Blood flow promoting device

Abstract

To provide a blood flow promoting device that can further enhance a blood flow promotion effect.SOLUTION: A blood flow promoting device includes a heating and cooling module that can heat or cool a target area (such as the legs or waist), a compression module for applying pressure to the target area, and a controller for managing these modules. The controller alternates between heating and cooling the target area via the heating and cooling module. During the cooling phase of the target area, the controller operates the compression module to apply pressure to the target area, thus enabling simultaneous cooling and compression. This facilitates efficient contraction of blood vessels in the target area, thereby enhancing the blood flow promotion effect via the pumping action.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a blood flow promoting device that applies hot and cold stimuli to a predetermined part of the human body in order to improve blood flow. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a device that uses a hot and cold unit to alternately heat (warm stimulation) and cool (cool stimulation) a target site in order to improve blood flow. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6094964 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The developers of the present disclosure verified the effect of a configuration for improving blood flow by alternately applying hot and cold stimuli to the human body, and found that the blood flow promotion effect may be insufficient. For example, if there is a gap between the human body and the hot and cold unit, or if clothing is present, the blood vessel contraction effect caused by cooling may be reduced, and sufficient pumping action by hot and cold may not be achieved.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made based on the above considerations or points of view, and one of its objectives is to provide a blood flow promotion device that can further improve the blood flow promotion effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One blood flow promotion device included in the present disclosure is a blood flow promotion device comprising a temperature stimulation module (42) for applying a temperature stimulation to a specific part of a user's body, a compression module (43) for compressing the specific part, and a control unit (50) for controlling the operation of the temperature stimulation module and the compression module, wherein the temperature stimulation module has an operating mode of a cooling mode for cooling the specific part, and the control unit is configured to operate the compression module when the temperature stimulation module is operating in the cooling mode.

[0007] According to the above configuration, cooling and compression are simultaneously performed on the target area, which is a predetermined target area, so that the blood vessels in the target area can be contracted more strongly. The greater the degree of contraction, the stronger the pumping action after release can be expected. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the blood flow promotion effect can be further improved.

[0008] In addition, the symbols in parentheses in the claims indicate a correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described below as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an entire blood flow promotion device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing components of the blood flow promotion device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the main body when the compression module is driven. [Figure 4] 4 is a time chart showing a flow of blood flow promotion control. [Diagram 5] 13 is a flowchart of blood flow promotion control. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the effect of simultaneously applying cooling and compression. [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the operation timing of the compression module. [Figure 8]13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining another modified example of the operation timing of the compression module. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a case where the compression module is operated even during a heating period. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 illustrates a case where a control cycle has a rest period. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing modified examples of the arrangement of the hot / cold module and the compression module. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the hot / cold module and the compression module. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of a case where a compression module is operated in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. The configurations disclosed below may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Various modified examples may be appropriately combined and implemented within the scope of no technical contradiction. The present disclosure also includes configurations that are not explicitly shown and are formed by combining multiple modified examples. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components having the same functions, and specific descriptions thereof may be omitted. When only a portion of the configuration is mentioned, the description given elsewhere may be applied to the other portions. The drawings show each component in a schematic manner for ease of understanding.

[0011] The blood flow promotion device 1 is a device that improves blood flow by applying hot and cold stimulation and pressure stimulation to a specific part of the user's body (hereinafter also referred to as the target part). The hot and cold stimulation here means warming the target part and then cooling it, or cooling the target part and then warming it. The hot and cold stimulation may be understood as a combination of a hot stimulation that warms the target part and a cold stimulation that cools the target part. The pressure stimulation may be understood as pressing the target part and then releasing it.

[0012] The blood flow promotion device 1 of this embodiment is configured to be worn on the waist, as an example. That is, the target part of this embodiment is the waist. As shown in FIG. 1, the blood flow promotion device 1 includes a main body part 2 and a belt 3. The belt 3 is an element for fixing the main body part 2 to the waist of the user. The belt 3 may include a buckle (not shown) for attaching and detaching the blood flow promotion device 1. The buckle may be of any type, such as a pin type, a side release type, or a plug-in type. Also, the belt 3 may be provided with a hook-and-loop fastener part instead of a buckle as an element for attaching and detaching. The blood flow promotion device 1 may be fixed to the waist by overlapping the hook-and-loop fasteners provided on the belt 3.

