Estimation method of sinking amount of bed mattress, selection support method, sinking amount estimation system, selection support system, sinking amount estimation program, and selection support program

Abstract

To provide a sinking amount estimation system of a bed mattress, highly usable as a sales promotion tool, and capable of proposing a bed mattress suitable for an object person.SOLUTION: A sinking amount estimation system of a bed mattress includes an estimation part for estimating a sinking amount of each body part when an object person lies on a bed mattress of each hardness by using an estimation formula for estimating a sinking amount of each body part from a hardness index value of the bed mattress, and a feature amount of the body shape of the object person. As each body part of the object person, at least the back part, the waist part and the hip are adopted, and as the feature amount of the body shape of the object person, at least a width dimension and a thickness dimension of each body part are adopted. As the estimation formula, a calibration curve is adopted which is constituted by performing regression analysis of the feature amounts of the body shapes of the prescribed number of subjects obtained by previously measuring correspondingly with regions of the feature amounts of the body shape of the object person and the hardness index value, as explanatory variables.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bed mattress sinkage estimation method, a selection support method, a sinkage estimation system, a selection support system, a sinkage estimation program, and a selection support program. [Background technology]

[0002] To live a healthy life both physically and mentally, good quality sleep is necessary, and a bed mattress is one of the factors that deeply affect the quality of sleep. In particular, the hardness of the bed mattress and the amount of sinking that changes with it are important factors, and the quality of sleep can be improved by using a bed mattress with a hardness suitable for the subject (the user of the bed mattress, but in this specification, referred to as the "subject"). Therefore, various proposals have been made regarding bed mattresses suitable for the subject (for example, see Patent Documents 1-3).

[0003] The mattress selection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 selects a mattress suitable for a subject by combining one of multiple types of surface layers with different thicknesses or materials placed on multiple types of support layers with different hardness. This mattress selection system selects the support layer based on the subject's obesity level or weight, and selects the surface layer based on the condition of the pelvis.

[0004] The bed hardness characteristic setting device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has an actuator equipped with a displacement amount detection unit that detects the amount of displacement that changes according to the weight of the subject, and a force generation unit that applies a force to the subject. In this characteristic setting device, the actuator applies a force to the subject that is obtained from a preset spring constant and the amount of displacement that is successively detected, and changes the spring constant when a hardness change request command is received from the subject. This characteristic setting device stores the spring constant of the actuator at the time when a hardness determination command is received from the subject while continuing to apply a force that changes successively according to the displacement to the subject.

[0005] The method of manufacturing a mattress disclosed in Patent Document 3 measures the body pressure distribution when a subject lies on the mattress, determines the body pressure dispersion, and if this body pressure dispersion is not within the appropriate range, changes one or more of the multiple divided middle layers to one with a different hardness, and repeats the process of measuring the body pressure distribution again to determine the appropriate combination of divided middle layers, thereby producing a mattress customized for the subject. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-136322 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-056082 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2005-000641 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Many people who are looking to purchase a bed mattress feel uncomfortable disclosing their weight. For this reason, a mattress selection system such as the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, which selects a mattress based on the subject's obesity level or weight, is difficult to use as a sales promotion tool.

[0008] Furthermore, systems such as those in Patent Documents 2 and 3, in which the subject actually lies down and measurements and adjustments are repeated in detail, require a large space to set up and a long time to measure. For this reason, such systems are difficult to use as sales promotion tools except in cases where a custom-made bed mattress is provided that is completed face-to-face for a single subject over a sufficient amount of time.

[0009] In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress, a selection support method, an amount of sinking estimation system, a selection support system, an amount of sinking estimation program, and a selection support program that are highly useful as a sales promotion tool and can suggest a bed mattress suitable for the target individual. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the bed mattress sinking amount estimation method and estimation system according to the present invention estimates the sinking amount of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness, based on the feature amounts of the subject's body shape, by: At least a back part, a waist part, and a buttocks are adopted as each part of the body of the subject, and at least a width dimension and a thickness dimension of each part of the body are adopted as the feature amount of the body shape of the subject; As an estimation formula for estimating the amount of sinking of each body part into the bed mattress, a calibration curve constructed by performing a regression analysis using the body shape feature values ​​and hardness index values ​​of a predetermined number of subjects obtained by measuring in advance in correspondence with the body shape feature values ​​of the subject as explanatory variables is adopted; This estimation formula is used to estimate the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies on bed mattresses of different hardness, based on the hardness index value and the features of the subject's body shape.

