JP3819734B2 - Air massage machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air massage machine suitable for massaging a user's body arms and legs.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Massage the user's leg accommodated in the treatment groove by repeatedly inflating and shrinking the treatment bags placed on both sides of the treatment groove where the legs can be taken in and out according to the air supply / exhaust operation of the air supply / exhaust device 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an air massage tool and a massage machine in which this massage tool is connected to the front side of a seat portion of a chair body as a leg stand, for example, are known.
[0003]
When the massage device is used, the treatment parts such as the legs and arms accommodated in the treatment groove are pressed by both treatment bags inflating from both sides in the width direction, and the treatment part is treated at that time. A force is applied in the direction of extrusion from the groove. Therefore, when the treatment part is particularly thick, the thick treatment part is easily pushed out of the treatment groove as the treatment bag expands. Thus, if the treatment part moves away, the compression action is reduced accordingly, and it becomes difficult to massage with an appropriate force.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to obtain an air massage machine capable of appropriately massaging while suppressing a decrease in the compression effect on a user's treatment area.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the air massage machine of the invention according to claim 1 is a massage having a treatment groove in which both front and rear ends and upper end are opened and a user's treatment part is taken in and out through the opened upper end. An instrument body, a treatment bag arranged in the treatment groove and attached to the massage instrument body, and repeatedly used for air supply and exhaust , and closer to the upper end where the treatment groove is opened than the treatment bag A holding bag that is disposed on at least one groove side surface and is attached to the massage device main body and is inflated and contracted by air supply / exhaust and is used in an expanded state so as to narrow the width of the opened upper end. A first air supply / exhaust path for the air massage tool provided, a treatment bag for the massage tool, and a second air supply / exhaust path for the holding bag for the air massage tool; Supplying / exhausting air to each of the two bags independently through these paths, and opening / closing the path to the second air supply / exhaust path and permitting air discharged from the holding bag to be discharged into the atmosphere. An exhaust valve is provided, and an air supply / exhaust device that expands and maintains the holding bag in an expanded state prior to air supply / exhaust to the treatment bag is provided .
[0006]
In this invention, the treatment bag and the holding bag may or may not overlap in the width direction of the massage tool body. In the present invention and each of the following inventions, the massage tool main body may have a pair of treatment grooves, or a pair of massage units having a single treatment groove are coupled and separable. it may be construed as being, furthermore may be composed by juxtaposed pair of massage unit having a single treatment grooves. In the present invention and each of the following inventions, the holding bag and the treatment bag may be inflated as long as the holding bag is inflated prior to the expansion of the treatment bag. The treatment bag can be inflated and shrunk, or the treatment bag can be inflated before the expansion of the holding bag is started and the inflation is completed, particularly at the later stage of the inflation.
The present invention can be applied as an air massage machine that is used, for example, by placing an air massage tool on the mat portion as needed, and is used by connecting the air massage tool as a leg rest on the front side of the seat portion of the chair body. It can also be applied to air massage machines. In these applications, when the mat or chair body is configured as a massage machine body, the body may be provided with a treatment element such as a treatment bag that expands and contracts by air supply / exhaust. In addition, it is also possible to use a mechanical element that performs a kneading operation, a vibrator, or the like as the treatment element.
[0007]
In the invention according to claim 1, in the state where the treatment portion such as the user's arm or leg is accommodated in the treatment groove, the holding bag is first inflated to maintain the state, and then the treatment bag is repeatedly inflated. By contracting, the treatment site can be massaged from the width direction. In this case, the holding bag maintained in the inflated state substantially narrows the width of the open upper end of the treatment groove. Therefore, when the treatment bag is inflated and compresses the treatment portion in the width direction, the treatment bag is treated. The holding bag prevents the portion from escaping toward the upper end where the treatment groove is opened.
[0012]
Air massager according to the invention of claim 2, along the bottom of the treating groove seat portion extending overlaid on the back sheet portion extending from said treatment bag from the holding bag according to claim 1 In addition, both the sheet portions are fixed to the bottom portion.
[0013]
In the present invention, since the seat portion is simultaneously fixed to the bottom portion of the treatment groove, a means for fixing the treatment bag and the holding bag to the massage tool body can be made common.
[0017]
An air massage machine according to a third aspect of the invention is a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the holding bag according to the first aspect of the invention, and the expansion of the holding bag based on the fact that the sensor detects a predetermined pressure. And a controller for controlling the air supply / exhaust valve so as to maintain the state and closing the second air supply / exhaust path.
