JP2005304960A - Massage machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently return blood to a heart by adding uniform pressure to a part to be treated, in a massage machine using a shape memory alloy body as an actuator. <P>SOLUTION: A voltage which is PWM-controlled by a controller B is applied to the shape memory alloy body 4 of a treatment belt A so as to supply prescribed power. Accordingly temperature is raised by self-heating. When temperature reaches the one not less than the temperature corresponding to an austenite transformation point, the shape memory alloy body 4 is transformed and contracted. Then mobile electrode parts 2a, 2b are moved on a flexible sheet 1 to the sides of constant electrode parts 3a, 3b. Consequently, elastic sheets 6a, 6b are pulled and the diameter of the whole treatment belt A is reduced so as to pressurize the part to be treated X. Then a blood stream is returned to the heart. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a massage device using transformation of a shape memory alloy body.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, massage devices have been provided that perform massage using the stretching force of martensitic transformation and austenite transformation of shape memory alloy bodies (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-48053 A

  Conventional massage equipment wraps around the treatment target area of the upper limbs and lower limbs with an actuator configured by knitting a shape memory alloy body into a mesh shape, and in this state, the shape memory alloy body is energized to expand and contract to treat the treatment target area Massage was performed by applying pressure (pressure) to the body.

  However, since the shape memory alloy body is a hard metal, when it is worn so as to wrap around the treatment site, it is impossible to apply a uniform pressure on the muscle side, and blood is sent back to the heart side to reduce blood flow at the treatment site. There was a problem that the massage effect to improve was not enough.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. The object of the present invention is to apply a uniform pressure to a treatment site in a massaging device using a shape memory alloy body as an actuator, and to efficiently blood. The object is to provide a massage device that can be sent back to.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an actuator comprising a shape memory alloy portion and an annular shape that is interposed between both end portions of the actuator so as to be wound around the body treatment site together with the actuator. The shape memory alloy body portion is transformed by alternately repeating a heating period and a cooling period by controlling energization to the elastic sheet constituting the treatment zone and the shape memory alloy body portion, and the both ends of the actuator. And a drive control unit that expands and contracts with respect to the central part.

  According to the invention of claim 1, the elastic sheet is arranged on the muscle side of the body treatment site, the actuator made of the shape memory alloy body part is arranged on the bone side, and the treatment band is wound, whereby the shape memory alloy When the body contracts, the muscle side can be compressed with a uniform force as a whole through the elastic sheet, so the effect of sending blood back to the heart is high, resulting in a massage effect that improves blood flow. If the actuator side is placed on the muscle side of the treatment site and the elastic sheet side is placed on the bone side, the force that compresses the muscle side varies depending on the site due to the hardness of the shape memory alloy body part. The distribution changes the stimulus given to the treatment site and works effectively against the massage effect by the stimulus.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the actuator includes two sets of shape memory alloy bodies each having a fixed end at one end and a free end at the other end, and each fixed end at a central portion. It is characterized by being arranged so that the free end of each is located on both end sides.

  According to the invention of claim 2, by pulling the elastic sheet interposed between both ends at the time of contraction of the actuator from both ends, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the force with which the elastic sheet presses against the treatment site, Therefore, when the elastic sheet is positioned on the muscle side, the massage effect that improves blood flow can be further enhanced.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the elastic sheet is provided with connecting means for interveningly connecting the both end portions of the actuator in a separable manner.

  According to invention of Claim 3, it can attach or detach easily with respect to the treatment site | part of an upper limb or a lower limb, and usability improves.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the actuator includes a flexible sheet positioned on the treatment site side, and a shape memory alloy body disposed on the surface side of the flexible sheet. It is comprised by the part.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the shape memory alloy body part does not directly contact the body, and therefore, unpleasant electrical stimulation is not given to the body, and the treatment area is expanded when the shape memory alloy body part is expanded and contracted. The applied force can be made uniform and the user does not feel pain during use.

