Massage device

Abstract

The tapping and gripping devices are brought into firm contact with the treatment area to perform both tapping and gripping massage simultaneously and effectively. [Solution] The massage device 1 of the present invention comprises a kneading massage mechanism 11 that performs kneading massage on the treatment area, a gripping massage mechanism 12 that performs gripping massage, and a tapping massage mechanism 13 that performs tapping massage. The gripping massage mechanism 12 has a gripping arm member 21 that extends forward and a gripping treatment element 7 at the tip of the gripping arm member 21. The tapping massage mechanism 13 has a tapping arm member 17 that extends forward and a tapping treatment element 8 at the tip of the tapping arm member 17. The gripping massage mechanism 12 swings the gripping arm member 21 so that the gripping treatment element 7 moves at least in the vertical direction, and in a side view, the gripping treatment element 7 overlaps with the tapping treatment element 8 when it is located at the rearmost lower part of the trajectory C in which the gripping treatment element 7 swings.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage device that performs massage such as kneading, grasping, and tapping on a treatment site. [Background Art]

[0002] A massage device that performs massages such as kneading, grasping, and tapping on a user's treatment site is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The massage device of Patent Document 1 includes a kneading massage mechanism that performs kneading massage and grasping massage on a user's treatment site, and a tapping massage mechanism that performs tapping massage on the treatment site. The kneading massage mechanism is provided with an upper arm member having an upper treatment element attached to a tip end thereof, and a lower arm member having a lower treatment element attached to a tip end thereof. The kneading massage mechanism swings a pair of left and right upper treatment elements in the left-right direction, and pinches the treatment site between the left and right upper treatment elements to perform kneading massage on the treatment site. Further, the kneading massage mechanism swings a pair of left and right lower treatment elements in the up-down direction, and grasps the treatment site between the lower treatment element and the upper treatment element to perform grasping massage on the treatment site. Furthermore, the tapping massage mechanism moves a tapping treatment element at a high pitch in the front-rear direction to perform tapping massage on the treatment site. That is, the massage device of Patent Document 1 can simultaneously perform three types of massage on a treatment site: kneading massage, grasping massage, and tapping massage. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 7365689 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] By the way, as is clear from Figure 4 of Patent Document 1, in conventional massage devices, the lower treatment element (grasping treatment element) is positioned even further forward than the tapping treatment element, which is in the position where it swings (protrudes) to the furthest forward position. When the gripping treatment element is positioned further forward than the tapping treatment element in this way, the tapping treatment element will strike the rear of the treatment area during gripping massage, making it difficult for the tapping treatment element to make sufficient contact with the treatment area, which may result in the tapping massage not being performed effectively.

[0006] On the other hand, if the tapping device is positioned in front of the grasping device, the grasping device will end up grasping the area behind it. This could result in the tapping device getting in the way, preventing the grasping device from adequately gripping the treatment area, and potentially making the grasping massage less effective.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a massage device that can effectively perform both tapping massage and gripping massage on the treatment area by ensuring that both the tapping massager and the gripping massager are in reliable contact with the treatment area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the massage device of the present invention employs the following technical means.

[0009] In other words, the massage device of the present invention comprises a kneading massage mechanism that performs kneading massage on a treatment area, a gripping massage mechanism that performs gripping massage on a treatment area, and a tapping massage mechanism that performs tapping massage on a treatment area using a tapping therapist, wherein the gripping massage mechanism has a gripping arm member extending forward and a gripping therapist provided at the tip of the gripping arm member, and the tapping massage mechanism has a tapping arm member extending forward and a tapping therapist provided at the tip of the tapping arm member, wherein the gripping massage mechanism swings the gripping arm member so that the gripping therapist moves at least in the vertical direction, and when the gripping therapist is at the rearmost lower position of the trajectory of its swing, the gripping therapist overlaps with the tapping therapist in a side view.

[0010] Preferably, the trajectory is an elliptical orbit with its major axis inclined upward and forward.

[0011] Preferably, the tapping therapy element is provided in a pair on the left and right sides, and the gripping therapy element is positioned between the pair of tapping therapy elements in the left-right direction, and is positioned at the same position or above the tapping therapy elements in the vertical direction.

[0012] Preferably, the gripping treatment element is positioned at a distance from the tapping treatment element, with a gap between them in the left-right direction.

[0013] Preferably, the gripping device swings vertically above the line connecting the pair of left and right tapping devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the massage device of the present invention, both the tapping massage element and the gripping massage element can be reliably brought into contact with the treatment area, allowing both tapping massage and gripping massage to be performed simultaneously and effectively on the treatment area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view (viewed from the upper left) of a handheld massage machine equipped with the massage device of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view (upper right perspective) of the massage device of this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an exploded view of the massage device of this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the massage operation of the massage device of this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a right side view showing the massage operation of the massage device of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the massage device 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 schematically shows a massage machine 2 provided with the massage device 1 of the present embodiment.

[0018] In the present embodiment, a hand-held massage machine is taken as an example to describe the massage machine 2 provided with the massage device 1 of the present invention. That is, the embodiment described below is an example embodying the present invention, and the configuration of the present invention is not limited by this specific example. In addition, in the drawings, some constituent parts are omitted, or the drawings are drawn using imaginary lines or the like to improve visibility.

[0019] In addition, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the massage machine 2 including the massage device 1 of the present invention are as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5. The directions illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 and other figures match the directions viewed from a user wearing the massage machine 2. In the following description, the directions illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 are taken as the directions when describing the massage device 1 of the present invention. That is, in the present specification, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the massage machine 2 match the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the massage device 1.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the massage device 1 of the present embodiment is built into the massage machine 2. The massage machine 2 of the present embodiment performs massage on treatment parts (such as the neck, shoulders, waist, thighs, etc.) by being hung on the neck, shoulders, or the like, or pressing treatment elements against the waist, thighs, or the like.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the massage machine 2 of the present embodiment includes a housing 4 that internally stores the massage device 1 for massaging a treatment portion, a left handle 3L protruding forward from the left end of the housing 4, and a right handle 3R protruding forward from the right end of the housing 4. That is, when viewed from above, the massage machine 2 of the present embodiment has an appearance in which the left handle 3L, the housing 4, and the right handle 3R are combined in a substantially U-shape.

[0022] The housing 4 is hollow inside to accommodate the massage device 1. An opening 5 opening forward is formed in the housing 4. The massage device 1 has treatment elements (a kneading treatment element 6, a grasping treatment element 7, and a tapping treatment element 8, which will be described later) in front of the opening 5. The width of the opening 5 in the left-right direction (opening width) is approximately the width of a user's back. As shown in Figure 1, the opening 5 is covered with a cover 9 (cloth material) that prevents foreign matter from entering the housing 4 (inside the massage device 1).

[0023] Both the left handle 3L and the right handle 3R are formed of elongated rod-shaped or strip-shaped members, and are formed to have a thickness and length that allow a user to grip them. The left handle 3L and the right handle 3R has a spacing in the left-right direction that is approximately equal to the user's shoulder width. That is, when the massage device 1 is pressed against the user's back, the left handle 3L can extend from the side of the left shoulder to the front side of the body, and the right handle 3R can extend from the side of the right shoulder to the front side of the body. By arranging the left handle 3L and the right handle 3R at such a spacing, the user can grip the tips of the left handle 3L and the right handle 3R, and if an operation switch 10 or the like is provided at the tip of either handle, operation becomes easier, making it possible to provide the massage machine 2 that is easy for the user to use (user-friendly).

