JPH06339505A - Massaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the obtaining of a satisfactory treating effect by stopping the supply of power to an electric motor until the speed of a treating unit approaches a target speed after deceleration in the control of the treating unit during the lowering thereof. CONSTITUTION:In the altering of a speed command following changes in a target speed during the vertical operation of a treating unit, an output of a vertical drive motor is computed to make a moving speed of the treating unit match the speed command. Then, it is judged whether the treating unit is moving downward depending on whether the present drive command of the vertical drive motor is on the normal or reverse side. When the treating unit is moving downward, then, it is judged whether the speed command is on the deceleration side r(or not and when the command is on the deceleration side, the supply of power of the vertical drive motor is stopped. At the same time, the present speed of the treating unit is read in with a rotation detector to determine a difference between the speed detected and the command speed. When the difference is below a specified lower limit value, an output control of the vertical drive motor is executed to obtain an output desired.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a treatment portion pressed against a back contact portion by vertical movement of a treatment unit along a back contact portion of a chair and operation of a treatment element projecting from the treatment unit. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a chair-type massage machine configured to perform treatment on the body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to the recent trend toward health,
Massage machines used for home use have been receiving attention. In particular, the treatment unit that moves up and down along the back contact portion of the chair is provided with a pair of treatment elements that project to the front side (front side of the back contact portion), and the back contact can be achieved by the vertical movement of the treatment unit and the movement of the treatment element. A chair-type massage machine that performs various types of treatment (rubbing, tapping, acupressure, etc.) on the treatment area that is pressed against the upper part of the body is capable of performing a wide range of treatments from the neck line to the waist without changing the sitting posture. It is widely used as a massage machine that can provide the treatment effect.

The treatment elements are attached to the tips of a pair of support arms supported midway by a common support shaft, and are moved toward and away from each other by the slide of the support arms along the support shaft. A configuration for performing a kneading operation for loosening, a finger pressure operation for pressing a treatment area by swinging of the support arm generated in the same phase around the support shaft, and a tapping operation for similarly hitting the treatment area by swinging the phase. Has become
The applicant of the present application has already provided a driving motor for each of the above-mentioned operations separately, and by appropriately combining and driving these motors and the vertical movement motors of the treatment unit, the combined treatment of the various treatments described above can be performed. We have proposed a massage machine that is capable of further improving the treatment effect.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An appropriate treatment operation by the massage machine, for example, a combination of a vertical movement of the treatment unit and a finger pressure operation of a treatment element is used to approximate the treatment site pressed against the back contact portion. When performing a treatment operation (so-called stretching of the back muscles) that applies rolling acupressure to the entire area,
In order to obtain a better treatment effect, such as gentle treatment on the waist and swift treatment on the shoulder and back, perform the vertical movement of the treatment unit at a speed suitable for each part of the treatment site. It is desirable to let them do it. Therefore, the target speed in each part of the treatment site is set in advance corresponding to each height position of the back contact part, and during the vertical movement of the treatment unit,
Acceleration / deceleration control for controlling the output of a motor for vertical drive is performed in order to achieve the target speed at each height position.

However, the treatment unit is a heavy load having a drive mechanism for causing the treatment element to perform each of the operations of rubbing, tapping, and acupressure, and a drive motor for each operation, and is a heavy object. Since a considerable amount of inertial force acts downward during movement, it takes a long time to match the target speed after deceleration during deceleration control performed during downward movement, which is not desirable during this time. As a result of performing the treatment at a speed, there is a drawback that the desired treatment effect cannot be obtained.

This problem is caused by estimating the inertial force of the treatment unit, which is an obstacle to the control operation, and changing the target speed according to this estimation, as is generally done in this type of control system. It can be resolved. However, the back contact portion of the chair-type massage machine is often configured to be reclining, and the vertical movement of the treatment unit during the treatment operation is performed by pressing the treatment element against the treatment site. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately estimate the inertial force that changes under these conditions, and it is difficult to adopt the method described above.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and promptly matches the target speed when decelerating during downward movement of the treatment unit, and is adapted to each position of the back contact portion. An object of the present invention is to provide a massage machine that can surely perform treatment at a speed.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A massage machine according to the present invention comprises a treatment unit which is driven by an electric motor to move up and down along a back contact portion of a chair, and the treatment unit is provided at each height of the back contact portion. A control unit for performing acceleration / deceleration control of the electric motor so as to move up and down at a target speed set corresponding to the position, and the treatment to the treatment site pressed against the back contact portion is performed by the treatment. In the massage machine adapted to be carried out with the movement of the treatment unit at a speed adapted to each part of the part, the control section,
In the deceleration control during the downward movement of the treatment unit, the electric power supply to the electric motor is stopped until the speed of the treatment unit approaches the target speed after deceleration.

