JP4459115B2 - Foot massage unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a foot massage unit that can effectively massage a toe and an ankle of a user.

There has been proposed a foot massage unit that can massage a patient's foot (below the ankle) by massage means.
As this seed foot massage unit, there is a concave receiving portion into which a foot tip can be inserted, an airbag on the side of the concave receiving portion, and a shiatsu stick on the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion as massage means. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By repeatedly expanding and contracting the air bag or by reciprocating the acupressure rod toward the sole, massage is performed on the toe and sole of the user.
When pressing and massaging the sole of the user with a shiatsu stick, the sole is pushed up by the pressure of the shiatsu stick and the tip of the foot floats, and the pressure of the shiatsu stick is fully applied to the sole. There was a problem that could not be done.
In view of this, the side airbag is inflated, and the acupressure rod can be operated in a state where the toe is firmly held in the concave receiving portion by the airbag.

JP 2004-129896 A

  However, since the side airbag is configured to hold the toes of the user, particularly the back of the foot, the heel side is still lifted when the pressure bar is applied to the heel side of the foot. The problem could not be resolved. In addition, to increase the holding force on the toes, it may be possible to increase the air pressure of the side airbag, but if the toes receive a strong pressing force from the side airbag, the skin sensitivity will decrease, The massage effect may be reduced.

  In addition, since the ankle has an Achilles tendon, it is an important treatment site for relieving stiffness and fatigue of the foot and body, like the sole of the foot. However, the ankle itself of the user could not be massaged with the above-mentioned foot toe massage unit.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag that holds or presses an ankle in a concave receiving portion, whereby the toe of a user can be firmly held in the concave receiving portion, and the ankle itself is massaged. It is to provide a massage unit for the toes that can be used.

In order to solve the above problems, the foot massage unit of the present invention is
In a massage unit for a foot having a concave receiving part for accommodating the foot of the user, and comprising a massage means for massaging the foot on the bottom surface and / or the left and right side surfaces of the concave receiving part,
The concave receiving portion is formed with a standing wall connecting the side surfaces of the concave receiving portion on the rear end side, and is substantially U-shaped from one side of the inner surface of the concave receiving portion to the other side via the standing wall. Comprising an ankle airbag that holds or presses the ankle of the user,
The ankle airbag has a non-inflatable portion that does not inflate at a position facing the ankle when the user inserts the tip of the foot into the concave receiving portion. Is inflated to entangle with the ankle .

The ankle massage unit of the present invention includes an ankle airbag, wraps the ankle of the user by inflating the ankle airbag, and holds the toe in the concave receiving portion. Therefore, the foot tip does not float from the concave receiving portion, and the position of the foot tip does not move back and forth within the concave receiving portion. Further, when the sole or the like is massaged by a massage means such as a shiatsu stick, the pressing force on the sole does not weaken.
By repeatedly expanding and contracting the ankle airbag, the ankle of the user can be pressed and massaged. By massaging the ankle itself with an ankle airbag, the Achilles tendon can be loosened, and an excellent treatment effect can be exhibited against stiff feet and body stiffness and fatigue.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a foot massage machine (70) capable of massaging a toe and a calf of a user will be described. It should be noted that the foot massage unit (10) of the present invention can be implemented alone or, of course, can be carried out by attaching it to a seat of a known chair type massage machine.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foot massage machine (70) of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.
The foot massage machine (70) is composed of a foot massage unit (10) for massaging a toe of a user, specifically, an ankle below the ankle of an ankle, and a foot massage unit (10 ) And a calf massage unit (50) for massaging the calf (82) of the user.

<Foot massage unit>
As shown in FIG. 1, the foot tip massage unit (10) is a pair of left and right arms with a U-shaped cross section for inserting a user's foot tip (portion below the ankle) into a resin cover (12). The concave receiving portions (13) and (13) are formed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a central wall (14) projects between the concave receiving portions (13) and (13) to partition the both concave receiving portions (13) and (13). In the concave receiving part (13), as will be described later, acupressure rods (40) and (40), side airbags (20) and (20), an ankle airbag (30) and the like are arranged. The interior of the concave receiving portion (13) is covered with a cloth cover (16) so that they are not directly exposed to the outside.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state in which the cloth cover (16) of the foot massage unit (10) is removed, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. In FIG. 4, the internal structure of the foot massage unit (10) is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the concave receiving portion (13) is configured such that the bottom surface is inclined so that the front is high and the rear is low. This is to improve the stability of the toes when the user puts the toes. In addition, at the rear end of the concave receiving portion (13), a standing wall (15) that connects the side surfaces of the concave receiving portion (13) faces upward so that the toes do not fall backward from the concave receiving portion (13). Protrusively formed. The standing wall (15) has a shape recessed toward the rear so that the heel matches. The standing wall (15) is desirably 20 to 50 mm high.

