Massage ball and massage device

Abstract

To heat the surface of a massage ball at a uniform temperature and adjust a pressure of the massage ball applied to a human body regardless of a direction.SOLUTION: The massage ball used for a massage device comprises: a surface part made of a high heat conduction material; a support shaft which is fixed to an arm driven by the massage device and supports the massage ball; a heat source for heating the surface part; a heat transfer part which is disposed between the surface part and the support shaft to transfer the heat of the heat source; a sliding part which makes the surface part rotatable with respect to the heat transfer part; and an elastic body disposed on a heat transfer path extending from the heat transfer part to the arm via the support shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a kneading ball and a massage device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a massage machine in which the treatment head is connected to the arm of a massage mechanism, and includes first and second case members that house a PTC heater and can transfer heat from the PTC heater to a user, and kneading balls that press against the user's body, with the first and second case members housing the PTC heater being provided between the arm and the kneading balls. Patent document 2 describes a thermal treatment device including a thermal ceramic module including a body, a first support plate located on the top of the body, a second support plate located on the top of the first support plate, an elevation drive unit connected to the bottom of the first support plate to move the first support plate up and down relative to the body, and a ceramic member connected to the second support plate, a weight detection sensor provided on the underside of the second support plate to detect the body pressure of a user, and a control unit that controls the setting and execution of a massage mode of the thermal ceramic module and controls the drive height of the elevation drive unit in response to the body pressure of the user detected by the weight detection sensor so as to provide the same pressure to the user through the ceramic member based on a preset target intensity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-78670 A [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2020-512876 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is possible to make the surface of the knead balls out of an elastic material such as rubber, and not provide an elastic material inside the knead balls or between the knead balls and the arms to buffer the pressure. However, with this type of structure, it is not possible to heat the surface of the knead balls at a uniform temperature and adjust the pressure when the knead balls hit the human body.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to heat the surface of the kneading balls at a uniform temperature and to adjust the pressure with which the kneading balls come into contact with the human body, regardless of the direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] With this objective in mind, the present invention provides a massage ball for use in a massage device, comprising: a surface portion made of a highly thermally conductive material; a support shaft fixed to an arm driven by the massage device and supporting the massage ball; a heat source for heating the surface portion; a heat transfer portion disposed between the surface portion and the support shaft and transferring heat from the heat source; a sliding portion allowing the surface portion to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer portion; and an elastic body disposed on the heat transfer path from the heat transfer portion via the support shaft to the arm.

[0007] The elastic body may be disposed between the heat transfer portion and the support shaft. In this case, the elastic body may be disposed so as to cover the entire range of the support shaft, or may be disposed so as to cover a first range of the support shaft and a second range distant from the first range. The elastic body may be made of a material having rubber elasticity, or may be made of a plurality of metal springs. Furthermore, the surface portion, the sliding portion, the heat transfer portion, and the elastic body may be disposed concentrically around the support shaft.

[0008] The support shaft may be fixed at a first end to a first tip portion of the arm and at a second end opposite the first end to a second tip portion of the arm, and the elastic body may be disposed between the first end of the support shaft and the first tip portion of the arm, and between the second end of the support shaft and the second tip portion of the arm.

[0009] The sliding portion may be disposed over the entire area between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion, or the sliding portion may be disposed over a portion between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion, and the heat transfer portion may have a protrusion extending into an area between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion where the sliding portion is not disposed.

[0010] The sliding portion may be a sliding member disposed between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion, or may be a sprayed coating formed on at least one of the inner circumferential surface of the surface portion and the outer circumferential surface of the heat transfer portion.

[0011] The heat source may be inflexible and disposed within the heat transfer portion in an uncurved state, or it may be flexible and disposed within the heat transfer portion in a curved state.

