Migraine eye mask

Abstract

To provide an eye mask for migraines that is positioned to cover the eyes in front of the face. [Solution] An eye mask for irradiating the eyeball with green light while the eyes are closed, wherein an organic EL sheet that emits green light is arranged in the mask body so that the emitted light is irradiated toward the eyeball. As a result, when a wearer (patient) with migraines wears the eye mask, even if their eyes are closed, a stable intensity of green light can be irradiated to the retina of the fundus of the eye through the eyelids, thereby having the effect of alleviating the patient's migraines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an eye mask for migraine that is arranged and used to cover the eyes on the front of the face.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, visible light is considered to be one of the factors causing migraine, and it is thought that 80% of patients with migraine symptoms experience photosensitivity to visible light. That is, visible light is an exacerbating factor for migraine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This paper, Non-Patent Literature 1, examines the correlation between visible light and migraines. Non-Patent Literature 1 reports the results of comparing changes in headache intensity when migraine sufferers were exposed to light of various wavelengths (blue 447nm, green 530nm, amber 590nm, red 627nm) during migraine attacks. According to this study, only when exposed to weak green light (530nm) did migraines appear to be reduced rather than worsened. In other words, green light can be said to be effective in reducing migraine symptoms. As disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, due to the light transmission properties of melanin and blood, the eyelids exhibit relatively high transmittance, particularly for red light and near-infrared light with wavelengths of 600 nm or longer. Green light also has a relatively long wavelength and is known to transmit about 1% through the eyelids. Therefore, when using an eye mask, it is thought that long-wavelength visible light can penetrate the eyelids and reach the fundus of the eye even with the eyes closed. From this, it is thought that green light can penetrate the eyelids and reach the fundus of the eye even with the eyes closed. For these reasons, there has been a desire for a simple method to irradiate the eyes of migraine sufferers with green light, regardless of whether their eyes are open or closed, in order to alleviate migraines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problem, method 1 is an eye mask for irradiating the eyeball with green light while the eyes are closed, wherein an organic EL sheet that emits green light is arranged in the mask body so that the emitted light is irradiated towards the eyeball. This allows migraine sufferers to wear an eye mask and, even with their eyes closed, receive a stable intensity of green light through their eyelids to the retina, thereby reducing their migraine symptoms. Furthermore, because the device uses an organic EL sheet, a surface light source capable of emitting green light, it is expected to uniformly illuminate the retina and reach it widely through pathways other than the pupil.

[0006] An "organic EL sheet" is a light-emitting device made of organic electroluminescence (OLED) in sheet form. Electroluminescence refers to the light-emitting phenomenon that occurs when a voltage is applied to a substance, or to a light-emitting device that utilizes such a phenomenon. Organic EL sheets are highly flexible and can be easily bent and flexed. It is also possible to fix their shape in a curved state. In organic EL light-emitting devices, light emission from excitons generated when electrons and holes are bound on organic molecules is used, and the wavelength of this emission changes depending on the structure of the organic molecule. For the organic EL sheet used in this invention, it is preferable to emit green light at 530±20nm.

[0007] Furthermore, in method 2, the green light emitted from the organic EL sheet has a peak in its emission spectrum at a wavelength of 530 ± 20 nm. The reason for using organic EL sheets with these characteristics is that light with these properties helps alleviate migraines. Green light with a wavelength of 530±10nm is preferable. Furthermore, in method 3, the intensity of the green light emitted from the organic EL sheet is 0.1 to 1000 cd / m². 2 I made it so. If green light of this intensity can be directed towards the eyes of patients wearing such devices, the light will sufficiently reach the retina of the fundus of the eye of patients with migraines, effectively suppressing their migraines. The intensity should be 0.1-100 cd / m². 2 That would be even better. Furthermore, in method 4, the light emitted by the organic EL sheet, while it is installed on the mask body, is configured to flash repeatedly at a certain interval. By controlling the light emission in this way, the stimulation of green light to the eyes is enhanced, and therefore, a greater effect on improving migraines can be expected. Furthermore, in means 5, the organic EL sheet comprises a control unit and a power supply unit, and the control unit controls the organic EL sheet to emit light by supplying power from the power supply unit for a predetermined time, and then stops the power supply to turn it off. This prevents excessive exposure to green light, for example, by having the patient wear an eye mask and having them fall asleep while the green light irradiation treatment is in progress, as the light will automatically turn off. Furthermore, means 6 is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting the predetermined time. This allows the wearer to adjust the total amount of green light emitted from the OLED sheet at any time they choose. Furthermore, in method 7, the organic EL sheet is divided into one for the right eye and one for the left eye, and the area used per eye is 9 cm². 2 This is how it was done. This is because a larger area would allow the eye mask to cover a wider area in front of the user's eyeball, enabling more light to reach the retina at the back of the eye.