[0011] More specifically, in the bed mattress sinkage estimation method and estimation system according to the present invention, The hardness index value is determined by the amount of coil compression of the pocket coil built into the bed mattress, and the hardness of the bed mattress changes with the change in the amount of coil compression. The amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body was measured using the neck on the midsagittal plane as the reference point, and the amount of sinking of the back at the part with the greatest amount of sinking, the amount of sinking of the lower back at the part with the least amount of sinking, and the amount of sinking of the buttocks at the part with the greatest amount of sinking were used. The body dimensions of the subject, which are characteristic quantities of the subject's body shape, are the back width dimension of the widest part of the back, the waist width dimension of the narrowest part of the waist, and the buttocks width dimension of the widest part of the buttocks when the subject is standing, as well as the back thickness dimension of the thickest part of the back, the waist thickness dimension of the thickest part of the waist, and the buttocks thickness dimension of the thickest part of the buttocks, all measured using the neck on the midsagittal plane as the reference point; As an estimation formula for estimating the amount of sinking of each body part in a bed mattress of a hardness defined by the amount of coil compression from the amount of coil compression and the dimensions of each body part, the dimensions of each body part, which are characteristic quantities of the body shape of a predetermined number of subjects, are measured, the amount of sinking of each body part of the subjects when they actually lie in a supine position on a bed mattress of each hardness defined by different amounts of coil compression are measured, and a calibration curve constructed by performing regression analysis with the measured amount of sinking of each body part at each hardness as the objective variable and the amount of coil compression and the dimensions of each body part as the explanatory variables is adopted, This estimation formula is used to estimate the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies supine on bed mattresses of various hardness, based on the coil compression amount which determines the hardness of the bed mattress and the dimensions of each part of the subject's body.

[0012] In cases where the characteristics of the subject's body shape are unknown, the dimensions of each part of the body, which are the characteristics of the subject's body shape, can be measured prior to estimating the amount of sinking.

[0013] In this case, it is preferable to measure the feature amounts of the body shape of the subject in a standing position in a non-contact manner using a range image sensor.

[0014] As estimation formulas, it is preferable to prepare an estimation formula for men and an estimation formula for women constructed based on the dimensions of each body part of male and female subjects, and in the estimation step, to estimate the amount of sinking of each body part using the estimation formula corresponding to the gender of the subject.

[0015] The hardness of a bed mattress is, for example, specified as a coil compression amount of 12 mm to provide a reaction force of 4.1 N per pocket coil, which is equivalent to a commercially available soft bed mattress; a coil compression amount of 23 mm to provide a reaction force of 6.2 N, which is equivalent to a commercially available medium-soft bed mattress; a coil compression amount of 29 mm to provide a reaction force of 6.6 N, which is equivalent to a commercially available standard hardness bed mattress; and a coil compression amount of 56 mm to provide a reaction force of 8.4 N, which is equivalent to a commercially available hard bed mattress.

[0016] Since the characteristic quantities of the body shapes of men and women are clearly different, it is preferable to use an estimation formula suitable for each person as the specified formula for estimating the sinking amount. For example, the following estimation formula can be used. Estimation formula for men Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 Estimation formula for women Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (waist width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Hip sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (hip width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13

[0017] Next, the bed mattress selection support method and selection support system of the present invention are characterized in that they estimate the amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body as described above, and select a bed mattress of a hardness that the subject will find comfortable by comparing at least the estimated amount of sinking of the buttocks with a predetermined appropriate value for the amount of sinking of the buttocks.

[0018] The appropriate amount of buttock sinking is preferably 26.7 mm or more.

[0019] The appropriate amount of buttock sinking is more preferably 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm.

[0020] Next, the bed mattress sinking amount estimation program of the present invention is characterized by having a computer execute a function to estimate the amount of sinking of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress for which a hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness has been defined, based on characteristics of the subject's body shape, in accordance with the above-mentioned bed mattress sinking amount estimation method.

[0021] The bed mattress selection support program of the present invention is characterized in that it has a computer execute a function to estimate the amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body in accordance with the above-mentioned bed mattress selection support method, and a function to select a bed mattress of a hardness that the subject finds comfortable to sleep on by comparing at least the estimated amount of sinking, the amount of buttocks sinking, with a predetermined appropriate value for the amount of buttocks sinking. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, a bed mattress that is highly useful as a sales promotion tool and is suitable for the target person can be proposed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the amount of sinking. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a feature amount of a body shape related to a width dimension. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a feature amount of a body shape related to thickness dimension. [Figure 4]1 is a configuration diagram of a bed mattress sinking amount estimation system according to an embodiment, and a bed mattress selection support system including this bed mattress sinking amount estimation system. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a bed system used to derive the estimation equation and the optimum value of hardness. [Figure 6] 13 is a graph showing the average rating of sleeping comfort for each cluster. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart showing a bed mattress selection support method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Below, with reference to the drawings, a bed mattress sinkage estimation system 1 as one embodiment of the present invention and a bed mattress selection support system 2 using the bed mattress sinkage estimation system 1 will be described. Note that each drawing does not necessarily strictly reflect all of the actual configuration.

[0025] (1-1. Configuration of Bed Mattress Sinkage Estimation System 1 of the Embodiment) Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the amount of sinking. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the feature amount of a body shape related to width dimension. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the feature amount of a body shape related to thickness dimension. Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 (and a bed mattress selection support system 2) of an embodiment. The configuration of the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 of an embodiment will be described with reference to these figures.

[0026] The bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 is a system that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness, based on the characteristics of the subject's body shape.

[0027] Here, the bed mattress for which the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 is to estimate the sinking amount is specifically a bed mattress that incorporates multiple pocket coils, and the hardness index value is defined by the coil compression amount of the pocket coils incorporated in the bed mattress. The hardness of the bed mattress incorporating such pocket coils changes with the change in the coil compression amount. The bed mattress for which the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 is to estimate the sinking amount includes, for example, a bed mattress whose hardness is equivalent to a commercially available soft bed mattress and whose coil compression amount is defined as 12 mm so that the reaction force per pocket coil is 4.1 N, a bed mattress whose hardness is equivalent to a commercially available slightly soft bed mattress and whose coil compression amount is defined as 23 mm so that the reaction force is 6.2 N, a bed mattress whose hardness is equivalent to a commercially available standard hardness bed mattress and whose coil compression amount is defined as 29 mm so that the reaction force is 6.6 N, and a bed mattress whose hardness is equivalent to a commercially available hard bed mattress and whose coil compression amount is defined as 56 mm so that the reaction force is 8.4 N.

