Massage device for cervical vertebrae

Abstract

Disclosed is a cervical vertebra massage device. The cervical vertebra massage device according to the present application has a simple structure, and thus is not only easy to mass-produce and maintain, but also can perform angle control to an accurate position even if an economical DC gear motor is used, so that a high-priced servo motor and motor controller of the prior art can be omitted, thereby having the advantage of economy in manufacturing. In particular, even if power is suddenly cut off or the device is stopped during use, the initial position can be accurately restored without complicated control elements or sensing elements, so that not only is there no need to perform correction work due to angle deviation, but also, unlike the prior art, it is not a method of measuring motor load, so that the life of the motor and the durability of the constituent devices can be relatively prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cervical spine massage device, and more specifically, to a cervical spine massage device that, while supporting the head of a human body, is operated to rotate accurately and stably in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by a drive source, thereby providing a massage effect through stretching. In particular, the device ensures operational reliability through a simple structure, and improves economical mass production and ease of maintenance. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, the human spine consists of the vertebral body as the central body, the arch-shaped vertebral arch protruding backward and upward from the vertebral body, and multiple protrusions. A large vertebral foramen is formed in the center surrounded by the vertebral body and vertebral arch. The spine can develop spinal diseases due to prolonged incorrect posture, muscle aging, or strong external impacts. Most spinal diseases can be traced back to abnormally applying force to the spine, such as in daily sitting, standing, or sleeping postures. When children and adolescents are in the growth and development stage, if the spine is abnormal, the growth plates are compressed, which disrupts the secretion of growth hormone and hinders growth and development.

[0003] In particular, the increased use of smartphones, regardless of age or gender, has led to a surge in people suffering from cervical spine disorders, a part of the spine that lies between the skull and the thoracic vertebrae. The cervical spine, generally referred to as the cervical vertebrae, consists of seven vertebral segments. Foramina for the vertebral arteries pass through the transverse projections of each cervical vertebra, surrounded by veins and the brachial plexus. Connecting to the body below and the head above, it is considered a vital part of the body. Like the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, the cervical spine is highly susceptible to postural changes, resulting in various musculoskeletal disorders. One example is cervical disc herniation, which, like other spinal disc herniations, causes deformation of the ligaments supporting the cervical spine from the back. Stiffness in the neck muscles due to various reasons compresses nerves, ultimately leading to headaches, neck pain, shoulder and arm pain, and other musculoskeletal disorders.

[0004] On one hand, the suboccipital muscles, composed of four types of muscles located between one side of the cervical vertebrae and the back of the head, totaling eight muscles on both sides, are the muscles that have the greatest impact on head stability. As a representative muscle for headaches, it contains many muscle spindles and is adjacent to the vertebral artery, thus it is closely related to the brain and blood pressure disorders. The suboccipital muscles connect the occipital bone to the first and second cervical vertebrae, thus having a close relationship. It is hypothesized that when the suboccipital triangle surrounding the vertebral artery narrows, it may compress nerves, obstructing blood flow to the brain and reducing the function of the muscle spindle. Furthermore, stiffness in the suboccipital muscles can cause cervical headaches, where the pain extends to one side, from the occipital bone towards the eyes and forehead, and then forward. Among the suboccipital muscles, the rectus posterior capitis is an important muscular structure that plays a role in tightening the spinal cord to keep it in the center. The dura mater and the fascia of the rectus posterior capitis are connected to each other by connective tissue. When tension is found in this structure, mechanical tension is created in the dentate ligament, which can cause deformation of the dura mater surrounding the spinal nerves.

[0005] Generally, to treat lower back pain or shoulder and arm pain, physical therapy to strengthen muscles or stimulation of acupoints to improve blood circulation are used. This method is widely used to treat and even alleviate the condition. In addition, for spinal diseases, widening the intervertebral spaces to relax compressed discs is preferred, thereby accurately correcting body shape through relaxation. Acupressure or massage primarily uses the hands to directly apply mechanical stimulation to the skin, triggering a biological response that corrects bodily changes to treat disease and improve health. Acupressure / massage promotes blood or lymphatic circulation, accelerates metabolism, improves tissue nutrition, eliminates aging substances, and enhances resistance. This tactile acupressure stimulation stimulates nerves, causing analgesia, thus promoting the recovery of paralyzed nerves and timely correcting changes in visceral function.

