KR20180023929A - An Apparatus for Massaging a Foot By Air Pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air pressurizing type foot massage machine, and more particularly, to an air pressurizing type foot massage machine which enables massaging of foot or calf area by air pressure. The massage machine comprises: instep pressurizing units (14a, 14b) arranged so as to be in contact with the foot; supporting units (13a, 13b) for supporting heels; sole acupressure units (15a, 15b) for practicing acupressure on soles; an air control unit for controlling entry and exit of air flowing into or out of the instep pressurizing units (14a, 14b) and the supporting units (13a, 13b); and a driving unit for supplying and discharging air to and from the air control unit, wherein the instep pressurizing units (14a, 14b) and the supporting units (13a, 13b) are repeatedly expanded or contracted by the air supplied or discharged.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an air-

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air pressure type foot massager, and more particularly, to an air pressure type foot massager capable of massage or massaging foot or calf region by air pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Massage, pressurization, or pressure massage for various parts of the human body are known in the art. Massagers or massage apparatuses having stimulation means in which stimulation such as heat generation, anion generation, or low frequency stimulation is applied in the massage process are being developed.

Patent Registration No. 10-1130801 discloses a pair of integral rubbing plates which are coupled to a driving shaft so as to form a space in which a foot can be inserted, A space-adjusting elastic member provided along the inner wall of the rubbing plate and being elastically variable according to the size of the user's foot to adjust the space between the rubbing plates, A space adjusting plate provided along the outside of the rubbing plate to make the rubbing plate; A rubber pad having a plurality of cushion finger pressure protrusions protruding on the surface of said spacing elastic member to form an inner wall surface of said rubbing plate and elastically support foot; And a rotating pressure-buffering part elastically provided on the surface of the rotating body to protrude and release the pressure of the sole, and pressurize the sole while moving up and down; And a foot pocket which is installed to be freely detachable and attachable along the insertion port of the upper case, and which can be cleaned and washed.

Patent Registration No. 10-1425474 discloses a body having a pair of foot insertion grooves for receiving and fixing both feet and having a foot massage mechanism structure on a side wall and a bottom of the foot insertion groove; A cover hinged to the body so as to cover or open the foot insertion groove of the body; And an infrared LED mounted on an inner side of the lid and irradiating infrared rays on a foot which is seated in the foot inserting groove.

The prior art discloses a foot massage device that massages feet in an acupressure or depression manner or has additional means such as infrared rays. However, acupressure, tapping, or pressurization is performed on limited human body parts such as the sole, so that the effect of foot massage or massage is not high. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a device for allowing the massaging of the entire foot or the calf portion to enhance the effectiveness of the foot massage.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art and has the following purpose.

Prior Art 1: Patent Registration No. 10-1130801 (Sonic World Inc., announcement on March 29, 2012) Prior Art 2: Patent Registration No. 10-1425474 (Ravi Sen Co., Ltd., announcement on August 01, 2014) Foot massage device

An object of the present invention is to provide an air pressure type foot massager capable of massaging various parts including a calf part by applying an acupressure method, a rubbing method, and an air pressure method.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an air pressure type foot massager comprises a foot pressurizing unit arranged to be contactable with a foot, A supporting unit supporting the heel; A foot pressure unit for pressing the sole; An air regulating unit for regulating the entry and exit of air flowing into or out of the foot pressure unit and the support unit; And a drive unit for supplying and discharging air to and from the air conditioning unit. By the supply or the discharge of the air, the foot pressure unit and the support unit are repeatedly expanded or contracted.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a pressure massage pad made of an air pad structure connected to the branch tube which branches from the air conditioning unit to expand and contract.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a temperature control unit for regulating the temperature of the air supplied to the air conditioning unit.

The massage machine according to the present invention enables massaging of the foot by applying the air pressure method. In addition, the massage machine according to the present invention allows massaging of various parts including the calf area by the pressure pad. In addition, the massage machine according to the present invention enables massage suitable for each body condition by adjusting the air pressure.

1A and 1B show an embodiment of a massage machine according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the internal structure of the massage machine according to the present invention.
3A and 3B show an embodiment of an air pressure applying structure applied to a massage machine according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a shape retaining structure of a foot pressurizing unit and a press pad according to the present invention.
5 shows an embodiment of the operation of the foot massage machine according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, components having the same reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, so that they will not be described repeatedly unless necessary for an understanding of the invention, and the known components will be briefly described or omitted. However, It should not be understood as being excluded from the embodiment of Fig.

