Massage device

Abstract

In a massage device, air is rapidly expelled from the airbag without the use of a pump. [Solution] The massage device 20 comprises a base portion 21 provided on the backrest of a chair, a massage portion 22 supported on the base portion 21 so as to be able to move forward and backward relative to the user, an airbag 61 positioned between the base portion 21 and the massage portion 22, which inflates by the supply of air to advance the massage portion 22 toward the user, an air supply portion 62 that supplies air to the airbag 61, and an air discharge portion 63 that compresses the airbag 61 and discharges the air.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a massage device incorporated in the backrest of a chair-type massage machine. This massage device includes a base frame, a moving frame supported by the base frame so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to a user, massage means provided on the moving frame for massaging the user's body, a forward and backward air cell provided between the base frame and the moving frame for displacing the moving frame to a desired forward and backward position, and an air supply and exhaust device for supplying and exhausting air to and from the forward and backward air cell.

[0003] This massage device changes the forward and backward positions of the moving frame and the massage means with respect to the user by expanding and contracting the forward and backward air cell by means of the air supply and exhaust device, and enables adjustment of the massage intensity.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The massage device of Patent Document 1 uses the air supply and exhaust device not only for expanding but also for contracting the forward and backward air cell. That is, it is necessary to drive the pump and valve constituting the air supply and exhaust device to suck the air in the forward and backward air cell in order to contract the forward and backward air cell. Therefore, there is a drawback that the power consumption and heat generation of the air supply and exhaust device increase. To overcome these shortcomings, one could consider a system where only the air cells for forward and backward movement are inflated by an air supply and exhaust device, and the air cells are naturally deflated by the pressure exerted by the user leaning against the backrest. However, in this case, the deflation of the forward and backward movement air cells would take time, potentially hindering smooth massage operation.

[0006] The present invention aims to rapidly expel air from an airbag in a massage device without using a pump. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The massage device of the present invention is A base portion provided on the backrest of the chair, A massage unit supported on the base portion so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the user, An airbag is positioned between the base and the massage section, and inflates by the supply of air to extend the massage section toward the user. An air supply unit that supplies air to the airbag, The system includes an air discharge unit that compresses the airbag and expels the air.

[0008] In the massage device with the above configuration, the air discharge unit compresses the airbag to forcibly expel the air. Therefore, it is possible to quickly expel air from the airbag without using a pump to draw air out of it, eliminating the need for power to operate the pump and suppressing heat generation.

[0009] (2) In the massage device described in (1) above, the air discharge section includes an elastic expandable member that covers the surface of the airbag and is expandable and contractible by elasticity, The expandable member expands when the airbag inflates and contracts when air is allowed to be released from the airbag.

[0010] With this configuration, when air is allowed to be released from the airbag, the expandable member contracts to compress the airbag, forcibly releasing the air from it.

[0011] (3) In the massage device described in (2) above, the airbag is sandwiched between the expandable member and the base portion or the massage portion, The expandable member is fixed to the base portion or massage portion on both sides of the airbag in the direction in which it can expand and contract.

[0012] With this configuration, the expansion / contraction member can compress the airbag between the expansion / contraction member and the base or massage section, thereby facilitating the release of air from the airbag.

[0013] (4) In the massage device described in (2) or (3) above, the expandable member is formed in the shape of a strip and is expandable and contractible in its longitudinal direction.

[0014] (5) In any one of the massage devices described in (1) to (4) above, the massage portion has a shaft having an axis in the left-right direction and a treatment member attached to the shaft and protruding toward the user, The massage unit is pivotably supported on the base unit via the shaft.

[0015] This configuration allows the massage unit to be supported on the base using the shaft to which the treatment member is attached, thus simplifying the structure of the massage device.

[0016] (6) In the massage device described in (5) above, the treatment member includes a first treatment element positioned on one side in the vertical direction relative to the axis, The airbag is positioned between the base portion and the massage portion on one side in the vertical direction relative to the axis.

[0017] According to this configuration, the first treatment member can be protruded toward the user by the inflation of the airbag, and the massage effect by the first treatment member can be enhanced.

[0018] (7) In the massage device according to (6) above, the treatment member includes a second treatment member disposed on the other side in the vertical direction than the axis.

[0019] According to this configuration, the second treatment member can be retracted from the user side by the inflation of the airbag, and the first treatment member can be protruded more toward the user relative to the second treatment member, so that the massage effect by the first treatment member can be further enhanced.

[0020] (8) In the massage device according to any one of (1) to (7) above, the massage device further includes a solenoid valve that switches the air path between a first mode that allows the supply of air to the airbag and a second mode that allows the discharge of air. The solenoid valve becomes the first mode in the non-energized state and the second mode in the energized state.

[0021] According to this configuration, by de-energizing the solenoid valve, the supply of air to the airbag becomes possible, and the heat generation of the solenoid valve during massage using the airbag can be suppressed. By energizing the solenoid valve, the discharge of air from the airbag becomes possible, and by shortening the time required for air discharge by the air discharge portion, the heat generation of the solenoid valve can be minimized.

