Massage machine

Abstract

The objective is to provide a massage machine that performs massage by appropriately advancing and retracting the treatment element to conform to the shape of the area being treated by the user. [Solution] The left massage unit and the right massage unit each have a treatment element, a second treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached, a first treatment element support to which the second treatment element support is attached, a retraction mechanism for moving the treatment element forward and backward relative to the user, and a mounting part for attaching the second treatment element support to the first treatment element support. The second treatment element support consists of an upper treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached and a lower treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached. The upper treatment element support and the lower treatment element support are each capable of moving forward and backward relative to the first treatment element support, and the control unit is characterized by controlling the retraction mechanism to move at least one of the treatment elements of the massage unit independently.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0002] Conventionally, there has been proposed a massage machine that performs massage with the treatment element of either the left or right massage unit advanced by controlling an advance / retreat mechanism (see, for example, Patent Document 1). PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-176415 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] In the massage machine described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the two treatment elements arranged spaced apart in the up-down direction are integrally provided on a single arm, so there arises a problem that it is impossible to perform massage by separately advancing and retreating the upper treatment element and the lower treatment element so as to conform to the shape of the user's back. Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a massage machine that performs massage by appropriately advancing and retreating treatment elements so as to conform to the shape of a user's treatment region. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0005] The present invention comprises a massage unit consisting of a left massage unit and a right massage unit, and a control unit, wherein the left massage unit and the right massage unit each have a treatment element, a second treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached, a first treatment element support to which the second treatment element support is attached, a retraction mechanism for moving the treatment element forward and backward relative to the user, and a mounting portion for attaching the second treatment element support to the first treatment element support, wherein the second treatment element support consists of an upper treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached and a lower treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached, wherein the upper treatment element support and the lower treatment element support are each movable forward and backward relative to the first treatment element support, and the control unit is characterized in that it controls the retraction mechanism to move at least one of the treatment elements of the massage unit independently forward and backward. This configuration allows the massager to be moved appropriately forward and backward to conform to the shape of the area being treated by the user, enabling effective massage.

[0006] Furthermore, it is preferable that the mounting portion is provided near the center in the vertical direction of the first treatment element support. This configuration allows the movement range of each treatment device, located above and below, to be the same.

[0007] Furthermore, it is preferable that the retraction mechanism includes an air cell provided between the first treatment support and the second treatment support, which expands and contracts due to the supply and exhaust of air, and a biasing means that biases the retraction of the upper treatment support and the lower treatment support. This configuration allows the treatment device to be moved forward and backward by the expansion and contraction of the air cell.

[0008] Furthermore, it is preferable that the massage unit has a detection unit for detecting the pressure of the air cell, and that the control unit controls the amount of expansion of the air cell based on the pressure detected by the detection unit. This configuration allows for adjustment of the amount the treatment device moves forward and backward.

[0009] Furthermore, the detection unit includes a first detection unit that detects the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the upper treatment support of the left massage unit, a second detection unit that detects the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the lower treatment support of the left massage unit, a third detection unit that detects the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the upper treatment support of the right massage unit, and a fourth detection unit that detects the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the lower treatment support of the right massage unit. Preferably, the control unit performs body shape detection of the user based on the pressures detected by the first to fourth detection units. This configuration allows for improved accuracy in detecting the user's body shape using four detection units.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the massage unit has a body support section for supporting the user's body, and the massage unit has a movement mechanism provided on the body support section for moving the massage unit in the direction of the user's height, and that the control unit performs a movement step of moving the massage unit by the movement mechanism, a movement step of moving the treatment element forward and backward by the movement mechanism, and a detection step of detecting the pressure by the detection section to detect the user's body shape. This configuration allows for the detection of the user's body shape.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the massage unit has a body support section for supporting the user's body, and the massage unit has a movement mechanism provided on the body support section for moving the massage unit in the direction of the user's height, and that the control unit performs a movement step of moving the massage unit by the movement mechanism, a movement step of moving the treatment element forward and backward by the movement mechanism, and a detection step of detecting each of the pressures by the first to fourth detection sections. This configuration allows for improved accuracy in detecting the user's body shape using four detection units.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit performs body shape detection by combining the movement step, the forward / backward step, and the detection step. This configuration allows for the detection of various body shapes of the user. For example, it can detect the user's body shape, such as shoulder position and spine line.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit performs the detection of the user's body shape by moving the treatment element forward and backward by the forward and backward step during the process of moving the massage unit from bottom to top by the movement step. This configuration allows for the detection of the user's body shape. For example, if the massage unit is installed on the backrest, the user's spinal line can be detected.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit performs the detection of the user's body shape by moving the treatment element forward and backward by the forward and backward step during the process of moving the massage unit from top to bottom by the movement step. This configuration allows for the detection of the user's body shape. For example, if the massage unit is installed on the backrest, the user's shoulder position can be detected.

[0015] Furthermore, the left massage unit has a left kneading shaft that supports the first treatment support and a left kneading drive unit that rotates the left kneading shaft, and the right massage unit has a right kneading shaft that supports the first treatment support and a right kneading drive unit that rotates the right kneading shaft, and the control unit preferably performs a kneading massage operation on the user by driving either the left kneading drive unit or the right kneading drive unit. This configuration allows for kneading massage operations to be performed by massage units on either the left or right side.

