Massager

Abstract

A massaging machine (1) comprises: a leg supporting section (20) for supporting left and right legs of a subject; a left leg length detecting section (27A) for detecting left leg length information; a right leg length detecting section (27B) for detecting right leg length information; and a control section (19) for executing a leg length detecting mode for comparing the left leg length information with the right leg length information to obtain leg length difference information.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a massage machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, a massage machine that performs a treatment on a subject has been known. In such a massage machine, a leg supporting portion (leg rest) that supports both legs is provided.

[0003] For example, in Patent Literature 1 described below, a massage device is disclosed that is provided with pressure sensors in a left sole air bag and a right sole air bag, and has a control portion that determines whether both of the pressure sensors detect the left and right legs of a subject. In this massage device, the leg supporting portion is configured to be extended and contracted based on the detection results of the pressure sensors of the left and right soles and the detection result of a thigh portion inner side pressure sensor, and the position of the leg supporting portion is adjusted.

[0004] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0005] PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-29641 SUMMARY

[0007] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] However, in the massage device described in Patent Literature 1 described above, further improvement is desired from the viewpoint of obtaining more detailed body information of a subject.

[0009] The present application has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a massage machine that can effectively obtain leg information of a subject.

[0010] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0011] To achieve the above object, a massage machine according to the present application is characterized by comprising: a leg supporting portion that supports a left leg and a right leg of a subject; a left leg detecting portion that detects left leg length information; a right leg detecting portion that detects right leg length information; and a control portion that executes a leg length detecting mode in which the left leg length information and the right leg length information are compared to obtain leg length difference information.

[0012] EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The massage machine according to the present application can effectively obtain leg information of a subject by having the above configuration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 (a) of FIG. 1, Figure 1 (b) of FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present application, Figure 1(a) is a schematic front view, Figure 1 (b) is a schematic plan view.

[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic control block diagram of the massage machine.

[0016] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart showing an example of basic actions performed in the massage machine.

[0017] Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (c) is a schematic front view of the massage machine with parts omitted.

[0018] Figure 5 (a) to Figure 5 (c) is a schematic front view of an example of a massage machine relating to another embodiment of the present application with parts omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1

[0020] In some of the drawings, some of the detailed reference numerals carried over from other drawings will be omitted.

[0021] In the following embodiments, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction will be described with reference to a subject seated in the backrest-upright state in the massage machine.

[0022] Figures 1-4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a massage machine relating to the first embodiment and an example of basic actions performed in the massage machine.

[0023] The massage machine 1 relating to the present embodiment is provided with a leg supporting portion (leg rest) 20 that supports the left and right legs of a subject, as shown in (a) of Figure 1 (b) of Figure 1 The detailed structure of the leg supporting portion 20 will be described later.

[0024] The massage machine 1 is a chair-type massage machine provided with a backrest portion 2 that supports the back of a subject and a seat portion 4 on which the subject is seated. The massage machine 1 is provided with armrest portions 8, 8 that support the arms of the subject provided on the left and right sides of the seat portion 4 in an upright manner.

[0025] The backrest portion 2 is driven by a backrest drive portion 3 (see Figure 2 ​) and freely incline (pitch). The backrest portion 2 is rotatable with respect to the seat portion 4 about a lower end portion on the seat portion 4 side, or can be configured to swing (lock) with the seat portion 4. The backrest drive portion 3 can also be an electric actuator having a rod coupled to the backrest portion 2 and extending and contracting by a suitable motor. In the massager 1, a suitable inclination angle detection portion for detecting the inclination angle of the backrest portion 2 to control the backrest drive portion 3, or a suitable stop mechanism for stopping the backrest drive portion 3 at a standing limit and a lying limit, or the like can be provided.

[0026] The left and right armrest portions 8, 8 are provided between the seat portion 4 side and the backrest portion 2 side so as to be able to support the fingers, forearms, and upper arms of the subject. Arm receiving grooves for receiving the left and right arms of the subject can be provided in the left and right armrest portions 8, 8. A suitable treatment mechanism such as an air cell or a roller for treating the arms received in the arm receiving grooves of the left and right armrest portions 8, 8 can be provided.

[0027] The massager 1 is provided with a treatment unit 10 having left and right treatment members 18A, 18B, which constitute a treatment portion movable in the body length direction.

[0028] The left and right treatment members 18A, 18B are provided in one treatment unit 10 in the present embodiment. The left and right treatment members 18A, 18B can also be in the form of rollers rotatable about shafts in the substantially left and right directions.

