Massage machine

Abstract

To provide a massage machine capable of reducing a load on a user when a leg placing part is extended.SOLUTION: A massage machine includes a seat part on which a user is seated, a leg placing part on which the user's legs are placed, and which is provided swingably on the front side of the seat part, and a slide support mechanism for supporting the leg placing part so as to be slidable in a length direction of the user's legs. The slide support mechanism includes a slide surface that slides in the leg length direction, energizing means for energizing the leg placing part on the seat part side, and braking means for attenuating or suppressing the energization force by the energizing means. The braking means incudes an abutment part that abuts against the slide surface and a pressing part for pressing the abutment part in a direction of abutting against the slide support mechanism. The abutment part is provided so that it can move in a slide surface direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a massage machine has been proposed which has a massage machine body, a leg rest section arranged in front of the seat section, a pressing surface provided on the leg rest section against which the sole of the foot is pressed, and a spring which urges the pressing surface in a contracting direction, in which the leg rest section can be extended by placing the sole of the foot on the pressing surface and extending the leg against the spring, and which has an extendable leg rest section which is returned to its original contracted state by the spring when the user steps off the massage machine body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-8257 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The leg rest of the massage machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is connected to the front of the seat so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis, and its position (angle) relative to the seat can be changed, and it can be rotated upward from a downward state to a raised state. However, in the raised state of the leg rest, the weight of the user's legs is not applied in the direction of the spring's force, as compared to the downward state, so that in order for the user to stretch their legs, they must resist the spring's force, which causes a problem of increased burden on the user. Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a massage machine that can reduce the burden on the user when the leg rest is stretched. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention comprises a seat on which a user sits, a leg rest on which the user's legs are placed and which is swingably arranged in front of the seat, and a slide support mechanism which supports the leg rest so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction of the user's legs, wherein the slide support mechanism has a slide surface which slides in the longitudinal direction of the legs, a biasing means which biases the leg rest toward the seat, and a braking means which attenuates or suppresses the biasing force by the biasing means, and the braking means has an abutment portion which abuts against the slide surface and a pressing portion which presses the abutment portion in a direction so as to abut against the slide support mechanism, and the abutment portion is arranged to be movable in the direction of the slide surface. With this configuration, the braking means can attenuate or suppress the biasing force of the biasing means, thereby reducing the burden on the user when the leg rest is extended.

[0006] It is also preferable that the vehicle further comprises a control unit, which is capable of adjusting the sliding position of the leg rest by controlling the braking means. With this configuration, the leg rest can be adjusted.

[0007] In addition, it is preferable that the footrest is arranged to be able to swing up and down relative to the seat, and that at least in an elevated state in which the footrest is swung upward relative to the seat, the braking means attenuates or suppresses the biasing force by the biasing means. With this configuration, the burden on the user when the leg rest is in the raised state can be reduced.

[0008] It is also preferable that the pressing portion is made of an air cell that expands and contracts, and the control portion controls the amount of expansion of the air cell. With this configuration, the amount of expansion of the air cell can be controlled to adjust the damping or suppression.

[0009] It is also preferable that the contact portion is made of a material having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the sliding surface. With this configuration, the frictional force at the contact portion increases, so that the frictional force can be more quickly attenuated or suppressed.