[0008] Furthermore, in method 8, the mask body is raised around the portion that faces the eyeball, so that the portion facing the eyeball is separated from the eyelid. This allows the mask to be positioned so that it does not touch the eyeball or eyelid when worn. Furthermore, if it does not touch the eyelid, it can be used with the eyes open. Furthermore, in method 9, the fabric member of the mask body, which is placed between the organic EL sheet and the eyelid, is configured so that the light emitted from the organic EL sheet is transmitted outward through the gaps in the threads that make up the fabric member. This allows the light emitted from the mesh of the fabric supporting the organic EL sheet to be projected towards the eyelid. The fabric can be a knitted fabric or a nonwoven fabric. The important thing is that it can support the organic EL sheet and project light outward through the gaps in the threads. The material of the fabric is not limited; for example, cotton, silk, nylon, polyurethane, polyester can be used individually or in blended proportions. The inventions described in each of the above means can be arbitrarily combined. For example, it may be configured to add at least a part of the configuration of at least one invention after means 2 to all or a part of the configuration of the invention described in means 1. In particular, it is preferable to make an invention in which at least a part of the configuration of at least one invention after means 2 is added to the invention described in means 1. Also, any configuration may be extracted from the inventions described in means 1 to means 9, and the extracted configurations may be combined. The applicant of this application intends to obtain rights for inventions including these configurations.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the invention of the present application, when a wearer (patient) with migraine wears an eye mask, even if the eyes are closed, green light can be irradiated onto the fundus retina through the eyelids, and the effect of reducing the patient's migraine can be exerted.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] (a) is a front view of the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 1, and (b) is a rear view of the same eye mask for migraine. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram for explaining the arrangement state of the organic EL sheet inside the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] A block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] A front view of the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 2. [Figure 6] A cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of the eye mask for migraine in Embodiment 2.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the eye mask for migraine will be described with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) First, let me describe Embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), the migraine eye mask (hereinafter referred to as the eye mask) 1 has a mask body 2 and an elastic band 3 as its basic external shape. As shown in Figure 3, the mask body 2 is constructed by sewing together the entire edges of two layers of fabric, a flexible outer fabric 2a and an inner fabric 2b, to form a pouch-like storage space S inside. The outer fabric 2a of the mask body 2 is made of a cotton fabric with padding that does not transmit light, and the inner fabric 2b is made of a fabric with high light transmittance that allows sufficient light to pass through the gaps in the loosely woven threads. In plan view, the mask body 2 has a bean-sheath shape that tapers on both the left and right sides. Buckles 4 are attached to the ends of the tapered left and right sides. One end of the elastic band 3 is fixed to the mask body 2, and the other end is passed through the buckle 4 and held at an arbitrary length. An opening (not shown) is formed in the mask body 2 along the periphery near the buckle 4 and is opened and closed with a zipper (not shown). As shown in Figure 2, an organic EL sheet 5 is housed within the housing space S of the mask body 2. The organic EL sheet 5 is housed in the housing space S through an entrance (not shown). The organic EL sheet 5 consists of two thin, rectangular flat plates of the same shape, positioned directly in front of the left and right eyeballs when the eye mask 1 is in use. The two organic EL sheets 5 are connected by a cable 6, and a power supply cable 7 extends from the organic EL sheet 5 facing the entrance. The power supply cable 7 is detachable from a connector 8. A main cable 9 extending outward from the connector 8 is connected to a control box (not shown) that houses a controller MC, which will be described later. The organic EL sheet 5 of this embodiment 1 is a sheet that can emit green light having a peak in its emission spectrum at a wavelength of 530 nm ± 10 nm. When housed in the mask body 2, the organic EL sheet 5 is sandwiched between the outer fabric 2a and the inner fabric 2b as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the organic EL sheet 5 is shown to be spaced apart from the outer fabric 2a and the inner fabric 2b for clarity, but in reality, the organic EL sheet 5 is always in contact with the outer fabric 2a and the inner fabric 2b to the extent that it is partially spaced apart.