[0029] The treatment unit 10 is movable within the massager 1 along a guide rail formed in a long dimension along the body length direction. The guide rail is shaped as appropriate to follow the shape of the back of the body. The guide rail can be provided in a continuous manner throughout substantially the entire upper and lower directions of the backrest portion 2 and substantially the entire front and rear directions of the seat portion 4, or can be provided only in the backrest portion 2. The guide rail is provided in pairs at positions spaced apart to the left and right so as to guide the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10. In the left and right guide rails, guide grooves for guiding the guided portions provided in the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10, or racks engaged with pinions provided in the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10, or the like are provided.

[0030] Guided portions guided along the above-described left and right guide grooves are provided in the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10. The guided portions can be provided at two positions spaced apart in the body length direction in the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10. Pinions engaged with the racks of the left and right guide rails are provided in the left and right end portions of the treatment unit 10. The left and right pinions can be provided in coaxial relation to the guided portions on one side in the body length direction.

[0031] In the treatment unit 10, a main body raising and lowering drive section 12 (see Figure 2 ) is provided to rotate the pinions on the left and right sides. The main body raising and lowering drive section 12 is configured by a suitable motor, and rotates the pinion shafts on the left and right sides via a suitable reduction mechanism. That is, if the main body raising and lowering drive section 12 is driven, the pinions on the left and right sides of the treatment unit 10 rotate, and the treatment unit 10 moves in the body length direction along the racks of the left and right rails with which the pinions engage. In the massager 1, a main body raising and lowering position detection section is provided to detect the raising and lowering position of the treatment unit 10 that is moved by the main body raising and lowering drive section 12. As the main body raising and lowering position detection section, either a rotary encoder that detects the rotational speed of a rotating body that is rotated by the main body raising and lowering drive section 12, or a suitable sensor that detects a detection target provided on one of the treatment unit 10 and the rails can be used.

[0032] In the treatment unit 10, a main body advancing and retreating drive section 13 (see Figure 2 ) is provided to drive when the treatment section main body 11 provided with the left and right treatment members 18A, 18B described later is advanced and retreated in the front and back directions with respect to the rails.

[0033] The treatment section main body 11 can also be swingable with respect to the main body holding section of the treatment unit 10, for example, so as to be displaced in the substantially front and back direction that is substantially orthogonal to the length direction of the rails, with the upper end side of the treatment section main body 11 serving as a fulcrum. As such a main body advancing and retreating mechanism, either a structure in which a pinion that is linked to a motor that configures the main body advancing and retreating drive section 13 via a suitable reduction mechanism is provided on one of the main body holding section and the treatment section main body 11, and a circular arc-shaped rack with which the pinion engages extends in the substantially front and back direction can be used, or other various structures can be used. That is, if the main body advancing and retreating drive section 13 is driven, the pinion rotates, and the upper end side of the treatment section main body 11 advances and retreats in the substantially front and back direction along the circular arc-shaped rack with which the pinion engages, together with the left and right treatment members 18A, 18B. As the main body advancing and retreating mechanism, the structure described above is not limiting, and a structure in which the treatment section main body 11 is advanced and retreated in linear motion with respect to the rails can be used, or other various structures can be used. In the massager 1, a main body advancing and retreating position detection section is provided to detect the advancing and retreating position of the treatment section main body 11 that is moved by the main body advancing and retreating drive section 13. As the main body advancing and retreating position detection section, the same structure as the main body raising and lowering position detection section described above can be used.

[0034] In the treatment unit 10, a treatment member width drive section 14 (see Figure 2 ) is provided to drive when the left and right treatment members 18A, 18B provided in the treatment section main body 11 are moved in the left and right direction (width direction). In the treatment section main body 11, either a left treatment member unit 17A that has the left treatment member 18A and a right treatment member unit 17B that has the right treatment member 18B (seeFigure 1 )guide shafts guided freely in the left-right direction, or threaded shafts or the like connected to the motors that constitute the subject width driving section 14 via appropriate reduction gears and screwed with female screw sections provided in the left and right subject units 17A and 17B and displace them toward each other or away from each other. Appropriate detection sections that detect the left-right positions of the left and right subject units 17A and 17B can also be provided in the subject unit 10.

[0035] In the subject unit 10, a kneading driving section 15 (see Fig. 2) that is driven when the left and right subject members 18A and 18B perform a kneading action is provided. Figure 2 )In the subject section main body 11, an appropriate eccentric or a kneading shaft or the like that is connected to the motor that constitutes the kneading driving section 15 via an appropriate reduction gear and displaces the left and right subject members 18A and 18B in a circular arc shape can also be provided.