[0010] It is also preferable that the material of the contact portion is a material having a lower hardness than that of the slide surface, and that the slide surface has a protrusion extending toward the contact portion. With this configuration, the friction between the slide surface and the contact portion can be further increased. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a massage machine that can reduce the burden on a user when the leg rest is extended. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a front perspective view of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the massage machine. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the posture of the massage machine. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a footrest frame, and FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of the footrest frame from the state of FIG. [Figure 7] 4A is a front perspective view of an exploded view of the footrest frame, in which (a) shows the first frame, (b) shows the front frame of the second frame, (c) shows the rear frame of the second frame, and (d) shows the third frame. FIG. [Figure 8] 5A is a rear perspective view of the exploded footrest frame, in which (a) shows the first frame, (b) shows the front frame of the second frame, (c) shows the rear frame of the second frame, and (d) shows the third frame. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a front oblique view of the frame of the footrest, where (a) shows the initial state of the footrest, (b) shows the first extended state of the footrest, and (c) shows the second extended state of the footrest. [Figure 10] 4A and 4B are rear views of the frame of the footrest, in which FIG. 4A shows the initial state of the footrest, and FIG. 4B shows the first extended state of the footrest. [Figure 11] 1A is a side view of the frame of the footrest, (a) showing the initial state of the footrest, (b) showing the first extended state of the footrest, and (c) is an enlarged view of the area P around the braking mechanism. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an operation pattern of the footrest according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are enlarged views of the sliding surface and the contact portion, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the sliding surface and the contact portion are not in contact, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the sliding surface and the contact portion are in contact. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] [Configuration of the massage machine according to one embodiment] The overall configuration of the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the massage machine 1. Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating the posture of the massage machine 1. Fig. 5 is a front view of the massage unit 8. In addition, the concept of directions used in the following description is the same as the concept of directions as seen by a user seated on the massage machine 1 shown in FIG. 1, and other cases will be explained as appropriate.

[0014] [Overall configuration of the massage machine] As shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 4, the massage machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention mainly includes a seat 2 on which a user sits, a backrest 3 on which the user leans, which is provided at the rear of the seat 2 in a reclining manner, a footrest 4 which is a leg rest that supports the lower legs of the user and is provided at the front of the seat 2 in a vertically swingable manner, a pillow 5 which supports the head and / or neck of the user and is provided at the upper front surface of the backrest 3, armrests 6 on both the left and right sides of the seat 2, and side walls 7 on both the left and right sides of the backrest 3. The seat 2, the backrest 3, the footrest 4, the pillow 5, the armrests 6, and the side walls 7 function as body support parts that support the body of the user. Each of the body support parts 2 to 7 is provided with a massage part using an air cell 20 described later that massages the body of the user. The massage machine 1 also has a massage unit 8 as a massage section that performs kneading massage and / or tapping massage on the backrest section 3, a control section 9 that controls each operation of the massage machine 1, and a controller 10 that allows the user to perform various operations.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the backrest 3 is configured to be reclined forward and backward with respect to the seat 2 by a first actuator 11 provided below the seat 2, and can be changed from an upright position to a reclined position in which the backrest surface is approximately horizontal (see Figure 4). The armrests 6 are configured to move backward in conjunction with the reclining of the backrest 3, and move forward in conjunction with the upright position of the backrest 3. The footrest 4 is configured to be swingable up and down with respect to the seat 2 by a second actuator 12 provided below the seat 2, and can be changed from a hanging position to a raised position in which the lower legs and feet are supported with the knees extended (see Figure 4).

[0016] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, below the seat 2, there are provided an air supply / exhaust device 13 having a pump 13a and a valve 13b for supplying and exhausting air to and from each air cell 20, and the control unit 9 described above. The air cells 20 are used for the massage units a1 to a6 and / or the braking mechanism 46 that can press the user by supplying and exhausting air. The control unit 9 has a programmable microcomputer and the like, and drives and controls the first actuator 11, the second actuator 12, the massage units, and the air supply / exhaust device 13. The control unit 9 is electrically connected to a controller 10 and a storage unit 50. The massage machine 1 operates the massage units (8, a1 to a6) according to a predetermined program (massage course) stored in the storage unit 50, and also performs various massage actions by the user operating the controller 10.

[0017] [Seat configuration] 1 to 3, a buttocks massage section a4 that massages the buttocks and / or thighs of the user from below (the back) is provided on the seat section 2. The buttocks massage section a4 is composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air.

[0018] [Backrest configuration] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the backrest 3 is composed of a rigid back frame 3a, a guide rail 18 for guiding the up and down movement of a massage unit 8, which is a massage unit attached to the back frame 3a, and a cover member 3c for covering the back frame 3a. The back frame 3a is composed of a metal member and / or a resin member. The back frame 3a has an opening 3b formed in the center of the left and right sides and opening in the front and rear directions, and is substantially gate-shaped when viewed from the front. The cover member 3c covers the opening 3b from the front. The treatment head 62 (see Fig. 5) of the massage unit 8 protrudes forward from the opening 3b, and the user's torso can be massaged from behind through the cover member 3c.