[0016] It is also preferable that the control unit performs a kneading massage operation on the user by driving the left kneading drive unit and the right kneading drive unit in an interlocked manner. With this configuration, a wide variety of kneading massage operations can be performed. Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, massage can be performed by appropriately advancing and retracting the treatment elements to conform to the shape of the user's treatment site. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic front view of a massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing an advancing / retracting mechanism of a massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a state where the treatment element is retracted, and (b) shows a state where the treatment element is advanced. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a sensor that detects the kneading width of the treatment elements of a massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an enlarged view of the sensor of the massage unit in Fig. 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view of C1 viewed from the right direction of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of C2 viewed from the left direction of (a). [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing a flow of body shape detection of a massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a schematic front view showing kneading massage operations of a right massage unit and a left massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a flow chart of kneading massage operation 1 of a massage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart of the kneading massage operation 2 of a massage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of the kneading massage operation 3 of a massage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] [Overall configuration of the massage machine] The following describes the overall configuration of the massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the arrangement and number of each massage unit A (2a, 3a, 5a, 11) are examples only and are not limited to these. They can be modified as appropriate depending on the embodiment.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention consists of a seat 3 on which the user sits, a backrest 4 provided at the rear of the seat 3 for the user to lean against, a footrest 5 provided at the front of the seat 3, and armrests 2 attached to the sides of the seat 3. Armrest units 2L and 2R for massaging the user's arms are provided on the upper surface of the armrests 2. The armrests 2, seat 3, backrest 4, and footrests 5 function as body support parts S that support the user's body. The massage machine 1 is equipped with massage units A (massage unit 11, arm massage unit 2a, buttock massage unit 3a, leg massage unit 5a) that provide massage to the user, a control unit 10 that controls the functions of the massage machine 1, a controller 13 for performing various operations on the massage machine 1, a memory unit 14, and an air supply and exhaust device 15 for supplying and exhausting air to and from the air cells. Each component will be described later.

[0021] [Seat structure] As shown in Figure 1, the seat 3 is composed of a rectangular member that is elongated horizontally in the left-right direction. The seat 3 is attached to a base (not shown) that serves as the base of the massage machine 1. The seat 3 is provided with a pair of buttock massage sections 3a (massage section A) on the left and right sides for massaging the buttocks of the user seated on the seat 3. The buttock massage sections 3a are composed of air cells that expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. The buttock massage sections 3a may be configured to expand and contract independently on the left and right sides.

[0022] [Structure of the backrest] As shown in Figure 1, the backrest 4 supports the user's upper body. The backrest 4 is composed of a rectangular member that is long in the direction of the user's height. The backrest 4 has an opening, and a guide rail 31 is provided inside the backrest 4. The massage unit 11 (massage unit A) is provided via the guide rail 31. The massage unit 11 moves up and down along the guide rail 31 by a movement mechanism 30, thereby massaging the back of the user's torso (for example, the shoulders and waist) while seated on the seat 3. The massage unit 11 is also divided into a left massage unit 11L and a right massage unit 11R, which can operate independently. Details of the massage unit 11 will be described later.

[0023] In this embodiment, the massage unit 11 is described as being provided on the backrest 4, but it is not limited to this, and the massage unit 11 may also be provided on a body support part S such as the seat 3 or footrest 5. In that case, the guide rail 31 is provided similarly on the seat 3 or footrest 5. By doing so, the massage unit 11 can move within the seat 3 or footrest 5 along the guide rail 31.

[0024] [Footrest structure] As shown in Figure 1, the footrest section 5 is provided with a pair of recesses 5b on the left and right sides into which the user's legs can be inserted. On the inner walls of both the left and right recesses 5b, there are leg massage sections 5a (massage section A) for massaging the user's legs. The leg massage section 5a is composed of air cells that expand and contract with the intake and exhaust of air. More specifically, the leg massage sections 5a are provided one on each of the inner walls on both the left and right sides of the right recess 5b, and one on each of the inner walls on both the left and right sides of the left recess 5b. Preferably, each leg massage section 5a is configured to be able to expand and contract independently. In addition, a foot massage section (not shown) for massaging the soles of the user's feet may be provided on the bottom surface of the recess 5b.

[0025] [Structure of the armrest] As shown in Figure 1, the armrests 2 are provided in pairs, one on the left and one on the right. Arm units 2L and 2R, into which the user's arms can be inserted, are attached to the upper surface of the armrests 2, respectively. On the inner surface of the arm units 2L and 2R (the surface facing the treatment area of ​​the user), there is an arm massage section 2a (massage section A) for massaging the user's arms. The arm massage section 2a is composed of an air cell that expands and contracts with the supply and exhaust of air. More specifically, the arm massage sections 2a are provided one each on the upper and lower inner surfaces of the arm units 2L and 2R. Preferably, each arm massage section 2a is configured to be able to expand and contract independently.

[0026] [Configuration of the control unit] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a massage machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the massage machine 1 is equipped with a control unit 10 consisting of a microcomputer for operating the massage units 11 (11L, 11R) and the air intake / exhaust system 15. This control unit 10 is located below the seat 3. The control unit 10 is connected to a controller 13 for the user to operate the massage machine 1 and a storage unit 14 that stores massage programs. The user can operate the controller 13 to drive each massage unit A and execute various massage operations (including massage programs).

[0027] [Configuration of the intake and exhaust system] As shown in Figure 2, the air supply and exhaust device 15 consists of a pump 15a for supplying air to each massage section 2a, 3a, and 5a, which are composed of air cells, and a valve 15b that connects each massage section 2a, 3a, and 5a to the pump 15a. By turning the valve 15b ON and OFF, air can be supplied to and exhausted from the air cells. The air cell 18, which is the retractable mechanism 12 described later, is not shown in Figure 2 in terms of its connection relationship, but air can be supplied to and exhausted from it by the air supply and exhaust device 15 in the same way as the air cells of each massage section 2a, 3a, and 5a.

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic front view of a massage unit 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the retraction mechanism 12 of a massage unit 11R according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the state in which the treatment element 11a is retracted, and (b) shows the state in which the treatment element 11a is advanced. Figure 4 shows the right massage unit 11R, but the left massage unit 11L has a similar configuration. Figure 5 shows a sensor 17 for detecting the kneading width of the treatment element 11a of a massage unit 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an enlarged view of the sensor 17 of the massage unit 11 in Figure 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view of C1 seen from the right of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of C2 seen from the left of (a).