[0006] However, most acupressure / massage cannot be performed independently by the recipient, requiring assistance from others, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, because it relies on human strength, its effectiveness is inconsistent. To address this issue, various forms of acupressure / massage devices have been developed and used that allow individuals to receive acupressure / massage independently. These devices are mainly divided into vibratory massage devices that use a drive source to vibrate the acupressure points and pneumatic massage devices that utilize air pressure. However, vibratory massage devices repeatedly strike (pound) parts of the body, resulting in low acupressure effectiveness and secondary pain caused by the striking. Additionally, to accurately transmit the vibrations of the acupressure points, the acupressure points need to be pressed with considerable force, making them inconvenient and strenuous to use consistently.

[0007] Furthermore, pneumatic massage devices apply pressure to a part of the body by injecting and releasing air into a sleeve surrounding the arms, legs, or waist. These devices simply knead a part of the body, making it difficult to expect acupressure stimulation of acupoints or similar points. They are also inconvenient to use because they need to be worn on the arms, legs, or waist. Additionally, some pneumatic massage devices have cuffs that expand upwards and downwards using pneumatic pressure to create traction. These also need to be worn on the neck or waist, making them inconvenient to use. Moreover, when ineffective pneumatic pressure is applied, it is difficult to respond quickly and achieve sufficient traction, resulting in low therapeutic efficacy.

[0008] In particular, prior art, which aims to improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid by compressing the suboccipital muscle or its surrounding area while relaxing the cervical spine, has been described in Patent Publication No. 10-1665115 (October 12, 2016). Specifically, it describes a functional cervical pillow that maintains the cervical spine in a "C" shape when lying flat and uses acupressure on the first cervical vertebra to relieve neck muscle tension and pain. When lying on the side, it allows for comfortable and correct sleeping posture without pressing the shoulder. This technology is configured to maintain the curvature of the cervical spine while acupressure on the first cervical vertebra to compress the suboccipital muscle. Therefore, it has some similarities with the present invention. However, it only maintains the curvature of the cervical spine and does not include the function of relaxing the cervical spine and moving the cervical muscles. Furthermore, it does not include the structure used to compress the fourth ventricle together with the suboccipital muscle. Therefore, it has the disadvantage of not having the function of relaxing the spine and improving the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

[0009] As another prior art, Patent Publication No. 10-1077885 (October 31, 2011) relates to a fascia relaxation device for physical therapy, and more specifically, describes technology related to a fascia relaxation device for physical therapy. The fascia relaxation device for physical therapy includes: a main body, placed horizontally on the floor; an occipital acupressure section protruding from one side of the main body to support the occipital bone; a suboccipital support section protruding from the front of the occipital acupressure section of the main body, higher than the occipital acupressure section to support the suboccipital region; and an upper thoracic vertebra acupressure section supporting the back of the neck while preventing the main body from being pushed away, and protruding from the front of the suboccipital support section of the main body to apply pressure to the upper thoracic vertebrae. However, this fascia relaxation device for physical therapy only uses multiple protrusions to simply compress the suboccipital muscle and its surrounding structures, thus having the problem of not being able to expect therapeutic effects.

[0010] As another prior art, a "massage device with physical therapy function" was proposed through Korean Patent No. 10-1561005. However, in the massage device with physical therapy function according to the prior art, a rotating plate provided on the upper part of the substrate is configured to rotate a predetermined angle in the forward and reverse directions by a drive motor. With this structure, a massage effect is given by stretching.