1A and 1B show an embodiment of a foot massage machine 100 according to the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 1A and 1B, a foot massage machine 100 includes a foot pressurizing unit 14a, 14b arranged to be able to contact a foot; A supporting unit (13a, 13b) supporting the heel; Foot pad pressure units (15a, 15b) for acupressure of the sole; An air conditioning unit 17 for controlling the entry and exit of air flowing into or out of the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the receiving units 13a and 13b; And a driving unit for supplying and discharging air to and from the air conditioning unit 17. By the supplying or discharging of the air, the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the supporting units 13a and 13b are repeatedly expanded or contracted do.

The foot massage machine 100 according to the present invention can be applied to massage or acupressure of a body part such as ankle, calf or calf including a foot. The sole may be massage by the sliding acupressure method or the tapping method, and the foot body including the foot may be massage by repetition of compression and contraction by the injection and discharge of air. In addition, the heel area can be massage by pressing and releasing method. In addition, the pressure pad capable of inflating and deflating by the infusion and discharge of air is capable of massaging other parts such as calves, calves or forearms. The operation of the pressure pad can be operated in conjunction with the pressure unit for the foot. In addition, the foot massage machine 100 according to the present invention may have a thermal function. The heating function can be made by operating the infrared lamp, operating the heating line, or adjusting the temperature of the air to be supplied and discharged. The foot massager 100 may have various stimulating functions, for example, low frequency stimulation or micro current stimulation, and the present invention is not limited by such additional functions.

The foot massage machine (100) includes an operating body (10) in which a substrate having a motor, a circulating pump, or a microprocessor is accommodated, and a receiving portion is formed in which a foot can be fixed; A lid 20 and an operating body 10 on which the inlets 22a and 22b are formed to allow the feet to be received inside the operating body 10 while functioning as a lid of the operating body 10 and a branch tube And a pressure massage pad 30a, 30b connected by a spring 181. The foot massager 100 may be powered by a power supply and may include various devices or wires for power supply.

The operation body 10 includes a body case 11 formed of synthetic resin or a similar material; A base substrate 12 disposed inside the body case 11; A massage module formed on the base substrate 12; And a pressurization module for air circulation.

The body case 11 may be hemispherical or half-egg-shaped, and the base substrate 12 may be made of an insulating material while being fixed to the upper portion of the body case 11. A driving unit such as a motor, a circulation pump for circulating air, or a sliding bearing unit in which a pressing force is applied to the soles of the sole, moving back and forth in a sliding manner, may be disposed below the base board 12. The sliding pad unit can be moved back and forth or up and down by a drive unit such as a motor, so that the foot pad can be supported by the lip pressure protrusion. The operation of the sliding contact pressure unit and the driving motor may be performed in any manner known in the art. The circulation pump can be operated by a motor or other drive unit and is capable of repeatedly introducing or discharging air into and out of the foot pressure units 14a and 14b, the pedestal units 13a and 13b or the pressure massage pads 30a and 30b Thereby allowing expansion and contraction.

The foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b can be of a tunnel shape having a shape that surrounds the foot and has an inverted U-shaped inlet and gradually decreases in height toward the toe direction. And a shape in which the front side is opened and the toes protrude to the outside of the tunnel shape, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be formed into various shapes. The supporting units 13a and 13b can be made in the form of a fence surrounding the heel. The front portion of the foot can be accommodated in the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b through the open portions formed above the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the support units 13a and 13b.

The foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b can be made into a tunnel shape, and the circumferential surface surrounding the foot can be made to expand and contract by the infusion and discharge of air. Specifically, the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b are made of a double outer wall structure and an air pressure pad can be disposed therein. The air pressure pad can be made of a structure in which one air tube or a plurality of air tubes are arranged side by side, expanded by the injection of air, and contracted by the discharge of air. The outer walls of the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b can be made into a structure in which the shape of the outer wall is not easily deformed, and the pivot can be easily constricted. The foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b are inflated by injecting air into the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b so as to apply pressure to the entire front part of the foot including the foot and at the same time the entire foot including the sole Becomes a massage. Then, as the air inside the foot-pushing units 14a and 14b is discharged, it contracts and returns to its original state. Repeated infusion and evacuation of the air can result in repeated inflation and contraction of the volume and foot massage. The expansion and contraction of the foot pressurizing units 14a, 14b can be accomplished in a variety of ways, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The heel can be supported by the supporting units 13a and 13b and the pressing pad which is expanded and contracted similarly to the foot pressing units 14a and 14b can be disposed inside the supporting units 13a and 13b. Foot-shaped pressing units 14a and 14b and supporting units 13a and 13b can form a shoe-like shape. 13a, 13b can be applied to the lower part of the ankle including the ankle or massaging.

