JP6674827B2 - Pillow device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pillow device.

  Conventionally, for example, a pillow described in Patent Document 1 below is known.

Japanese Patent No. 5022173

  However, in the conventional pillow, the user needs to directly adjust the height by, for example, using a towel when awake.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has as its object to easily set an appropriate height.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
(1) A pillow device according to the present invention includes: an inflating / contracting portion for supporting a user's head; an inflating / contracting mechanism for inflating / contracting the inflating / contracting portion; and acquiring user information and responding to the user information. And a controller for controlling the expansion / contraction mechanism.

  According to the present invention, the control unit controls the expansion / contraction mechanism in accordance with the user information, so that the expansion / contraction mechanism expands / contracts the expansion / contraction part, and the head of the user is supported by the expansion / contraction part. be able to. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to directly adjust the height, the height can be easily set, and the height suitable for the user can be set according to the user information. Further, for example, a spring is provided in place of the expansion / contraction section, and the head of the user is stably held as compared with a configuration in which the head of the user is supported based on a reaction force (elastic force) from the spring. Can be supported.

(2) The pillow device according to (1), wherein the control unit includes, as the user information, the user's head load, the user's respiratory state, and the user's sleeping posture. May be employed to detect at least one of the following.

When the control unit acquires the head load of the user as the user information, the control unit can control the expansion / contraction mechanism according to the head load of the user. Therefore, for example, when the head load is high, the expansion / contraction mechanism expands the expansion / contraction section, and when the head load is low, the expansion / contraction mechanism contracts the expansion / contraction section, etc. Can be supported. This makes it possible to easily set an appropriate height according to, for example, the physical differences of the users.
When the control unit acquires the respiratory state as the user information, the control unit can determine whether or not the user is in a sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state. When the user is in a sleep apnea state, for example, by controlling the expansion and contraction mechanism, of the expansion and contraction portion, the height of the neck side along the front-rear direction, the height of the parietal side along the front-rear direction It can be higher than that. As a result, it is possible to secure the user's airway without attaching a special device for preventing sleep apnea to the user, and without placing the user in the supine position and in the lateral position. , And can easily ease the sleep apnea.
When the control unit acquires the user's sleeping posture (for example, supine position, lateral position) as the user information, it becomes possible to set an appropriate height according to the sleeping posture, and the like. The height can be automatically adjusted in response to turning over, and it is possible to suppress misplacement and stiff shoulders.

(3) The pillow device according to the above (1) or (2), further comprising a detection unit that performs detection on a user; wherein the control unit is configured to perform the detection based on a detection result of the detection unit. A configuration for acquiring information may be adopted.

  In this case, the control unit obtains the user information based on the detection result of the detection unit. Therefore, when the user uses the pillow device, even if the user is in a sleep state, the control unit obtains the user information based on the user information. The control unit can expand and contract the expansion and contraction unit, and the height can be automatically adjusted by the control unit.

(4) The pillow device according to (3), wherein the detection unit may detect a load from a user.
(5) The pillow device according to (4), wherein the expansion / contraction section includes a plurality of expansion / contraction bodies; and the detection section detects a load on each of the plurality of expansion / contraction bodies as the load. A configuration for detection may be employed.

  In this case, since the detection unit detects the load on each of the plurality of expandable and contractible bodies as the load from the user, of the plurality of expandable and contractible bodies, the expandable and contractible body having a large acting load, that is, the head load The expansion / contraction body that receives most of the components can be easily expanded quickly.

(6) The pillow device according to (5), wherein at least a part of the plurality of expanding and contracting bodies may be arranged in a left-right direction.

  In this case, since at least a part of the plurality of expansion / contraction bodies is arranged in the left-right direction, the user can be reliably supported by the respective expansion / contraction portions, for example, when the user turns over in the left / right direction. It can be easier.

(7) The pillow device according to (5) or (6) above, wherein the control unit may acquire a sleeping posture of the user based on the detection result.

  In this case, the detection unit detects a load on each of the plurality of expanding and contracting bodies as a load from the user. Therefore, for example, when the detecting unit detects that the head load is concentrated on a specific inflated body, the control unit can accurately acquire the sleeping posture of the user based on the detection result. it can.