[0009]

In the present invention, when decelerating the treatment unit in the downward moving state, the power supply to the motor for vertical drive is temporarily stopped, and the treatment unit is moved downward by the action of the downward inertial force. A predetermined deceleration control is started at the time when the speed approaches the target speed after deceleration, and the time required to match the target speed is shortened.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a massage machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing its frame structure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the massage machine according to the present invention comprises a seat portion 1 having armrest portions 1a, 1a on both sides in the width direction,
A back contact portion 2 rising from the rear edge of the seat portion 1,
It looks like an armchair. The seat 1 as shown in FIG.
Is a seating pad on a seat plate 11 mounted on the leg frame 10.
Also, the back contact portion 2 is provided with vertical frames 20 whose lower ends are pivotally supported by the leg frames 10 on both left and right sides (only one side is shown), and the vertical frames 20 are appropriately positioned. A plurality of brackets 21, 21 protruding toward the front
… Fix the support plate 22 on top, and attach the back support pad to this support plate 22.
It is configured to cover 23.

A treatment unit 3 is supported between the left and right vertical frames 20, 20 so as to be movable (movable up and down) along them, and a pair of treatment elements 4, 4 project in the width direction on the front side thereof. It is set up. The massaging elements 4 and 4 are formed over substantially the entire length in the widthwise center of the back support pad 23, and as shown in FIG. 1, pass through a notch portion of an appropriate width covered with a highly stretchable covering cloth 24. A kneading operation that protrudes to the front side of the back contact portion 2 and is moved in and out in the width direction by a transmission from each separate drive motor (not shown) incorporated in the treatment unit 3 and moves up and down in different phases. The tapping motion and the acupressure motion that moves back and forth in unison with each other are performed.

The vertical frame 20 of the back contact portion 2 has a bent shape as shown in FIG. 2 so as to follow the curve of the neck from the back which is the treatment site, and on the rear side of the vertical frame 20, A drive chain 15 stretched between a lower drive sprocket 13 and an upper driven sprocket 14 is provided. The drive force of the vertical movement motor M installed on the lower rear side of the seat portion 1 is transmitted to the drive sprocket 13 via the reduction gear 16, and the rotation of the drive sprocket 13 according to this transmission causes the drive to be performed. The chain 15 is adapted to move up and down.

The treatment unit 3 is provided with a pair of upper and lower main rollers 3a, 3a which are in rolling contact with the front surface of the vertical frame 20, and an auxiliary roller 3b which is also in rolling contact with the rear surface, and these are supported at three points on each side in the width direction. Further, it is connected to the midway portion of the drive chain 15 via a connecting member 3c fixed to the lower rear side of the auxiliary roller 3b. Thus, the treatment unit 3 moves up and down along with the rolling of the main rollers 3a, 3a and the auxiliary roller 3b on the front and rear surfaces of the vertical frame 20 in response to the operation of the drive chain 15 by the transmission from the vertical movement motor M. To do.

The moving speed and the vertical movement position of the treatment unit 3 during the vertical movement can be known from the detection result of the rotation detector attached to the vertical motor M. Figure 3
Shows an example of the rotation detector. The rotation detector 6 has a plurality of slits evenly arranged in the circumferential direction, and has a vertical movement motor M.
The rotating disc 60 fitted and fixed on the rotating shaft of the
An optical sensor 61 having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion sandwiching 60, and corresponding to the rotation speed of the vertical movement motor M according to passage of a slit portion of the rotating disk 60 on the optical path of the optical sensor 61. It is configured to obtain the number of pulse signals corresponding to the period and the cumulative number of revolutions.

In the massage machine constructed as described above, the user seated on the seat portion 1 presses the back, which is the treatment site, against substantially the entire back contact portion 2 and operates the operation portion 5 (see FIG. 1). A desired treatment pattern is selected and used. The respective motors for driving the treatment elements 4 and 4 built in the treatment unit 3 and the vertical movement motor M installed below the seat portion 1 are
Each of the treatments of kneading, tapping, and acupressure caused by the operation of the treatment elements 4, 4 is driven by the operation pattern of the operation portion 5 and is applied to the treatment portion pressed against the back contact portion 2.
The vertical movement of the treatment unit 3 due to the acceleration and deceleration by the driving is performed at each height position of the back contact portion 2 at a speed suitable for each.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the vertical movement motor M for vertically driving the treatment unit 3. The setting contents of the operation unit 5 operated by the user are given to the control unit 7 using a microprocessor. A vertical movement motor M for vertically driving the treatment unit 3 is connected to the output side of the control unit 7 via a drive circuit 8, and an output signal of a rotation detector 6 attached to the vertical movement motor M. Is fed back to the control unit 7. The output signal of the rotation detector 6 is, as described above, a plurality of pulse signals generated every one rotation of the vertical movement motor M, and the control unit 7 operates the movement speed of the treatment unit 3 according to the cycle of the pulse signal. The upper and lower positions of the treatment unit 3 can be respectively recognized from the cumulative added value from the initial stage.

