JP5155715B2 - Massage machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A massage machine includes a treatment element to be contacted with a human body, and is configured to change an extending length of the treatment element to the human body side to give massage of variable strength to the human body. The massage machine also includes a control circuit configured to control cyclic movement of the treatment element in an extending direction of the treatment element to the human body side so that the treatment element extends from a first position to a second position to return to the first position. The control circuit is further configured to change at least one of the first position and the second position so that movement distance from the first position to the second position is changed in accordance with an instruction for changing massage strength.

Description

  The present invention relates to a massage machine, and more particularly to a massage machine capable of adjusting massage strength.

A massage machine having a massage strength adjustment function has been conventionally provided, but this strength adjustment changes the reaching position of the treatment element by changing the operation start position in the massage operation of the treatment element. Therefore, the relative movement distance of the treatment element from the start position to the arrival position of the treatment element was the same when the strength was changed.
JP 2002-369854 A

  For this reason, it is difficult to give many steps of adjustment of the strength adjustment of the massage, and it is a monotonous massage operation.

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a massage machine that can have more abundant variations (strength stages) for adjusting the massage strength. Is.

In order to solve the above problems, a massage machine according to the present invention includes a treatment element that contacts the human body, changes the amount of protrusion of the treatment element toward the human body, performs a massage operation on the human body, and varies the strength of the massage. The massage machine is equipped with a control circuit that controls the operation of the treatment element for periodic massage that returns the position of the treatment element in the human body contact direction from the start position to the start position through the arrival position, and instructed to change the strength On the other hand, in addition to the change of the start position and the arrival position where the movement distance from the start position to the arrival position does not change, the change of at least one of the start position and the arrival position where the movement distance from the start position to the arrival position changes is also possible. the control circuit for the operation of changing the amount of projection of the human body side of the treatment element in accordance with the change instruction, even to perform based on the time varying target positions With it, are set in accordance with the intensity adjusted to change only the fixed and the starting position of the arrival position and an intensity adjustment for changing only a fixed and arrival position the starting position massage intensity setting and massage site It has a special feature.

The control circuit preferably operates the treatment element based on a target position that changes in time in a plurality of directions.

  The control circuit determines the arrival position based on the position of the treatment element detected by the treatment element position detection means, even if the arrival position is determined based on the massage force detected by the massage force detection means. There may be.

  The control circuit may vary the start position and the arrival position according to each part of the human body of the user, and in particular, the start position and the arrival position can be varied three-dimensionally according to each part of the human body of the user. Are preferred.

  As the operation unit for instructing to change the strength of the massage, one that can specify the massage strength for each part of the human body can be suitably used.

In the case of providing a plurality of automatic courses for automatically massaging the whole body according to a procedure according to a preset program , the control circuit preferably changes the start position and the arrival position for each course.

  Further, in the case of having a favorite course capable of selecting a favorite massage at a favorite portion, the control circuit preferably changes the start position and the arrival position for each of the automatic course and the favorite course.

  It is also preferable that a display unit for displaying the start position and the arrival position is provided.

Since the present invention can also change the movement distance from the start position to the arrival position, the massage strength is higher than that of the conventional one in which the movement distance remains constant and the start position and the arrival position are shifted. With regard to the adjustment of, more abundant variations (strength level) can be given. Moreover, since the control circuit performs the operation of changing the amount of protrusion of the treatment element toward the human body according to the change instruction based on the target position that changes with time, the control circuit can be reduced in memory and inexpensive. It is possible to perform multi-step strength adjustment. Moreover, the optimal massage operation | movement according to a site | part and massage strength can be performed.

In the invention of claim 2 , since the treatment element is operated with respect to a plurality of axes in a time function, the treatment operation in a plurality of directions can be varied at low cost.

In the invention of claim 3 , since the reaching position can be set by the massage force, the force for pushing the human body does not become excessive and is safe.

In the invention of claim 4, since the treatment element is operated to a predetermined reaching position, the change in the strength level is easily understood even for a person with heavy weight.

In invention of Claim 5 , optimal massage can be given to each part of a human body.