[0028] Moreover, what is to be estimated in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 is at least the sinking amount of each part of the subject's body, that is, the back part, the waist part, and the buttocks. More specifically, what is to be estimated in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 is at least the back sinking amount of the part of the back part where the sinking amount is the largest, the waist sinking amount of the part of the waist part where the sinking amount is the smallest, and the buttocks sinking amount of the part of the buttocks where the sinking amount is the largest, measured with the neck on the midsagittal plane of the subject as the reference point, as shown in FIG.

[0029] In addition, the feature quantities of the subject's body shape used in the estimation in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 are the height and at least the width and thickness dimensions of each body part. More specifically, the feature quantities of the subject's body shape used in the estimation in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 are the height of the subject and any of the body part dimensions of the back width dimension of the widest part of the back part on the back of the body in a standing position, the waist width dimension of the narrowest part of the waist part, and the buttocks width dimension of the widest part of the buttocks, as shown in Fig. 2, and the back thickness dimension of the thickest part of the back part, the waist thickness dimension of the thickest part of the waist part, and the buttocks thickness dimension of the thickest part of the buttocks, as shown in Fig. 3, measured with the neck on the midsagittal plane as the reference point.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the bed mattress sinkage estimation system 1 comprises an estimation unit 11 that estimates the sinking amount of each part of the body when a subject lies in a supine position on bed mattresses of various hardnesses, an input / output unit 12 for sending and receiving input data or output data to external devices, etc., a measurement unit 13 that measures characteristics of the subject's body shape, and a control unit 14 that controls the entire system.

[0031] The estimation unit 11 estimates the sinking amount of each body part when the subject lies supine on a bed mattress of each hardness using an estimation formula that estimates the sinking amount of each body part in a bed mattress of the hardness index value from the hardness index value and the dimensions of each body part, which are the features of the subject's body shape. In the estimation unit 11, a calibration curve constructed by performing a regression analysis with the features of the body shape and the hardness index value of a predetermined number of subjects obtained by measuring in advance in correspondence with the parts of the features of the subject's body shape as explanatory variables is adopted as the estimation formula. More specifically, the estimation formula is a calibration curve constructed by measuring the dimensions of each body part, which are the features of the body shape of a predetermined number of subjects, measuring the sinking amount of each body part of the subject when the subject actually lies supine on a bed mattress of each hardness defined by different coil compression amounts, and performing a regression analysis with the sinking amount of each body part at each hardness obtained by measurement as the objective variable and the coil compression amount and the dimensions of each body part as explanatory variables. In addition, the estimation formulas include an estimation formula for men and an estimation formula for women constructed based on the dimensions of each body part of male and female subjects, and the estimation unit 11 estimates the amount of sinking of each body part using the estimation formula corresponding to the gender of the subject.

[0032] Specifically, the following estimation formulas are used in the estimation unit 11. The process of deriving these estimation formulas will be described later, and only the derived results will be shown here. <Estimation formula for men>: Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 <Estimation formula for women>: Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (waist width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Hip sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (hip width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13 It is.

[0033] The input / output unit 12 is an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from external devices, etc. The input / output unit 12 receives input data such as estimation conditions, such as a hardness index value of a bed mattress and a feature amount of a subject's body shape, which are necessary for the estimation unit 11 to make an estimation, from a measurement unit 13 described later or an input device 3 such as a keyboard, for example. The input / output unit 12 also passes output data such as an estimation result estimated by the estimation unit 11 to an output device 4, such as a display device such as a monitor, a printing device such as a printer, or a storage device such as a hard disk.

[0034] The measuring unit 13 is an apparatus or device capable of measuring the dimensions of each part of the body, which are characteristic quantities of the subject's body shape, and as an example, a 3D image measuring device is adopted in the bed mattress sinkage amount estimation system 1. The 3D image measuring device adopted as the measuring unit 13 has a camera including a distance image sensor, and by capturing an image of the back of the body of the subject in a standing position, it is possible to obtain unevenness data of the back of the body of the subject as shown in Fig. 2, and calculate the width data shown in Fig. 2 and the thickness data shown in Fig. 3, thereby measuring the characteristic quantities of the subject's body shape in a non-contact manner.

[0035] The bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 (selection support system 2) is mainly composed of a computer having a calculation unit and a storage unit. The computer functions as an estimation unit 11, a control unit 14, a selection unit 21 (described later), etc., by executing computer programs (bed mattress sinking amount estimation program, selection support program) implemented in the storage unit.

