Massager

Abstract

We provide massage devices that allow for easy treatment. [Solution] The massager 100 comprises a treatment unit 2 and a supply unit 1. The treatment unit 2 is attached to the person receiving treatment 500. The supply unit 1 supplies fluid 20 to the treatment unit 2. The treatment unit 2 has a plurality of surrounding units 21 and a plurality of tubular units 22. The plurality of surrounding units 21 surround the area of ​​the person receiving treatment 500 and make contact with the area. The plurality of tubular units 22 are tubular in shape through which the fluid 20 flows and connect different surrounding units 21. The tubular units 22 can expand and contract radially around the tubular shape of the tubular unit 22 according to the amount of fluid 20 flowing through them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a massager.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a massage device for use during bathing has been known. For example, the jet device for a bubble bath tub of Patent Document 1 is equipped in a bathtub. A plurality of injection nozzles for injecting a predetermined bubble flow are arranged at at least two locations of the bathtub main body, and a bubble jet flow is sent from an injection pump into the bathtub main body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when it is desired to perform massage using the injection of a bubble flow, it is necessary to replace the bathtub equipment. Therefore, large-scale construction work is required. Therefore, it is difficult to easily perform massage.

[0005] In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a massager that can easily perform treatment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a massager according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a treatment unit and a supply unit. The treatment unit is attached to a person receiving treatment. The supply unit supplies fluid to the treatment unit. The treatment unit has a plurality of surrounding units and a plurality of tubular units. The plurality of surrounding units are in contact with the body part of the person receiving treatment so as to surround the body part. The plurality of tubular units are tube-shaped through which the fluid flows and connect different surrounding units. The tubular units are expandable and contractable radially around their tubular shape according to the amount of fluid flowing through them.

[0007] Further features and advantages of the present invention will be further revealed by the embodiments described below. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a massage device that allows for easy treatment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] External view showing an example of use of the massager according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Perspective view showing an example of a massager configuration. [Figure 3] Block diagram showing an example of the supply unit configuration. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a tubular section with a bellows-shaped wall. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a tubular section where a protrusion is located. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] <1. Embodiments> Figure 1 is an external view showing an example of use of the massager 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the massager 100. In Figure 1, when the massager 100 is attached to the person being treated 500, the direction from one side of the upper body of the person being treated 500 from the front side to the other is called the "front-back direction". Furthermore, in the front-back direction, the direction from the back side to the front side of the upper body of the person being treated 500 is called "forward", and the direction from the front side to the back side of the upper body of the person being treated 500 is called "back". Also, when the massager 100 is attached to the person being treated 500, the direction from one side of the left person being treated 500 from the other is called the "left-right direction". The left-right direction is perpendicular to the front-back direction. Furthermore, in the left-right direction, the direction from the right side to the left side of the person being treated 500 is called "left", and the direction from the left side to the right side of the person being treated 500 is called "right". Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the front-back and left-right directions is called the "up-down direction." One direction within the up-down direction is called "upward," and the other direction, opposite to upward, is called "downward." Note that the up-down direction, upward, and downward do not necessarily coincide with the vertical direction, vertically upward, and vertically downward, respectively.

[0012] The massager 100 comprises a treatment unit 2 and a supply unit 1. The treatment unit 2 is attached to a predetermined body part of the person to be treated 500 and provides treatment to that body part. The supply unit 1 is connected to the treatment unit 2 and supplies and draws fluid 20 to the treatment unit 2.

[0013] In this embodiment, the massager 100 is used in a bathroom 600. The fluid 20 is the hot water in the bathtub 601. The supply unit 1 is waterproof and can be placed in the fluid 20 (i.e., hot water) in the bathtub 601. Alternatively, the supply unit 1 may be connected to a faucet or the like that can dispense hot water. The supply unit 1 supplies and draws the fluid 20 to the treatment unit 2. The treatment unit 2 uses the pressure of the fluid 20, which corresponds to the amount of fluid 20 supplied, to perform treatment such as pressing on the body part to which the treatment unit 2 is attached.

[0014] Also, preferably, after supplying the fluid 20 (warm water), the supply unit 1 sucks the fluid 20 from the treatment unit 2. At this time, in the treatment unit 2, the pressure of the fluid 20 decreases according to the suction amount of the fluid 20. As a result, the pressing force on the body part is loosened or released. The supply unit 1 treats the body part of the subject 500 to whom the treatment unit 2 is attached by repeating the supply and suction of the fluid 20 to the treatment unit 2. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the supply unit 1 does not suck the fluid 20 from the treatment unit 2.