In the invention of claim 6 , the treatment direction can be made variable by changing the start position and the arrival position three-dimensionally.

In the invention of claim 7 , since the user can adjust the intensity level of the massage for each part by himself, there is no unpleasantness that the specific part is strong or weak, and the user's preference is given to all parts. Massage is possible with the combined strength.

In the invention of claim 8 , it becomes easy to understand the difference in strength for each course of a plurality of automatic courses. A strong course is easy to feel strong, and a weak course is easy to feel weak.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, either one of the favorite course and the automatic course can be set more finely, and the variation of the massage strength stage is made rich.

In the invention of claim 10 , the user can be informed of where the massage starts and how far the treatment element protrudes.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 shows a massage machine arranged in a backrest 5 of a chair, and a treatment element 1 protruding to the front side of the backrest 5 is moved to the human body side. Massage the human body by changing the amount of protrusion.

  In such a massage machine, the control circuit 2 that causes the treatment element 1 to perform a massage operation by controlling the operation of the drive unit that drives the treatment element 1 is an operation unit that can be operated by the user. The strength of the massage is adjusted according to the strength adjustment operation from 3, but one cycle of the massage operation in the treatment element 1 is moved from the start position P1 to the arrival position P2, as shown in FIG. Then, the operation activation of returning from the arrival position P2 to the start position P1 is drawn. In addition, although only the operation | movement of the human body contact direction is shown in the figure, you may operate | move simultaneously with respect to another direction.

  Here, the control circuit 2 changes the start position P1 while keeping the relative movement distance from the start position P1 to the arrival position P2 constant when there is an instruction to adjust the strength from the operation unit 3. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 representing the massage trajectory for each strength adjustment of the massage machine, the arrival position P2 can be changed without changing the start position P1, or both the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 can be changed. It changes and changes the said relative movement distance.

  In the strength stage 1 and the strength stage 2 in the figure, the movement amount (arrival position one start position) is the same and only the start position P1 is changed. However, in the strength stage 2 and the strength stage 3, the start position P1 is changed. Are the same and change the arrival position P2. That is, the moving distance of the treatment element 1 is different between the strength stage 2 and the strength stage 3. Of course, the treatment element 2 may be moved from the same starting position P1 as the strength stage 1 to the reaching position P2 indicated by the strength stage 3.

  The operation control of the treatment element 1 in the case where both the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 of the treatment element 2 can be made variable and the movement distance of the treatment element 2 can be changed may be as follows.

FIG. 3 is a graph of the target position of the treatment element 1 that changes with time, and the target position is given by a polynomial of a time function. An example of this polynomial is shown below. z (t) is a time function of the target position.
When 0 ≦ t ≦ 2,
z (t) = 10 (1.25t ³ -0.9375t ⁴ + 0.1875t ⁵ )… Formula 1
When 2 <t ≦ 5,
z (t) =-10 (0.37037t ³ -0.185185 ⁴ + 0.0246914t ⁵ -1) ... Formula 2
Here, an example is shown in which the polynomial of the time function of the target position is a quintic equation, the initial position is 0, the operation is 10 mm plus in 2.0 seconds, and the operation is 10 mm minus in 3.0 seconds. In other words, this is an example of a total 5 second operation in which the start position is 0 mm and the arrival position is 10 mm. The arrival position can be changed by changing the coefficients 10 and -10 in the above equations 1 and 2.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the target position that changes with time in the operation of the two axes in the case where the driving means for driving the treatment element 1 in a plurality of directions is provided. Here, the two axes are x and y axes. The target position is given by a time function polynomial independently. This is a massage operation in which the coordinates of the start position are (0, 0), and three rotations are one cycle with respect to the xy plane. When these are combined with the xy plane, the result is as shown in FIG. 5, and a two-dimensional locus of the treatment element can be generated.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the position control of the treatment element 1 on the xy plane. It is assumed that there are xy position sensors, each having a resolution of 10 steps. When the start position and the arrival position of xy are determined in advance at these 10 positions, the treatment element 1 is operated with a certain speed pattern for every n rotations of the motor from the start position P1 to the arrival position P2, and the arrival position P2 is reached. In this method, the treatment element is operated toward the start position P1. In this case, the arrival position P2 and the start position P1 can be placed only at positions detected by the position sensor.

