Massage machine

Abstract

When treating an area where the mechanical massage and the air bladder overlap, there is a problem in that the air bladder weakens the stimulation of the mechanical massage. Therefore, when performing the mechanical massage, it is necessary to deflate the air bladder, which presents another problem. [Solution] The chair has a backrest with a cushioning member and a seat on which the user sits. The cushioning member is provided on the surface that contacts the user's back and consists of a first cushioning member located relatively above and a second cushioning member located relatively below. The backrest is tiltable in the front-rear direction relative to the seat, and a predetermined distance is provided between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member, with the distance varying depending on the tilting angle of the backrest.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a chair-type massage machine has been proposed that can perform a hybrid massage (treatment) on the user's back using a mechanical massage and an air massage (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The chair-type massage machine described in Patent Document 1 above can massage the same treatment site of the user on the user's back with an air massage using an air bag provided in the backrest portion and a mechanical massage using a drive unit provided in the backrest portion. However, when performing a mechanical massage at a position overlapping with the air bag, there is a problem that the stimulation of the mechanical massage is weakened by the air bag. Therefore, when performing a mechanical massage, there is also a problem that it is necessary to perform it with the air bag contracted. Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a massage machine that can suitably combine a mechanical massage and a combination of a mechanical massage and an air massage even when an air bag or a cushion member is provided at a position overlapping with the treatment position of the mechanical massage.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention comprises a backrest having a cushioning member and a seat on which a user sits, wherein the cushioning member is provided on the surface in contact with the user's back and consists of a first cushioning member located relatively above and a second cushioning member located relatively below, the backrest is tiltable in the front-rear direction relative to the seat, a predetermined distance is provided between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member, and the distance is configured to vary depending on the tilting angle of the backrest. This configuration allows the user to be massaged by changing the distance between the first cushion member and the second cushion member according to the tilt angle.

[0006] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cushioning member has air cells that expand and contract. This configuration allows the user to be gently supported by air.

[0007] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gap widens as the tilt angle of the backrest relative to the seat increases. With this configuration, as the backrest tilts, the massage can be performed with a wider gap between the first cushion member and the second cushion member.

[0008] Furthermore, it is preferable that the distance between the seats narrows as the tilt angle of the backrest relative to the seat decreases. With this configuration, as the backrest is raised, the distance between the first cushion member and the second cushion member becomes narrower, allowing for massage.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferable that a massage unit having a treatment element is provided inside the backrest so as to be able to move up and down, and that when the treatment element is positioned at the aforementioned interval, it is possible to treat the user's shoulder. With this configuration, the user is supported by the first and second cushion members, while shoulder treatment can be performed using a treatment device through the gap between them.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first cushion member has a first mounting portion, the second cushion member has a second mounting portion, the first cushion member is attached to the upper end of the backrest portion via the first mounting portion, and the second cushion member is attached to the lower end of the backrest portion via the second mounting portion. With this configuration, when the backrest is tilted, the first cushion member is pulled towards the upper end of the backrest, and the second cushion member is pulled towards the lower end, thus widening the gap between the cushion members.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first cushion member has a first mounting portion, the second cushion member has a second mounting portion, the first cushion member is attached to the backrest portion via the first mounting portion, and the second cushion member is attached to the seat portion via the second mounting portion. With this configuration, when the backrest is tilted, the first cushion member is pulled towards the backrest and the second cushion member is pulled towards the seat, thus widening the gap between the cushion members.

[0012] Furthermore, the second cushion member is provided with an expandable and contractible air cell and a base plate for fixing the air cell, and it is preferable that the vertical dimension of the base plate is shorter than the vertical dimension of the second cushion member, and that at least a portion of the second cushion member does not overlap with the base plate. With this configuration, the second cushioning member has a portion (remaining portion) that does not overlap with the base plate, and the second cushioning member can deform by the size of the remaining portion.