The acupressure unit can be disposed below the foot pressure applying units 15a and 15b which are held in a sole form so as to reach the supporting units 13a and 13b from the foot pressing units 14a and 14b. The acupressure unit can have acupressure protrusions of various structures, and it is possible to apply pressure while pressing the sole while moving in a sliding manner.

Air can be injected into and discharged from the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b through the air conditioning unit 17. The air conditioning unit 17 can function as an air distribution unit while functioning as a control valve. An air supply tube connected to the circulation pump is connected to the air conditioning unit 17 to supply and discharge air. The air conditioning unit 17 may be connected to a distribution tube for supplying the air supplied from the air supply tube to the unit for expansion and contraction operation including the foot pressure unit 14a, 14b. Specifically, the air conditioning unit 17 is provided with a foot connection tube 182 for introducing or discharging air into the inside of the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b, and an inside of the pressurizing pad disposed inside the support units 13a and 13b A support connection tube 183 for introducing or discharging air into or out of the apparatus can be connected. And a branch tube 181 for supplying or discharging air to the pressure massage pads 30a and 30b may be connected to the air conditioning unit 17. [ The air conditioning unit 17 may distribute the supplied air to the branch tube 181, the foot connection tube 182, and the support connection tube 183, and may have a function of circulating the exhausted air to the supply tube. A control valve for controlling the flow of air to the air conditioning unit 17 may be disposed as required. The air conditioning unit 17 may have various configurations for adjusting air supply or exhaust, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

A lid 20 can be coupled to the top of the body case 11 and the lid 20 can include a protective case 21 and entrances 22a and 22b for inputting the feet. Further, the cover 20 may be provided with an operation unit 23 for controlling the operation of the foot massager 100, and a status display screen may be disposed as required. The lid 20 can be made in various shapes known in the art, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

According to the present invention, the foot massage device 100 includes a pressure massage pad 30a, 30b connected to a branch tube 181 branching from the air conditioning unit 17 and made into an air pad structure capable of compressing and contracting . The branch tube 181 may be passed through the body case 11 and may be discharged to the outside and branched again to the secondary branch tubes 181a and 181b. Specifically, the distribution unit 16 can be disposed in the body case 11 or the protective case 21, and the branch tube 181 can be connected to the distribution unit 16. The distribution unit 16 can be made to pass through the body case 11 or the protective case 21 and one end of each secondary branch tube 181a and 181b can be connected to the distribution unit 16 have. And the other ends of the secondary branch tubes 181a and 181b may be connected to the pressure massage pads 30a and 30b, respectively. The pressure massage pads 30a and 30b may have a shape similar to the pressure pad of the blood pressure monitor. Specifically, the pressure massage pads 30a and 30b are provided with a pressure roll pad 31 surrounding a part requiring massage, a fixing pad 32 fixing the pressure roll pad 31 and a pressure roll pad 31 And an air tap 33 connected to the secondary branch tubes 181a and 181b while injecting or discharging air. An air tube that expands or contracts by the injection or discharge of air into the interior of the press roll pad 31 can be arranged. By repeatedly injecting or discharging air into the pressure roll pad 31, the pressure roll pad 31 can be periodically expanded or contracted. The press roll pad 31 may be disposed at various sites, for example, a calf, thigh, or forearm. An acupressure projection may be formed at a portion where the pressure roll pad 31 is in contact with the human body as needed.

The air tube or compression tube 34 disposed inside the pressure roll pad 31 may expand or contract according to the supply or discharge of air. Specifically, the compression tube 34 includes a pressure tube 341 arranged in parallel with each other and expanding or contracting, a distribution tube 342 connecting the end of the pressure tube 341 and a distribution tube 342 and an air tap 33 and a connecting tip 343 for connecting the first and second connectors 331, 332. A limiting strip 344 may be disposed that connects the middle of the different pressure tubes 341 as needed to limit expansion or contraction. The pressing tube 34 can be made in various structures depending on the wearing position of the pressure roll pad 31, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

The press roll pad 31 can be made in various shapes and worn on various parts of the human body, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

As described above, the foot massage device 100 according to the present invention massage the sole of the foot in an acupressure manner, and massage the foot or the calf including the foot by repetitive infusion and discharge of air. Various massaging methods can be applied to the foot massage machine 100 according to the present invention. For example, the solenoid operated tapping method and the rotary ball pressing method can be applied together with the air pressing method. (100) is not limited by the massage structure.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the internal structure of the massage machine according to the present invention.