[0012] The present invention also provides a massage device comprising any one of the kneading balls described above and an arm to which the kneading balls are fixed. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to heat the surface of the kneading balls at a uniform temperature and to adjust the pressure with which the kneading balls come into contact with the human body, regardless of the direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a massage device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the kneading balls in the present embodiment, as viewed obliquely from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the massage balls in the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a first function of the elastic body in the kneading balls. [Figure 6] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams showing in more detail the first action of the elastic body in the kneading balls. [Figure 7]13 is a diagram showing a second function of the elastic body in the kneading balls. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 11] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams for explaining a fourth modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 12] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams for explaining a fifth modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 13] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams for explaining a fifth modified example of the kneading balls. [Figure 14] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the external configuration of a modified example of the massage device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 15] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the external configuration of kneading balls of a modified example of the massage device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] [Background of the implementation] As described in Patent Document 1, the kneading balls of conventional home massage devices are made of metal with high thermal conductivity near the heat source, but most of the parts that come into contact with the human body are made of elastic materials such as rubber, which have low thermal conductivity. Therefore, the surface of the kneading balls that come into contact with the human body is uneven in temperature, and the treatment to activate the parasympathetic nerves cannot be fully effective. This is because, rather than focusing on the heating function, emphasis is placed on reducing the surface pressure so that the treatment is not painful and on reproducing the massage therapist's hand kneading movements.

[0017] In addition, as described in Patent Document 2, the kneading balls of the medical massage bed are arranged with a heat source on the support shaft of the hard kneading balls made of ceramics, porcelain, etc., and a spring is arranged between the kneading balls and the support plate to adjust the pressure on the human body. With this structure, the surface of the kneading balls that come into contact with the human body is made of the same material and has a high thermal conductivity, so temperature unevenness is unlikely to occur. However, since it is necessary to restrict the movement in the direction in which the spring characteristics are expressed, if the movement of the kneading balls relative to the support plate is restricted by the rotation axis as in Patent Document 2, the spring cannot buffer forces other than those in the tangential direction of the rotation trajectory. Furthermore, a space is required to install the spring and a space to install a mechanism for regulating the operation, which increases the size of the massage mechanism and the size of the product itself. In addition, the support shaft and support plate are generally made of metal to ensure strength, and heat from the heat source is dissipated not only to the surface of the massage balls, but also to the sides of the support shaft and the support plate, reducing energy efficiency. A configuration in which thermal insulating members made of resin or the like are placed in places where heat dissipation is desired to be suppressed could be considered, but such a configuration would result in a decrease in strength and an increase in the number of parts, resulting in an increase in the size of the massage mechanism.

[0018] Therefore, in this embodiment, in a knead ball having a highly heat conductive surface portion, a heat transfer portion made of highly heat conductive material with a built-in heat source, a support shaft supporting the knead ball, and a sliding portion that allows the knead ball surface portion to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer portion, an elastic body is disposed between the heat transfer portion and the support shaft. As a result, in this embodiment, the knead ball surface portion is heated at a uniform temperature, and the pressure applied to the human body can be adjusted regardless of the direction. In addition, in this embodiment, a separate member for adjusting pressure is not required outside the knead ball, and the heat transfer portion and the support shaft are thermally insulated by the elastic body, making it possible to realize a space-saving and energy-saving massage mechanism with a small number of parts.

[0019] Alternatively, in this embodiment, in a knead ball having a highly heat conductive surface portion, a highly heat conductive heat transfer portion with a built-in heat source, a support shaft supporting the knead ball, and a sliding portion that allows the knead ball surface portion to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer portion, an elastic body is disposed between the support shaft and the arm. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to heat the knead ball surface portion at a uniform temperature and adjust the pressure applied to the human body. Also, in this embodiment, the transfer of heat energy from the heat source to the arm is suppressed, so that the possibility of transferring more heat energy to the human body side is increased.