[0019] [Massage unit configuration] The configuration of the massage unit 8 will now be described. 1 to 3 and 5, the backrest 3 is provided with a massage unit 8 that massages the upper body of the user from behind (back side). A plurality of massage units 8 (one in this embodiment) may be provided along the height direction. The massage unit 8 is composed of a pair of arms 61 on the left and right and treatment elements 62 provided on both the upper and lower ends of the arms 61, and can perform a kneading massage in which the left and right treatment elements 62 move toward and away from each other by driving massage motors M1 and M2, and a tapping massage in which the left and right treatment elements 62 move alternately toward and away from the user. The massage unit 8 can be moved upward or downward in the height direction by driving the lifting motor M3 to change its position relative to the body or perform a rolling massage. The back frame 3a is provided with a pair of guide rails 18 extending in the height direction, and the massage unit 8 moves along the guide rails 18. By moving the massage unit 8 in the height direction, the treatment elements 62 can massage the area from the neck to the waist of the user.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 5, the massage unit 8 has a base frame 60a and a movable frame 60b supported by the base frame 60a. The base frame 60a has guide rollers 63 that fit into the guide rails 18 on both the left and right sides. The base frame 60a can move along the height direction by a lifting mechanism (not shown) made of a rack and pinion or the like. The movable frame 60b is supported by the base frame 60a via a swing shaft 64 in the left and right direction. A forward and backward drive unit 65 made of an air cell or the like is provided between the base frame 60a and the movable frame 60b. The forward and backward drive unit 65 drives the movable frame 60b to move forward and backward around the swing shaft 64. Note that the structure does not have to be such that the movable frame 60b moves forward and backward, and the forward and backward drive unit 65 may be provided on the arm 61 to move only the arm 61 forward and backward.

[0021] The arm 61 is connected to a kneading shaft 66 and a hitting shaft 67 extending in the left-right direction. An inclined cam 66a having an inclined shaft portion 66b is provided on both the left and right sides of the kneading shaft 66, and the arm 61 is attached to the inclined cam 66a. The left and right inclined shaft portions 66b are inclined with respect to the axis of the kneading shaft 66 so as to be substantially V-shaped when viewed from the front. An eccentric cam 67a having an eccentric shaft portion 67b eccentric with respect to the axis of the hitting shaft 67 is provided on both the left and right sides of the hitting shaft 67, and the arm 61 is attached to the eccentric cam 67a via a connecting rod 68. The left and right eccentric shaft portions 67b have different phases with respect to the axis of the hitting shaft 67, specifically, they are different by 180 degrees. The kneading shaft 66 and the hitting shaft 67 are rotated by driving the massage motors M1 and M2, respectively. The treatment elements 62 perform a kneading massage by rotating the kneading shaft 66, and perform a tapping massage by rotating the tapping shaft 67. The arm 61 on which the treatment elements 62 are mounted, the kneading shaft 66, and the tapping shaft 67 are supported by a movable frame 60b. Therefore, the treatment elements 62 can advance and retreat relative to the user by moving the movable frame 60b.

[0022] The arm 61 is movable in the front-rear direction and is biased by a biasing means (not shown) such as a spring so that the upper treatment piece 62 protrudes forward. The massage unit 8 also has a sensor 69 for detecting the user's physical information. The sensor 69 can obtain the physical information by detecting that the arm 61 has reached a predetermined swing position. Specifically, when the upper treatment piece 62 reaches above the shoulder in the process of raising the massage unit 8 along the height direction, the load acting on the treatment piece 62 is released and the arm 61 swings forward to a predetermined swing position. The sensor 69 detects that the arm 61 has reached the predetermined swing position and detects the position of the shoulder based on the vertical position of the massage unit 8 at that time. The positions of the other parts (neck, back, waist, etc.) are calculated based on the position of the shoulder. The detected physical information is stored in the memory unit 50.

[0023] [Side wall configuration] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, side walls 7 are provided on both the left and right sides of the back frame 3a (backrest portion 3) so as to face the outer surfaces of the user's shoulders or upper arms. These side walls 7 are erected forward on the sides of the backrest portion 3. The inner surfaces of the side walls 7 are provided with shoulder-side massage portions a2 that massage the outer surfaces of the shoulders or upper arms. The shoulder-side massage portions a2 are made up of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air.