[0013] The main body 2 is a unit for applying hot and cold stimuli and pressure stimuli to a target site. The main body 2 includes an inner surface 21 that is a surface facing the target site. The inner surface 21 may be curved according to the shape of the target site. The inner surface 21 may have a shape that matches the shape of the target site. In addition, the main body 2 may have a desired elasticity / flexibility so that the inner surface 21 fits the target site. The main body 2 may be a structure in which various components are assembled to a synthetic resin fabric such as nylon or polyester. In addition, when the main body 2 has a housing, the housing may be realized using a resin material having flexibility such as polyester. The circuit board of the control unit 50 may be realized using a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 2 includes an operation unit 41, a hot / cold module 42, a compression module 43, an output temperature sensor 44, a body temperature sensor 45, and a control unit 50.

[0015] The operation unit 41 is a group of switches for the user to input instructions to the blood flow promotion device 1. The operation unit 41 may include a start switch and a stop switch. The start switch is a switch for instructing the start of blood flow promotion control, which will be described later. The stop switch is a switch for instructing the end of blood flow promotion control. The operation unit 41 may also include other switches, such as an up switch and a down switch, for changing operation settings, such as target temperature, pressure, and operation time. The operation unit 41 outputs an operation signal, which is a signal corresponding to the user's operation, to the control unit 50.

[0016] The various switches may be push-type hardware switches. The operation unit 41 may be a software switch realized by a combination of a touch panel and a display. The operation unit 41 may be a portable device such as a smartphone or a wearable device carried by a user. In this case, the blood flow promotion device 1 may be configured to be connectable to the user's portable device via wired / wireless communication.

[0017] The hot / cold module 42 is a module that generates heat for heating and cooling a target area. The hot / cold module 42 corresponds to a temperature stimulation module. Heating here refers to providing the target area with heat that the user feels is warm (about 40°C). The hot / cold module 42 may be realized using a thermoelectric conversion element such as a Peltier element. The hot / cold module 42 may be configured to be bendable by combining a Peltier element with rubber. The hot / cold module 42 may be a flexible Peltier module.

[0018] The hot / cold module 42 has a contact surface 421 which is a surface that comes into contact with a target site. The contact surface 421 is disposed in the center of the inner surface 21. The position, size, and shape of the contact surface 421 may be designed as appropriate. Here, as an example, the contact surface 421 is rectangular with a length of 5 cm and a width of 6 cm.

[0019] The hot / cold module 42 is connected to the control unit 50 via a signal line. The hot / cold module 42 adjusts the output temperature of the contact surface 421 based on a control signal input from the control unit 50. The target area is heated or cooled under the influence of the temperature of the contact surface 421. The hot / cold module 42 has, as operation modes, a heating mode for heating the target area and a cooling mode for cooling the target area. The operation mode may be switched by, for example, switching the direction of the current flowing through the thermoelectric conversion element. The output temperature may be adjusted by adjusting the current flowing through the thermoelectric conversion element or the applied voltage. The output temperature may be adjusted by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. The heating mode may be rephrased as heating control, and the cooling mode may be rephrased as cooling control.

[0020] In the present disclosure, the target temperature in the heating mode is referred to as the heating target temperature, and the target temperature in the cooling mode is referred to as the cooling target temperature. The cooling target temperature corresponds to the first target value, and the heating target temperature corresponds to the second target value. The heating target temperature may be set to a value equal to or higher than 38°C and lower than 43°C. For example, the heating target temperature may be set to 40°C, 41°C, or 42°C. This is because, at 43°C or higher, pain may occur due to the excitation of the polymodal receptors of the human body. Note that the heat given to the human body by the hot / cold module 42 may be affected by clothing. Taking into account the influence of clothing, the target value of the output temperature of the thermoelectric conversion element in the heating mode (in other words, the heating target temperature) may be set to a value equal to or higher than 43°C, such as 45°C, 50°C, or 52°C.