[0029] [Massage Unit Configuration] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the backrest 4 is equipped with a massage unit 11 (massage unit A) for massaging the user's upper body from the rear (back). As shown in Figures 2 to 5, this massage unit 11 consists of a left massage unit 11L and a right massage unit 11R. Massage units 11L and 11R each have kneading drive units M1L and M1R. By driving the kneading motors M1L and M1R, which are the kneading drive units, kneading operations can be performed by the left and right massage units 11 or by one of the massage units 11 (for example, the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R). In addition, the retraction mechanism 12 allows the left and right massage units 11 to be moved forward and backward independently. The kneading drive units M1L and M1R and the retraction mechanism 12 will be described in detail later.

[0030] The massage unit 11 includes a moving mechanism 30 and a tapping drive unit M2. The tapping motor M2, which is the tapping drive unit, enables the left and right massage units 11 to perform a tapping motion. The lifting motor M3, which is the moving mechanism 30, allows the massage unit 11 to move upward or downward in the direction of the user's height along a guide rail 31 provided inside the backrest 4. By moving the massage unit 11 upward or downward, the position of the massage unit 11 can be changed, or the user's upper body (from the neck to the waist) can be massaged by the massage unit 11 using a rolling massage technique.

[0031] The moving mechanism 30 will now be described. As shown in Figure 3, the massage unit 11 has a base frame 24. The base frame 24 has pinions 23 on both its left and right sides that fit into the guide rails 31. The pinions 23 are arranged in pairs, with the upper left and right pair of pinions 23 being rotatably supported on the base frame 24 via an axle. The lower left and right pair of pinions 23 are supported on the base frame 24 via a left and right lifting shaft 22. The lifting shaft 22 rotates when driven by the lifting motor M3, which rotates the lower left and right pair of pinions 23, moving the massage unit 11 along the user's height. In other words, the lifting shaft 22, the pinions 23, and the lifting motor M3 are included in the moving mechanism 30.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the first arm 11b1 of the massage unit 11L is supported by a left-side kneading shaft 20L that extends in the left-right direction, and the first arm 11b1 of the massage unit 11R is supported by a right-side kneading shaft 20R that extends in the left-right direction. The left and right first arms 11b1 are also supported by a tapping shaft 21 that extends in the left-right direction via a connecting rod 11c, which will be described later. The left-side kneading shaft 20L and the right-side kneading shaft 20R are not connected to each other and can be rotated independently. Specifically, an inclined cam 20b having an inclined shaft portion 20a is provided on the outside of the left-side kneading shaft 20L and the right-side kneading shaft 20R, and each first arm 11b1 is attached to this inclined cam 20b. Sensors 17 for detecting the kneading width (left-right position of the treatment element 11a) are provided above and below the inside of the left-side kneading shaft 20L and the right-side kneading shaft 20R, respectively. The treatment element 11a and the sensor 17 will be described later.

[0033] On both the left and right sides of the striking shaft 21, there are eccentric cams 21a, each having an eccentric shaft portion 21b that is eccentric with respect to the axis of the striking shaft 21. The left and right first arms 11b1 are attached to the eccentric cams 21a via connecting rods 11c. The left and right eccentric shaft portions 21b are in different phases with respect to the axis of the striking shaft 21, specifically by 180 degrees. This 180-degree phase difference allows the left and right treatment elements 11a to alternately move forward and backward toward the user in a striking motion.

[0034] The left kneading shaft 20L rotates due to the drive of the kneading motor M1L, which is the left kneading drive unit. The right kneading shaft 20R rotates due to the drive of the kneading motor M1R, which is the right kneading drive unit. The tapping shaft 21 rotates due to the drive of the tapping motor M2, which is the tapping drive unit. The massage unit 11 performs kneading massage by the rotation of the left kneading shaft 20L and the right kneading shaft 20R, and tapping massage by the rotation of the tapping shaft 21. For example, by rotating the right kneading shaft 20R, it is possible to perform kneading operation only with the right massage unit 11R, or by rotating the left kneading shaft 20L, it is possible to perform kneading operation only with the left massage unit 11L.

[0035] [Configuration of Massage Unit 11R] The configuration of massage unit 11R will be explained. Since massage unit 11L has the same configuration as massage unit 11R, its explanation will be omitted. As shown in Figure 4, the right-side massage unit 11R includes a treatment element 11a, a second arm 11b2 which is a second treatment element support to which the treatment element 11a is attached, a first arm 11b1 which is a first treatment element support to which the second arm 11b2 is attached, a retraction mechanism 12 for moving the treatment element 11a forward and backward relative to the user, and a mounting portion 11b3 for attaching the second arm 11b2 to the first arm 11b1. Furthermore, the second arm 11b2 includes a second upper arm 11b4 which is an upper treatment element support to which the treatment element 11a is attached, and a second lower arm 11b5 which is a lower treatment element support to which the treatment element 11a is attached. The mounting portion 11b3 is provided in front of the first arm 11b1 near the center in the vertical direction.

[0036] Specifically, the first arm 11b1 is a plate-like member that, when viewed from the left side, has a rhombus shape in the vertical and horizontal directions and is thick in the horizontal direction (see Figure 4(b)). The central rear position of the first arm 11b1 is supported by an inclined cam 20b via a bearing (not shown). The lower rear position of the first arm 11b1 is supported by an eccentric cam 21a via a connecting rod 11c of a ball joint. The central front position of the first arm 11b1 has a hole (not shown) that penetrates in the horizontal direction. The second upper arm 11b4 and the second lower arm 11b5 are attached to this hole via a mounting pin 11b3 that is inserted through this hole, so as to be able to swing in the horizontal direction relative to this hole.