[0015] <1-1. Supply unit 1> Next, a configuration example of the supply unit 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the supply unit 1.

[0016] The supply unit 1 includes a circulation pipe 11, a pump 12, an operation unit 13, a power supply unit 14, a storage unit 15, and a control unit 16.

[0017] The circulation pipe 11 is a flow path for the fluid 20 and connects the pump 12 and the treatment unit 2. In the present embodiment, one end of the circulation pipe 11 is connected to the pump 12. The other end of the circulation pipe 11 branches into two and is connected to a pair of left and right treatment units 2, respectively.

[0018] The pump 12 is controlled by the control unit 16 and sends the fluid 20 accumulated in a predetermined container (for example, a bathtub 601) to the treatment unit 2. As a result, at least the tubular portion 22 of the treatment unit 2 expands and presses the body part to which the treatment unit 2 of the subject 500 is attached. Further, the pump 12 sucks the fluid 20 from the treatment unit 2. As a result, at least the tubular portion 22 of the treatment unit 2 contracts and loosens or releases the pressing force on the body part to which the treatment unit 2 of the subject 500 is attached. The massager 100 can promote blood circulation in the body part by pressing the body part with a combination of relaxation and pressure as described above. The fluid 20 sucked from the treatment unit 2 may be discharged into a predetermined container (for example, a bathtub 601) or may be sent into the pump 12 and used at the next supply.

[0019] The operation unit 13 receives operation inputs from a person including the patient 500 and outputs them to the control unit 16. The operation unit 13 includes, for example, a power ON / OFF switch button, a treatment start / stop switch button, and the like.

[0020] The power supply unit 14 supplies power to the components that require power in the massager 100. The power supply unit 14 may be, for example, a primary battery such as a dry battery, or a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power supply unit 14 may be a wired power source that can be connected to a power outlet connected to the commercial power grid.

[0021] The storage unit 15 is a non-transitory storage medium that maintains storage even when the power supply is stopped. The storage unit 15 stores programs, data, etc. used by the control unit 16.

[0022] The control unit 16 controls the components that require control in the massager 100, for example, using the programs, data, etc. stored in the storage unit 15.

[0023] <1-2. Treatment Unit 2> In this embodiment, the treatment units 2 are a pair on the left and right and are worn on the arms of the patient 500. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the left treatment unit 2 is worn on the left arm of the patient 500, and the right treatment unit 2 is worn on the right arm of the patient 500. The pair of left and right treatment units 2 are connected to the pump 12 of the supply unit 1 via the flow pipe 11.

[0024] However, it is not limited to the example of this embodiment. The treatment units 2 do not have to be a pair on the left and right, and may be single or a plurality of three or more. Also, the treatment units 2 may be worn on body parts other than the arms, for example, on the lower limbs, the torso, etc. Also, when there are a plurality of treatment units 2, some of the treatment units 2 may be worn on different body parts from some of the other treatment units 2. For example, some of the treatment units 2 may be worn on the arms, and some of the others may be worn on the lower limbs.

[0025] In this embodiment, the configuration of each treatment unit 2 is the same. Below, as an example, the configuration of one treatment unit 2 attached to the arm will be described.

[0026] The treatment section 2 has a plurality of surrounding sections 21 and a plurality of tubular sections 22.

[0027] In this embodiment, the multiple surrounding portions 21 are hollow inside and tubular in shape, through which the fluid 20 can flow. They surround a body part (i.e., an arm) of the person receiving treatment 500, making contact with the body part and arranged in a line along the body part. In other words, the multiple surrounding portions 21 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the body part and also in a line along the longitudinal direction of the body part. The multiple surrounding portions 21 include a first surrounding portion 211 and a second surrounding portion 212.

[0028] The first encircling portion 211 is fixed to a body part of the patient 500 to which the treatment portion 2 is attached. For example, in this embodiment, the first encircling portion 211 is fixed to the upper arm. Here, "fixed" refers to a state in which the movement of the first encircling portion 211 along the body part it surrounds is sufficiently suppressed or prevented. The means of fixing the first encircling portion 211 are not particularly limited. For example, the first encircling portion 211 may be fixed by surrounding the body part (the upper arm in Figures 1 and 2) and applying pressure (to the extent that it does not cause congestion), or it may be fixed using a fixing jig such as a hook-and-loop fastener. In this embodiment, there is one first encircling portion 211, but the number is not limited to this example and there may be multiple. Also, the part to which the first encircling portion 211 is fixed may be other than the upper arm, for example, the shoulder or forearm.