Side airbags (20) and (20) are attached to the side surface of the concave receiving portion (13) as massage means. The side airbags (20) and (20) are connected to an air pump (not shown) via a solenoid valve by a connecting hose (not shown). The illustrated side airbag (20) can be made by blow molding, and a pleated inflatable portion (21) is formed to adjust the degree of expansion during pressing. The side airbag (20) can also be produced by laminating a urethane sheet on a nylon fabric.
In this embodiment, side air bags (20) and (20) are provided as massage means on both side surfaces of the concave receiving portion (13), respectively, but one of them is an elastic member having elasticity such as sponge and urethane. It is good. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which arrange | positions a massage means only to the bottom face of a concave receiving part (13), without providing airbag (20) (20) on the side surface of a concave receiving part (13).

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the ankle (80) of the user is held in the concave receiving portion (13) on the rear end side of the concave receiving portions (13) and (13). Ankle airbags (30) and (30) that press massage 80) are provided. The ankle airbag (30) is arranged in a substantially U shape from one side surface of the concave receiving portion (13) to the other side surface through the standing wall (15).
The ankle airbag (30) can be made horizontally long as shown in FIG. 5, and a soft material such as nylon can be used to successfully hold the ankle (80) of the user when inflated. It is desirable to make it from fabrics made of fabric.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ankle airbag (30) is formed with non-inflatable portions (31) and (31) that do not expand even when compressed air is supplied. The non-expandable part (31) can be formed by welding or the like. The non-inflatable portions (31) and (31) are desirably provided at positions facing the ankle of the user. By providing the non-inflatable portion (31), when the ankle airbag (30) is inflated, the ankle airbag (30) bends at the non-inflatable portion (31) as shown in FIG. Therefore, the ankle airbag (30) is entangled with the ankle (80) of the user, and the ankle (80) can be held well.
Further, the ankle airbag (30) is preferably formed with a recess (32) in an upper portion of the concave receiving portion (13) facing the standing wall (15). The dent (32) is formed to prevent the calf massage unit (50) and the ankle airbag (30), which will be described later, from interfering with each other, and is formed to enhance the feeling of holding the ankle (80). Yes.

  The ankle airbag (30) is provided with an air supply port (33), and a connecting hose (not shown) is connected to the air supply port (33). The connecting hose is connected to an air pump (not shown) via an electromagnetic valve, and the ankle airbag (30) is inflated by supplying compressed air from the air pump. It is desirable that the air supply port (33) is provided at a position where it does not easily hit the ankle (80) of the user when the ankle airbag (30) is inflated. Specifically, for example, it is desirable to provide at the heel side of the user, that is, at the center in the left-right direction of the ankle airbag (30) as shown in FIG.

  The ankle airbag (30) is tangled to the ankle (80) of the user when inflated so that the ankle (80) can be held well. Rather than sticking, it is desirable to attach with a stretchable material such as a rubber band. Further, when the side airbags (20) and (20) are provided, they may be attached to the side airbags (20) and (20) via an elastic material. Specifically, the non-inflatable portion (31) of the ankle airbag (30) and the side airbag (20) may be connected by a rubber band.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a shiatsu stick (40) is provided on the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (13) as massage means for massaging the sole (81) of the user. A pair of long holes (17), (17) are formed in the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (13) in the direction along the sole (81) of the user, and from the long holes (17), (17) Acupressure rods (40) and (40) can appear and disappear, respectively.
The lower ends of the acupressure rods (40) and (40) are attached to the acupressure rod air bag (41), and the acupressure rod (40) and the acupressure rod air bag (41) have a casing (42) whose upper surface is open. Is housed in. By expanding and contracting the acupressure rod air bag (41), the acupressure rod (40) appears and disappears in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4 from the elongated hole (17).
The casing (42) can be reciprocated in the front-rear direction (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4) along the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (13) by a moving mechanism (not shown), and at a desired position of the user. Shiatsu massage is performed on the sole (81) by operating the shiatsu stick (40) up and down. In addition, a rolling massage is applied to the sole (81) by moving the casing (42) with the acupressure rod (40) protruding from the elongated hole (17).
The massage means is not limited to the acupressure rod, and the operation mechanism of the acupressure rod is not limited to the above embodiment. further. It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions a massage means in the side surface etc. of a concave receiving part (13), without providing a massage means in the bottom face of a concave receiving part (13).