[0037] The second upper arm 11b4 and the second lower arm 11b5 are plate-shaped members that are longer in the vertical direction and shorter in the horizontal direction. A treatment element 11a is attached to the upper and front side of the second upper arm 11b4. A hole (not shown) that penetrates from left to right is opened on the lower side of the second upper arm 11b4 for attachment to the first arm 11b1. A treatment element 11a is attached to the lower and front side of the second lower arm 11b5. A hole (not shown) that penetrates from left to right is opened on the upper side of the second lower arm 11b5 for attachment to the first arm 11b1. A pin 11b3 is inserted through the hole in the central front position of the first arm 11b1, the hole on the lower side of the second upper arm 11b4, and the hole on the upper side of the second lower arm 11b5.

[0038] In other words, the second upper arm 11b4 is attached to the first arm 11b1 via a pin 11b3 so that it can move with the lower side of the second upper arm 11b4 as the pivot point, and the second lower arm 11b5 is attached to the first arm 11b1 via a pin 11b3 so that it can move with the upper side of the second lower arm 11b5 as the pivot point. In this way, when inflating the air cell 18, the amount of advancement and retraction of each treatment element 11a provided at the top and bottom can be made the same.

[0039] An air cell 18, which is a reciprocating mechanism 12, is provided between the second upper arm 11b4 and the first arm 11b1. An air cell 18, which is a reciprocating mechanism 12, is also provided between the second lower arm 11b5 and the first arm 11b1. By inflating each air cell 18 with the air supply and exhaust device 9, the second upper arm 11b4 and / or the second lower arm 11b5 can be advanced forward as shown in Figure 4(b), thereby advancing the upper treatment element 11a and the lower treatment element 11a toward the user. In addition, a coil spring 19, which is a biasing means for biasing the retraction of the second upper arm 11b4 and the second lower arm 11b5, is provided near the pin 11b3.

[0040] Specifically, the coil spring 19 is a torsion spring, and a pin 11b3 is inserted through the part of the torsion spring that serves as its pivot point and fixed in place. The fixed point side of the torsion spring is on the side of the first arm 11b1, and the point of application of the torsion spring is on the side of the second upper arm 11b4 and the second lower arm 11b5. In this way, the force of the torsion spring acts on each of the arms, the second upper arm 11b4 and the second lower arm 11b5, allowing each of the arms 11b4 and 11b5 to be moved backward.

[0041] In other words, as shown in Figure 4(b), the treatment element 11a can be advanced by inflating the air cell 18, and as shown in Figure 4(a), the treatment element 11a can be retracted by deflating the air cell 18 and using the coil spring 19. In this embodiment, the advancement / retraction mechanism 12 uses an air cell 18, but it is not limited to this, and a motor-driven advancement / retraction mechanism may also be used.

[0042] In this way, at least one of the four treatment elements 11a positioned above and below the massage units 11L and 11R can be moved forward and backward independently. For example, the two upper treatment elements 11a can be moved forward and backward, the two lower treatment elements 11a can be moved forward and backward, or the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L can be moved forward and backward, allowing each treatment element 11a to be moved forward and backward in various ways. For example, since the human back has an S-shaped curve, the upper and lower treatment elements 11a can be moved forward and backward appropriately to conform to the shape of the user's treatment area (waist or shoulder) (for the waist, the lower treatment element 11a can be advanced and the upper treatment element 11a can be retracted. For the shoulder, the upper treatment element 11a can be advanced and the lower treatment element 11a can be retracted) to perform a massage.

[0043] [Detection Unit Configuration] As shown in Figure 2, the massage units 11L and 11R have a detection unit 16 that detects the pressure of the air cell 18, which is the reciprocating mechanism 12. Specifically, the air cell 18 is connected to a valve 15b via an air hose (not shown). A pneumatic sensor (not shown), which is the detection unit 16, is connected between this air hose and the valve. The pneumatic sensor can detect the pressure of the air flowing through the air hose. The pressure of the air cell 18 can be calculated using this detection unit 16. The control unit 10 can control the amount of expansion of the air cell 18 based on the pressure detected by the detection unit 16. This allows the amount of reciprocating movement of the treatment element 11a to be calculated from the amount of expansion of the air cell 18, and the amount of reciprocating movement of the treatment element 11a can be adjusted.

[0044] The detection unit 16 includes a first detection unit 16a that detects the pressure of the air cell 18 corresponding to the second upper arm 11b4 of the left massage unit 11L, a second detection unit 16b that detects the pressure of the air cell 18 corresponding to the second lower arm 11b5 of the left massage unit 11L, a third detection unit 16c that detects the pressure of the air cell 18 corresponding to the second upper arm 11b4 of the right massage unit 11R, and a fourth detection unit 16d that detects the pressure of the air cell 18 corresponding to the second lower arm 11b5 of the right massage unit 11R, thereby enabling detection of the pressure of the air cells 18 corresponding to the second upper arm 11b4 and second lower arm 11b5 of the massage units 11L and 11R. As described above, an air pressure sensor (not shown) is connected between each air hose (not shown) and valve connected to each air cell 18. Based on the pressures detected by the first detection unit 16a to the fourth detection unit 16d, the user's body shape can be detected. In this way, the accuracy of detecting the user's body shape can be improved using the four detection units 16. The detection of the user's body shape will be described later.

[0045] [Sensor Configuration] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, sensors 17 for detecting the kneading width (left-right position of the treatment element 11a) are provided above and below the inside of the left kneading shaft 20L and the right kneading shaft 20R, respectively. Sensor 17 consists of two types of sensors: one for detecting the origin position of the treatment element 11a in the left-right direction, and another for detecting the kneading width (left-right position of the treatment element 11a). The upper sensor 17 consists of a sensor for detecting the origin position of the treatment element 11a in the left-right direction of the left massage unit 11L (light-receiving and light-emitting part 17a and disc 17c) and a sensor for detecting the kneading width of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R (light-receiving and light-emitting part 17a and disc 17b). The lower sensor 17 is a sensor (light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a and disc 17c) that detects the origin position in the left-right direction of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R, and a sensor (light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a and disc 17b) that detects the kneading width of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L. The light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a, disc 17b, and disc 17c will be described later.