  However, although the start position P1 is determined by the position sensor, when the arrival position P2 is determined by a polynomial of a time function as described above, the arrival position P2 can be arbitrarily set only by changing the coefficient of the polynomial.

  Further, when the speed pattern for each rotation of the motor n is given in advance as described above, changing the moving distance of the treatment element 1 requires another speed pattern, and a lot of memories are provided on the control circuit 2. However, since the time function is calculated in real time during control and the movement distance is changed by changing the coefficient of the time function, the control circuit 2 does not require a large amount of memory.

  The above control can also be applied when the operation of the treatment element 1 is controlled by force control. In this case, a force detection means capable of detecting the force applied to the human body by the treatment element 1 is provided at a place where the treatment element 1 or other massage force can be detected, and feedback control is applied with the force detected by the force detection means. Whether or not the massage reaching position is reached is determined based on the detected force.

  FIG. 7 shows a temporal change in the position and massaging force of the treatment element 1 for one cycle of the massage. The massaging force starts from the massaging start position P1, and the massaging power reaches the “arrival position determination massaging force threshold” Th. Then, the position of the treatment element 1 at that time is set as the arrival position P2 of the treatment element 1, the protrusion operation of the treatment element 1 is stopped, and the treatment element 1 is moved again toward the start position P1. The time of one cycle of the massage operation may be a predetermined time, but the time of one cycle may be shortened or lengthened depending on the value of the “arrival position determination massage force threshold” Th. In this case, when the massage force reaches the “arrival position determination massage force threshold” Th, an operation of returning to the massage start position P1 immediately may be performed.

  When one cycle of the massage operation is a fixed time, the time to reach the arrival position P2 is appropriately determined as a temporary value, and the massage force reaches the “arrival position determination massage force threshold” Th earlier than this temporary value. In such a case, the treatment element 1 may be stopped until the time of the provisional value, and an operation of returning from the position to the start position P1 at a time of “one period of time−temporary value” may be performed.

  On the other hand, when the massage force reaches the “arrival position determination massage force threshold” Th in a time later than the temporary value, an operation of returning to the massage start position P1 with the time point when the temporary value is reached as the arrival position P2 is performed. Just do it.

  When the reaching position P2 is determined by the massage force, it is possible that the predetermined massage force is not reached. Therefore, a method for determining whether the arrival position has been reached at the arrival position P2 or at the position of the treatment element 1 is determined. You may use together.

  Further, by changing the “arrival position determination massage force threshold” Th or the “position of the treatment element” for determining the arrival position P2, it is possible to provide variations in the strength level.

  FIG. 8 shows an example in which the arrival position P2 is variable according to each part of the user. Here, the arrival position P2 is gradually increased from the shoulder to the waist. Although the start position P1 is set to the same position in the figure, it goes without saying that both the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 may be variable.

  FIG. 9 shows an example in which the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 are three-dimensionally variable according to the part of the user, and when the shoulder is massaged, When the massage is performed, the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 are set three-dimensionally so as to be in the direction of pressing the back surface. Although not shown in the drawing, when the neck is massaged, the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 may be arranged in a direction to sandwich the neck. In any case, the treatment direction can be made variable by making the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 three-dimensionally variable.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of the operation unit 3 that allows the user to adjust the massage strength so that the strength can be individually adjusted for each part to be massaged. When the massage strength is increased by the strength adjustment unit, the start position P1 is set in the human body direction, the arrival position P2 is set in the human body direction, and both the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 are set in the human body direction. For example, by setting various arrangements of the start position P1 and the arrival position P2, the strength level can be expressed for each of a plurality of parts.

