JPH049106A - Air mat system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress the generation of a driving sound by regulating the control of pressing means through control means, when an air pressure is within an insensitive range even if men get down from a mat body and the drop of the air pressure is detected by a pressure sensor. CONSTITUTION:In a controller 20, pressing means 23a1-23c1 or pressure-reducing means 23a2-23c2 are controlled according to the operation by a setting operation means 19 to regulate an air pressure within a mat body; after the stop of operation, the air pressure at the point of time stopping operation is stored as a set air pressure; after the storage, a threshold value base on the set air pressure and the detected air pressure of pressure sensors 15a-15c are compared with each other; and the pressing means or pressure-reducing means are controlled according to the result of this comparison to regulate the air pressure within the mat body. Then the setting range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means 19 is divided into a plurality of parts and threshold values for regulating the control of pressing means by the controller 20 are respectively set within the insensitive range, where a human body does not feel a difference in hardness, in the manner of corresponding to divided ranges, until the detected air pressure of the pressure sensors reaches a certain ratio or more to the set air pressure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an air mat system for automatically controlling the air pressure of an air mat that is made elastic by being filled with air.

[Prior Art] Conventional air mats simply fill the mat body with pressurized air, as seen in Utility Model Application No. 1-452558, so it is not possible for the user to automatically set the desired air pressure. could not.

Therefore, the present inventors have provided an air pump for pressurization, a solenoid valve for exhaust pressure reduction, and a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the mat body, as well as a setting operation means for setting the air pressure. We have already proposed an air mat system that automatically controls an air pump and a solenoid valve while comparing the air pressure detected by a pressure sensor with the set air pressure so that the air pressure is set by a means.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] With this air mattress system, for example, if the temperature inside the mat body rises due to body temperature while a person is sleeping on the mat body and the air pressure increases, the air pressure system will automatically raise the air pressure by that amount. When the pressure is reduced and a person steps down from the mat, the temperature inside the mat decreases, the air pressure decreases, and the load from the human body is reduced, so the air pressure inside the mat is automatically increased by that amount. Control is performed to restore the original state.

As a result, there is a problem in that the harsh sound of the air pump or the solenoid valve is frequently heard in the bedroom, which is normally required to be quiet.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to suppress automatic pressure adjustment as much as possible in response to pressure changes caused by people getting on and off the mat body, and to reduce drive noise. To provide an air mat system that suppresses the occurrence of.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a mat main body,
A pressurizing means for sending pressurized air into the mat body, a decompression means for exhausting and reducing the pressure of the air inside the mat body, a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the mat body, and a setting operation for setting the air pressure inside the mat body. The air pressure inside the mat body is adjusted by controlling the pressurizing means or the depressurizing means according to the operation by the setting operation means, and after the operation is stopped, the air pressure at the time of the operation stop is stored as the set air pressure. An air mat comprising: a control means that compares a threshold value based on the set air pressure after memorization with the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and controls the pressurization means or the pressure reduction means based on the comparison result to adjust the air pressure within the mat body. In the system, the setting range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means is divided into a plurality of parts, and a threshold value is set to restrict the control of the pressurizing means by the control means until the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor becomes below a certain level with respect to the set air pressure. With an insensible width where the human body does not feel any difference in hardness,
These are set in accordance with the respective division ranges.

[Function] According to the present invention, by setting the dead width, even if a person gets off the mat body and a drop in air pressure is detected by the pressure sensor, if the drop is within the dead width, the control means is activated. Since the control of the pressurizing means is regulated, it is possible to suppress the generation of driving noise due to unnecessary driving of the pressurizing means, thereby keeping the bedroom quiet.

[Example] The present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment in which the air mat system of the present invention is used for a bed, and the system is composed of a mat body 1 and an air pressure control device 2. 3, the mat body 1
is installed on the bed base 3, and the shoulder area of the sleeper,
Three air tubes 4a corresponding to the waist and legs, respectively
- 4C are housed and arranged side by side in a chip molded urethane frame 8 whose upper and lower opening surfaces are covered with urethane plates 5 and 6, and covered with a quilted cover 7. Each air tube 4a is inside 5.
Air flow pipes 14a to 14c connected to 4C are installed.