[0020] [Appearance of the massage device] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a massage device 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the massage device 1 includes a seat 11, a pair of left and right support frames 12 that support the seat 11, and a backrest 13 that is supported by the pair of left and right support frames 12 on the rear side of the seat 11. The massage device 1 also includes a massage mechanism 20 that can massage the affected area of ​​a person receiving treatment. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction (width direction), and the up-down direction indicate directions as seen by a person to be treated when sitting on the seat portion 11.

[0021] The seat 11 is a member configured to have a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view so that a person to be treated can sit on it while receiving treatment with the massage device 1. The seat 11 is configured, for example, by covering a three-dimensionally assembled frame with a cushioning material so that a person to be treated can sit on it comfortably.

[0022] The support frame 12 is a member formed of a metal plate, resin, etc. When the massage device 1 is placed on a flat floor surface, the lower end of the support frame 12 is configured to be approximately horizontal to the floor surface, and the front and rear ends of the lower end of the support frame 12 are provided with front and rear legs that are placed on the floor surface, although not shown in the figure. The seat 11 is supported by the support frame 12 by fixing the frames on the left and right sides of the seat 11 via fasteners at approximately the same height on front and rear support pieces (not shown) that support the support frame 12 vertically. Therefore, when the massage device 1 is placed on a flat floor surface, the upper surface of the seat portion 11 is approximately horizontal to the floor surface, and the seat portion 11 is raised upward from the floor surface. The support frame 12 is formed so as to protrude above the upper surface of the seat 11, and the upper edge of the support frame 12 protruding above the upper surface of the seat 11 is curved, and the upper protruding portion serves as an armrest. Therefore, the support frame 12 supports the seat 11 and is also an armrest frame on which the arm can be rested, and the entire support frame 12 is covered with a cushioning material or the like.

[0023] The backrest 13 is a member formed in a generally rectangular shape in a plan view so that a person to be treated by the massage device 1 can lean against it. In other words, the backrest 13 supports the back of the person to be treated. The backrest 13 is formed, for example, in the same manner as the seat 11, by covering a three-dimensionally assembled frame with a cushioning material having cushioning properties so that the person to be treated can lean against it comfortably.

[0024] A massage mechanism 20 for massaging the back of the person to be massaged is provided inside the backrest 13. The massage mechanism 20 is configured to swing a pair of left and right kneading balls 30 in the front-rear and left-right directions, and to move a pair of left and right arms 22 for operating the pair of left and right kneading balls 30 in the left-right direction.

[0025] [Basic example of massage ball] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the kneading balls 30 in this embodiment when viewed obliquely from above, and Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the kneading balls 30 in this embodiment. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the knead balls 30 include a knead ball surface portion 31, a support shaft 32, a heat source 33, a heat transfer portion 34, a sliding portion 35, a knead ball fastening screw 36, and a base guide portion 38. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the knead balls 30 further include an elastic body 37 and a tip guide portion 39. As shown in Figure 4, the knead balls 30 further include a tip sliding portion 351, a base guide portion fastening screw 381, a thermistor 382, ​​and a tip guide portion fastening screw 391.

[0026] The knead ball surface portion 31 is a member that constitutes the surface of the knead ball 30. The knead ball surface portion 31 may be a member made of a highly heat conductive material, so that the entire surface is heated to a uniform temperature. Here, the highly heat conductive material is, for example, aluminum, ceramics (Al 2 0 3 ) As described later, by disposing a heat source 33 inside the massage balls 30, heat is transferred to the entire massage ball surface portion 31. The massage ball surface portion 31 is an example of a surface portion made of a highly heat conductive material.

[0027] The support shaft 32 is a shaft member that is fixed to the arm 22 and supports the kneading balls 30. Here, the support shaft 32 may be a member made of stainless steel such as SUS303. The support shaft 32 is an example of a support shaft that is fixed to an arm driven by the massage device and supports the kneading balls.

