Massage machine

Abstract

A massage machine capable of applying an appropriate pressure to a treatment area is provided. [Solution] The massage machine is equipped with a main body 3 positioned opposite a specified treatment area T of the user, and a massage mechanism 4 having treatment elements 50 that press and massage the treatment area T from the inside of the treatment surface S of the main body 3 using the treatment elements 50.The massage machine is equipped with a lift mechanism 5 that presses and supports the treatment area T from the inside of the treatment surface S, and the lift mechanism 5 is configured to be changeable between a first state in which it does not press and support the treatment area T, and a second state in which it presses and supports the treatment area T toward the outside of the treatment surface S.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage machine that applies pressure and massage to at least the buttocks of a user. [Background technology]

[0002] A chair-type massage machine having a seat and a backrest is known that has multiple treatment devices arranged in a row front to back inside the seat and is equipped with a massage mechanism that presses the treatment devices from below against the buttocks of a user seated on the seat to massage them (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] More specifically, the massage machine of Patent Document 1 includes a seat, a massage mechanism that massages the buttocks of a user seated on the seat, and a guide rail that guides the massage mechanism in the front-to-rear direction inside the seat. The massage mechanism has two massage applicators (massage members) aligned in the front-to-rear direction below the seat, and is configured to press the massage applicators against the user's buttocks from below the seat to massage the buttocks.

[0004] The guide rail extends in the front-to-rear direction inside the seat, and by guiding the massage mechanism back and forth along the guide rail, the treatment elements can be pressed against the area from the buttocks to the thighs. In other words, by moving the treatment elements back and forth, the massage mechanism can massage not only the buttocks but also the thighs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2018-134182 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with the conventional massagers described above, the resistance force applied by the massage applicators to the area to be treated, such as the buttocks, varies depending on the user's physique and weight, which can result in variations in the massage effect.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a massage machine that can apply an appropriate pressing force to a treatment area and has excellent massage performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the massage machine of the present invention employs the following technical means.

[0009] A massage machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body portion positioned opposite a specified treatment area of ​​a user, and a massage mechanism having treatment elements that press and massage the treatment area from the inside of the treatment surface of the main body portion using the treatment elements.The massage machine also comprises a lift mechanism that presses and supports the treatment area from the inside of the treatment surface, and the lift mechanism is configured to be changeable between a first state in which the treatment area is not pressed and supported, and a second state in which the treatment area is pressed and supported outward from the treatment surface.

[0010] The lift mechanism may be positioned inside the treatment surface and may have a lifting member that pushes the part to be treated upward toward the outside of the treatment surface.

[0011] The massage mechanism has two of the treatment elements spaced apart in the left-right direction, and the pushing member is preferably positioned between the two treatment elements.

[0012] The aforementioned lifting members are preferably positioned on the left and right outer sides of the treatment device.

[0013] The aforementioned lifting member is preferably provided along the inner surface of the treatment surface.

[0014] The main body portion includes a seat portion that is arranged opposite the user's buttocks, which are the area to be treated, and the push-up member is preferably located inside the seat surface of the seat portion, which is the treatment surface.

[0015] The seat portion may have a cushioning material provided on the inside of the seat surface, and the lifting member may be provided between the seat surface and the cushioning material.

[0016] The aforementioned lifting member is preferably used to press the tailbone of the buttocks toward the outward direction of the seat surface.

[0017] The lift mechanism may include an air supply device and an air bag as the lifting member that presses the treatment area by the pressure of air supplied from the air supply device.

[0018] The airbag is preferably formed to extend in the front-to-back direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the massage machine of the present invention, the resistance force applied to the treatment area from the treatment head can be adjusted by the lift mechanism, so that an appropriate pressure can be applied to the treatment area regardless of the user's physique or weight, thereby providing a massage machine with excellent massage performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the massage machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the arrangement of the first massage mechanism. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the area around the installation of the lifting member. [Figure 4] This is an overhead view of the area around the placement of the lifting member. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the first massage mechanism. [Figure 6] This is an overhead view of the area around the mounting section of the push-up member, showing the first modified example. [Figure 7]This is an overhead view of the area around the mounting section of the push-up member, showing a second modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the configuration of the present invention.

[0022] The massage machine 1 of this embodiment is a chair-type massage machine (massage chair) and has the function of massaging the treatment area T of the user, such as the neck, shoulders, back, waist, buttocks, thighs, and lower legs, while the user is seated in the massage machine 1.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the massage machine 1 includes a base 2, a main body 3, a massage mechanism 4, and a lift mechanism 5. The main body 3 includes a seat 3A, a backrest 3B, and a footrest 3C. The massage mechanism 4 includes a first massage mechanism 4A, a second massage mechanism 4B, and a third massage mechanism 4C.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the massage machine 1 comprises a power supply unit 6, an actuator unit 7, and an air supply unit 8. The power supply unit 6, the actuator unit 7, and the air supply unit 8 are located inside the base unit 2. The power supply unit 6 supplies power to each massager via electrical wiring. The air supply device 8 is connected to the massage mechanism 4, the actuator device 7, and the air supply device 8, and supplies driving power to these massage mechanism 4, the actuator device 7, and the air supply device 8. The air supply device 8 is connected via an air tube P1 to the airbag of the third massage mechanism 4C, the lifting member (airbag) 5A of the lift mechanism 5, etc., and supplies driving air to these airbags.