[0029] The second surrounding portion 212 is movably attached along a body part of the person receiving treatment 500 and compresses the area around that body part. For example, the position of the second surrounding portion 212 in the longitudinal direction of the arm changes as fluid flows through the treatment portion 2. In this embodiment, the second surrounding portion 212 is attached near the elbow joint and the forearm (near the wrist, etc.) (see Figure 1). However, it is not limited to this example, and the second surrounding portion 212 may be attached to only either the elbow joint or the forearm. Also, there may be one second surrounding portion 212 or three or more. Furthermore, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which the second surrounding portion 212 does not move along a body part of the person receiving treatment 500.

[0030] In this embodiment, all surrounding portions 21 are hollow inside and have a tubular shape through which the fluid 20 can flow. Furthermore, in all surrounding portions 21, the tubular shape is a ring shape that continuously surrounds the body part (i.e., the arm) of the person receiving treatment 500. However, the embodiment is not limited to this example, and in at least some of the surrounding portions 21, the tubular shape described above does not have to be a continuous ring shape, but may have one or more breaks that surround the body part (for example, a C-shape).

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, all surrounding portions 21 are annular in shape, encircling the body part (i.e., the arm) of the person receiving treatment 500 in a continuous ring shape. However, the embodiment is not limited to this example, and at least some of the surrounding portions 21 do not have to be annular in shape, as long as their shape of encircling the body part (i.e., the arm) of the person receiving treatment 500 does not collapse due to their own expansion or contraction. In other words, at least some of the surrounding portions 21 do not have to be an annular shape, but have one or more breaks that encircle the body part (for example, a C-shape).

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the treatment unit 2 is attached to the arm. However, it is not limited to this example, and the treatment unit 2 can be attached to parts other than the arm. For example, the treatment unit 2 may be attached to the leg. In this case, the first retractable part 211 may be fixed to the thigh (near the hip joint, etc.). The second retractable part 212 may be attached to the thigh or near the knee joint of the lower leg, near the ankle of the lower leg, etc. Even in this case, the second retractable part 212 can move in the longitudinal direction of the leg by supplying and discharging fluid 20 to the tubular part 22. Another example is that the treatment unit 2 may be attached to the torso.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, one first retractable portion 211 and two second retractable portions 212 are arranged in this order along the length of the arm. However, the order in which the first retractable portion 211 and the second retractable portions 212 are arranged along the length of the arm (for example, from the upper arm towards the forearm) may be arranged in the order of second retractable portion 212, first retractable portion 211, and second retractable portion 212.

[0034] In this embodiment, the end of the circulation tube 11 on the treatment section 2 side is connected to the first retractable section 211 on the upper arm side. However, the embodiment is not limited to this example, and the end of the circulation tube 11 on the treatment section 2 side may be connected to the second retractable section 212 or to the tubular section 22.

[0035] Multiple tubular sections 22 are tube-shaped, extending along the length of a body part (an arm in Figure 1), connecting different surrounding sections 21, and arranging along the perimeter of the body part. The interiors of the tubular sections 22 are connected to the interiors of the surrounding sections 21. Therefore, the fluid 20 can flow from one of the surrounding sections 21 to the other. The fluid 20 can also flow from one adjacent surrounding section 21 to the other via the tubular sections 22.

[0036] In this embodiment, a portion of the tubular portion 22 is positioned on the upper arm side, extending along the length of the upper arm to connect the first retractable portion 211 on the upper arm side and the second retractable portion 212 near the elbow joint. That is, one end is connected to the first retractable portion 211 on the upper arm side, and the other end is connected to the second retractable portion 212 near the elbow joint.

[0037] Other tubular portions 22 are positioned on the forearm side, extending along the forearm in their longitudinal direction, connecting the second reinforcing portions 212 aligned along the longitudinal direction of the forearm. That is, one end is connected to a second reinforcing portion 212 near the elbow joint, and the other end is connected to a second reinforcing portion 212 on the wrist side.

[0038] A fluid 20 (i.e., hot water) can flow through the inside of the tubular section 22. In addition, at least one of the tubular sections 22 can expand and contract radially with respect to the center of the tubular shape of the tubular section 22, depending on the amount of fluid 20 flowing through it. For example, a highly elastic resin material is used for the material of the tubular section 22. When the internal pressure of the tubular section 22 exceeds a first predetermined value as the supply amount of fluid 20 increases, the tubular section 22 expands radially outward in proportion to the increase in supply amount. In other words, the inner and outer diameters of the tubular section 22 become larger. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the expanded tubular section 22 decreases as the supply amount of fluid 20 to the tubular section 22 decreases or the suction amount of fluid 20 increases, the tubular section 22 contracts radially inward in proportion to the decrease in supply amount. In other words, the inner and outer diameters of the tubular section 22 become smaller. Furthermore, when the internal pressure of the tubular portion 22 falls below a first predetermined value, the inner and outer diameters of the tubular portion 22 return to their original sizes.