[0022] (9) In (1) above, the air discharge portion constitutes at least a part of the airbag and includes an elastic expansion and contraction member that can expand and contract by elasticity. The expansion and contraction member expands by the supply of air to the airbag and contracts when the discharge of air from the airbag is allowed.

[0023] According to this configuration, when the discharge of air from the airbag is permitted, the airbag compresses itself by contraction of the expansion and contraction member, which is a component of the airbag, and discharges the air. Therefore, air can be discharged from the airbag with a simple configuration without using any electric power at all.

Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to the massage device of the present invention, air can be quickly discharged from the airbag without using a pump.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a chair-type massage machine provided with the massage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the massage device. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the massage mechanism of the massage part. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view showing the massage mechanism of the massage part. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the base part. [Figure 6] It is a side view schematically showing the massage device. [Figure 7] (a) is a schematic side view of the massage device when the airbag is contracted, and (b) is a schematic side view of the massage device when the airbag is inflated. [Figure 8] (a) is a schematic plan view of the massage device when the airbag is contracted, and (b) is a schematic plan view of the massage device when the airbag is inflated. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory view showing the operation of the solenoid valve. [Figure 10] In the massage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a schematic side view when the airbag is contracted, and (b) is a schematic side view when the airbag is inflated. [Figure 11] It is a front view showing a modified example of the expansion and contraction member. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair-type massage machine equipped with a massage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The chair-type massage machine 10 of this embodiment includes a seat 11 that supports the user's buttocks from below, a backrest 12 that extends upward from the rear of the seat 11, armrests 13 provided on both the left and right sides of the seat 11, and a footrest 14 provided at the front of the seat 11.

[0027] The backrest 12 is equipped with a massage device 20 for massaging the user. The chair-type massage machine 10 further includes a remote controller 16 for operating the massage device 20. Other massage devices may be provided on the seat 11, armrests 13, and footrest 14.

[0028] In the following description, the directions "left," "right," "front," "rear," "up," and "down" used in reference to the chair-type massage machine 10 correspond to "left," "right," "front," "rear," "up," and "down" as viewed from the perspective of a user seated in the chair-type massage machine 10.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, a guide rail 15 extending in the vertical direction is provided inside the backrest 12. The massage device 20 is guided to move vertically by the guide rail 15. A rack (not shown) is provided on the guide rail 15, and the massage device 20 is provided with a lifting gear 29 (see Figure 5) that meshes with the rack. The massage device 20 moves vertically (changes position) along the guide rail 15 by rotating the lifting gear 29.

[0030] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the massage device. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the massage mechanism of the massage unit. Figure 4 is a bottom view showing the massage mechanism of the massage unit. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the base unit.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the massage device 20 has a base portion 21 and a massage portion 22. The base portion 21 is supported so as to be able to move up and down on a guide rail 15 (see Figure 1) provided on the backrest portion 12. As shown in Figure 5, the base portion 21 includes a main body portion 24 and a lifting mechanism 25. The main body portion 24 has a central portion 24a that is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and side portions 24b that protrude forward from both the left and right sides of the central portion 24a, and is formed in a substantially U shape when viewed from above. The main body portion 24 is made of, for example, synthetic resin.

[0032] The lifting mechanism 25 includes a lifting motor 26, a reduction gear 27, a lifting shaft 28, and a lifting gear 29. The lifting motor 26 is supported on the lower right side of the front of the main body 24. The lifting motor 26 has a downward-facing output shaft. The reduction gear 27 has multiple reduction gears and transmits the rotational power of the output shaft to the lifting shaft 28 at a reduced speed. The reduction gear 27 is located on the lower right side of the front of the main body 24, in front of the lifting motor 26.

[0033] The lifting shaft 28 has an axis oriented in the left-right direction and is rotatably supported at the lower part of the main body 24. The lifting shaft 28 is located below the lifting motor 26. Lifting gears 29 are provided at both ends of the lifting shaft 28. The lifting gears 29 mesh with the rack of the guide rail 15 (see Figure 1) provided on the backrest 12. The lifting mechanism 25 rotates the lifting gears 29 by driving the lifting motor 26, causing the base 21 to move up and down along the guide rail 15.

[0034] The lifting mechanism 25 is equipped with a sensor (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation of the lifting shaft 28, and the vertical position of the massage device 20 can be detected based on the detection result of the sensor.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the massage unit 22 is pivotably supported on the base unit 21 via a drive shaft 41, which will be described later. The massage unit 22 moves in and out relative to the user seated in the chair-type massage machine 10 by swinging.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the massage unit 22 includes a casing 31, a pair of treatment members 32, and massage mechanisms 33 and 34. The casing 31 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front and from above. The interior of the casing 31 is hollow. The casing 31 is made of, for example, synthetic resin. A pair of treatment members 32 protrude forward from the interior of the casing 31 through an opening formed on the front surface of the casing 31. Each treatment member 32 includes an arm 36 and a treatment element 37.