[0025] The locations where the power supply device 6, the actuator device 7, and the air supply device 8 are arranged are not limited to the inside of the base portion 2. For example, the air supply device 8 may be arranged inside the seat portion 3A. The massage machine 1 may also be provided with a plurality of air supply devices 8, one of which may be dedicated to the lift mechanism 5 (described later) and supply air to the lift member 5A from the dedicated air supply device 8 for the lift mechanism 5. This configuration allows the air supply device 8 dedicated to the lift mechanism 5 to be arranged in a different position from the other air supply devices 8 (for example, near the lift member 5A). This simplifies the routing structure of the air tube P1 and improves the flexibility in the arrangement of the air supply device 8. Moreover, in this configuration, air can be supplied to the airbag of the third massage mechanism 4C and the air can be supplied to the lift member 5A by separate air supply devices 8, thereby improving the flexibility in controlling the inflation and deflation of each airbag.

[0026] In this embodiment, the direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the user when seated in an appropriate posture relative to the massage machine 1 (the direction indicated by arrows X1 and X2 in Figures 1 and 2) will be described as the front-to-back direction of the massage machine 1, the direction corresponding to the left-to-right direction of the user in the same posture (the direction indicated by arrows Y1 and Y2 in Figure 1) will be described as the left-to-right direction of the massage machine 1, and the direction corresponding to the up-to-down direction of the user in the same posture (the direction indicated by arrows Z1 and Z2 in Figures 1 and 2) will be described as the up-to-down direction of the massage machine 1.

[0027] The main body 3 is disposed opposite a predetermined treatment area T of the user when the user is seated on the massage machine 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the seat 3A is provided on the upper part of the base 2, and an upper surface (seat surface) 9A of the seat 3A supports the user's buttocks and thighs from below. In other words, as shown in Fig. 3, the seat 3A is disposed opposite a lower part of the treatment area T including the buttocks and thighs of the user seated on the massage machine 1.

[0028] The seat portion 3A has a support frame 10, a frame cover 11, a cushion material 12, an outer cover 13, and a first guide rail 14. The support frame 10 is a box-shaped structure made of metal frame material, and is provided on the upper part of the base portion 2.

[0029] The frame cover 11 is made of a flexible fabric material that is highly wear-resistant and dust-proof, and covers the upper part of the support frame 10. In other words, the frame cover 11 prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the inside of the support frame 10.

[0030] The cushioning material 12 is a relatively thick sheet material made of an elastic material such as foamed urethane. The cushioning material 12 is placed on top of the support frame 10. In this embodiment, the cushioning material 12 is placed on top of the upper surface of the frame cover 11. In other words, the frame cover 11 is a canvas-like fabric that does not stretch and supports the cushioning material 12 from below.

[0031] The outer cover 13 is a fabric material that constitutes the outer surface of the seat surface 9A, and is made of a flexible fabric such as artificial leather or mesh fabric. The outer cover 13 covers the upper part of the cushioning material 12 from above. In other words, the seat 3A has the cushioning material 12 inside the seat surface 9A. Therefore, when the user sits on the seat 3A in an appropriate posture, the cushioning material 12 elastically supports the user's buttocks and thighs from below. In other words, the user's buttocks The lower back and thighs are supported from below by a support frame 10, a frame cover 11, a cushion material 12, and an outer cover 13.

[0032] The first guide rails 14 are provided on the left and right inner sides of the support frame 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the first guide rails 14 extend in the front-to-rear direction inside the support frame 10. The first massage mechanism 4A is supported so as to be movable along the first guide rails 14. In other words, the first guide rails 14 support the first massage mechanism 4A inside the seat 3A (inside the support frame 10) so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0033] The first guide rail 14 has a rack 15 and a guide groove 16. The rack 15 has a plurality of teeth formed along the extension direction of the first guide rail 14. A pinion 47 provided on a first support shaft 41 of the first massage mechanism 4A is meshed with the rack 15. The guide groove 16 is arranged in parallel along the rack 15. The second support shaft 42 of the first massage mechanism 4A is engaged with the guide groove 16.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first guide rail 14 has a front-rear movement guide portion 14A and a vertical movement guide portion 14B. The front-rear movement guide portion 14A extends linearly from the front to the rear of the seat 3A. The front-rear movement guide portion 14A is gently inclined toward the rear and downward. The vertical movement guide portion 14B extends in an arc shape from the rear end of the front-rear movement guide portion 14A toward the rear and downward. The vertical movement guide portion 14B is gently recessed downward. In other words, the first guide rail 14 extends linearly from the front to the rear inside the seat 3A, and further extends in a concave curve toward the rear and downward.