[0013] Further, it preferably includes a massage unit having a treatment element for treating a user provided inside the backrest portion, holding portions capable of holding at least a part of the user's body side on both left and right sides of the backrest portion, and a control unit. The control unit preferably tilts the backrest portion with respect to the seat portion and performs treatment by the massage unit while the user is held by the holding portions. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the user from moving forward by being pushed by the massage by the massage unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a massage machine that can suitably combine a mechanical massage and a combination of a mechanical massage and an air massage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a front perspective view of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [[ID=I8]] [Figure 2] It is a functional block diagram of the massage machine. [Figure 3] It is a side view for explaining the posture of the massage machine. [Figure 4] It is a front view of the massage unit. [Figure 5] It is a front view of the state where the cushion member is removed from the massage machine. [Figure 6] It is a side view of the lower pillow cushion member, (a) is a side view of the state where the cushion air cell is contracted, and (b) is a side view of the state where the cushion air cell is inflated. [Figure 7] (a) is a front view of the back cushion member, and (b) is a rear perspective view of the base plate and the air cell provided inside the back cushion member. [Figure 8] It is a side view of the state where the user is seated on the massage machine, (a) is a side view in the standing posture of the massage machine, and (b) is a side view in the tilted posture of the massage machine. [Figure 9] It is an operation flowchart of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a front view of a massage machine according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a side view of a user sitting on the massage machine. (a) is a side view of the massage machine in a standing posture according to another embodiment, and (b) is a side view of the massage machine in a tilted posture according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a side view of the back cushion member. (a) is a side view of the state where the cushion air cell is contracted, and (b) is a side view of the state where the cushion air cell is inflated. [Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention] <00001​​​​​​​​​​​As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention mainly comprises a seat 2 on which the user sits, a backrest 3 on which the user leans, which is reclining (tilting) and provided at the rear of the seat 2, a footrest 4 on which the user's lower legs are supported and is provided at the front of the seat 2 so as to be able to swing up and down, a pillow 5 provided on the upper front of the backrest 3 to support the user's head and / or neck, armrests 6 on both the left and right sides of the seat 2, and side walls 7 on both the left and right sides of the backrest 3. The seat 2, backrest 3, footrest 4, pillow 5, armrests 6, and side walls 7 function as body support parts that support the user's body. Massage parts a1 to a7 using air cells 20, which will be described later, that massage the user's body and air cells 20 (cushion air cells c1 to c3) that function as cushions to support the user's body are provided at each of the body support parts 2 to 7. Furthermore, the massage machine 1 includes a massage unit 8 which is a massage section that performs kneading and / or tapping massage on the backrest 3, a control unit 9 which controls each operation of the massage machine 1, and a controller 10 which allows the user to perform various operations.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the backrest 3 is configured to recline in the front-to-back direction relative to the seat 2 by a first actuator 11 located below the seat 2, allowing it to be changed from an upright position to a tilted position where the backrest surface is approximately horizontal (see Figure 3). The armrests 6 are configured to move backward in conjunction with the tilting of the backrest 3 and forward in conjunction with the upright position of the backrest 3. The footrest 4 is configured to swing up and down relative to the seat 2 by a second actuator 12 located below the seat 2, allowing it to be changed from a hanging position to a raised position where the lower leg and foot are supported with the knee extended (see Figure 3).

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, below the seat 2, there is an air supply and exhaust device 13 having a pump 13a and a valve 13b for supplying and exhausting air to each air cell 20, and the aforementioned control unit 9. The air cells 20 are used for massage sections a1 to a7 that can press on the user by supplying and exhausting air, and cushion air cells c1 to c3 that support the user's body. The control unit 9 has a programmable microcontroller, etc., and drives and controls the first actuator 11, the second actuator 12, the massage sections (8, a1 to a7), and the air supply and exhaust device 13. The controller 10 and the memory unit 50 are electrically connected to the control unit 9. The massage machine 1 operates the massage sections (8, a1 to a7) and cushion air cells c1 to c3 according to a predetermined program (massage course) stored in the memory unit 50, and various massage operations are performed when the user operates the controller 10.

[0020] [Structure of the backrest] The backrest 3 consists of a rigid back frame, guide rails that guide the raising and lowering of the massage unit 8, which is a massage section assembled to the back frame, and a cover member 3c that covers the back frame. The back frame is made of metal and / or resin. The back frame also has an opening that opens in the front-to-back direction formed in the center of the left and right sides, and is roughly gate-shaped when viewed from the front. The cover member 3c covers the opening from the front.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, a cushion member C is provided on the front surface of the cover member 3c, which contacts the user's back. The cushion member C has a pillow portion 5, which is a first cushion member that supports the user's head and / or neck at the top of the backrest 3, and a back cushion member 31, which is a second cushion member that supports the back and waist below the pillow portion 5. The pillow portion 5 is composed of an upper pillow cushion member 51 that is relatively above and a lower pillow cushion member 52 that is relatively below. The lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31 are provided on the backrest 3 with a predetermined distance D between them. Details of the distance D will be described later. In addition, the treatment element 82 of the massage unit 8 (see Figure 4) protrudes forward from the opening, and is capable of massaging the user's torso from behind via the cover member 3c and / or the upper pillow cushion member 51, lower pillow cushion member 52, and back cushion member 31.