(8) The pillow device according to any one of (4) to (7), wherein the detection unit detects the load for each position; and the control unit determines a load based on the detection result. Alternatively, a configuration for acquiring the sleeping posture of the user may be adopted.

  In this case, the detection unit detects the load of the user for each position. Therefore, for example, when the detection unit detects that the load is concentrated on the specific position, the control unit can accurately acquire the sleeping posture of the user based on the detection result.

(9) The pillow device according to (4), wherein the detection unit detects a change in the magnitude of the load at a specific position; and the control unit detects a change in the load of the user based on the detection result. A configuration for acquiring a respiratory state may be adopted.

  In this case, the detection unit detects a change in the magnitude of the load from the user at the specific position. Therefore, for example, when the detection unit detects that the magnitude of the load changes periodically, or when the detection unit detects that the magnitude of the load does not change periodically, The control unit can accurately acquire the user's respiratory condition based on the detection result.

(10) The pillow device according to any one of the above (4) to (9), wherein the detection unit may include a pressure sensor that detects a change in pressure.

  In this case, since the detection unit includes the pressure sensor, it is possible to reliably detect the load of the user.

(11) The pillow device according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the control unit may acquire a user's respiratory state.
(12) The pillow device according to the above (11), wherein the expansion / contraction portion is a main expansion / contraction body located on the vertex side along the front-rear direction, and a sub-expansion / retraction located on the neck side along the front-rear direction. And a body, when the control unit determines that the user is in a sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state, controls the inflation / expansion mechanism to provide the user with the auxiliary inflation / expansion body. May be supported at a position higher than the main expansion / contraction body.

  In this case, when the control unit determines that the user is in the sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state, the control unit controls the expansion / contraction mechanism so that the user is in the auxiliary inflatable body more than the main inflatable body. Support at a high position. Therefore, the height of the neck portion along the front-rear direction of the expansion / contraction portion can be reliably increased as compared with the height of the parietal side along the front-rear direction.

(13) The pillow device according to (12), wherein a plurality of the sub-expanding and contracting bodies are overlapped in a height direction.

  In this case, since the plurality of sub-expandable bodies are superimposed in the height direction, the height of the expanded / contracted portion on the neck side along the front-rear direction can be effectively increased.

  According to the present invention, a suitable height can be easily set.

It is a top view showing the state where the cushion part was removed in the pillow device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II shown in FIG. 1 and showing a state in which the expandable and contractible body is viewed from the side. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line III-III illustrated in FIG. 1, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which an expansion / contraction body is viewed from a side. It is a block diagram explaining the pillow device shown in FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the height adjustment method by the pillow device shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the height adjustment method by the pillow device shown in FIG. 1, and (A) is a side view which shows the state which a user is using the pillow device in the supine position. (B) is a side view which shows the state which adjusted the height after determining that the user was in the sleep apnea state. (C) is a side view which shows the state which adjusted the height after judging that a user was in a side position. It is a top view showing the state where the cushion part was removed in the pillow device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along a line VIII-VIII shown in FIG. 7 and showing a state in which the expandable body is viewed from the side. It is a block diagram explaining the pillow device shown in FIG. It is a top view showing the state where the cushion part was removed in the pillow device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the modification of the pillow device shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII shown in FIG. 10 and illustrating a state in which the height is adjusted after determining that the user is in a sleep apnea state. FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along arrow XIII-XIII shown in FIG. 10 and showing a state in which the height of the pillow body is adjusted based on information input to the input unit.

(1st Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a pillow device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pillow device 10 includes an expansion / contraction unit 11, an expansion / contraction mechanism 12, a detection unit 13, and a control unit 14.

  The expansion / contraction part 11 supports the head of the user P. The head in the present embodiment is a part of the body of the user P that includes the head main body and the neck. The expansion / contraction section 11 supports the entire head body and neck of the user P. The expansion / contraction section 11 includes a plurality of expansion / contraction bodies 15 and 16. The expansion and contraction bodies 15 and 16 are air bags (fluid bags) that expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. The expansion / contraction part 11 includes a main expansion / contraction body 15 located on the vertex side H (head side) along the front-back direction and a sub-expansion / contraction body 16 located on the neck side F (foot side) along the front-back direction. Have. The main expansion / contraction body 15 is an expansion / contraction section for the head main body. The sub-expansion / contraction body 16 is an expansion / contraction part for the neck.