[0018]
In the present invention, when the pressure sensor detects the predetermined pressure, the controller closes the air supply / exhaust valve of the second air supply / exhaust path with respect to the holding bag, so that the treatment portion is treated with the treatment groove regardless of the thickness of the treatment portion. It is possible to adapt the expansion of the holding bag so that it will not be extruded from.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first reference example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 1, the air massage machine 1 includes a chair body 2 as a massage machine body, a leg rest 3 as an air massage tool, and an air supply / exhaust device 4 having a partial configuration shown in FIG. 3. Configured.
[0021]
The chair body 2 is provided with a backrest 13 on the rear side of a seat portion 12 provided with side frames 11 that also serve as armrests on both sides in the width direction. The backrest 13 may or may not be reclining. The chair body 2 is provided with first to fourth treatment bags 14 to 17 which are repeatedly expanded and contracted as treatment elements.
[0022]
The first treatment bag 14 for massaging the seated user's back is disposed in the center of the backrest 13 in the width direction. The pair of second treatment bags 15 for massaging the seated user's waist is positioned below the first treatment bag 14 and arranged in the width direction below the backrest 13. The third treatment bag 16 for massaging the seated user's buttocks is arranged at the rear portion of the seat portion 12 so as to extend in the width direction of the seat portion 12 and massages the thigh portion of the seated user. 17 is arranged at the front portion of the seat portion 12 so as to extend in the width direction of the seat portion 12. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 19 is a power cord for supplying power to the air supply / exhaust device 4, and is derived from one side frame 11.
[0023]
Foot rests 3, together with being connected to the front of the seat 12, by a drive means (not shown) the pivot (not shown) as a fulcrum, to stand substantially vertically downward from the front edge of the seat 12 as shown in FIG. 1 It is selectively movable over a first position where it is disposed and a second position where it is pivoted from this position about the pivot and extends continuously in front of the seat portion 12 .
[0024]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the footrest 3 has a structure in which a treatment bag 24 and a holding bag 25 are respectively attached to a body 20 as a massage tool body, and the entire footrest 3 is flexible such as cloth. It is covered with a cover that has sex. The base body 20 is formed by providing an intermediate wall 22 between a pair of side walls 21 in parallel therewith and having a treatment groove 23 between the adjacent side wall 21 and the intermediate wall 22. And the treatment bag 24 and the holding bag 25 are arrange | positioned at the wall surface of the side wall 21 and the intermediate wall 22 which faced each treatment groove 23, ie, groove side surface 21a, 22a, respectively.
[0025]
The pair of treatment grooves 23 are formed in a U-shape in which the front and rear ends and the upper end are opened as viewed from the user seated on the chair body 2 with the leg rest 3 placed at the second position. Yes. The groove widths of both treatment grooves 23 are formed so as to gradually increase toward the upper side. Therefore, the user's lower leg (treated portion) A seated through the opened upper end can be accommodated in the treatment groove 23 so as to be put in and out.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of treatment bags 24 made of air bags are provided in one treatment groove 23, and the pair of treatment bags 24 are connected by a sheet portion 24 a extending integrally therewith. By attaching the seat portion 24a along the inner bottom surface of the treatment groove 23 with a fixing part 26 such as a screw inserted into the bottom portion of the groove 23, one of the pair of treatment bags 24 becomes the groove side surface 21a. And the other treatment bag 24 is disposed so as to overlap the groove side surface 22a.
[0027]
An air bag having a width smaller than that of the treatment bag 24 is used for the holding bag 25. A pair of the holding bags 25 are provided in one treatment groove 23, and the pair of holding bags 25 are connected by a sheet portion 25a that is integrally extended therefrom. And this seat part 25a is attached to the bottom part of the treatment groove | channel 23 in the state which accumulated the sheet | seat part 24a, for example in the state which shared the said fixed component 26. FIG. Thus, since the means for fixing the treatment bag 24 and the holding bag 25 to the base body 20 is made common, the cost can be reduced as the configuration and the assembly become simple.