FIG. 3 shows the fluid circuit of the embodiment, and the pneumatic control device 2 includes an air pump 9 and solenoid valves 10a to 10a inserted into air flow passages connecting the air pump 9 and each air tube 4a to 4c. 10c, an exhaust solenoid valve 11, an air filter 12 attached to the air pump 9, a silencer 13 attached to the exhaust solenoid valve 11, and the solenoid valves 10a to 10.
Air tubes 4a to 4c and solenoid valves 10 correspond to
pressure sensors 15a to 15c for detecting the pressure in the air flow passages connecting the air flow pipes 4a to 10c and detecting the air pressure in the corresponding air tubes 4a to 4C; Connector 1.6a provided respectively
Connectors 1.8a to 18c provided at the ends of the air flow pipes 1.7a to 17c from the electromagnetic valves 10a to 10c, respectively, are detachably connected to the connectors 1.8a to 16c.

FIG. 4 shows a basic schematic circuit configuration diagram of the pneumatic pressure control device 2 of the embodiment, and includes setting operation means and each set pneumatic pressure P for individually setting the pneumatic pressure in each of the air tubes 4a to 4c. During the setting operation by the setting operation means of the hand operation section 19, the solenoid valves 10a to 10c, 11-
It outputs a control signal to control the air pump 9 to adjust the pressure, and also controls the display on the display means of the hand operation unit 19 to correspond to the air pressure P detected by the pressure sensors 15a to 15c, and stops when the setting operation is stopped. The pneumatic pressure P detected by the pressure sensors 15a to 15c at the time is stored as the set pneumatic pressure P0, and the set pneumatic pressure P of the hind limb is set. The difference is detected by comparing the threshold value based on the detected air pressure P1 of the pressure sensors 15a to 15c, and the solenoid valves 10a to 10 are adjusted based on the difference.
C211, a control section 20 that outputs a control signal for iM controlling the air pump 9 and controls the display of the display means of the hand operation section 19 based on the set air pressure P0; Solenoid valves 10a to 10c
, 11, consists of a drive section 21 that drives the air pump 9, and a power supply section 22 that supplies power to each section based on important signals from the control section 20.

The hand operation unit 19 serves as a manipulation means for each air tube 4a.
Pressure press buttons 23a, ~23c1. for increasing/decreasing the set air pressure P0 corresponding to ~4c. Decompression push button 2
3at to 23C2, and as display means, five display elements that divide the settable range of air pressure into five groups and display which range the set air pressure P or the detected air pressure P belongs to, -L correspond to the respective air tubes 4a to 4b, and pressurization push buttons 23a.

~ 23 c + and pressure reduction push buttons 23 a 2 to 23 C 2, each push button 22 at, 22 a 2 to 22
The operation signals of c and 22C2 are sent to the control section 20, and the display signals from the control section 20 are sent to the hand operation section 19 through the cable 24.

In addition, the hand operation unit 19 is provided with an operation button 26 for commanding the importance of the main power supply, and a display element L0 for displaying the important state of the power supply, and the operation signal and display signal are as same as above. It is transmitted and received between the control units 20 through the cable 24. 25 is a connector for connecting between the hand operation section 19 and the control section 20.

The control unit 20 is actually composed of a one-chip microcomputer, and its functional circuit block is the fifth
As shown in the figure, A/D converters 27a to 27c convert analog electrical signals corresponding to the detected air pressures P from each pressure sensor 15a to 15c into digital signals, and the push buttons 23a+, 23az to 23a of the hand operation unit 19. 23c+, 230
2 and the operation signal input unit 2 that receives operation signals from the operation buttons 26.
8, a signal processing unit 34, and a control signal output unit 35 that outputs the control signal created by the signal processing unit 34 to the outside,
A display signal output unit 36 that sends out the display signal created by the signal processing unit 34 to the outside, a memory 37 such as a ROM that stores dead width data (described later), calculations of the signal processing unit 34, and control operation programs; It also includes a memory 29 such as a RAM used for reading and writing set air pressure data and the like.

The signal processing section 34 controls the power supply section 22 according to the operation of the operation button 26.
or create a control signal for the push button 23a+.

23 az to 23 c 1.23 An operation control signal generation function 33 that generates control signals for controlling the air pump 9 and solenoid valves 10a to 10b and 11 according to the operation of C2, and the push buttons 23a+, 23a2 to 23c+, and 23c2. When the operation is stopped, the air pressure P1 value of the pressure sensors 15a to 15c at that time is set as the set air pressure P0, and each air tube 4 is
A memory control function 30 that writes to the storage area of the memory 29 corresponding to a to 4c and writes the important status of the power supply unit 22 to two memories, and after the setting is completed, the memory 29
A threshold value based on the set air pressure P6 written in and the detected air pressure P converted by the A/D converters 26a to 26c.

Air pump 9, solenoid valve 1 based on the difference
A control signal generation function 31 that generates control signals for controlling 0a to 10b and 11, a display signal according to the importance of the power supply section 22, and a set air pressure P. and a display control function 32 that creates a display signal such as a display signal according to the detected air pressure P, and the detected air pressure P.

