Massage machine

Abstract

To provide a massage machine capable of preventing a driving part from being broken due to an unnecessary load applied to a footrest body.SOLUTION: The massage machine has a seat part and a footrest part. The footrest part is composed of a footrest body and a support part for supporting the footrest body. The footrest body is swingable with respect to the support part, the support part has an energizing member, and the energizing member energizes the footrest body in a direction separating from the support part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Massage machines have been proposed in the past that use air cells and an instability switching mechanism to change the position of a foot holder between a hanging position and a forward protruding position (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-258970 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the massage machine described in Patent Document 1 above, if a load is applied to the foot holding body from above while the foot holding body is in a forward-protruding position, the drive unit or the mounting part of the foot holding body cannot withstand the load and breaks down. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a massage machine that can prevent the application of more load than necessary to the footrest body, which can cause damage to the drive unit or the mounting part of the footrest. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is characterized in that it has a seat portion and a footrest portion, the footrest portion being composed of a footrest body and a support portion that supports the footrest body, the footrest body being capable of swinging relative to the support portion, the support portion having a biasing member that biases the footrest body in a direction away from the support portion. With this configuration, there is some play between the footrest body and the support, and when a load is applied to the footrest body, the load is applied directly to the drive section, which prevents damage to the drive section or the mounting section of the footrest.

[0006] It is also preferable that the biasing members are provided in a pair on the left and right. With this configuration, the force exerted on the footrest body in the direction away from the support portion can be made more stable.

[0007] It is also preferable that the footrest portion is attached to the seat portion via a swing fulcrum, and the biasing member is provided at a position separated from the swing fulcrum. With this configuration, the footrest body can be biased in a direction away from the support portion with a small force by utilizing the principle of leverage.

[0008] It is also preferable that the seat cushion has a drive unit for rocking the footrest portion in an up and down direction relative to the seat portion, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit, and that the footrest portion further has a detection unit for detecting a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and that when the detection unit detects the load while the footrest portion is rocked upward, the control unit controls the drive unit to rock the footrest portion downward. With this configuration, when a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the footrest portion while the footrest portion is swinging upward, the drive unit is controlled to swing the footrest portion downward, thereby preventing damage to the drive unit or the mounting portion of the footrest portion.

[0009] It is also preferable that the biasing member is composed of a spring and a spring shaft. With this configuration, the structure of the urging member can be simplified.

[0010] It is also preferable that the spring shaft has an abutment portion, and the abutment portion comes into contact with the footrest body. With this configuration, the load from the footrest body can be received by the contact portion.

[0011] Moreover, it is preferable that the contact portion is formed in a semicircular shape. With this configuration, the contact portion can be made smaller.

[0012] The detection portion is preferably provided on the biasing member. With this configuration, the load applied to the footrest portion can be detected more accurately. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to the drive unit or the mounting portion of the footrest unit caused by an excessive load being applied to the footrest body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a massage machine according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left, where (a) shows the state in which the footrest portion is lowered, and (b) shows the state in which the footrest portion is raised. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a support part according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view, (b) is a left view, and (c) is a rear view. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a support part according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front perspective view and (b) is a rear perspective view. [Figure 6] 1A to 1D are diagrams showing a biasing member according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a plan view, (c) is a perspective view showing the biasing member in an exploded state, and (d) is a plan view showing the biasing member in an exploded state. [Figure 7]10A to 10C are views showing a biasing member according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a plan view showing an exploded state, and (c) is a perspective view. [Figure 8] These figures show the process of controlling the drive unit to oscillate the footrest section downward in a massage machine of one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a figure showing the state in which the footrest section has oscillated upward, (b) is a figure showing the state in which a load has been detected when the footrest section has oscillated upward, and (c) is a figure showing the state in which the drive unit has been controlled to oscillate the footrest section downward. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a drive support part according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a view seen from the left. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing a disassembled state of a drive support part according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is an oblique view of the cover part, (b) is an oblique view of the main body part, and (c) is a diagram showing the cover part from the rear. [Figure 11] These figures show the process of applying a drive support unit according to another embodiment of the present invention to a massage machine and controlling the drive unit to oscillate the footrest unit downward, where (a) shows the state in which the footrest unit has oscillated upward, and (b) shows the state in which the drive unit has been controlled to oscillate the footrest unit downward. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a left view of a footrest portion according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] [Overall configuration of the massage machine] The overall configuration of the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a massage machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the massage machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the left. More specifically, (a) is a view showing a state in which the footrest portion 5 is lowered, and (b) is a view showing a state in which the footrest portion 5 is raised.

