Method for controlling massage device and massage device

Abstract

To provide a massage device for effectively preventing positional displacement in a longer direction of an arm with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: There is provided a control method for a massage device (10) that comprises first air bags (31, 32) whose therapeutic target is fingers and second air bags (41, 42, 55, 56) whose therapeutic target is at least either of fingers and arms, the first air bags and the second air bags being separated in the longer direction inside a cylindrical body (11), and an air supply controller (70) for individually controlling air supply to the first air bags and the second air bags. The air supply controller supplies air to the first air bags to expand the first air bags in a state of expanding the second air bags by supplying air to the second air bags, or supplies air to the first air bags to expand the first air bags immediately after stopping air supply to the second air bags.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage device for performing massage on the hands (including fingers) and arms, and a control method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, massage devices for massaging various parts of the body have become widely available. For example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 describe massage devices for massaging the arms and legs. These massage devices are equipped with means for preventing the massage device from slipping off the arms or legs during massage and for stably holding the arms or legs on the massage device.

[0003] The massage device in Patent Document 1 is used by connecting a flat massage tool body containing an air bag with a slide fastener to form a shape that envelops the arms and legs. The massage tool body is equipped with an anti-slip air bag that is placed on the outside of the massage air bag, and the relationship between the pressure of the massage air bag and the pressure of the anti-slip air bag is adjusted to prevent the massage device from slipping off the body.

[0004] The massage device in Patent Document 2 has airbags arranged on the inside surface of a U-shaped receiver, one on the opening side and one on the back side of the U-shaped receiver. During treatment, the airbag on the opening side inflates faster than the airbag on the back side, preventing the arms and legs from being pushed out toward the opening side of the U-shaped receiver.

[0005] The massage device in Patent Document 3 has multiple side airbags stacked on the side walls of a U-shaped recess with an open top. The side airbags are formed so that when inflated, the opening side of the recess expands more in the width direction of the recess than the bottom side. As a result, when the side airbags inflate, they push the arms and legs toward the bottom side of the recess and the opposite side wall, preventing the arms and legs from being pushed out toward the opening side of the recess. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6783843 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-29165 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-135737 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In massage devices that provide treatment to the hands (including fingers) and arms, there is a demand for preventing the arm from shifting in its longitudinal direction. For example, in a massage device for legs, the bent ankle acts as a stopper, making it easy to prevent excessive longitudinal shift. In contrast, the arm, although slightly constricted and bulging near the wrist, basically extends straight from the elbow, making it easy for the massage device to shift in its longitudinal direction.

[0008] In the massage device of Patent Document 1, pressure is applied uniformly from the outside to the inside (arm side) of the arm along the entire longitudinal direction by an anti-slip air bag. This configuration has the problem that it is difficult to obtain an optimal anti-slip effect for each area being treated. In addition, because it is equipped with a dedicated anti-slip air bag specifically designed for preventing slippage, it has the problem of requiring a large number of parts, making the device complex and large.