[0024] The massage machine 2 of this embodiment has an operation switch 10 located near the tip of the left handle 3L. The operation switch 10 includes a power switch for starting and stopping the massage device 1, a selection button for selecting a massage course or massage mode, and a condition change button for changing massage conditions such as treatment time and treatment intensity. Power to drive the massage machine 2 is supplied from a rechargeable battery built inside, but it may also be driven using commercial power. When driven using commercial power, a plug-in part (not shown) for a power cord that supplies power to the massage device 1 may be provided, such as at the tip of the left handle 3L. Note that the massage machine 2 of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the operation switch 10 may also be provided on the right handle 3R. In the massage machine 2 of this embodiment, gripping belts are provided on the left handle 3L and the right handle 3R to make it easier for the user to grip, but the gripping belts are not required.

[0025] In this embodiment, the massage machine 2 can be used to massage a desired area (such as the neck, shoulders, lower back, or thighs) by grasping the left handle 3L and the right handle 3R with the hands and pulling them forward.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the massage device 1 according to the present invention comprises a kneading massage mechanism 11 that performs kneading massage on the treatment area, a gripping massage mechanism 12 that performs gripping massage on the treatment area, and a tapping massage mechanism 13 that performs tapping massage on the treatment area using a tapping treatment element 8. In the massage device 1 of the present invention, the kneading massage mechanism 11, the gripping massage mechanism 12, and the tapping massage mechanism 13 can be optionally operated, and a massage can be performed by operating all three massage mechanisms.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the massage device 1 of this embodiment includes a drive unit 14 that generates rotational driving force and a power transmission unit 15 that transmits the rotational driving force of the drive unit 14 to a rotating shaft 16. The rotational driving force of the drive unit 14 transmitted to the rotating shaft 16 using the power transmission unit 15 is distributed on the rotating shaft 16 to a rotational driving force that drives the kneading massage mechanism 11 and a rotational driving force that drives the gripping massage mechanism 12. The kneading massage mechanism 11 uses one of the distributed rotational driving forces to perform a kneading massage on the user's treatment area, and the gripping massage mechanism 12 uses the other distributed rotational driving force to perform a gripping massage on the user's treatment area.

[0028] In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, the percussive massage mechanism 13 performs percussive massage on the user's treatment area by directly using the rotational driving force of the drive unit 14, without going through the power transmission unit 15 and the rotating shaft 16.

[0029] In other words, the massage device 1 of this embodiment transmits the rotational driving force generated by the drive unit 14 to three massage mechanisms: a kneading massage mechanism 11, a gripping massage mechanism 12, and a tapping massage mechanism 13, and each massage mechanism performs a different massage action.

[0030] In this embodiment of the massage device 1, the power transmission unit 15 and the rotating shaft 16 are used only for the kneading massage mechanism 11 and the gripping massage mechanism 12 when transmitting rotational driving force from the drive unit 14, and the drive unit 14 is composed of a single drive motor 26 (two-axis motor). However, the power transmission unit 15 provided in the massage device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above. For example, the drive unit 14 of the massage device 1 of the present invention may have multiple drive motors 26. In the massage device 1 of the present invention, rotation generated by a single drive unit 14 A power transmission unit 15 may be used to transmit the driving force to three massage mechanisms (kneading massage mechanism 11, gripping massage mechanism 12, and tapping massage mechanism 13), or a power transmission unit 15 may be used to transmit the rotational driving force generated by multiple drive units 14 to the three massage mechanisms.

[0031] The massage device 1 of the present invention has a kneading device 6, a gripping device 7, and a tapping device 8 that can perform massage operations simultaneously, and is characterized by the positional relationship between the gripping device 7 and the tapping device 8 among the three devices.

[0032] In the following sections, before describing in detail the components constituting the kneading massage mechanism 11, the gripping massage mechanism 12, and the tapping massage mechanism 13, and the operation of these mechanisms, we will explain the positional relationship between the kneading therapist 6, the gripping therapist 7, and the tapping therapist 8, which are characteristic of the massage device 1 of the present invention.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, the massage device 1 of this embodiment has a pair of left and right kneading therapists 6, a gripping therapist 7, and a tapping therapist 8. Specifically, the kneading therapist 6 has a left kneading therapist 6L positioned to the left of the drive unit 14 and a right kneading therapist 6R positioned to the right of the drive unit 14. The gripping therapist 7 has a left gripping therapist 7L positioned to the left of the drive unit 14 and a right gripping therapist 7R positioned to the right of the drive unit 14. The tapping therapist 8 has a left tapping therapist 8L positioned to the left of the drive unit 14 and a right tapping therapist 8R positioned to the right of the drive unit 14. The left kneading therapist 6L, left gripping therapist 7L, and left tapping therapist 8L, and the right kneading therapist 6R, right gripping therapist 7R, and right tapping therapist 8R are arranged symmetrically on either side of the drive unit 14.

[0034] First, let's explain the position of each treatment element within the massage device 1.

[0035] The left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R alternately oscillate back and forth in the front-to-back direction, performing tapping massage on the treatment area. Specifically, the left tapping therapist 8L is located at the tip of the left tapping arm member 17L, and the right tapping therapist 8R is located at the tip of the right tapping arm member 17R. The left tapping arm member 17L extends from the drive unit 14 (the lower end of the lower output shaft 26c) slightly upward and to the left front, and the right tapping arm member 17R extends from the drive unit 14 (the lower end of the lower output shaft 26c) slightly upward and to the right front. In other words, the left tapping therapist 8L is located slightly upward and to the left front relative to the lower end of the lower output shaft 26c, and the right tapping therapist 8R is located slightly upward and to the right front relative to the lower end of the lower output shaft 26c.

[0036] Below the drive unit 14 are an eccentric cam 18, a tapping cam follower 19, and a tapping rotation restricting unit 20, which convert the rotational driving force of the drive unit 14 to alternately reciprocate the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R in the front-rear direction. In other words, the tapping massage mechanism 13 alternately reciprocates the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R along the front-rear direction, and alternately reciprocates the left tapping treatment element 8L and the right tapping treatment element 8R, which are attached to the front ends of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R, in the front-rear direction.

[0037] The left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R reciprocate in the vertical direction, performing a gripping massage on the treatment area. Specifically, the left gripping therapist 7L is located at the tip of the left gripping arm member 21L, and the right gripping therapist 7R is located at the tip of the right gripping arm member 21R. At the base end of the left gripping arm member 21L is a left gripping conversion unit 22L that converts the rotational driving force of the rotating shaft 16 (drive unit 14) to reciprocate the left gripping arm member 21L in the vertical and forward / backward directions. At the base end of the right gripping arm member 21R is a right gripping conversion unit 22R that converts the rotational driving force of the rotating shaft 16 (drive unit 14) to reciprocate the right gripping arm member 21R in the vertical and forward / backward directions. The left-grip conversion unit 22L is positioned to the left of the drive unit 14 on the rotation axis 16, and the right-grip conversion unit 22R is positioned to the right of the drive unit 14 on the rotation axis 16. In other words, the left-grip treatment element 7L is positioned to the lower left of the drive unit 14, and the right-grip treatment element 7R is positioned to the lower right of the drive unit 14.