[0039] According to the massager 100, when fluid 20 is supplied to the treatment section 2, the fluid 20 is supplied from a supply section 1 located in the fluid 20 (i.e., hot water). For example, in this embodiment, the fluid 20 flows from the supply section 1 through the flow pipe 11 to the treatment section 2 and is supplied to the tubular first retractable section 211. The fluid 20 is supplied by flowing from the first retractable section 211 to the tubular section 22 between the first retractable section 211 and the second retractable section 212 near the elbow joint, the second retractable section 212 near the elbow joint, the tubular section 22 between the second retractable section 212 near the elbow joint and the second retractable section 212 near the wrist, and the second retractable section 212 near the wrist.

[0040] On the other hand, when the fluid 20 is drawn in from the treatment unit 2, in this embodiment, the fluid 20 flows and is drawn in the following order: from the second retractable part 212 near the wrist, through the tubular part 22 between the second retractable part 212 near the wrist and the second retractable part 212 near the elbow joint, the second retractable part 212 near the elbow joint, the tubular part 22 between the second retractable part 212 near the elbow joint and the first retractable part 211, the first retractable part 211, the flow pipe 11, and the supply unit 1, and is discharged to the outside from the supply unit 1.

[0041] The massager 100 provides treatment to the body part to which the treatment unit 2 is attached by repeatedly supplying and discharging the fluid 20 as described above.

[0042] For example, the fluid 20 is supplied to and discharged from the tubular section 22 between the first retractable section 211 and the second retractable section 212 near the elbow joint. The fluid 20 is also supplied to and discharged from the tubular section 22 between the second retractable section 212 near the elbow joint and the second retractable section 212 near the wrist. As a result, the tube walls 221 of each tubular section 22 expand and contract. Furthermore, as the tube walls 221 expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the attachment site (e.g., the arm), each tubular section 22 applies pressure and treatment to the area of ​​contact with the tubular section 22 on the attachment site (e.g., the arm).

[0043] Furthermore, each tubular portion 22 expands and contracts along its length along the attachment area due to expansion and contraction. As a result, the position of the second reinforcing portion 212 moves along the length of the attachment area. For example, the tube wall 221 expands along the length of the attachment area due to expansion. As a result, the second reinforcing portion 212 moves away from the first reinforcing portion 211 towards the end of the attachment area (for example, the hand from the wrist to the fingertips). On the other hand, as the fluid 20 flows out from the tubular portion 22, the tube wall 221 contracts along the length of the attachment area due to contraction. As a result, the second reinforcing portion 212 moves closer to the first reinforcing portion 211 towards the base of the attachment area (for example, the elbow joint or shoulder joint).

[0044] Furthermore, the fluid 20 is also supplied to and discharged from the tubular retractor portion 21. As a result, the tubular retractor portion 21 also expands and contracts, applying pressure to the attachment site. For example, the tubular retractor portion 21 compresses the attachment site by expanding in response to the supply of fluid 20, and weakens or releases the pressure on the attachment site by contracting in response to the outflow of fluid 20.

[0045] Furthermore, the tubular second retractor portion 212 can move along the length of the attachment site while applying pressure to the attachment site by supplying and discharging fluid 20 to itself and to the tubular portion 22. Therefore, the tubular second retractor portion 212 can perform a stroking treatment on the attachment site in its length. Here, "stroking" refers to the movement of the point of pressure while applying pressure.

[0046] Thus, the massager 100 can apply pressure and massage to the body part to which the treatment unit 2 is attached by stroking it, using the tubular surrounding section 21 and tubular section 22 that expand and contract due to the supply and suction (outflow) of the fluid 20. Therefore, the massager 100 can treat the person being treated 500 during bathing, etc., without requiring integrated installation with equipment such as a bathtub 601. Thus, the person being treated 500 can easily receive treatment by using the massager 100.

[0047] Furthermore, the treatment section 2 is composed of highly elastic components (the surrounding section 21 and the tubular section 22). Therefore, when the massager 100 is not in use, it can be folded compactly. Thus, the massager 100 can be stored in a space-saving manner and easily.