[0022] [Side wall structure] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, side walls 7 are provided on both the left and right sides of the backrest 3 (back frame), facing the outer surface of the user's shoulder or upper arm. These side walls 7 are erected forward on the sides of the backrest 3. On the inner surface of the side walls 7, a shoulder-side massage section a1 is provided to massage the outer surface of the shoulder or upper arm. The shoulder-side massage section a1 is composed of an air cell 20 that expands and contracts with the supply and exhaust of air.

[0023] [Seat structure] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the seat 2 is provided with a seat cushion member 21, which is a third cushion member that contacts the user's buttocks, thighs, and calves. The seat cushion member 21 has a pair of left and right buttock massage sections a4 that massage the user's buttocks from below (back), a thigh massage section a5 that massages the thighs from below (back), and a seat cushion air cell c3 that supports the user's buttocks and thighs. The seat cushion air cell c3 is provided overlapping the buttock massage sections a4 and thigh massage sections a5. The buttock massage sections a4, thigh massage sections a5, and seat cushion air cell c3 are composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. The buttock massage sections a4 may also be configured to operate independently on the left and right sides.

[0024] In this embodiment, the seat cushion member 21 is provided so as to cover a portion of the footrest 4 from the seat 2, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, cushion members may be provided on both the seat 2 and the footrest 4. Alternatively, the buttock massage section a4 and the thigh massage section a5 may be combined into a single seat massage section. Furthermore, the buttock massage section a4, the thigh massage section a5, and the seat cushion air cell c3 may be combined into a single air cell 20 that performs two functions: a seat massage section and a cushion air cell.

[0025] [Armrest structure] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, armrests 6 are provided on both the left and right sides of the seat 2 to support the user's hands and forearms. An arm massage section a2 is provided in the vertical direction of the hands and forearms of the armrests 6. The arm massage section a2 is composed of an air cell 20 that expands and contracts by the supply and exhaust of air.

[0026] [Footrest configuration] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the footrest 4 is provided with a pair of leg massage sections a6 for massaging the user's legs and a pair of foot massage sections a7 for massaging the user's feet, one on each side. The leg massage section a6 and the foot massage section a7 are composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. The leg massage section a6 and the foot massage section a7 may be configured to operate independently on the left and right sides.

[0027] [Massage Unit Configuration] The following describes the configuration of the massage unit 8. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the backrest 3 is provided with a massage unit 8 that massages the user's upper body from the rear (back). Multiple massage units 8 may be provided along the direction of the user's height (in this embodiment, one). This massage unit 8 is composed of a pair of arms 81 on the left and right sides, and treatment points 82 provided at both the upper and lower ends of the arms 81. By driving the massage motors M1 and M2, the left and right treatment points 82 can move closer to and further away from each other to perform kneading massage, and the left and right treatment points 82 can alternately move forward and backward towards the user to perform tapping massage. Furthermore, the massage unit 8 can be moved upward or downward along the user's height by the lifting motor M3, allowing its position relative to the body to be changed or to perform a rolling massage. The back frame is provided with a pair of guide rails on the left and right sides that extend in the direction of the user's height, and the massage unit 8 moves along these guide rails. As the massage unit 8 moves in the direction of the user's height, the massage element 82 can massage the area from the user's neck to their waist.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the massage unit 8 has a base frame 80a and a movable frame 80b supported by the base frame 80a. The base frame 80a has guide rollers 83 that fit into guide rails on both its left and right sides. It can move along the vertical direction by a lifting mechanism (not shown) consisting of a rack and pinion or the like. The movable frame 80b is supported by the base frame 80a via a left-right pivot axis 84. A reciprocating drive unit 85 consisting of an air cell or the like is provided between the base frame 80a and the movable frame 80b. Driven by the reciprocating drive unit 85, the movable frame 80b can move back and forth in the front-rear direction around the pivot axis 84. Note that the structure does not have to move the movable frame 80b back and forth; the reciprocating drive unit 85 may be provided on the arm 81 so that only the arm 81 moves back and forth.