  At least a part of the plurality of expanding and contracting bodies 15 and 16 is arranged in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, among the plurality of expansion / contraction bodies 15, 16, the main expansion / contraction body 15 is arranged in the left-right direction. An even number (four in the illustrated example) of the main expansion / contraction bodies 15 are arranged in a symmetrical manner in the left-right direction. The sub-expansion / decompression body 16 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction with respect to the plurality of main expansion / contraction bodies 15. The plurality of sub-expanding and contracting bodies 16 are stacked in the height direction.

  The expansion / contraction mechanism 12 expands / contracts the expansion / contraction section 11. The expansion / contraction mechanism 12 is an air pump (fluid supply / discharge mechanism). The expansion / contraction mechanism 12 is individually connected to the plurality of expansion / contraction bodies 15 and 16. The expansion / contraction mechanism 12 is capable of expanding / contracting the expansion / contraction section 11 at a gentle speed that does not impose a burden on the neck of the user P.

The detection unit 13 performs detection on the user P. The detection unit 13 detects a load from the user P. The detecting unit 13 includes a differential pressure sensor 18 and a respiratory condition detecting unit 19.
The differential pressure sensor 18 is a pressure sensor that detects a change in pressure. The differential pressure sensor 18 detects the head load of the user P.

The differential pressure sensor 18 includes a pressure receiving unit 20 to which a load (head load) of the user P acts, and a pressure gauge 21 for measuring an internal pressure of the pressure receiving unit 20. The differential pressure sensor 18 detects a pressure difference (differential pressure) in the pressure receiving unit 20 before and after input of a load to the pressure receiving unit 20 by a pressure gauge 21.
A plurality of pressure receiving units 20 are provided. In the present embodiment, the pressure receiving portion 20 is disposed between the main expansion / contraction bodies 15 adjacent in the left-right direction. Thereby, the detection unit 13 can detect the load on each of the plurality of main expansion / contraction bodies 15 as the load.

  In the present embodiment, a configuration independent of the pillow main body 24 is adopted as the respiratory condition detection unit 19. The respiratory condition detection unit 19 includes a power supply for the detection unit that is independent of a power supply for the pillow body 24 described later. In addition, as this kind of respiratory state detection unit 19, for example, a configuration that detects a change in the magnitude of the load from the user P at a specific position can be adopted. In this case, for example, the respiratory condition detection unit 19 can be installed on a mattress of a bed apparatus (not shown) to which the pillow device 10 is applied, and can detect a load (body load) of the user P on the mattress.

  The control unit 14 acquires the user information and controls the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 according to the user information. The control unit 14 acquires user information based on the detection result of the detection unit 13. The control unit 14 acquires at least one of the head load of the user P, the breathing state of the user P, and the sleeping posture of the user P as the user information. In the present embodiment, the control unit 14 acquires all of the head load, the breathing state, and the sleeping posture. The control unit 14 acquires the head load and the sleeping posture based on the detection result of the differential pressure sensor 18. The control unit 14 detects a respiratory condition based on the detection result of the respiratory condition detecting unit 19.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 14 can also acquire input information, which is information input to the input unit 41, as user information. The input unit 41 receives an input of information on the height of the pillow main body 24 (the degree of expansion / contraction of the expansion / contraction unit 11) desired by the user. That is, the control unit 14 expands and contracts the expansion and contraction unit 11 according to the height of the pillow body 24 desired by the user.

  As the input unit 41, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, an input panel provided on a side surface of the pillow main body 24 (integral with the pillow main body 24) can be adopted. Further, as the input unit 41, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, a communication device (such as a smartphone) provided outside the pillow main body 24 (separately from the pillow main body 24) can be employed.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the control unit 14 can also acquire the operation mode of the pillow device 10. The operation mode is user information input by the user from the input unit 41. As the operation mode, for example, an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode can be adopted. In the automatic operation mode, the control unit 14 adjusts the height of the pillow main body 24 by an adjustment method described later. In the manual operation mode, the above-described adjustment by the control unit 14 is stopped.