[0046] This configuration allows for a compact arrangement of the sensors 17. For example, the upper sensor 17 may be configured to detect the origin position of the treatment element 11a in the left-right direction in the right-side massage unit 11R, and to detect the kneading width of the treatment element 11a in the right-side massage unit 11R. The lower sensor 17 may be configured to detect the origin position of the treatment element 11a in the left-side massage unit 11L, and to detect the kneading width of the treatment element 11a in the left-side massage unit 11L. In this case, the arrangement dimensions of the upper and lower sensors 17 will be wider in the left-right direction compared to the arrangement dimensions of the upper and lower sensors 17 in Figure 5(a). The internal structure of the massage unit 11 is complex, consisting of multiple components such as the kneading drive units M1L and M1R, the tapping drive unit M2, the moving mechanism 30, and the forward / backward mechanism 12. Therefore, the arrangement of the sensors themselves is extremely important. For this reason, the above configuration is used to arrange the sensors 17 compactly.

[0047] Figure 5 shows a sensor 17 for detecting the kneading width of the treatment element 11a of a massage unit 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. (a) is an enlarged view of the sensor 17 of the massage unit 11 in Figure 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view of C1 seen from the right of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of C2 seen from the left of (a). Figures 5(b) and 5(c) show the discs 17b and 17c provided on the right kneading shaft 20R, so the explanation will focus on the right massage unit 11R. The discs 17b and 17c provided on the left kneading shaft 20L have the same configuration as the discs 17b and 17c provided on the right kneading shaft 20R, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0048] The sensor 17 consists of a light-receiving and light-emitting section 17a, a disc 17b, and a disc 17c. As shown in Figure 5(a), the disc 17c is provided at the left end of the right-side kneading shaft 20R, and the disc 17b is provided to the right of the disc 17c. As shown in Figure 5(b), there is a hole in the center of the disc 17b, through which the right-side kneading shaft 20R is inserted and fixed. Multiple slits 17d of the same size are arranged evenly on the disc 17b. In this embodiment, a total of 12 slits 17d are arranged at equal intervals (in Figure 5(b), the slits 17d are partially hidden by the light-receiving and light-emitting section 17a of the upper sensor 17).

[0049] The light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a is configured as a concave shape having a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit. A disc 17b or disc 17c is positioned in this concave part and is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the light-receiving unit and the light-emitting unit from the left and right directions (see Figure 5(a)). The light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a detects whether or not light from the light-emitting unit is received by the light-receiving unit. Between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, the light from the light-emitting unit reaches the light-receiving unit when the slits 17d of the discs 17b or disc 17c overlap, but the light from the light-emitting unit is blocked in parts other than the slits 17d. The light-receiving unit receives light when the kneading shaft 20R rotates and overlaps with the slits 17d from a state where the light from the light-emitting unit is blocked (parts other than the slits 17d), and counts when light is received. The number of counts corresponds to the number of slits 17d. The rotation position of the kneading shaft 20R can be determined from the number of counts. In this embodiment, the case where the disc 17b has 12 slits was described, but the number of slits is not limited to this, and it can be fewer or more. For example, if you want to set the massage width of the treatment element 11a to three types: wide, medium, and narrow, you can set the number of slits to three. Also, if you want to set the massage width of the treatment element 11a more precisely, you can set it even more precisely by increasing the number of slits (for example, to 18).

[0050] As shown in Figure 5(c), a hole is made in the center of the disc 17c, and the right-side kneading shaft 20R is inserted through this hole and fixed in place. The disc 17c has one slit 17d, similar to that of the disc 17b. The light-receiving part 17a of the lower sensor 17, which is positioned to sandwich the disc 17c, receives light when the kneading shaft 20R rotates and aligns with the slit 17d, starting from a state where the light from the light-receiving part is blocked (the part other than the slit 17d), and counts when light is received. The number of counts corresponds to the number of slits 17d. The rotation position of the kneading shaft 20R can be determined from the number of counts. Since there is one slit 17d on the disc 17c, it is positioned so that the counted position becomes the origin position in the left-right direction of the treatment element 11a of the massage unit 11R.

[0051] The control unit 10 detects the kneading width of the treatment element 11a (the left-right position of the treatment element 11a) using the counts of the light-receiving and light-emitting units 17a corresponding to the disc 17c and the disc 17b. Specifically, the position of the kneading axis 20R that detects the slit 17d of the disc 17c is set as the origin position of the kneading width of the treatment element 11a. Since the discs 17b and 17b are similarly fixed to the kneading axis 20R, the position of the slit 17d of disc 17b, which is counted at the same timing as the slit 17d of disc 17c, becomes the origin position of the treatment element 11a of the massage unit 11R in the left-right direction.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5(c), the current position of the slit 17d on the disc 17c is opposite to the light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a, and therefore is not the origin position. When the right-side kneading shaft 20R rotates half a turn, the position of the slit 17d on the disc 17c becomes aligned with the light-receiving and light-emitting unit 17a. At this time, the disc 17b also rotates half a turn, so the slit 17d on the disc 17b at the 6 o'clock position on the analog clock in Figure 5(b) becomes the origin position. This origin position is set as the reference for counting. By counting the number of counts at the slit 17d on the disc 17b from there, the current rotation position of the kneading shaft 20R can be calculated, and the kneading width of the treatment element 11a (the left-right position of the treatment element 11a) can be detected.

[0053] For example, the widest kneading width of the treatment element 11a is represented as count 0 (referring to position 3 of the upper treatment element 11a on the right-side massage unit 11R in Figure 7). The narrowest kneading width of the treatment element 11a is represented as count 6 (referring to position 1 of the upper treatment element 11a on the right-side massage unit 11R in Figure 7). A medium kneading width of the treatment element 11a is represented as count 3 (for example, referring to position 4 of the upper treatment element 11a on the right-side massage unit 11R in Figure 7) or count 9 (referring to position 2 of the upper treatment element 11a on the right-side massage unit 11R in Figure 7). In this way, the kneading width of the treatment element 11a can be determined from the count number.