[0009] The massage devices of Patent Documents 2 and 3 are designed to prevent the arm from slipping into the opening and falling out in a structure that opens in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm. Therefore, they cannot be applied to massage devices that treat the arm by surrounding it all around, as in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, due to their structure, there is a possibility that they may not be sufficiently effective in preventing the massage device from slipping out of position in the longitudinal direction of the arm.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a method for controlling a massage device and a massage device that have a simple configuration and are excellent in preventing displacement of the arm in the longitudinal direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling a massage device in which a first airbag for treating fingers and a second airbag for treating at least one of a hand and an arm are separated in the longitudinal direction inside a cylindrical body, and the air supply to the first airbag and the second airbag is individually controlled by an air supply control device, wherein the air supply control device supplies air to the second airbag to inflate it, and then immediately after stopping the air supply to the second airbag, supplies air to the first airbag to inflate it. When the first airbag is inflated by supplying air to it immediately after the air supply to the second airbag is stopped, air is supplied to the second airbag while air supply to the first airbag is continuing.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention is a massage device in which a first airbag for treating fingers and a second airbag for treating at least one of a hand and an arm are separated longitudinally inside a cylindrical body, and the massage device is equipped with an air supply control device that individually controls the air supply to the first airbag and the second airbag, supplies air to the second airbag to inflate it, and then immediately after air supply to the second airbag is stopped, supplies air to the first airbag to inflate it. The cylindrical body has openings at both longitudinal ends through which the internal treatment space communicates with the outside, with the opening being larger at the other end than at the other end. The cylindrical body has a size-adjustable fastener arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body from the other end side, and a fold-in portion provided inside the portion opened and closed by the size-adjustable fastener. The size of the cylindrical body is adjusted by changing the degree of opening of the size-adjustable fastener, thereby changing the degree of expansion of the fold-in portion. A size-adjustable belt is provided that intersects the size-adjustable fastener in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body and is wound circumferentially around the cylindrical body at a position closer to the other end than the one end, thereby restricting movement of the cylindrical body in the longitudinal direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, in a massage device, by utilizing the inflation of an airbag for treating the hand or arm, it is possible to effectively prevent displacement of the arm in the longitudinal direction with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a state in which the massage device of the present embodiment is used; [Figure 2] FIG. 2(a) is a top view showing the front side of the massage device, and FIG. 2(b) is a bottom view showing the back side of the massage device. [Figure 3]10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams showing the deployed states of the airbag units built into the massage device. [Figure 4] (a) is a side view of the massage device with the size adjustment fastener closed and the auxiliary belt fastened, (b) is a side view of the massage device with the auxiliary belt released, and (c) is a side view of the massage device with the size adjustment fastener further opened. [Figure 5] FIG. 2(a) is a top view showing the arrangement of attachments attached to the massage device, and FIG. 2(b) is a side view showing the attachments and the attachment storage space. [Figure 6] FIG. 2(a) is a top view showing the arrangement of finger hooks provided on the massage device, and FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view showing the finger hooks in use. [Figure 7] FIG. 2(a) is a top view showing the arrangement of an air supply control device in a massage device, and FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view of the air supply control device. [Figure 8] 7(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line S1-S1 in FIG. 7(a), and FIG. 7(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line S2-S2 in FIG. 7(a). [Figure 9] 10 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the finger airbag unit and the reinforcing member, and the relationship between the hand airbag unit and the reinforcing member. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the arm airbag unit and a reinforcing member. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the massage device in a stored state when not in use. [Figure 12] 1(a) is a diagram showing the arrangement of tubes connecting the air supply control device and each airbag unit, and FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged view of a part of the arrangement of tubes. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal structure of the air supply control device. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a control system of the massage device. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of control of the operation of the massage device. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of control of the operation of the massage device. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of control of the operation of the massage device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, a description will be given of a massage device 10, which is one embodiment of a massage device to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the massage device 10 is worn on the user's hand in the area from the fingers to the arm to provide a massage. More specifically, the massage device 10 is sized to cover approximately the area from the fingers to the forearm of an adult when the thumb is placed on finger rests 23 and 24, which will be described later. Note that this treatment area is an example and may be different. For example, the massage device can be applied to a larger massage device whose treatment area extends up to the upper arm (upper arm).

[0016] The massage device 10 has a long, slender cylindrical shape that fits along the arm, and has a slightly flattened shape when not worn on the arm. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the massage device 10 is referred to as the Z-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, the direction corresponding to the tip (fingertip) side of the user's arm is referred to as the tip side, and the direction corresponding to the base (shoulder) side of the arm is referred to as the base side. The circumferential direction of the massage device 10 is referred to as the circumferential direction of a circle centered on an imaginary line extending in the Z-axis direction.