[0048] When the fluid 20 is not supplied, the tubular surrounding portion 21 and the tubular portion 22 remain contracted without expanding, and do not compress the area to be treated. Therefore, the treatment portion 2 can be easily attached to the body part to be treated.

[0049] Preferably, the diameter of the surrounding portion 21 is greater than the diameter of the tubular portion 22. More specifically, the diameter of at least one of the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 is greater than the diameter of the tubular portion 22. Here, diameter refers to, for example, the outer diameter of the surrounding portion 21 (first surrounding portion 211, second surrounding portion 212) and the outer diameter of the tubular portion 22. This makes it possible to make the surrounding portion 21 thicker. Therefore, for example, by making the first surrounding portion 211 thicker, the first surrounding portion 211 can be fixed to the body part more stably. Also, by making the second surrounding portion 212 thicker, the therapeutic force applied to the body part by the second surrounding portion 212 can be made stronger. However, this example does not exclude configurations in which the diameter of the surrounding portion 21 is not greater than the diameter of the tubular portion 22.

[0050] In this embodiment, the surrounding portion 21 is tubular in shape, allowing fluid 20 to flow between it and the inside of the tubular portion 22. For example, the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 are tubular in shape as described above. This allows the interiors of multiple tubular portions 22 connected to the surrounding portion 21 to be connected via the interior of the tubular surrounding portion 21. In other words, the massager 100 can circulate fluid 20 through multiple tubular portions 22 via the tubular surrounding portion 21. To put it another way, the treatment portion 2 does not need to have a new tubular member that serves as a bypass path for fluid 20 between different tubular portions 22 in the circumferential direction of the body part to which the treatment portion 2 is attached. Therefore, the massager 100 can prevent complexity in the fluid 20 flow path. However, the above examples do not exclude a configuration in which the treatment portion 2 has a tubular member that serves as the bypass path described above. Furthermore, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which at least one of the surrounding portions 21 is not tubular in shape and in which fluid 20 cannot flow inside it. For example, the surrounding portion 21 located at the outermost end in the longitudinal direction of the body part to which the treatment portion 2 is attached (for example, the second surrounding portion 212 attached near the wrist in Figure 1) does not have to be tubular in shape.

[0051] Preferably, at least one of the tubular-shaped surrounding portions 21 can expand and contract radially with respect to the center of the tubular shape in accordance with the flow rate of the fluid 20. For example, a highly elastic resin material is used for the material of the surrounding portion 21. When the internal pressure of the surrounding portion 21 exceeds a second predetermined value as the supply rate of the fluid 20 increases, the surrounding portion 21 expands radially outward. That is, the inner and outer diameters of the surrounding portion 21 increase. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the expanded surrounding portion 21 decreases as the supply rate of the fluid 20 to the surrounding portion 21 decreases or the suction rate of the fluid 20 increases, the surrounding portion 21 contracts radially inward. That is, the inner and outer diameters of the surrounding portion 21 decrease. Furthermore, when the internal pressure of the surrounding portion 21 falls below the second predetermined value, the inner and outer diameters of the surrounding portion 21 return to their original size. In this way, the massager 100 can apply pressure to the person being treated 500 by the surrounding portion 21 which expands and contracts due to the supply and suction of the fluid 20. However, this example does not exclude configurations in which at least one of the tubular surrounding portions 21 has low elasticity, nor does it exclude configurations in which at least one of the surrounding portions 21 is not tubular in shape as described above.

[0052] Preferably, the tubular portion 22 is expandable and contractible in the stretching direction in which it extends, depending on the flow rate of the fluid 20. For example, the tubular portion 22 may have high elasticity in the stretching direction in which it extends. Alternatively, the tube wall 221 of the tubular portion 22 may have a bellows shape extending in the stretching direction (see Figure 4). The stretching direction mentioned above is, for example, the longitudinal direction of the tubular portion 22, and in this embodiment, for example, the longitudinal direction of the arm. That is, the tubular portion 22 expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction of the body part (in this embodiment, the arm) to which the treatment unit 2 is attached, with the first surrounding portion 211 as the reference position, in response to the pressure of the fluid 20.

[0053] In this way, the massager 100 can move the second retractor portion 212 relative to the first retractor portion 211 as the tubular portion 22 expands and contracts, or in other words, it can move the second retractor portion 212 that compresses the body part of the person being treated 500 (for example, the forearm, upper arm) in the extension direction (for example, the length direction of the arm). As a result, the massager 100 can manipulate blood flow in a direction away from the heart or towards the heart, relative to the fixed position of the first retractor portion 211. Therefore, the massager 100 can promote blood circulation in the body part to which the treatment portion 2 is attached.