2, a supply tube AI may be connected to the air conditioning unit 17 and a supply tube AI may be connected to a circulation pump disposed below the base substrate 12. [ And the circulation pump can be operated by the drive pump to supply air to the air conditioning unit 17 through the supply tube AI or to vent air. And the foot air connection tapes 182 can be connected to the foot air tabs 182a disposed on the boundary surfaces of the pair of foot pressure units 14a and 14b and the foot air tabs 182a can be connected to the foot air pressure tabs 182a, Can be connected to air pads disposed within the units 14a, 14b. And the support connecting tube 183 can be extended along the interface of the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b to reach the support units 13a and 13b. The distribution control unit 41 may be disposed on the interface of the support units 13a and 13b and the foot connection tube 182 may be connected to the distribution control unit 41. [ The pad connecting tubes 421 and 422 can be branched and extended in both directions of the distribution adjusting unit 41 and can be connected to the respective pressure pads 44 arranged inside the receiving units 13a and 13b. A pair of fixed contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 may be formed on the pressing pad 44 so as to face each other. By supplying or discharging air to the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the pressurizing pads 44 with a tube having a branch branch structure branched to both sides while supplying air to one tube as described above, both portions expand or contract simultaneously .

As described above, the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the press pad 44 can expand or contract while maintaining the external shape, and can repeatedly press the foot region.

3A and 3B show an embodiment of an air pressure applying structure applied to a massage machine according to the present invention.

3A and 3B, a portion where the toe is located in the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b may be formed in an open shape, and the supply tube AI may be formed through the through holes formed in the base substrate 12 Can be connected to the side of the regulating unit. The air conditioning unit may include a tube connector in which a plurality of tubes are connected to each other and an adjustment block for controlling the operation of the valve formed in the tube connector. The branch tube 181, the foot connection tube 182, and the support connection tube 183 can be connected to the tube connector.

The branch tube 181 is connected to a distribution unit 16 disposed on the side of the body case 11 and the foot connection tube 182 can be connected to the foot air taps formed adjacent to the air conditioning unit. The support connecting tube 183 may be connected to a T-shaped distribution adjusting unit 41 disposed at a portion where the supporting units 13a and 13b are formed to allow air to flow into the pressing pad 44. [ A pair of stationary contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 formed inside the pressure pad 44 so as to be opposed to each other fix the heel so that the heel is under pressure. For this purpose, each of the stationary contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 may be a pillow shape or a needle shape with a concave intermediate portion. And extend in the vertical direction.

It is advantageous that the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b or the pressurizing pads 44 are made to be capable of expanding and expanding and contracting while maintaining a predetermined shape. For example, it is advantageous that the foot pressure unit 14a, 14b is expanded or contracted while maintaining the shape of the tunnel, and the pressure pad 44 is expanded or contracted while maintaining the U-shape or semicircular shape. Such shape retention can be accomplished through the material or through the structure.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the shape retaining structure of the foot pressurizing unit 14a and the press pad 44 according to the present invention.

4, the foot pressure unit 14a or the pressure pad 44 may be made of a hard synthetic resin material having a small elasticity. The foot press pad 44 includes a foot pad body 141, a deformation reference strip 142 formed on the foot pad body 141, shape retaining rims 143 and 144 formed at the entrance and exit of the pad body 141, (Not shown). The deformation reference strips 142 may be formed in a strip shape along the longitudinal direction of the foot pad body 141 and may be formed on opposite sides of the tunnel. The deformed reference strip 142 can be made by a method of bonding the double walls of the double-walled toe pad body 141 to each other, and the portion is not expanded or expanded. Specifically, the air pad is not disposed in the deformation reference strip 142, so that the instep pad body 141 can expand or contract based on the deformation reference strip 142 in the process of injecting or discharging air. The shape retaining rims 143 and 144 may be rounded or relatively thick, so that the tunnel shape can be maintained. The deformable reference strips 142 may be disposed at a plurality of positions in various positions, and the shape retaining rims 143 and 144 may be formed in various structures.