[0038] In this embodiment, the left gripping arm member 21L reciprocates in the vertical and horizontal directions using the left gripping conversion unit 22L, and the right gripping arm member 21R reciprocates in the vertical and horizontal directions using the right gripping conversion unit 22R. In other words, the gripping massage mechanism 12 performs gripping massage on two treatment areas on the left and right by gripping the treatment area between the left gripping treatment element 7L and the left kneading treatment element 6L, and between the right gripping treatment element 7R and the right kneading treatment element 6R.

[0039] The left massage therapist 6L is located at the tip of the left massage arm member 23L. At the base end of the left massage arm member 23L is a left massage conversion unit 24L, which converts the rotational driving force of the rotating shaft 16 (drive unit 14) to cause the left massage arm member 23L to reciprocate in the left-right direction. The right massage therapist 6R is reciprocated in the left-right direction by the right massage arm member 23R and the right massage conversion unit 24R, which are arranged symmetrically to the left massage arm member 23L and the left massage conversion unit 24L with respect to the drive unit 14. In other words, the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R reciprocate in the left-right direction, repeatedly moving closer together and further apart.

[0040] In this embodiment of the massage device 1, when the left kneading element 6L and the right kneading element 6R swing in a direction that separates them from each other, the left gripping element 7L and the right gripping element 7R swing downwards, and when the left kneading element 6L and the right kneading element 6R swing in a direction that brings them closer together, the left gripping element 7L and the right gripping element 7R swing upwards. In other words, in this embodiment of the massage device 1, kneading massage is performed when the left kneading element 6L and the right kneading element 6R are close together, and gripping massage is performed when the left gripping element 7L and the right gripping element 7R swing upwards. In other words, in this embodiment of the massage device 1, kneading massage is performed by the kneading massage mechanism 11 and gripping massage is performed by the gripping massage mechanism 12 at the same time. However, the massage device 1 of the present invention is not limited to one in which kneading and gripping are performed simultaneously as in this embodiment. For example, the massage device 1 of the present invention may not perform kneading massage and gripping massage simultaneously, or it may perform kneading massage alternately on the left and right sides.

[0041] In the following explanation, the state in which the left kneading device 6L and the right kneading device 6R are separated in the left-right direction, and the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R are swung to their lowest position, will be referred to as the "separated state." Conversely, the state in which the left kneading device 6L and the right kneading device 6R are close together in the left-right direction, and the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R are swung to their highest position, will be referred to as the "closed state."

[0042] Next, we will explain the positions of the kneading device 6, the gripping device 7, and the tapping device 8 within the massage device 1, divided into separated and close-proximity states.

[0043] Figure 4 is a front view of the massage device 1 of this embodiment, viewed from the front, and Figure 5 is a right side view, viewed from the right. In Figures 4 and 5, the massage device 1 shown at the top is in a separated state, and the massage device 1 shown at the bottom is in a close state.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the left gripping conversion unit 22L is positioned adjacent to the right of the left kneading conversion unit 24L on the rotation axis 16 (inward in the left-right direction), and the right gripping conversion unit 22R is positioned adjacent to the left of the right kneading conversion unit 24R on the rotation axis 16 (inward in the left-right direction). The left gripping treatment element 7L reciprocates vertically downward and in front of the left gripping conversion unit 22L, and the right gripping treatment element 7R reciprocates vertically downward and in front of the right gripping conversion unit 22R.

[0045] Next, I will explain the positional relationship (relative positional relationship) between the grasping treatment device 7 and the tapping treatment device 8. [Relative positional relationship in the left-right direction] In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, neither the left tapping therapist 8L nor the right tapping therapist 8R, nor the left gripping therapist 7L nor the right gripping therapist 7R, swing much in the left-right direction. As described above, the left tapping therapist 8L is positioned to the left of the left gripping therapist 7L, and the right tapping therapist 8R is positioned to the right of the right gripping therapist 7R. In other words, the positional relationship in which the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R are positioned outward in the left-right direction relative to the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R does not change whether they are separated or close together.

[0046] The positional relationship between the grasping treatment device 7 and the tapping treatment device 8 in the left-right direction can also be considered as follows.

[0047] In other words, in the massage device 1 of this embodiment, a constant gap W is formed in the left-right direction between the gripping therapy element 7 and the tapping therapy element 8, regardless of whether they are separated or close together. Specifically, the left gripping therapy element 7L is positioned to the right of the left tapping therapy element 8L with a gap W between them, and the right gripping therapy element 7R is positioned to the left of the right tapping therapy element 8R with a gap W between them. It will be placed in a spaced position.

[0048] In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, the gap W formed between the left gripping therapist 7L and the left tapping therapist 8L is equal to the gap W formed between the right gripping therapist 7R and the right tapping therapist 8R. However, in the massage device 1 of the present invention, the gap W formed between the left gripping therapist 7L and the left tapping therapist 8L is not necessarily equal to the gap W formed between the right gripping therapist 7R and the right tapping therapist 8R.

[0049] The gap W is preferably about 10mm to 25mm in size to prevent clothing from getting caught. By making the gap W somewhat wider (for example, 10mm or more), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of clothing getting caught. On the other hand, by keeping the gap W below a certain size (for example, 25mm or less), it is possible to make the size of the massage device 1 and the massage machine 2 that houses the massage device 1 more compact.

[0050] In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, whether it is the left-grasping treatment element 7L or the right-grasping treatment element 7R, it is positioned inward in the left-right direction by the gap W described above between the left-tapping treatment element 8L and the right-tapping treatment element 8R. In other words, both the left-grasping treatment element 7L and the right-grasping treatment element 7R are positioned between the left-tapping treatment element 8L and the right-tapping treatment element 8R, and they tap and massage treatment areas that are located in different positions from the treatment areas that are being kneaded and tapped.

[0051] If the gripping massager 7 is positioned between the left tapping massager 8L and the right tapping massager 8R, the gripping massager 7 and the tapping massager 8 can be separated in the left-right direction, preventing the massage effect from being hindered between them due to them being too close together in the left-right direction. Furthermore, if the gripping massager is positioned to the left or right of the tapping massager, the distance from the kneading massager to the gripping massager increases, making it difficult to sufficiently grip the treatment area between the two massagers, potentially reducing the massage effect of the gripping massage. However, as in the massage device 1 of this embodiment, if the gripping massager 7 is positioned between the left tapping massager 8L and the right tapping massager 8R, the massage effect of the gripping massage is less likely to be hindered, and both tapping massage and gripping massage can be performed effectively. [Relative positional relationship in the vertical direction] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the left tapping device 8L and the right tapping device 8R hardly move in the vertical direction, but the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R move back and forth in the vertical direction. When separated, the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R are positioned at the same vertical position relative to the left tapping device 8L and the right tapping device 8R. When close together, the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R are positioned above the left tapping device 8L and the right tapping device 8R.