  The control unit 14 is connected to the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 and the pressure gauge 21 (differential pressure sensor 18) by wire, and is wirelessly connected to the respiratory condition detection unit 19. The control unit 14, the expansion / contraction mechanism 12, and the pressure gauge 21 constitute a control unit 22. The control unit 22 includes a unit case 23 that houses the control unit 14, the expansion / contraction mechanism 12, and the pressure gauge 21. The unit case 23 also houses a power supply for the pillow body 24 (not shown). This power supply supplies power to the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 and the control unit 14.

  The expansion / contraction section 11, the pressure receiving section 20, and the control unit 22 are accommodated in a cover 25 forming a pillow body 24. The pillow body 24 further includes a cushion portion 26 and a bell polen 27. The cushion part 26 is housed in the cover 25 and covers the expansion / contraction part 11, the pressure receiving part 20, and the control unit 22 from above. In the present embodiment, the cushion 26 has a laminated structure. The cushion portion 26 includes a lower polyethylene foam layer 26a and an upper urethane layer 26b. The bell polen 27 is housed in the cover 25, and sandwiches the expansion / contraction section 11 between itself and the cushion section 26.

  Next, an example of a method of adjusting the height by the pillow device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following, it is assumed that the expansion / contraction section 11 supports the user P in a predetermined standard state at the start of the adjustment, as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, whether the adjustment method is performed or not is determined based on whether the following preconditions are satisfied. That is, when both the power supply for the pillow body 24 and the power supply for the detection unit described above are turned on and the power supply mode is the automatic operation mode, the following adjustment method is performed. When the precondition is not satisfied, the following adjustment method is not performed.

First, the detection unit 13 performs detection on the user P (S10).
Then, the control unit 14 determines (acquires) the sleeping posture and the sleeping position of the user P based on the detection result of the detecting unit 13 (S11). At this time, for example, when a larger load is acting on the main expanding / contracting body 15 located at the central portion in the left-right direction among the plurality of main expanding / contracting bodies 15, the pillow When it is determined that the subject is in the supine position at the center and the main expanding / contracting body 15 located at the end in the left-right direction is subjected to a larger load than the other main expanding / contracting bodies 15, the pillow end is in the lateral supine position. Can be determined.

  When the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the supine position, the control unit 14 determines (acquires) a respiratory state based on the detection result of the detection unit 13, and the user P is in sleep apnea. It is determined whether or not it is in the state (S12). At this time, for example, when the load (torso load) of the user P detected by the respiratory state detection unit 19 is constant within a predetermined period (when there is no change in the load due to respiration), It can be determined that it is a sleep apnea state.

When the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the sleep apnea state, the control unit 14 performs an apnea countermeasure operation (airway securing) as shown in FIG. 6B (S13). . At this time, the control unit 14 controls the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 to supply air to the sub-expansion / decompression body 16 and cause the sub-expansion / decompression body 16 to support the user P at a position higher than the main expansion / contraction body 15 (S131). ). Thus, the top of the user P can be lowered while pushing the neck of the user P up, and the airway P1 of the user P can be secured. A time-out determination is made as to whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed (S132). After the predetermined time has elapsed, the auxiliary expansion / contraction body 16 is evacuated to return the expansion / contraction section 11 to the standard state (S133).
Thereafter, it is determined again whether the user P is in a sleep apnea state (S12).

When the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the lateral position, and when the control unit 14 determines that the user P is not in the sleep apnea state, the above-described apnea countermeasure operation is not performed.
Regardless of whether the apnea countermeasure operation is performed or not, when the control unit 14 performs a series of adjustment methods starting from the detection (S10) by the detection unit 13, the control unit determines whether the above-described precondition is satisfied again. The unit 14 makes the determination. If the prerequisites have been fulfilled, the control unit 14 performs the adjustment method again. If the prerequisites have not been fulfilled, the adjustment method is not implemented.

  As described above, the height can be appropriately adjusted. It is preferable that the above-described adjustment method is periodically performed by the control unit 14 while the user P in the sleep state uses the pillow device 10. This adjusting method is an example, and the method of adjusting the height can be changed as appropriate. That is, this adjustment method performs an apnea countermeasure operation, but the height adjustment method in the pillow device 10 is not limited to this.