[0029] Arm 81 is connected to a kneading shaft 86 and a striking shaft 87 that extend in the left-right direction. On both the left and right sides of the kneading shaft 86, there are inclined cams 86a having inclined shaft portions 86b, and arm 81 is attached to these inclined cams 86a. The left and right inclined shaft portions 86b are inclined with respect to the axis of the kneading shaft 86 so as to form a roughly V-shape when viewed from the front. On both the left and right sides of the striking shaft 87, there are eccentric cams 87a having eccentric shaft portions 87b that are eccentric with respect to the axis of the striking shaft 87, and arm 81 is attached to these eccentric cams 87a via a connecting rod 88. The left and right eccentric shaft portions 87b are in different phases with respect to the axis of the striking shaft 87, specifically by 180 degrees. The kneading shaft 86 and the striking shaft 87 are rotated by the drive of massage motors M1 and M2, respectively. The treatment element 82 performs kneading massage by the rotation of the kneading shaft 86 and tapping massage by the rotation of the tapping shaft 87. The arm 81 on which the treatment element 82 is mounted, the kneading shaft 86, and the tapping shaft 87 are supported by a movable frame 80b. Therefore, the treatment element 82 can move forward and backward relative to the user by the movement of the movable frame 80b.

[0030] The arm 81 is movable in the front-rear direction and is biased by a biasing means (not shown) such as a spring so that the upper treatment element 82 protrudes forward. The massage unit 8 also has a sensor 89 that detects the user's body information. This sensor 89 can obtain body information by detecting when the arm 81 reaches a predetermined swing position. Specifically, in the process of raising the massage unit 8 along the height direction, when the upper treatment element 82 reaches above the shoulder, the load acting on the treatment element 82 is released, and the arm 81 swings forward to a predetermined swing position. The sensor 89 detects that the arm 81 has reached the predetermined swing position and detects the shoulder position based on the vertical position of the massage unit 8 at that time. Using the shoulder position as a reference, the positions of other parts (neck, back, waist, etc.) are calculated. The detected body information is stored in the memory unit 50.

[0031] [Structure of the first cushioning member (pillow portion)] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the first cushion member, the pillow portion 5, is composed of a relatively upper pillow cushion member 51 and a relatively lower pillow cushion member 52. The upper pillow cushion member 51 is made of a cushioning material such as urethane or cotton, and the lower pillow cushion member 52 is made of a cushioning material and a pillow cushion air cell c1 that supports the user's head. The pillow cushion air cell c1 is made of an air cell 20 that expands and contracts due to the supply and exhaust of air. Note that the cushion air cell may also be provided on the upper pillow cushion member 51.

[0032] The lower pillow cushion member 52 has a strip-shaped extension 53 that extends upward from the upper edge of the lower pillow cushion member 52. The extension 53 has a first attachment portion 531 at its upper end for attaching to the backrest portion 3, and the surface of the extension 53 (the surface facing the user) has an upper pillow attachment portion 532 for attaching the upper pillow cushion member 51. The upper pillow attachment portion 532 is composed of an upper pillow attachment portion 532A provided relatively above and an upper pillow attachment portion 532B provided relatively below.

[0033] The backrest portion 3 has a first mounting support portion 32 at a position above the pillow portion 5 (at the upper end of the backrest portion 3). The first mounting support portion 32 is configured to allow the first mounting portion 531 to be attached. In other words, the lower pillow cushion member 52 can be attached to the backrest portion 3 by the first mounting support portion 32 and the first mounting portion 531.

[0034] The upper pillow cushion member 51 has an upper pillow mounting receiver 510 on its back surface. The upper pillow mounting receiver 510 is configured to allow the attachment of the upper pillow mounting part 532. The upper pillow mounting receiver 510 is composed of an upper pillow mounting receiver 510A located relatively above the back surface of the upper pillow cushion member 51, and an upper pillow mounting receiver 510B located relatively below the back surface. The upper pillow mounting receivers 510A and 510B are arranged to correspond to the upper pillow mounting parts 532A and 532B, respectively. In other words, the upper pillow cushion member 51 can be attached to the extension part 53 by attaching the upper pillow mounting part 532A to the upper pillow mounting receiver 510A, and the upper pillow mounting part 532B to the upper pillow mounting receiver 510B, respectively. As a result, the upper pillow cushion member 51 and the lower pillow cushion member 52 are attached above the backrest 3 and suspended in mid-air.