[0024] [Pillow section configuration] As shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, a pillow section 5 for supporting the head and / or neck of the user is provided on the upper front surface of the backrest section 3. A pair of head massage sections a1 are provided on the left and right sides of the front surface of the pillow section 5 so as to face the back surface of the head and / or neck. The head massage sections a1 are made up of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air.

[0025] [Armrest configuration] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, armrests 6 for supporting the user's hands and forearms are provided on both the left and right sides of the seat 2. Arm massage sections a3 are provided above and below the hands and forearms of the armrests 6. The arm massage sections a3 are made up of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air.

[0026] [Footrest configuration] 6A is a front perspective view of the frame of the footrest 4, and FIG. 6B is a front perspective view of the frame of the footrest 4 in the state of FIG. 6A, further omitting the first frame 43. FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the frame of the footrest 4 in an exploded state, where FIG. 6A shows the first frame 43, FIG. 7B shows the front frame 44a of the second frame 44, FIG. 7C shows the rear frame 44b of the second frame 44, and FIG. 7D shows the third frame 45. FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the frame of the footrest 4 in an exploded state, where FIG. 7A shows the first frame 43, FIG. 7B shows the front frame 44a of the second frame 44, FIG. 7C shows the rear frame 44b of the second frame 44, and FIG. 7D shows the third frame 45. FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the frame of the footrest 4, where FIG. 9A shows the initial state of the footrest 4, FIG. 9B shows the first extended state of the footrest 4, and FIG. 9C shows the second extended state of the footrest 4. Fig. 10 is a rear view of the frame of the footrest 4, (a) showing the initial state of the footrest 4, and (b) showing the first extended state of the footrest 4. Fig. 11 is a side view of the frame of the footrest 4, (a) showing the initial state of the footrest 4, (b) showing the first extended state of the footrest 4, and (c) is an enlarged view of the periphery P of the braking mechanism in Fig. 11(b).

[0027] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, the footrest 4 is composed of a leg support section 40 having a leg massage section a5 on which a user's legs can be placed, a foot support section 41 having a foot massage section a6 on which a user's feet can be placed, a first frame 43 that supports the leg support section 40 and the foot support section 41, a second frame 44 that supports the first frame 43, and a third frame 45 that supports the first frame 43 and the second frame 44 and is arranged to be able to rock on the seat section.

[0028] [Leg support configuration] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the leg support portion 40 is composed of a bottom wall 40a disposed opposite the back of the user's leg, side walls 40b extending forward from both left and right ends of the bottom wall 40a, and a central wall 40c extending forward from the center of the left and right sides of the bottom wall 40a.

[0029] The inner surface of the side wall 40b is provided with a leg massage section a5 for massaging the outer surface of the leg. The inner surface of the central wall 40c is provided with a leg massage section a5 for massaging the inner surface of the leg. The leg massage section a5 is composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air. The air cells 20 may be replaced with a mechanical treatment mechanism, or both the air cells 20 and the mechanical treatment mechanism may be provided. The bottom wall 40a may be provided with a leg massage section that massages the back of the user's legs.

[0030] [Foot support structure] The foot support portion 41 has a bottom wall 41a on which the sole of the user's foot is placed, side walls 41b standing upward from both the left and right ends of the bottom wall 41a, a rear wall 41d standing upward from the rear part of the bottom wall 41a facing the back surface of the foot (near the heel), and a center wall 41c standing upward from the center of the left and right sides of the bottom wall 41a. A recess 42 that is open upward and forward from each of the walls 41a to 41d is formed so that the foot can be accommodated in the recess 42. In this embodiment, the side wall 41b and the side wall 40b are integrally formed.