[0021] The cooling target temperature may be set to a value equal to or greater than 14°C and less than 28°C. For example, the cooling target temperature may be set to 15°C, 18°C, or 20°C. The cooling target temperature may be set to a temperature that is expected to have the effect of constricting blood vessels. As described above, the heat that the hot / cold module 42 gives to the human body may be affected by clothing. Taking into account the effect of clothing, the target value of the output temperature of the thermoelectric conversion element in the cooling mode (in other words, the cooling target temperature) may be set to 15°C or less, such as 10°C or 12°C.

[0022] The blood flow promotion device 1 may be configured to change the cooling target temperature and the heating target temperature based on a signal from the operation unit 41. It is also assumed that the thickness of clothes will be greater in winter than in summer. The control unit 50 may estimate the thickness of clothes (degree of influence) from the detection result of the air temperature sensor and adjust the target temperatures during heating and cooling. The air temperature sensor may be a sensor that detects the room temperature / outdoor air temperature. The control unit 50 may have a heavy clothing mode and a light clothing mode as operation modes. The heavy clothing mode may be a mode in which the heating target temperature is higher by a predetermined amount than the light clothing mode and the cooling target temperature is lower by a predetermined amount. The heavy clothing mode and the light clothing mode may be switched by a user operation on the operation unit 41. Of course, the control unit 50 may have a normal mode located between the heavy clothing mode and the light clothing mode, in addition to the heavy clothing mode and the light clothing mode.

[0023] The compression module 43 is a module having a mechanism for temporarily protruding the movable part 431 from the inner surface 21. The movable part 431 refers to a part configured to be able to protrude toward the human body side as the compression module 43 is driven. The movable part 431 may be understood as a part (contact part) of the compression module 43 that abuts against the human body. In the present disclosure, a state in which the compression module 43 is operating is referred to as an on state, and a state in which the compression module 43 is not operating is referred to as an off state. The on state may be understood as a state in which the movable part 431 protrudes, and the off state may be understood as a state in which the movable part 431 does not protrude. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the movable part 431 when the compression module 43 is in an on state.

[0024] The compression module 43 is configured such that in the off state, the movable part 431 is substantially flush with the inner surface 21. When the blood flow promotion device 1 is wrapped closely around the waist, the movable part 431 protrudes from the inner surface 21 to compress the blood vessels of the target site. The compression module 43 may be understood as a configuration for applying avascularization stimulation to the target site.

[0025] The compression module 43 may be configured to, for example, inflate an air bag using a pump to cause the movable part 431 to protrude from the inner surface 21. In the following, an example will be described in which the compression module 43 is configured to inflate an air bag arranged on the back side of the movable part 431 using a pump to cause the movable part 431 to expand toward the human body. Of course, the compression module 43 may be configured to use a motor to cause the movable part 431 to protrude from the inner surface 21. Expressions such as protrusion / expansion / protuberance may be interchangeable.

[0026] The compression module 43 starts expanding based on the input of a drive start signal from the control unit 50. The compression module 43 may be configured to automatically stop further expansion when the pressure applied to the target site reaches a certain value. The compression module 43 may include a pressure sensor that detects the pressure applied to the target site. Two compression modules 43 are arranged, one on each side of the hot / cold module 42. For example, the compression module 43 may be arranged at a position where it can compress muscles on the left and right of the spine, such as the erector spinae muscles.

[0027] The output temperature sensor 44 is a temperature sensor that detects the output temperature of the hot / cold module 42. The output temperature sensor 44 may be configured to detect the temperature of the contact surface 421 of the hot / cold module 42 as the output temperature. The output temperature sensor 44 outputs a measurement value of the output temperature to the control unit 50. The measurement value of the output temperature sensor 44 can be used for driving control of the hot / cold module 42. Note that the output temperature sensor 44 is an optional element and may be omitted.

[0028] The body temperature sensor 45 is a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of the target area. The body temperature sensor 45 may be a non-contact type temperature sensor that measures temperature by detecting infrared rays. The surface temperature of the target area corresponds to the target part temperature. The body temperature sensor 45 outputs the measured value of the temperature of the target area to the control unit 50. The measured value of the body temperature sensor 45 can be used to control the driving of the hot / cold module 42. The body temperature sensor 45 is also an optional element and may be omitted.