[0035] Figure 6 is a side view of the lower pillow cushion member 52, where (a) is a side view of the cushion air cell c1 in a contracted state and (b) is a side view of the cushion air cell c1 in an inflated state. As shown in Figure 6, when the pillow cushion air cell c1 inflates, the lower pillow cushion member 52 deforms to match the inflated shape of the pillow cushion air cell c1. In this embodiment, the pillow cushion air cell c1 is provided to expand mainly forward (towards the user). As a result, the lower pillow cushion member 52 deforms forward, and the upper and lower fabrics of the lower pillow cushion member 52 are pulled. In other words, as shown in Figure 6(b), the vertical dimension of the lower pillow cushion member 52 becomes smaller and the front-to-back dimension becomes larger. This makes it possible to widen the vertical distance D between the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31. In this embodiment, the pillow cushion air cell c1 is provided to expand mainly forward, but this is not the only option. It may also be provided to expand left-to-right or upward.

[0036] [Structure of the second cushioning member (back cushioning member)] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the second cushion member, the back cushion member 31, has a lumbar massage section a3 that massages the user's lower back from the rear, and a back cushion air cell c2 that supports the user's back and lower back. The lumbar massage section a3 and the back cushion air cell c2 are composed of air cells 20 that expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. The lumbar massage section a3 may also be configured to operate independently on the left and right sides.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the back surface of the back cushion member 31 has a second mounting portion 33 for attaching the back cushion member 31 to the backrest portion 3. The second mounting portion 33 consists of a second mounting portion 33A provided on the relatively upper side and a second mounting portion 33B provided on the relatively lower side.

[0038] The backrest portion 3 has a second mounting support portion 34 for attaching the second mounting portion 33 at a position below the pillow portion 5 (at the lower end of the backrest portion 3). The second mounting support portion 34 consists of a second mounting support portion 34A provided relatively above and a second mounting support portion 34B provided relatively below. The second mounting support portions 34A and 34B are provided in an arrangement corresponding to the second mounting portions 33A and 33B. The back cushion member 31 can be attached to the backrest portion 3 by attaching the second mounting portion 33A to the second mounting support portion 34A and the second mounting portion 33B to the second mounting support portion 34B.

[0039] Figure 7(a) is a front view of the back cushion member 31, and (b) is a rear perspective view of the base plate 310 and air cell 20 located inside the back cushion member 31. As shown in Figure 7, the back cushion member 31 incorporates a base plate 310 for positioning the lumbar massage section a3 and the back cushion air cell c2. The vertical dimension of the base plate 310 is shorter than the vertical dimension of the back cushion member 31. More specifically, the upper portion of the back cushion member 31 and the base plate 310 are configured to have a non-overlapping portion, the remaining portion 311 (shaded area in Figure 7).

[0040] The base plate 310 is made of a resin material covered with a fabric-like material, and the lumbar massage section a3 and the back cushion air cell c2 can be positioned by sewing them to the fabric-like material. The base plate 310 has the back cushion air cell c2, which is approximately the same size as the base plate 310, fixed to its surface, and the lumbar massage section a3 fixed to the lower part of its back surface. In this embodiment, the lumbar massage section a3 is configured to rise up with its inner side as the expansion fulcrum, so that it can sandwich the user's back from both sides or press on it from both sides, but it is not limited to this. In this embodiment, it is sewn to the fabric-like material, but it is not limited to this as long as the structure allows for the positioning of the lumbar massage section a3 and the back cushion air cell c2.