[0036] In the subject unit 10, a tapping driving section 16 (see Fig. 2) that is driven when the left and right subject members 18A and 18B perform a tapping action is provided. Figure 2 )In the subject section main body 11, an appropriate crank mechanism or eccentric or tapping shaft or the like that is connected to the motor that constitutes the tapping driving section 16 via an appropriate reduction gear and displaces the left and right subject members 18A and 18B in the substantially up-down direction as the length direction of the guide rail can also be provided.

[0037] All of the main body advancing-retracting driving section 13, the subject width driving section 14, the kneading driving section 15, and the tapping driving section 16 can also not be provided. For example, the kneading driving section 15 can not be provided, and a kneading action can be performed by an appropriate advancing-retracting mechanism that advances and retracts the subject width driving section 14 and the main body elevating driving section 12 or the left and right subject members 18A and 18B individually. As the subject mechanism that performs a subject on the back of a subject, instead of or in addition to the subject unit 10 described above, an air chamber provided in the backrest section 2 can also be provided, and a subject mechanism that performs a subject on the back of a subject can also not be provided.

[0038] As for the basic configuration of the massager 1 described above, various other known configurations can be adopted.

[0039] In the leg supporting section 20, a left leg receiving groove 23A and a right leg receiving groove 23B that receive the left and right legs of a subject, respectively, are provided. The leg supporting section 20 is displaced by a leg supporting driving section 21 (see Fig. 2) toward the subject section main body 11 or away from the subject section main body 11. Figure 2) and tilting motion is free. The leg supporting portion 20 can also be pivotable with respect to the seat portion 4 with the upper end portion on the seat portion 4 side as a pivot. As the leg supporting portion drive 21, an electric actuator having a rod coupled to the leg supporting portion 20 and extending and contracting by a proper motor can also be used. In the massager 1, a leg position detection portion 22 (see Figure 2 ) configured of a proper tilt angle detection portion or the like that detects the tilt angle of the leg supporting portion 20, or a proper stop mechanism or the like that stops the leg supporting portion drive 21 at the upper limit of the tilting motion and the lower limit of the tilting motion can also be provided for controlling the leg supporting portion drive 21. The leg supporting portion 20 can also be extendable and contractable in the leg length direction of the subject by the leg supporting portion drive 21 or be vertically movable, and at least the portion on the instep opposing side is vertically displaceable in the leg length direction. In this case, a leg position detection portion 22 (see Figure 2 ) configured of a proper vertical position detection portion or the like that detects the vertical position of the portion on the instep opposing side of the leg supporting portion 20, or a proper stop mechanism or the like that stops the leg supporting portion drive 21 at the upper limit of the vertical motion and the lower limit of the vertical motion can also be provided for controlling the leg supporting portion drive 21.

[0040] A proper treatment mechanism of an air chamber or a roller or the like that performs treatment on the leg received in the left leg receiving groove 23A and the right leg receiving groove 23B can also be provided in the leg supporting portion 20.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2 , the massager 1 is provided with a left leg detection portion 27A that detects left leg length information and a right leg detection portion 27B that detects right leg length information.

[0042] In the present embodiment, the left leg detection portion 27A and the right leg detection portion 27B are configured to detect each of the left and right insteps. In the present embodiment, the left leg detection portion 27A and the right leg detection portion 27B are configured to detect a change in a physical quantity accompanying abutment of each of the left and right insteps against the left instep abutment portion 26A and the right instep abutment portion 26B (see Figure 1 (a)) provided in the leg supporting portion 20. If configured in this way, the number of sensors can be reduced as compared to a structure in which, for example, a plurality of sensors are provided in the leg length direction as the left leg detection portion 27A and the right leg detection portion 27B to detect the region in which the leg exists. The abutment of each of the left and right insteps against the left instep abutment portion 26A and the right instep abutment portion 26B is not limited to a configuration in which the left instep abutment portion 26A and the right instep abutment portion 26B are directly abutted against each of the left and right insteps, and includes abutment against clothing such as a sheet-shaped cover or sock provided in a manner of covering the surface of the left instep abutment portion 26A and the right instep abutment portion 26B.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the left sole abutting portion 26A and the right sole abutting portion 26B are each biased in the sole abutting direction by the biasing member 25A, 25B, and are held so as to be displaceable in the leg length direction. If this structure is adopted, as long as the load leg portion 20 is displaced, each of the left and right soles can abut against the left and right sole abutting portions 26A, 26B along with elastic deformation of each of the biasing members 25A, 25B, and the change in the physical quantity can be detected by the left and right leg detecting portions 27A, 27B. Thus, as compared with the configuration in which the left load leg portion 20A on which the left leg is placed and the right load leg portion 20B on which the right leg is placed are each individually displaceable, and left and right load leg driving portions 21A, 21B are provided to displace them individually, as in the second embodiment described later, the device configuration can be simplified.