[0052] In this specification, when comparing the positions of two treatment devices, if the center of one treatment device is located inside the outline of the other treatment device, then they are defined as being in the same position. For example, "in a side view, the gripping treatment device 7 overlaps with the tapping treatment device 8" includes not only cases where the gripping treatment device 7 and the tapping treatment device 8 completely overlap in a side view, but also cases where there is a slight misalignment between the gripping treatment device 7 and the tapping treatment device 8. Examples of this include cases where the center (center in the side view) or the center of the tip of the gripping treatment device 7 is inside the outline of the tapping treatment device 8, or cases where the center (center in the side view) or the center of the tip surface of the tapping treatment device 8 is inside the outline of the gripping treatment device 7.

[0053] By positioning the gripping device 7 at the same vertical position as or above the tapping device 8, if the tapping device 8 is positioned at the same vertical position as the gripping device 7, the gripping device 7 is not performing a gripping motion (it is separated from the gripping device), and therefore the tapping massage by the tapping device 8 can be effectively applied to the treatment area.

[0054] On the other hand, when the gripping massage element 7 is positioned above the tapping massage element 8, the tapping massage element 8 is located below the position where the gripping massage element 7 is performing its gripping action. In other words, although the tapping massage by the tapping massage element 8 is somewhat weaker, the gripping massage by the gripping massage element 7 can be effectively applied to the treatment area. Therefore, in the massage device 1 of this embodiment, it is always possible to effectively perform both tapping massage and gripping massage.

[0055] Furthermore, it is preferable that the tapping therapy element 8 and the gripping therapy element 7 are oscillated such that the tapping therapy element 8 is positioned at the same vertical position as the gripping therapy element 7, and the tapping therapy element 8 is positioned above the gripping therapy element 7. In other words, when the gripping therapy element 7 oscillates in the vertical direction, it is preferable to oscillate the tapping therapy element 8 and the gripping therapy element 7 so that when the gripping therapy element 7 oscillates to a certain position, the tapping therapy element 8 and the gripping therapy element 7 are positioned at the same vertical position, and when the gripping therapy element 7 oscillates to another position, the tapping therapy element 8 is positioned above the gripping therapy element 7.

[0056] The vertical positional relationship between the tapping device 8 and the gripping device 7 can also be explained as follows.

[0057] In other words, as shown in Figure 4, if we consider a line L connecting the centers of the left tapping therapist 8 and the right tapping therapist 8 in the left-right direction, the center of the tip of the gripping therapist 7 is positioned at approximately the same position as line L in the vertical direction, or above line L. If the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R swing vertically at the same position as line L connecting the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R, or above line L, then it becomes possible to effectively apply both tapping massage and gripping massage to the treatment area. [Relative positional relationship in the front-to-back direction] As shown in the upper part of Figure 5, in the separated state, the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R are located in approximately the same position in the front-to-back direction as the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R. Also, as shown in the lower part of Figure 5, in the close-proximity state, the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R are located in front of and above the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R. In other words, the gripping therapists 7 are positioned at the same position as the tapping therapists 8, or in front of them, in the front-to-back direction.

[0058] In this manner, by positioning the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R at the same position or in front of the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R in the front-to-back direction, when they are separated, the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R are positioned at the same position as the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R in the front-to-back direction, allowing for effective tapping massage by the tapping therapist 8. On the other hand, when they are close together, the left tapping therapist 8L and the right tapping therapist 8R are positioned in front of the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R, allowing for effective gripping massage on the treatment area. Therefore, in this embodiment, the massage device 1 is capable of effectively performing both tapping massage and gripping massage by positioning the gripping therapist 7 at the same position or in front of the tapping therapist 8 in the front-to-back direction.

[0059] The positional relationship between the grasping treatment device 7 and the tapping treatment device 8 can also be described as follows on a two-dimensional coordinate system along the vertical direction.

[0060] As shown in Figure 5, the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R swing along a trajectory C connecting two points A and B on a two-dimensional coordinate system aligned vertically. Trajectory C represents the trajectory of the center of the tip of the left gripping device 7L and the right gripping device 7R as they move in conjunction with the swinging of the left gripping arm member 21L and the right gripping arm member 21R, shown on a two-dimensional coordinate system aligned vertically.

[0061] Note that since Figure 5 is a right side view, the left gripping therapist 7L and the left gripping arm member 21L are hidden behind the right gripping therapist 7R and the right gripping arm member 21R and are not visible. However, in the massage device 1 of this embodiment, which has a symmetrical structure, the left gripping therapist 7L and the left gripping arm member 21L are actually located in the same position as the right gripping therapist 7R and the right gripping arm member 21R when viewed from the side. Therefore, in this specification, the left gripping therapist 7L and the left gripping arm member 21L will be described as being substantially as shown in Figure 5.

[0062] Point A on trajectory C indicates the position where the centers of the protruding ends of the left gripping treatment element 7L and the right gripping treatment element 7R, which swung furthest forward and upward, are located. Point B on trajectory C indicates the position where the centers of the protruding ends of the left gripping treatment element 7L and the right gripping treatment element 7R, which swung furthest backward and downward (furthest backward and downward), are located.

[0063] The trajectory C described above is inclined forward and upward from point B towards point A (and backward and downward from point A towards point B). In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, the left gripping arm member 21L and the right gripping arm member 21R are swung forward and upward so that the centers of the ends of the left gripping treatment element 7L and the right gripping treatment element 7R move along trajectory C from point B to point A according to the arrows in the figure, and the left gripping arm member 21L and the right gripping arm member 21R are swung backward and downward so that the centers of the ends move along trajectory C from point A to point B according to the arrows in the figure.

[0064] In this embodiment of the massage device 1, the trajectory C of the left gripping therapy element 7L and the right gripping therapy element 7R is an elliptical trajectory in a side view, with its major axis inclined upward and forward, because the left gripping conversion section 22L and the right gripping conversion section 22R, which swing the left gripping arm member 21L and the right gripping arm member 21R, employ a crank mechanism (details to be described later) that converts rotational motion around the axis of the rotation shaft 16 into translational motion. However, the trajectory C in the massage device 1 of the present invention does not necessarily have to be an elliptical trajectory.

[0065] As shown in Figure 5, in the elliptical orbit (trajectory C) of this embodiment, points A and B are located at the intersection of the major axis and the ellipse. In other words, the elliptical orbit passes through points A and B. The major axis of the elliptical orbit is a circle centered on the axis of rotation 16, and extends in the direction of the tangential line of the circle at the point where the circle and the line intersect when considering a circle inscribed in a line passing through points A and B. The minor axis of the elliptical orbit extends in the direction of the normal line of the circle at the point where the inscribed circle and the line intersect as described above. In other words, point A is located at the top and front of the elliptical orbit (trajectory C), and point B is located at the bottom and rear of the elliptical orbit (trajectory C).

[0066] In the massage device 1 of this embodiment, when the center of the tip of the left gripping therapist 7L and the right gripping therapist 7R is located at point B on the elliptical orbit described above (the rearmost and lowest point of the trajectory C), the gripping therapist 7 overlaps with the tapping therapist 8 in two-dimensional coordinates when viewed from the side. When the gripping therapist 7 is located at point B on the elliptical orbit (the point located at the rearmost and lowest point on the trajectory C), the gripping therapist 7 and the tapping therapist 8 are oscillated so that they are in approximately the same position, and the following effects can be obtained.