[0054] For example, when the internal pressure of the tubular portion 22 exceeds a third predetermined value due to an increase in the supply amount of fluid 20, the tubular portion 22 stretches in the stretching direction in proportion to the increase in the supply amount, moving the second revetment portion 212 away from the first revetment portion 211. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the expanded tubular portion 22 decreases due to a decrease in the supply amount of fluid 20 to the tubular portion 22 or an increase in the amount of fluid 20 drawn in, the tubular portion 22 shrinks in the stretching direction in proportion to the decrease in the supply amount, moving the second revetment portion 212 closer to the first revetment portion 211. Furthermore, when the internal pressure of the tubular portion 22 falls below the third predetermined value, the length of the tubular portion 22 in the stretching direction and the distance between the first revetment portion 211 and the second revetment portion 212 return to their original values.

[0055] The tube wall 221 of the tubular portion 22 may be bellows-shaped. In this case, preferably, the tubular portion 22 further has a cover 222 that surrounds the outside of the tube wall 221. The cover 222 has a smooth outer surface and high elasticity in the stretching direction. With the cover 222 surrounding it, when the outer surface of the tubular portion 22 having the bellows-shaped tube wall 221 comes into contact with a body part of the person being treated 500, the smooth cover 222 comes into contact with the body part. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the bellows-shaped folded portion from coming into contact with or digging into the skin. However, the example in Figure 4 does not exclude a configuration in which the tubular portion 22 having the bellows-shaped tube wall 221 does not have a cover 222.

[0056] Furthermore, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which the tubular portion 22 has low elasticity in the extension direction, nor do they exclude configurations in which the tube wall 221 of the tubular portion 22 is not bellows-shaped.

[0057] Preferably, the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the second surrounding portion 212 side is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the first surrounding portion 211 side. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​fluid 20 flow on the second surrounding portion 212 side of the tubular portion 22 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​fluid 20 flow on the first surrounding portion 211 side of the tubular portion 22. In this way, the radial expansion and contraction width of the tube wall 221 on the second surrounding portion 212 side is larger than on the first surrounding portion 211 side. Consequently, the difference in pressure between the second surrounding portion 212 side of the tubular portion 22 and the body parts of the person being treated 500 is larger than on the first surrounding portion 211 side. Thus, the massager 100 can make the treatment intensity on the second surrounding portion 212 side of the tubular portion 22 stronger than the treatment intensity on the first surrounding portion 211 side.

[0058] More preferably, the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 decreases as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​fluid 20 flowing within the tubular portion 22 decreases as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side. In this way, the radial expansion and contraction width of the tube wall 221 increases as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side. Consequently, the difference in pressure between the tubular portion 22 and the body parts of the person being treated 500 increases as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side. Thus, the massager 100 can increase the therapeutic intensity of the tubular portion 22 against the body parts as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side.

[0059] However, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 does not decrease as it moves from the first surrounding portion 211 side to the second surrounding portion 212 side, nor do they exclude configurations in which the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the second surrounding portion 212 side is not smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the first surrounding portion 211 side.

[0060] Preferably, as shown in Figure 5, the treatment section 2 has a protrusion 23. The protrusion 23 is positioned on the outer surface of the tubular section 22 in the area that contacts the body part of the person being treated 500, and protrudes radially outward. For example, the protrusion 23 is positioned on the outer surface of the tube wall 221 in the aforementioned area. Alternatively, if a cover 222 is provided as shown in Figure 4, the protrusion 23 is positioned on the outer surface of the cover 222 in the aforementioned area. When the tubular section 22 presses against the body part of the person being treated 500, the protrusion 23 contacts the surface of the body part, thereby applying strong localized pressure to that surface. Therefore, the massager 100 can improve the therapeutic effect on the body part by the tubular section 22 by the arrangement of the protrusion 23.

[0061] Preferably, as shown in Figure 5, multiple protrusions 23 are arranged in the direction of extension of the tubular portion 22 itself. This allows the treatment portion 2 to have more contact points of the protrusions 23 with the body part, thereby further improving the therapeutic effect of the tubular portion 22 on the body part.