[0031] The bottom wall 41a is provided with a detection means 53 for detecting the load applied by the sole of the user's foot. The detection means 53 is a pressure sensor. When the sole of the user's foot contacts the bottom wall 41a and the detection means 53 detects a predetermined pressure, the control unit 9 controls the driving of the braking mechanism 46, which is a braking means. The driving of the braking mechanism 46 attenuates or suppresses the biasing force of the biasing means 47 that moves the footrest 4 toward the seat. In this way, the footrest 4 can be stopped at a position suitable for the length of the user's legs. The configurations of the braking mechanism 46 and the biasing means 47 will be described later. In this embodiment, the detection means 53 is a pressure sensor, but any sensor can be used as long as it can detect contact with the sole of the user's foot.

[0032] Further, the inner surface of the side wall 41b is provided with a foot massage section a6 for massaging the outer surface of the foot. The outer surfaces of both sides of the central wall 41c are provided with a foot massage section a6 for massaging the inner surface of the foot. The foot massage section a6 is composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air. Moreover, the air cells 20 may be replaced with a mechanical treatment mechanism, or both the air cells 20 and the mechanical treatment mechanism may be provided. In addition, a foot massage portion for massaging the back side (heel side) of the user's foot may be provided on the rear wall 41d.

[0033] [Footrest frame configuration] As shown in Figs. 6 to 11, the first frame 43 is a frame for arranging electrical equipment E such as a circuit board on its back surface, and is provided to be located behind the footrest 4 and in front of the second frame 44. The second frame 44 is provided on the third frame 45 so as to be slidable in the length direction of the user's legs. The second frame 44 and the third frame 45 function as a slide support mechanism 400 that supports the leg support part 40 and the foot support part 41 and is slidable in the length direction of the legs. The third frame 45 has a swing shaft 401 on its upper end side and is provided so as to be swingable up and down relative to the seat part 2. The configuration of each frame will be specifically described below.

[0034] [First frame configuration] As shown in Fig. 6, the first frame 43 is disposed in front of the slide support mechanism 400. As shown in Figs. 7(a) and 8(a), an electrical component E such as a circuit board is fixed to the back surface of the first frame 43 by screws or brush clips. In addition to the circuit board, the electrical component E may be an air supply / exhaust device 13. This allows the length of the hose 13c (see Fig. 10) that supplies air to the massage parts a5, a6 and the braking mechanism 46 of the footrest 4 to be shortened, resulting in cost reduction and compactness.

[0035] The lower end of the first frame 43 has a protruding portion 431 that protrudes forward. The bottom wall 41a of the foot support portion 41 is connected to the protruding portion 431. Therefore, the first frame 43 also moves in the length direction of the leg in accordance with the sliding movement of the footrest 4.

[0036] [Second frame configuration] As shown in Figs. 7(b), (c), 8(b), and (c), the second frame 44 is composed of a front frame 44a provided at the front and a rear frame 44b provided at the rear. The front frame 44a is composed of a plate-like member that is long in the vertical direction. More specifically, the lower end of the front frame 44a is concavely cut in a plan view. Both left and right side surfaces of the front frame 44a are bent toward the rear in a U-shape, and a guide portion 440 is provided on the outer side of the U-shape in the left and right direction. The guide portion 440 fits into a guide rail 45a provided on the third frame 45. The guide portion 440 has a roller portion 443 for smoothly moving on the guide rail 45a.

[0037] The U-shaped shapes on both the left and right side surfaces of the front frame 44a function as guide rails 44c that guide the sliding movement of the rear frame 44b. The front frame 44a has a hook 441 for attaching the upper end of the first urging means 47a at the upper end in the center of the left and right of the rear surface at the upper end (see FIG. 8(b)). The front frame 44a also has symmetrical hooks 442 for attaching the lower ends of two second urging means 47b at the lower end in the center of the left and right of the rear surface at the lower end. The upper ends of the second urging means 47b are connected to the third frame 45. The first urging means 47a, the second urging means 47b, and the third frame 45 will be described later.

[0038] The rear frame 44b fits into a guide rail 44c provided on the front frame 44a. The rear frame 44b is provided behind the front frame 44a and can move up and down along the guide rail 44c. The rear frame 44b is an inverted T-shaped member having a plate-like member 44e that is long in the up and down direction and a plate-like member 44f that extends in the left and right direction at its lower end.