[0044] The left sole abutting portion 26A is biased in the sole abutting direction by the left biasing member 25A provided between the bottom plate portion 24 of the load leg portion 20 and the left sole abutting portion 26A. The right sole abutting portion 26B is biased in the sole abutting direction by the right biasing member 25B provided between the bottom plate portion 24 of the load leg portion 20 and the right sole abutting portion 26B. These left and right sole abutting portions 26A, 26B are held so as to be displaceable in the leg length direction within the left and right leg receiving grooves 23A, 23B by a suitable guide mechanism.

[0045] The left and right biasing members 25A, 25B are exemplified by compression coil springs provided between the bottom plate portion 24 and the left and right sole abutting portions 26A, 26B in the drawing, but can be other spring members such as leaf springs, or can be rubber or the like. The left and right biasing members 25A, 25B are not limited to the configuration in which they are provided between the bottom plate portion 24 and the left and right sole abutting portions 26A, 26B, but can be a structure in which they are provided at a suitable position of a wall portion or the like that divides the left and right leg receiving grooves 23A, 23B, as long as they are configured to bias each of the left and right sole abutting portions 26A, 26B in the sole abutting direction, and can be other various structures.

[0046] The left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B can also be pressure sensors such as strain gauges or semiconductor pressure sensors that detect pressure as a physical quantity accompanying abutment of each of the left and right foot soles against the left foot sole abutment section 26A and the right foot sole abutment section 26B. In this case, the pressure sensors can also be provided in a buried manner in the left foot sole abutment section 26A and the right foot sole abutment section 26B, or between the left and right urging members 25A and 25B and the left and right foot sole abutment sections 26A and 26B, or between the floor section 24 and the left and right urging members 25A and 25B. As the left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B, the pressure sensors are not limited, and distance sensors that measure distance as a physical quantity between the left and right foot sole abutment sections 26A and 26B and the floor section 24 can also be used. Instead of the left and right urging members 25A and 25B described above, left and right air chambers that displace the left and right foot sole abutment sections 26A and 26B in the leg length direction with respect to the floor section 24 can also be provided. In this case, the left and right air chambers can also be provided as the left and right foot sole abutment sections 26A and 26B. In this case, as described later, the left and right air chambers can also be inflated without displacing the load leg section 21 when detecting the left and right leg length information, and the left and right foot sole abutment sections 26A and 26B can be brought into abutment with each of the left and right foot soles.

[0047] As the left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B that detect each of the left and right foot soles, a configuration in which each of the left and right foot soles is detected in a non-contact manner instead of the contact type described above can also be used. For example, a configuration in which distance sensors that measure distance from foot sole opposing sections (bottoms) of the left and right leg receiving grooves 23A and 23B to each of the left and right foot soles are provided as the left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B can also be used.

[0048] In addition, a configuration in which, as the left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B, appropriate sensors (various contact type sensors such as pressure sensors, or various non-contact type sensors such as optical type sensors, etc.) that can detect regions in which each of the left and right legs exists can also be used, and each of the left and right foot sole positions can be detected (inferred).

[0049] The left leg detection unit 27A and the right leg detection unit 27B are not limited to structures that directly or indirectly detect the positions of the left and right feet; they can also be configured to directly or indirectly detect the positions of the left and right knees. For example, the left leg detection unit 27A and the right leg detection unit 27B can be configured with appropriate sensors in the left leg receiving groove 23A and the right leg receiving groove 23B to detect the front or back positions of the left and right knees in a contact or non-contact manner. In this case, the front and back positions of the left and right knees can be detected even when the leg support 21 is displaced so that the left and right feet abut against the opposite parts of the left and right leg receiving grooves 23A and 23B.