  In the invention of claim 5, in the invention of claim 4, a spacer for separating the shape memory alloy body portion from the flexible sheet is provided between the flexible sheet and the shape memory alloy body portion. Features.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the shape memory alloy body portion does not contact the flexible sheet, the air contact area of the shape memory alloy body portion increases, and in the space between the shape memory alloy body portion and the flexible sheet. The heat dissipation due to convection can be improved, and the shape memory alloy body can be quickly stretched during the cooling period, and as a result, the repetition of the heating period and the cooling period can be shortened to increase the expansion and contraction of the shape memory alloy body. Can do.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the actuator is provided with a forced cooling fan device that sends air from the outside into a space between the shape memory alloy body and the flexible sheet. And

  According to the invention of claim 6, the shape memory alloy body portion can be forcibly cooled, so that the shape memory alloy body portion can be expanded more quickly during the cooling period, and as a result, the repetition of the heating period and the cooling period is shortened. Thus, the expansion and contraction of the shape memory alloy body portion can be further accelerated.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the plurality of treatment bands are wound in parallel around the treatment portion toward the heart, and the drive control unit is a shape memory alloy of the actuator. The shape memory alloy body part of the actuator is controlled so that the contraction of the body part sequentially occurs from the treatment band at the position farthest from the heart position to the treatment band at a position close to the heart position.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the blood flow can be efficiently sent to the heart by applying a force for sequentially compressing the treatment site located far from the heart to the treatment site located near the heart.

  In the present invention, the elastic sheet is arranged on the muscle side of the treatment site of the body, the actuator made of the shape memory alloy body part is arranged on the bone side, and the treatment band is wound, so that the shape memory alloy body part is contracted. The muscle side can be compressed with a uniform force as a whole through the elastic sheet, so the effect of sending blood back to the heart side is high, and the massage effect that improves blood flow is obtained. If it is arranged on the muscle side and the elastic sheet side is arranged on the bone side, the force of compressing the muscle side varies depending on the part due to the hardness of the shape memory alloy body part, and this distribution of the dispersion is given to the treatment part It has the effect of changing the stimulus and working effectively against the massage effect of the stimulus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the massage device of the present embodiment includes a belt-like flexible sheet 1, movable electrode portions 2a and 2b that are movably disposed on the surface portions at both ends of the flexible sheet 1, and a constant central portion. Fixed electrodes 3a, 3b fixedly arranged so as to be parallel to the movable electrodes 2a, 2b at intervals, and the electrodes provided on the fixed electrodes 3a, 3b corresponding to the electrodes 21 of the movable electrodes 2a, 2b The actuator is composed of a plurality of shape memory alloy bodies 4 arranged symmetrically with a plurality of shape memory alloy bodies 4 arranged in a bridge with each other, and each base 32 of both fixed electrode portions 3a and 3b. And a forced cooling fan device 5 disposed so as to have a space between the flexible sheet 1 and an elastic sheet 6a having one end connected to the base 22 of the movable electrode portions 2a and 2b. 6b constitutes a set of treatment zone A, The treatment zone A is adapted to use a plurality, as described below in order to match the length of the upper limbs and lower limbs to be treatment target.

  On the other hand, a power source that supplies power to the forced cooling fan device 5 in each treatment zone A, and a heating period that heats the shape memory alloy bodies 4 by controlling energization to the shape memory alloy bodies 4 constituting the actuator, A controller B, which is a drive control unit provided with a control circuit 7 (see FIG. 3) and the like for expanding and contracting the shape memory alloy bodies 4 by alternately generating cooling periods, is externally attached.

  Next, each component will be described in detail.

  First, the movable electrode portions 2a and 2b are provided with three pairs of electrodes 21 and 21 electrically connected to each other on a base 22 made of an insulator. On the other hand, the fixed electrode portions 3a and 3b are provided with one electrode 31 on both sides (the upper end and the lower end in the figure) and two pairs of electrodes 31 and 31 electrically connected to each other between the electrodes 31 on both sides. ing. In the drawing, the upper electrode 31 in the figure of the fixed electrode portions 3a and 3b adjacent to each other with the forced cooling fan device 5 interposed therebetween is connected by the cable 12. Accordingly, the shape memory alloy bodies 4... Bridged between the opposing electrodes 21 and 31 are electrically connected in series, and both ends of this series circuit are adjacent to each other with the forced cooling fan device 5 interposed therebetween in the figure. When the PWM controlled voltage for heating (self-heating) is applied between the electrodes 31 and 31 from the controller B via the cables 13 and 13, the shape memory alloy body 4 An energizing current flows through the series circuit of.

  Here, in the case of FIG. 1, each shape memory alloy body 4 has a very small diameter (for example, 0.8 mm) as shown in FIG. 2 (a). The electrode 21 is formed by winding in a coil shape, and is electrically and mechanically joined at one end to the electrode 21 of the movable electrode portion 2a or 2b and the other end to the electrode 31 of the fixed electrode portion 3a or 3b. , 31 is bridged. As the shape of the shape memory alloy body 4, in addition to the coil shape, a linear shape memory alloy body knitted in a mesh shape as shown in FIG. 2 (b), or a wave shape as shown in FIG. 2 (c). It may be bent and arranged.