[0039] The plate-shaped member 44e has a convex shape toward the rear, and has a guide portion 44d that fits into the guide rail 44c on the outer side in the left-right direction. The guide portion 44d has a roller portion 446 for smoothly moving on the guide rail 44c. The plate-shaped member 44e contacts the guide rail 44c of the front frame 44a via the guide portion 44d. The lower end of the plate-shaped member 44e has a hook portion 445 for attaching the lower end side of the first biasing means 47a described later (see FIG. 7(c)). The plate-shaped member 44f has a support portion 444 that supports the side wall 40b of the leg support portion 40, thereby supporting the leg support portion 40 and the foot support portion 41.

[0040] 9, the second frame 44 fits into guide rails 45a of a third frame 45, which will be described later. The second frame 44 slides while being guided by the guide rails 45a, and can be put into a first extended state in which the front frame 44a and the rear frame 44b slide integrally in the extension direction (the direction in which the legs are extended in the length direction of the legs) and a second extended state in which the rear frame 44b slides from the first extended state in the extension direction while being guided by the guide rails 44c of the front frame 44a.

[0041] [Structure of the third frame] The third frame 45 has a swing shaft 401 on the upper end side. The third frame 45 is provided so as to be swingable in the up-down direction with respect to the seat 2 via the swing shaft 401. Two hooks 451 for attaching the upper end side of the first biasing means 47a are provided on the upper end of the third frame 45 (see Fig. 7(d) and Fig. 8(d)). Both left and right side surfaces of the third frame 45 are bent forward in a U-shape. The U-shape functions as a guide rail 45a that guides the guide portion 440 of the front frame 44a. The guide rail 45a has limit pins 452 at a predetermined position on the upper part and a predetermined position on the lower part to limit the movement of the guide portion 440. An opening 48, part of which is cut out in a rectangular shape, is provided below the third frame 45. The opening 48 is fitted with a contact portion 46a, which will be described later.

[0042] [Configuration of the biasing means] 9, the second frame 44 and the third frame 45 have biasing means 47. The biasing means 47 is made up of a first biasing means 47a provided in the center and two second biasing means 47b provided on the left and right of the first biasing means 47a. The biasing means 47 is made up of a spring.

[0043] The first biasing means 47a connects the front frame 44a and the rear frame 44b of the second frame 44. More specifically, an upper end of the first biasing means 47a is connected to a hook portion 441 of the front frame 44a, and a lower end of the first biasing means 47a is connected to a hook portion 445 of the rear frame 44b.

[0044] The second biasing means 47b connects the front frame 44a and the third frame 45. More specifically, the lower end of the second biasing means 47b is connected to the hook portion 442 of the front frame 44a, and the upper end of the second biasing means 47b is connected to the hook portion 451 of the third frame 45. In this embodiment, the biasing means 47 is provided with three springs in total, including one first biasing means 47a in the center and one second biasing means 47b on each side of the first biasing means 47a, but is not limited to this. The number and arrangement can be changed as appropriate.

[0045] [Braking mechanism configuration] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a braking means (braking mechanism 46) for attenuating or suppressing the biasing force of the biasing means 47 is provided on the rear surface of the third frame 45.

[0046] The braking mechanism 46 is composed of an abutment portion 46a, a pressing portion 46b, and a reaction force receiver 46c. The abutment portion 46a is a rectangular plate-shaped member and is provided to fit into the opening 48. The abutment portion 46a is provided movably so as to press at least forward with its upper end as an axis. As shown in FIG. 11(c), the abutment portion 46a abuts against the rear frame 44b by being pressed by the pressing portion 46b. The abutment portion 46a generates friction between the rear frame 44b and the rear frame 44b, and can attenuate or suppress the biasing force of the biasing means 47. Note that the surface of the rear frame 44b against which the abutment portion 46a can abut is defined as a slide surface S.