[0036] (1-2. Configuration of bed mattress selection support system 2 according to embodiment) The configuration of a bed mattress selection support system 2 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0037] The bed mattress selection support system 2 is a support system for a subject to select a bed mattress suitable for himself / herself, and is a system that presents a bed mattress of a hardness suitable for the subject based on the feature amount of the subject's body shape. The bed mattress selection support system 2 includes the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 described above for estimating the sinking amount of each part of the subject's body, and a selection unit 21 for selecting a bed mattress of a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on. That is, the bed mattress selection support system 2 is a system in which a bed mattress selection function is added to the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 described above. The bed mattress selection support system 2 also requires an input / output unit that transmits and receives input / output data that displays the selection result, a control unit that controls the entire system, an input device for inputting the appropriate value of the bed mattress, and an output device for presenting the selected bed mattress to the subject, etc., but these input / output unit, control unit, input device, and output device are shared with the input / output unit 12, control unit 14, input device 3, and output device 4 of the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1.

[0038] The bed mattress selection support system 2 is set in advance with an optimum hardness value that is derived through experiments and that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on. Specifically, the optimum hardness value that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on is set to at least "buttocks sinking amount 26.7 mm or more," and more preferably at least "buttocks sinking amount 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm." The process of deriving this optimum hardness value will be described later, and only the derived result will be shown here.

[0039] The selection unit 21 selects a bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on by at least comparing the buttocks sinking amount estimated by the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 with a preset suitable value for the buttocks sinking amount. Specifically, the selection unit 21 selects one or more bed mattresses having a hardness index value that results in the buttocks sinking amount estimated by the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 being 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm.

[0040] (1-3. Derivation of the estimation formula and optimum hardness value) Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a bed system used to derive the estimation formula and the optimum hardness value. Fig. 6 is a graph showing the average comfort rating for each cluster. The estimation formula used by the estimation unit 11 to estimate the amount of sinking of each body part, and the process of deriving the optimum hardness value that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on, which is referred to by the selection unit 21, will be described in detail below.

[0041] The bed system 5 shown in FIG. 5 has a total of 230 pocket coils 51 (hereinafter referred to as "coils 51") arranged in a grid pattern of 10 horizontal and 23 vertical, and the hardness can be changed arbitrarily by changing the compression amount of the coils 51. In the embodiment, in deriving the estimation formula and the appropriate value of the hardness, the index value of the hardness of the bed system 5 is set to four values ​​as shown in Table 1 below. In addition, the bed system 5 is equipped with a non-contact distance sensor that measures the displacement of each coil 51, and by measuring the displacement of each coil 51 when the subject lies in the supine position on the bed system 5, the sinking amount of each part of the body as shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained. [Table 1]

[0042] First, in deriving the estimation formula, the feature values ​​of the body shape of a predetermined number of subjects were measured in a non-contact manner using a 3D image measuring device or the like adopted as the measuring unit 13 of the bed mattress sinkage estimation system 1. Specifically, the feature values ​​of the body shape in the standing position of 13 male subjects with height 170±7cm, weight 64±10kg, and age 36.5±15.8 years and 11 female subjects with height 157±5cm, weight 57±13kg, and age 34.2±9.8 years were measured. In addition, using the bed system 5, the sinking amount of each part of the body was measured when the subjects were lying in a supine position at each hardness index value shown in Table 1. Then, the sinking amount at each measured hardness index value was used as the objective variable, and the feature values ​​of each body shape and the compression amount of the coil 51 were used as the explanatory variables, and multiple regression analysis was performed separately for men and women using the variable addition / removal method (input / removal criterion p value = 0.05), and the results in Tables 2 and 3 were obtained. [Table 2] [Table 3]

[0043] From the results of this multiple regression analysis, the following estimation formula used in the estimation unit 11 was derived. <Estimation formula for men>: Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 <Estimation formula for women>: Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (waist width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Hip sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (hip width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13

[0044] Furthermore, to verify the accuracy of the estimation formula, four male subjects with height 173±7cm, weight 61±7kg, age 21.5±0.6 years, and four female subjects with height 161±5cm, weight 50±6kg, age 21.5±0.6 years, different from the subjects used when the estimation formula was derived, were measured for the features of the body shape and the amount of sinking in the standing position, and the measured values ​​were compared with the estimated values, obtaining the results in Tables 4 and 5 below. In particular, it was confirmed that the residual ratio was small for the amount of sinking of the buttocks, and that it could be estimated with high accuracy. Here, the residual means the absolute value of the difference between the measured value and the estimated value. [Table 4] [Table 5]

[0045] Next, to determine the optimum value of hardness, Bed System 5 was used to conduct sensory tests on nine male subjects (height 172±6 cm, weight 61±8 kg, age 22.4±1.0 years) and seven female subjects (height 159±5 cm, weight 51±6 kg, age 22.0±1.1 years) at each hardness index value shown in Table 1, and measurements of the amount of sinking were also conducted using the same method as above.

[0046] In order to group and compare the sensory test results based on the amount of sinking, a cluster analysis was performed using the amount of sinking and the sensory test score as variables, and the average sensory test score was calculated for each cluster. As a result of investigating the relationship between the amount of sinking and sleeping comfort, a relationship between the amount of sinking of the buttocks and sleeping comfort was confirmed, and the amount of sinking of the buttocks was classified into clusters 1 to 3. Specifically, cluster 1 was classified into buttock sinking amount of 15.8 to 25.3 mm, cluster 2 was classified into buttock sinking amount of 26.7 to 36.4 mm, and cluster 3 was classified into buttock sinking amount of 36.5 to 48.7 mm, and the results of the sensory test of sleeping comfort for each cluster are shown in Figure 6.