[0029] The control unit 50 is configured to control the hot / cold module 42 and the compression module 43. The control unit 50 starts the blood flow promotion control based on the pressing of the start switch of the operation unit 41. The blood flow promotion control is a series of controls for driving the hot / cold module 42 and the compression module 43 according to a predetermined rule. The details of the blood flow promotion control will be described separately later.

[0030] The control unit 50 may be, for example, a computer. The control unit 50 includes a processor 51, a memory 52, a storage 53, and a communication interface 54. The processor 51 is configured to perform arithmetic processing based on data received from other in-vehicle devices. The processor 51 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. The communication interface 54 is a circuit module that allows the processor 51 to receive output signals from the output temperature sensor 44, etc., and to transmit instructions to the hot / cold module 42, etc. The memory 52 is a rewritable volatile storage medium. The memory 52 may be a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 52 may be a component for temporarily storing received data, transmitted data, and calculation results, programs, etc. of the processor 51.

[0031] The storage 53 is a rewritable non-volatile memory. The storage 53 is realized by at least one type of non-transitory tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic medium, or an optical medium. The storage 53 may include a plurality of types of storage media, such as a read only memory (ROM) and a flash memory. The storage 53 stores a control program to be executed by the processor 51. The execution of the control program by the processor 51 corresponds to the execution of a blood flow promotion control method.

[0032] <About blood flow promotion control> Here, the blood flow promotion control that the control unit 50 performs in cooperation with other modules will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 4 is a time chart showing an outline of the flow of the blood flow promotion control. The blood flow promotion control is a control that repeats a cycle including one heating period during which the hot / cold module 42 operates in a heating mode and one cooling period during which the hot / cold module 42 operates in a cooling mode for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times. The blood flow promotion control also includes compressing the target site by driving the compression module 43 during the cooling period.

[0033] T1 in Fig. 4 represents the heating time, which is the duration of the heating period in one cycle. The heating time (T1) may be set to a value between 2 minutes and 5 minutes. In this embodiment, the heating time is set to 3 minutes. Of course, the heating time may be set to 2 minutes, 2 minutes 30 seconds, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. The heating time may be fixed as a design value, or may be changeable by the user operating the operation unit 41.

[0034] T2 in FIG. 4 represents the cooling time, which is the duration of the cooling period in one cycle. The cooling time (T2) may be set to a value between 30 seconds and 4 minutes. In this embodiment, the cooling time is set to 1 minute. Of course, the cooling time may be set to 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 50 seconds, etc. The cooling time may be fixed as a design value, or may be changeable by the user operating the operation unit 41. The cooling time may be set to be shorter than the heating time. The cooling time may be set to be half or less of the heating time.

[0035] The cooling time may be set to be longer than the heating time by about 60 seconds, 90 seconds, or 120 seconds. The total value of the heating time and the cooling time, in other words, the length of one cycle, may be set to about 6 to 7 minutes. For example, when the heating time is 5 minutes, the cooling time may be 90 seconds or 2 minutes. When the heating time is 4 minutes, the cooling time may be 2 minutes or 3 minutes. When the heating time is 3 minutes, the cooling time may be 3 minutes. When the heating time is 2 minutes, the cooling time may be 4 minutes. When k is a predetermined value of 360 seconds or more and less than 420 seconds, T1 and T2 may be set so as to satisfy T1+T2=k when T1 is in the range of 90 seconds or more and 300 seconds or less.

[0036] The total value of the heating time and the cooling time corresponds to the length of one cycle. In this embodiment, the heating time is 3 minutes and the cooling time is 1 minute, so the length of one cycle is 4 minutes. The number of times the cycle is repeated may be set to 4, 6, 8, etc. The number of times the cycle is repeated may also be changeable by the user operating the operation unit 41.