[0016] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a massage machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a seat 3 on which a user sits, a backrest 4 on which the user leans, which is provided at the rear of the seat 3, a footrest 5 provided at the front of the seat 3, and an armrest 2 attached to the side of the seat 3. The massage machine 1 also has a massage section M (massage mechanism 6, buttocks massage section 3a, leg massage section 5a) that massages the user, a control section 7 that controls the functions of the massage machine 1, a controller 8 for performing various operations of the massage machine 1, an air supply / exhaust device 9 for supplying and exhausting air to and from the air cell, a drive section 11 for raising or lowering the footrest 5, and a detection section 12 for detecting a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The configuration of the drive section 11 and the like will be described later. The arrangement of the massage section M is merely an example, and is not limited to this.

[0017] [Seat configuration] As shown in Fig. 1, the seat 3 is composed of a rectangular member that is long in the left-right direction. On the upper surface of the seat 3, a pair of buttock massage parts 3a (massage parts M) are provided on the left and right for massaging the buttocks of a user seated on the seat 3. The buttock massage parts 3a are composed of air cells that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air. It is preferable that the left and right buttock massage parts 3a are configured so that they can expand and contract independently of each other. The configuration of the massage section M arranged on the seat 3 is an example and is not limited to this. For example, a thigh massage section (not shown) for massaging the thighs may be provided, or the buttock massage sections 3a may be of different sizes and provided in pairs on the front, back, left and right.

[0018] [Backrest configuration] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the backrest 4 supports the upper body of the user. The backrest 4 is composed of a rectangular member that is long in the height direction. A guide rail 16 is provided inside the backrest 4 (see Fig. 1), and a massage mechanism 6 serving as a massage unit M is provided via the guide rail 16. The massage mechanism 6 moves up and down along the guide rail 16, thereby massaging the upper body of the user.

[0019] The front surface of the backrest 4 is covered with a cover member (not shown). The massage mechanism 6 is capable of massaging the back of the torso (e.g., shoulders, waist, etc.) of a user seated on the seat 3 through the cover member (not shown). Although not shown, air cells may be provided as massage units M at various locations on the backrest 4.

[0020] A pair of pivot shafts C extending in the left-right direction are provided on the sides of the backrest 4 below the center (see FIG. 2). The pivot shafts C are inserted into holes provided in a frame (not shown) to which the armrests 2 and the seat 3 are attached. In other words, the backrest 4 can recline in the front-rear direction with the pivot shafts C as a fulcrum. Although not shown, the backrest 4 is reclined by driving an actuator. The actuator is controlled by the control unit 7. The control unit 7 will be described later.

[0021] [Footrest section configuration] As shown in FIG. 1, the footrest 5 is mainly composed of a footrest body 55 and a support part 51. The footrest 5 (footrest body 55) is provided with a pair of left and right recesses 5b into which the user's legs can be inserted. Leg massage parts 5a (massage parts M) for massaging the user's legs are provided on the inner walls on both the left and right sides of the recess 5b. The leg massage parts 5a are made of air cells that expand and contract by supplying and discharging air. More specifically, one leg massage part 5a is provided on each of the inner walls on both the left and right sides of the right recess 5b, and one leg massage part 5a is provided on each of the inner walls on both the left and right sides of the left recess 5b. It is preferable that each leg massage part 5a is configured to be able to expand and contract independently. In addition, a sole massage part (not shown) for massaging the soles of the user's feet may be provided on the bottom surface of the recess 5b.

[0022] The footrest portion 5 is attached to the front side of the seat portion 3. More specifically, the footrest portion 5 is attached to the seat portion 3 via a swing shaft A1 extending in the left-right direction. A drive unit 11 for swinging the footrest portion 5 in the up-down direction relative to the seat portion 3 is provided on the back surface of the footrest portion 5 (more specifically, the back surface 51b of the support portion 51). By driving the drive unit 11, the footrest portion 5 can be swung in the up-down direction relative to the seat portion 3 with the swing shaft A1 extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum. The drive of the drive unit 11 is controlled by the control unit 7. The control unit 7 will be described later. The footrest portion 5 may be provided with an extension means (not shown) that is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the seat portion 3.