[0037] The massage mechanisms 33 and 34 include a kneading massage mechanism 33 that causes a pair of treatment members 32 to perform kneading massage, and a tapping massage mechanism 34 that causes a tapping massage. The kneading massage mechanism 33 and the tapping massage mechanism 34 are housed within a casing 31.

[0038] The kneading massage mechanism 33 and the tapping massage mechanism 34 share a common drive motor 35 and power transmission shaft 38. The drive motor 35 is supported inside the casing 31 and has an output shaft 35a with an axis oriented in the left-right direction. The rotational power of the output shaft 35a is transmitted to the power transmission shaft 38 via a power transmission gear 39 including a worm gear and worm wheel.

[0039] The power transmission shaft 38 has an axis that is oriented vertically. The power transmission shaft 38 distributes and transmits power to the drive shaft 41 of the kneading massage mechanism 33 and the oscillating mechanism 42 of the tapping massage mechanism 34.

[0040] The kneading massage mechanism 33 has a drive shaft 41 that drives the treatment member 32. The drive shaft 41 has an axis that faces left to right and is rotatably supported by the casing 31. The longitudinal middle portion of the drive shaft 41 is located inside the casing 31, and both longitudinal ends of the drive shaft 41 protrude from the casing 31 in the left to right directions. The rotational power of the power transmission shaft 38 is transmitted to the drive shaft 41 via a power transmission gear 43, which includes a worm gear and a worm wheel.

[0041] The kneading massage mechanism 33 includes a pair of inclined boss portions 44 that rotate integrally with the drive shaft 41. The pair of inclined boss portions 44 are spaced apart in the axial direction of the drive shaft 41. Each inclined boss portion 44 has an inclined cam surface that rotates around an axis inclined with respect to the axis of the drive shaft 41. The inclined cam surfaces of the pair of inclined boss portions 44 are in opposite directions. The base ends of the arms 36 of the treatment member 32 are rotatably fitted to the inclined cam surfaces of the pair of inclined boss portions 44. The kneading massage mechanism 33 includes a restricting means 46 that restricts the rotation of the arms 36 around the drive shaft 41 (inclined boss portion 44).

[0042] The arms 36 of the treatment member 32 extend diagonally upward and diagonally downward from a base end that fits into the inclined boss portion 44. Treatment elements 37 are attached to the upper and lower ends of the arms 36, respectively. In this embodiment, two treatment elements 37 are attached to each of the pair of arms 36. Therefore, the massage unit 22 has a total of four treatment elements 37. The treatment elements 37 are the parts that directly massage the user and are formed in a spherical shape.

[0043] When the drive shaft 41 of the kneading massage mechanism 33 rotates, the inclined cam surfaces of the pair of inclined bosses 44 cause the pair of arms 36 to swing from side to side. As a result, the upper and lower treatment elements 37 attached to the pair of arms 36 move closer to and further away from each other, providing a kneading massage to the user.

[0044] The restricting means 46 includes a projection 47 that protrudes downward from the base end of a pair of arms 36, and a restricting member 48 that engages with this projection 47. The projection 47 has a through hole that penetrates in the left-right direction. The restricting member 48 is formed in a rod shape and is loosely inserted into the through hole of the projection 47. As shown in Figure 4, the longitudinal middle portion of the restricting member 48 is attached to a support shaft 49 fixed to the casing 31. Therefore, the rotation of the pair of arms 36 around the drive shaft 41 (inclined boss portion 44) is restricted by the engagement of the projection 47 with the restricting member 48.

[0045] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tapping massage mechanism 34 includes a rocking mechanism 42 and the aforementioned regulating member (rocking link member) 48. The rocking mechanism 42 includes an eccentric boss portion 51 and a connecting body 52. ​​The eccentric boss portion 51 is provided at the lower end of the power transmission shaft 38. The eccentric boss portion 51 is formed in a disc shape, and its center is eccentric with respect to the axis of the power transmission shaft 38. The eccentric boss portion 51 is connected to the power transmission shaft 38 via a one-way clutch. Therefore, when the power transmission shaft 38 rotates in one direction, the eccentric boss portion 51 also rotates together, and when the power transmission shaft 38 rotates in the other direction, the eccentric boss portion 51 does not rotate together but rotates relatively freely.

[0046] The connecting body 52 is formed in an annular shape and is rotatably fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the eccentric boss portion 51. One end of the regulating member 48 is rotatably connected to the outer circumferential portion of the connecting body 52. ​​The intermediate portion of the regulating member 48 is rotatably attached to the support shaft 49. The support shaft 49 has an axis that points in the vertical direction.

[0047] The tapping massage mechanism 34 moves the connecting body 52 back and forth by rotating the eccentric boss portion 51 with rotational power transmitted from the drive motor 35 to the power transmission shaft 38, causing the regulating member 48 to swing back and forth around the support shaft 49. As a result, the projection 47 of the arm 36 moves back and forth, and the arm 36 reciprocates around the drive shaft 41 (inclined boss portion 44). Then, each treatment element 37 provided at the end of the arm 36 moves back and forth, providing a tapping massage to the user.