[0037] In the heating mode, the control unit 50 feedback controls the hot / cold module 42 so that the output temperature detected by the output temperature sensor 44 maintains the heating target temperature. In the cooling mode, the control unit 50 controls the hot / cold module 42 so that the output temperature detected by the output temperature sensor 44 maintains the cooling target temperature. Temperature adjustment may be performed using the temperature of the target site detected by the body temperature sensor 45, rather than the output temperature detected by the output temperature sensor 44. In other words, the control unit 50 may control the hot / cold module 42 so that the temperature of the target site matches the target temperature.

[0038] In the blood flow promotion control, when the control unit 50 switches the hot / cold module 42 to the cooling mode, it starts driving the compression module 43. The control unit 50 may have a function of stopping the air pump when the internal pressure of the air bag reaches a predetermined value or the expansion amount of the movable unit 431 reaches a predetermined value, and maintaining the expansion amount / pressurized state until the end of the cooling period. With the end of the cooling period, the control unit 50 stops driving the compression module 43 and switches it to the off state. For example, with the end of the cooling period, the control unit 50 opens the air bag of the compression module 43, reducing the internal pressure and therefore the pressure acting on the target area.

[0039] 5 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the control unit 50 related to the above-mentioned blood flow promotion control. This flowchart may be started based on the control unit 50 receiving a signal indicating that the start switch has been pressed from the operation unit 41. As shown in FIG. 5, the process related to the blood flow promotion control includes S101 to S109. Each step is executed by the control unit 50.

[0040] S101 is a step in which a predetermined control signal is output to the hot / cold module 42, and the hot / cold module 42 starts to operate in the heating mode. The control unit 50 starts a timer together with the output of the control signal, and measures the heating elapsed time. The heating elapsed time is the time elapsed since the start of heating, in other words, the duration of the heating mode. After S101 is completed, S102 is periodically executed.

[0041] S102 is a step for judging whether the measured elapsed heating time has reached the heating time (T1). If the elapsed heating time has not reached the heating time, S102 is executed again after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second). If the elapsed heating time has reached the heating time, the process proceeds to S103.

[0042] S103 is a step of outputting a predetermined control signal to the hot / cold module 42 to end the heating mode. When the control unit 50 outputs the control signal for ending the heating mode, the control unit 50 may reset the timer. When S103 is completed, the process proceeds to S104.

[0043] S104 is a step in which a predetermined control signal is output to the hot / cold module 42 to start operating the hot / cold module 42 in the cooling mode. The control unit 50 starts a timer together with outputting the control signal to measure the cooling elapsed time. The cooling elapsed time is the time elapsed since the start of cooling, in other words, the duration of the cooling mode. When S104 is completed, the process proceeds to S105. Note that S103 and S104 may be integrated. The control signal output by the control unit 50 to the hot / cold module 42 may be a signal to switch the operation mode from the heating mode to the cooling mode.

[0044] S105 is a step of outputting a drive start signal to the compression module 43. This starts compression of the target area. The compression module 43 is driven while the hot / cold module 42 is operating in the cooling mode. Therefore, the target area is compressed while being cooled. After S105 is completed, the control unit 50 periodically executes S106.

[0045] S106 is a step for judging whether the cooling elapsed time has reached the cooling time (T2). If the cooling elapsed time has not reached the cooling time, S106 is executed again after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second). If the cooling elapsed time has reached the cooling time, the process proceeds to S107.

[0046] In step S107, a drive stop signal is output to the compression module 43 to release the compression of the target area. The compression module 43 may be driven slowly when inflating the movable part 431, and may be opened to rapidly reduce the pressure when releasing the compression by opening the air bag. This control mode is expected to achieve a stronger avascularization effect. When step S107 is completed, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0047] S108 is a step of outputting a predetermined control signal to the hot / cold module 42 to end the cooling mode. The control unit 50 may reset the timer when the cooling mode ends. S107 and S108 may be integrated and executed substantially simultaneously. When S108 is completed, the process proceeds to S109. Note that S101 to S108 correspond to one cycle.

[0048] S109 is a step for determining whether or not a termination condition is satisfied. The termination condition may be when the number of times the cycle is executed reaches a predetermined value (for example, 4). If the termination condition is not satisfied, the control unit 50 re-executes the processes from S101 onward. On the other hand, if the termination condition is satisfied, this flow ends.