[0023] [Control Unit Configuration] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the massage machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the massage machine 1 is provided with a control unit 7 consisting of a microcomputer for operating the massage mechanism 6, the air supply and exhaust device 9, and the drive unit 11. This control unit 7 is provided below the seat 3, and is connected to a controller 8 operated by the user. Various massage operations are performed by the user operating the controller 8. In addition, a detection unit 12 that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is also connected to the control unit 7.

[0024] [Configuration of the exhaust system] As shown in Fig. 3, the air supply and exhaust device 9 is composed of a pump 9a for supplying air to the massage parts 3a and 5a, which are composed of air cells, and a valve 9b for connecting the massage parts 3a and 5a to the pump 9a. By turning the valve 9b on and off, air can be supplied to and exhausted from the air cells and the massage parts 3a and 5a. In other words, by turning on the valve 9b, an air flow path can be secured and air can be supplied to each of the massage parts 3a and 5a, and by turning off the valve 9b, the air in each of the massage parts 3a and 5a can be exhausted.

[0025] [Support structure] Fig. 4 shows a support part 51 according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a view from the left, and (c) is a rear view. Fig. 5 shows a support part 51 according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a front perspective view, and (b) is a rear perspective view. 4, the support portion 51 is made of a plate-like member that is long in the left-right direction. More specifically, the support portion 51 is generally concave in plan view with the vicinity of the center of the upper side of the support portion 51 recessed downward.

[0026] The support portion 51 is configured of a plate-like member that is long in the left-right direction when viewed from the front (see FIG. 4(a)). More specifically, the upper side of the support portion 51 is formed in a generally concave shape that is recessed downward. A hole A3 is provided below the support portion 51. More specifically, a pair of holes A3 are provided on the left and right. A biasing member 60 (more specifically, a contact portion 61a of a first spring shaft 61 that constitutes the biasing member 60) is exposed from this hole A3. By exposing the biasing member 60 from the hole A3, it is possible to bias the footrest body 55 in a direction away from the support portion 51. The biasing member 60 will be described later.

[0027] The upper side and both left and right sides of the support part 51 are bent. The upper side of the support part 51 has a bent part 50b that is bent from the front to the rear (see FIGS. 5(a) to (c)). The width of the bent part 50b in the front-to-rear direction is constant. The bent part 50b contributes to ensuring the strength of the support part 51. Both left and right sides of the support portion 51 have bent portions 50a that are bent from the rear to the front (see Figs. 5(a) to 5(c)). When viewed from the side, the bent portions 50a have a constant width in the front-to-rear direction from the bottom to near the center, and have an inclined shape such that the width in the front-to-rear direction becomes wider from near the center toward the top (see Fig. 4(b)).

[0028] A hole A1 is provided above the bent portion 50a. A shaft B provided on the side of the footrest body 55 is inserted into the hole A1. In other words, the footrest body 55 can swing up and down relative to the support portion 51 with the shaft B as a fulcrum. More specifically, the footrest body 55 swings in a direction away from the support portion 51 due to the action of a biasing member 60 provided on the support portion 51 (more specifically, on the surface 51a of the support portion 51), and swings in a direction toward the support portion 51 due to the load received by the user.

[0029] In other words, there is a play between the footrest body 55 and the support portion 51. By providing the play, even if a load is applied from above to the footrest body 55 while the footrest portion 5 is swung upward, the footrest body 55 swings in a direction approaching the support portion 51 due to the play, and the load is directly applied to the drive portion 11, which can prevent the drive portion 11 from breaking down or the mounting portion 3c of the footrest portion 5 from breaking down.

[0030] The footrest portion 5 (footrest body 55, support portion 51) is attached to a mounting portion 3c provided at the tip of the seat portion 3. A hole (not shown) is provided in the mounting portion 3c, and a shaft B provided on the side of the footrest body 55 is inserted into the hole (not shown). In other words, the footrest body 55 can swing up and down relative to the support part 51, with axis B (swing fulcrum) as the fulcrum, and the footrest part 5 can also swing up and down relative to the seat part 3, with axis B as the fulcrum (swing fulcrum).

[0031] The support portion 51 has a front surface 51a against which the rear surface of the footrest body 55 abuts, and a rear surface 51b to which the drive portion 11 is attached. A hole A3 for attaching a biasing member 60 is provided below the front surface 51a. The hole A3 penetrates from the front surface 51a to the back surface 51b. The holes A3 are provided in a pair on the left and right. By attaching the biasing member 60 to this hole A3, a part of the biasing member 60 (more specifically, the abutment portion 61a) is exposed, making it possible to detect the load received from the footrest body 55. The detection method will be described later.