[0047] The contact portion 46a is preferably made of a material having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the slide surface S. With this configuration, the frictional force of the contact portion 46a is increased, so that the biasing force of the biasing means 47 applied to the rear frame 44b can be more quickly attenuated or suppressed. Specifically, the slide surface S is preferably made of a material having high hardness such as iron, and the contact portion 46a is preferably made of a material having low hardness such as elastomer. Elastomer is a substance having high frictional force, and is soft and elastic, so that noise generated by contact can be reduced. Note that the above materials are merely examples, and are not limited to these as long as the materials or combinations have the same effect.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 13(a), the slide surface S is preferably embossed with a plurality of protrusions 70 protruding in a direction facing the contact portion 46a. The protrusions 70 are made of the same material as the slide surface S, and are harder than the contact portion 46a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13(b), when the contact portion 46a contacts the protrusions 70, the protrusions 70 are pressed against the contact portion 46a so as to pierce the contact portion 46a, and the protrusions 70 can function like spikes. In other words, a larger frictional force can be generated compared to when the slide surface S does not have the protrusions 70. Therefore, the biasing force of the biasing means 47 can be more quickly attenuated or suppressed.

[0049] As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the pressing portion 46b is composed of an air cell 20. A hose 13c that supplies air from a pump 13a is connected to the back surface of the pressing portion 46b. The pressing portion 46b is provided on the back surface of the contact portion 46a. When air is supplied to the pressing portion 46b(20), the pressing portion 46b(20) expands and presses the contact portion 46a to swing it forward, so that the contact portion 46a abuts against the rear frame 44b. Here, by adjusting the amount of expansion of the pressing portion 46b(20), the strength of the abutment of the abutment portion 46a (strength of frictional force) can be adjusted.

[0050] The reaction force receiver 46c is fixed to the third frame 45 behind the pressing portion 46b. The reaction force receiver 46c receives the reaction force of the pressing force generated by the expansion of the pressing portion 46b, so that the expansion direction of the pressing portion 46b and the pressing force can be concentrated forward (toward the rear frame 44b).

[0051] [Footrest operation] 12 is a flow diagram of the movement pattern of the footrest 4 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The movement pattern of the footrest 4 will be described below.

[0052] When a massage course is started, the footrest 4 rises and enters a raised state (step S1). Following step S1, when the user exerts force on the footrest 4 (foot support portion 41) to extend his / her legs, the second frame 44 supporting the footrest 4 moves from the initial state in the extension direction (first extension state). This causes the footrest 4 to extend in accordance with the length of the user's legs (step S2).

[0053] In the first extended state, as the second frame 44 moves in the extended direction, the second biasing means 47b connected between the second frame 44 and the third frame 45 is pulled in the extended direction. The second biasing means 47b generates a biasing force in a contracting direction (a direction to return to the seat 2 side) to return to the original position. The user extends the footrest 4 by continuing to apply force to stretch the legs against the biasing force.

[0054] The second frame 44 moves in the extension direction until the user's legs are fully extended or the guide portion 440 reaches the limit pin 452. If the user wishes to further extend his / her legs after the second frame 44 has moved to the limit pin 452, the user applies force to the footrest 4 (foot support portion 41) to extend the legs, and the rear frame 44b is pushed by the user's legs. The rear frame 44b moves relative to the front frame 44a (second extension state). This causes the footrest 4 to extend in accordance with the length of the user's legs (step S3). In this embodiment, the leg support portion 40 moves integrally with the movement of the foot support portion 41, but this is not limiting, and the foot support portion 41 and the leg support portion 40 may move independently.

[0055] In the second extended state, as the rear frame 44b moves in the extended direction, the first biasing means 47a connected between the front frame 44a and the rear frame 44b is pulled in the extended direction. The first biasing means 47a generates a biasing force in the contracting direction to return to the original position.

[0056] In the first and second extended states, the user tries to move the foot support 41 against the biasing force, which places a strong load on the detection means 53 provided on the sole of the foot. When the user's leg is fully extended, the load on the sole of the foot becomes approximately equal to the biasing force and does not change.

[0057] Here, the control unit 9 determines that the user's legs are fully extended (step S4), and controls the pressing portion 46b of the braking mechanism 46 to expand (step S5). The pressing portion 46b expands to press the contact portion 46a, causing the contact portion 46a to abut against the slide surface S of the rear frame 44b. A frictional force is generated by the contact between the contact portion 46a and the slide surface S. The frictional force of the rear frame 44b is transmitted to the front frame 44a via the first biasing means 47a, thereby attenuating or suppressing the biasing force generated by the second biasing means 47b in the direction in which the footrest 4 moves toward the seat 2. By attenuating or suppressing the biasing force, the burden on the user's legs can be reduced.