[0049] <About the effects> This embodiment aims to increase blood flow by combining avascularization stimulation with hot and cold stimulation. When a target area is compressed for a certain period of time and then released, the blood vessels in the target area attempt to return to their original diameter. By compressing the target area during the cooling period, the blood vessels can be constricted more effectively. In addition, by releasing the compression at the start of the heating period, the force that the blood vessels attempt to return to their original diameter can be further strengthened. As a result, the blood flow promotion effect can be further enhanced compared to when only hot and cold stimulation is applied to the target area.

[0050] In addition, by driving the compression module 43 during the cooling period, it is possible to expect the effect of increasing the degree of contact between the hot / cold module 42 and the target part. By increasing the degree of contact between the hot / cold module 42 and the target part, it is possible to reduce the risk that the cooling effect will be weakened by clothing or gaps. In other words, by increasing the degree of contact between the hot / cold module 42 and the target part, it is possible to more effectively cool the target part. According to this embodiment, the target part is heated after being thoroughly cooled, so the effect of promoting blood flow due to temperature changes can also be increased.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in blood flow when three cycles of control for promoting blood flow are performed in the first, second, and third models described below. The first model is configured to apply only hot and cold stimuli to the target site. The second model is configured to apply only pressure stimuli (avascularization stimuli) to the target site. The third model is configured to use both hot and cold stimuli and pressure stimuli as in this embodiment, and is configured to press the target site during the cooling period.

[0052] In FIG. 6, the period indicated by "warm" means the period during which heating is performed in the first and third models, that is, the heating period. The period indicated by "warm" may be interpreted as the period during which neither heating nor cooling is performed in the second model. The period indicated by "cold" corresponds to the cooling period. The period indicated by "cold" in the second model may be interpreted as the period during which the target area is compressed. In the first and third models, a heating period is provided after three cycles. The reason for providing a heating period at the end is that if the test is completed with the target area cooled, the timing at which the improvement effect of blood flow is observed may be delayed. In order to simply verify the difference in effect depending on the type of stimulation, the target area is the foot in the first, second, and third models. In addition, cooling is simulated by immersing the foot in cold water, heating is simulated by immersing the foot in warm water, and compression is simulated by using a cuff used in a blood pressure monitor, etc.

[0053] In FIG. 6, the dashed line indicates the change in blood flow rate in the first model, the dashed line indicates the change in blood flow rate in the second model, and the solid line indicates the change in blood flow rate in the third model. The horizontal axis indicates the passage of time, and the vertical axis indicates the blood flow rate. As shown in FIG. 6, the third model has a higher blood flow rate improvement effect than the first and second models. In addition, the improvement in blood flow rate by the third model is greater than the sum of the improvement in the first model and the improvement in the second model. In other words, the third model does not simply have the additive effect of the first and second models, but rather has a synergistic effect of hot and cold stimulation and avascularization stimulation. In this way, the blood flow promotion effect can be significantly increased by the configuration in which compression and cooling are performed simultaneously. As a result, it is expected that the fatigue recovery effect will also be enhanced.

[0054] <Modification> In the above-described embodiment, the period during which the target site is compressed using the compression module 43 (hereinafter, the compression period) is made to coincide with the cooling period, but the compression period may be shorter than the cooling period. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the compression period may be shorter than the cooling period. In order to obtain a sufficient cooling effect, it is preferable that the compression period is set to 25% or more of the cooling time (T2). In the present disclosure, the length of the compression period during the cooling period is also referred to as the cooling compression time.

[0055] The compression period may be a period during which the pressure applied to the target site is maintained at a desired target level (Ptg). The compression module 43 may apply pressure slowly until the pressure reaches the target level (Ptg), and then rapidly reduce the pressure when released. This control can enhance the avascularization effect and reduce the user's pain.

[0056] Also, the compression period may be arranged to straddle the cooling period and the heating period as shown in Fig. 8. In other words, the control unit 50 may be configured to start compression during the cooling period and release compression a predetermined time after the start of the heating period.