[0011] However, in the existing massage devices with physical therapy functions, there are various problems that need to be solved when controlling the rotating plate at a precise position at a predetermined angle in the left and right directions. Specifically, the rotating plate can tilt left and right at an angle of approximately 0-45 degrees when the user is lying down. The effective angle for stabilizing the stretch while providing a massage effect is approximately 18 to 24 degrees. However, as with existing technology, to set a precise angle position, sensors need to be installed at each angle, and a sensor position sensing controller is needed to acquire the position information of the sensors. Simultaneously, a servo motor is required for precise angle control. Therefore, this not only increases manufacturing costs but also presents significant challenges in production and maintenance due to the limited internal space of the massage device.

[0012] In addition, since the structure supports the user's head, the weight of the head is directly applied to the rotating plate. As a result, the angle driven by the servo motor and the actual angle of rotation of the rotating plate often differ, thus requiring constant correction.

[0013] Furthermore, when the power to the massage device is disconnected during use, the rotating plate needs to return to its initial position. There is no suitable solution for this. In existing technology, a method is used to measure the load on the drive motor when it moves to a position where it can no longer move, and then restore the position. However, this method requires measuring the load on the drive motor, which not only requires expensive sensing circuits, but also has the disadvantages of shortening the lifespan of the drive motor due to overload and damaging the gears used to rotate the plate. Summary of the Invention

[0014] Technical issues

[0015] The present invention is proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cervical massage device that is simple in structure, can perform accurate and safe angle control, thereby improving the reliability of operation, and is economical and easy to maintain.

[0016] Technical solution

[0017] To achieve the aforementioned objective, a cervical massage device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a tray, a lower cover, and an upper cover. The tray is placed on the ground and has a hinge axis at its upper center. A curved rack and pinion gear for guiding left and right rotation is provided on one side of the hinge axis. The lower cover is supported by the hinge axis of the tray, thereby being configured to rotate left and right. An internal drive motor with a drive gear meshing with the curved rack and pinion gear is provided. The upper cover is assembled on the upper part of the lower cover and forms a curved placement surface to support the back of the head. The lower cover is characterized by comprising an outer sensor, an inner sensor, and a rotation control module. The outer and inner sensors are configured to hinge during left and right rotation. The rotation control module consists of a pair of central pins, outer left and right pins, and inner left and right pins. The pair of central pins are spaced apart along the rotation trajectories of the outer and inner sensors on one side of the tray. The pair of central pins are positioned at the location simultaneously sensed by the outer and inner sensors, thus representing a reference point. The outer left and right pins and the inner left and right pins are respectively positioned to the left and right of the pair of central pins. The outer left and right pins have an angle range to allow the outer sensor to sense within the range of 1-20 degrees, and the inner left and right pins have an angle range to allow the inner sensor to sense within the range of 21-30 degrees.

[0018] As a preferred feature of the present invention, the rotation control module, with the vertical center line as a reference position where the tray does not rotate left or right, has an outer center pin and an inner center pin protruding on the left and right sides respectively; with the outer center pin as the center, an outer left pin and an outer right pin protruding to the left and right sides respectively, so that they have the same angle range with each other within a rotation angle range of 1-20 degrees; with the inner center pin as the center, an inner left pin and an inner right pin protruding to the left and right sides respectively, so that they have the same angle range with each other within a rotation angle range of 21-30 degrees.

[0019] As another preferred feature of the invention, the rotation control module has an inner left end pin and an inner right end pin on each of the inner left and right pins for restoring to the initial position when the drive motor is powered off.

[0020] As another preferred feature of the invention, the outer sensor and the inner sensor are either light sensors or contact sensors used to sense the sensing pin when it passes through the sensing pin.

[0021] Invention Effects

[0022] The cervical massage device according to the present invention has a simple structure, which not only makes it easy to mass-produce and maintain, but also allows for accurate angle control even when using an economical DC gear motor. Therefore, it eliminates the need for the previously expensive servo motors and motor controllers, thus offering the advantage of economical manufacturing.

[0023] In particular, even in the event of a sudden power outage or equipment stoppage during use, it can accurately return to its initial position without complex control or sensing elements. Therefore, it not only eliminates the need for correction work due to angular deviation, but also, unlike existing technologies, it does not measure the motor load. Thus, it is expected to have a useful effect on relatively extending the life of the motor and the durability of its components. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a cervical massage device according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A 3D diagram of its rotational state.