[0035] Therefore, in the first section supported by the front-rear movement guide portion 14A, the first massage mechanism 4A moves in the front-rear direction along the seat surface 9A, and in the second section supported by the up-down movement guide portion 14B, it moves in a direction approaching or moving away from the seat surface 9A.

[0036] The first guide rails 14 may be provided extending from the seat 3A to the backrest 3B. With this configuration, the first massage mechanism 4A can move along the first guide rails 14 between the seat 3A and the backrest 3B. Alternatively, the first guide rails 14 may be provided extending from the seat 3A to the footrest 3C. With this configuration, the first massage mechanism 4A can move along the first guide rails 14 between the seat 3A and the footrest 3C.

[0037] 1 and 2, the backrest 3B is provided in an upright state at the rear of the seat 3A, and a front surface 9B of the backrest 3B supports the back and lumbar region of the user from behind. In other words, the backrest 3B is provided facing the rear of the treatment area T, which includes the back and lumbar region of the user seated on the seat 3A.

[0038] The backrest 3B is connected to an actuator device 7 and configured to tilt backward of the seat 3A by the extension and contraction action of the actuator device 7. In other words, the backrest 3B is connected to the base 2 so as to be able to tilt backward.

[0039] The backrest portion 3B has second guide rails 17. The second guide rails 17 are provided on the left and right inner sides of the backrest portion 3B. Like the first guide rail 14, the second guide rails 17 have a rack and a guide groove, and these rack and guide groove support the second massage mechanism 4B so that it can move up and down. In this embodiment, the second guide rail 17 is provided separately from (separated from) the first guide rail 14, but the second guide rail 17 may also be provided integrally with the first guide rail 14 so as to form a single guide rail as described above.

[0040] The footrest 3C is provided at the front of the seat 3A so as to be able to swing, and when the footrest 3C is swung forward and upward, the surface that faces upward supports from below the lower legs of the user who is seated on the massage machine 1. In other words, the footrest 3C can be disposed facing the rear of the treatment area T including the lower legs of the user.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, the seat 3A has an opening (footrest storage section) 3H in the lower front portion where the footrest 3C can be embedded. The footrest 3C is connected to and supported by a support frame 10 that forms the framework of the seat 3A so that its angle can be freely changed between a state where it is embedded in the footrest storage section 3H (stored state) and a state where it is pulled up forward from the footrest storage section 3H (pulled up state). Therefore, by putting the footrest 3C in the pulled up state as described above, it can support the user's lower legs from below with them stretched out forward of the seat 3A.

[0042] The footrest portion 3C has two recesses into which the user's left and right lower legs can be inserted, respectively. The third massage mechanism 4C is provided inside the recesses. In this embodiment, the third massage mechanism 4C applies pressure to massage the treatment area T, such as the lower legs, using the inflation pressure (air pressure) of an airbag. The third massage mechanism 4C may also be configured to apply pressure to massage the lower legs with plate-shaped massage elements.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the first massage mechanism 4A is provided inside the seat 3A. The first massage mechanism 4A is provided inside the seat surface 9A so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the seat surface 9A of the seat 3A serves as the treatment surface S. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the first massage mechanism 4A is disposed on a center line L1 passing through the center between the left and right sides of the seat 3A. As shown in Fig. 3, the first massage mechanism 4A is provided inside (on the lower surface side of) the base cover 11. The detailed configuration of the first massage mechanism 4A will be described later.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, the second massage mechanism 4B is located inside the backrest 3B. The second massage mechanism 4B is located in the center between the left and right sides on the inside of the backrest surface 9B and is movable in the vertical direction. In other words, the backrest 3B has its backrest surface 9B as the treatment surface S.

[0045] The second massage mechanism 4B has a treatment arm 18, and the treatment arm 18 is disposed facing the inside of the backrest surface 9B, which is the treatment surface S. In this embodiment, the second massage mechanism 4B has two treatment arms 18 arranged side by side, and the treatment elements 60 provided at the tips of the left and right treatment arms 18 massage the neck, shoulders, back, waist, etc. of the user.

[0046] Specifically, the second massage mechanism 4B operates the treatment elements 60 of the left and right treatment arms 18 to press against the treatment area T, such as the neck, shoulders, back, or waist of the user, thereby massaging the treatment area T (kneading massage). Alternatively, the second massage mechanism 4B operates the treatment elements 60 of the left and right treatment arms 18 to move toward and away from each other in the left-right direction along the treatment area T, such as the neck, shoulders, back, or waist of the user, thereby sandwiching and massaging the treatment area T (grabbing massage). Alternatively, the second massage mechanism 4B operates the treatment elements 60 of the left and right treatment arms 18 to hit the treatment area T, such as the neck, shoulders, back, or waist of the user, at short time intervals, thereby massaging the treatment area T (hitting massage).

[0047] Furthermore, the second massage mechanism 4B may employ a mechanism capable of performing only one type of massage, or two or more types of massage, from kneading massage, gripping massage, and tapping massage, as long as it can appropriately massage the user's neck and lower back. The mechanism 4B may have the same mechanism as the first massage mechanism 4A.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the first massage mechanism 4A has a drive mechanism 21 and a treatment arm 22. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, in this embodiment, the first massage mechanism 4A has two treatment arms 22 arranged at a distance in the left-right direction, and these two treatment arms 22 massage the treatment area T, such as the buttocks or thighs of the user.