[0048] As mentioned above, a one-way clutch is provided between the power transmission shaft 38 and the eccentric boss portion 51 of the tapping massage mechanism 34. Therefore, when the power transmission shaft 38 rotates in one direction, both the kneading massage mechanism 33 and the tapping massage mechanism 34 operate, and when the power transmission shaft 38 rotates in the opposite direction, only the kneading massage mechanism 33 operates. Thus, it is possible to select the massage operation by switching the rotation direction of the power transmission shaft 38, that is, the rotation direction of the drive motor 35, forward or reverse.

[0049] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the drive shaft 41 of the massage unit 22 protrudes from the casing 31 to both the left and right sides and is rotatably supported on the left and right sides 24b of the main body 24 of the base unit 21. Therefore, the massage unit 22 is pivotably supported on the base unit 21 via the drive shaft 41. This allows the massage unit 22 to move forward and backward relative to the user of the chair-type massage machine 10.

[0050] Figure 6 is a schematic side view of the massage device. The lower part of the massage unit 22 is connected to the base unit 21 by a biasing member 55 consisting of a tension coil spring. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the support shaft 49 that supports the regulating member 48 of the massage unit 22 protrudes downward from the casing 31, and the lower end of the support shaft 49 and the lower end of the main body 24 of the base unit 21 are connected by the biasing member 55. Therefore, the massage unit 22 is biased by the biasing member 55 so that the lower part below the drive shaft 41 retracts backward, and the upper part above the drive shaft 41 advances forward (towards the user). The forward advance of the upper part of the massage unit 22 is limited by the lower part of the massage unit 22 contacting the base unit 21.

[0051] The massage device 20 of this embodiment includes an airbag 61 that extends the massage section 22 toward the user, an air supply section 62 that supplies air to the airbag 61, and an air discharge section 63 that discharges air from the airbag 61.

[0052] The airbag 61 is positioned between the base portion 21 and the massage portion 22. Specifically, the airbag 61 is positioned above the drive shaft 41 and between the base portion 21 and the massage portion 22. The airbag 61 is attached to the front of the base portion 21. As shown in Figure 5, the airbag 61 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the airbag 61 has a width in the left-right direction that is the same as or slightly larger than the width of the massage portion 22 in the left-right direction. The upper end of the airbag 61 is positioned at the same level as or slightly below the upper end of the base portion 21. The airbag 61 is positioned above the drive shaft 41. The airbag 61 is positioned above the lifting mechanism 25.

[0053] The airbag 61 inflates when air is supplied to it. Specifically, the airbag 61 inflates in the front-to-back direction when air is supplied, and its width in the front-to-back direction increases. As a result, the airbag 61 pushes the part of the massage unit 22 above the drive shaft 41 from back to front, causing it to advance towards the user. Conversely, the airbag 61 deflates when air is expelled. Specifically, the airbag 61 deflates in the front-to-back direction when air is expelled, and its width in the front-to-back direction decreases. The airbag 61 is fixed to the base unit 21, but not to the massage unit 22. Therefore, the airbag 61 does not cause the massage unit 22 to swing when it deflates. Also, the deflating of the airbag 61 does not affect the biasing of the massage unit 22 by the biasing member 55.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6, the air supply unit 62 includes a pump 65, a solenoid valve 66, and a control unit 67. The pump 65 generates compressed air and supplies it to the airbag 61. The solenoid valve 66 switches whether or not air is supplied to the airbag 61. Specifically, the solenoid valve 66 switches the air path between a first mode, which allows the supply of air from the pump 65 to the airbag 61, as shown in Figure 9(a), and a second mode, which blocks the supply of air from the pump 65 to the airbag 61, as shown in Figure 9(b). When in the second mode, the solenoid valve 66 allows the discharge of air from the airbag 61. The solenoid valve 66 is in the first mode when it is not energized (off) and in the second mode when it is energized (on).

[0055] The control unit 67 controls the operation of the pump 65 and the solenoid valve 66. The control unit 67 includes a processor such as a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM. The memory stores programs for controlling the pump 65 and the solenoid valve 66, as well as data used for control. For example, the control unit 67 controls the operation of the pump 65 and the solenoid valve 66 by having the processor execute a pre-set program, and adjusts the forward and backward position of the massage unit 22. The control unit 67 also controls the operation of the pump 65 and the solenoid valve 66 in response to the operation of the remote controller 16, and adjusts the forward and backward position of the massage unit 22. The control unit 67 may be used to control only the air supply unit 62, or it may be used to control the entire chair-type massage machine 10, including the massage mechanisms 33, 34, etc.

[0056] The air discharge section 63 forcibly discharges air from the airbag 61 by compressing the airbag 61. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the air discharge section 63 includes an elastically expandable member 68. The expandable member 68 in this embodiment is a band (a so-called rubber band) made of rubber and formed in a strip shape. The expandable member 68 is configured to be expandable in its longitudinal direction. The expandable member 68 is positioned with its longitudinal direction facing up and down.