[0047] In addition, multiple comparisons were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis method, and a significant difference (significance probability p<0.01) was confirmed between cluster 1 and clusters 2 and 3, and it was revealed that a bed with a sinking amount of the buttocks greater than 26.7 mm was felt to be comfortable to sleep on. On the other hand, there is a research report that "sleep depth is deeper with a harder (smaller sinking amount) bed mattress" (M.Aoi et.al., Evaluation of sleeping comfort of bed mattresses using Physiological and psychological response measurements, Kansei engineering international journal, 11(3), pp.163-169(2012)). For this reason, the optimal value of hardness was set to a sinking amount of the buttocks of 26.7 to 36.4 mm.

[0048] By setting the appropriate hardness value at a buttock sinking distance of 26.7 to 36.4 mm and selecting recommended bed mattresses for the subjects (17 men and 15 women) used in deriving the above estimation formula and verifying the accuracy of the estimation formula, it is possible to select the bed mattress that each subject finds comfortable to sleep on, as shown in Tables 6 and 7 below. [Table 6] [Table 7]

[0049] (1-4. Bed Mattress Selection Support Method in the Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a bed mattress selection support method according to an embodiment. In the embodiment, a bed mattress selection support system 2 is used to support the subject in selecting a bed mattress in the following manner. In the bed mattress selection support method according to the embodiment, first, as a bed mattress sinking amount estimation method, a measurement step ST1, an input step ST2, and an estimation step ST3 are executed, and the sinking amount of each part of the subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress for which a hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness is specified is estimated based on the feature amount of the subject's body shape. Furthermore, in the bed mattress selection support method, a bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on is selected by executing a selection step ST4 and an output step ST5, and the result is presented to the subject. In the following, the subject's body parts, the feature amount of the subject's body shape, the measurement of the dimensions of each part of the body, the estimation formula used in the estimation, the hardness index value of the bed mattress, and the appropriate value of the sinking amount are the same as those described above for the system, and detailed descriptions of the contents are omitted.

[0050] In the measurement step ST1, the dimensions of each part of the body, which are characteristic quantities of the body shape of a subject in a standing position, are measured in a non-contact manner using a 3D image measurement device equipped with a range image sensor.

[0051] In the input step ST2, the dimensions of each body part, which are the features of the subject's body shape measured in the measurement step ST1, are input to the input / output unit 12 of the bed mattress selection support system 2 as input data of the estimation conditions for estimation in the next estimation step ST3. Note that input data such as the hardness index value and the appropriate value of the amount of sinking of the bed mattresses to be selected as candidates are input in advance and set in the bed mattress selection support system 2.

[0052] In the estimation step ST3, the sinking amount of each body part when the subject lies supine on the bed mattress of each hardness is estimated using an estimation formula from the hardness index value and the feature amount of the subject's body shape. More specifically, in the estimation step ST3, the sinking amount of each body part when the subject lies supine on the bed mattress of each hardness is estimated using an estimation formula corresponding to the subject's sex from the coil compression amount that specifies the hardness of the bed mattress as the hardness index value input in advance and the dimensions of each body part of the subject input in the input step ST2.

[0053] In the selection step ST4, at least the amount of buttocks sinking estimated in the estimation step ST3 is compared with a preset optimum value for the amount of buttocks sinking to select a bed mattress having a hardness that the subject finds comfortable to sleep on.

[0054] In the output step ST5, the bed mattress having a hardness that the subject finds comfortable to sleep on, selected in the selection step ST4, is presented to the subject via a display device such as a monitor or a printing device such as a printer.

[0055] (1-5. Actions and Effects of the Embodiments) The bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 of the embodiment, the bed mattress selection support system 2 including the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1, the bed mattress sinking amount estimation method of the embodiment, and the bed mattress selection support method including the bed mattress sinking amount estimation method use an estimation formula for estimating the sinking amount of each body part in the bed mattress from the hardness index value and the feature amount of the subject's body shape to estimate the sinking amount of each body part when the subject lies supine on the bed mattress of each hardness. In these systems and methods, at least the back part, the waist part, and the buttocks are used as the body parts of the subject, at least the width dimension and the thickness dimension of each body part are used as the feature amount of the subject's body shape, and a calibration curve constructed by performing a regression analysis using the feature amount of the body shape and the hardness index value of a predetermined number of subjects obtained by measuring in advance in correspondence with the part of the feature amount of the subject's body shape as explanatory variables is used as the estimation formula. That is, these systems and methods use an estimation formula derived from sufficient analysis in advance, and can estimate the amount of sinking of each body part in a bed mattress for each subject without requiring information on weight. Therefore, by using these systems and methods, it is possible to suggest a suitable mattress based on the amount of sinking, even for those who are reluctant to disclose their weight.

[0056] In addition, in these systems and methods, the information required to estimate the sinking amount of the subject is the width and thickness of each body part. In other words, the information required to estimate the sinking amount of the subject is information that can be obtained even when the subject is in a standing position, and can be obtained using equipment that does not require a large installation space, such as a 3D image measurement device. Therefore, by using these systems and methods, a suitable mattress can be proposed for the subject based on the sinking amount without requiring a large space.

[0057] Furthermore, according to this bed mattress selection support system 2 and this bed mattress selection support method, at least the estimated amount of buttocks sinking is compared with a predetermined optimum value for the amount of buttocks sinking, and a bed mattress of a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on is selected, so that a suitable bed mattress can be suggested to the subject based on the selected hardness index value.