[0028]
The holding bag 25 attached as described above is disposed on the groove side surfaces 21a and 22a, respectively, close to the open upper end of the treatment groove 23. The holding bag 25 overlaps the upper portion of the treatment bag 24 in the thickness direction of the base body 20 and is sandwiched between the treatment bag 24 and the groove side surface 21a or 22a. The upper ends (in FIG. 2) of the overlapping treatment bags 24 and holding bags 25 are at substantially equal height positions. In the configuration in which the treatment bag 24 and the holding bag 25 are overlapped, the depth of the treatment groove 23 can be reduced compared to the configuration in which both the bags 24 and 25 are arranged in the depth direction of the treatment groove 23. It is excellent in that the height of the table 3 can be reduced and the size can be reduced.
[0029]
Each of the bags 24 and 25 arranged as described above extends in the front-rear direction of the base body 20, and the treatment bag 24 is positioned on the body side (inside the holding bag 25) that can contact the user's lower leg A. In addition, the holding bag 25 is positioned on the side wall (outside the treatment bag 24) that does not contact the lower leg A. In the present invention, each of the bags 24 and 25 can be formed by a plurality of bags arranged along the same direction instead of a single bag extending in the front-rear direction of the base body 20. In the present invention, one of the holding bags 25 can be omitted with respect to one treatment groove 23. Further, in the present invention, a treatment element may be configured by providing a shiatsu protrusion on the surface of the bag disposed on the body side.
[0030]
The air supply / exhaust device 4 is disposed below the seat portion 12 of the chair body 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the air supply / exhaust device 4 includes an air generator 31 including an air pump, and first and second air supply / exhaust valves 32, 33 for controlling the flow of compressed air generated by the generator 31. Among the ventilation hoses 34 and 35 individually connected to these valves 32 and 33, a pressure sensor 36 connected in the middle of the hose 35 for the holding bag 25, an air generator 31, and supply / exhaust valves 32 and 33 are provided. A controller 37 for controlling is formed. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 38 denotes a ventilation hose that communicates with the treatment bags 14 to 17 of the backrest 13 via a rotary distribution valve (not shown), and the controller 37 is appropriately connected via a remote controller (not shown). An operation command is given.
[0031]
The air supply / exhaust device 4 supplies and exhausts the treatment bag 24 and the holding bag 25 independently through a dedicated supply / exhaust path, and when the holding bag 25 is inflated, the expanded state It is configured so that it can be maintained.
[0032]
That is, the first and second supply / exhaust valves 32 and 33 are both electromagnetic valves and have an intake port and an exhaust port. As shown in FIG. 3, one air supply hose 34 is connected to the air supply port of the first air supply / exhaust valve 32, and the other air supply hose 35 is connected to the air supply port of the second air supply / exhaust valve 33. Yes. The first air supply / exhaust valve 32 and the ventilation hose 34 are responsible for air supply / exhaust to each treatment bag 24, and the second air supply / exhaust valve 33 and the air ventilation hose 35 are responsible for air supply / exhaust to each holding bag 25. The pressure sensor 36 detects the pressure of the holding bag 25 that is inflated prior to the expansion / contraction of the treatment bag 24. The detection information is input to the controller 37, and the input value exceeds a predetermined value. In this case, the controller 37 maintains the second air supply / exhaust valve 33 in the closed position.
[0033]
In order to massage the user's lower leg A using the leg platform 3 in the air massage machine 1 having the above-described configuration, the mass within the treatment groove 23 of the leg platform 3 arranged to extend in front of the seat portion 12. This can be executed by operating the bags 24 and 25 of the leg platform 3 while the lower leg A is housed.
[0034]
That is, first, under the control of the controller 37, the second air supply / exhaust valve 33 is switched to a communication position that allows the air generator 31 and the ventilation hose 35 to communicate with each other, so that the compressed air generated by the air generator 31 is supplied to the ventilation hose. Each of the bags 25 is guided to the holding bags 25 through 35, and these bags 25 are inflated synchronously. When the pressure sensor 36 detects that the pressure of the holding bag 25 has reached a predetermined value due to these expansions, the controller 37 switches the second air supply / exhaust valve 33 to the closed position so as to cut off the air supply. Each holding bag 25 is maintained in an inflated state. In FIG. 2, for easy understanding, the state of each holding bag 25 before expansion is drawn on the left side, and the state after expansion is drawn on the right side.
[0035]
As shown in the right part of FIG. 2, each holding bag 25 arranged close to the opened upper end of the treatment groove 23 is pressed against the upper surface of the user's lower leg A that is already stored in the treatment groove 23. The upper end of the treatment groove 23 in which the lower leg A is housed is maintained in a substantially narrowed state. In this case, as described above, the holding bag 25 is controlled based on the pressure detection of the pressure sensor 36 so that the holding bag 25 is in a certain inflated state. Conversely, if the lower leg A is thicker, the holding bag 25 expands smaller. Therefore, regardless of the thickness of the lower leg A, the holding bag 25 can be reliably pressed against the upper surface of the lower leg A, and the pressing force is substantially constant.