[0054] By assigning a positive count when the right-side kneading axis 20R rotates clockwise and a negative count when it rotates counterclockwise, the rotational position of the right-side kneading axis 20R can be accurately determined from the count of the slit 17d on the disc 17b. For example, if the right-side kneading axis 20R is rotated clockwise from the origin position (count 0) until the count reaches 6 (positive count), and then rotated counterclockwise (negative count) until the count reaches 3, it can be determined that the right-side kneading axis 20R has rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the origin position (count 0). In this way, the kneading width of the treatment element 11a of the massage unit 11R can be adjusted from the count of the kneading axis 20R. Note that when rotating counterclockwise from the origin position, the count is 12 at the origin position, and the count decreases from there. In this way, the rotational position of the right-side kneading axis 20R can be determined from the count.

[0055] [Body shape detection] The following describes the body shape detection of the massage unit 11. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the flow of body shape detection of the massage unit 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] The following describes the sequence of body shape detection by the massage unit 11, based on Figure 6. The control unit 10 operates the controller 13 to start the selected massage course. When the massage course starts, body shape detection, such as shoulder position detection, begins (step S-10). Body shape detection includes various body shape detections for the treatment area of ​​the user, such as shoulder position detection, spinal muscle line detection, and detection of differences in unevenness between the left and right sides of the back, but here we will explain shoulder position detection. Following step S-10, a movement step is performed in which the massage unit 11 is moved by the movement mechanism 30 (step S-11). Specifically, the massage unit 11 installed in the backrest 4 is moved by the movement mechanism 30 from the lower limit position of the backrest 4, which is the storage position, toward the upper limit position.

[0057] Following step S-11, the reciprocating mechanism 12 performs a reciprocating step (step S-12) in which the treatment elements 11a of the massage units 11 (11L, 11R) are moved forward and backward. Specifically, in the process of moving the massage unit 11 from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R are advanced.

[0058] Following step S-12, a detection step is performed in which the detection unit 16 detects the pressure of each air cell 18 (step S-13). Specifically, the pressure values ​​of each detection unit from the first detection unit 16a to the fourth detection unit 16d, which detect the pressure of each air cell 18 corresponding to each treatment element 11a, are monitored, and the position of the massage unit 11 when the pressure values ​​of the upper treatment element 11a (air cell 18) of the left massage unit 11L and the upper treatment element 11a (air cell 18) of the right massage unit 11R change rapidly during the process of the massage unit 11 moving from the lower limit position to the upper limit position is determined as the user's shoulder position.

[0059] The method for determining the shoulder position is as follows: As the massage unit 11 moves from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, a constant load is always applied from the user side to the massage unit 11a (air cell 18) when the treatment element 11a is in contact with the user's back. However, when the unit approaches the user's shoulder position, the upper treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R, which were previously in contact with the back, no longer make contact with the back, and the load is removed, causing the pressure value of the upper treatment element 11a (air cell 18) to change rapidly. The lower treatment element 11a is still in contact with the back and therefore has a constant load applied to it, so the pressure value of the lower treatment element 11a (air cell 18) does not change rapidly. From the pressure values ​​of the first detection unit 16a and the third detection unit 16c of the upper treatment element 11a and the pressure values ​​of the second detection unit 16b and the fourth detection unit 16d of the lower treatment element 11a, it can be seen that the pressure value of the upper treatment element 11a (air cell 18) changed rapidly.

[0060] The method for determining the shoulder position using the first detection unit 16a to the fourth detection unit 16d has been described, but this is just one example and is not limited to this method. It is also possible to determine the shoulder position by simply monitoring the decrease in the pressure values ​​of the first detection unit 16a and the third detection unit 16c of the upper treatment unit 11a, or by monitoring the decrease in the pressure value of either the first detection unit 16a or the third detection unit 16 of the upper treatment unit 11a.

[0061] Body shape detection is completed by determining the user's shoulder position (step S-14). Specifically, by determining the user's shoulder position, the system calculates the position of the user's upper body, such as the neck and waist, and completes the body shape detection. After body shape detection is complete, various massages are performed on each of the calculated treatment areas.

[0062] The body shape detection of the shoulder position described above involves executing a movement step, then an advance / return step, and then a detection step in that order. However, the body shape detection is not limited to this sequence, and various combinations of movement steps, advance / return steps, and detection steps are also possible. In another embodiment, when the storage position of the massage unit 11 is at the upper limit position of the backrest 4, the treatment element 11a is moved forward and backward by the advance / return step. Next, a movement step is executed to move the massage unit 11 from top to bottom. During the process of moving the massage unit 11 downward, the increase in the pressure values ​​of the first detection unit 16a and the third detection unit 16c of the upper treatment element 11a is monitored by the detection step, and the position where the pressure increases sharply is determined to be the shoulder position for body shape detection.

[0063] Another method of body shape detection involves detecting the spinal muscle line. The human back is formed by the spine, and when viewed from the side, the spine forms an S-shaped curve from the neck to the lower back. The spine curves backward at the upper part of the neck, curves forward towards the shoulders, curves backward around the shoulder blades, and curves forward towards the lower back. In other words, the anterior-posterior position of the spine differs from the neck to the lower back. If the correct spinal muscle line can be detected, a massage tailored to the user can be performed.

[0064] The following describes the sequence of steps involved in body shape detection (back muscle line detection) by the massage unit 11. The control unit 10 moves the massage unit 11 from the lower limit position towards the upper limit position by a movement step. In the process of moving to the upper limit position, it performs an advance and retreat step to advance the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R by a fixed amount, so that each treatment element 11a is always in contact with the user's back. Since the amount of advancement of the treatment elements 11a is constant, the pressure value of the detection unit 16 remains constant unless the load from the user increases. In other words, as the massage unit 11 rises, the pressure value of the detection unit 16 remains constant unless the load from the user changes. However, as mentioned above, the shape of the human spine is S-shaped, so at the waist, the spine is curved forward, reducing the load from the user, while around the shoulder blades, the spine is curved backward, increasing the load from the user. As a result, the load from the user differs at each treatment site on the user's back, causing the pressure value of the detection unit 16 to vary depending on the treatment site.