[0057] Furthermore, the control unit 50 may be configured to operate the compression module 43 during a portion of the heating period, as shown in FIG. 9. This configuration can reduce the risk of the heating effect being weakened by clothing or gaps. In other words, by increasing the degree of contact between the hot / cold module 42 and the target area during the heating period, the target area can be heated more effectively. The compression time during heating, which is the length of the compression period during the heating period, may be set to half or less of the heating time (T1), such as 30 seconds or 1 minute. Furthermore, the control unit 50 may be configured to compress the target area intermittently multiple times during the heating period.

[0058] Furthermore, the control cycle may include a rest period in which nothing is done, as shown in Fig. 10, in addition to the heating period and the cooling period. By having a rest period after the heating period and the cooling period, it is expected that the effect of relaxing the muscles and nerves of the target area can be expected. The length of the rest period may be set to 30 seconds or more and 2 minutes or less. The blood flow promotion device 1 may be configured to be able to change the length of the rest period based on the operation of the operation unit 41 by the user.

[0059] In the above, the control unit 50 has been described as driving the hot / cold module 42 in the order of heating and cooling within one control cycle, but these orders may be reversed. The thermal stimulation within a control cycle may be performed in the order of cooling and heating. The control unit 50 may be configured to operate the hot / cold module 42 in heating mode at the end of the blood flow promotion control. By ending a series of controls with the target area warmed, the user can easily feel the blood flow promotion effect.

[0060] When the stop switch is pressed by the user during the blood flow promotion control, the control unit 50 may execute a predetermined termination control and then terminate the blood flow promotion control. The termination control when the stop switch is pressed when the compression module 43 is in the on state may include switching the compression module 43 to the off state. The termination control when the stop switch is pressed during the cooling period may include operating the hot / cold module 42 in the heating mode for a predetermined time (e.g., 15 seconds). The termination control may include switching the output temperature of the hot / cold module 42 to body temperature (e.g., 36°C). By including these controls in the termination control, it is possible to increase the comfort of the user after the blood flow promotion control is stopped midway.

[0061] The control unit 50 may be configured to automatically change the heating target temperature during the blood flow promotion control. For example, the control unit 50 may be configured to increase the heating target temperature by 0.5°C for each cycle. The initial heating target temperature may be 39°C or 40°C. The temperature increase amount and the number of repetitions may be determined so that the final heating target temperature does not exceed a predetermined limit value (e.g., 43°C). The control unit 50 may be configured to apply a first heating target temperature (e.g., 40°C) from the first cycle to the nth cycle, and a second heating target temperature (e.g., 42°C) from the n+1th cycle. n may be set to a value equivalent to half the number of repetitions, such as 2, 3, or 4.

[0062] Similarly, the control unit 50 may be configured to automatically change the cooling target temperature during the blood flow promotion control. For example, the control unit 50 may be configured to lower the heating target temperature by 0.5°C for each cycle. The initial heating target temperature may be 18°C, 20°C, or the like. The temperature reduction amount and the number of repetitions may be determined so that the final heating target temperature does not fall below a predetermined limit value (e.g., 14°C). The control unit 50 may also be configured to apply a first cooling target temperature (e.g., 18°C) from the first cycle to the nth cycle, and a second cooling target temperature (e.g., 15°C) from the n+1th cycle.

[0063] The shapes of the hot / cold module 42 and the compression module 43 and their positions on the inner surface 21 may be changed as appropriate. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, the hot / cold module 42 and the compression module 43 may be formed parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. The main body 2 may have a configuration in which two compression modules 43 are arranged in the vertical direction, and the hot / cold module 42 is arranged therebetween.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 12, the hot / cold module 42 may be stacked on the compression module 43. Fig. 13 shows a simulated appearance of the blood flow promotion device 1 shown in Fig. 12 when the compression module 43 is expanded. With such a configuration in which the hot / cold module 42, particularly the Peltier element portion, is stacked on the compression module 43, the rate of contact between the contact surface 421 and the target site can be further increased as the compression module 43 expands. As a result, the target site can be effectively heated / cooled, and the blood flow promotion effect can be enhanced.

[0065] The blood flow promotion device 1 may be configured to be worn and used on the feet, lower / upper thighs, upper arms, hands, back, head, etc. In other words, the target sites may be the feet, lower / upper thighs, upper arms, hands, back, head, etc.