[0041] Figure 8 is a side view of the massage machine 1 with the user seated, where (a) is a side view of the massage machine 1 in an upright position and (b) is a side view of the massage machine 1 in a reclined position. As shown in Figure 8, when the backrest 3 moves from an upright position to a reclined position (when the reclining angle increases), the user's back gradually slides downward. At this time, the user's load is greater on the back cushion member 31 than on the pillow 5. As a result, the back cushion member 31 is pulled downward (towards the seat 2) by the user's body leaning against it, causing deformation. Here, since the back cushion member 31 has a base plate 310 built in, it will not deform to a size smaller than the base plate 310. Therefore, the amount by which the back cushion member 31 can deform is limited to the size of the remaining part 311. In other words, when the back cushion member 31 is in a reclined position (when the reclining angle increases), it deforms so that the vertical gap D is wider than when it is in an upright position.

[0042] The mounting parts and receiving parts of the upper pillow cushion member 51, lower pillow cushion member 52, and back cushion member 31 can be in any form as long as they can be attached to each other, such as Velcro (registered trademark), zippers, or snap buttons. Also, the mounting parts and receiving parts may be reversed.

[0043] [Changes in cushion spacing due to tilt angle] As shown in Figure 8, in the backrest 3, the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31 are provided on the backrest 3 with a predetermined distance D in the vertical direction. Here, the distance when the backrest 3 is in an upright position is called the first distance D1, and the distance when the backrest 3 is in a reclined position is called the second distance D2. The relationship between the distances of the first distance D1 and the second distance D2 is first distance D1 < second distance D2. As the reclining angle of the backrest 3 is increased from the upright position, as described above, the back cushion member 31 is pulled downward and deformed by the body of the user leaning against it. In other words, the distance D gradually widens from the first distance D1 to the second distance D2, which is the maximum value in the reclined position.

[0044] Furthermore, the spacing D may be widened further by combining the inflation of the pillow cushion air cells c1 as described above. For example, as the tilt angle increases, the spacing D may be widened further by inflating the pillow cushion air cells c1 as shown in Figure 6(b). Alternatively, the spacing D may be widened by inflating the pillow cushion air cells c1 at predetermined timings (such as at the start or end of tilting).

[0045] Here, the interval D is preferably the location assumed to be the user's shoulder position when the massage machine 1 is in use. By setting it to this position, the user's shoulder can be treated with the treatment element 82 at interval D. In other words, the user's shoulder can be treated with the treatment element 82 without overlapping with the lower pillow cushion member 52, the back cushion member 31, or the air cell 20. Note that, taking into account the user's positional shift due to the tilting of the backrest 3, it may also be set to the location assumed to be the user's shoulder position in the tilted posture. In this way, even if the user's shoulder position shifts from the standing posture in the tilted posture, the shoulder can be treated with the treatment element 82.

[0046] Furthermore, the width of the second interval D2 is preferably wide enough for the treatment element 82 to adequately treat the user's shoulder. For example, it should be about the thickness of a human thumb (2-3 centimeters). In this way, when the user is in a reclined position, the treatment element 82 protrudes from the second interval D2, allowing the user to be massaged through the cover member 3c from between the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31. In other words, in an upright position, the cushion member C provides the user with a comfortable seating position, and in a reclined position, the cushion member C does not hinder the sensation of the treatment element 82 on the shoulder, allowing for a suitable massage.

[0047] The width of the second interval D2 may be wider or narrower than the aforementioned width, depending on the shape of the treatment element 82 and the type of treatment (such as kneading or tapping). In this embodiment, the interval D is maximized when the user is in a leaning position, but it may be maximized at a predetermined leaning angle or greater. Alternatively, the interval D during the leaning period, which is wider than the first interval D1 and narrower than the second interval D2, may be made wide enough to treat the user's shoulder with the treatment element 82. In this way, the user's shoulder can be treated with the treatment element 82 even at a leaning angle smaller than that of the leaning position. As the leaning angle increases, the user's body shifts downward from its original position, but the interval D may widen from the interval D during the leaning period to the second interval D2 as the user leans, so that the user's shoulder can be treated with the treatment element 82 in response to the shift from the original position.

[0048] [Operation Flow] Figure 9 is an operation flow diagram of a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 9, the operation flow consists of multiple steps. First, when the user turns on the power to the massage machine 1, the cushion air cells c1 to c3 inflate (step S1). Here, the amount of inflation of the cushion air cells c1 to c3 may be a predetermined amount, or it may be adjustable by the user. Alternatively, the previous inflation amount may be stored in the memory unit 50 and recalled. The inflation of the cushion air cells c1 to c3 provides the user with a comfortable seating experience. By using it in this state, the massage machine 1 can be used as a sofa.