[0032] A plurality of members are attached to the rear surface 51b. A drive support part 53 for attaching an end part of the drive part 11 is attached near the center of the upper part of the rear surface 51b. The drive support part 53 has a concave shape with both sides of a plate-like member bent (see Figs. 4(c) and 5(b)). The drive support part 53 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the side, and a hole A2 (see Fig. 4(b)) is provided near the apex of the triangle. More specifically, the hole A2 is provided at the rear apex of the drive support part 53 in the front-rear direction when viewed from the side. The hole A2 is for attaching an end part (one end) of the drive part 11.

[0033] An axis 11a is provided at one end of the drive unit 11 (see FIG. 2(b)). The drive unit 11 and the support unit 51 are connected by inserting this axis 11a into the hole A2 of the drive support unit 53. The other end of the drive unit 11 is attached near the control unit 7 provided below the seat unit 3. Therefore, by driving the drive unit 11, the support unit 51 can be swung up and down. In other words, the entire footrest unit 5 can be swung up and down.

[0034] A cover member 52 is attached below the back surface 51b to prevent the urging member 60 from being exposed to the outside and to fix the urging member 60. The cover member 52 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the left-right direction, and one cover member 52 covers the pair of urging members 60 provided on the left and right. In other words, the periphery of the urging member 60 is covered by the cover member 52, and the contact portions 61a and 62a constituting the urging member 60 are exposed to the outside.

[0035] Two grooves D are provided at a predetermined interval on the rear surface of the cover member 52 (the surface opposite to the footrest portion 5). The grooves D are for fixing the biasing member 60. More specifically, the diameter of the grooves D is approximately the same as the diameter of the shaft portion 62b of the second spring shaft 62 that constitutes the biasing member 60. In other words, by fitting the shaft portion 62b of the second spring shaft 62 into groove D (fitting the shaft portion 62b in a direction from the outside of the cover member 52 toward the back surface 51b of the support portion 51), the bottom surface of the abutment portion 62a abuts against the outside of the cover member 52, thereby preventing the biasing member 60 from shifting out of position. It is preferable that the diameter of the groove D is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft portion 62b. This allows the shaft portion 62b to be smoothly fitted into the groove D.

[0036] The upper side of the support part 51 is recessed downward near the center, and is concave when viewed from the front (see FIG. 4(a)). This recessed part is provided with a bent part 50b that is bent toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction. The bent part 50b extends in the left-to-right direction without changing its width in the front-to-rear direction (see FIG. 5). The bent part 50b contributes to ensuring the strength of the support part 51.

[0037] [Configuration of the biasing member] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a biasing member 60 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a plan view, (c) is a perspective view showing an exploded state, and (d) is a plan view showing the exploded state. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a biasing member 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a plan view showing an exploded state, and (c) is a perspective view.

[0038] 6, the biasing member 60 is configured by combining a plurality of members. The biasing member 60 is configured by a first spring shaft 61 having a contact portion 61a, a second spring shaft 62 having a contact portion 62a, and a spring 63 attached between the first spring shaft 61 and the second spring shaft 62. With such a configuration, the structure of the biasing member 60 can be simplified (the biasing member 60 can be realized with a simple configuration).

[0039] The first spring shaft 61 is configured to be T-shaped when viewed from the side (see FIG. 6(d)). The first spring shaft 61 is configured with a shaft portion 61b and an abutment portion 61a attached to the tip (front side in the front-rear direction) of the shaft portion 61b. The abutment portion 61a is configured to come into contact with the footrest body 55 (abuts against the back surface of the footrest body 55). In other words, the abutment portion 61a can receive a load from the footrest body 55. The abutment portion 61a is configured in a circular shape. The shaft portion 61b has a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The shaft portion 61b is fitted with a shaft portion 62b of the second spring shaft 62 described later. A spring 63 is attached between the shaft portion 61b and the shaft portion 62b.