Next, the operation of the entire air mattress system \\ of the present invention will be explained.

First, when using it for the first time, connect the power supply part 2 to the power outlet.
In the power down state when plug 2 is not inserted, the RAM
No set air pressure data is stored in the memory 29 such as . Now insert the plug into the power outlet,
The control unit 20 is energized through the power supply unit 22, and the control unit 20 resets each unit to an initial state.

In this state, the display signal is sent to the hand operation unit 19 from the signal processing unit 3.
Since the light is not sent from the display control function unit 32 of No. 4, the display elements L0 and each ~L are in an off state.

When the harvesting button 26 of the hand operation section 19 is operated, the operation signal input circuit 27 of the control section 20 receives the operation signal and writes the data of the power supply section to the memory 29. In this state, the display control function is performed. 32 sends a display signal to turn on the display element L0 to the hand operation unit 19, and when the display element L0 lights up, the power supply unit is displayed, and the device enters a standby state. In this state, each of the solenoid valves 10a to 10c and 11 is in a closed state.

Since the pressure inside each air tube 4a to 4C of the air mat 1 is in a non-pressure state, the user presses the push buttons 23a to 2 on the pressure side.
It is necessary to operate 3c+ to give a pressurization operation signal to the control unit 20.

First, when the push button 23a is operated, the control unit 20 starts operating based on the manual operation routine shown in FIG. 6, determines whether the pressed push button 23+ is for pressurization or depressurization, and The control unit 20 that has been determined to be used for pressure supplies a control signal for the air pump 9 and a control signal for opening the solenoid valve 10a, that is, a control signal for driving the pressurizing means, to the drive unit 21 based on the function of the operation control signal generation function 33. At the same time when the air pump 9 starts operating through the drive unit 21, the solenoid valve 1
Open 0a. Therefore, pressurized air is sent into the air tube 4a, increasing the internal pressure of the air tube 4a.

The internal pressure of the air tube 4a is continuously detected by the pressure sensor 15a, and based on the detected air pressure PI, the display control function 32 of the control unit 20 sends a display signal to the display elements L to L provided corresponding to the air tube 4a. is sent to the hand-held operation unit 18, and the range to which the detected air pressure Pl belongs is displayed by lighting. The user pressurizes the mat body 1 until the desired air pressure is reached based on this display and the feeling when the user places his or her body on the mat main body 1.

Here, in the display of the display elements L1 to L, the display of 5 to
20g 1c 2, and 3. 21 g/L2 display
am2~35 g7cm2, L1~L, 36
g7cm+2~50g/cI112, I-, ~I-,
51 g7cm2 to 70g/c+12 in the display, L
+ to L, 71g, /am2 to 120g/c
m" respectively, and as mentioned above, the pressure sensor 15a
The control unit 20 sequentially lights up the display elements L1 to L5 based on the detected air pressure P1.

The width of this range setting is not evenly allocated, but is set to be equally spaced to give the softness that people feel.

Now, when the desired air pressure is obtained and the push button 23a is released, the operation control signal generation function 3 of the control section 20 is activated.
3 acts to stop the output of the control signal for the air pump 9, stopping the operation of the air pump 9, and at the same time stopping the driving of the solenoid valve 10a to close it, thereby maintaining the air pressure in the air tube 4a. At the same time, the control unit 20 writes and stores the air pressure P detected by the pressure sensor 15a as the set air pressure P0 in two corresponding areas of the memory.

Furthermore, if you feel that the air pressure is too high and too hard, you can operate the pressure reduction push button 23a2. In this case, the control unit 20 sends a control signal to the solenoid valves 10a and 11 as a pressure reduction means in response to the operation of the push button 23a2. is sent to the drive unit 21 to open the solenoid valves 10a and 11, and this opening exhausts the air in the air tube 4a to reduce the pressure. In addition, depending on this pressure reduction, the display elements L1 to L are controlled to turn off, and the set air pressure P is stored in two memories. Press button 2 for the data.
When the push operation of 3a2 is released, the air pressure is rewritten to the air pressure at that time. In this way, the air pressure of each of the air tubes 4a to 4C is sequentially set to the desired hardness corresponding to the shoulder region, waist region, and leg region, and the air pressure P of each air tube is set to the set air pressure P. Close it and memorize it.

After setting the air pressure of each of the air tubes 4a to 4c so as to obtain the desired hardness in this manner, control shifts to an automatic pressure adjustment routine.