[0050] The left leg detection unit 27A and the right leg detection unit 27B can also be configured to directly or indirectly detect the positions of the left and right pelvises. That is, leg length information can be inferred based on the tilt of the left and right pelvises. For example, the left leg detection unit 27A and the right leg detection unit 27B can also be configured with appropriate sensors at the backrest 2 or the seat 4 to detect the positions of the left and right waists or hips in a contact or non-contact manner. In this case, the positions of the left and right waists or hips can also be detected while the leg support 21 is displaced so that the soles of the left and right feet are in contact with the opposite portions of the soles of the left and right legs in the receiving grooves 23A and 23B.

[0051] The left leg detection unit 27A and the right leg detection unit 27B are not limited to the structure described above, and can also be various other structures.

[0052] Furthermore, the aforementioned left leg detection unit 27A and right leg detection unit 27B can be used individually or in combination. For example, they can be configured to detect (infer) the length information of each leg based on one or more pieces of information, including the positions of each foot, knee, and pelvis.

[0053] In this embodiment, the massager 1 includes a tilting mechanism 5 that tilts the pelvis by lifting the left and right buttocks separately. The tilting mechanism 5 can also adjust the lifting amount of the left and right buttocks.

[0054] The tilting mechanism 5, as shown Figure 1 of (a), Figure 1 As shown in (b), in this embodiment, a left air chamber 6A is provided to lift the left hip (left pelvis) and a right air chamber 6B is provided to lift the right hip (right pelvis). When the treatment unit 10 is configured to be movable to the seat 4, these left air chambers 6A and right air chambers 6B are arranged in the seat 4 on the left and right sides of the treatment unit 10, so as to be in a position that does not interfere with the treatment unit 10.

[0055] These left air chambers 6A and right air chambers 6B are bag-shaped structures that expand and contract with the introduction and expulsion of air. That is, if air is introduced into the left air chambers 6A and right air chambers 6B to cause them to expand, the left and right buttocks are lifted relative to the seat 4 and towards the upward side.

[0056] These left air chambers 6A and right air chambers 6B are connected to an air source such as an air pump via air pipes. The tilting mechanism 5 is equipped with a left air chamber supply / exhaust section 7A and a right air chamber supply / exhaust section 7B (see reference) to control the supply and discharge of air relative to the left air chamber 6A and right air chamber 6B. Figure 2 These left air chamber supply and exhaust units 7A and right air chamber supply and exhaust units 7B may also be solenoid valves or the like that open and close air pipes connected to the left air chamber 6A and right air chamber 6B respectively.

[0057] Alternatively, by controlling the air supply and exhaust sections 7A and 7B of the left and right air chambers, the air supply and exhaust volume (supply and exhaust time) can be changed, thereby enabling the left and right air chambers 6A and 6B to change the amount of elevation of the left and right buttocks. Appropriate detection units can also be provided to detect these elevation amounts of the left and right buttocks.

[0058] The massage machine 1 can also be equipped with separate left and right air chambers to push out the left and right shoulders, or separate left and right air chambers to push out the left and right waist. Additionally, air chambers can be installed on the left and right sides of the backrest 2 to restrain or treat the left and right shoulders of the person being treated.

[0059] The massage machine 1 is provided with a suitable power supply unit and power cord, which are connected to an external commercial power supply or the like to supply drive power to the aforementioned parts.

[0060] Massager 1 Figure 2 As shown, an operation display unit 9 is provided. This operation display unit 9 can also be a remote control or the like, connected to the control unit 19 via a suitable signal line. The operation display unit 9 includes controls for starting and stopping (on / off) the massage machine 1, selecting various treatment modes, tilting the backrest 2 or leg rest 20, and moving the treatment unit 10. The operation display unit 9 is not limited to controls operated with fingers or the like; it can also include a voice recognition unit that can be operated via voice input, or other various structures. The operation display unit 9 is not limited to being pre-installed on the massage machine 1; it can also be a portable information terminal with application software installed for operation.

[0061] The massage machine 1 is equipped with a control unit 19 for controlling various parts.

[0062] The control section 19 compares the left leg length information with the right leg length information, and executes a leg length detection mode for acquiring leg length difference information between the left and right legs. If such a configuration is adopted, it is possible to acquire the leg length difference information between the left and right legs of the subject. Thus, it is also possible to perform the treatment using the leg length difference information between the left and right legs.