[0036]
Next, the first air supply / exhaust valve 32 is alternately and repeatedly switched between the intake position and the exhaust position under the control of the controller 37 under the above state. Accordingly, in the state of the communication position, the compressed air generated by the air generator 31 is guided to each treatment bag 24 through the ventilation hose 34, and these bags 24 are inflated in synchronism with each other. In the state of the exhaust position executed together with the stop of the vessel 31, the air discharged from each treatment bag 24 and flowing back to the first air supply / exhaust valve 32 is discharged into the atmosphere from the exhaust port of the exhaust valve 32. Each treatment bag 24 contracts synchronously. Thus, by repeating expansion and contraction of each treatment bag 24, compression and relaxation of the user's lower leg A already stored in the treatment groove 23 are repeated, and air massage is performed. In this case, the holding bag 25 is in an expanded state and does not expand and contract.
[0037]
In the massage, when the lower leg A is compressed with the treatment bag 24 inflated from both sides in the width direction, the lower leg A in the treatment groove 23 receives an upward force in FIG. However, since the holding bag 25 maintained inflated as described above serves as a stopper, the holding bag 25 inflated and maintained can prevent the lower leg A from escaping upward in the massage operation. Therefore, since the fall of the compression action of the lower leg A by the treatment bag 24 is suppressed, it is possible to effectively massage.
[0038]
Moreover, since the holding bag 25 is sandwiched between the upper portion of the treatment bag 24 and the groove side surface 21a or 22a in FIG. 2, as the holding bag 25 is kept inflated, the upper portion of the treatment bag 24 is moved to the treatment groove. It can be pressed so as to wrap around the upper surface of the lower leg A accommodated in the limb 23 (see the state drawn in the right portion in FIG. 2). Since the air massage by the expansion and contraction of the treatment bag 24 is performed under these conditions as described above, a large contact area with the lower leg A is ensured in a state where the treatment bag 24 is inflated. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the massage effect by the expansion and contraction of the treatment bag 24.
[0039]
When the air massage is finished, the first and second air supply / exhaust valves 32 and 33 are both switched to the exhaust position and the air generator 31 is stopped by the control of the controller 37. The air that has been discharged from the air flow 25 and has flowed back to the first air supply / exhaust valves 32 and 33 is discharged into the atmosphere from the exhaust ports of the exhaust valves 32 and 33, and the treatment bags 24 contract in synchronization with each other. The holding bag 25 contracts synchronously and waits for the next air massage. Since each of the bags 24 and 25 in the standby state is contracted, it does not prevent the lower leg A from being taken in and out of the treatment groove 23.
[0040]
FIG. 4 shows a second reference example of the present invention. In this reference example , the arrangement of the treatment bag 24 and the holding bag 25 in the width direction of the base body 20 is opposite to that of the first reference example , that is, the holding bag 25 superimposed on the upper part of the treatment bag 24 in FIG. The treatment bag 24 is arranged on the body side (inner side) and closer to the side wall (outer side), in other words, between the holding bag 25 and the groove side surface 21a or 22a. Since the configuration other than this point is the same as that of the first reference example including the configuration not shown in FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as those of the first reference example are given to the same configurations as the first reference example, and the configurations thereof are the same. The description of the operation is omitted.
[0041]
Also in the second reference example , the leg mount 3 includes the holding bag 25 in addition to the treatment bag 24, so that the intended problem of the present invention can be solved by the same action as the first reference example. is there.
[0042]
FIG. 5 shows a third reference example of the present invention. In this reference example , attachment of the holding bag 25 to the base body 20 is performed by fixing the lower end of the holding bag 25 to the groove side surface 21a or 22a with a fixing part 27 such as a screw in FIG. Is omitted. Since the configuration other than this point is the same as that of the first reference example including the configuration not shown in FIG. 5, the same reference numerals as those of the first reference example are given to the configurations similar to those of the first reference example, and the configurations thereof are the same. The description of the operation is omitted.
[0043]
Also in the third reference example , the leg mount 3 includes the holding bag 25 in addition to the treatment bag 24, so that the intended problem of the present invention can be solved by the same action as the first reference example. is there.