[0062] More preferably, the degree of protrusion of the convex portion 23 increases in accordance with the expansion of the tubular portion 22. For example, the thickness of the tube wall 221 at the base of the convex portion 23 protruding from the outer surface of the tube wall 221 may be thinner than the portion where the convex portion 23 is not located. Alternatively, the material of the tube wall 221 at the base of the convex portion 23 may be more elastic than the material of the portion where the convex portion 23 is not located. In this way, the degree of protrusion of the convex portion 23 increases in accordance with the increase in the amount of fluid 20 supplied to the tubular portion 22, while decreasing in accordance with a decrease in the amount of fluid 20 supplied to the tubular portion 22 or an increase in the amount of fluid 20 drawn in. Therefore, the treatment unit 2 can make the difference in the speed of pressure applied by the convex portion 23 in accordance with the amount of fluid 20 supplied greater.

[0063] Furthermore, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which the degree of protrusion of the convex portion 23 does not change in accordance with the expansion of the tubular portion 22. Also, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which multiple convex portions 23 are not arranged on the tubular portion 22, nor do they exclude configurations in which the tubular portion 22 does not have convex portions 23.

[0064] Next, similar to the tubular portion 22, the surrounding portion 21 may also have one or more protrusions 23. For example, the protrusions 23 are arranged on the outer surface of the surrounding portion 21 in the area that contacts the person being treated 500, and protrude radially outward. The one or more protrusions 23 of the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 are arranged on the outer surface of the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 in the area that contacts the body part of the person being treated 500, and come into contact with the body part when the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 are attached. The contact of the protrusions 23 of the first surrounding portion 211 makes it difficult for the first surrounding portion 211 to shift from its predetermined fixed position on the body part. In other words, the first surrounding portion 211 can be fixed more stably. Furthermore, the protrusion 23 of the second surrounding portion 212 comes into contact with the surface of the body part of the person being treated 500 when the second surrounding portion 212 presses against the body part, thereby applying strong localized pressure to that surface. This improves the therapeutic effect on the body part by the second surrounding portion 212. Note that the above examples do not exclude configurations in which at least one of the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212 does not have a protrusion 23.

[0065] In addition, the treatment unit 2 may further have an outer wall 24 (see Figure 5). The outer wall 24 is positioned at least on the side of the tubular unit 22 opposite to the body part of the person being treated 500. When the tubular unit 22 expands in accordance with the amount of fluid 20 supplied, the outer wall 24 suppresses or prevents the expansion of the tubular unit 22 toward the side opposite to the body part. The arrangement of the outer wall 24 makes it possible to increase the expansion of the tubular unit 22 toward the body part in accordance with the amount of fluid 20 supplied compared to the case where the outer wall 24 is not provided. Therefore, the treatment efficiency of the tubular unit 22 during expansion can be improved.

[0066] In this embodiment, the outer wall portion 24 is cylindrical, surrounding the enclosing portion 21 and the tubular portion 22, and suppresses or prevents the enclosing portion 21 from expanding toward the opposite side of the body part in accordance with the amount of fluid 20 supplied. This further increases the expansion of the enclosing portion 21 toward the body part in accordance with the amount of fluid 20 supplied. Therefore, the treatment efficiency of the enclosing portion 21 during expansion can be improved. However, the above examples do not exclude configurations in which the treatment portion 2 does not have an outer wall portion 24.

[0067] <2. Remarks> The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be noted that the embodiments described above are illustrative, and various modifications are possible in the combination of each component and each process, and this will be understood by those skilled in the art as being within the scope of the present invention.

[0068] For example, in this embodiment, the fluid 20 is hot water, but is not limited to this example and may be a liquid or gas other than hot water. Also, in this embodiment, the massager 100 is used in the bathtub 601 of the bathroom 600, and the supply unit 1 is placed in the fluid 20. However, is not limited to this example, and the supply unit 1 may be placed in the fluid 20 accumulated in a container other than the bathtub 601, and the massager 100 may be used in a location other than the bathroom 600.

[0069] In this embodiment, the supply unit 1 uses a pump 12 to draw hot water from the bathtub 601 and supply it to the treatment unit 2. However, the system is not limited to this example, and the supply unit 1 may be connected to a shower hose, a hot water inlet, etc., and the hot water supplied from these may be supplied to the treatment unit 2 by the water pressure. In this case, the hot water supplied to the treatment unit 2 may be drained from a drain (not shown) located in the treatment unit 2 or the supply unit 1.

[0070] <3. Summary> The embodiments described so far will be summarized below.