[0067] In other words, if the gripping device 7 is located at point B on trajectory C, the gripping motion by the gripping device 7 has ended. The tapping device 8 is located at the same position as the gripping device 7 in the two-dimensional coordinate system and is in firm contact with the treatment area. Therefore, sufficient tapping massage can be applied to the treatment area.

[0068] Furthermore, if the gripping device 7 is located at point A on trajectory C, a gripping motion is performed by the gripping device 7. At this time, although the tapping device 8 is positioned at a distance below and behind the area being massaged by the gripping device 7, it is still possible to tap the area, so the massage effect of the tapping massage is sustained.

[0069] In other words, the massage device 1 of this embodiment effectively performs tapping massage when the gripping device 7 is located at point B (below and behind trajectory C) on the elliptical orbit, and effectively performs gripping massage when the gripping device 7 is located at point A on the elliptical orbit, thereby effectively applying both tapping massage and gripping massage to the treatment area.

[0070] Next, using Figures 1 to 5, the components constituting the kneading massage mechanism 11, the gripping massage mechanism 12, and the tapping massage mechanism 13 provided in the massage device 1 of this embodiment, and the operation of these mechanisms will be explained. Note that the kneading massage mechanism 11, the gripping massage mechanism 12, and the tapping massage mechanism 13 described below are merely examples of how to operate the kneading therapist 6, the gripping therapist 7, and the tapping therapist 8. In other words, the configuration of the massage device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the examples described below.

[0071] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the drive unit 14 generates rotational driving force to drive the kneading massage mechanism 11, the gripping massage mechanism 12, and the tapping massage mechanism 13. In this embodiment, the drive unit 14 is a drive motor 26 that generates rotational driving force. The drive motor 26 is attached to the housing 4 using fasteners such as screws. A support part 25 is provided in the center of the housing 4 in the left-right direction to support the rotating shaft 16, the gear case 27, etc. The drive motor 26 may also be attached to the support part 25 using fasteners.

[0072] In this embodiment, the drive motor 26 is arranged with the motor body 26a positioned vertically. The drive motor 26 has an upper output shaft 26b extending upward from the motor body 26a and a lower output shaft 26c extending downward. The drive motor 26 in this embodiment is a single unit and is a dual-shaft motor that outputs rotational driving force to both the upper output shaft 26b and the lower output shaft 26c.

[0073] A gear case 27 is provided above the drive motor 26. The gear case 27 is supported by the housing 4 by a support part 25. The upper output shaft 26b of the drive motor 26 is inserted into the gear case 27 from below. A power transmission unit 15, which transmits the rotational driving force of the drive unit 14 to the rotating shaft 16, is housed inside the gear case 27. The power transmission unit 15 is connected to the upper output shaft 26b, which is inserted from below. [Percussion massage mechanism] As shown in Figure 3, the percussion massage mechanism 13 is attached to the lower output shaft 26c of the drive motor 26. As described above, the percussion massage mechanism 13 includes an eccentric cam 18, a cam follower 19, a percussion arm member 17, and a percussion rotation restricting unit 20.

[0074] The eccentric cam 18 is formed in a cylindrical shape around an axis oriented in the vertical direction, and is formed in a shape where the vertical length is shorter than the horizontal length (flat cylindrical shape). A cam surface 18a that performs cam motion in relation to the striking cam follower 19 is formed on the outer circumference of the eccentric cam 18. The lower output shaft 26c is attached to the center of the eccentric cam 18 from above. The position where the lower output shaft 26c is attached to the eccentric cam 18 is eccentric to the center of the eccentric cam 18 (center of the cylinder) (a position away from the center of the eccentric cam 18). The eccentric cam 18 is fixed to the lower output shaft 26c using screws or the like so that the eccentric cam 18 rotates integrally with the attached lower output shaft 26c.

[0075] The striking cam follower 19 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a larger outer diameter than the eccentric cam 18. A cam fitting portion 28 into which the eccentric cam 18 fits is formed in the center of the striking cam follower 19. The cam fitting portion 28 is formed as a cylindrical hole with the same or slightly larger outer diameter as the eccentric cam 18, and is formed to open upwards. The eccentric cam 18 is fitted into the cam fitting portion 28 from above. In other words, the eccentric cam 18 is fitted (loosely fitted) into the striking cam follower 19 so as to be able to rotate relative to it.

[0076] The striking arm member 17 is an arm-shaped member that protrudes forward. In this embodiment, the striking arm member 17 has a striking arm base 29 provided in the middle in the left-right direction, a left striking arm member 17L extending to the left front from the striking arm base 29, and a right striking arm member 17R extending to the right front from the striking arm base 29. The striking arm base 29 is formed with a wide center in the left-right direction, and the aforementioned striking cam follower 19 is attached to it.

[0077] Specifically, the left striking arm member 17L extends horizontally to the left from the left end of the striking arm base 29, and then curves gently upwards as it extends forward. The right striking arm member 17R extends horizontally to the right from the right end of the striking arm base 29, and then curves gently upwards as it extends forward. In other words, when viewed from above, the striking arm member 17 has an appearance in which the three members, the left striking arm member 17L, the striking arm base 29, and the right striking arm member 17R, are connected in a roughly U-shape.

[0078] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the length (protrusion length) of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R in the left-right direction is long enough to adequately treat the back of an average user. For example, the protrusion length (width) of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R in the left-right direction is approximately 80-100 mm, which is long enough to adequately treat the back of an average user in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the length of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R in the front-rear direction is such that the tips of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R protrude sufficiently forward from the opening 5 of the housing 4. For example, the front-to-back length of the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R is approximately 150 to 200 mm, which is long enough to reliably press the left striking treatment element 8L and the right striking treatment element 8R, which are provided at the tips of the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R, against the treatment area (the treatment area of ​​a user with an average build).

[0079] By making the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R sufficiently long in the left-right and front-back directions, the tips of the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R can be swung widely relative to the base end, allowing the left striking therapist 8L and the right striking therapist 8R to strongly strike and massage (percussive massage) the treatment area.

[0080] As shown in Figure 3, the striking rotation restricting unit 20 restricts the joint rotation of the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R relative to the lower output shaft 26c. In this embodiment, the striking rotation restricting unit 20 connects the striking arm base 29 and the motor body 26a of the drive motor 26 in the vertical direction. The striking rotation restricting unit 20 provided in the massage device 1 of this embodiment is formed in the shape of a plate from an elastic material such as rubber. The plate-shaped striking rotation restricting unit 20 is mounted so as to be aligned with the left-right direction and the up-down direction. By using a plate-shaped elastic material mounted along the left-right direction and the up-down direction in the striking rotation restricting unit 20, the displacement of the striking arm base 29 (striking arm member 17) is restricted in the left-right direction and the up-down direction (plate surface direction), and it becomes possible to displace only in the front-rear direction (plate thickness direction). In other words, the striking rotation restricting unit 20 converts the rotational motion of the eccentric cam 18, which rotates eccentrically with respect to the lower output shaft 26c, into translational motion (striking motion) along the front-rear direction.