[0058] Therefore, these systems and methods are highly useful as sales promotion tools, and can suggest bed mattresses that are suitable for the target person.

[0059] [Other formats] Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0060] (1) The number of components described in the above embodiment, the number of types of bed mattresses to be selected, the hardness index value of the bed mattress, the reaction force per coil, the number of coils in the bed system, the equipment for measuring the dimensions of each part of the body, the derived estimation formula, the derived optimum value, the number and body shapes of subjects whose statistics were taken in advance to derive the estimation formula and optimum value, cluster classification, etc. are examples and can be changed within the scope that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0061] (2) In the above embodiment, the dimensions of each body part input to the estimation formula in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 are described as being measured by the measuring unit 13 included in the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the dimensions of each body part measured in advance by a measuring device separate from the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system 1 may be input as parameters of the estimation formula.

[0062] (3) In the above embodiment, the present invention is described as being used as a sales promotion tool, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as it can be used for sales promotion, the present invention is also useful for other purposes such as sleep research and health management. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1...bed mattress sinkage estimation system, 2...bed mattress selection support system, 3...input device, 4...output device, 5...bed system, 11...estimation unit, 12...input / output unit, 13...measurement unit, 14...control unit, 21...selection unit, 51...coil, ST1...measurement step, ST2...input step, ST3...estimation step, ST4...selection step, ST5...output step

Claims

1. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation method for estimating the amount of sinking of each body part of a subject when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating a degree of hardness, based on a feature amount of the subject's body shape, comprising: At least a back part, a waist part, and a buttocks are adopted as each part of the subject's body, At least a width dimension and a thickness dimension of each part of the body are adopted as the feature amount of the body shape of the subject, As an estimation formula for estimating the amount of sinking of each part of the body in the bed mattress, a calibration curve is used which is constructed by performing a regression analysis using the feature values ​​of the body shape of a predetermined number of subjects, which are obtained by measuring in advance in correspondence with the parts of the feature values ​​of the body shape of the subject, and the hardness index value as explanatory variables; A method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress, characterized in that, using the estimation formula, the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies on the bed mattress of each hardness is estimated from the hardness index value and characteristics of the subject's body shape.

2. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation method for estimating the amount of sinking of each body part of a subject when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating a degree of hardness, based on a feature amount of the subject's body shape, comprising: The hardness index value is defined by the amount of coil compression of a pocket coil built into the bed mattress, and the hardness of the bed mattress changes with the change in the amount of coil compression. The sinking amount of each part of the body of the subject is The neck on the midsagittal plane was used as the reference point to measure the amount of back sinking at the largest back part, the amount of lower back sinking at the smallest lower back part, and the amount of buttocks sinking at the largest buttocks part. As the dimensions of each body part which are the feature quantities of the subject's body shape, A back width dimension of the widest part of the back part, a waist width dimension of the narrowest part of the waist part, and a hip width dimension of the widest part of the hip part on the back of the body in a standing position, The back thickness dimension at the thickest part of the back, the waist thickness dimension at the thickest part of the waist, and the buttocks thickness dimension at the thickest part of the buttocks were measured using the neck on the midsagittal plane as a reference point, The following estimation formula is used to estimate the amount of sinking of each of the body parts in the bed mattress having a hardness determined by the amount of coil compression from the amount of coil compression and the dimensions of each of the body parts: measuring the dimensions of each body part, which are characteristic quantities of the body shapes of a predetermined number of subjects; measuring the amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body when the subject actually lies in a supine position on the bed mattress having each hardness defined by the different coil compression amounts; The amount of sinking of each part of the body at each hardness obtained by measurement is used as a response variable, and the amount of compression of the coil and the dimensions of each part of the body are used as explanatory variables, and a calibration curve constructed by performing regression analysis is adopted; A method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress, comprising the step of estimating the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies in a supine position on the bed mattress of each hardness using the estimation formula from the coil compression amount that determines the hardness of the bed mattress and the dimensions of each part of the subject's body.

3. The method for estimating the sinking amount of a bed mattress according to claim 2, further comprising: A method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress, comprising, prior to the estimating step, a measuring step of measuring the dimensions of each part of the subject's body, which are characteristic quantities of the subject's body shape.

4. The method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress according to claim 3, In the measuring step, a distance image sensor is used to measure non-contact characteristics of a body shape of the subject in a standing position.

5. The method for estimating the sinking amount of a bed mattress according to claim 2, As the estimation formula, a male estimation formula and a female estimation formula constructed based on the body part dimensions of male and female subjects are prepared, A bed mattress sinking amount estimation method, in which the estimation step estimates the sinking amount of each part of the body using the estimation formula corresponding to the gender of the subject.

6. The method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress according to claim 5, The hardness of the bed mattress is: The coil compression amount is specified as 12 mm so that the reaction force per pocket coil is 4.1 N, which is equivalent to the hardness of a commercially available soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is specified as 23 mm so that the reaction force is 6.2 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available slightly soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is specified as 29 mm so that the reaction force is 6.6 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available standard bed mattress. A method for estimating the sinking amount of a bed mattress in which the coil compression amount is specified as 56 mm so that the reaction force is 8.4 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available hard bed mattress.