<Calf massage unit>
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the foot massage unit (10) having the above structure is attached with a calf massage unit (50) for massaging the calf (82) of the user. Configure machine (70).
As shown in FIG. 1, the calf massage unit (50) is connected to the rear end of the foot massage unit (10) via a connection mechanism (72). It can be tilted back and forth with respect to the massage unit (10) and its position can be adjusted up and down. The coupling mechanism (72) urges the calf massage unit (50) in a direction that hits the calf by a spring or the like, i.e., forward, so as to maintain a predetermined angle with respect to the foot massage unit (10). It is desirable to keep it.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the calf massage unit (50) has a pair of left and right legs with a U-shaped cross section for inserting the user's calf (82) into the resin cover (52). Receiving portions (53) and (53) are formed. The leg holders (53) and (53) are separated by a central wall (54), and side airbags (60) and (60), bottom airbags (61), and acupressure protrusions (62), which will be described later, are directly external The inner surface of the leg receiving part (53) is covered with a cloth cover (55) so as not to be exposed.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the calf massage unit (50), with the cloth cover (55) removed. As shown in FIG. 7, side airbags (60), (60) are attached to both side surfaces of the leg receiving portion (53). The side airbags (60) and (60) are connected to an air pump (not shown) through electromagnetic valves by connecting hoses (not shown).
The side airbags (60) and (60) are provided on both side surfaces of the leg receiving portion (53), respectively, but one or both may be elastic members having elasticity such as sponge and urethane.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the calf massage unit (50) is also provided with an airbag (61) on the bottom surface of the leg support (53). The bottom air bag (61) is also connected to an electromagnetic valve and an air pump (not shown) in the same manner as described above by a connecting hose (not shown). On the bottom airbag (61) shown in the figure, acupressure protrusions (62) are formed at the portion that contacts the calf (82) of the user. The acupressure protrusion (62) can be formed integrally with the bottom airbag (61) or attached to the bottom airbag (61) by bonding or the like.

When the user sits on a chair and inserts his foot into the foot massage machine (70), the calf massage unit (50) is almost perpendicular to the foot massage unit (10), and the calf ( 82) hits the bottom surface of the leg receiving portion (53) of the calf massage unit (50) and can receive a massage. In addition, when the user lies on his knees while lying down, when the foot is inserted into the foot massage machine (70), the calf (82) pushes the calf massage unit (50) backward, so the foot massage unit With respect to (10), the calf massage unit (50) can be massaged in a state of tilting backward. The center of gravity of the toe massage unit (10) should be set to the front side so that the toe massage unit (10) does not rise even when the calf massage unit (50) is tilted to the rearmost. It is desirable.
When the user inserts his / her foot into the foot massage machine (70), the user can move the calf massage unit (50) up and down according to the position of the calf (82). Further, the calf massage unit (50) can be moved up and down to give a massage over a wide range.

<Massage action>
With regard to the foot massage machine (70) configured as described above, the user inserts the tip of the foot into the concave receiving portion (13) and the calf (82) into the leg receiving portion (53).
The user inserts the tip of the foot into the concave receiving portion (13) and presses the heel against the standing wall (15) side. By the standing wall (15), the toes of the user are firmly held in the concave receiving portion (13) and do not move back and forth. In addition, since the calf massage unit (50) is biased in a direction in which it hits the calf of the user, the calf of the user firmly hits the leg support (53).
In this state, various massages can be received by operating an operation panel (not shown). Hereinafter, an example of massage will be described.

<Massage with foot massage unit>
Massage of the toes includes acupressure massage with the acupressure rod (40), pressure massage that presses the side of the toe from the tip of the foot to the ankle with the side airbag (20), ankle with the ankle airbag (30) (80 ) Massage and a combination of these massages.

The acupressure massage can be performed by inflating and contracting the acupressure bar airbag (41) and causing the acupressure bar (40) to protrude from the bottom surface of the concave receiving portion (13). Also, with the appearance of the acupressure rod (40), the acupressure rod (40) is moved to a desired position or reciprocated back and forth (by applying a rolling massage), so that the sole (81), especially the arch A highly effective shiatsu massage can be performed at the base of the toes.
Since the shiatsu massage is a massage that pushes up the sole (81) with the shiatsu stick (40), the foot of the user is lifted from the concave receiving portion (13).
At this time, when the ankle airbag (30) is inflated, as shown in FIG. 6, the ankle (80) of the user is wrapped and held in the ankle airbag (30), and the concave receiving portion (13 ) Is fixed within. As a result, the foot of the user does not float from the concave receiving portion (13). When the non-inflatable portion (31) is formed on the ankle airbag (30), as shown in FIG. 6, the ankle airbag (30) is inflated so as to be entangled with the ankle (80). The ankle (80) can be held more effectively.
In this state, when the side airbag (20) is inflated (indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 6), the portion ahead of the ankle (80) is moved by the side airbag (20) (20) in FIG. As shown by the broken line, it can be sandwiched, and the toes can be firmly held.