[0081] The striking rotation restricting section 20 may also connect the striking arm base 29 and the housing 4. In addition, although a plate-shaped elastic member is used for the striking rotation restricting section 20 in this embodiment, a groove may be formed in the front-rear direction on either the striking arm base 29 or the motor body 26a of the drive motor 26, and a restricting pin or the like that loosely fits into the groove may be provided on the other side, thereby allowing the striking arm member 17 to move in the front-rear direction relative to the lower output shaft 26c while restricting its movement in the left-right or up-down direction.

[0082] The left tapping therapy element 8L and the right tapping therapy element 8R are formed in a roughly spherical shape using an elastic resin such as foamed urethane or rubber. The tips (front ends) of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R are attached to the back (rear) of the left tapping therapy element 8L and the right tapping therapy element 8R from the rear, respectively. By forming the left tapping therapy element 8L and the right tapping therapy element 8R in a spherical shape using an elastic resin, the sensation they provide to the treatment area when they come into contact with it can be made softer, making it possible to provide a comfortable tapping massage to the treatment area.

[0083] As shown in Figure 3, the rotational driving force output from the drive motor 26 is transmitted to the lower output shaft 26c, causing the lower output shaft 26c to rotate around an axis oriented in the vertical direction. As the lower output shaft 26c rotates, the eccentric cam 18, which is eccentrically mounted on the lower output shaft 26c, rotates eccentrically so as to orbit the axis of the lower output shaft 26c. Since the eccentric cam 18 is rotatably fitted into the cam fitting portion 28 of the striking cam follower 19, the striking cam follower 19 also attempts to rotate eccentrically in accordance with the eccentric cam 18 so as to orbit the axis of the lower output shaft 26c. In other words, the striking arm member 17 attempts to rotate eccentrically so as to orbit the axis of the lower output shaft 26c. At this time, the striking arm base 29 and the motor body 26a are connected by the striking rotation restricting unit 20 in a manner that allows displacement in the front-rear direction. The rotational motion of the eccentric cam 18, which rotates eccentrically with respect to the lower output shaft 26c, is converted into translational motion (striking motion) along the front-rear direction by the striking rotation restricting unit 20. In other words, the left striking arm member 17L and the right striking arm member 17R alternately reciprocate in the front-rear direction with respect to the lower output shaft 26c.

[0084] As a result, the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R swing in the front-to-back direction, and the left tapping treatment element 8L and the right tapping treatment element 8R, which are provided at the tips (front ends) of the left tapping arm member 17L and the right tapping arm member 17R, swing (vibrate) alternately in the front-to-back direction, making it possible to alternately tap and massage the treatment area with the left tapping treatment element 8L and the right tapping treatment element 8R. [Power transmission section] As shown in Figure 3, the power transmission unit 15 reduces the rotational driving force of the upper output shaft 26b of the drive motor 26 and transmits it to the rotating shaft 16. The power transmission unit 15 includes a worm gear 30 attached to the upper output shaft 26b of the drive motor 26, a worm wheel 31 that meshes with the worm gear 30, and a reduction gear group 32 that reduces the rotational driving force transmitted to the worm wheel 31. In this embodiment, the worm gear 30, worm wheel 31, and reduction gear group 32 of the power transmission unit 15 are all housed in a gear case 27 above the drive motor 26. The rotational driving force reduced by the reduction gear group 32 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 16.

[0085] In other words, the worm gear 30 is mounted on the upper output shaft 26b of the drive motor 26 so as to be able to rotate integrally with the upper output shaft 26b. The worm gear 30 meshes with a worm wheel 31 located in front of the worm gear 30, and the rotational driving force around the upper output shaft 26b, which is oriented in the vertical direction, is transmitted to the worm wheel 31.

[0086] The worm wheel 31 is mounted on a reduction shaft 33 that faces left to right, so as to be able to rotate integrally with the reduction shaft 33. The reduction shaft 33 is supported by the gear case 27 so as to be able to rotate freely around an axis that faces left to right. A first reduction gear 34 is mounted on the reduction shaft 33 to the right of the worm wheel 31 so as to be able to rotate integrally with the reduction shaft 33. The first reduction gear 34 meshes with a second reduction gear 35 that is mounted integrally with the rotating shaft 16 so as to be able to rotate integrally with the reduction shaft 33. The rotating shaft 16 is supported by the gear case 27 and the housing 4 so as to be able to rotate freely around an axis that faces left to right, and is positioned in front of the reduction shaft 33. The first reduction gear 34 has fewer teeth than the second reduction gear 35 and reduces the rotational driving force transmitted to the reduction shaft 33 before transmitting it to the rotating shaft 16.

[0087] In other words, the reduction gear group 32 provided in the massage device 1 of this embodiment has a first reduction gear 34 and a second reduction gear 35, and reduces the rotational driving force of the upper output shaft 26b and transmits it to the rotating shaft 16. Although the reduction gear group 32 provided in the massage device 1 of this embodiment combines two reduction gears, the reduction gear group 32 of the present invention may use three or more reduction gears. [Massage mechanism] The rotational driving force of the drive motor 26, which is transmitted to the rotating shaft 16 after being reduced in speed, is distributed and transmitted to the kneading massage mechanism 11 and the gripping massage mechanism 12.

[0088] In the following explanation, each massage mechanism will be described using the component located to the left of the drive unit 14 as an example. The component located to the left of the drive unit 14 and the component located to the right of the drive unit 14 have the same structure and are arranged symmetrically to each other. Therefore, the component located to the right will not be explained.

[0089] As shown in Figure 3, the kneading massage mechanism 11 is positioned in front of the drive motor 26 (drive unit 14). The kneading massage mechanism 11 includes a left kneading arm member 23L, a left kneading treatment element 6L, and a left kneading conversion unit 24L that converts the rotational driving force transmitted to the rotating shaft 16 into a rocking motion that causes the left kneading arm member 23L to rock from side to side.

[0090] The left massage arm member 23L is a long, plate-shaped member extending forward from the rotation axis 16. The base end of the left massage arm member 23L is provided with a left massage annular fitting portion 36L, which constitutes the left massage conversion portion 24L. The left massage treatment element 6L is formed in a spherical shape (approximately hemispherical).

[0091] In this embodiment, the left massage therapist 6L has one massage ball at the top and one at the bottom of the left massage arm member 23L. The upper massage therapist 6 (upper ball) bulges upward in a roughly hemispherical shape from the tip of the left massage arm member 23L, and the lower massage therapist 6 (lower ball) bulges downward in a roughly hemispherical shape from the tip of the left massage arm member 23L. In other words, in this embodiment, the left massage therapist 6L has two balls. Note that the left massage therapist 6L provided in the massage device 1 of the present invention may have one ball or may have three or more massage balls.

[0092] The left-hand kneading conversion unit 24L is located to the left of the drive unit 14 (second reduction gear 35) on the rotating shaft 16 and is positioned above the motor body 26a (drive motor 26). The left-hand kneading conversion unit 24L includes a left-hand kneading rotating boss 38L attached to the rotating shaft 16, a left-hand kneading annular fitting 36L that slidably fits into the left-hand kneading rotating boss 38L, and a left-hand kneading restricting unit 37L that restricts the left-hand kneading annular fitting 36L from rotating together with the rotating shaft 16.