  The flexible sheet 1 is formed of a sheet material that can be molded, such as polypropylene or vinyl chloride, and reduces the moving friction when the movable electrode portions 2a and 2b move on the flexible sheet 1. In addition, a moving friction can further be reduced by making the surface of the base | substrate 22 of the movable electrode parts 2a and 2b contact | abutted with the flexible sheet | seat 1 into a curved surface.

  The elastic sheets 6a and 6b constitute a fastening portion for wrapping and fixing the treatment band A while pre-straining the shape memory alloy bodies 4 to the upper limbs and lower limbs, and on one elastic sheet 6a or 6b side The male member 8a of the surface fastener is provided, and the other elastic sheet 6b or 6a is provided with a female member 8b that is detachably connected to the male member 8. Further, the elastic sheets 6a and 6b themselves are formed of a cloth or a resin sheet so that the elastic sheets 6a and 6b themselves can expand and contract in accordance with expansion and contraction on the actuator side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit 7 of the controller B is provided in the vicinity of the shape memory alloy body 4 of the treatment band A and is incorporated in the controller B, and a temperature sensor 70 for detecting the temperature of the shape memory alloy body 4. The temperature sensor 71 for detecting the temperature of the use environment, the database 72 including data indicating the relationship between the environmental temperature and the input power value supplied to the shape memory alloy body 4 in advance, and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 71 Based on the target power setting unit 73 for setting the target power value from the database 72 and the series circuit of the shape memory alloy bodies 4... And the DC power supply unit + E, the energization of the shape memory alloy bodies 4. A duty ratio of the current amplifier unit 74 including the switching element SW for turning off and the PWM signal corresponding to the target power value is set in advance, and P set by this duty ratio The M signal is applied to the gate of the switching element SW of the current amplifier unit 74 to control the switching operation of the switching element SW, and the heating voltage applied to the series circuit of the shape memory alloy body 4 through the switching element SW is PWMed. The control unit includes a PWM control unit 75 that controls input power (energization current) by controlling and sets a period (heating period) energized by a PWM-controlled voltage at a constant period.

  When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 70 detects that the temperature of the shape memory alloy body 4 exceeds the temperature of the austenite transformation point of the shape memory alloy body 4, the PWM controller 75 detects that the detected temperature is the temperature of the transformation point (target A function for changing the target power value so as to be maintained in the vicinity of (temperature), and a sequential energization control function for the shape memory alloy bodies 4 of a plurality of treatment bands A1 to A4 for lower limbs (or upper limbs) described later. ing.

  Next, the usage method and operation of this embodiment will be described.

  For example, when a massage is to be performed on the lower limb as the treatment site X, four treatment bands A1 to A4 are sequentially wound between the vicinity of the ankle of the lower limb and the vicinity of the knee as shown in FIG. For this winding, the shape memory alloy bodies 4 are arranged on the muscle side of the lower limbs, and the elastic sheets 6a and 6b are arranged on the bone side. At this time, it adjusts according to the thickness of the treatment site | part X around which the overlap margin of the planar fastener of elastic sheet 6a, 6b is wound. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the treatment band A in a state where the elastic sheets 6a and 6b are not connected, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the treatment band A that is formed by connecting the elastic sheets 6a and 6b. Indicates.

  Then, covers 91 to 94 shown in FIG. 4B are used as necessary to cover the corresponding portions of the shape memory alloy bodies 4 of the treatment bands A1 to A4 and the forced cooling fan device 5.

  Next, when the controller B is turned on to start the control operation, the target power value setting unit 73 of the control circuit 7 takes in the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 71 and stores the target power value to be input corresponding to the detected temperature in the database. 72 and output to the PWM controller 75. The PWM control unit 75 generates a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the received target power value. FIG. 6A shows the relationship between the environmental temperature registered in the database 72 and the input power target value.

  This PWM signal is first output to the gate of the switching element SW of the current amplifier 74 that switches the energization of the shape memory alloy body 4 of the treatment band A1 wound around the lowermost part of the lower limb, which is the treatment site X, The switching element SW is driven.

  As a result, a voltage under PWM control is applied to the shape memory alloy bodies 4... Of the treatment zone A1 as shown in FIG. As a result, the shape memory alloy bodies 4. FIG. 6C shows a temperature change of the shape memory alloy bodies 4 detected by the temperature sensor 70.