[0057] The expandable member 68 covers the front of the airbag 61. The expandable member 68 is positioned approximately in the center of the airbag 61 in the left-right direction. The upper and lower ends of the expandable member 68 are fixed to the front of the main body 24 on the base 21. Therefore, the airbag 61 is sandwiched between the front of the base 21 and the expandable member 68.

[0058] When the solenoid valve 66 is de-energized (first mode) and the pump 65 is activated, air is supplied to the airbag 61, causing it to inflate. At this time, the expandable member 68 extends longitudinally along the front surface of the airbag 61. When the solenoid valve 66 is energized (second mode) and air discharge from the airbag 61 is permitted, the expandable member 68 contracts longitudinally. This contraction of the expandable member 68 compresses the airbag 61, forcibly discharging the air inside to the outside. Therefore, the air discharge section 63 in this embodiment discharges air by applying an external pressing force to the airbag 61. Furthermore, the air discharge section 63 is composed of non-electric components such as the expandable member 68.

[0059] Figure 7(a) is a schematic side view of the massage device when the airbag is deflated, and (b) is a schematic side view of the massage device when the airbag is inflated. Figure 8(a) is a schematic top view of the massage device when the airbag is deflated, and (b) is a schematic top view of the massage device when the airbag is inflated.

[0060] As shown in Figure 6, the massage section 22 of the massage device 20 is held in a position extended toward the user by the biasing member 55. Specifically, the portion of the massage section 22 above the drive shaft 41 is held in a position extended toward the user by the biasing member 55. When no air is supplied to the airbag 61, the airbag 61 is in a deflated state and does not come into contact with the massage section 22.

[0061] When a user sits in the chair-type massage machine 10 and presses their back H against the backrest 12, the massage unit 22 swings backward against the biasing member 55 due to the pressure from the back H, as shown in Figure 7(a). In this state, the kneading massage mechanism 33 or the tapping massage mechanism 34 is driven to operate the treatment element 37, thereby providing a massage to the user.

[0062] As shown in Figure 7(b), when air is supplied to the airbag 61 by the air supply unit 62, the massage unit 22 extends toward the user. This allows for a stronger massage. In particular, the treatment element 37 (first treatment element 37A), which is located above the drive shaft 41, extends a greater distance L1 toward the user compared to when the airbag 61 is contracted. Therefore, for example, the first treatment element 37A can be positioned in front of the user's shoulder S, allowing for an effective massage of the shoulder S.

[0063] Furthermore, when the airbag 61 is inflated, the front-to-back distance L2 between the first treatment element 37A, which is located above the drive shaft 41, and the treatment element 37 (second treatment element 37B), which is located below it, is larger than when the airbag 61 is deflated. Therefore, when the second treatment element 37B is applied to the user's back H, the first treatment element 37A can be moved further forward towards the user's shoulder S, allowing for a more effective massage of the shoulder S.

[0064] During a massage, when the treatment elements 37A and 37B tap and massage the user's back and shoulders, the reaction force is applied to the entire massage machine 10 via the backrest 12, which may cause vibration. When the airbag 61 is inflated, the reaction force can be absorbed by the airbag 61, thereby suppressing vibration of the massage machine 10.

[0065] In this embodiment, the airbag 61 can be rapidly expelled by compressing it with the expandable member 68. Therefore, the airbag 61 can be deflated from an inflated state in a short amount of time.

[0066] The control unit 67 can change the strength of the massage using the airbag 61 to multiple levels, such as "weak," "medium," and "strong," via the operation of the remote controller 16, etc. For example, the control unit 67 can change the strength of the massage to multiple levels by controlling the time for which air is supplied to the airbag 61. Specifically, the control unit 67 can change the strength of the massage by gradually increasing the time for which air is supplied to the airbag 61 in the order of "weak," "medium," and "strong."

[0067] When the control unit 67 performs such control, in order to switch from the strength before the change to the strength after the change, all the air in the airbag 61 is first expelled, and then air is supplied to the airbag 61 for a time corresponding to the strength after the change. If the air from the airbag 61 were to be expelled by the load from the user's back H, it would take time to expel the air, and there would be variations in the time it takes to complete the expulsion. In some cases, air may be supplied for a time corresponding to the strength after the change even though the air has not been completely expelled, which could result in a massage that is stronger than desired. In this embodiment, the airbag 61 is compressed and the air is forcibly expelled by the expandable member 68 of the air discharge unit 63, so that the air is reliably expelled from the airbag 61, the time it takes to complete the expulsion can be shortened, and then air is supplied to the airbag 61 for a time corresponding to the strength after the change, thereby enabling precise control of the massage strength.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, the massage device 20 is equipped with a oscillation detection sensor 71 that detects the oscillation position of the massage unit 22 relative to the base unit 21. The oscillation detection sensor 71 consists of a non-contact type sensor such as an optical sensor or magnetic sensor, or a contact type sensor, that reacts when the massage unit 22 reaches a predetermined oscillation position. For example, the oscillation detection sensor 71 detects when the massage unit 22 has retracted beyond a predetermined distance from the state in which it is most protruding towards the user relative to the base unit 21. Alternatively, it detects when the massage unit 22 has advanced beyond a predetermined distance from the state in which it is most retracted away from the user relative to the base unit 21. The detection signal from the oscillation detection sensor 71 is input to a control unit 67, for example, and used to control the massage device 20.