[0026] Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 This is an exploded perspective view used to illustrate the internal structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a view of the substrate of the present invention from above.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a perspective view showing the main parts according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 This is an example diagram illustrating a 18° left-right rotation according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 10 Figure 11 is an example diagram illustrating a 22° left-right rotation according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 12 as well as Figure 13 This is an example diagram used to illustrate the position restoration of the present invention.

[0032] Figure label:

[0033] 1: Neck massage device; 10: Main body; 11: Upper cover; 13: Lower cover; 13a: Shaft groove; 15: Tray; 15a: Hinge shaft; 18: Acupressure pad; 20: Drive module; 21: Drive motor; 23: Drive gear; 25: Curved rack and pinion; 30: Rotation control module; 31: First sensor; 32: Second sensor; 31c: Outer center pin; 31l: Outer left pin; 31r: Outer right pin; 32c: Inner center pin; 32l: Inner left pin; 32r: Inner right pin; 32le: Inner left end pin; 32re: Inner right end pin. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The structure and function of embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific disclosed form, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and even substitutions included within the concept and scope of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a cervical massage device according to the present invention. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 Observed from above Figure 1 The figures illustrate states of rotation to the left and right by predetermined angles, respectively, based on the figures. The figures also illustrate a cervical spine massage device 1, which includes an acupressure pad 17. The acupressure pad 17 has a curved shape on its front side to support the neck, i.e., the back of the neck, and is raised and lowered by a drive source to apply acupressure to the cervical spine. A main body 10 is located on one side of the acupressure pad 17. The main body 10 is formed with a curved, zigzag shape to support the back of the head, which is the back of the head. The main body 10 is provided in a flat, plate-like shape to contact the floor where the device is placed. The cervical spine massage device 1 consists of a tray 15 that supports the main body 10 and can rotate to the left and right by predetermined angles.

[0036] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the internal structure of the cervical massage device according to the present invention. Figure 5 Observe from behind Figure 4 An exploded perspective view is shown. The figure illustrates a cervical spine massage device 1, which comprises an upper cover 11, a lower cover 13, and a tray 15. The upper cover 11 is shaped to provide space for mounting various components. A curved surface is formed on its upper part to accommodate the back of the user's head and neck. Multiple acupressure pads 17 are provided on the back of the neck and can be raised and lowered. The lower cover 13 is located below the upper cover 11 and assembled with it. A shaft groove 13a is provided at its center. A drive module 20, which provides driving force to rotate left and right by a predetermined angle, is located on one side of the shaft groove. A rotation control module 30, which controls the rotation angle, is located on the other side of the drive module 20. The tray 15 is formed below the lower cover 13. A hinge shaft 15a protrudes from its upper center and is inserted into the shaft groove 13a, thereby rotatably supporting the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 13. The rotation control module 30 is located on one side of the hinge shaft.

[0037] Figure 6 This is a top view of the substrate in the cervical massage device according to the present invention. The figure shows a tray 15 placed on the floor of the installation location, with a hinge axis 15a arranged at the center of the tray 15. A curved rack and pinion gear 25 with an arc shape is formed on the upper side of the tray 15, and a drive gear 23 constituting the drive module 20 meshes with the gear on the cover, thereby rotating about the hinge axis 15a by forward and reverse rotation. Additionally, the figure shows an outer sensor 31 and an inner sensor 32 with different trajectories about the hinge axis 15a of the tray 15, integrally mounted on the lower cover 13. Multiple sensing pins protrude from the tray 15 and are arranged along the rotational trajectories of the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32.

[0038] As an additional explanation, the diagram illustrates a structure in which, in order to sense the initial position of the tray 15 when it is not rotating, an inner center pin 31c and an outer center pin 32c protrude at positions corresponding to the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 fixed to the lower cover 13. An inner left pin 31l and an inner right pin 31r are arranged on the left and right sides of the inner center pin 31c, and an outer left pin 32l and an outer right pin 32r are arranged on the left and right sides of the outer center pin 32c. An outer left end pin 32le and an outer right end pin 32re for sensing the return position are arranged on the outer sides of the outer left pin 32l and the outer right pin 32r, respectively.