[0028] The heat source 33 is a heat generating member that generates heat when supplied with electric power. In a basic example, the heat source 33 may be, for example, a rectangular or cylindrical PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater that has no flexibility. The heat source 33 may be built into the heat transfer section 34 in an unbent state. The heat source 33 is an example of a heat source for heating the surface section, and is an example of a heat source that has no flexibility and is disposed in the heat transfer section in an unbent state.

[0029] The heat transfer section 34 is disposed between the massage ball surface section 31 and the support shaft 32, and is a member that transfers heat from the heat source 33 by incorporating the heat source 33. A spacer that presses the heat source 33 toward the outer circumferential surface of the heat transfer section 34 may be disposed closer to the inner circumferential surface of the heat transfer section 34 than the heat source 33. Here, the heat transfer section 34 may be a member made of an aluminum alloy such as A5052. The heat transfer section 34 is disposed between the surface section and the support shaft, and is an example of a heat transfer section that transfers heat from the heat source.

[0030] The sliding part 35 is a member for allowing the massage ball surface part 31 to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer part 34. In the basic example, the sliding part 35 is provided over the entire range between the massage ball surface part 31 and the heat transfer part 34. Here, in the basic example, the sliding part 35 is a sliding member with good thermal conductivity, such as a metal bush. The sliding part 35 is an example of a sliding part that allows the surface part to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer part, an example of a sliding part that is arranged over the entire range between the surface part and the heat transfer part, and an example of a sliding part that is a sliding member arranged between the surface part and the heat transfer part. The tip sliding portion 351 is a member that forms an axial sliding portion with the massage ball surface portion 31, thereby suppressing wear of the heat transfer portion 34 and the massage ball surface portion 31.

[0031] The massage ball fastening screw 36 is a screw for fastening the massage balls 30 to the arm 22 .

[0032] The elastic body 37 is an elastic member that is arranged between the heat transfer part 34 and the support shaft 32, and allows the adjustment of the pressure applied to the human body. In other words, the elastic body 37 adjusts the pressure so as not to cause discomfort when the hard massage ball surface part 31 hits a bone or the like. In addition, in the basic example, the elastic body 37 is arranged on the entire circumference of the entire range from one end to the other end of the support shaft 32. Here, in the basic example, the elastic body 37 is a member made of a material that can be elastically deformed due to the rubber properties, such as silicone rubber or elastomer, and its Shore A hardness may be, for example, 35 degrees to 50 degrees. As a result, the elastic body 37 can thermally insulate the heat transfer part 34 and the support shaft 32, and can efficiently transfer the heat of the heat source 33 to the massage ball surface part 31 with less energy. The elastic body 37 is an example of an elastic body arranged between the heat transfer part and the support shaft, an example of an elastic body arranged to cover the entire range of the support shaft, and an example of an elastic body made of a material having rubber elasticity.

[0033] The root guide portion 38 and the tip guide portion 39 are integrated with the support shaft 32 at both ends of the support shaft 32, and are provided so as to restrain the massage ball surface portion 31 and the heat transfer portion 34 in the axial direction of the support shaft 32. As a result, the root guide portion 38 and the tip guide portion 39 restrict the direction of buffering by the elastic body 37 only to the radial direction of the massage balls 30, suppressing the deterioration of the pressure on the human body due to the inclination of the massage ball surface portion 31 and the contact between the parts. In addition, the root guide portion 38 is shown in a see-through state in Figures 2 and 3 so that the heat source 33, the heat transfer portion 34, and the sliding portion 35 can be seen. Here, the see-through state is represented by dashed lines. The root guide portion fastening screw 381 is a screw that fastens the root guide portion to the heat transfer portion . The thermistor 382 detects the temperature inside the heat transfer portion 34 in order to adjust the massage ball surface portion 31 to a predetermined temperature range. The tip guide portion fastening screw 391 is a screw that fastens the tip guide portion 39 to the support shaft 32 .