[0069] The oscillation detection sensor 71 can be used to detect the position (height) of the user's shoulder S before starting the massage. For example, the massage device 20 is moved downward from a height where it is not touching the user, and the oscillation detection sensor 71 detects that the upper first treatment element 37A has come into contact with the user's shoulder S and the massage unit 22 has swung backward by a predetermined amount or more against the biasing member 55. This allows the oscillation detection sensor 71 to detect the position (height) of the shoulder S.

[0070] When detecting the position of the shoulder S using the oscillation detection sensor 71 in this manner, if the airbag 61 is not completely vented and is only partially inflated, it may be difficult to accurately detect the position of the shoulder S. However, as in this embodiment, by completely venting the airbag 61 using the expandable member 68, the accuracy of detecting the position of the shoulder S can be improved.

[0071] As described above, the control unit 67 of the air supply unit 62 supplies air to the airbag 61 by controlling the pump 65 and the solenoid valve 66 when the massage unit 22 is performing a massage. The solenoid valve 66 allows the supply of air from the pump 65 but does not allow the discharge of air when it is not energized (first mode). Therefore, if the massage is ended by operating the remote control 16 or the like while the airbag 61 is inflated, the airbag 61 will remain inflated without the air being discharged. Similarly, if the massage is ended due to an unexpected interruption of power supply to the chair-type massage machine 10 during the massage (e.g., a power outage, disconnection of the plug from the power outlet), the airbag 61 will also remain inflated without the air being discharged. In these cases, the following problems arise.

[0072] (Problem 1) If the airbag 61 is left inflated after the massage is finished, the material of the airbag 61 will continue to be subjected to tensile force, which may accelerate its deterioration. Similarly, the expandable member 68 will also remain stretched, which may also accelerate its deterioration. (Problem 2) If the airbag 61 is left inflated after the massage is finished, it may become impossible to accurately detect the position of the user's shoulder S before starting the next massage.

[0073] To solve the above problem, the following solutions can be adopted. (Solution 1) The control unit 67 can be configured to temporarily energize the solenoid valve 66 (second mode) when the massage is finished, for example when an instruction to end the massage is input by operating the remote control 16 or when the programmed massage is finished, thereby releasing air from the airbag 61. This prevents the airbag 61 from remaining inflated, suppressing deterioration of the airbag 61 and the expandable member 68, that is, solving (Problem 1) above. Furthermore, it becomes possible to accurately detect the position of the user's shoulder S before starting the next massage, that is, solving (Problem 2) above.

[0074] (Solution 2) The control unit 67 can be configured to temporarily energize the solenoid valve 66 (second mode) and discharge air from the airbag 61 when a massage start instruction is input, for example, by operating the remote control 16. This makes it possible to accurately detect the position of the user's shoulder S before starting the massage, that is, to solve the above (Problem 2).

[0075] (Solution 3) The control unit 67 can be configured to temporarily energize the solenoid valve 66 (second mode) and discharge air from the airbag 61 when it starts supplying power to the chair-type massage machine 10, for example, when the power supply to the chair-type massage machine 10 is restored after an unexpected interruption, or when the main power is turned on. This makes it possible to accurately detect the position of the user's shoulder S before starting the massage, that is, to solve the above (problem 2).

[0076] By employing solution 1 or 2, the airbag 61 is always deflated (airbag 61 is contracted) before the massage begins. Therefore, the state in which air is deflated from the airbag 61 can be set as the initial state before the massage. Furthermore, by employing solution 3, the airbag 61 is always deflated (airbag 61 is contracted) after power supply to the chair-type massage machine 10 is started. Therefore, the state in which air is deflated from the airbag 61 can be set as the initial state immediately after power supply to the chair-type massage machine 10.

[0077] When the solenoid valve 66 is temporarily energized, the airbag 61's air expulsion is promoted by the expandable member 68. This shortens the energizing time and suppresses heat generation in the solenoid valve 66. Furthermore, the massage device 20 of this embodiment may employ all of the above solutions 1 to 3, or it may employ one or two of them.

[0078] [Second Embodiment] Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a massage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in particular, (a) is a schematic side view when the airbag is deflated, and (b) is a schematic side view when the airbag is inflated. In the first embodiment described above, the expandable member 68 of the air discharge section 63 is made of a rubber band, and the entire structure is expandable and contractible in the longitudinal direction. In the second embodiment, the expandable member 68 is made of a material that is partially expandable but partially non-stretchable. Specifically, the expandable member 68 includes a non-stretchable portion 68a formed in the shape of a strip and an expandable portion 68b made of a biasing member such as a coil spring. The non-stretchable portion 68a is made of a fabric or the like that is not very stretchable.