[0039] Figure 7This is a perspective view showing the main parts according to the present invention. The figure illustrates a tray 15 placed on the ground at the installation location, and a hinge shaft 15a protruding from the upper center of the tray 15 as a support element for rotating a lower cover (not shown). A drive motor 21 constituting a drive module 20 fixedly mounted on the lower cover, along with an outer sensor 31 and an inner sensor 32, are arranged to one side of the hinge shaft 15a. A curved rack and pinion 25, meshing with a drive gear 23 coupled to the output shaft of the drive motor 21, is integrally provided on the upper part of the tray 15. Furthermore, multiple sensing pins protrude along the different rotational trajectories of the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32.

[0040] In particular, as shown in the figure, the outer center pin 31c and the inner center pin 32c are configured with the tray 15 spaced apart at predetermined angles to the left and right, with the vertical center line as a reference. Specifically, an outer right pin 31r is positioned 18 degrees to the right of the outer center pin 31c, and an outer left pin 31l is positioned 18 degrees to the left of the outer center pin 31c. The inner center pin 32 is located near the hinge axis 15a so that its trajectory does not coincide with that of the outer right pin 31r. Furthermore, an inner right pin 32r is positioned 22 degrees to the right of the inner center pin 32c, and an inner left pin 32l is positioned 22 degrees to the left of the inner center pin 32c.

[0041] Then, inner left end pin 32le and inner right end pin 32re, serving as sensing pin elements, are provided on the outer sides of the inner right pin 32r and inner left pin 32l, so that when the drive motor 21 suddenly stops due to power failure or equipment malfunction, it can be restored to its original state. Figure 6 The initial position shown indicates that the inner left pin 32le and the inner right pin 32re are elements used by the inner sensor 32 to confirm the end position of rotation so as to restore the drive motor 21 to the initial position when it is restarted after being forcibly stopped due to power failure or equipment malfunction.

[0042] Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 This is an example diagram illustrating the state of the cervical massage device according to the present invention, rotated 18° to the left and right respectively. In fact, the upper cover 11 and lower cover 13 constituting the main body 10 rotate around the tray 15 as shown. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, however, in the figures of this invention, for ease of explanation, the description is based on the state in which the tray 15 is rotating. Figure 8The tray 15 is shown to be rotated 18 degrees to the left. The drive gear 23 rotates clockwise, so the tray 15 with the curved rack and pinion 25 starts to rotate to the left. At this time, when the outer sensor 31 senses the inner right pin 31r arranged on the right side, a control signal is applied to the drive motor 21, thereby stopping the drive. Figure 9 The diagram shows the tray 15 rotated 18 degrees to the right. When the drive gear 23 connected to the drive motor 21 rotates counterclockwise, the curved rack gear 25 meshing with the drive gear 23 rotates and begins to rotate to the right. At this time, the outer sensor 31 senses the outer left pin 31l arranged on the left side, thereby applying a stop signal to the drive motor 21.

[0043] Figure 10 Figure 11 is an example diagram illustrating the state of rotation 22° to the left and right in the cervical massage device according to the present invention, as described above. Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 Similarly, the structure is such that the tray 15 placed on the floor of the installation site remains fixed while the lower cover 13 on the upper side of the tray 15 rotates. However, for ease of explanation, the following illustration shows the tray 15 rotating and will be based on this.

[0044] Figure 10 The diagram shows the tray 15 rotated 22 degrees to the left. Driven by the clockwise rotation of the drive gear 23, the tray 15, equipped with the curved rack and pinion gear 25, begins to rotate to the left. At this point, the inner right pin 32r, located on the right side, is sensed by the inner sensor 32, causing the drive motor 21 to stop. Then, Figure 11 and... Figure 10 Conversely, the tray 15 is shown rotated 22 degrees to the right. By driving the gear 23 to rotate counterclockwise, the tray 15 with the curved rack and pinion 25 begins to rotate to the right. At this time, the inner left pin 32l arranged on the left side is sensed by the inner sensor 32, thereby stopping the rotation.