[0044]
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, instead of placing such holding bag 25 overlaps in the thickness direction of the treatment bag 24, the holding bag 25 is disposed by shifting the position in the depth direction (in FIG. 6 the vertical direction) of the treatment groove 23 ing. Specifically, the treatment holding bag 25 is arranged with the holding bag 25 closer to the open upper end of the treatment groove 23 than the treatment bag 24. Since the configuration other than this point is the same as that of the first reference example including the configuration not shown in FIG. 6, the same reference numerals as those of the first reference example are given to the same configurations as the first reference example, and the configurations thereof are the same. The description of the operation is omitted.
[0045]
Also in the fourth embodiment, since the leg platform 3 includes the holding bag 25 in addition to the treatment bag 24, the intended problem of the present invention can be solved by the same action as the first embodiment. is there.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is implemented in the form as described above, and has the following effects.
[0047]
According to the invention according to claim 1, when pressing the user's treatment part accommodated in the treatment groove with the treatment bag in the width direction, the treatment part escapes so as to be pushed out of the treatment groove. Since the holding bag that is inflated and maintained so as to narrow the width of the opened upper end of the treatment groove is hindered, the treatment portion in the treatment groove is restricted by the expansion and contraction of the treatment bag while suppressing the reduction of the compression action on the treatment portion. It is possible to provide an air massage machine that can massage properly.
[0050]
According to the invention which concerns on Claim 2 , a simple structure and an inexpensive air massage machine can be provided by the common means which fixes a treatment bag and a holding bag to a massage tool main body.
[0052]
According to the invention according to claim 3 , since the expansion state of the holding bag that prevents the treatment portion from being pushed out from the treatment groove can be adapted regardless of the thickness of the treatment portion, the treatment within the treatment groove can be performed. It is possible to provide an air massage machine capable of appropriately massaging a part with a treatment bag.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air massage machine according to a first reference example of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing an air massage tool provided in the air massage machine of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing a configuration of an air supply / exhaust path for the air massager of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a part of an air massager with which an air massage machine according to a second reference example of the present invention is omitted.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a part of an air massager with which an air massage machine according to a third reference example of the present invention is omitted.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing an air massager provided in an air massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Air massage machine 2 ... Chair body (massage machine body)
3 ... Leg mount (air massage device)
4 ... Air supply / exhaust device 20 ... Stand body (massage body)
21a, 22a ... groove side surface 23 ... treatment groove 24 ... treatment bag 25 ... holding bag 24a, 25a ... seat part 26 ... fixed part 32 ... first supply / exhaust valve (first supply / exhaust path)
33 ... Second air supply / exhaust valve (second air supply / exhaust path)
34 ... Ventilation hose (first air supply / exhaust route)
35 ... Ventilation hose (second air supply / exhaust route)
36 ... Pressure sensor 37 ... Controller A ... Lower leg (user's treatment area)

Claims (3)

A massage tool body having a treatment groove in which front and rear ends and an upper end are opened and a user's treatment part is taken in and out through the opened upper end , and is disposed in the treatment groove and attached to the massage tool body, and A treatment bag that is repeatedly used for air supply and exhaust , and is attached to the massage device body by being disposed on the side surface of at least one groove closer to the upper end where the treatment groove is opened than the treatment bag ; An air massager provided with a holding bag that is used in an expanded state so as to narrow the width of the opened upper end while being inflated and contracted by exhaust ;
Having a first air supply / exhaust path for the treatment bag of the massage tool and a second air supply / exhaust path for the holding bag of the air massage tool, and independently supplying and exhausting air to and from each of the bags through both paths; and A supply / exhaust valve that opens and closes the second supply / exhaust path and allows the air discharged from the holding bag to be discharged into the atmosphere is provided, and the holding bag prior to air supply / exhaust to the treatment bag An air supply / exhaust device that expands and maintains the expanded state,
An air massage machine characterized by comprising: The sheet portion extended from the holding bag is overlaid on the back side of the sheet portion extended from the treatment bag, is along the bottom portion of the treatment groove, and both the sheet portions are fixed to the bottom portion. The air massage machine according to claim 1. A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the holding bag, and the second air supply / exhaust by controlling the air supply / exhaust valve so as to maintain the inflated state of the holding bag based on detection of a predetermined pressure by the sensor. The air massage machine according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that closes the path.

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