  When the temperature of the shape memory alloy bodies 4 reaches a temperature corresponding to the austenite transformation point, the shape memory alloy bodies 4 undergo transformation shrinkage. Due to this contraction, the movable electrode parts 2a, 2b move on the flexible sheet 1 to the fixed electrode parts 3a, 3b side. Therefore, the elastic sheets 6a, 6b are pulled, and before the shape memory alloy bodies 4 ... 7 (a)), the entire treatment band A1 is reduced in diameter so that the elastic sheet 6a, 6b compresses the corresponding treatment site X, particularly the muscle region (FIG. 7 (b)).

  The PWM control unit 75 continues energization by the PWM control for the treatment band A1 so that this state is maintained for a certain time T1 (FIG. 8D). On the other hand, PWM control for the switching element SW corresponding to the shape memory alloy body 4 of the actuator in the treatment zone A2 is started at time t1 when about 0.5 to 1 second has elapsed from the start time t0 of energization (FIG. 8C). As a result, the shape memory alloy body 4 of the actuator of the treatment band A2 contracts in the same manner as described above, and compresses the corresponding treatment site. In this way, energization from the shape memory alloy body 4 of the lowermost treatment band A1 to the shape memory alloy body 4 of the uppermost treatment band A4 is switched and constant as shown in FIGS. 8 (d) to 8 (a). By performing for the time T1, the blood flow can be efficiently pumped from the position farthest from the heart toward the heart, and the massage effect is increased. This effect is the so-called milking effect.

  FIGS. 9A to 9D show transition patterns of body compression in the treatment zones A1 to A4. (A) is when power is not supplied, (b) is when shifting from the compression operation of the treatment band A1 to the compression operation to the treatment band A2, and (c) is the compression operation from the compression operation of the treatment band A2 to the treatment band A3. Further, (d) shows a transition time from the compression operation of the treatment band A3 to the compression operation to the treatment band A4.

  When energization of the shape memory alloy body 4 of the actuator is stopped in each of the treatment zones A1 to A4, each shape memory alloy body 4 is cooled to a temperature below the temperature of the martensite transformation point, and the elasticity due to the spring shape In this embodiment, the controller B forcibly cools the treatment zones A1 to A4 in which the energization to the shape memory alloy body 4 is stopped in order to quickly reduce the temperature. The fan device 5 is energized, and air is blown between the shape memory alloy body 4 and the flexible sheet 1 as shown by the arrow in FIG. It returns to the state.

  As described above, the sequential energization from the shape memory alloy body 4 of the treatment band A1 to the shape memory alloy body 4 of the treatment band A1 of the treatment band A1 is repeated by clicking again at intervals of T2 for a predetermined time (0 to 10 seconds). The heating period and the cooling period are alternately repeated to enhance the massage effect. In addition, the fir tree effect which is one of the massage effects can be changed by changing this fixed time interval. Further, when the treatment bands A1 to A4 are wound around the body part, when the shape memory alloy body 4 of the actuator is disposed on the muscle side and the elastic sheets 6a and 6b are disposed on the bone side, the shape memory alloy body 4 However, because of the hard metal, the pressure applied to the muscles is uneven and pressure distribution is generated, and the effect of pumping up to the heart side of the blood flow is reduced, but the massage effect can be obtained by changing the pressure distribution it can.

  By the way, the PWM control unit 75 of the controller B of the present embodiment is such that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 70 during energization heating of the shape memory alloy bodies 4 is higher than the transformation temperature of the austenite transformation point of the shape memory alloy bodies 4. In this case, the target power value is decreased, a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the target power value is generated, and the temperature of the shape memory alloy bodies 4 is maintained at a predetermined temperature as shown in FIG. The shape memory alloy bodies 4 are prevented from deteriorating due to excessive temperature.

  The forced cooling fan device 5 may not be provided, and the shape memory alloy bodies 4 may be cooled by natural convection through the space between the shape memory alloy bodies 4 and the flexible sheet 1, in this case. As shown in FIG. 10, the fixed electrode portion for the movable electrode portions 2 a and 2 b can be shared by one electrode portion 30.

(Embodiment 2)
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the space between the shape memory alloy body 4 and the flexible sheet 1 between the fixed electrode portions 3 a and 3 b and the movable electrode portions 2 a and 2 b. This is different from the first embodiment in that a spacer 10 is provided for maintaining the above. The spacer 10 is formed of an insulating resin, and can move on the flexible sheet 1 in the same manner as the movable electrode portions 2a and 2b according to the expansion and contraction of the shape memory alloy body 4.