  For example, the control unit 14 can expand and contract the expansion and contraction unit 11 based on the head load and the sleeping posture of the user P. At this time, for example, of the plurality of main expansion / contraction bodies 15, the main expansion / contraction body 15 on which a large load is acting can be appropriately expanded according to the load. Further, for example, when the user P is in the lateral position as shown in FIG. 6C, the main inflatable and contractible body 15 is expanded as compared with the case where the user P is in the supine position as shown in FIG. The sleeping posture can be stabilized. Further, among the plurality of main expansion / contraction bodies 15, the main expansion / contraction body 15 to which a load is not substantially applied can be contracted.

  As described above, according to the pillow device 10 according to the present embodiment, the controller 14 controls the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 according to the user information, so that the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 expands the expansion / contraction section 11. The head of the user P can be supported by the expansion / contraction portion 11. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user P to directly adjust the height, the height can be easily set, and the height suitable for the user P can be set according to the user information. In addition, for example, a spring is provided in place of the expansion / contraction section 11, and the head of the user P is held in comparison with a configuration in which the head of the user P is supported based on a reaction force (elastic force) from the spring. It can be stably supported.

  In addition, since the control unit 14 acquires the user information based on the detection result of the detection unit 13, even when the user P is in the sleep state when the user P uses the pillow device 10, The control unit 14 can expand and contract the expansion and contraction unit 11 based on the information, and the control unit 14 can automatically adjust the height.

  Further, since the control unit 14 acquires the head load of the user P as the user information, it is possible to control the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 according to the head load of the user P. Therefore, for example, when the head load is high, the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 expands the expansion / contraction section 11, and when the head load is low, the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 contracts the expansion / contraction section 11. It can be supported at a suitable height. This makes it possible to easily set an appropriate height according to, for example, the physique difference of the user P.

Further, since the detection unit 13 detects the load on each of the plurality of expandable and contractible bodies 15 and 16 as the load from the user P, the expandable and contractible body that has a large applied load among the plurality of expandable and contractible bodies 15 and 16. 15, 16, that is, the expanding and contracting bodies 15, 16 for receiving most of the head load can be easily expanded quickly.
In addition, since at least a part of the plurality of inflated and contracted bodies 15 and 16 is arranged in the left-right direction, the user P is expanded and contracted by the inflated and contracted portions 11 when the user P turns over in the left and right direction, for example. Can be easily supported.
Further, since the detection unit 13 includes the differential pressure sensor 18 (pressure sensor), the load of the user P can be reliably detected.

  Further, since the control unit 14 acquires the respiratory state as the user information, the control unit 14 can determine whether or not the user P is in the sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state. When the user P is in the sleep apnea state, for example, by controlling the expansion / contraction mechanism 12, the height of the neck side F along the front-rear direction of the expansion / contraction section 11 is set to the parietal side along the front-rear direction. It can be higher than the height of H. As a result, the airway P1 of the user P is secured without attaching the user P to a special device for preventing sleep apnea, and without keeping the user P in the supine position and in the lateral position. It is possible to ease the sleep apnea state easily.

  As described above, a configuration that detects a change in the magnitude of the load from the user P at a specific position (on the mattress in this embodiment) may be employed as the respiratory condition detection unit 19 (detection unit 13). It is. In this case, for example, the detection unit 13 detects that the magnitude of the load changes periodically, or the detection unit 13 detects that the magnitude of the load does not change periodically. Then, based on the detection result, the control unit 14 can accurately acquire the respiratory state of the user P.

When the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state, the control unit 14 controls the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 so that the user P is inflated to the auxiliary inflatable / contractible body 16. It is supported at a position higher than the contracted body 15. Therefore, the height of the neck side F along the front-rear direction of the expansion / contraction section 11 can be reliably increased as compared with the height of the parietal side H along the front-rear direction.
In addition, since the plurality of sub-expanding and contracting bodies 16 are overlapped in the height direction, the height of the neck side F of the expanding and contracting portion 11 along the front-rear direction can be effectively increased.