[0063] The control section 19 is built in the lower side of the seat section 4 of the massage machine 1, or the like. In the control section 19, a micro controller (MCU) including a control circuit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and various memories such as a ROM, a RAM, and the like, or the like is provided. In the control section 19, as shown in Figure 2 , the above-described each drive section, air supply and exhaust section, and detection section, or the like are connected via a signal line, or the like. According to a program stored in the memory or the like of the control section 19, each drive section and air supply and exhaust section are controlled while referring to the detection values obtained by each detection section, and the leg length detection mode, the inclination detection mode, the correction mode, and various treatment modes described later are executed. The leg length detection mode, the inclination detection mode, the correction mode, and the like described later can be configured to be executed by operating an appropriate operation section provided in the operation display section 9 of the above-described portable information terminal or the massage machine 1, or by accepting a voice input in the voice recognition section, or can be configured to be included in an initial setting mode or the like which is appropriately executed when the start operation of the massage machine 1 is performed.

[0064] Hereinafter, a case in which the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are taken as pressure sensors for detecting each sole of the left and right legs will be described, but other detection sections described above can also be used.

[0065] The control section 19 detects the left and right leg length information, and executes a leg length detection mode for acquiring leg length difference information between the left and right legs (steps S100 to S102), as shown in Figure 3 Figure 4 ​right leg detection section 27B, the length of the right leg is larger than that of the left leg. In this case, the leg length difference information can be acquired based on the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B in the state where the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are higher than a predetermined threshold value. For example, in the state where the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are higher than a predetermined threshold value, if the detection value (pressure) of the right leg detection section 27B is larger than the detection value (pressure) of the left leg detection section 27A (or larger than a predetermined value), it is inferred that the length of the right leg is larger than that of the left leg. In this case, the leg length difference information can be acquired based on the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B in the state where the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are in contact with the respective soles in the seated state or the standing state of the subject. In Figure 3 In the above, an example in which the step S100 of detecting the left leg length information and the step S101 of detecting the right leg length information are provided is described, but the present application is not limited to the sequential detection of the left leg and the right leg. The present application can be applied to a simultaneous detection of the left leg and the right leg.

[0066] In the above, an example in which the step S100 of detecting the left leg length information and the step S101 of detecting the right leg length information are provided is described, but the present application is not limited to the sequential detection of the left leg and the right leg. The present application can be applied to a simultaneous detection of the left leg and the right leg.

[0067] Alternatively, the load leg portion 20 can be displaced so that the left sole abutting portion 26A and the right sole abutting portion 26B are in contact with the respective soles of the left leg and the right leg, and the positions at which the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are higher than a predetermined leg length determination value are stored in the memory as the length information of the respective legs. The positions at which the respective detection values of the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B are higher than the leg length determination value can be detected by the load leg position detection section 22. Further, the position at which the detection value of the left leg detection section 27A is higher than the leg length determination value and the position at which the detection value of the right leg detection section 27B is higher than the leg length determination value can be compared, and the leg length difference information can be acquired. That is, in this case, the load leg position detection section 22 functions as the left leg detection section 27A and the right leg detection section 27B. For example, if the position at which the right sole is detected by the right leg detection section 27B (the position at which the detection value is higher than the leg length determination value) is on the lower side than the position at which the left sole is detected by the left leg detection section 27A (the position at which the detection value is higher than the leg length determination value), it is inferred that the length of the right leg is larger than that of the left leg. In the leg length difference information, as in the above, the size information of the leg length difference can be included. As a method of acquiring the leg length difference information, the above-described method is not limiting, and various other methods can be employed.

[0068] The control section 19 is configured to control the load leg position detection section 22, the left leg detection section 27A, and the right leg detection section 27B. Figure 3As shown, a tilt detection mode is executed to infer the vertical tilt of the left and right pelvises of the patient based on the leg length difference information mentioned above (step S103). If this configuration is used, the vertical tilt of the left and right pelvises of the patient can be detected based on the leg length difference information, and effective treatment corresponding to the pelvic tilt can be performed.

[0069] That is, if there is a difference in length between the left and right legs, it is inferred that the pelvis is misaligned (tilted). If so... Figure 4 As in (a), if the right leg is longer than the left leg, it can be inferred that the right pelvis is lower than the left pelvis. The tilt of the pelvis can also contain information about the magnitude of the tilt.

[0070] Control Unit 19 Figure 3 As shown, a correction mode is performed (step S104) where the tilting mechanism 5 is activated to correct the tilt by tilting the pelvis in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the tilting mechanism 5 can be moved in the direction that eases / eliminates the vertical tilt of the pelvis, thus correcting the posture. Furthermore, treatment can be performed while the posture is corrected.