  The present invention is a massage that fixes the reaching position P2 and changes only the starting position P1, or a massage that fixes the starting position P1 and changes only the reaching position P2 as in the example of the strength steps 2 and 3 shown in FIG. The strength setting can be selected according to the massage site. For example, when massaging in the direction of pushing the shoulder from above, if the start position P1 is too close to the shoulder side, the massage force may become too strong from the start of the massage. In this case, the starting position P1 is fixed, and only the reaching position P2 is changed, so that the massage force does not become too strong from the start of the massage. Further, by setting the start position P1 slightly above the shoulder away from the human body, the minimum massage force can be made zero, and a more rapid massage can be performed.

  In addition, there is a massage machine equipped with an automatic course treatment function that sequentially executes a plurality of different massage operations in accordance with a program set in advance. Usually, a plurality of automatic courses are prepared so that the user can select them. At this time, taking a massage machine having two types of a weak course and a strong course as an example, the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 are set on the massage machine side in the weak course, and the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 in the strong course. By setting the to the human body side, you can create a course with different strength.

  In addition to the automatic course described above, there is a massage machine equipped with a “favorite course” that allows the user to perform a massage preferred by the user at a favorite part of the user, but the start position P1 for each of the automatic course and the favorite course. By making the arrival position P2 variable, for example, the massage of the favorite course can be set at a finer strength level.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which the start position P1 and the arrival position P2 can be displayed on the display unit 30 provided in the operation unit 3. The start position P1 and the arrival position P2 are displayed graphically in association with the human body display of the user, and the user sees this display to indicate which part is massaged, from which position to which position Can recognize until massage. In addition, by adding a display such as a specific treatment distance of the treatment element as an auxiliary, the movement of the treatment element 1 can be more easily understood. In addition, in the conventional massage machine, it is not known where the massage starts and how far the treatment element protrudes.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation example of an example of embodiment of this invention. (a) is a schematic sectional view of the above, and (b) is an explanatory view of the movement of the treatment element. It is explanatory drawing about control same as the above. (a) (b) is explanatory drawing about the control same as the above. It is explanatory drawing about control same as the above. It is explanatory drawing about other control same as the above. It is explanatory drawing about force control same as the above. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the operation example same as the above. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the other operation example same as the above. It is a front view which shows an example of an operation part same as the above. It is a front view which shows an example of a display of the operation part same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

1 treatment element 2 control circuit

Claims (10)

In a massage machine equipped with a treatment element that comes into contact with the human body and performing a massage operation on the human body by changing the amount of protrusion of the treatment element toward the human body and changing the strength of the massage, the position of the treatment element in the human body contact direction a control circuit for controlling the operation of the treatment element for periodic massage back to the starting position through an arrival position from a starting position, relative to the intensity of the change instruction, change occurs in the moving distance from the start position to the destination position In addition to the change of the start position and the arrival position, the control circuit that also changes at least one of the start position and the arrival position where the movement distance from the start position to the arrival position is changed. the operation of changing the amount of projection of the human body side, along with those to be performed on the basis of the time varying target positions, only the fixed and the starting position of the arrival position Massager, wherein the intensity adjusting to obtain, that is the strength adjustment changing only fixed and arrival position the starting position is set according to the massage intensity setting and massage site.   2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit operates the treatment element based on a target position that temporally changes in a plurality of directions.   2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines a reaching position based on the massage force detected by the massage force detection means.   2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines an arrival position based on the position of the treatment element detected by the treatment element position detecting means.   5. The massage machine according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit makes the start position and the arrival position variable according to each part of the human body of the user.   6. The massage machine according to claim 5, wherein the control circuit makes the start position and the arrival position three-dimensionally variable according to each part of the human body of the user.   The operation unit for changing the strength of massage is provided, and the operation unit can specify the massage strength for each part of the human body. The massage machine described in. A plurality of automatic courses for automatically massaging the whole body in a procedure according to a preset program, wherein the control circuit changes a start position and an arrival position for each course. The massage machine of any one of 1-7. 9. A favorite course capable of selecting a favorite massage at a favorite part is provided, and the control circuit changes a start position and an arrival position for each of the automatic course and the favorite course . Massage machine. The massage machine according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays the start position and the arrival position .

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