[0093] The left-hand kneading rotating boss section 38L has a rotating shaft 16 that passes through its center in the left-right direction, and is mounted on the rotating shaft 16 so as to be able to rotate with it. The left-hand kneading rotating boss section 38L has a left split body and a right split body that can be separated in the left-right direction, and is mounted on the rotating shaft 16 with the left split body and the right split body sandwiching the left-hand kneading annular fitting section 36L from the left and right directions.

[0094] An endless track-like left-hand grinding cam surface 39L is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the left-hand grinding rotating boss portion 38L. The left-hand grinding cam surface 39L may be formed as a surface inclined with respect to the axis of the rotating shaft 16, or it may be a cylindrical surface that orbits around an eccentric axis. In this embodiment, the left-hand grinding cam surface 39L is a cylindrical surface inclined in the left-right direction, and the left-hand grinding cam surface 3 The inclination of 9L is set to be in the opposite direction relative to the inclination of the right-hand kneading cam surface 39R. If the inclinations of the left-hand kneading cam surface 39L and the right-hand kneading cam surface 39R are in the opposite direction relative to each other, the left-hand kneading rotating boss portion 38L will rotate at an angle in different directions on the left and right sides with respect to the axis of the rotation shaft 16.

[0095] The left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L is formed at the base end of the left-hand twisting arm member 23L. The inner diameter of the left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the left-hand twisting cam surface 39L of the left-hand twisting rotating boss portion 38L. In other words, the left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L is slidably fitted onto the left-hand twisting cam surface 39L via a bearing or the like, and is able to slide around the left-hand twisting rotating boss portion 38L along the left-hand twisting cam surface 39L.

[0096] The left-hand kneading restrictor 37L restricts the left-hand kneading annular fitting portion 36L from rotating together with the left-hand kneading rotating boss portion 38L in the vertical direction. The left-hand kneading restrictor 37L in this embodiment has a left-hand kneading restrictor piece 40L that protrudes rearward from the left-hand kneading annular fitting portion 36L, and a left-hand kneading restrictor groove 41L that slidably guides the left-hand kneading restrictor piece 40L.

[0097] In this embodiment, the left-hand twisting restrictor piece 40L is a cylindrical member (restrictor pin) that is long in the rear and protrudes rearward from the left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L. When the left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L slides along the inclined left-hand twisting cam surface 39L, the left-hand twisting restrictor piece 40L attempts to swing in the vertical, horizontal, and front-back directions. However, the left-hand twisting restrictor groove 41L is provided at a position facing the left-hand twisting restrictor piece 40L (left-hand twisting restrictor pin) and is formed on the inner wall surface of the housing 4 as a groove that is long in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when the left-hand twisting annular fitting portion 36L slides along the left-hand twisting cam surface 39L of the left-hand twisting rotating boss portion 38L, the left-hand twisting restrictor piece 40L slides within the groove of the left-hand twisting restrictor groove 41L along the direction in which the left-hand twisting restrictor groove 41L is formed (horizontal direction). The left-hand kneading restricting groove 41L restricts the left-hand kneading restricting piece 40L from moving in the vertical direction, so the left-hand kneading annular fitting portion 36L swings only in the left-right direction.

[0098] Therefore, the left kneading restrictor 37L causes the left kneading arm member 23L, which has a left kneading annular fitting portion 36L at its base end, to reciprocate in the left-right direction. The right kneading arm member 23R has a right kneading annular fitting portion 36R at its base end, but since it is slidably fitted onto the right kneading cam surface 39R, which has a relative opposite inclination direction to the left kneading cam surface 39L, the right kneading arm member 23R swings in the opposite direction to the left kneading arm member 23L in the left-right direction. In other words, in the kneading massage mechanism 11, the left kneading arm member 23L and the right kneading arm member 23R repeatedly move closer to and further apart from each other in the left-right direction, enabling kneading massage to be performed on a treatment area located between the left kneading treatment element 6L and the right kneading treatment element 6R by sandwiching the treatment area from both sides.

[0099] In this embodiment of the massage device 1, the right massage therapist 6R, right massage arm member 23R, right massage conversion unit 24R, right massage rotation boss unit 38R, left massage annular fitting unit 36L, left massage restricting unit 37L, left massage cam surface 39L, and left massage restricting groove 41L, all of which have the same structure, are arranged symmetrically on either side of the drive unit 14. [Grip massage mechanism] As shown in Figure 3, the gripping massage mechanism 12 of this embodiment performs a gripping massage by pressing the left gripping massage element 7L against the treatment area of ​​the user (for example, the neck, shoulders, back, waist, thighs, etc.) from below the left kneading massage element 6L, and massaging the treatment area by gripping it between the upper and lower parts of the left kneading massage element 6L and the left gripping massage element 7L.

[0100] The gripping massage mechanism 12 includes a left gripping arm member 21L that extends forward from the drive unit 14, a left gripping conversion unit 22L that converts the rotational driving force transmitted to the rotation shaft 16 into an up-and-down swinging motion of the left gripping arm member 21L, and a left gripping treatment element 7L provided at the tip of the left gripping arm member 21L. The base end of the left gripping arm member 21L is provided with a left gripping annular fitting part 42L that constitutes the left gripping conversion unit 22L.

[0101] The left gripping arm member 21L is provided to protrude significantly forward from the left gripping annular fitting portion 42L. In other words, one end (front end) of the left gripping arm member 21L in the longitudinal direction protrudes forward from the drive unit 14, and a roughly hemispherical left gripping treatment element 7L (gripping ball) is attached to this end (front end) that protrudes significantly forward.

[0102] The left-grip conversion unit 22L is located on the rotation axis 16 to the left of the drive unit 14 (second reduction gear 35). In this embodiment, the left-grip conversion unit 22L is located adjacent to the right of the left-knead conversion unit 24L. The left-grip conversion unit 22L is located above the motor body 26a (drive motor 26).

[0103] The left-grip conversion unit 22L includes a left-grip rotating boss portion 43L attached to the rotating shaft 16, a left-grip annular fitting portion 42L that slidably fits into the left-grip rotating boss portion 43L, and a left-grip restricting portion 44L that restricts the left-grip arm member 21L from rotating together with the rotating shaft 16.

[0104] The left-hand gripping rotating boss portion 43L has a rotating shaft 16 that passes through its center in the left-right direction, and is mounted so as to be able to rotate together with the rotating shaft 16. The left-hand gripping rotating boss portion 43L has a gripping segment 45 to the right of the right segment of the left-hand kneading rotating boss portion 38L, and is mounted so as to sandwich the left-hand gripping annular fitting portion 42L from the left-right direction between the right segment of the left-hand kneading rotating boss portion 38L and the gripping segment 45.

[0105] An endless track-like left gripping cam surface 46L is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the left gripping rotating boss portion 43L. In this embodiment, the left gripping cam surface 46L is a cylindrical surface eccentric with respect to the axis of the rotating shaft 16. The left gripping cam surface 46L is provided such that the direction in which the center of the cylinder is eccentric with respect to the axis of the rotating shaft 16 is the same direction as the right gripping cam surface 46R.