[0034] 2 to 4, in the kneading balls 30, the kneading ball surface portion 31, the heat source 33, the heat transfer portion 34, the sliding portion 35, the elastic body 37, the base guide portion 38, and the tip guide portion 39 are arranged concentrically around the support shaft 32. This eliminates the need for fastening members for fixing the kneading balls 30 in the radial and tangential directions, reducing the number of parts. This configuration is an example in which the surface portion, the sliding portion, the heat transfer portion, and the elastic body are concentrically arranged around the support shaft.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the first function of the elastic body 37 in the kneading ball 30. Fig. 5 shows the upper half of the cross section shown in Fig. 3. In the kneading ball 30, when pressure is applied during treatment as shown by the arrow A1, the elastic body 37 deforms and can buffer the pressure as shown by the double arrow B1.

[0036] In particular, in the basic example, the elastic body 37 is arranged around the entire circumference of the kneading balls 30, that is, around the entire circumference of the support shaft 32. This allows the elastic body 37 to deform and cushion against pressure from any direction, so unlike a spring mechanism that cannot cushion against pressure from a specific direction, the pressure applied to the human body can be adjusted regardless of the body shape or the inclination of the backrest during treatment.

[0037] 6(a) and (b) are diagrams showing this first action in more detail. 13A shows that even if the arm 22 is oriented in a direction that forms an acute angle with the backrest portion 13 of the massage device 1, when pressure is applied during treatment as shown by arrow A11, the elastic body 37 deforms and can cushion the pressure as shown by the double arrow B11. Also, (b) shows that even if the arm 22 is oriented perpendicular to the backrest portion 13 of the massage device 1, when pressure is applied during treatment in the direction indicated by the arrow A12, the elastic body 37 deforms and can absorb the pressure as indicated by the double arrow B12.

[0038] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the second function of the elastic body 37 in the massage ball 30. Fig. 7 also shows the upper half of the cross section shown in Fig. 3. In the massage ball 30, the elastic body 37 thermally insulates between the heat source 33 and the support shaft 32, so that the thermal energy transferred from the heat source 33 to the support shaft 32 is smaller than the thermal energy transferred from the heat source 33 to the massage ball surface portion 31, as shown by the thickness of the arrows C1 and C2.

[0039] [First variation of the massage ball] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the kneading balls 30. FIG. 8 also shows the upper half of the cross section shown in FIG. 3. However, in FIG. 8, instead of the elastic body 37 of the basic example, an elastic body 47a that covers one end of the support shaft 32 in the kneading balls 30 and an elastic body 47b that covers the other end of the support shaft 32 in the kneading balls 30 are provided. A hollow portion 471 is provided between the elastic body 47a and the elastic body 47b. This further improves the thermal insulation between the heat transfer portion 34 and the support shaft 32. 8, the elastic body 47a is provided at one end of the support shaft 32, and the elastic body 47b is provided at the other end of the support shaft 32, but this is not limited thereto. The elastic body 47a may be provided in a predetermined range on one end side of the support shaft 32, and the elastic body 47b may be provided in a predetermined range on the other end side of the support shaft 32. Hollow portions may be provided not only between the elastic body 47a and the elastic body 47b, but also on the one end side of the elastic body 47a and the other end side of the elastic body 47b.

[0040] In this case, the predetermined range on one end side of the support shaft 32 is an example of a first range of the support shaft, and the predetermined range on the other end side of the support shaft 32 is an example of a second range away from the first range of the support shaft. Also, the elastic body 47a is an example of an elastic body arranged to cover the first range of the support shaft, and the elastic body 47b is an example of an elastic body arranged to cover the second range of the support shaft.