Next, the operation of this automatic pressure adjustment routine will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the control unit 20 determines whether the set air pressure P0 stored in the memory 29 belongs to the above-mentioned five ranges (levels f (=1 to n)), and also controls the detected air pressure P for a certain period of time (in the embodiment, Sample the air pressure every 20 minutes), compare it with the set air pressure P0 stored in the memory 29, find the pressure difference, and check whether it is within the dead width ΔPi, which is a threshold value set in advance and stored in the ROM 30. A determination is made, and if the dead width ΔPi is exceeded, the pressure is adjusted by performing pressure reduction or pressurization control. If not, it is determined whether a new pressure setting has been made by the manual operation routine described above, and if there is no new setting, the above-mentioned comparative determination is successively performed.

Here, the dead width ΔPi is the increase in air pressure due to temperature rise,
In addition to preventing air pressure control from being performed frequently in response to changes in air pressure due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure, the mat itself
In order to prevent air pressure control in response to changes in air pressure caused by changes in load due to people getting on and off the top, it is set within a range in which the human body does not feel any difference in stiffness in sensory evaluation, and the dead width ΔPi is based on the set air pressure. The above 5 divided variable range of P0
The + side and - side are set as shown in the table below, corresponding to each level i.

The above-mentioned comparative judgment is made based on this table, and the air pressure P1 detected by each of the pressure sensors 15a to 15c is sampled (sampling timing is indicated by a black dot), and the air pressure at that time is stored and set in the memory 29. Set air pressure P. As described above, the control unit 20 compares and determines whether the upper limit value of Pi+ is exceeded to the + side dead width corresponding to , or is below the lower limit value of Pi2 to the side dead width corresponding to It performs pressure control. Of course each air tube 4
Control is performed separately for each of a to 4c.

Incidentally, in order to prevent fluctuations in suitability, the above automatic pressure adjustment may be performed only when the judgment result exceeds the dead width ΔPi three times in a row as shown in FIG.

In this case, when the detected air pressure P is outside the dead width ΔPi, 1 is added to the data in a predetermined area in the memory 29, and when it is within the dead width ΔPi, the data in the predetermined area is returned to O, thereby counting. .

In addition, when you sit on a bed, you usually sit on your feet or the center, so it is rare that you sit on your lower back and shoulders for more than 30 minutes at the same time, and it is better to sit on the air tube 4a ~ In view of the fact that the pressure inside 4C tends to be high, the above sampling interval is set so that air pressure control is not performed in such a seat, and the air tubes 4a and 4b in the shoulder and waist areas are set. The automatic pressure adjustment may be performed by outputting the lll11m signal as described above only when both the internal pressures P exceed the dead width ΔPi three times in a row.

Now, in the above automatic pressure adjustment, when a control signal for pressure reduction is output, the solenoid valve 1]- is opened and the solenoid valves 11a to llc corresponding to the air tubes 4a to 4C to be depressurized are opened. When the pressure reduction starts, the control unit 2
0 indicates pressure sensors 15a to 15c that correspond to continuous pressure reduction.
The detected air pressure P is taken in and the corresponding air tube 4a is
The air pressure within ~4c is below the upper limit above and reaches a constant value (3g
/c+++2), the output of the control signal is stopped and the solenoid valve 11 and the corresponding solenoid valves 10a to 10C are closed.

Similarly, in the case of pressurization, the air pump 9 is driven, and when the solenoid valves 11a to 1c corresponding to the air tubes 4a to 4C to be depressurized are opened to start pressurization, the control unit 20 continues. Pressure sensor 15a~ corresponding to pressurization
15c is taken in, and when the air pressure in the corresponding air tubes 4a to 4c exceeds the above lower limit and rises by a certain value (3 grcm2), the output of the control signal is stopped, and the operation of the air pump 9 is stopped. The corresponding solenoid valves 10a to 10c are closed.

In this way, it is determined based on the above conditions whether the upper limit of the dead width ΔPiI is exceeded or the lower limit of the dead width P2 is lower than the lower limit of the dead width P2, and when the conditions are met, pressure reduction or pressurization control is performed, and the air tube Set the air pressure in 4a to 4C as air pressure P. It is maintained within a dead width ΔPi set around . Of course, control may be performed to return to the set air pressure P0 during the pressure adjustment.

The display element L during the control operation of this automatic pressure adjustment
""" The display of L2 maintains the display according to the set air pressure P0, and even if the actual air pressure in the air tubes 4a to 4c exceeds or falls below the range to which the set air pressure P0 belongs, the display changes. I won't let you.

In other words, the upper air pressure appears to be unchanged, so that the user is not confused by the change in display.