[0017] The width direction of the massage device 10, which has a slightly flat shape in a free state, is defined as the X-axis direction, and the thickness direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. The X-axis and Y-axis directions are perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. In the Y-axis direction, the side shown in FIG. 2(a) is defined as the front side, and the side shown in FIG. 2(b) is defined as the back side. The massage device 10 is designed to be used with the front side facing the back of the hand and the back side facing the palm.

[0018] As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the massage device 10 has a cylindrical body 11 formed by laminating an outer fabric 12, an intermediate fabric 13, and an inner fabric 14. The outer fabric 12, the intermediate fabric 13, and the inner fabric 14 are all made of a material such as soft cloth and are flexible. The outer fabric 12 forms the outer surface (outer shell) of the cylindrical body 11 and is the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 11. The inner fabric 14 forms the inner surface of the cylindrical body 11 and is the inner periphery of the cylindrical body 11. A fabric material with high strength, water resistance, etc. is selected for the outer fabric 12. A fabric material with higher flexibility than the outer fabric 12 is selected for the intermediate fabric 13 and the inner fabric 14.

[0019] The cylindrical body 11 is formed by sewing together the outer fabric 12, the middle fabric 13, and the inner fabric 14. As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the cylindrical body 11 has a treatment space 15 formed inside the inner fabric 14 (the area surrounded by the inner fabric 14) into which the arm to be treated is inserted. The treatment space 15 penetrates in the Z-axis direction. That is, the cylindrical body 11 has openings at both the distal and proximal ends (both ends) in the Z-axis direction, through which the treatment space 15 communicates with the outside.

[0020] 2(a) and 2(b), the width of the cylindrical body 11 increases longitudinally from the distal end to the proximal end, and the opening through which the treatment space 15 communicates with the outside is larger on the proximal end side than on the distal end side. This configuration makes it easier to insert a hand or arm into the treatment space 15 of the cylindrical body 11 from the proximal end side.

[0021] As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), inside the cylindrical body 11, an inner storage space 16 is formed between the middle fabric 13 and the inner fabric 14, and an outer storage space 17 is formed between the outer fabric 12 and the middle fabric 13. The inner storage space 16 and the outer storage space 17 are closed at both the tip end and base end in the Z-axis direction (the outer fabric 12, middle fabric 13, and inner fabric 14 are sewn together).

[0022] As shown in Figure 5(b), an attachment storage section 18 is further formed inside the cylindrical body 11. The attachment storage section 18 is formed in the shape of a pocket by separating the inner fabric 14 and the inner storage space 16 with another piece of fabric, and is located between the palm airbag 42 (described later) and the inner fabric 14.

[0023] The components housed inside the inner storage space 16, the outer storage space 17 and the attachment storage section 18 will be described later.

[0024] As shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), a size adjustment fastener 20 is provided on the outer surface of the side of the cylindrical body 11 (outer fabric 12). The size adjustment fastener 20 extends in the Z-axis direction from the base end side of the cylindrical body 11, and is disposed over a range slightly more than half the length of the cylindrical body 11. When the slider 20a is moved toward the base end, the size adjustment fastener 20 is closed (Figures 4(a) and 4(b)), and when the slider 20a is moved toward the tip end, the size adjustment fastener 20 is opened (Figure 4(c)).

[0025] The cylindrical body 11 has a folded-in portion 11a inside the portion that is opened and closed by the size-adjustable fastener 20 (FIG. 4(c)). By opening the size-adjustable fastener 20, it is possible to expand the circumferential size of the cylindrical body 11 by the amount of the folded-in portion 11a, making it easier to insert the arm into the treatment space 15. The greater the opening of the size-adjustable fastener 20, the wider the range in the Z-axis direction that the cylindrical body 11 can be expanded.

[0026] When the size-adjusting fastener 20 is closed after inserting the arm into the treatment space 15, the expansion caused by the folded-in portion 11a is eliminated, and the cylindrical body 11 fits the arm. In this way, the size of the cylindrical body 11 can be adjusted by changing the opening degree of the size-adjusting fastener 20, improving the ease of putting on and taking off the cylindrical body 11.