[0041] [Second variant of the massage ball] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the knead ball 30. FIG. 9 also shows the upper half of the cross section shown in FIG. 3. However, in FIG. 9, instead of the heat transfer part 34 of the basic example in FIG. 8, a heat transfer part 44 having a convex part 441 on the outer periphery is provided, and instead of the sliding part 35 of the basic example, a sliding part 45 shorter than the axial length of the knead ball surface part 31 is provided. In other words, the convex part 441 of the heat transfer part 44 is inserted between the sliding part 45a and the sliding part 45b, so as to be close to the knead ball surface part 31. As a result, even if the sliding part 45 is made of a material with a low thermal conductivity, the heat transfer performance can be ensured. 9, the sliding portion 45a is provided at one end of the heat transfer portion 44, and the sliding portion 45b is provided at the other end of the heat transfer portion 44, but this is not limited thereto. The sliding portion 45 may be provided in a partial range of the heat transfer portion 44. And the convex portion 441 of the heat transfer portion 44 may be provided in a range where the sliding portion 45 is not provided.

[0042] In the second modified example, the heat transfer part 44 having the convex part 441 and the sliding part 45 having a shorter axial length than the massage ball surface part 31 are provided in the first modified example, but this is not limited to this. In the basic example, the heat transfer part 44 having the convex part 441 and the sliding part 45 having a shorter axial length than the massage ball surface part 31 may be provided.

[0043] In this case, the sliding portion 45 is an example of a sliding portion arranged in a partial range between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion. The convex portion 441 is an example of a convex portion that enters into a range between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion where the sliding portion is not arranged, and the heat transfer portion 44 is an example of a heat transfer portion having a convex portion.

[0044] [Third variation of the massage ball] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the knead ball 30. FIG. 10 also shows the upper half of the cross section shown in FIG. 3. However, in FIG. 10, instead of the sliding part 35 of the basic example in FIG. 8, a thermal spray coating 551 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the knead ball surface part 31 or the outer peripheral surface of the heat transfer part 34, and is made to function as the sliding part 55. Alternatively, the thermal spray coating 551 may be formed on both the inner peripheral surface of the knead ball surface part 31 and the outer peripheral surface of the heat transfer part 34, and be made to function as the sliding part 55. This makes it possible to not provide the sliding part 35.

[0045] In the third modified example, while in the first modified example, sprayed coating 551 is formed and has a function as sliding portion 55, this is not limited thereto. In the basic example, sprayed coating 551 may be formed and have a function as sliding portion 55.

[0046] In this case, the sprayed coating 551 functioning as the sliding portion 55 is an example of a sliding portion that is a sprayed coating formed on at least one of the inner circumferential surface of the surface portion and the outer circumferential surface of the heat transfer portion.

[0047] [The fourth variation of the massage ball] 11(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining a fourth modified example of the knead ball 30. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the basic example of the knead ball 30 cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the support shaft 32, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the fourth modified example of the knead ball 30 cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the support shaft 32. In the basic example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (a), the rectangular heat source 33 having no flexibility is arranged in the heat transfer section 34 without being curved. In contrast, in the fourth modified example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (b), the film-like heat source 43 having flexibility is arranged in the heat transfer section 54 while being curved in an arc shape. This increases the efficiency of heat transfer to the knead ball surface section 31, and the knead ball 30 can be made smaller by reducing the number of heat sources 43.

[0048] In this case, the heat source 43 is an example of a heat source that has flexibility and is arranged in a curved state within the heat transfer section.

[0049] [5th ​​variation of the massage ball] 12(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining a fifth modified example of the knead ball 30. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the basic example of the knead ball 30 cut on a plane including the central axis of the support shaft 32, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the fifth modified example of the knead ball 30 cut on a plane including the central axis of the support shaft 52. In the basic example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (a), the support shaft 32 is fixed on one side to the tip portion 221 of the arm 22 by the knead ball fastening screw 36. And, an elastic body 37 is arranged around the entire circumference of the support shaft 32. In contrast, in the fifth modified example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (b), the support shaft 52 is fixed on both sides to the tip portion 222 of the arm 22 by the knead ball fastening screw 56. An elastic body 57a is disposed in the knead ball fastening screw 56a between the tip 222a of the arm 22 and the support shaft 52, and an elastic body 57b is disposed in the knead ball fastening screw 56b between the tip 222b of the arm 22 and the support shaft 52. An arm guide part 223 is provided on the tip 222b of the arm 22, which slides with the tip guide part 39 and the base guide part (not shown) and restricts the movement of the knead balls 30 only in the radial direction. This allows the support shaft 52 to withstand the pressure applied to the knead balls 30 even if it is made smaller or weaker by using resin.