By the way, a lower limit value (5 g/cm2) is set for each of the air pressures of the air tubes 4a to 4b, and when the air pressure drops to this lower limit value, the same control as the above-mentioned pressurization control is performed to reduce the air pressure to 5 g/cm2. rise to. In other words, the set air pressure P for level 1. Even if the range of insensitivity width ΔPi2 for ΔPi2 includes values below the lower limit value, the lower limit value is always maintained when the lower limit value is exceeded.

Note that an upper limit is set for the pressurizing operation in the manual adjustment or automatic pressure adjustment, and when the air pressure reaches 1°20 grcm2, the control unit 20 automatically stops outputting the control signal to the air pump 9 and stops the operation. .

In addition, the time is counted from the start of the pressurization/depressurization operation, and if the operation time continues for a certain period of time (for example, 30 minutes), the main power is turned off and the operation of the solenoid valves 10a to 10c and the air pump 9 is stopped. 11 is stopped and the display element is turned off.

The control unit 20 is configured to send a flicker display signal to the hand-held operation unit 19 to cause it to blink.

Now, after setting the air pressure corresponding to the desired hardness as described above, if the power is cut off, the air tube 4a~
4b is maintained by the closed state of the solenoid valves 10a to 10b, so when the power is turned on again, the control unit 20 controls the air pressure in the air tubes 4a to 4b detected by the pressure sensors 15a to 15c at this time. Set the air pressure P1 of the air pressure P. This is written in the memory 29, and thereafter the control state is entered by the above-mentioned automatic pressure adjustment routine.

[Effects of the Invention] In the air mattress system configured as described above, the present invention divides the setting range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means into a plurality of parts, and also divides the set range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means into a plurality of parts, and also divides the set range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means into a plurality of parts, and also divides the set range of the set air pressure by the set air pressure into a plurality of parts. The threshold value that regulates the control of the pressurizing means by the control means is set at an insensitive width in which the human body does not feel the difference in hardness, corresponding to each division range, so that when the user stands on the mat body -F. Even if the air pressure inside the mat body decreases as shown in case 6 when the person gets off the mat body after adjusting the air pressure in the state, if the decrease is within the dead range, the control of the pressurizing means by the control means is restricted. ,
It is possible to keep the bedroom quiet by suppressing the generation of driving noise caused by unnecessary driving of the pressurizing means, and there is an effect that the pressure drop mentioned above is not perceived as a change in hardness.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mat main body of the above, Fig. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of the same, and Fig. 4 is a fluid circuit diagram of the same. , Fig. 5 is a conceptual circuit configuration diagram of the control section of the above, Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the manual operation routine of the above, Fig. 7 is a flowchart of the automatic pressure adjustment routine of the above, and Fig. 8 is a sampling operation of the same as the above. It is a waveform diagram for explanation. 1 is a mat main body, 2 is an air pressure control device, 4a to 4c are air tubes, 9 is an air pump, ], Oa to 10c are solenoid valves, 11 is an exhaust solenoid valve, 15a to 15c are pressure sensors, 19 is a hand control unit , 20 is a control section. Spontaneous writing of procedural amendment> June 7, 1990 1, Display of the case 1990 Patent Application No. 114352 2, Name of the invention Air Mat System 3, Person making the amendment Relationship with the case Patent applicant Address Osaka Prefecture Kadoma City Oaza Kadoma 1048 Name (58
3) Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd. Representative Toshio Miyoshi 4 Agent postal code 530 Address 1-12-17-5 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City Date of amendment order Voluntary order 6 Number of claims increased by amendment None 7. Drawings subject to correction

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A mat main body, a pressurizing means for sending pressurized air into the mat main body, a decompression means for exhausting and reducing the pressure of the air within the mat main body, and a pressure sensor that detects the air pressure within the mat main body;
a setting operation means for setting and operating air pressure within the mat body;
The air pressure inside the mat body is adjusted by controlling the pressurizing means or the depressurizing means in accordance with the operation by the setting operation means, and after the operation is stopped, the air pressure at the time of the operation stop is stored as the set air pressure, and after this storage, the setting is In the air mat system, the air mat system includes a control means for comparing a threshold value based on air pressure with the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and controlling the pressure increase means or the pressure reduction means based on the comparison result to adjust the air pressure within the mat body. In addition to dividing the setting range of the set air pressure by the setting operation means into multiple parts, the human body sets a threshold value that restricts the control of the pressurizing means by the control means until the detected air pressure of the pressure sensor becomes below a certain level with respect to the set air pressure. This air mat system is characterized by having a dead width that does not make any difference between the two areas, and is set corresponding to each division range.