[0012] Next, the electrical configuration of the eye mask 1 configured as described above will be described based on FIG. 5. The eye mask 1 includes a controller MC as a control means. The controller MC is composed of a well-known CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory composed of a ROM and a RAM, etc. An input switch 11, a timer 12, and a power supply unit 13 are connected to the controller MC. The timer 12 has an input unit for inputting time in minutes, and the controller MC accumulates the input time by an internal counter to control the supply time of the power supplied from the power supply unit 13. The power supply unit 13 includes a battery (for example, a dry battery or a storage battery) and a voltage stabilizing unit, and supplies a predetermined suitable voltage to the organic EL sheet 5. The controller MC executes the following control based on the operation of the input switch 11 of the wearer. When there is an input to the input switch 11, the controller MC starts power supply from the power supply unit 13 to the organic EL sheet 5. Simultaneously with the start of power supply, the controller MC starts time counting, determines whether the input time of the timer 12 has been reached, and if the input time has been reached, stops power supply and turns off the organic EL sheet 5. On the other hand, when there is no time setting for the timer 12, power supply is stopped after a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) has elapsed, and the organic EL sheet 5 is turned off. The controller MC has a blinking mode for the organic EL sheet 5, and controls to blink the organic EL sheet 5 by an additional operation such as two inputs of the input switch 11.

[0013] By configuring as described above, the following effects are achieved in the eye mask 1 of the first embodiment. (1) By wearing the eye mask 1 as described above, it is possible to relieve migraine. At this time, when wearing the eye mask 1, a person naturally closes their eyes, but since the green light passes through the eyelids, it is not blocked even when the eyes are closed. (2) Because the main light-emitting surface 5A of the organic EL sheet 5, which is positioned directly in front of the eyelid, is curved, the main light-emitting surface 5A surrounds the front of the eyelid, following the shape of the eyeball, making it easier for the emitted light to reach the retina at the back of the eye. (3) The organic EL sheet 5 is made of thin material and can be easily bent, and the mask body 2 is flexible, so when the eye mask 1 is worn, the mask body 2 can be curved to conform to the curve of the face.

[0014] (Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. The same reference numerals will be used for components identical to those in Embodiment 1, and detailed explanations will be omitted. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the eye mask 21 of Embodiment 2 comprises a mask body 22. The mask body 22 is constructed by sewing together the entire edges of two layers of fabric, a flexible outer fabric 22a and an inner fabric 22b, to form a bag-like storage space S inside. On the inside of the mask body 22 (inner fabric 22b), a ridged cushion portion 23 is formed in the shape of a horizontally elongated ring. The cushion portion 23 is made of foamed urethane and has elasticity and flexibility. When the eye mask 21 is worn, the cushion portion 23 is positioned to surround the left and right eye sockets of the wearer. At this time, the cushion portion 23 is in contact with the face, and a gap is formed between the mask body 22 (inner fabric 22b) and the eyelids so that the mask body does not touch the eyelids. As shown in Figure 7, an organic EL sheet 25 is housed in the housing space S of the mask body 22. The organic EL sheet 25 is housed in the housing space S through an entrance (not shown). The organic EL sheet 25 consists of two flexible, oval-shaped thin plates of the same shape, positioned directly in front of the left and right eyeballs when the eye mask 21 is in use. The two organic EL sheets 25 are connected by a cable 26, and a power supply cable 27 extends from the organic EL sheet 25 facing the entrance. The power supply cable 27 is detachable from a connector 28. A cable 29 extending outward from the connector 8 is connected to a control box (not shown) that houses a controller MC, which will be described later. The material of the organic EL sheet 25 in Embodiment 2 is the same as the organic EL sheet 5 in Embodiment 1. The organic EL sheet 25 is sandwiched between the outer fabric 2a and the inner fabric 2b as shown in Figure 3, similar to Embodiment 1. The electrical configuration of Embodiment 2 is the same as that of Embodiment 1.