[0045] Figure 12 as well as Figure 13 This is an example diagram illustrating the positional restoration state in the cervical spine massage device according to the present invention, compared with the previous one. Figures 8 to 1 Similarly, the operation will be explained below based on the structure in which the tray 15 rotates.

[0046] Figure 12 and Figure 13 It is used to supply power when the equipment stops due to a sudden power outage or malfunction. Figure 6The sensing elements for restoring the initial position are arranged with the inner center pin 32c as the center, and the inner left end pin 32le and the inner right end pin 32re are respectively arranged at an angle of 24 degrees to the left and right. As an example, during the rotation operation of the tray 15 to the left or right, when the power supply to the electrical components, including the drive motor 21, is disconnected and then restarted at any position, it is impossible to determine how much the main body 10 is currently rotating relative to the tray 15.

[0047] In this state, when the drive motor 21 rotates a predetermined angle in the forward or reverse direction, the position where the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 simultaneously read the sensing information becomes the initial recovery position; otherwise, the inner sensor 32 moves to the left or right and is driven.

[0048] That is, when the device is restarted in a forced-stop state before the inner sensor 32 has reached the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, the inner sensor 32 will sense the inner left pin 32l or the inner right pin 32r and perform a recovery operation at that position. Suppose that the device is forcibly stopped in a forced-stop state when the inner sensor 32 has reached the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, or when the user applies force and the device is restarted in a forced-stop state at a position slightly away from the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, the inner sensor will sense the inner left end pin 32le and the inner right end pin 32re disposed on the outer sides of the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, recognize this position as the rotation end point, and perform a recovery operation.

[0049] The structure of the cervical massage device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures.

[0050] The cervical spine massage device of the present invention is generally composed of a main body 10, a tray 15, an acupressure pad 17, a drive module 20, and a rotation control module 30. The main body 10 is shaped into a shape and various components are placed inside. The upper surface is provided with a curved placement surface to support the back of the human head. The tray 15 is located at the lower part of the main body 10, thereby supporting the main body 10 to rotate to the left and right by a predetermined angle. The acupressure pad 17 is provided on the upper side of the main body 10, thereby applying acupressure to the cervical spine. The acupressure pad 17 is raised and lowered by a drive source. The drive module 20 is located inside the main body 10, thereby generating rotational driving forces in both directions. The rotation control module 30 controls the angle of the lower cover 13 of the main body 10 as it rotates left and right around the tray 15.

[0051] The main body 10 is generally composed of an upper cover 11 and a lower cover 13. The upper cover 11 has a curved placement surface to accommodate the back of the human head. The lower cover 13 is assembled on the lower side of the upper cover 11 and forms a space inside that can accommodate various electrical components. A shaft groove 13a is formed in the center of the inside. A drive module 20, an outer sensor 31, and an inner sensor 32 are arranged on one side of the shaft groove 13a.

[0052] Then, the tray 15, as a component placed on the floor of the installation location and positioned below the lower cover 13, has a hinge shaft 15a at its upper center. The hinge shaft 15a is inserted into the shaft groove 13a for support, allowing it to rotate left and right. A curved rack and pinion gear 25 is provided on one side of the tray 15. This gear meshes with the drive gear 23 of the drive motor 21 mounted on the lower cover 13, allowing for rotational displacement in the left and right directions. In other words, the tray is structured such that when the drive gear 23 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, it moves to the left or right along with the curved rack and pinion gear 25.

[0053] The lower cover 13 is partially open to allow the drive gear 23 to mesh with the curved rack gear 25. Additionally, the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 are also configured in the open space for sensing the sensing pins provided on the tray 15.

[0054] The rotation control module 30 consists of an outer sensor 31 and an inner sensor 32 disposed on one side of the lower cover 13 and having different rotation trajectories around the shaft groove 13a, and a plurality of sensing pins disposed on the upper side of the tray 15 on the rotation trajectories of the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 as sensing pin elements for sensing the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32.