[0065] During the detection step, as the massage unit 11 moves from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, the pressure values ​​of each detection unit from the first detection unit 16a to the fourth detection unit 16d at each location described later are monitored. Specifically, the movement from the lower limit position to the upper limit position is first subdivided. For example, if it would take 30 seconds to move continuously from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, the 30-second continuous movement is divided into 15 movements of 2 seconds each. This results in 16 subdivided locations, and the pressure values ​​of the first detection unit 16a to the fourth detection unit 16d at each location are calculated. The relationship between the pressure values ​​at each location and each location can be summarized as a single curve, which can be called the spine muscle line. Specifically, the spine muscle line can be represented as a curve with each subdivided location on the vertical axis and the pressure value at each location on the horizontal axis. Finally, by replacing this curve with the amount of movement of the treatment device 11a, an appropriate massage can be performed on the treatment area of ​​the user.

[0066] [Kneading massage action] The following describes the kneading massage operation of the massage unit 11 (11L and 11R). Figure 7 shows the kneading massage operation of the right massage unit 11R and the left massage unit 11L according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, it shows the trajectories of the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R and the left massage unit 11L when the kneading massage operation is performed. Figure 8 is a flowchart of kneading massage operation 1 of the massage unit 11 (11L and 11R) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a flowchart of kneading massage operation 2 of the massage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a flowchart of kneading massage operation 3 of the massage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] As mentioned above, the massage unit 11 consists of a left massage unit 11L and a right massage unit 11R, and the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R can be driven separately and independently. The left massage unit 11L can perform a kneading massage operation by rotating the left kneading shaft 20L with the kneading motor M1L, and the right massage unit 11R can perform a kneading massage operation by rotating the right kneading shaft 20R with the kneading motor M1R. As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L are mounted at an angle by the inclined cam 20b, so when the kneading motor M1L is driven in the forward direction, a kneading massage operation (upward kneading) can be performed that approaches and moves away from the center line C in a loop-shaped trajectory in the order of 1⇒2⇒3⇒4⇒1. Furthermore, by reversing the drive of the kneading motor M1L, a kneading massage action (downward kneading) can be performed, which approaches and moves away from the center line C in a loop-shaped trajectory in the order of 1⇒4⇒3⇒2⇒1.

[0068] The upper and lower treatment elements 11a of the right-side massage unit 11R are mounted at an angle by the inclined cam 20b. Therefore, when the kneading motor M1R is driven in reverse, it can perform a kneading massage operation (upward kneading) that approaches and moves away from the center line C in a loop-shaped trajectory in the order of 1⇒2⇒3⇒4⇒1. Conversely, when the kneading motor M1R is driven in forward rotation, it can perform a kneading massage operation (downward kneading) that approaches and moves away from the center line C in a loop-shaped trajectory in the order of 1⇒4⇒3⇒2⇒1. As shown in Figure 7, by simultaneously (linkedly) driving the kneading motor M1L in the forward direction and the kneading motor M1R in the reverse direction from the left and right treatment elements 11a in a 1 state, a kneading massage operation (upward kneading) can be performed in which the left and right treatment elements 11a move closer to and away from each other. By simultaneously (linkedly) driving the kneading motor M1L in the reverse direction and the kneading motor M1R in the forward direction, a kneading massage operation (downward kneading) can be performed in which the left and right treatment elements 11a move closer to and away from each other.

[0069] The following describes the kneading massage operation 1 of the massage unit 11 (11L and 11R). As shown in Figure 8, kneading massage operation 1 is the kneading massage operation of one of the treatment elements 11a on the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R.

[0070] As shown in Figure 8, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right-side massage unit 11R is performed (step S-20). Specifically, the control unit 10 reverses the drive of the kneading motor M1R. In this way, the kneading motion can be performed on only one side of the treatment element 11a of the right-side massage unit 11R. Following step S-20, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the massage unit 11R is stopped (step S-21). Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motor M1R.

[0071] Following step S-21, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L is performed (step S-22). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1L in the forward direction. In this way, the kneading motion can be performed on only one side of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L. Following step S-22, the kneading motion of each treatment element 11a of the massage unit 11L is stopped (step S-23). ​​Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motor M1L. By performing this series of operations, the kneading massage motion can be performed on only one side of the treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R.

[0072] The following describes the kneading massage operation 2 of the massage unit 11 (11L and 11R). As shown in Figure 9, kneading massage operation 2 is a kneading massage operation in which the treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R are linked.

[0073] As shown in Figure 9, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R is performed (step S-30). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1R in reverse. Following step S-30, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L is performed (step S-31). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1L in forward rotation. In this way, the left and right treatment elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R and the left massage unit 11L can perform a kneading motion that moves closer to and further away from each other. Following step S-31, the kneading motion of each treatment element 11a of the massage units 11L and 11R is stopped (step S-32). Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motors M1L and M1R.

[0074] Following step S-32, the massage element 11a of the right massage unit 11R is performed to knead downwards (step S-33). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1R in the forward direction. Following step S-33, the massage element 11a of the left massage unit 11L is performed to knead downwards (step S-34). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1L in the reverse direction. In this way, the left and right massage elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R and the left massage unit 11L can perform a kneading downward motion that moves closer to and away from each other. Following step S-34, the kneading motion of each massage element 11a of the massage units 11L and 11R is stopped (step S-35). Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motors M1L and M1R. By performing this series of actions, the massage elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R can perform a coordinated kneading massage action.

[0075] The following describes the kneading massage operation 3 of the massage unit 11 (11L and 11R). As shown in Figure 10, kneading massage operation 2 is a kneading massage operation in which the treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R are linked.