[0040] The second spring shaft 62 is configured to be T-shaped when viewed from the side (see FIG. 6(d)). The second spring shaft 62 is configured with a shaft portion 62b and an abutment portion 62a attached to the tip (rear side in the front-rear direction) of the shaft portion 62b. The abutment portion 62a is configured to abut against the cover member 52 attached to the back surface 51b of the support portion 51. The abutment portion 62a is configured in a circular shape. More specifically, it has a smaller diameter than the abutment portion 61a. The shaft portion 62b is in a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The shaft portion 62b is fitted into the shaft portion 61b of the first spring shaft 61.

[0041] Regarding the fitting of shaft portion 62b and shaft portion 61b, the second spring shaft 62 is fitted into groove D provided in cover member 52, with shaft portion 62b being fitted in a direction from the outside of cover member 52 toward the back surface 51b of support portion 51, so that cover member 52 is sandwiched between shaft portion 62b and shaft portion 61b.

[0042] The spring 63 is a so-called compression coil spring made of metal, and is capable of storing elastic energy when subjected to a compression load. A compression coil spring is characterized by having a wide wire diameter, being compact, and having good energy absorption efficiency. The spring 63 is attached between the shaft portion 61b of the first spring shaft 61 and the shaft portion 62b of the second spring shaft 62, so that the first spring shaft 61 and the second spring shaft 62 are prevented from being too close to each other.

[0043] The shape and type of the spring 63 are merely examples and are not limited thereto. Any configuration may be used as long as it can prevent the first spring shaft 61 and the second spring shaft 62 from coming too close to each other. For example, the spring may be made of a material such as rubber or plastic, or a different type of spring such as a leaf spring may be used.

[0044] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the biasing member 60 is provided on the support portion 51. More specifically, a pair of biasing members 60 are provided on the left and right at positions (below the support portion 51) away from the pivot point (axis B) of the support portion 51. By providing a pair of biasing members 60 on the left and right, the biasing of the footrest body 55 in the direction away from the support portion 51 can be made more stable. Also, by providing the biasing members 60 at positions (below the support portion 51) away from the pivot point (axis B) of the support portion 51, the footrest body 55 can be biased in the direction away from the support portion 51 with less force by utilizing the principle of leverage. The footrest portion 5 is attached to the seat portion 3 via the pivot point (axis B). The positions and number of the urging members 60 are merely examples and are not limited to these. For example, one urging member 60 may be provided in the center of the support portion 51, or one each on the left, right, and center of the support portion 51 (three in total). Also, the urging members 60 may be provided above the support portion 51 or in the center of the support portion 51.

[0045] [Detection unit configuration] The detection unit 12 is composed of a sensor that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined load. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, etc., a sheet-shaped pressure sensor is attached to the contact portion 61a of the biasing member 60. By attaching the pressure sensor (detection unit 12) to the contact portion 61a, the load applied to the footrest portion 5 can be indirectly detected.

[0046] More specifically, when a load is applied to the footrest portion 5 (for example, a child stands on the footrest portion 5) while the footrest portion 5 is swinging upward, the detection portion 12 detects the load applied to the footrest portion 5, and when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied, the footrest portion 5 starts to swing downward. Specifically, since the footrest portion 5 is composed of a footrest main body 55 and a support portion 51, the footrest main body 55 moves in a direction approaching the support portion 51. Since the support portion 51 is provided with a biasing member 60 and a detection portion 12 (pressure sensor) attached to the abutment portion 61a of the biasing member 60, the footrest main body 55 comes into contact with the detection portion 12.

[0047] At this time, when the detection unit 12 detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, when it detects that a load of 5 kg or more is being applied), the control unit 7 controls the drive unit 11 to swing the footrest unit 5 downward. In this way, when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the footrest unit 5 while the footrest unit 5 is swinging upward, the drive unit 11 is controlled to swing the footrest unit 5 downward, thereby preventing the drive unit 11 from breaking down. Also, the mounting portion 3c of the footrest unit 5 can be prevented from breaking down.

[0048] In this embodiment, the detection unit 12 is attached to the contact portion 61a of the biasing member 60, but the attachment position is only an example and is not limited to this. The detection unit 12 may be attached to any location as long as it can detect a load of a predetermined value or more applied to the footrest portion 5. For example, the detection unit 12 may be attached to the rear surface of the footrest body 55 (the surface facing the surface 51a of the support portion 51). Also, while a pressure sensor is used for the detection unit 12 in the above description, the type of detection unit 12 is also an example and is not limited to this. Any sensor may be used as long as it can detect that a load of a predetermined level or more has been applied. For example, a magnetic sensor may be used. When a magnetic sensor is used, it is preferable that the sensor be able to determine (detect) that "a load of a predetermined level or more has been applied" when the distance between the footrest body 55 and the support unit 51 becomes closer than a predetermined level.