[0049] 2 and 3, when the first massage mechanism 4A of this embodiment is in a position supported by the forward / backward movement guide portion 14A of the first guide rail 14, that is, when it is in the first section of the first guide rail 14, the treatment arm 22 is oriented so as to face the inside of the seat surface 9A, which is the treatment surface S. As shown in FIG. 3, when the first massage mechanism 4A is in the first section, the treatment elements 50 of the treatment arm 22 are positioned inside the seat surface 9A in close proximity to or in contact with the underside of the frame cover 11. Therefore, when the first massage mechanism 4A massages a treatment area T, such as the buttocks or thighs of the user, the treatment elements 50 of the treatment arm 22 are indirectly pressed against the treatment area T via the frame cover 11, cushion material 12, and outer cover 13.

[0050] 5, the drive mechanism 21 includes a casing 40, a first support shaft 41, a second support shaft 42, a third support shaft 43, a drive motor 44, a power transmission mechanism 45, and a cam 46. The drive motor 44 and the power transmission mechanism 45 are both housed inside the casing 40.

[0051] The first support shaft 41 is provided at the rear of the casing 40. The first support shaft 41 extends in the left-right direction at the rear of the casing 40. The left and right shaft ends of the first support shaft 41 are provided so as to protrude outward from the left and right side surfaces of the casing 40, respectively. A pinion 47 is provided at the shaft end of the first support shaft 41. The pinion 47 is meshed with the rack 15 of the first guide rail 14. In other words, the first support shaft 41 is supported in a state where it is meshed with the rack 15 of the first guide rail 14.

[0052] The second support shaft 42 is provided at the front of the casing 40. The second support shaft 42 extends in the left-right direction at the front of the casing 40. The second support shafts 42 are provided so as to protrude outward from the left and right side surfaces of the casing 40. The second support shafts 42 are engaged with the guide grooves 16 of the first guide rail 14. In other words, the second support shaft 42 is supported in a state in which it can slide along the guide grooves 16 of the first guide rail 14.

[0053] The third support shaft 43 is provided at the top of the casing 40. The third support shaft 43 extends in the left-right direction at the top of the casing 40. The left and right shaft ends of the third support shaft 43 are inserted and held at positions radially eccentric from the center of the outer circumferential circle of the cam 46. In other words, the cam 46 is connected and supported by the third support shaft 43 at a position radially eccentric from the center of the outer circumferential circle.

[0054] The drive motor 44 is driven by power supplied from the power supply device 6 and generates a rotational drive force. The rotational shaft of the drive motor 44 is connected to the first support shaft 41 via a power transmission mechanism 45. The power transmission mechanism 45 transmits the rotational drive force of the drive motor 44 to the first support shaft 41. This causes a pinion 47 at the shaft end of the first support shaft 41 to rotate, moving the first massage mechanism 4A along the first guide rail 14. The rotational shaft of the drive motor 44 is also connected to the third support shaft 43 via the power transmission mechanism 45. The power transmission mechanism 45 transmits the rotational drive force of the drive motor 44 to the third support shaft 43. This causes a cam 46 at the shaft end of the third support shaft 43 to rotate, driving the treatment arm 22. In other words, the drive motor 44 is a drive device that drives both the first massage mechanism 4A and the treatment arm 22.

[0055] The drive mechanism 21 is configured to allow the rotation direction of the drive motor 44's rotation axis to be arbitrarily switched between forward and reverse directions. In this way, the drive mechanism 21 can change the movement direction of the first massage mechanism 4A and the drive direction of the treatment arm 22 (the rotation direction of the cam 46) by switching the rotation direction of the drive motor 44. This makes it possible for the drive mechanism 21 to adjust the treatment position of the user by the first massage mechanism 4A forward and backward, or to perform massage on the treatment area T in different patterns.

[0056] The drive mechanism 21 can transmit the rotational driving force of the drive motor 44 to only the first support shaft 41 or to only the third support shaft 43. In this way, by switching the target of power transmission of the drive motor 44 between the first support shaft 41 and the third support shaft 43, the drive mechanism 21 can move only the first massage mechanism 4A or drive only the treatment arm 22.

[0057] The cam 46 is a circular plate cam and is pivotally supported on the third support shaft 43. Two cams 46 are positioned on the upper part of the casing 40, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The third support shaft 43 is inserted and held at a position radially eccentric to the center of the outer circumference of the left and right cams 46. The treatment arm 22 is rotatably connected and supported on the outer circumference of the cam 46. Therefore, when the third support shaft 43 rotates, the cam 46 rotates eccentrically around the third support shaft 43. As a result, the treatment arm 22 moves in a circular motion in accordance with the eccentric trajectory of the outer circumference of the cam 46. Consequently, the treatment element 50 of the treatment arm 22 reciprocates in the vertical and longitudinal directions. In this way, the cam 46, by rotating, causes the treatment arm 22 to reciprocate at least in the vertical direction.