[0015] By configuring it as described above, the eye mask 21 of Embodiment 2 will have the same effects as Embodiment 1, as well as the following unique effects. Because a cushion portion 23 is formed on the inside of the mask body 22, the lining fabric 22b of the mask body 22 does not touch the wearer's eyes when the eye mask 21 is worn, and the eye mask 21 can be worn with the eyes open. This blocks light of wavelengths other than green light and actively takes in only green light, which greatly increases the effect of reducing migraines.

[0016] The above embodiments are merely described as specific examples illustrating the principles and concepts of the present invention. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, although the organic EL sheet 5(25) was composed of separate left and right parts, it may be constructed as an integrated unit. The shape of the mask body 2(22) can also be changed as appropriate. The shapes of the mask body 2(22) in Embodiments 1 and 2 described above are examples, and other designs can be used. Similarly, the shapes of the organic EL sheet 5(25) housed in the mask body 2(22) are also examples. In the above embodiment, the organic EL sheet 5(25) is housed in the housing space S of the mask body 2(22), but it may also be attached to the inner surface (back surface) of the mask body 2(22). The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above. Components of each embodiment and modification may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment and modification may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention, or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to obtain rights for these as well in amendments or divisional applications of this application. Furthermore, the applicant intends to acquire rights to the overall design or a partial design by filing an application for amendment to the design application. The drawing depicts the entire device with solid lines, but it is a drawing that includes not only the overall design but also the partial design claimed for a part of the device. For example, it is a drawing that includes a partial design for a part of the device, as well as a part of the device that is unrelated to a specific component. The part of the device may be a component of the device, or a part of that component. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0017] 1, 21... Eye mask, 2, 22... Mask body, 5, 25... Organic EL sheet.

Claims

1. An eye mask for irradiating the eyeball with green light while the eyes are closed, characterized in that an organic EL sheet that emits green light is arranged in the mask body so that the emitted light is irradiated towards the eyeball.

2. The migraine eye mask according to claim 1, characterized in that the green light emitted from the organic EL sheet has a peak in its emission spectrum at a wavelength of 530 ± 20 nm.

3. The intensity of the green light emitted from the aforementioned organic EL sheet is 0.1 to 1000 cd / m². ２ The eye mask for migraines according to claim 1, characterized in that it is the eye mask described in claim 1.

4. The migraine eye mask according to claim 1, characterized in that the light emitted by the organic EL sheet, when installed in the mask body, flashes repeatedly at a certain interval.

5. The migraine eye mask according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the organic EL sheet comprises a control unit and a power supply unit, and the control unit controls the organic EL sheet to be powered by the power supply unit for a predetermined time to emit light, and then stops the power supply to turn it off.

6. The migraine eye mask according to claim 5, characterized in that it is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting the predetermined time.

7. The aforementioned organic EL sheet is divided into a right eye and a left eye, with each eye having a usable area of ​​9 cm². ２ An eye mask for migraines according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is as described above.

8. The eye mask for migraines according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mask body has a raised area around the part that faces the eyeball, and the part that faces the eyeball is spaced apart from the eyelid.

9. The eye mask for migraines according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the fabric member of the mask body, which is placed between the organic EL sheet and the eyelid, allows the light emitted from the organic EL sheet to pass outward through the gaps in the threads constituting the fabric member.

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