Further, since the control unit 14 acquires the sleeping posture (for example, the supine position or the lateral position) of the user P as the user information, it is possible to set an appropriate height according to the sleeping posture, and the like. The height can be automatically adjusted in response to turning over during sleep to prevent misplacement and stiff shoulders.
Further, the differential pressure sensor 18 (detection unit 13) detects a load on each of the plurality of inflated and contracted bodies 15, 16 as a load from the user P. Therefore, for example, when the detection unit 13 detects that the head load is concentrated on the specific expansion / contraction bodies 15 and 16, the control unit 14 determines the sleeping posture of the user P based on the detection result. It can be obtained with high accuracy.

(2nd Embodiment)
Next, a pillow device 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Only different points will be described.

  In the pillow device 30 according to the present embodiment, the detecting unit 13 includes a piezoelectric sensor 31 instead of the differential pressure sensor 18 and the respiratory state detecting unit 19. The piezoelectric sensor 31 detects a load from the user P. The piezoelectric sensor 31 detects a load from the user P for each position. The piezoelectric sensor 31 detects a change in the magnitude of the load at a specific position. The piezoelectric sensor 31 is a pressure sensor that detects a change in pressure. The piezoelectric sensor 31 converts the magnitude of the applied load into a voltage.

  The piezoelectric sensor 31 is formed in a band shape extending in the left-right direction. As the piezoelectric sensor 31, for example, a configuration including an element pedestal and a plurality of piezoelectric elements can be adopted. In this case, it is possible to adopt a belt member long in the left-right direction as the element pedestal, and to arrange the plurality of piezoelectric elements on the element pedestal at intervals in the left-right direction. The configuration of the piezoelectric sensor 31 can be appropriately changed.

  The piezoelectric sensor 31 is arranged on the pillow body 24. The piezoelectric sensor 31 detects the head load of the user P. One piezoelectric sensor 31 is arranged corresponding to each of the main expansion and contraction body 15 and the sub expansion and contraction body 16. One piezoelectric sensor 31 traverses the entire plurality of main expansion / contraction bodies 15 in the left-right direction. The other piezoelectric sensor 31 traverses the entirety of the one sub-expansion / contraction body 16 in the left-right direction.

  In the illustrated example, each piezoelectric sensor 31 is arranged between the expansion / contraction bodies 15 and 16 and the bellpolen 27. However, the arrangement position of the piezoelectric sensor 31 can be appropriately changed. For example, the piezoelectric sensor 31 may be disposed between the expansion and contraction bodies 15 and 16 and the cushion 26.

The piezoelectric sensor 31 is electrically connected to the control unit 14.
The control unit 14 acquires the head load of the user P, the breathing state of the user P, and the sleeping posture of the user P based on the detection result of the piezoelectric sensor 31.

  When the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects a change in the magnitude of the load from the user at the specific position, the control unit 14 can acquire the respiratory state of the user P based on the detection result. That is, for example, when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the magnitude of the load changes periodically, the control unit 14 can determine that the user P is in a breathing state. When the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the magnitude of the load does not change periodically, the control unit 14 can determine that the user P is in the apnea state.

  When the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects the load of the user for each position, the control unit 14 can acquire the sleeping posture of the user P based on the detection result. That is, for example, when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the load is concentrated on the central portion of the pillow body 24 in the left-right direction, it can be determined that the user P is in the supine position. Further, when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the load is concentrated on the left and right ends of the pillow main body 24, it can be determined that the user P is in the lateral position.

  The control unit 14 can also acquire the sleeping posture of the user P based on the range of the load detected by the piezoelectric sensor 31. That is, when in the supine position, the head of the user P contacts the inflatable portion 11 in a narrow range in the left-right direction, and in the lateral position, the head of the user P contacts the inflatable portion 11 in the left-right direction. Contact in a wide area. Therefore, the control unit 14 can also acquire whether the user P is in the supine position or the lateral position based on the width of the load range detected by the piezoelectric sensor 31 in the left-right direction.

  Further, based on the distribution of the load detected by the piezoelectric sensor 31, the control unit 14 can also acquire the sleeping posture of the user P. That is, when in the supine position, the center of gravity of the head is at the center in the left-right direction, while when in the lateral position, the center of gravity of the head is shifted to one side with respect to the center in the left-right direction. Therefore, the control unit 14 can also determine whether the user P is in the supine position or the lateral position based on the position of the center of gravity of the head in the load distribution detected by the piezoelectric sensor 31.