  In the pressure massage, the side airbag (20) is inflated and contracted (indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 6), and the side of the toe extending from the tip of the foot to the ankle is sandwiched between the side airbags (20) and (20). , Massage to press. Thereby, the blood circulation improvement effect of the part applied from the instep to the toe and the swelling of the toe can be improved.

  In an ankle massage, the ankle airbag (30) is inflated and contracted to compress or press the ankle (80) with the ankle airbag (30). Specifically, the ankle airbag (30) is inflated from the contracted state of the ankle airbag (30) as shown in FIG. 3, and the ankle (80) is compressed as shown in FIG. Press. By this massage, the ankle, in particular, the Achilles tendon stretch and the Achilles tendon unraveling are effectively performed, and not only the treatment effect on the ankle, but also the treatment effect excellent for the stiffness of the foot and body and fatigue can be exhibited. In FIGS. 3 and 6, the contour of the tip of the foot is represented by the symbol F.

Of course, a massage combining two or three types of acupressure massage, pressure massage, and ankle massage is also possible, and in this case, the above operations may be performed simultaneously.
Moreover, the massage programmed to perform the said massage in order or combining can also provide a massage with a high treatment effect.

<Massage with calf massage unit>
The calf (82) can be subjected to acupressure massage by the acupressure protrusion (62) of the bottom airbag (61) and pressure massage by the side airbags (60) (60).
Acupressure massage can be performed by inflating and contracting the bottom airbag (61) and pressing the acupressure protrusion (62) against the calf (82). At this time, if the side airbags (60) and (60) are inflated (indicated by arrow D in FIG. 7), the user's calf (82) will not be pushed out of the leg support (53). (The broken line state in FIG. 7), a highly effective acupressure massage can be performed.

  In the pressure massage, the side airbags (60) and (60) are inflated and contracted (indicated by arrow D in FIG. 7), and the calf (82) is sandwiched and pressed by the side airbags (60) and (60). It is. A blood circulation promoting effect can be obtained by pressing and massaging the calf (82).

  In addition, when massaging the calf (82), the ankle airbag (30) of the ankle massage unit (10) is inflated, and the ankle airbag (30) allows the ankle (80) of the user to be treated. By fixing, the calf (82) can be prevented from floating from the leg receiving part (53) of the calf massage unit (50), and the treatment effect by the calf massage unit (50) can be enhanced.

Of course, a massage that combines acupressure massage and pressing massage can also be performed.
Further, the massage unit for the toe (10) and the massage unit for the calf (50) can be operated simultaneously to perform all the massages described above in combination.

  The above description of the embodiments is for explaining the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention described in the claims or reducing the scope thereof. Moreover, each part structure of this invention is not restricted to the said Example, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the technical scope as described in a claim.

  The foot massage machine of the present invention can massage the ankle of the user, and the massager can effectively massage the foot of the user without lifting up during the massage of the sole or the like. Useful as a foot massage unit.

It is a perspective view of a massage machine for legs. It is a front view of a massage machine for legs. It is a top view of the massage unit for feet of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. It is an expanded view of the airbag for an ankle . It is a top view of the massage unit for a foot which shows the state which the airbag for ankles expanded. It is a top view of the massage unit for calves.

Explanation of symbols

(10) Foot massage unit
(13) Concave receiving part
(20) Side airbag
(30) Ankle airbag
(31) Non-expandable part
(40) Shiatsu stick
(50) Calf massage unit
(70) Foot massage machine
(80) Ankle
(81) sole

Claims (1)

In a massage unit for a foot having a concave receiving part for accommodating the foot of the user, and comprising a massage means for massaging the foot on the bottom surface and / or the left and right side surfaces of the concave receiving part,
The concave receiving portion is formed with a standing wall connecting the side surfaces of the concave receiving portion on the rear end side, and is substantially U-shaped from one side of the inner surface of the concave receiving portion to the other side via the standing wall. Comprising an ankle airbag that holds or presses the ankle of the user,
The ankle airbag has a non-inflatable portion that does not inflate at a position facing the ankle when the user inserts the tip of the foot into the concave receiving portion. A foot massage unit characterized by being inflated so as to be entangled with the ankle .

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