[0076] As shown in Figure 10, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R is performed (step S-40). Specifically, the control unit 10 reverses the drive of the kneading motor M1R. Following step S-40, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L is performed (step S-41). Specifically, the control unit 10 reverses the drive of the kneading motor M1L. In this way, the left and right treatment elements 11a of the right massage unit 11R and the left massage unit 11L can perform kneading massage movements that trace trajectories in the same direction. Following step S-41, the kneading motion of each treatment element 11a of the massage units 11L and 11R is stopped (step S-42). Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motors M1L and M1R.

[0077] Following step S-42, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R is performed (step S-43). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1R in reverse. Following step S-43, the control unit 10 waits until the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R has completed a quarter rotation (step S-44). Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the system so as not to proceed to the next step until the count of the slit 17d on the disc 17b of the right kneading shaft 20R, detected by the sensor 17, increases by 3 counts. Following step S-44, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L is performed (step S-45). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the kneading motor M1L in the forward direction. In this way, the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the left massage unit 11L can be performed in a manner that follows the kneading motion of the treatment element 11a of the right massage unit 11R. Following step S-45, the kneading motion of each treatment element 11a of the massage units 11L and 11R is stopped (step S-46). Specifically, the control unit 10 stops the kneading motors M1L and M1R. By performing this series of operations, the treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R can perform synchronized kneading massage.

[0078] In this embodiment, the kneading massage operation of the treatment elements 11a of the left massage unit 11L and the right massage unit 11R was explained in Figures 8 to 10. However, the invention is not limited to this, and a wide variety of kneading massage operations can be performed by combining various kneading operations of the left and right treatment elements 11a. [Industrial applicability]

[0079] This invention can be applied to a massage machine that performs massage by appropriately advancing and retracting the treatment element to conform to the shape of the area being treated by the user. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] Massage machine 1 Control unit 10 Massage unit 11 Left-side massage unit 11L Right-side massage unit 11R Treatment child 11a First treatment support 11b1 Second treatment support 11b2 Mounting part 11b3 Upper treatment element support 11b4 (11b2) Lower treatment element support 11b5 (11b2) Advancement / retraction mechanism 12 Detection unit 16 First detection unit 16a(16) Second detection unit 16b(16) Third detection unit 16c(16) Fourth detection unit 16d(16) Air Cell 18 (12) biasing means 19 Left-side massage shaft 20L Right-side massage axis 20R Moving mechanism 30 Body support part S Left side massage drive unit M1L Right-side massage drive unit M1R

Claims

1. It has a massage unit consisting of a left massage unit and a right massage unit, and a control unit. The left massage unit and the right massage unit are, Therapist, The second treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached, The first treatment support to which the second treatment support is attached, The aforementioned treatment device includes an advancement / retraction mechanism that moves the treatment device forward and backward relative to the user, Each of the following has an attachment portion for attaching the second treatment support to the first treatment support: The second treatment element support is composed of an upper treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached, and a lower treatment element support to which the treatment element is attached. The upper treatment support and the lower treatment support are each capable of moving forward and backward relative to the first treatment support. The massage machine is characterized in that the control unit controls the advancement and retraction of at least one of the treatment elements of the massage unit independently by the advancement and retraction mechanism.

2. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting portion is provided near the center in the vertical direction of the first treatment element support.

3. The aforementioned reciprocating mechanism is, An air cell is provided between the first treatment support and the second treatment support, which expands and contracts by supplying and exhausting air, The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a biasing means for biasing the retraction of the upper treatment support and the lower treatment support.

4. The massage unit has a detection unit for detecting the pressure of the air cell, The massage machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit controls the amount of expansion of the air cell based on the pressure detected by the detection unit.

5. The detection unit is A first detection unit for detecting the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the upper treatment support of the left massage unit, A second detection unit for detecting the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the lower treatment support of the left massage unit, A third detection unit for detecting the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the upper treatment support of the right-side massage unit, It has a fourth detection unit that detects the pressure of the air cell corresponding to the lower treatment support of the right-side massage unit, The massage machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit detects the user's body shape based on the pressures detected by the first to fourth detection units.

6. It has a body support section that supports the user's body, The aforementioned massage unit is Provided in the body support portion, The massage unit has a moving mechanism that moves it in the direction of the user's height, The control unit, A moving step of moving the massage unit by the moving mechanism, The advancement and retraction step involves moving the treatment device forward and backward by the advancement and retraction mechanism, The massage machine according to claim 4, characterized in that it performs a detection step of detecting the pressure by the detection unit and then performs body shape detection of the user.

7. It has a body support section that supports the user's body, The aforementioned massage unit is Provided in the body support portion, The massage unit has a moving mechanism that moves it in the direction of the user's height, The control unit, A moving step of moving the massage unit by the moving mechanism, The advancement and retraction step involves moving the treatment device forward and backward by the advancement and retraction mechanism, The massage machine according to claim 5, characterized in that it performs a detection step of detecting each of the pressures by the first to fourth detection units to detect the user's body shape.

8. The massage machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit performs body shape detection of the user by combining the movement step, the forward / backward step, and the detection step.

9. The massage machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit performs body shape detection of the user by moving the massager forward and backward by moving the treatment element forward and backward by moving the treatment element forward and backward in the process of moving the massage unit from below to above by the movement step.

10. The massage machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit performs body shape detection of the user by the detection step by moving the treatment element forward and backward in the process of moving the massage unit from above to below in the movement step.

11. The massage unit on the left side mentioned above is The left side massage axis supporting the first treatment support, It has a left-side kneading drive unit that rotates the left-side kneading shaft, The massage unit on the right side is The right-side kneading axis supporting the first treatment support, It has a right-side kneading drive unit that rotates the right-side kneading shaft, The massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit performs a kneading massage operation on the user by driving either the left kneading drive unit or the right kneading drive unit.

12. The massage machine according to claim 11, characterized in that the control unit drives the left-side kneading drive unit and the right-side kneading drive unit in conjunction to perform a kneading massage operation on the user.

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