[0050] In this case, the tip 222a of the arm 22 is an example of a first tip of the arm, and the tip 222b of the arm 22 is an example of a second tip of the arm. The support shaft 52 is an example of a support shaft having a first end fixed to the first tip of the arm and a second end opposite to the first end fixed to the second tip of the arm. The elastic body 57 is an example of an elastic body disposed between the first end of the support shaft and the first tip of the arm, and between the second end of the support shaft and the second tip of the arm.

[0051] In the fifth modified example, the elastic body 57 is arranged between the tip 222 of the arm 22 and the support shaft 52, without arranging the elastic body 37 around the entire circumference of the support shaft 32 as in the basic example, but this is not limited to this. The elastic body 57 may be arranged between the tip 222 of the arm 22 and the support shaft 52 after arranging the elastic body 37 around the entire circumference of the support shaft 32 as in the basic example.

[0052] In the basic example, the elastic body 37 is disposed between the heat transfer unit 34 and the support shaft 32, and in the fifth modified example, the elastic body 57 is disposed between the arm 22 and the support shaft 52. These can be considered as the elastic bodies 37, 57 being disposed on the heat transfer path from the heat transfer unit 34 to the arm 22 via the support shafts 32, 52. In that sense, the elastic bodies 37, 57 are an example of an elastic body disposed on the heat transfer path from the heat transfer unit to the arm via the support shaft.

[0053] [6th variation of the massage ball] 13(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the sixth modified example of the knead ball 30. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the basic example of the knead ball 30 cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the support shaft 32, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the sixth modified example of the knead ball 30 cut by a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the support shaft 32. In the basic example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (a), an elastic body 37 made of a material that can be elastically deformed due to rubber properties is disposed between the heat transfer part 34 and the support shaft 32. In contrast, in the sixth modified example of the knead ball 30, as shown in (b), a plurality of metal springs are disposed as elastic bodies 67 between the heat transfer part 34 and the support shaft 32. In this way, the same function can be realized by replacing the material that can be elastically deformed due to rubber properties with a metal spring with a small contact area and cross-sectional area. In this case, the elastic body 67 is an example of an elastic body made up of a plurality of metal springs.

[0054] [External configuration of modified massage device] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a massage device 2 which is a modified example of the massage device 1 in this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the massage device 2 includes a seat 11, a pair of left and right support frames 12 that support the seat 11, and a backrest 13 that is supported by the pair of left and right support frames 12 on the rear side of the seat 11. The massage device 2 also includes a massage mechanism 70 that can massage the affected area of ​​a person receiving treatment. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction (width direction), and the up-down direction indicate directions as seen by a person to be treated when sitting on the seat portion 11.

[0055] The seat portion 11, the support frame 12, and the backrest portion 13 are similar to those of the massage device 1 in FIG. 1, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] A massage mechanism 70 for massaging the neck of the person to be massaged is provided inside the backrest 13. The massage mechanism 70 is composed of one kneading ball 80 for massaging the neck and one arm 72 for operating the kneading ball 80. In other words, the massage mechanism 70 realizes a cost-minimized massage function limited to activating the parasympathetic nerves of the neck by eliminating massage functions other than the neck.