[0079] The non-extendable portion 68a of the extendable member 68 has one end (lower end) fixed to the base portion 21 and the other end (upper end) wraps around to the back side of the base portion 21. The extendable portion 68b has one end connected to the other end of the non-extendable portion 68a and the other end connected to the back side of the base portion 21. When the airbag 61 inflates, the non-extendable portion 68a flexes along the surface of the airbag 61 and the extendable portion 68b extends. When air is allowed to be released from the airbag 61, the extendable portion 68b contracts, causing the non-extendable portion 68a to compress the airbag 61 and forcibly release the air.

[0080] Since the other components are the same as in the first embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted. In this embodiment, the expandable portion 68b of the expandable member 68 may be made of a rubber band, as in the first embodiment. Also, the expandable member 68 may have expandable portions 68b on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the non-expandable portion 68a.

[0081] [Variations of expandable members] Figure 11 is a front view showing a modified example of the expandable member. Figure 11(a) shows a modified example in which the air discharge section 63 includes a plurality of expandable members 68. Specifically, the plurality of expandable members 68 are arranged side by side parallel to each other with their longitudinal directions facing up and down. The air discharge section 63 can adjust the force compressing the airbag 61 by changing the number of expandable members 68.

[0082] Figure 11(b) shows a modified example in which the expandable members 68 of the air discharge section 63 are arranged with their longitudinal directions oriented left to right. Note that if the air discharge section 63 includes multiple expandable members 68, expandable members 68 oriented vertically in the longitudinal direction may be combined with expandable members 68 oriented left to right. For example, expandable members 68 oriented vertically in the longitudinal direction and expandable members 68 oriented left to right can be arranged to intersect in a cross shape.

[0083] Figure 11(c) shows a modified example in which the expandable member 68 of the air discharge section 63 covers the entire airbag 61. In this modified example, the expandable member 68 is expandable in all directions: vertically, horizontally, and in directions inclined with respect to these directions. By covering the entire airbag 61 with the expandable member 68 in this way, the compressive force on the airbag 61 can be increased.

[0084] The expandable member 68 in each of the modified examples shown in Figure 11 may be composed of a non-expandable portion 68a and an expandable portion 68b, similar to the second embodiment.

[0085] [Other embodiments] In the above embodiment, the air discharge section 63 includes an expandable member 68 that covers the surface of the airbag 61, and the airbag 61 is compressed by the contraction of this expandable member 68, forcibly discharging air from the airbag 61. Alternatively, at least a portion of the airbag 61 can be made of an expandable member. In this case, when air is supplied to the airbag 61, the expandable member constituting the airbag 61 stretches, and when air discharge from the airbag 61 is permitted, the expandable member contracts, forcibly discharging air from the airbag 61. Therefore, in this embodiment, the airbag 61 is not compressed by external pressure, but rather the airbag 61 compresses itself and discharges air.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the airbag 61 and the expandable member 68 were attached to the base portion 21, but they may also be attached to the massage portion 22. For example, the airbag 61 can be attached to the back surface of the casing 31 in the massage portion 22, the back surface of the airbag 61 can be covered with the expandable member 68, and both ends of the expandable member 68 can be fixed to the casing 31.

[0087] The expandable member 68 only needs to be configured to be expandable, and its material and structure are not particularly limited. For example, the expandable member 68 can be made of rubber, resin, cotton, metal, or other materials, either individually or in combination, and formed into a strip or the like.

[0088] The airbag 61 may be positioned below the drive shaft 41, and may inflate to advance the massage section 22 below the drive shaft 41.

[0089] [Effects of the Embodiment] Each of the above embodiments of the massage device 20 includes a base portion 21 provided on the backrest portion 12 of a chair, a massage portion 22 supported on the base portion 21 so as to be able to move forward and backward relative to the user, an airbag 61 positioned between the base portion 21 and the massage portion 22, which inflates by the supply of air to advance the massage portion 22 toward the user, an air supply portion 62 that supplies air to the airbag 61, and an air discharge portion 63 that compresses the airbag 61 and discharges the air. Therefore, even without sucking air from the airbag 61 with a pump 65, the air discharge portion 63 can compress the airbag 61 and quickly discharge the air. Consequently, power to drive the pump 65 and solenoid valve 66 is not required, and heat generation of these electric components can be suppressed.

[0090] In each of the above embodiments, the air discharge section 63 includes an elastically expandable member 68 that covers the surface of the airbag 61. The expandable member 68 expands when the airbag 61 inflates and contracts when air is allowed to be discharged from the airbag 61. Therefore, when air is allowed to be discharged from the airbag 61, the expandable member 68 contracts, compressing the airbag 61 and forcibly discharging air from it. If the expandable member 68 is formed in a strip shape, the force compressing the airbag 61 can be adjusted by changing its width.