[0058] In this embodiment, the left and right cams 46 are connected and supported by a common third support shaft 43. Therefore, when the third support shaft 43 is rotated, the left and right cams 46 rotate together in accordance with it. Also, the eccentricity direction (lift direction) of the cams 46 is set to be the same on both the left and right sides. Therefore, the left and right treatment arms 22 always reciprocate in the same direction by rotating the cams 46.

[0059] The eccentric directions of the cams 46 may be set at different angles (for example, 180 degrees) on the left and right sides as viewed from the axial direction of the second support shaft 42. Alternatively, the cams 46 may be configured to be rotatable independently on the left and right sides. In this way, the timing of the reciprocating movement of the treatment arm 22 can be made different on the left and right sides.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 5, the treatment arm 22 has one or more treatment elements 50. The treatment element 50 of this embodiment includes a first treatment element 51 and a second treatment element 52. More specifically, the treatment arm 22 has the first treatment element 51, the second treatment element 52, and an arm portion 53. The first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 are thick disks, and are attached to front and rear end portions 54, 55 of the arm portion 53, respectively, with their axes oriented in the left-right direction. In other words, the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 are provided on the upper part of the arm portion 53 at a distance from each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0061] The first treatment element 51 is provided at a position closer to the front of the first massage mechanism 4A. The second treatment element 52 is disposed behind the first treatment element 51. In other words, the first treatment element 51 is disposed further forward of the seat 3A than the second treatment element 52. The first massage mechanism 4A presses either or both of the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 against the treatment area T, such as the buttocks or thighs of the user, to perform a pressure massage on the treatment area T.

[0062] The treatment arm 22 may have only one treatment element 50 and may be configured to apply pressure and massage to the treatment area T using the treatment element 50, or may have three or more treatment elements 50 and may be configured to apply pressure and massage to the treatment area T using the three or more treatment elements 50. Furthermore, a plurality of treatment heads 50 may be arranged side by side on the left and right sides of the arm portion 53.

[0063] Furthermore, the shape of the treatment element 50 is not limited to a disk shape, as long as it can appropriately pressurize and massage the treatment area T. For example, the treatment element 50 may be formed in a spherical shape or a bullet shape. Alternatively, the treatment element 50 may be formed in a plate shape or a spherical shape with multiple projections and recesses. Furthermore, the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 may be formed in different shapes.

[0064] The arm portion 53 is a plate-like member formed in a V-shape (so-called boomerang shape), and is provided on the upper part of the casing 40 with both ends 54, 55 facing upward in the front and rear directions. Two arm portions 53 are provided on the upper part of the casing 40, spaced apart in the left-right direction. The arm portions 53 are provided on the upper part of the casing 40 so as to be able to swing back and forth. Note that the shape of the arm portions 53 is not limited to a V-shape, as long as the treatment head 50 can be appropriately pressed against the treatment area T. For example, the arm portion 53 may be formed in an arc shape or a substantially rectangular U-shape. Alternatively, the arm portion 53 may be formed in a Y-shape or a T-shape.

[0065] The arm portion 53 has a first end portion 54, a second end portion 55, and a cam receiving hole 56. The first treatment element 51 is provided at the first end portion 54. The second treatment element 52 is provided at the second end portion 55. In this way, the arm portion 53 has the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 at both front and rear end portions 54, 55, respectively.

[0066] The cam receiving hole 56 is a circular hole having the same shape as the outer periphery of the cam 46, and is provided so as to penetrate the arm portion 53 midway between the front and rear ends 54, 55. The cam 46 is inserted into the cam receiving hole 56, and rotates eccentrically inside the cam receiving hole 56 as the third support shaft 43 rotates as described above. As a result, the arm portion 53 performs circular motion in accordance with the eccentric orbit of the outer periphery of the cam 46, causing the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 to reciprocate in the up-down and front-rear directions. In this way, the arm portion 53 is rotatably connected to and supported by the cam 46 midway between the front and rear.

[0067] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the lift mechanism 5 has a push-up member 5A. In this embodiment, the push-up member 5A is an airbag, which inflates with air supplied from the air supply device 8. In other words, the lift mechanism 5 of this embodiment has an airbag as the push-up member 5A and an air supply device 8.

[0068] The push-up member 5A is connected to an air supply device 8 via an air tube P1, and expands in the vertical direction when air is supplied from the air supply device 8 (see Figure 3). Conversely, when the supply of air from the air supply device 8 is stopped and air is released from the push-up member 5A, the push-up member 5A contracts into a flat plate shape.

[0069] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the boost member 5A is provided inside the treatment surface S. As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the boost member 5A is housed between the seat surface 9A and the cushion material 12 in the seat portion 3A. More specifically, the boost member 5A is provided in a gap defined in the overlapping portion between the outer cover 13 and the cushion material 12. In other words, the boost member 5A is located inside the seat surface 9A, which is the treatment surface S, and by expanding as described above, presses the buttocks of a user seated on the seat surface 9A upward toward the seat surface 9A (treatment surface S).