[0055] The outer sensor 31 and inner sensor 32, serving as sensing elements for sensing the sensing pin, can be optical sensors, contact sensors, or magnetic sensors, etc., configured to generate a sensing signal when the pin is passed, and then load this signal onto the drive motor 21 or a motor drive. When the drive motor 21 receives the sensing signal from the sensing pin, it can be controlled to either delay for a certain period before resuming its drive or to rotate to other angles. This control structure can be implemented using known techniques, therefore detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0056] The sensing pin is in the state where the main body 10 is not rotated, that is... Figure 1 or Figure 6In the state shown, the upper side of the tray 15, which enables the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 to simultaneously generate sensing signals, has an outer center pin 31c and an inner center pin 32c. At this time, the outer center pin 31c and the inner center pin 32c are arranged to the left and right with reference to a line perpendicular to the hinge axis 15a as the center. That is, when both the outer center pin 31c and the inner center pin 32c are sensed simultaneously, the main body 10 does not rotate to the left or right but returns to its initial position.

[0057] Then, an outer left pin 31l and an outer right pin 31r with an angular range are provided on the left and right sides of the outer center pin 31c within a range of 1-20 degrees to generate a sensing signal, and an inner left pin 32l and an inner right pin 32r are provided on the left and right sides of the inner center pin 32c within a range of 21-30 degrees to generate a sensing signal for the inner sensor 32.

[0058] At this time, the outer left pin 31l, outer right pin 31r, inner left pin 32l and inner right pin 32r are arranged on different rotational trajectories, and are therefore configured not to be sensed by the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 at the same time.

[0059] Therefore, when the user wants to receive stretching at the rotation angle sensed by the outer sensor 31, if the tray 15 rotates to the left, the drive motor is operated until the outer sensor 31 senses the outer right pin 31r, and if it rotates to the right, the drive motor is operated until the outer sensor 31 senses the outer left pin 31l.

[0060] Similarly, when a user wants to receive stretching at the rotation angle sensed by the inner sensor 32, if the tray 15 rotates to the left, the drive motor is operated until the inner sensor 32 senses the inner right pin 32r, and if it rotates to the right, the drive motor is operated until the inner sensor 32 senses the inner left pin 32l.

[0061] Assuming that when it is desired to use both the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 to receive stretching, although not shown, this can be implemented using a known circuit structure such as a microcomputer, which is a known technology, and therefore detailed description is omitted.

[0062] On one hand, in this invention, the position of the sensing pin is proposed so that the outer sensor 31 can sense within a range of 1-20 degrees. As a preferred embodiment, the figure shows a structure in which the outer left pin 31l and the outer right pin 31r are configured with an angle range of 18 degrees.

[0063] Furthermore, a method is proposed to sense the position of the pins so that the inner sensor 32 also senses within a 21-30 degree range. Preferably, the accompanying drawings illustrate a structure with the inner left pin 32l and inner right pin 32r configured to have an angle range of 22 degrees. Of course, in design, it is entirely possible to consider configuring the outer left pin 31l, outer right pin 31r, inner left pin 32l, and inner right pin 32r within other angle ranges.

[0064] Finally, the present invention proposes to further provide inner left end pin 32le and inner right end pin 32re as sensing elements on the outer sides of the inner right pin 32r and inner left pin 32l, so that they can recover when the drive motor 21 suddenly stops due to power failure or equipment malfunction. Figure 6 The structure shown is the initial position. That is, the inner left end pin 32le and the inner right end pin 32re are elements used to restore the drive motor 21 to the initial position when it is restarted after being forcibly stopped due to power failure or equipment malfunction, as the rotation end position is confirmed by the inner sensor 32. In this invention, a structure is illustrated in which the inner left end pin 32le and the inner right end pin 32re are arranged on the outer sides of the inner right pin 32r and the inner left pin 32l.

