder position is determined as the degree of ambiguity. Point, the case shown in FIG. If it may be the shoulder position on the control point a.

In the measurement, the treatment element 5 may be moved up and down while controlling the amount of protrusion of the treatment element 5 so that the pressure detected by the pressure sensor block 16 is constant. FIG. 2 shows this case. Also in this case, it is possible to determine the shoulder position from the value of the protrusion amount, the change rate of the protrusion amount, and the like. Further, such a measurement operation of the human body shape can be performed not only in the vertical direction but also in the width direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 19, a spring 2b is interposed between the connecting arm 6 and the inner ring 2 so that the spring 2b bends when the pair of treatment elements 5, 5 sandwiches a human body. A sensor that can measure the amount of deflection is prepared, and the width position of the treatment element 5 is adjusted so that the force for pinching the human body by the pair of treatment elements 5 and 5 that can be detected as the amount of deflection of the spring 2b is constant. By moving up and down while performing, as shown in FIG. 20, the side shape (width) of the human body can be captured as data. In this case, more appropriate treatment can be performed in order to make the user's physique more clear, and since the thickness of the neck can be taken in as data, the force for pinching the neck is large, and The situation that gives danger can be avoided. Of course, by feeding back this data even during treatment, it is possible to prevent the pinching force from becoming excessive.

The measurement of the pressure applied to the treatment element 5 may be performed by measuring the motor current of the main motor that causes the treatment element 5 to perform the treatment operation. That is, the treatment element 5 periodically changes the amount of protrusion toward the human body during the fir operation as shown in FIG. 21, and the fir pressure also changes periodically with this. Although the relative current value Ia is proportional to the fir pressure, the absolute current value Ib depends on the shape and physique of the human body, and can be used for measuring the shape of the human body. If the pressure is detected from the motor current in this way, it is not necessary to provide a separate pressure sensor, and the pressure during treatment can be detected without delay, and abnormal stop can be easily performed.

It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of one Example. It is another operation | movement explanatory drawing same as the above. It is a perspective view same as the above. It is a perspective view of the chair provided with the same as the above. It is a fracture | rupture top view same as the above. It is a fracture | rupture side view which shows operation | movement of a massage massage same as the above. It is a front view which shows the locus | trajectory of the movement of a treatment element at the time of a fir massage same as the above. It is a fracture | rupture side view which shows operation | movement of a tapping massage same as the above. It is a fracture | rupture side view which shows the movement when the reaction force is added by the same massage as the above. It is an exploded perspective view of the connection link same as the above. It is sectional drawing of a pressure sensor block same as the above. 6A and 6B show another example of the pressure sensor block, in which FIG. 6A is a plan view and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the shoulder position determination from a pressure distribution. It is explanatory drawing of another example of a shoulder position discrimination from a pressure distribution. It is explanatory drawing of another example of the shoulder position discrimination from a pressure distribution. It is explanatory drawing of an example of a shoulder position determination. It is a flowchart of an example of a shoulder position determination routine. It is explanatory drawing of another example of a shoulder position determination. It is a fracture | rupture top view of another Example. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing same as the above. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a change in motor current. It is explanatory drawing which shows the treatment operation range of a treatment element.

Explanation of reference numerals

5 treatment child

Claims (3)

Means for changing the amount of protrusion of the treatment element toward the human body, pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure applied to the treatment element from the human body, and moving means for moving the treatment element in the up-down direction. A massaging machine that obtains the back shape of the human body from the output of the pressure detecting means at the time of control, and controls the amount of protrusion of the treatment element based on the obtained human body back shape, wherein the pressure detection means during treatment by the treatment element The detected pressure and the correction of the amount of protrusion of the treatment element by comparison with a preset pressure reference value, and the set pressure reference value is different in its value depending on the part of the human body, Massage machine. 2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the amount of protrusion is reduced by detecting a pressure exceeding a set pressure reference value. 2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the set pressure reference value is variable.

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