[0058] The control unit 9 may determine the timing to expand the pressing unit 46b of the braking mechanism 46 when the magnitude of the load applied to the detection means 53 reaches a predetermined value, or when the fluctuation in the magnitude of the load becomes small. Alternatively, the detection means 53 may not be provided and the timing may be when a predetermined time has elapsed. In this case, it is preferable to provide an alarm unit (not shown) in the massage machine 1 and announce to the user by voice or text during the massage course to encourage the user to stretch their legs before the expansion of the pressing unit 46b begins.

[0059] Here, the frictional force can be adjusted by adjusting the expansion amount of the pressing portion 46b by the control portion 9 (step S6). By adjusting the expansion amount according to the biasing force, it is possible to prevent the contact portion 46a from being excessively pressed. It is preferable that the valve 13b that supplies air to the pressing portion 46b is a retention valve. By using a retention valve, the expansion state can be easily maintained until the end of the massage course.

[0060] When the massage course is completed (step S7), the control unit 9 controls the air expanded in the pressing unit 46b to be gradually released (step S8). In this way, the frictional force resisting the biasing force gradually weakens, so that the rear frame 44b slides slowly, preventing the burden on the legs from suddenly increasing. At this time, the air may be controlled to be gradually released while the footrest 4 transitions from the raised state to the hanging state. In this way, the force resisting the biasing force due to the weight of the user's legs increases, so that the user can be prevented from feeling a large burden even after the air is released.

[0061] The control of the pressing part 46b by the control part 9 may be changed according to the state of the footrest 4. Specifically, the pressing part 46b may be driven when the footrest 4 is in an elevated state in which it has swung upward relative to the seat 2. When the footrest 4 is in a hanging state, a downward force against the biasing means 47 acts due to the weight of the user's legs, so the burden on the user's legs is small, and therefore it is not necessary to attenuate or suppress the biasing force by the pressing part 46b. In this way, it is not necessary to drive the pressing part 46b unnecessarily when the footrest 4 is in a hanging state.

[0062] The raised and lowered states of the footrest 4 may be determined based on a control signal from the control unit 9, or a sensor (not shown) may be provided in the second actuator 12 and the raised and lowered states of the footrest 4 may be determined by detecting the drive state of the second actuator 12 through detection by the sensor. [Industrial Applicability]

[0063] The present invention can be applied to a massage machine that can reduce the burden on a user when the leg rest is stretched. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 2: Seat part 20: Air Cell 4: Footrest 400: Slide support mechanism 44: Second frame 45: Third frame 46: Braking mechanism 46a: Contact part 46b: Pressing part 47: biasing means 47a: First biasing means 47b: Second biasing means 48: Opening S: Slide surface 70:Protrusion

Claims

1. A seat on which a user sits; A leg rest portion on which a user's legs are placed, the leg rest portion being swingably provided on the front side of the seat portion; a slide support mechanism that supports the leg rest section so that the leg rest section can slide in the length direction of the user's leg, The slide support mechanism includes: A sliding surface that slides in the length direction of the leg; A biasing means for biasing the leg rest portion toward the seat portion; a damping means for damping or suppressing the biasing force of the biasing means; The braking means includes a contact portion that contacts the slide surface, a pressing portion that presses the abutment portion in a direction in which the abutment portion abuts against the slide support mechanism, The massage machine, wherein the contact portion is provided so as to be movable in the direction of the sliding surface.

2. Further comprising a control unit, 2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of adjusting a sliding position of the leg rest unit by controlling the braking means.

3. The leg rest is provided so as to be able to swing up and down with respect to the seat, 3. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the braking means attenuates or suppresses the biasing force of the biasing means at least in a raised state in which the leg rest portion is swung upward relative to the seat portion.

4. The pressing portion is made of an air cell that expands and contracts, The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the amount of expansion of the air cells.

5. 3. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is made of a material having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the sliding surface.

6. The material of the contact portion is a material having a lower hardness than the slide surface, 6. The massage machine according to claim 5, wherein the sliding surface has a protrusion facing toward the contact portion.

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