[0049] 7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams showing a biasing member 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a plan view showing an exploded state, and (c) is a perspective view. The difference from the biasing member 60 in FIG. 6 is the shape of the contact portion 61a of the first member 61. As shown in Fig. 7, the contact portion 61a of the first member 61 is formed in a semicircular shape with the left side portion cut off from the center in the left-right direction when viewed from above. By forming the contact portion 61a in a semicircular shape, the contact portion 61a can be made smaller. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the biasing member 60 in Fig. 6, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] The shape of the urging member 60 is an example and is not limited to this. Any shape may be used as long as it can urge the footrest body 55 in a direction away from the support portion 51. For example, it may be configured in an elliptical shape, or in a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a diamond. Furthermore, the structure of the urging member 60 is also one example and is not limited to this. Any structure may be used as long as it can urge the footrest body 55 in a direction away from the support portion 51. For example, a link mechanism may be employed, or a structure using an air cell or a structure combining a link mechanism and an air cell may be employed.

[0051] Figure 8 is a diagram showing the process of controlling the drive unit 11 to swing the footrest portion 50 downward in a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a diagram showing the state in which the footrest portion 5 has been swung upward, (b) is a diagram showing the state in which a load has been detected when the footrest portion 5 has been swung upward, and (c) is a diagram showing the state in which the drive unit 11 has been controlled to swing the footrest portion 5 downward.

[0052] 8(a), in a state where the footrest portion 5 is swung upward (initial state), the footrest body 55 is urged in a direction away from the support portion 51 by the action of the urging member 60. More specifically, the initial state refers to a state where the user is not seated on the massage machine 1 (a state where no load is applied to the footrest portion 5) or a state where the user is seated on the massage machine 1 but the load is smaller than the urging force of the urging member 60 (a state where the load applied to the footrest portion 5 is smaller than the urging force of the urging member 60).

[0053] When a load is applied to the footrest portion 5 (a load greater than the biasing force of the biasing member 60 is applied), the footrest body 55 cannot withstand the load and moves in a direction approaching the support portion 51 (reaching the state shown in FIG. 8(b)). The footrest portion 5 is provided with a detection portion 12 that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, when the detection portion 12 detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, a load of 5 kg or more), it controls the drive portion 11 to swing the footrest portion 5 downward (reaching the state shown in FIG. 8(c)). This makes it possible to prevent the drive unit 11 from breaking down due to being unable to withstand the load received from the footrest portion 5. Also, it makes it possible to prevent the attachment portion 3c of the footrest portion 5 from breaking down.

[0054] [Other embodiments] Fig. 9 shows a drive support part 53 according to another embodiment of the present invention, (a) being a perspective view and (b) being a view seen from the left. Fig. 10 shows an exploded state of the drive support part 53 according to another embodiment of the present invention, (a) being a perspective view of the cover part 71, (b) being a perspective view of the main body part 73, and (c) being a view of the cover part 71 seen from the back.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the drive support part 53 according to another embodiment of the present invention is configured by combining a plurality of members. The drive support part 53 is configured by a main body part 73 and a cover part 71 that covers the main body part 73. The cover part 71 is formed into a rectangle by bending a plate-like member (see Fig. 10(a)). Holes A4 and A5 that are long in the direction from the seat side to the toe side are provided on the side of the cover part 71. The holes A4 and A5 are for regulating the moving direction of the main body part 73. The diameter of the hole A4 is the same as the diameter of the hole A6 provided above the main body part 73. The hole A6 is for attaching one end of the drive part 11. More specifically, the drive part 11 is attached to the drive support part 53 by inserting the shaft 11b through the holes A4 and A6. The hole A5 is for attaching the main body part 73 to the cover part 71 via the mounting screw 72. A spring support portion 75 for attaching a spring 74, which will be described later, is provided on the inside of cover portion 71, which is formed into a rectangle by bending a plate-like member. More specifically, spring support portion 75 is provided on the surface of cover portion 71 located on the toe side, and extends from the toe side toward the seat side. Spring support portion 75 has a cylindrical shape with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner circumference of spring 74 (see FIG. 10(c)). In other words, the spring 74 is attached by fitting the spring 74 into the spring support portion 75 .