[0027] 5(b), the attachment storage section 18 is provided at a position adjacent to the fold-in section 11a in the Z-axis direction (a position overlapping with the vicinity of the tip of the size adjusting fastener 20). The attachment storage section 18 is open on one side in the X-axis direction, and the attachment storage section 18 is opened by opening the size adjusting fastener 20, and is closed by closing the size adjusting fastener 20.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), a size adjustment belt 21 is provided on the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11. The size adjustment belt 21 is disposed along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body 11, and a portion of the size adjustment belt 21 is fixed to the outer fabric 12 by sewing or the like. The size adjustment belt 21 is passed through a ring 21a provided at one end, folded back, and secured with a hook-and-loop fastener 21b (by bonding the hook and loop surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener 21b together), thereby wrapping the cylindrical body 11 in the circumferential direction and improving the retention of the arm inserted into the treatment space 15. The hook-and-loop fastener 21b extends circumferentially, allowing the user to arbitrarily select the securing position of the size adjustment belt 21 to adjust the size of the cylindrical body 11 in the circumferential direction. The size adjustment belt 21 is located slightly proximal to the center in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, the size adjustment belt 21 is wound around the cylindrical body 11 so as to intersect with a portion of the size adjustment fastener 20.

[0029] The opening of the cylindrical body 11 on the base end side is larger than the opening on the tip end side to make it easier to insert the arm into the treatment space 15. Even when the size adjustment fastener 20 is closed, the fit of the cylindrical body 11 on the user's arm varies from person to person. The size adjustment belt 21 is located closer to the base end than the center of the cylindrical body 11 in the Z-axis direction (closer to the base end than the tip). Therefore, by using the size adjustment belt 21, it is possible to improve the holding ability of the cylindrical body 11 at the base end side, which has a larger opening. In particular, this contributes to preventing the cylindrical body 11 from slipping in the Z-axis direction.

[0030] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), a pair of finger hooks 23, 24 are provided within treatment space 15. Finger hooks 23, 24 are located near the tip of cylindrical body 11 in the Z-axis direction and are provided near both edges of treatment space 15 in the X-axis direction. Finger hooks 23, 24 each have a ring-like (cylindrical) shape that extends roughly in the Z-axis direction, with both ends penetrating.

[0031] Finger hooks 23, 24 are provided at positions suitable for inserting the thumb when the user inserts their arm into treatment space 15. Finger hook 23 is provided at a position assumed to correspond to the thumb of the left hand when the left arm is inserted (see FIG. 6(b)), and finger hook 24 is provided at a position assumed to correspond to the thumb of the right hand when the right arm is inserted.

[0032] Placing a finger on finger hook 23 or 24 has the effect of preventing displacement of cylindrical body 11. For example, when a finger comes into contact with the inner surface of finger hook 23 or 24, displacement of cylindrical body 11 in the X-axis direction or Y-axis direction is restricted. Furthermore, when the end of finger hook 23 or 24 comes into contact with the area between the fingers, displacement of cylindrical body 11 in the Z-axis direction is restricted.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2(b) and other figures, an outer pocket 25 is formed on the base end side in the Z-axis direction of the cylindrical body 11. The outer pocket 25 is formed by shaping a portion of the outer fabric 12 into a bag shape, and is open toward the tip side in the Z-axis direction. The outer pocket 25 is arranged on the back side of the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11 in the Y-axis direction, and is provided in an area that occupies almost the entire width of the cylindrical body 11 in the X-axis direction.