[0066] The blood flow promotion device 1 may also be attached to a seat of a moving object such as a vehicle, ship, airplane, or drone. When the blood flow promotion device 1 is set in a seat of a moving object, the belt 3 may be a seat belt. The hot / cold module 42 and the compression module 43 may be disposed in the backrest. Alternatively, the blood flow promotion device 1 may be attached to an office chair or a massage chair. The blood flow promotion device 1 may be configured so as to be retrofittable to various chairs.

[0067] The hot / cold module 42 may be divided into a heating module and a cooling module. The heating module may be a heater of a far-infrared radiation type or a resistance heating type. The cooling module may be a blower. The blood flow promotion device 1 does not necessarily have to have a heating mode. The temperature stimulation module constituting the blood flow promotion device 1 may be dedicated to cooling. The blood flow promotion control may be a repeat of a cooling period and a rest period.

[0068] <Additional remarks> The various flowcharts shown in the present disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the order of execution of the processes can be changed as appropriate. The controls shown in each flowchart may be combined / executed in parallel to the extent that there is no contradiction. Expressions such as acquisition, determination, detection, generation, and calculation may be used interchangeably. An apparatus acquiring certain data also includes the apparatus generating the data based on a signal input from another apparatus / sensor. The apparatus, system, and method thereof described in the present disclosure may be realized by a dedicated computer constituting a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. The apparatus and method described in the present disclosure may be realized using a dedicated hardware logic circuit. The apparatus and method described in the present disclosure may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor executing a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. A part or all of the functions of the processor 51 may be realized using any of a system-on-chip (SoC), an integrated circuit (IC), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 Blood flow promotion device, 2 Main body, 3 Belt, 41 Operation unit, 42 Hot / cold module (thermal stimulation module), 43 Compression module, 44 Output temperature sensor, 45 Body temperature sensor, 50 Control unit, 51 Processor

Claims

1. A thermal stimulation module (42) for applying a thermal stimulation to a predetermined part of a user's body; A compression module (43) for compressing the predetermined area; A blood flow promotion device comprising a control unit (50) that controls the operation of the temperature stimulation module and the compression module, The temperature stimulation module includes, as an operation mode, a cooling mode for cooling the predetermined portion, The blood flow promotion device, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the compression module when the temperature stimulation module is operated in the cooling mode.

2. The temperature stimulation module has a heating mode for heating the predetermined area as an operation mode, The control unit is The blood flow promotion device of claim 1, configured to repeat a control cycle including a cooling period during which the temperature stimulation module operates in the cooling mode and a heating period during which the temperature stimulation module operates in the heating mode for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times.

3. The blood flow promotion device according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling period is set to be shorter than the heating period.

4. 3. The blood flow promotion device according to claim 2, wherein the length of the cooling period is set to be between 30 seconds and 4 minutes, and the length of the heating period is set to be between 90 seconds and 5 minutes.

5. A rest period during which the driving of the temperature stimulation module is stopped is set between the cooling mode and the heating mode, 3. The blood flow promoting device according to claim 2, wherein the rest period is set to 30 seconds or more.

6. The blood flow enhancing device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the compression module for a period of at least 25% of the cooling period.

7. The blood flow promotion device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to operate the compression module even during a part of the heating period.

8. The blood flow promotion device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to be able to adjust a cooling time, which is a duration of the cooling mode, and a heating time, which is a duration of the heating mode.

9. An output temperature sensor (44) for measuring an output temperature of the temperature stimulus module; The blood flow promotion device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the operation of the temperature stimulation module based on the measurement value of the output temperature sensor so that the output temperature maintains a predetermined first target value in the cooling mode, and so that the output temperature maintains a predetermined second target value in the heating mode.

10. A body temperature sensor (45) is provided to measure a target part temperature, which is the temperature of the predetermined part; The blood flow promotion device of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the operation of the temperature stimulation module based on the measurement value of the body temperature sensor so that the target part temperature maintains a predetermined first target value in the cooling mode, and so that the target part temperature maintains a predetermined second target value in the heating mode.

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