[0070] The push-up member 5A is a flat, roughly rectangular airbag, and as shown in Figure 4, its longitudinal direction coincides with the front-to-back direction of the seat portion 3A, and its short direction coincides with the left-to-right direction of the seat portion 3A. The boost members 5A are provided along the inside of the seat surface 9A (treatment surface S). That is, the boost members 5A are provided extending in the front-to-rear direction along the center between the left and right sides on the inside of the seat surface 9A. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the boost members 5A are inflated, the boost members 5A press the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the buttocks are stably pushed up by the boost members 5A.

[0071] 3 and 4, the boost member 5A is provided at a position between the two treatment arms 22 on the left and right of the first massage mechanism 4A when the first massage mechanism 4A is in the first section. In other words, the boost member 5A is disposed above the first massage mechanism 4A between the two treatment elements 50 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction. Therefore, even if the first massage mechanism 4A is moved in the front-rear direction inside the seat surface 9A (first section) or the treatment arms 22 are driven, the treatment elements 50 do not interfere with the boost member 5A.

[0072] The boost member 5A is provided in a central position between the left and right sides on the inside of the seat surface 9A. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 3, when the boost member 5A is inflated, the inflation pressure is applied to, for example, the coccyx U of the user's buttocks when seated on the seat surface 9A. This causes the buttocks to be stably pushed up by the boost member 5A. In other words, when the boost member 5A is inflated, it presses the coccyx U of the user's buttocks upward (towards the outside of the seat surface 9A).

[0073] In this way, the lift mechanism 5 is configured to be changeable between a first state in which the push-up member 5A does not press against the buttocks (treatment area T) of the user seated on the seat surface 9A, and a second state in which the push-up member 5A presses the buttocks (treatment area T) upward on the seat surface 9A (outward from the treatment surface S).

[0074] More specifically, when the boost members 5A are in the expanded state (second state), the buttocks of the user seated on the seat 9A are pressed and supported from the inside of the seat 9A by the boost members 5A. In other words, part of the load applied from the buttocks to the seat 9A, which is the treatment surface S, is absorbed by the boost members 5A and distributed to the support frame 10. Therefore, in this case, the buttocks are less likely to sink below the seat 9A than when the boost members 5A are in the contracted state. As a result, when the first massage mechanism 4A presses and massages the treatment area T, such as the buttocks or thighs, the resistance force of the load applied to the treatment elements 50 (the resistance force applied from the treatment elements 50 to the treatment area T) is reduced compared to when the boost members 5A are in the contracted state.

[0075] On the other hand, when the boost member 5A is in the contracted state (first state), the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A are not pressed and supported by the boost member 5A. Therefore, in this case, the buttocks are more likely to sink below the seat surface 9A than when the boost member 5A is in the expanded state. As a result, when the treatment target area T is pressed and massaged by the first massage mechanism 4A, the resistance force applied to the treatment target area T from the treatment element 50 is greater than when the boost member 5A is in the expanded state.

[0076] Incidentally, the push-up member 5A functions as the lift mechanism 5, but it can also be said that the push-up member 5A is a member that presses and massages the user's buttocks from below. When the push-up member 5A is in the expanded state (second state), the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A are pressed up from below by the push-up member 5A and massaged.

[0077] As described above, the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 make a circular motion in accordance with the eccentric orbit of the outer periphery of the cam 46, and move back and forth in the up-down and back-and-forth directions. The first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 move the user's buttocks up and down. When the push-up member 5A acts (when the airbag is inflated) in a state where the buttocks are lifted by the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52, the pressure massage by the push-up member 5A becomes weaker, and when the push-up member 5A acts in a state where the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 are at the bottom and the buttocks are lowered, the pressure massage by the push-up member 5A becomes weaker. The pressing massage by the member 5A becomes stronger, and an effective massage by the pushing-up member 5A can be realized.

[0078] In the massage machine 1 of this embodiment, when the user sits on the seat 9A, the treatment arm 22 automatically swings due to the load (pressure) applied to the treatment element 50 from the treatment area T. As a result, the arm 53 is tilted so as to extend along the user's body. Therefore, at this time, the first treatment element 51 and the second treatment element 52 are aligned along the surface line of the user's buttocks.

[0079] <Modification> In the above embodiment, the lift mechanism 5 has only one boost member 5A, but it may have two or more boost members 5A. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the lift mechanism 5 of this modification has two boost members 5A made up of airbags. These two boost members 5A are connected in parallel to the air supply device 8 via an air tube P1, and are simultaneously inflated by air supplied from the air supply device 8.

[0080] The boost members 5A of this modified example are flat, generally rectangular airbags, and are arranged at a distance from each other in the left-right direction inside the seat surface 9A. Specifically, the two boost members 5A of this modified example are provided on the left and right sides of the first massage mechanism 4A, i.e., on the outsides of the two left and right treatment arms 22. Therefore, even when the first massage mechanism 4A is moved forward and backward inside the seat surface 9A or when the left and right treatment arms 22 are driven, the treatment elements 50 do not interfere with the boost members 5A. Furthermore, when the two boost members 5A are inflated, they press the left and right positions of the buttocks of a user seated on the seat surface 9A upward on the seat surface 9A. In other words, when the two boost members 5A are inflated, they press and support the left and right sides of the user's buttocks. This allows the buttocks to be stably lifted by the boost members 5A.