In the operation unit 5 connected to the input side of the control unit 7, a treatment in which each treatment of kneading, tapping, and acupressure is appropriately combined according to a predetermined program is performed over the entire area of the back contact portion 2. It is possible to select the treatment pattern to be applied, and when this selection is made, the control unit 7 sets the target speeds that are set by associating the vertical movement of the treatment unit 3 along the back contact portion 2 with the vertical position thereof. The acceleration / deceleration control of the vertical movement motor M is performed in order to perform.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control contents of this acceleration / deceleration control.

The operation according to this flow chart is started in response to the change of the speed command accompanying the change of the target speed during the vertical movement of the treatment unit 3. First, the control section 7 changes the moving speed of the treatment unit 3 to the above-mentioned speed. Calculate the output of the vertical movement motor M required to match the command (step 1),
Then, it is determined whether the treatment unit 3 is moving downward (step 2). This determination is made depending on whether the current drive command to the vertical movement motor M is the forward rotation side or the reverse rotation side.

If the treatment unit 3 is moving downward, it is then judged whether or not the speed command is a deceleration side command (step 3). The power supply to the motor M is stopped (step 4), the current speed of the treatment unit 3 detected by the rotation detector 6 is sequentially read, the difference between the detected speed and the command speed is calculated, and this difference is predetermined. The power supply continues to be stopped until it falls below the lower limit value α of (step 5), and when it falls, the output control of the vertical movement motor M is executed to obtain the output obtained in step 1 (step 6).

On the other hand, if the treatment unit 3 is moving upward as a result of the determination in step 2, and if the speed designation is the speed-up command as a result of the determination in step 3, step 4 and Step 5 is skipped and the process proceeds to step 6 to control the output of the vertical movement motor M so as to obtain the previously calculated output.

By the operation of the control unit 7 as described above, when a speed increasing / decelerating command is issued when the treatment unit 3 is moving upward, or a speed increasing command is issued while moving downward, a vertical movement motor with respect to the target speed after the shift is performed. Acceleration / deceleration control of M is executed immediately,
In response to a deceleration command when the treatment unit 3 is moving downward, power supply to the vertical movement motor M is temporarily stopped, and the movement speed of the treatment unit 3 approaches the target speed after deceleration (the difference between the two is α (Less than 1), the deceleration control of the vertical movement motor M is executed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in the moving speed of the treatment unit 3 and the output of the vertical movement motor M when the acceleration / deceleration control as described above is carried out, and FIG. 7 shows a conventional massage machine. It is a similar figure.

Each of these figures shows the result when a deceleration command to the command speed S ₂ is issued during the downward movement at the command speed S ₁ . In FIG. 6, the output of the vertical movement motor M once becomes 0 due to the stop of power supply in response to the deceleration command at point B, and the treatment unit 3 thereafter moves downward due to the downward inertial force acting on itself. While the speed is reduced, the output of the vertical movement motor M increases due to the start of power feeding at point C when this speed approaches the command speed S _2, and the movement speed of the treatment unit 3 immediately settles to the command speed S ₂ .

On the other hand, in FIG. 7, the output of the vertical movement motor M is reduced according to the deceleration command at the point B.
After this, the treatment unit 3 receives downward inertial force in addition to the downward power applied from the vertical movement motor M, and the movement speed of the treatment unit 3 is gentle without following the output change of the vertical movement motor M. As a result, the moving speed at the same point C as in FIG. 6 greatly exceeds the command speed S ₂ .

[0026]

As described above in detail, in the massage machine according to the present invention, when the downward moving treatment unit is decelerated, the electric power supply to the vertical driving electric motor is stopped.
The inhibition of deceleration due to the inertial force acting on the treatment unit can be reduced without the need to estimate the magnitude of the inertial force.
Matching to the target speed after deceleration is promptly performed, treatment at each position of the back contact portion can be surely executed at a speed adapted to each position, and a satisfactory treatment effect can be obtained, etc. The present invention has excellent effects.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a massage machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a frame structure of the massage machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of a moving speed and moving position detecting means of the treatment unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a vertical drive motor of the treatment unit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control contents of acceleration / deceleration control of a vertical drive motor.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in the moving speed of the treatment unit and the output of the vertical drive motor in the massage machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing changes in the moving speed of the treatment unit and the output of the vertical drive motor in the conventional massage machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Seat portion 2 Back contact portion 3 Treatment unit 4 Treatment element 6 Rotation detector 7 Control unit M Vertical movement motor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A treatment unit driven by an electric motor to move up and down along a back contact portion of a chair, and a treatment speed at which the treatment unit is set corresponding to each height position of the back contact portion. A control unit for performing acceleration / deceleration control of the electric motor to move the electric motor up and down, and the treatment to the treatment region pressed against the back contact portion is performed at a speed suitable for each portion of the treatment region. In the massage machine that is configured to be performed along with the movement of the unit, the control unit, during deceleration control during downward movement of the treatment unit,
A massaging machine, characterized in that power supply to the electric motor is stopped until the speed of the treatment unit approaches the target speed after deceleration.