[0034] The cylindrical body 11 of the massage device 10 configured as described above is attached to and detached from the user's arm as follows: When attaching the cylindrical body 11, opening the size adjustment fastener 20 allows the cylindrical body 11 to expand in the circumferential direction, making it easier to insert the arm into the treatment space 15. In particular, because the size adjustment fastener 20 is designed to open starting from the base end side in the Z-axis direction, the expansion width at the base end side of the cylindrical body 11 is large, making it easier to insert the arm from the base end side.

[0035] Then, the arm is inserted into the treatment space 15 from the base end side of the cylindrical body 11, with the fingertips leading. During this insertion, the outer pocket 25 may be grasped with the hand opposite the side being inserted into the cylindrical body 11. By inserting the opposite hand into the outer pocket 25 to hold the cylindrical body 11, it is possible to prevent the cylindrical body 11 from moving following the arm being inserted due to friction with the arm (i.e., preventing the arm from smoothly entering the cylindrical body 11). Alternatively, the opposite hand may be inserted into the outer pocket 25 to apply a pulling force to the cylindrical body 11 toward the base (shoulder) of the arm being inserted. Using the outer pocket 25 in this manner allows for smooth insertion of the arm into the treatment space 15. Note that when inserting the arm into the treatment space 15, a different instrument or fixed object may be engaged with the outer pocket 25 instead of the hand opposite the side being inserted.

[0036] The user can freely select how far into cylindrical body 11 to insert their arm in the Z-axis direction. As an example, the position where the thumb is inserted (hooked) into finger hook portion 23 or finger hook portion 24 (see FIG. 6(b)) can be used as a guide for the insertion position. The dimensions of cylindrical body 11 are set so that in this state, for most users, the distal end of cylindrical body 11 is located near the fingertips and the proximal end of cylindrical body 11 is located near the elbow. In other words, cylindrical body 11 is designed to generally cover the range of the fingers, hand (palm and back of the hand), and forearm.

[0037] Once the arm insertion position in the Z-axis direction has been determined, the slider 20a is pulled toward the base end to close the size adjustment fastener 20, and then the size adjustment belt 21 is secured with the hook-and-loop fastener 21b. The degree of tightness of the size adjustment belt 21 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the hook-and-loop fastener 21b, allowing the user to select the desired state.

[0038] In this way, the attachment of the massage device 10 to the user's arm is completed. The massage device 10 is configured such that one arm is inserted into the cylindrical body 11, which is formed in advance into a cylindrical shape, and then finally fixed using the size-adjusting fastener 20 and the size-adjusting belt 21 arranged on the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11. Therefore, the massage device 10 (cylindrical body 11) can be attached to the arm by the user using the hand that is not inserted, or by a simple operation by a caregiver, without requiring complicated operations using both hands.

[0039] The size adjustable fastener 20 can be easily operated with one hand because it is configured to open and close a partial area of ​​the outer fabric 12 in the Z-axis direction while maintaining the cylindrical shape of the cylindrical body 11. In particular, the operation of the slider 20a when closing the size adjustable fastener 20 is to move it from a midpoint in the Z-axis direction toward the base end, making it easy to transmit force to the slider 20a and providing excellent operability.

[0040] The size adjustment belt 21 is configured so that the adjustment position of the hook-and-loop fastener 21b is selected while passing it through the ring 21a and pulling it in the circumferential direction, so that it can be easily operated with one hand.

[0041] When removing the massage device 10, the size adjustment belt 21 is released (the hook-and-loop fastener 21b is released) and loosened, and the size adjustment fastener 20 is opened. As with the time of putting on the massage device, these actions can be easily performed by the user using the non-insertion hand or by a simple operation by a caregiver. Then, the cylindrical body 11 can be easily removed by pulling the arm out of the treatment space 15. Because the cylindrical body 11 is expanded in the circumferential direction, there is little resistance when pulling it out.

[0042] After removing the massage device 10, the tip of the cylindrical body 11 may be inserted into the outer pocket 25, and the cylindrical body 11 may be folded in half in the Z-axis direction, as shown in Fig. 11. Since the entire cylindrical body 11, including the outer fabric 12, is made of a flexible material (such as cloth), it can be stored in such a compact state (when not in use).