7. The method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress according to claim 6, The estimation formula for men is: Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 and The estimation formula for women is: Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (lower back width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Buttocks sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (buttocks width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13 A method for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress.

8. A sinking amount estimating step of estimating the sinking amount of each part of a subject's body by using the bed mattress sinking amount estimating method according to any one of claims 1 to 7; A selection step of selecting the bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on by comparing at least the estimated amount of buttocks sinking with a preset appropriate value of the amount of buttocks sinking; A bed mattress selection support method comprising:

9. A sinking amount estimating step of estimating the sinking amount of each part of a subject's body by using the bed mattress sinking amount estimating method according to claim 6 or 7; A selection step of selecting the bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on by comparing at least the estimated amount of buttocks sinking with a preset appropriate value of the amount of buttocks sinking; Including, A bed mattress selection support method, characterized in that the optimum amount of buttocks sinking is a value of 26.7 mm or more.

10. In the bed mattress selection support method according to claim 9, The bed mattress selection support method, wherein the optimum amount of buttocks sinking is 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm.

11. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation system that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness, based on a feature amount of the subject's body shape, comprising: an estimation unit that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies down on the bed mattress of each hardness using an estimation formula that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of the body in the bed mattress from the hardness index value and a feature amount of the subject's body shape, At least a back part, a waist part, and a buttocks part are adopted as each part of the body of the subject, At least a width dimension and a thickness dimension of each part of the body are adopted as the feature amount of the body shape of the subject, As the estimation formula, a calibration curve is used that is constructed by performing a regression analysis using the feature values ​​of the body shape of a predetermined number of subjects obtained by measuring in advance in correspondence with the parts of the feature values ​​of the body shape of the subject and the stiffness index value as explanatory variables. A bed mattress sinkage estimation system characterized by the above.

12. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation system that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a prescribed hardness index value indicating the degree of hardness, based on a feature amount of the subject's body shape, comprising: an estimation unit that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies in a supine position on the bed mattress using an estimation formula that estimates the amount of sinking of each part of the body into the bed mattress based on the hardness index value and the dimensions of each part of the body of the subject; The hardness index value is determined by the amount of coil compression of the pocket coil built into the bed mattress, and the hardness of the bed mattress changes with the change in the amount of coil compression. The sinking amount of each part of the body of the subject is The measurements were taken with the neck on the midsagittal plane as the reference point, and included the maximum back sinking amount, the minimum lower back sinking amount, and the maximum buttock sinking amount. As the dimensions of each body part which are the feature quantities of the subject's body shape, A back width dimension of the widest part of the back part, a waist width dimension of the narrowest part of the waist part, and a hip width dimension of the widest part of the hip part on the back of the body in a standing position, The back thickness dimension at the thickest part of the back, the lumbar thickness dimension at the thickest part of the lumbar region, and the buttocks thickness dimension at the thickest part of the buttocks are adopted, which are measured with the neck on the midsagittal plane as the reference point; As the estimation formula, measuring the dimensions of each body part, which are characteristic quantities of the body shapes of a predetermined number of subjects; measuring the amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body when the subject actually lies in a supine position on the bed mattress having each hardness defined by the different coil compression amounts; A calibration curve constructed by performing regression analysis using the amount of sinking of each part of the body at each hardness measured as a response variable and the amount of coil compression and the dimensions of each part of the body as explanatory variables is adopted. A bed mattress sinkage estimation system characterized by the above.

13. The bed mattress sinkage estimation system according to claim 12, further comprising: A bed mattress sinkage estimation system comprising a measuring unit that measures the dimensions of each body part of the subject, which are characteristic quantities of the subject's body shape.

14. The bed mattress sinkage estimation system according to claim 13, The bed mattress sinkage estimation system includes a 3D image measurement device in which the measurement unit measures the characteristics of the subject's body shape in a standing position non-contact using a distance image sensor.

15. The bed mattress sinkage estimation system according to claim 13, The estimation formula includes a male estimation formula and a female estimation formula constructed based on the body part dimensions of male and female subjects, The bed mattress sinking amount estimation system, in which the estimation unit estimates the sinking amount of each part of the body using the estimation formula corresponding to the gender of the subject.

16. The bed mattress sinkage estimation system according to claim 15, The hardness of the bed mattress is: The coil compression amount is specified as 12 mm so that the reaction force per pocket coil is 4.1 N, which is equivalent to the hardness of a commercially available soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is specified as 23 mm so that the reaction force is 6.2 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available slightly soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is specified as 29 mm so that the reaction force is 6.6 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available standard bed mattress. A bed mattress sinkage estimation system in which the coil compression amount is specified as 56 mm so that the reaction force is 8.4 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available hard bed mattress.

17. The bed mattress sinkage estimation system according to claim 16, The estimation formula for men is: Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 and The estimation formula for women is: Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (lower back width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Buttocks sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (buttocks width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13 A system for estimating the amount of sinking of a bed mattress.

18. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation system according to any one of claims 11 to 17 for estimating the sinking amount of each part of a subject's body; a selection unit that selects the bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on by comparing at least the buttocks sinking amount estimated by the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system with a preset appropriate value for the buttocks sinking amount; A bed mattress selection support system comprising:

19. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation system according to claim 16 or 17 for estimating the sinking amount of each part of a subject's body; a selection unit that selects the bed mattress having a hardness that the subject feels comfortable to sleep on by comparing at least the buttocks sinking amount estimated by the bed mattress sinking amount estimation system with a preset appropriate value for the buttocks sinking amount; Equipped with The optimum amount of buttocks sinking is 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm.