  As described above, according to the pillow device 30 according to the present embodiment, the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects the load of the user for each position. Therefore, for example, when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that a load is concentrated at a specific position, the control unit 14 can accurately acquire the sleeping posture of the user based on the detection result.

  Further, the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects a change in the magnitude of the load from the user at the specific position. Therefore, for example, when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the magnitude of the load changes periodically, or when the piezoelectric sensor 31 detects that the magnitude of the load does not change periodically, Based on the detection result, the control unit 14 can accurately acquire the user's respiratory condition.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a pillow device 40 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the third embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Only different points will be described.

  In the pillow device 40 according to the present embodiment, one main expansion / contraction body 15 and one auxiliary expansion / contraction body 16 are provided. The main expansion / contraction body 15 is larger than the sub expansion / contraction body 16 in both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

  The pressure receiving portion 20 of the differential pressure sensor 18 is disposed between the main expansion / contraction body 15 and the sub expansion / contraction body 16. A plurality of (two in the illustrated example) pressure receiving units 20 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. The pressure receiving portion 20 is arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction with reference to the center portion of the pillow body 24 in the left-right direction. Thereby, the detecting unit 13 can detect the head load of the user P for each position in the left-right direction. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which three pressure receiving units 20 (differential pressure sensors 18) are arranged in the left-right direction, as in the pillow device 40A shown in FIG. Further, the number of pressure receiving units 20 may be one, or four or more.

  The control unit 14 can acquire the sleeping posture of the user P based on the detection result of the detection unit 13. That is, for example, when the detection unit 13 detects that the load is equally applied to both of the two pressure receiving units 20, the control unit 14 can determine that the user P is in the supine position. . When the detecting unit 13 detects that the load is concentrated on one of the two pressure receiving units 20, the control unit 14 can determine that the user P is in the lateral position.

  When the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the supine position, the control unit 14 determines whether or not the user P is in a sleep apnea state, as in the embodiment. At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the control unit 14 makes the determination based on the detection result of the respiratory condition detection unit 19. Then, when the control unit 14 determines that the user P is in the sleep apnea state, the control unit 14 performs an apnea countermeasure operation.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 14 controls the input unit when the detection unit 13 detects that no load is applied to the pressure receiving unit 20 and determines that the sleeping position of the user P is in the lateral position. Regardless of the input to 41, the expansion of the sub-expanding / contracting body 16 is restricted. In the former case, since the load of the user P is not applied to the sub-expandable body 16, the expansion of the sub-expandable body 16 is unnecessary. In the latter case, the expansion of the sub-expandable / contractible body 16 is not necessary because the expansion of the sub-expandable / contractible body 16 is not a measure against the sleep apnea of the user P.

  Note that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of sub-expanding and contracting bodies 16 are superimposed in the height direction, but may not be superimposed. Further, the sub-expandable body 16 may not be provided.
The main expansion / contraction bodies 15 may not be arranged in the left-right direction.
The expansion and contraction bodies 15 and 16 are not limited to airbags, and as the expansion and contraction bodies 15 and 16, for example, a general fluid bag such as a liquid bag to which a liquid such as water is supplied and discharged can be appropriately used.

  The detection unit 13 does not need to include the differential pressure sensor 18 or the piezoelectric sensor 31, and another pressure sensor (a load sensor or a load detection unit) can be used as the detection unit 13. Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration other than the load sensor as the detection unit 13. For example, an imaging unit may be employed as the detection unit 13, and the control unit 14 may acquire the sleeping posture of the user P based on the imaging result (detection result) of the user P by the detection unit 13. In this case, for example, after the imaging means images the whole body of the user P in a plan view, the control unit 14 can acquire (determine) the sleeping posture itself by image analysis. Further, after the imaging means images the head of the user P in a plan view, the control unit 14 acquires the sleeping posture by specifying the size of the head in the left-right direction and the area of the head by image analysis (determination). It is also possible. Further, a voice recognition sensor may be employed as the detection unit 13, and the control unit 14 may acquire the respiratory state of the user P based on the detection result of the snoring of the user P by the detection unit 13. Further, a pulse sensor may be employed as the detection unit 13, and the control unit 14 may acquire the respiratory state of the user P based on the result of the pulse detection by the detection unit 13.