  11A shows a state in which the shape memory alloy bodies 4 are not contracted, and FIG. 11B shows a state in which the shape memory alloy body 4 is contracted to press the treatment site.

  The configuration in which the spacer 10 of this embodiment is provided can be applied to the example of FIG. 9 in which the forced cooling fan device 5 is not provided.

(Embodiment 3)
In the first and second embodiments, one forced cooling fan device 5 is provided in each of the treatment zones A1 to A4. However, in this embodiment, an air pump P is provided in the controller B as shown in FIG. For example, the air pressurized by P is communicated to the space between the flexible sheet 1 and the shape memory alloy bodies 4 of the treatment zones A1 to A4 of the left lower limb and the right lower limb of the lower limb through an air tube 11. The shape memory alloy bodies 4 of the treatment zones A1 to A4 corresponding to the lower limbs on the left and right sides are forcibly cooled. That is, the structure of the treatment zone A becomes simple, and the design can be improved. Of course, even those corresponding to the upper limb can be applied to those corresponding to the lower limb as well. In FIG. 12, the shape memory alloy body 4 is knitted into a mesh, but may be a coil spring like the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a developed state of one treatment band of the first embodiment. The shape memory alloy body used for Embodiment 1 is shown, (a) is the perspective view of the example, (b) is a front view which can omit a part of another example, (c) is the front which a part of other examples can be omitted. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control circuit of a controller used in Embodiment 1. FIG. (A) is a perspective view of the state which wound each treatment belt of Embodiment 1 around a treatment part, and (b) is a perspective view of a cover which covers the surface side of each treatment belt. 1 shows one treatment band of Embodiment 1, wherein (a) is a perspective view of a non-connected state of an elastic sheet, and (b) is a perspective view of a connected state of an elastic sheet. (A) is explanatory drawing of the data content of the database used for the control circuit of Embodiment 1, (b) is a wave form diagram of the voltage applied to the shape memory alloy body of the treatment zone of Embodiment 1, (c) is Embodiment 1. It is explanatory drawing of the temperature control of the shape memory alloy body of this treatment belt. It is a figure which shows the state of one treatment belt wound around the treatment site | part of Embodiment 1, Comprising: (a) is a use state figure at the time of expansion | extension of a shape memory alloy body, (b) is a shape memory alloy body. It is a use condition figure at the time of contraction. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the first embodiment. It is a transition pattern figure of the compression of each treatment belt to the treatment part of Embodiment 1. 10 is a usage state diagram illustrating another example of the second embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which wound Embodiment 2 to the treatment site | part, Comprising: (a) is a use condition figure at the time of expansion | extension of a shape memory alloy body, (b) is a use condition figure at the time of contraction of a shape memory alloy body. is there. FIG. 6 is a configuration explanatory diagram of Embodiment 3.

Explanation of symbols

A treatment band B controller 1 flexible sheet 2a, 2b movable electrode part 3a, 3b fixed electrode part 4 shape memory alloy body 5 forced cooling fan device 6a, 6b elastic sheet 8a male side member 8b female side member

Claims (7)

An actuator composed of a shape memory alloy part, an elastic sheet that is interposed between both ends of the actuator to form an annular treatment band that is wound around the body treatment site together with the actuator, and the shape memory alloy body part And a drive control unit that transforms the shape memory alloy body part by alternately repeating the heating period and the cooling period by controlling the energization of the actuator, and expands and contracts both ends of the actuator with respect to the center part. A massage device characterized by. The actuator is provided with two sets of shape memory alloy bodies, one end of which is a fixed end and the other end is a free end, with each fixed end positioned at the center and each free end positioned at both ends. The massage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the massage apparatus is configured as described above. The massage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic sheet is provided with a connecting unit that detachably interposes between both end portions of the actuator. The said actuator is comprised by the flexible sheet | seat located in the treatment site | part side, and the said shape memory alloy body part distribute | arranged to the surface side of this flexible sheet | seat. Any of the massage devices. The massage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a spacer for separating the shape memory alloy body portion from the flexible sheet is provided between the flexible sheet and the shape memory alloy body portion. The massaging device according to claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a forced cooling fan device that sends air from outside into a space between the shape memory alloy body and the flexible sheet. A plurality of treatment bands are wound in parallel around the treatment site toward the heart, and the drive control unit is close to the heart position from the treatment band where the shape memory alloy body part of the actuator is farthest from the heart position. The massaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the shape memory alloy body portion of the actuator is controlled so as to sequentially occur in a position treatment band.

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