20. A bed mattress sinking amount estimation program implemented in a computer causes the computer to estimate the amount of sinking of each part of a subject's body when the subject lies on a bed mattress having a hardness index value indicating a degree of hardness defined therein, based on a feature amount of the subject's body shape, The hardness index value is defined by the amount of coil compression of a pocket coil built into the bed mattress, and the hardness of the bed mattress changes with the change in the amount of coil compression. The sinking amount of each part of the body of the subject is The neck on the midsagittal plane was used as the reference point to measure the amount of back sinking at the largest back part, the amount of lower back sinking at the smallest lower back part, and the amount of buttocks sinking at the largest buttocks part. As the dimensions of each body part which are the feature quantities of the subject's body shape, A back width dimension of the widest part of the back part, a waist width dimension of the narrowest part of the waist part, and a hip width dimension of the widest part of the hip part on the back of the body in a standing position, The back thickness dimension at the thickest part of the back, the waist thickness dimension at the thickest part of the waist, and the buttocks thickness dimension at the thickest part of the buttocks were measured using the neck on the midsagittal plane as a reference point, The following estimation formula is used to estimate the amount of sinking of each of the body parts in the bed mattress having a hardness determined by the amount of coil compression from the amount of coil compression and the dimensions of each of the body parts: measuring the dimensions of each body part, which are characteristic quantities of the body shapes of a predetermined number of subjects; measuring the amount of sinking of each part of the subject's body when the subject actually lies in a supine position on the bed mattress having each hardness defined by the different coil compression amounts; The amount of sinking of each part of the body at each hardness obtained by measurement is used as a response variable, and the amount of compression of the coil and the dimensions of each part of the body are used as explanatory variables, and a calibration curve constructed by performing regression analysis is adopted; A bed mattress sinking amount estimation program characterized by having the computer use the estimation formula to estimate the sinking amount of each part of the body when the subject lies in a supine position on the bed mattress of each hardness, from the coil compression amount that determines the hardness of the bed mattress and the dimensions of each part of the subject's body.

21. 21. The bed mattress sinkage estimation program according to claim 20, Prior to estimating the amount of sinking of each part of the body when the subject lies on the bed mattress, a 3D image measuring device electrically connected to the computer is caused to measure the feature amount of the body shape of the subject in a standing position in a non-contact manner using a distance image sensor; A bed mattress sinkage estimation program that causes the computer to import measurements taken by the 3D image measurement device and set the dimensions of each part of the body from the measurements.

22. 21. The bed mattress sinkage estimation program according to claim 20, As the estimation formula, a male estimation formula and a female estimation formula constructed based on the body part dimensions of male and female subjects are used, The estimation step includes a bed mattress sinking amount estimation program that causes the computer to estimate the sinking amount of each part of the body using the estimation formula corresponding to the gender of the subject.

23. 23. The bed mattress sinkage estimation program according to claim 22, The hardness of the bed mattress is: The coil compression amount is set to 12 mm so that the reaction force per pocket coil is 4.1 N, which is equivalent to the hardness of a commercially available soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is set to 23 mm so that the reaction force is 6.2 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available slightly soft bed mattress. The coil compression amount is set to 29 mm so that the reaction force is 6.6 N, which corresponds to the hardness of a commercially available bed mattress of standard hardness. A program for estimating the sinking amount of a bed mattress in which the coil compression amount is specified to be 56 mm so that the reaction force is 8.4 N, which is equivalent to the hardness of a commercially available hard bed mattress.

24. 24. The bed mattress sinkage estimation program according to claim 23, The estimation formula for men is: Back sinking amount = 0.37 (back thickness) + 2.48 (hip width) - 0.35 (coil compression amount) - 66.57 Waist sinking amount = 1.29 (hip width) - 0.32 (coil compression amount) - 18.76 Buttocks sinking amount = -0.09 (back thickness) + 1.17 (buttocks width) -0.38 (coil compression amount) + 18.29 and The estimation formula for women is: Back sinking amount = 0.13 (back thickness) + 0.51 (lower back width) + 1.54 (hip width) - 0.27 (coil compression amount) - 0.48 (height) + 35.25 Waist sinking amount = 1.37 (hip width) - 0.21 (coil compression amount) - 16.78 Buttocks sinking amount = 1.75 (back width) + 0.96 (buttocks width) - 0.34 (coil compression amount) - 45.13 A program to estimate the amount of sinking of a bed mattress.

25. A bed mattress selection support program implemented in a computer for selecting a bed mattress suitable for a subject, comprising: A bed mattress sinking amount estimation program according to any one of claims 20 to 24, The computer includes: using the bed mattress sinking amount estimation program to estimate the sinking amount of each part of the subject's body; At least, the estimated amount of buttocks sinking is compared with a preset appropriate value of the amount of buttocks sinking, thereby allowing the subject to select the bed mattress having a hardness that makes the subject feel comfortable when sleeping. A bed mattress selection support program comprising:

26. In the bed mattress selection support program according to claim 25, The optimum amount of buttocks sinking is set to 26.7 mm to 36.4 mm.

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