The fixed contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 disposed on the pressing pad 44 are formed such that the fixed contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 protrude inward from the surface of the pressure pad 44 having a double wall structure, And the like. And the shape retaining rims 451 and 452 may be formed along the peripheral surface of the pressing pad 44. [

The fixed contact pressure protrusions 431 and 432 or the shape retaining rims 451 and 452 can be formed in various shapes, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

5 shows an embodiment of the operation of the foot massage machine according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, a condition can be set by operating an operation button for operating the foot massage (P51). The operating conditions may include, for example, the thermal operation to cause the LED infrared lamp to operate, the pressure of the air being injected, the expansion and contraction cycle, the reciprocating cycle of the sole pressure unit, the intensity of the acupressure, have. Depending on the design, a drying tube can be placed. The drying tube may have the function of branching off from the circulation pump and spraying dry air with an appropriate temperature level on the foot, soles or heels. For example, a plurality of injection holes may be formed in the foot pressure unit, the sole, or the heel. Dry air with controlled temperature or humidity can be injected through the injection hole. The air injected through the injection hole can be supplied through a tube that is separate from the tube that supplies air to the foot pressure unit or the support unit. When the operating conditions are set, the temperature or humidity inside the foot pressure unit can be detected (P52), and the air pressure or the operating temperature of the infrared LED lamp or the heating unit can be determined (P53). The pressure of the air supplied to the pressure massage pad described above can also be determined. When the air pressure and the temperature are determined in this way, the motor and the pump are operated (P54), and the shi pressure unit and the air pressure unit can be operated. It can be determined whether the temperature or the humidity is changed during the operation (P55). If the temperature or humidity has not changed to a predetermined level (NO), the air pressure and temperature are determined and operation can be maintained (P54). On the other hand, if the temperature or humidity deviates from the predetermined range (YES), the air pressure or temperature may be regulated (P56) and operated (P54).

The contact pressure detecting unit may be disposed on the foot massage unit according to the present invention, and at least one contact pressure detection unit may be disposed on the foot pressure unit, the sole, or the heel, for example. The contact pressure detection unit may have a function of detecting a pressure at which the foot pressure unit, the pressure-sensitive unit or the pressure pad contacts the body part. A contact pressure detection unit may also be disposed on the pressure massage pad. The contact pressure detection unit controls the pressure supplied through the different tubes when the contact pressure difference is large at different contact points. The contact pressure detection unit also prevents the pressure on the contact area of the human body from exceeding a preset range. In addition, the contact pressure detection unit causes the foot massage to stop operating if a predetermined pressure is exceeded. In this way, the contact pressure detecting unit prevents the difference in pressure applied to different parts of the human body from being reduced, and prevents side effects due to massage.

The foot massage machine according to the present invention can be operated in various ways and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The massage machine according to the present invention enables massaging of the foot by applying the air pressure method. In addition, the massage machine according to the present invention allows massaging of various parts including the calf area by the pressure pad. In addition, the massage machine according to the present invention enables massage suitable for each body condition by adjusting the air pressure.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . The invention is not limited by these variations and modifications, but is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

10: operating body 11: body case
12: base substrate 13a, 13b:
14a and 14b: foot pressure unit 15a, 15b: foot pressure unit
16: distribution unit 17: air conditioning unit
20: cover 21: protective case
22a, 22b: inlet 23: operation unit
30a, 30b: pressure massage pad 31: pressure scroll pad
32: fixing pad 33: air tap
34: compression tube 41: distribution control unit
44: pressure pad 100: foot massager
141: Foot pad body 142: Deformation reference strip
143, 144: Shape retaining rim 145: Fixed rim
181: branch tube 181a, 181b: second branch tube
182: foot connection tube 182a: foot air tab
183: support connection tube 341: pressure tube
342: Distribution tube 343: Connection tips
344: Restriction strips 421, 422: Pad connection tube
431, 432: fixed pressure-applying protrusions 451, 452:
AI: Feed tube

Claims (2)

A foot pressurizing unit (14a, 14b) arranged so as to be contactable with the foot and repeatedly expanding or contracting;
A supporting unit (13a, 13b) supporting the heel;
Foot pad pressure units (15a, 15b) for acupressure of the sole;
An air conditioning unit 17 for controlling the entry and exit of air flowing into or out of the foot pressurizing units 14a and 14b and the receiving units 13a and 13b;
Pressure massage pads 30a and 30b connected to the secondary branch tubes 181a and 181b connected to the branch tube 181 branching from the air conditioning unit 17; And
And a drive unit for supplying and discharging air to and from the air conditioning unit (17)
The pressure massage pads 30a and 30b are pressure tubes 341 arranged in parallel to each other and expanding or contracting; A distribution tube 342 connecting the end portion of the pressure tube 341; And a connection tip (343) formed in the distribution tube (342). The foot of claim 1, further comprising a restraining strip (344) connecting the middle of the different pressure tubes (341) to limit inflation or contraction.

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