[0071] In cases where the right pelvis is lower than the left pelvis, as described above, Figure 4 As shown in (c), the right air chamber 6B can be expanded more than the left air chamber 6A to correct and lift the right pelvis (right hip). That is, the tilting mechanism 5 can be controlled to tilt the patient's pelvis towards the detected tilt and to alleviate / eliminate it, as described above. In this correction mode, the amount of lifting of the left and right pelvis (hips) can be varied according to the magnitude of the vertical tilt of the left and right pelvis. In this correction mode, the appropriate treatment mode can be performed by the treatment unit 10 or various treatment mechanisms such as air chambers in the corrected state as described above, or the correction mode can be performed during the execution of the appropriate treatment mode. At this time, the intensity, number of times, sequence, etc., can be different on the right and left sides according to the detected tilt. As a treatment mode, for example, treatment can be performed in the patient's pelvis tilted state based on the leg length difference and pelvic tilt, so that treatment of the muscles and surrounding acupoints (points) considered to be the cause can be effectively performed. In addition, various treatment modes can be performed.

[0072] As a method to lift one of the left and right buttocks by causing one of the left and right air chambers 6A and 6B to expand more than the other, for example, one can contract by deflating one chamber and expand by supplying air to the other, or it can be a method of contracting one chamber by deflating it from a state of expansion on both sides by supplying air. Furthermore, various other methods can be used. Here, the contraction of one chamber is not limited to a fully contracted state, as long as it is more contracted than the other. Similarly, the expansion of the other chamber is not limited to a fully expanded state, as long as it is more expanded than the first chamber.

[0073] The method of changing the lifting amount of the left and right hips can be by changing the air supply and exhaust amount (supply and exhaust time) to the left air chamber 6A and the right air chamber 6B, or by controlling the supply and exhaust units based on the detection of appropriate detection units that detect the lifting amount of the left and right sides. Various other methods can be adopted. As for the tilting mechanism 5, it is not limited to the tilting mechanism through the air chambers as described above. It can also be tilted by setting appropriate advance and retreat mechanisms on the left and right sides respectively.

[0074] Next, other implementation methods will be described.

[0075] In the following embodiments, the differences from the embodiments described above will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same components, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. In the following embodiments, the effects that are the same as those in the embodiments described above will also be omitted or simplified.

[0076] Figure 5 (a)~ Figure 5 (c) is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a massage machine according to the second embodiment.

[0077] The massage machine 1A of this embodiment includes a left leg support 20A for supporting the left leg and a right leg support 20B for supporting the right leg, both of which can be independently repositioned. The massage machine 1A is provided with a left leg drive unit 21A and a right leg drive unit 21B that allow the left leg support 20A and right leg support 20B to be independently repositioned (see reference). Figure 2 These left leg drive units 21A and right leg drive units 21B are substantially the same as described above, and can also be configured such that the left leg 20A and right leg 20B rotate relative to the seat 4 with the upper end of the seat 4 side as the fulcrum. In this case, substantially the same as described above, a left leg position detection unit 22A and a right leg position detection unit 22B, which are composed of an appropriate tilt angle detection unit for detecting the tilt angle of the left leg 20A and right leg 20B, can also be provided (see reference). Figure 2). Alternatively, the left load leg driving section 21A and the right load leg driving section 21B can be configured to displace at least the left and right sole-opposed side portions in the leg length direction. In this case, the left load leg position detecting section 22A and the right load leg position detecting section 22B configured of a proper lift position detecting section that detects the lift position of the left and right sole-opposed side portions of the left load leg section 20A and the right load leg section 20B, and the like can be provided (see Figure 2 ).

[0078] In the left load leg section 20A, a left leg receiving groove 23A that receives the left leg is provided (see Figure 1 ). In the right load leg section 20B, a right leg receiving groove 23B that receives the right leg is provided (see Figure 1 ).