[0081] In addition, in the above embodiment, the push-up member 5A is positioned between the two treatment elements 50 of the first massage mechanism 4A so as not to interfere with the treatment elements 50, but it may also be positioned so as to cover the entire treatment element 50 from above.

[0082] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the lift mechanism 5 of this modified example has one boost member 5A and an air supply device 8. The boost member 5A is a substantially rectangular airbag with a front-to-back length and left-to-right width greater than those of the first massage mechanism 4A, and is provided in a central position between the left and right sides inside the seat surface 9A. Therefore, when the boost member 5A is inflated, it presses upward (toward the outside of the seat surface 9A) substantially the entire bottom surface of the buttocks of a user seated on the seat surface 9A. In other words, when the boost member 5A is inflated, it presses and supports the user's buttocks with substantially the entire bottom surface. As a result, the buttocks are stably pressed up by the boost member 5A.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lift mechanism 5 is configured such that a push-up member 5A is provided on the inside of the seat surface 9A, and the push-up member 5A pushes the user's buttocks outwards from the seat surface 9A. However, for example, as shown in Figure 2, a push-up member 5B may be provided on the inside of the backrest surface 9B instead of or in addition to the push-up member 5A, and the push-up member 5B may be configured to push the user's back outwards from the backrest surface 9B.

[0084] In this case, when describing the push-up member 5A provided on the seat portion 3A, by replacing "seat surface 9A" with "backrest surface 9B", replacing "vertical direction" of the seat portion 3A with "front-to-back direction" of the backrest portion 3B, and replacing "front-to-back direction" of the seat portion 3A with "down-up direction" of the backrest portion 3B, the structure of the push-up member 5B provided on the backrest portion 3B can be understood equally.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the boosting member 5A raises the treatment area T to the treatment surface S However, it may also be configured to press and support the treatment area T from the inside of the treatment surface S using a movable member such as a frame material or plate material driven by an actuator or an electric motor.

[0086] As described above, the massage machine 1 of this embodiment comprises a main body 3 positioned opposite a predetermined part T of the user to be treated, and a massage mechanism 4 having a treatment element 50 that presses and massages the part T to be treated with the treatment element 50 from the inside of the treatment surface S of the main body 3, and further comprises a lift mechanism 5 that presses and supports the part T to be treated from the inside of the treatment surface S, and the lift mechanism 5 is configured to be switchable between a first state in which the part T to be treated is not pressed and supported, and a second state in which the part T to be treated is pressed and supported in the direction outward of the treatment surface S.

[0087] According to this massage machine 1, the pressing force when the lift mechanism 5 is changed to the second state can reduce the resistance force applied from the treatment elements 50 to the treatment area T when the user sits on the seat 3A, so that an appropriate pressing force can be applied to the treatment area T even if the user's physique or weight differs. This makes it possible to realize a massage machine 1 with excellent massage performance.

[0088] The lift mechanism 5 is disposed inside the treatment surface S and has a push-up member 5A that pushes up the treatment target part T toward the outside of the treatment surface S.

[0089] According to this massage machine 1, the pushing force of the push-up member 5A when the lift mechanism 5 is changed to the second state can reduce the resistance force applied from the treatment element 50 to the treatment area T, so that even if the user's physique or weight differs, it becomes possible to apply a more appropriate pushing force to the treatment area T. This further improves the massage performance.

[0090] The massage mechanism 4 has two treatment elements 50 arranged at an interval in the left-right direction, and the push-up member 5A is disposed between the two treatment elements 50.

[0091] According to this massage machine 1, the push-up member 5A arranged between the two treatment elements 50 can reliably absorb and distribute the load applied by the user to the treatment surface S, making it possible to apply a more appropriate pressing force from the treatment elements 50 to the treatment area T. In addition, this device can also prevent the two treatment elements 50 from interfering with the push-up member 5A during massage, thereby further improving massage performance.

[0092] The push-up members 5A are disposed on the left and right outer sides of the treatment heads 50.

[0093] With this massage machine 1, the push-up members 5A positioned on the left and right outer sides of the treatment element 50 reliably absorb and distribute the load applied by the user to the treatment surface S, making it possible to apply a more appropriate pressure from the treatment element 50 to the area being treated T. Furthermore, this device also prevents the two treatment elements 50 from interfering with the push-up members 5A during massage. As a result, the massage performance is further improved.

[0094] The push-up member 5A is provided along the inner surface of the treatment surface S.

[0095] According to this massage machine 1, the push-up members 5A provided along the inner surface of the treatment surface S can more reliably absorb and distribute the load applied by the user to the treatment surface S, making it possible to apply a more appropriate pressing force to the treatment area T. This further improves the massage performance.

[0096] The main body 3 includes a seat 3A that is positioned opposite the user's buttocks, which are the treatment area T, and the push-up member 5A is located inside the seat surface 9A of the seat 3A, which is the treatment surface S.