[0057] [Appearance of the massage balls in the modified massage device] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of the kneading balls 80 of the massage device 2 in this embodiment when viewed from above. Note that Fig. 15 is drawn so that the upward direction of the figure coincides with the forward direction of the massage device 2, as can be seen from the fact that the neck of the person to be massaged is on the upper side. As shown in the figure, the knead ball 80 has a knead ball surface portion 81. The knead ball surface portion 81 is not limited to a substantially arc-shaped shape like the knead ball surface portion 31 in Figures 2 to 4, but may be, for example, a gourd-shaped shape. This allows for effective massage of the suboccipital muscles, multifidus muscles, etc. on the back of the neck, which have an effect on activation of the parasympathetic nerves.

[0058] The mechanism for adjusting the pressure when the kneading balls 30 contact the human body by heating the kneading ball surface portion 31 in the massage device 1 can also be applied to this massage device 2.

[0059] [Effects of the embodiment] In this embodiment, a heat source 33 or a heat source 43 is provided inside the knead balls 30, and the entire knead ball surface portion 31 is made of a highly heat conductive material. This makes it possible to make the temperature of the knead ball surface portion 31 uniform.

[0060] In addition, a structure for shock absorbing and thermal insulation by elastic bodies 37, 47, 67 is provided inside the knead balls 30. Alternatively, a structure for shock absorbing and thermal insulation by elastic body 57 is provided between the knead balls 30 and the arm 22. This makes it possible to adjust the pressure when the hard knead balls 30 hit the human body, and improves the energy efficiency when heating the knead ball surface portion 31. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1,2...massage device, 20,70...massage mechanism, 22,72...arm, 30,80...massage ball, 31,81...massage ball surface portion, 32,52...support shaft, 33,43...heat source, 34,44,54...heat transfer portion, 35,45a,45b,55...sliding portion, 36,56a,56b...massage ball fastening screw, 37,47a,47b,57a.57b,67...elastic body

Claims

1. A kneading ball for use in a massage device, A surface portion made of a highly thermal conductive material; A support shaft fixed to an arm driven by the massage device and supporting the kneading balls; A heat source for heating the surface portion; a heat transfer portion disposed between the surface portion and the support shaft and transferring heat from the heat source; a sliding portion that allows the surface portion to rotate freely relative to the heat transfer portion; an elastic body disposed on a heat transfer path from the heat transfer portion to the arm via the support shaft; Equipped with a massage ball.

2. The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is disposed between the heat transfer portion and the support shaft.

3. The massage ball according to claim 2, wherein the elastic body is disposed so as to cover the entire area of ​​the support shaft.

4. 3. The massage ball according to claim 2, wherein the elastic body is disposed so as to cover a first area of ​​the support shaft and a second area spaced apart from the first area.

5. 3. The massage ball according to claim 2, wherein the elastic body is made of a material having rubber elasticity.

6. 3. The massage ball according to claim 2, wherein the elastic body is made of a plurality of metal springs.

7. The massage ball according to claim 2 , wherein the surface portion, the sliding portion, the heat transfer portion, and the elastic body are arranged concentrically about the support shaft.

8. the support shaft is fixed at a first end to a first tip portion of the arm and at a second end opposite to the first end to a second tip portion of the arm; 2. The massage ball according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is disposed between the first end of the support shaft and the first tip of the arm, and between the second end of the support shaft and the second tip of the arm.

9. The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding portion is disposed over the entire range between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion.

10. the sliding portion is disposed in a partial range between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion, The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer portion has a protrusion extending into a region between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion where the sliding portion is not disposed.

11. The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding portion is a sliding member disposed between the surface portion and the heat transfer portion.

12. 2. The massage ball according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion is a thermal spray coating formed on at least one of an inner peripheral surface of the surface portion and an outer peripheral surface of the heat transfer portion.

13. The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the heat source is arranged in the heat transfer portion in a non-flexible and non-curved state.

14. The massage ball according to claim 1 , wherein the heat source is flexible and is arranged in the heat transfer portion in a curved state.

15. The kneading ball according to any one of claims 1 to 14, The arm to which the massage balls are fixed; A massage device comprising:

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