[0091] In each of the above embodiments, the airbag 61 is sandwiched between the expandable member 68 and the base portion 21 or the massage portion 22. The expandable member 68 is fixed to the base portion 21 or the massage portion 22 on both sides of the airbag 61 in the expandable direction. Therefore, the contraction of the expandable member 68 can compress the airbag 61 by sandwiching it between the expandable member 68 and the base portion 21 or the massage portion 22, thereby promoting the discharge of air from the airbag 61.

[0092] In each of the above embodiments, the massage unit 22 has a shaft (drive shaft) 41 having an axis in the left-right direction, and a treatment member 32 attached to the shaft 41 and protruding toward the user, and the massage unit 22 is pivotably supported on the base unit 21 via the shaft 41. Therefore, the massage unit 22 can be supported on the base unit 21 using the shaft 41 to which the treatment member 32 is attached, and the structure of the massage device 20 can be simplified.

[0093] In each of the above embodiments, the treatment member 32 includes a first treatment element 37A positioned on one side (for example, above) in the vertical direction relative to the axis 41, and the airbag 61 is positioned between the base portion 21 and the massage portion 22 on one side in the vertical direction relative to the axis 41. Therefore, the inflation of the airbag 61 causes the first treatment element 37A to protrude further towards the user, thereby enhancing the massage effect of the first treatment element 37A.

[0094] In each of the above embodiments, the treatment member 32 includes a second treatment element 37B positioned on the other side (for example, below) in the vertical direction relative to the axis 41. Therefore, the inflation of the airbag 61 can retract the second treatment element 37B away from the user, causing the first treatment element 37A to protrude further towards the user relative to the second treatment element 37B, thereby enhancing the massage effect of the first treatment element 37A.

[0095] In each of the above embodiments, the massage device 20 further includes a solenoid valve 66 that switches the air path between a first mode that allows the supply of air to the airbag 61 and a second mode that allows the discharge of air. The solenoid valve 66 is in the first mode when de-energized and in the second mode when energized. Therefore, by de-energizing the solenoid valve 66, it is possible to supply air to the airbag 61, and the heat generation of the solenoid valve 66 during massage using the airbag 61 can be suppressed. By energizing the solenoid valve 66, it is possible to exhaust air from the airbag 61, and the heat generation of the solenoid valve 66 can be minimized by shortening the time required for exhaust by the air discharge unit 63.

[0096] In each of the above embodiments, the air discharge section 63 includes an elastically expandable and contractible member 68 that constitutes at least a part of the airbag 61. The expandable and contractible member 68 expands when air is supplied to the airbag 61 and contracts when air is allowed to be discharged from the airbag 61. In this case, when air is allowed to be discharged from the airbag 61, the expandable and contractible member 68, which is a component of the airbag 61, contracts, causing the airbag 61 to compress itself and discharge air. Therefore, it is possible to quickly discharge air with a simple configuration without sucking air from the airbag 61 with a pump 65. Consequently, power to drive the pump 65 and solenoid valve 66 is not required, and heat generation in these components can be suppressed.

[0097] Although embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that various modifications to the form and details are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0098] 12: Backrest 20: Massage device 21: Base section 22: Massage Department 32: Treatment components 37A: 1st treatment child 37B: 2nd treatment child 41: Drive shaft 61: Airbag 62: Air supply unit 63: Air discharge section 66: Solenoid valve 68: Expandable member

Claims

1. A base portion provided on the backrest of the chair, A massage unit supported on the base portion so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the user, An airbag is positioned between the base and the massage section, and inflates by the supply of air to extend the massage section toward the user. An air supply unit that supplies air to the airbag, A massage device comprising an air discharge unit that compresses the aforementioned airbag and discharges the air.

2. The air discharge section includes an elastically expandable member that covers the surface of the airbag, The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the expandable member expands due to the inflation of the airbag and contracts when air is allowed to be released from the airbag.

3. The airbag is sandwiched between the expandable member and the base portion or the massage portion. The massage device according to claim 2, wherein the expandable member is fixed to the base portion or the massage portion on both sides of the airbag in the expandable direction.

4. The massage device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the expandable member is formed in a strip shape and is expandable and contractible in its longitudinal direction.

5. The massage unit has a shaft having a left-right axis and a treatment member attached to the shaft and protruding toward the user. The massage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the massage portion is pivotably supported on the base portion via the shaft.

6. The treatment member includes a first treatment element positioned on one side in the vertical direction relative to the axis, The massage device according to claim 5, wherein the airbag is disposed between the base portion and the massage portion on one side in the vertical direction relative to the axis.

7. The massage device according to claim 6, wherein the treatment member includes a second treatment element positioned on the other side in the vertical direction relative to the axis.

8. The system further includes a solenoid valve that switches the air path between a first mode that allows the supply of air to the airbag and a second mode that allows the discharge of air. The massage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solenoid valve is in the first state when de-energized and in the second state when energized.

9. The air discharge section constitutes at least a part of the airbag and includes an elastically expandable and contractible member. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the expandable member expands when air is supplied to the airbag and contracts when air is allowed to be discharged from the airbag.

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