[0106] The left-hand grip annular fitting portion 42L is a ring-shaped portion formed at the base end of the left-hand grip arm member 21L. The inner diameter of the left-hand grip annular fitting portion 42L is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the left-hand grip cam surface 46L. In other words, the left-hand grip annular fitting portion 42L is rotatable relative to the left-hand grip rotating boss portion 43L and is slidably fitted onto the left-hand grip cam surface 46L via a bearing or the like.

[0107] The left grip restricting portion 44L restricts the left grip annular fitting portion 42L from rotating together with the left grip rotating boss portion 43L. The left grip restricting portion 44L in this embodiment has a left projection 47L projecting rearward and upward from the left grip annular fitting portion 42L, a left grip restricting groove 48L formed in the left projection 47L, and a left grip restricting piece 49L that slides within the groove of the left grip restricting groove 48L.

[0108] The left projection 47L is a long, plate-shaped member that extends upward and rearward from the left gripping annular fitting portion 42L. A left gripping regulating groove 48L is formed in the left projection 47L along its extending direction (upward and rearward). That is, the left gripping regulating groove 48L is an elongated hole drilled along the upward and rearward direction, and penetrates the left projection 47L in the left-right direction. A left gripping regulating piece 49L (regulating pin) is inserted through the left gripping regulating groove 48L. When the left gripping annular fitting portion 42L swings in the vertical direction, the left gripping regulating piece 49L slides within the groove of the left gripping regulating groove 48L. In this case, since the left-grip restricting groove 48L is a long rectangular groove in the vertical and front-to-back directions, the left-grip restricting piece 49L (left-grip restricting pin) can move along the groove formation direction (vertical and front-to-back direction) of the left-grip restricting groove 48L, but its movement in the left-to-right direction, which is not the groove formation direction, is restricted.

[0109] As a result, in the gripping massage mechanism 12, the left gripping arm member 21L repeatedly moves back and forth in the vertical and forward / backward directions, enabling a gripping massage to be performed on the treatment area located between the left gripping treatment element 7L and the left kneading treatment element 6L.

[0110] The above description concerned the mechanism located to the left of the drive unit 14 within the gripping massage mechanism 12. However, the gripping massage mechanism 12 of this embodiment has the same mechanism to the right of the drive unit 14. Specifically, the gripping massage mechanism 12 includes a right gripping arm member 21R, a right gripping conversion unit 22R, a right gripping rotating boss unit 43R, a right gripping annular fitting unit 42R, a right gripping restricting unit 44R, a right gripping cam surface 46R, a right projection 47R, a right gripping restricting groove 48R, a right gripping restricting piece 49R, and a right gripping treatment element 7R, all arranged symmetrically with the member located on the left.

[0111] In the gripping massage mechanism 12 described above, the gripping massage is performed in the following procedure.

[0112] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rotational driving force output from the drive motor 26 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 16 in a reduced state via the power transmission unit 15, and the rotating shaft 16 rotates in the left-right direction. It rotates.

[0113] Of the rotational driving force transmitted to the rotating shaft 16, the rotational driving force distributed to the gripping massage mechanism 12 causes the left gripping rotating boss portion 43L and the right gripping rotating boss portion 43R to rotate around an axis eccentric to the axis of the rotating shaft 16, and the left gripping annular fitting portion 42L and the right gripping annular fitting portion 42R, which are slidably fitted onto the left gripping cam surface 46L and the right gripping cam surface 46R, also attempt to rotate together with the left gripping rotating boss portion 43L and the right gripping rotating boss portion 43R.

[0114] However, the left-gripping annular fitting portion 42L and the right-gripping annular fitting portion 42R are restricted from rotating together by the left-gripping restricting portion 44L and the left-gripping restricting portion 44L. In other words, the left-gripping annular fitting portion 42L and the right-gripping annular fitting portion 42R can swing up and down and in the front-back direction relative to the left-gripping rotating boss portion 43L and the right-gripping rotating boss portion 43R, but they cannot swing in the front-back direction.

[0115] Therefore, due to the left gripping restrictor 44L and the right gripping restrictor 44R, both the left gripping arm member 21L, which has a left gripping annular fitting portion 42L at its base end, and the right gripping arm member 21R, which has a right gripping annular fitting portion 42R at its base end, swing back and forth in the vertical and longitudinal directions.

[0116] Furthermore, both the left gripping cam surface 46L and the right gripping cam surface 46R are eccentric in the same direction with respect to the axis of the rotation shaft 16. In other words, when the left gripping arm member 21L swings upward, the right gripping arm member 21R also swings upward, and when the left gripping arm member 21L swings downward, the right gripping arm member 21R also swings downward.

[0117] As a result, in the gripping massage mechanism 12, the left gripping massage element 7L and the right gripping massage element 7R swing upward in accordance with the movement of the left kneading massage element 6L and the right kneading massage element 6R moving closer to each other along the left-right direction. Also, in the gripping massage mechanism 12, the left gripping massage element 7L and the right gripping massage element 7R swing downward in accordance with the movement of the left kneading massage element 6L and the right kneading massage element 6R moving further apart from each other along the left-right direction. In other words, in the gripping massage mechanism 12 of this embodiment, kneading massage can be performed on the treatment area located between the left kneading massage element 6L and the right kneading massage element 6R, while simultaneously gripping massage can be performed on the treatment area located between the left kneading massage element 6L and the left gripping massage element 7L, and between the right kneading massage element 6R and the right gripping massage element 7R.

[0118] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. In particular, matters not explicitly disclosed in the embodiments disclosed herein, such as operating conditions, various parameters, dimensions, weight, and volume of components, do not deviate from what is normally practiced by those skilled in the art, and the values ​​adopted are those that can be easily anticipated by those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1 Massage device 7. Grasping Therapy Device 8. Tapping Therapy Device 11. Kneading massage mechanism 12. Gripping massage mechanism 13. Percussion massage mechanism 17. Striking arm component 21. Gripping arm component C trajectory L - The line connecting the left and right pairs of tapping therapy devices.

Claims

1. It comprises a kneading massage mechanism that performs kneading massage on the treatment area, a gripping massage mechanism that performs gripping massage on the treatment area, and a tapping massage mechanism that performs tapping massage on the treatment area using a tapping treatment device. The gripping massage mechanism comprises a gripping arm member extending forward and a gripping treatment element provided at the tip of the gripping arm member. The aforementioned tapping massage mechanism includes a tapping arm member extending forward and a tapping treatment element provided at the tip of the tapping arm member. The gripping massage mechanism swings the gripping arm member so that the gripping treatment element moves at least vertically. When the gripping device is located at the lowest and rearmost position in the oscillating trajectory, the gripping device overlaps with the tapping device in a side view. Massage device.

2. The aforementioned trajectory is considered to be an elliptical orbit with its major axis tilted upwards and forwards. The massage device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned tapping therapy devices are provided in pairs, one on the left and one on the right. The gripping therapy element is positioned between the left and right pair of tapping therapy elements in the left-right direction, and is positioned at the same vertical position or above the tapping therapy elements. The massage device according to claim 1.

4. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping treatment element is positioned at a distance from the tapping treatment element, with a gap between them in the left-right direction.

5. The massage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gripping treatment element swings vertically above the line connecting the pair of left and right tapping treatment elements.

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