[0079] In the present embodiment, in the left load leg section 20A and the right load leg section 20B, a left sole-opposed portion 28A and a right sole-opposed portion 28B are fixedly provided with respect to each load leg section. That is, the left sole-opposed portion 28A and the right sole-opposed portion 28B are not forced by the force applying member as described above, but are fixedly provided on the bottom side of the left load leg section 20A and the right load leg section 20B. The left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B as described above can be provided in a buried manner in the left sole-opposed portion 28A and the right sole-opposed portion 28B (see Figure 2 ). As the left leg detecting section 27A and the right leg detecting section 27B, in addition to the above, for example, a configuration can be employed in which the contact of the left and right legs (load due to the contact) is detected by detecting the current value and the rotation speed flowing in each motor that configures the left load leg driving section 21A and the right load leg driving section 21B.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the control section 19 (see Figure 2 ) can execute the leg length detecting mode as follows. As Figure 5 (a), Figure 5As shown in (b), the left leg portion 20A and the right leg portion 20B can be repositioned so that the left foot contact portion 28A and the right foot contact portion 28B contact with the left and right feet respectively. The leg length determination positions where the detection values ​​of the left leg detection portion 27A and the right leg detection portion 27B are higher than a predetermined threshold are stored in the memory as the length information of the left and right legs. These left and right leg length determination positions can also be detected by the left leg position detection portion 22A and the right leg position detection portion 22B. For example, roughly the same as above, if the right leg detection portion 27B detects that the contact position of the right foot (leg length determination position) is lower than the contact position of the left foot (leg length determination position) detected by the left leg detection portion 27A, it can be inferred that the right leg is longer than the left leg. Alternatively, the leg length difference information can be obtained by displacing the left supporting leg 20A and the right supporting leg 20B respectively, based on the time until the left foot contact portion 28A and the right foot contact portion 28B contact with the left and right feet respectively. However, the leg length detection mode is not limited to this method, and various other methods can be used.

[0081] In this embodiment, the control unit 19 (refer to...) Figure 2 This device executes a correction mode that uses the left supporting leg 20A and right supporting leg 20B to move based on leg length difference information to correct the leg length difference. With this configuration, moving the left supporting leg 20A and right supporting leg 20B in the direction that mitigates / eliminates the leg length difference can correct the posture. Furthermore, treatment can be administered while the posture is corrected. Figure 5 As shown in (c), if the right leg is longer than the left leg, the right supporting leg 20B can be displaced in the direction that shortens the right leg. In this case, as described above, the appropriate treatment mode can be performed in the corrected state using the treatment unit 10 or various treatment mechanisms such as air chambers, or the correction mode can be performed during the execution of the appropriate treatment mode. The correction mode is not limited to this method; various other methods can be used. For example, instead of displacing the left supporting leg 20A or the right supporting leg 20B in the direction that shortens the longer leg, or alternatively, displacing the left supporting leg 20A or the right supporting leg 20B in the direction that stretches the shorter leg. In this case, the left supporting leg 20A or the right supporting leg 20B can be displaced while the stretched leg is held by a mechanically driven treatment mechanism such as an air chamber or roller in the leg receiving groove (23A, 23B).

[0082] The different configurations described in each embodiment can also be modified, reorganized, or combined as needed.

[0083] The configuration of each part of the massage machine 1, 1A, the leg length detection mode, the inclination detection mode, the correction mode, and the various treatment modes of each of the relevant embodiments are not limited to the above examples, and various modifications can be made.

[0084] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0085] 1, 1A Massage machine

[0086] 5 Inclination mechanism

[0087] 19 Control unit

[0088] 20 Leg supporting portion

[0089] 20A Left leg supporting portion (leg supporting portion)

[0090] 20B Right leg supporting portion (leg supporting portion)

[0091] 26A, 28A Left foot sole abutting portion

[0092] 26B, 28B Right foot sole abutting portion

[0093] 27A Left leg detection portion

[0094] 27B Right leg detection portion

Claims

1. A massage machine, characterized in that, have: Leg support, for placing the left and right legs of the patient being treated; Left leg detection unit, detects left leg length information; Right leg detection unit, detects right leg length information; The control unit executes a leg length detection mode that compares the left leg length information with the right leg length information to obtain the difference in leg length between the left and right legs; and The tilting mechanism lifts the left and right hips separately, thus tilting the pelvis. The aforementioned leg support is provided with a left foot contact part and a right foot contact part for contacting the left and right feet of the patient being treated. The aforementioned left leg detection unit and the aforementioned right leg detection unit are configured to detect changes in physical quantities resulting from the contact of the left and right soles of the feet with the contact portion of the left sole and the contact portion of the right sole. The control unit infers the vertical tilt of the left and right pelvises of the patient based on the leg length difference information, and executes a correction mode that causes the tilting mechanism to operate based on the vertical tilt of the pelvis to correct the tilt.

2. The massage machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned leg section is composed of a left leg section for mounting the left leg and a right leg section for mounting the right leg, which are each independently repositionable. The aforementioned control unit executes a correction mode that causes the left and right supporting legs to move based on the aforementioned leg length difference information in order to correct the leg length difference.

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