[0049] Following step S1, the user selects a course button on the controller 10 to start the massage course (step S2). At this time, the cushion air cells c1 to c3 may be deflated. Doing so makes it easier for the massage unit (8, a3, a4, a5) to perform a massage without being obstructed by the cushion air cells c1 to c3. Alternatively, the pillow cushion air cell c1 may be inflated to a predetermined amount. Doing so causes the lower pillow cushion member 52 to deform due to the inflation of the pillow cushion air cell c1, and the gap D can be widened to a predetermined width. The controller 10 may be a tablet type or a remote control type, or a portable communication terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user may be used as the controller 10.

[0050] When the massage course begins, a reclining step is performed to change the backrest 3 to a tilted position (step S3). Specifically, the first actuator 11 is driven to tilt the backrest 3 relative to the seat 2. This widens the gap D to the second gap D2, allowing the treatment element 82 to protrude and treat the user's shoulder. Following step S3, a holding step is performed to hold the user's body with the shoulder-side massage unit a1 (step S4). Specifically, the pump 13a is driven to inflate the shoulder-side massage unit a1. By maintaining this inflated state, the shoulder-side massage unit a1 functions as a holding unit that can hold the outer surface of the user's shoulder or upper arm from the front. Holding the user's body with the shoulder-side massage unit a1 prevents the user's shoulder position from shifting during the massage by the massage unit 8.

[0051] Following step S4, the massage unit 8 performs a massage (step S5). Specifically, the lifting motor M3 is driven to move the massage unit 8 to the user's shoulder position. After moving to the shoulder position, the forward / backward drive unit 85 is driven to extend the treatment element 82 toward the user's shoulder. The treatment element 82 can treat the user's shoulder via the cover member 3c at the second interval D2. In this way, even if the massage machine 1 has a cushion member C provided in a position overlapping with the treatment element 82, a suitable massage can be performed.

[0052] The above operation flow is an example and is not limited to this. For example, when starting step S2, the cushion air cells c1 to c3 may be deflated. Doing so brings the user's back closer to the backrest 3, making it easier for the treatment element 82 to contact the shoulder. Alternatively, the inflation amount may be adjusted to a predetermined level. In this way, the sensation of treatment by the treatment element 82 can be adjusted by changing the size of the cushion member C. Furthermore, the massage unit 8 and massage parts a1 to a7 may be combined.

[0053] Furthermore, following step S3, the buttock massage section a4, the thigh massage section a5, and the seat cushion air cell c3 may be inflated. This allows the vertical position of the user's body to be adjusted. In other words, the shoulder position can be adjusted to a position between the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31. This allows the user's shoulders to be treated with the treatment device 82 at a distance D, according to the user's physique.

[0054] Figure 10 is a front view of a massage machine 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a lumbar massage section a3 is provided on the back cushion member 31 as a massage section using air cells 20, but a pair of back massage sections a8 using air cells 20 may be provided above the lumbar massage section a3 on the left and right sides. In this way, a massage can be performed by combining a mechanical massage unit 8 and an air-operated back massage section a8 near the user's shoulders. The back massage sections a8 may be operated independently on the left and right sides.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pillow cushion air cell c1 is provided on the pillow portion 5 (lower pillow cushion member 52), but a pair of pillow massage sections a9 using air cells 20 may be provided on the left and right sides, superimposed on the pillow cushion air cell c1. In this way, a massage can be performed near the user's shoulders by combining the mechanical massage unit 8 and the air-operated pillow massage section a9. Note that the pillow massage section a9 may be configured to be used as the pillow cushion air cell c1, or a pair of pillow massage sections a10 using air cells 20 may be provided on the left and right sides of the upper pillow cushion member 51. Note that the pillow massage sections a9 and a10 may be configured to operate independently on the left and right sides.