[0056] The main body 73 is formed by bending a plate-like member into a U-shape. A spring 74 is located inside the U-shape. More specifically, a hole (not shown) is provided on the bottom surface of the main body 73 for inserting a spring support portion 75 provided on the bottom surface of the cover portion 71. By positioning the spring 74 in the main body 73, the spring 74 can function as a suspension when a load is applied to the footrest portion 5 from above.

[0057] Figure 11 is a diagram showing the process of applying a drive support unit 53 according to another embodiment of the present invention to a massage machine 1 and controlling the drive unit 11 to oscillate the footrest unit 5 downward, where (a) is a diagram showing the state in which the footrest unit 5 has oscillated upward, and (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the drive unit 11 has been controlled to oscillate the footrest unit 5 downward.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 11(a), when a load is applied from above while the footrest portion 5 is in an upward swinging state, the footrest portion 5 starts to swing downward around the axis B, which is the swing fulcrum. Since the drive support portion 53 is provided with holes A4 and A5, the axis 11b and the mounting screw 72 move toward the seat portion along the holes A4 and A5 in response to the load from above (resulting in the state shown in FIG. 11(b)). Then, when the load from above is removed, the elastic force of the spring 74 trying to return to its original position causes the axis 11b and the mounting screw 72 to move toward the toes along the holes A4 and A5 (resulting in the state shown in FIG. 11(a)). This allows the load applied to the footrest portion 5 to be effectively released. In other words, it is possible to prevent the footrest portion 5 from being unable to withstand the load, which would cause the drive portion 11 to break down. It is also possible to prevent the mounting portion 3c of the footrest portion 5 from breaking down.

[0059] Fig. 12 is a left view of a footrest portion 5 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Since the basic configuration is the same as the footrest portion 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 8, a description of the same configuration will be omitted. A description will be given of the different configuration.

[0060] 12, in the footrest portion 5, an air cell 99 is provided between the footrest body 55 and the support portion 51. More specifically, the air cell 99 is attached to the upper surface of the support portion 51. By inflating the air cell, the footrest body 55 can be swung in a direction away from the support portion 51.

[0061] When a load is applied to the footrest portion 5, the footrest body 55 cannot withstand the load and moves downward. Since the air cell 99 is located on the lower surface side of the footrest body 55 (attached to the upper surface of the support portion 51), the load is also applied to the air cell 99. The footrest portion 5 is provided with a detection portion 12 that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, when the detection portion 12 detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, a load of 5 kg or more), it controls the drive portion 11 to swing the footrest portion 5 downward. This makes it possible to prevent the drive portion 11 from failing to withstand the load received from the footrest portion 5 and breaking down. It also makes it possible to prevent the attachment portion 3c of the footrest portion 5 from breaking down.

[0062] In this case, the detection unit 12 that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value may be provided in the air cell 99, instead of in the biasing member 60. An example of the detection unit 12 provided in the air cell 99 is a pressure sensor that detects the internal pressure of the air cell 99. Any detection unit 12 may be used as long as it can detect a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value applied from the footrest body 55 to the air cell 99. [Industrial Applicability]

[0063] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to a massage machine capable of preventing damage to the drive unit or the mounting portion of the footrest unit caused by an excessive load being applied to the footrest body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] Seat 3 Footrest section 5 Support part 51 Footrest body 55 Urging member 60

Claims

1. A seat portion and a footrest portion, The footrest portion is composed of a footrest body and a support portion that supports the footrest body, The footrest body is pivotable relative to the support portion, The support portion has a biasing member, The massage machine, wherein the biasing member biases the footrest body in a direction away from the support portion.

2. 2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the biasing members are provided in a pair on the left and right.

3. The footrest portion is attached to the seat portion via a swing fulcrum, 3. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is provided at a position away from the swing fulcrum.

4. A drive unit for vertically rocking the footrest portion relative to the seat portion; A control unit that controls the drive unit, The footrest portion further includes a detection portion that detects a load equal to or greater than a predetermined load, The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the detection unit detects the load while the footrest unit is swung upward, the control unit controls the drive unit to swung the footrest unit downward.

5. 3. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring and a spring shaft.

6. The spring shaft has an abutment portion, The massage machine according to claim 5, wherein the contact portion contacts the footrest body.

7. 7. The massage machine according to claim 6, wherein the contact portion is formed in a semicircular shape.

8. The massage machine according to claim 4, wherein the detection unit is provided on the biasing member.

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