[0097] According to this massage machine 1, the push-up members 5A located inside the seat surface 9A can more reliably absorb and distribute the load applied to the treatment surface S from the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A, making it possible to apply a more appropriate pressing force to the treatment area T. This further improves the massage performance.

[0098] The seat portion 3A has a cushioning material 12 on the inside of the seat surface 9A, and the push-up member 5A is provided between the seat surface 9A and the cushioning material 12.

[0099] According to this massage machine 1, the pressing force of the push-up member 5A when the lift mechanism 5 is changed to the second state is not easily absorbed by the cushion material 12, so a more appropriate pressing force can be applied to the treatment area T. This further improves the massage performance.

[0100] The push-up member 5A presses the coccyx U of the buttocks outwardly of the seat surface 9A.

[0101] According to this massage machine 1, the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A are more stably pushed up by the pressing force of the push-up member 5A when the lift mechanism 5 is changed to the second state, so that the resistance force applied from the treatment element 50 to the treatment area T can be more reliably reduced. In other words, it is possible to apply a more appropriate pressing force to the treatment area T. Therefore, the massage performance is further improved.

[0102] The lift mechanism 5 has an air supply device 8 and an air bag as the push-up member 5A that presses the treatment area S by the pressure of the air supplied from the air supply device 8.

[0103] According to this massage machine 1, by using an airbag as the boost member 5A, when the user sits on the seat portion 3A, the resistance force applied from the treatment surface S to the treatment area T can be absorbed by the elasticity of the airbag (boost member 5A), making it possible to give the user a good massage feeling. This further improves the massage performance.

[0104] The airbag is formed to extend in the front-rear direction.

[0105] According to this massage machine 1, when the lift mechanism 5 is changed to the second state, the push-up members 5A press the buttocks of the user seated on the seat surface 9A in the front-to-rear direction, so that the buttocks are stably pushed up by the push-up members 5A. This makes it possible to more reliably reduce the resistance force applied from the treatment elements 50 to the treatment area T. In other words, it becomes possible to apply a more appropriate pressing force to the treatment area T. This further improves the massage performance.

[0106] Although the present invention has been described above, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0107] For example, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an airbag 81 may be provided on the inner side of a pair of armrests 80 (arm rests) provided on the left and right sides, and the airbag 81 may be inflated to sandwich the user's waist, and then the treatment arm 22 may be operated inside the seat surface 9A. In this way, the treatment area T such as the buttocks and thighs may be massaged while the user's body is stabilized. It becomes possible to page.

[0108] Similarly, by moving the treatment arm 18 of the second massage mechanism 4B, which is built into the backrest 3B, on the inside of the backrest surface 9B while pressing the treatment element of the treatment arm 18 against the user's shoulder or waist, it becomes possible to massage the areas to be treated T, such as the back and waist, while keeping the user's body stable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 massage machine 2 Base 3 Main body 3A Seat part 3B Backrest 4 Massage mechanism 4A First massage mechanism 4B Second massage mechanism 5. Lift mechanism 5A Push-up member (airbag) 8. Air supply device 9A Seat 10 Support frame 11 Frame cover 12 Cushioning material 13 Outer cover 50 Treatment child 51 1st treatment child 52 Second treatment child S Treatment surface T Treatment area U Coccyx

Claims

1. a main body portion disposed opposite a predetermined treatment area of ​​a user; a massage mechanism having treatment elements and pressing and massaging the treatment target area from the inside of the treatment surface of the main body with the treatment elements, a lift mechanism that presses and supports the treatment area from the inside of the treatment surface, The lift mechanism is configured to be changeable between a first state in which the treatment area is not pressed and supported, and a second state in which the treatment area is pressed and supported outward from the treatment surface.

2. The lift mechanism includes: The massage machine according to claim 1, further comprising a push-up member disposed inside the treatment surface and pushing up the treatment target portion toward the outside of the treatment surface.

3. The massage mechanism has two treatment elements arranged at a distance in the left-right direction, The massage machine according to claim 2, wherein the lifting member is disposed between the two treatment heads.

4. The massage machine according to claim 2, wherein the lifting members are disposed on the left and right outer sides of the treatment head.

5. The massage machine according to claim 2, wherein the lifting member is provided along the inner surface of the treatment surface.

6. The main body portion includes a seat portion disposed opposite the buttocks of the user, which is the treatment target portion, The massage machine according to claim 2 , wherein the lifting member is located inside the seat surface of the seat portion, which is the treatment surface.

7. The seat portion has a cushion material provided on the inside of the seat surface, The massage machine according to claim 6, wherein the lifting member is provided between the seat surface and the cushion material.

8. The massage machine according to claim 6, wherein the push-up member presses the coccyx of the buttocks outward from the seat surface.

9. The lift mechanism includes: an air supply device; The massage machine according to any one of claims 2 to 8, further comprising an airbag as the lifting member that presses the treatment area with the pressure of air supplied from the air supply device.

10. The massage machine according to claim 9, wherein the airbag is formed to extend in the front-rear direction.

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