  The control unit 14 appropriately adopts another configuration that acquires at least one of the head load of the user P, the respiratory state of the user P, and the sleeping posture of the user P as the user information. can do. For example, the pillow device 10 may be configured such that the control unit 14 acquires only the respiratory state of the user P and can cope with the sleep apnea state.

  Instead of employing the detection unit 13, user information may be input in advance. For example, the head load, breathing pattern, turnover pattern, etc. of the user P are stored in the control unit 14 in advance as user information, and the control unit 14 controls the expansion / contraction mechanism 12 based on the user information. Is also possible.

  In addition, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately replace the components in the above-described embodiment with known components, and the above-described modifications may be appropriately combined.

10, 30, 40, 40A Pillow device 11 Expansion / contraction section 12 Expansion / contraction mechanism 13 Detecting section 14 Control section 15 Main expanding / contracting body 16 Secondary expanding / contracting body 18 Differential pressure sensor 19 Respiratory state detecting section F Neck side H Parietal side P User

Claims (7)

An inflatable expansion / contraction section;
An expansion / contraction mechanism capable of supplying / exhausting a fluid to / from the expansion / contraction section;
A first detector for detecting a sleeping posture of the user;
A second detection unit provided separately from the first detection unit and configured to detect a respiratory state of the user;
A control unit that controls the expansion / contraction mechanism based on the information on the user including the sleeping posture and the respiratory state ;
A pillow device comprising:
The control unit determines that the user is in the supine position at the center of the pillow device based on the sleeping posture acquired from the first detection unit, and based on the breathing state acquired from the second detection unit. When it is determined that the user is in a sleep apnea state, the height of the first part of the inflatable part from the standard state on the neck side of the inflatable part along the front-rear direction is determined in the front-rear direction. Controlling the expansion and contraction mechanism so as to be higher than the height of the second part on the parietal side along
The pillow device , wherein the control unit determines whether a desired time has elapsed, and returns the expansion / contraction unit to the standard state when the desired time has elapsed . The control unit acquires an operation mode of the pillow device,
When the operation mode is the first mode in which the control section automatically controls the expansion / contraction mechanism, the control section returns the expansion / contraction section to the standard state after the desired time has elapsed. later, again claim 1 Symbol placement pillow apparatus and controls the inflation and deflation mechanism based on the information of the user. Further comprising an input unit for receiving an input from the user ,
When the operation mode is the second mode, the control unit controls the expansion / contraction mechanism based on an input of the input unit,
When the operation mode is the first mode, the control unit automatically controls the expansion / contraction mechanism,
The operation mode is the second mode, and when the sleeping posture of the user is in the lateral position, the expansion and contraction of the sub-expansion / contraction body is regulated even if there is an input from the input unit. claim 2 Symbol placing pillow apparatus. The expansion and contraction portion includes a plurality of expansion and contraction bodies;
Wherein the first detection unit, as a load of the user, to detect the load on the plurality of inflation and deflation thereof, respectively,
The pillow device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a part of the plurality of expansion / contraction bodies is arranged in the left-right direction . The control unit can obtain the respiratory state of the user, the sleeping posture of the user,
The expansion / contraction part includes a main expansion / contraction body located on the top of the head along the front-rear direction, and a sub-expansion / contraction body located on the neck side along the front-rear direction;
The control unit determines that the user is in the supine position at the center of the pillow device based on the sleeping posture of the user, and the user is in a sleep apnea state based on the respiratory state. When it is determined, the expansion and contraction mechanism is controlled to allow the sub-expansion and contraction body to support the user at a position higher than the main expansion and contraction body,
The sub-expanding and contracting bodies are stacked in a plurality in the height direction.
The pillow device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The width of the main expansion and contraction body in the left and right direction is longer than the width of the sub expansion and contraction body in the left and right direction,
The width in the front-rear direction of the central portion of the pillow device is longer than the width in the front-rear direction of a portion adjacent to the central portion of the pillow device left and right,
When the sleeping posture of the user is in the lateral position, the expansion and contraction of the auxiliary expansion and contraction body is restricted.
The pillow device according to claim 5, wherein: The second detection unit detects a torso load of the user,
  The control unit determines that the user is in a sleep apnea state when the torso load is constant within a predetermined period.
The pillow device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein:

Images