[0071] For example, the massager 100 disclosed herein is The treatment unit 2 is attached to the patient 500, A supply unit 1 that supplies fluid 20 to the treatment unit 2, Equipped with, The aforementioned treatment unit 2 is A plurality of surrounding portions 21 that surround and contact the area of ​​the person being treated 500, It has a tubular shape through which the fluid 20 flows, and includes a plurality of tubular parts 22 that connect different surrounding parts 21, It has, The tubular portion 22 is configured to expand and contract radially around its tubular shape in accordance with the flow rate of the fluid 20 (first configuration).

[0072] The massager 100 with the above first configuration is At least one of the surrounding portions 21 may be configured to be tubular in shape, allowing the fluid 20 to flow between it and the inside of the tubular portion 22 (second configuration).

[0073] Furthermore, the massager 100 with the second configuration described above is At least one of the surrounding portions 21 may be configured to expand and contract radially with respect to the center of the tubular shape in accordance with the flow rate of the fluid 20 (third configuration).

[0074] Furthermore, the massager 100 having any of the above configurations 1 to 3 is, The multiple surrounding portions 21 may also be configured to have a first surrounding portion 211 fixed to the portion (fourth configuration).

[0075] Furthermore, the massager 100 having any of the above configurations 1 to 4 is, The multiple surrounding portions 21 are, The first reinforcing portion 211 is fixed to the aforementioned portion, A second retractable portion 212 is attached so as to be movable along the aforementioned portion and compresses the area around the said portion, It has, The tubular portion 22 may be configured to connect the first surrounding portion 211 and the second surrounding portion 212, and to be expandable and contractible in a direction that extends according to the flow rate of the fluid 20 (fifth configuration).

[0076] Furthermore, the massager 100 with the fifth configuration described above is The inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the side of the second surrounding portion 212 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular portion 22 on the side of the first surrounding portion 211 (sixth configuration).

[0077] Furthermore, the massager 100 having any of the above configurations 1 to 6 is, The area of ​​the outer surface of the tubular portion 22 that is in contact with the person receiving treatment 500 may be configured such that a protrusion 23 is arranged therein (seventh configuration).

[0078] Furthermore, the massager 100 with the seventh configuration described above is The protrusions 23 may be arranged in a plurality in the direction in which the tubular portion 22 itself extends (eighth configuration).

[0079] Furthermore, the massager 100 having the seventh or eighth configuration described above is The degree of protrusion of the convex portion 23 may be configured to increase in accordance with the expansion of the tubular portion 22 (the ninth configuration). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 100... Massager, 500... Patient, 600... Bathroom, 601... Bathtub, 1... Supply unit, 11... Flow pipe, 12... Pump, 13... Operation unit, 14... Power supply unit, 15... Memory unit, 16... Control unit, 2... Treatment unit, 20... Fluid, 21... Enclosure unit, 211... First enclosure unit, 212... Second enclosure unit, 22... Tubular unit, 221... Pipe wall, 222... Cover, 23... Protrusion, 24... Outer wall unit

Claims

1. The treatment unit is attached to the person receiving treatment, A supply unit that supplies fluid to the treatment area, Equipped with, The aforementioned treatment area is, Multiple surrounding portions that surround and contact the area of ​​the person being treated, It has a tubular shape through which the fluid flows, and comprises multiple tubular sections connecting different surrounding sections, It has, A massager in which the tubular portion can expand and contract radially around the tubular shape of the tubular portion in accordance with the amount of fluid flowing through it.

2. The massager according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surrounding portions is tubular in shape, allowing the fluid to flow between it and the inside of the tubular portion.

3. The massager according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the surrounding portions is expandable and contractable radially with respect to the center of the tubular shape in accordance with the amount of fluid flowing through it.

4. The massager according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of winding portions each have a first winding portion fixed to the portion.

5. The multiple surrounding portions are, A first surrounding portion fixed to the aforementioned part, A second surrounding portion is attached so as to be movable along the aforementioned portion and compresses the area around the said portion, It has, The massager according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tubular portion connects the first retractable portion and the second retractable portion, and is expandable and contractible in the direction in which the tubular portion itself extends according to the amount of fluid flowing.

6. The massager according to claim 5, wherein the inner diameter of the tubular portion on the second surrounding portion side is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular portion on the first surrounding portion side.

7. The massager according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a protrusion is arranged on the outer surface of the tubular portion in the area that comes into contact with the person receiving treatment.

8. The massager according to claim 7, wherein the convex portions are arranged in a plurality in the direction in which the tubular portion itself extends.

9. The massager according to claim 7, wherein the degree of protrusion of the convex portion increases in accordance with the expansion of the tubular portion.

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