[0056] [Other embodiments] Figure 11 is a side view of the massage machine 1 with the user seated, where (a) is a side view of the massage machine 1 in an upright position according to another embodiment, and (b) is a side view of the massage machine 1 in a reclined position according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, the backrest 3 has a second mounting receiver 34 for attaching the second mounting part 33 at a position below the pillow part 5 (at the lower end of the backrest 3), but instead of the second mounting receiver 34, there may be a second mounting receiver 35 for attaching the second mounting part 33 at the rear of the seat 2 (towards the backrest 3). Here, the second mounting portion 33 is located on the back surface of the back cushion member 31, but it may also be located on the underside of the back cushion member 31. This makes it easier to attach to the seat 2 than when it is located on the back surface of the back cushion member 31 (Figure 11 shows the case where the second mounting portion 33 is located on the underside of the back cushion member 31). In this way, when the backrest 3 is in a tilted position (when the tilt angle is large), the back cushion member 31 is pulled by the seat 2, so it is located lower than when it is in an upright position. This makes it possible to change the gap D between the tilted and upright positions. Also, because it deforms when pulled by the seat 2, the gap D can be changed by tilting even when the user is not leaning firmly against the backrest 3.

[0057] Figure 12 is a side view of the back cushion member 31 in another embodiment, where (a) is a side view of the cushion air cell c2 in a contracted state and (b) is a side view of the cushion air cell c2 in an inflated state. Similar to the lower pillow cushion member 52, the back cushion member 31 may be configured to deform due to the expansion of the back cushion air cell c2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, the back cushion member 31 deforms to match the expanded shape of the back cushion air cell c2 when the back cushion air cell c2 expands. The back cushion air cell c2 is provided to expand mainly forward (towards the user). As a result, the back cushion member 31 deforms forward, and the fabric of the back cushion member 31 is pulled and moves forward. Here, the back cushion member 31 is deformed by the base plate 310 so that the lower part hardly deforms, and the upper part deforms so that the remaining part 311 moves forward. In other words, as shown in Figure 12(b), the upward dimension of the back cushion member 31 becomes smaller and the front-to-back dimension becomes larger. This makes it possible to widen the vertical distance D between the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the back cushion member 31. Furthermore, the spacing D may be widened by combining the inflation of the pillow cushion air cells c1 of the lower pillow cushion member 52 and the inflation of the back cushion air cells c2 of the back cushion member 31. In this way, the user's shoulders can be treated with the treatment device 82 even in a standing position. Note that the back cushion air cells c2 are mainly designed to inflate forward, but this is not the only option. They may also be designed to inflate to the left or right or upward. [Industrial applicability]

[0058] The present invention can be applied to a massage machine that can suitably perform a mechanical massage even if an air bladder or cushioning member is provided in a position that overlaps with the treatment position of the mechanical massage. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 2: Seat part 3: Backrest 31: Second cushioning member 5: First cushioning member C: Cushioning material D: Interval

Claims

1. A backrest having a cushioning material, It has a seat where the user sits, The cushion member is provided on the surface that contacts the user's back and consists of a first cushion member located relatively above and a second cushion member located relatively below. The backrest portion is rotatable in the front-to-back direction relative to the seat portion. A predetermined gap is provided between the first cushioning member and the second cushioning member. The massage machine is characterized in that the aforementioned interval is configured to differ according to the tilt angle of the backrest.

2. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cushion member has an air cell that expands and contracts.

3. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned interval widens as the tilt angle of the backrest relative to the seat increases.

4. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned interval narrows as the tilt angle of the backrest relative to the seat decreases.

5. A massage unit having a treatment element is provided inside the backrest so as to be able to move up and down. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the treatment element is positioned at the aforementioned interval, it is possible to treat the user's shoulder.

6. The first cushion member has a first mounting portion, The second cushioning member has a second mounting portion, The first cushion member is attached to the upper end of the backrest portion via the first mounting portion. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second cushion member is attached to the lower end of the backrest via the second mounting portion.

7. The first cushion member has a first mounting portion, The second cushioning member has a second mounting portion, The first cushion member is attached to the backrest portion via the first mounting portion. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second cushion member is attached to the seat portion via the second mounting portion.

8. Inside the second cushion member, An air cell that expands and contracts, A base plate for fixing the aforementioned air cell is provided, The vertical dimension of the base plate is shorter than the vertical dimension of the second cushion member. The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the second cushioning member is configured not to overlap with the base plate.

9. A massage unit having a treatment element for treating the user, which is provided inside the backrest, The backrest has a holding section on both the left and right sides that can hold at least a part of the user's body, It has a control unit and The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit tilts the backrest portion relative to the seat portion and holds the user with the holding portion, while performing treatment with the massage unit.

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