[0065] The operation of these inner left end pins 32le and inner right end pins 32re means that during the rotation of the tray 15 to the left or right, when the power supply to the electrical components, including the drive motor 21, is disconnected and then restarted at any position, it is impossible to determine the extent to which the main body 10 rotates relative to the tray 15.

[0066] In this state, when power is applied to the drive motor 21, the drive motor 21 generates a predetermined angle of driving rotational force in the forward or reverse direction, thereby causing the drive gear 23 to rotate to the left or right along with the curved rack and pinion 25. At this time, if both the outer sensor 31 and the inner sensor 32 simultaneously read sensing information, the body 10 is detected as returning to its initial position. Otherwise, the drive motor 21 continues to generate driving force, driving the inner sensor 32 until it reaches the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r. Assuming that when the inner sensor 32 senses the inner left pin 32l or the inner right pin 32r, sensing information can be applied to the drive motor 21 to perform the restoration operation.

[0067] On the one hand, if the device is forcibly stopped when the inner sensor 32 reaches the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, or when the user applies force and the device is forcibly stopped at a position slightly away from the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, the inner sensor senses the inner left end pin 32le and the inner right end pin 32re disposed on the outer sides of the inner left pin 32l and the inner right pin 32r, recognizes the position as the end point of rotation, and performs a recovery operation.

Claims

1. A cervical spine massage device, comprising a tray, a lower cover, and an upper cover, wherein the tray is placed on the ground, has a hinge axis at its upper center, and a curved rack and pinion gear for guiding left and right rotation is provided on one side of the hinge axis; the lower cover is supported by the hinge axis of the tray, thereby being rotatable left and right; a drive motor with a drive gear meshing with the curved rack and pinion gear is disposed inside; and the upper cover is assembled on the upper part of the lower cover, forming a curved placement surface to support the back of the human head, characterized in that... The lower cover includes an outer sensor, an inner sensor, and a rotation control module. The outer and inner sensors are configured to have different rotational trajectories about the hinge axis when rotating left and right, thereby generating sensing information. The rotation control module consists of a pair of center pins, outer left and right pins, and inner left and right pins. The pair of center pins are spaced apart along the rotational trajectories of the outer and inner sensors on the upper side of the tray. The pair of center pins are located at positions simultaneously sensed by the outer and inner sensors, thus representing reference points. The outer left and right pins and the inner left and right pins are each positioned to the left and right of the pair of center pins, and the outer left and right pins have an angle range to allow the outer sensor to sense within the range of 1-20 degrees. The inner left and right pins have an angle range to allow the inner sensor to sense within the range of 21-30 degrees. The rotation control module uses the vertical center line as a reference position where the tray does not rotate to the left or right, and provides an outer center pin and an inner center pin protruding on the left and right sides respectively. The rotation control module has an inner left end pin and an inner right end pin on each of the inner left and right pins to restore it to the initial position when the drive motor is powered off. Multiple sensing pins are formed protruding on the tray along the different rotational trajectories of the outer and inner sensors; The outer sensor and the inner sensor are either light sensors or contact sensors, used to sense the sensing pin when it passes through the sensing pin; The sensing pin is a structure with an outer center pin and an inner center pin on the upper side of the tray, which enables the outer and inner sensors to generate sensing signals simultaneously, in the state where the main body is not rotated. At this time, the outer center pin and the inner center pin are arranged to the left and right with a line perpendicular to the hinge axis as the reference. That is, when the outer center pin and the inner center pin are sensed at the same time, the main body does not rotate to the left or right but returns to the initial position. The outer left pin, outer right pin, inner left pin, and inner right pin are configured on different rotational trajectories, and are therefore configured not to be sensed by the outer sensor and the inner sensor simultaneously.

2. The cervical massage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Outer left and outer right pins are respectively provided protruding to the left and right sides with the outer center pin as the center, so that they have the same angle range with each other within a rotation angle range of 1-20 degrees; inner left and inner right pins are respectively provided protruding to the left and right sides with the inner center pin as the center, so that they have the same angle range with each other within a rotation angle range of 21-30 degrees.

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