[0043] The above-described procedure for putting on and taking off the massage device 10 is an example, and the user may change it as appropriate depending on the user's preference for fit, arm size, etc.

[0044] Furthermore, the opening degree of the size-adjusting fastener 20 when attaching or detaching the massage device 10 is also optional. For example, the massage device 10 may be attached or detached without opening the size-adjusting fastener 20 to the fully open position shown in Fig. 4(c). Alternatively, with the arm inserted into the treatment space 15, the size-adjusting fastener 20 does not have to be closed to the fully closed position shown in Fig. 4(a) or 4(b).

[0045] Next, the components disposed inside the cylindrical body 11 of the massage device 10 will be described.

[0046] 3(a) to 3(c) show the finger airbag unit 30, hand airbag unit 40, and arm airbag unit 50 stored in the inner storage space 16. The inner storage space 16 is divided into three sections in the Z-axis direction by sewing or the like so that each airbag unit 30, 40, and 50 can be stored individually. As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), this division is set so that the finger airbag unit 30 is located at the tip end of the Z-axis direction, the hand airbag unit 40 is located in the middle, and the arm airbag unit 50 is located at the base end.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3(a), finger airbag unit 30 is configured by connecting finger front airbag 31 and finger back airbag 32 with a band-shaped connecting portion 33. Finger front airbag 31 and finger back airbag 32 form a finger airbag. Finger front airbag 31 has a double (two-layer) air chamber structure in which one main air chamber 31a and one sub-air chamber 31b are stacked in the Y-axis direction, and main air chamber 31a and sub-air chamber 31b are connected to allow air to circulate through communication passage 31c. Finger back airbag 32 has a single air chamber structure, and a partition portion 32a is provided in part of the air chamber to connect the front and back.

[0048] The finger airbag unit 30 does not have a structure in which air is circulated between the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32, and the air chambers on the finger surface airbag 31 side and the finger back airbag 32 side are independent of each other. A nozzle protrusion 34 (air supply protrusion) for supplying air to the finger surface airbag 31 and a nozzle protrusion 35 (air supply protrusion) for supplying air to the finger back airbag 32 are provided.

[0049] Before being attached to the cylindrical body 11, the finger airbag unit 30 is in a flat, unfolded shape as shown in FIG. 3(a). As shown in FIG. 8(a), the finger airbag unit 30 is folded in half and placed in the inner storage space 16 so that the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are positioned on either side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction (facing each other in the Y-axis direction). The finger front airbag 31 is located on the front side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction, with the main air chamber 31a facing outward (toward the outer fabric 12 and inner fabric 13) and the sub-air chamber 31b facing inward (toward the inner fabric 14). The finger back airbag 32 is located on the back side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction. The nozzle protrusions 34 and 35 each protrude outward (toward the outer fabric 12 and inner fabric 13) within the inner storage space 16.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3(b), hand airbag unit 40 is configured by connecting back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 with band-shaped connecting portion 43. Back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 form a hand airbag. Back-of-hand airbag 41 has a double (two-layer) airchamber structure with one main airchamber 41a and two sub-airchambers 41b stacked in the Y-axis direction, with main airchamber 41a and each sub-airchamber 41b connected to each other through communication portion 41c for airflow. Palm-of-hand airbag 42 also has a double (two-layer) airchamber structure with one main airchamber 42a and two sub-airchambers 42b stacked in the Y-axis direction, with main airchamber 42a and each sub-airchamber 42b connected to each other through communication passages 42c for airflow. The main air chambers 41a and 42a are each provided with a partition 41d and a partition 42d that connect the front and back of the air chambers.

[0051] Nozzle protrusion 44 (air supply protrusion) is provided to supply air to hand airbag unit 40. Nozzle protrusion 44 is provided at a location communicating with main air chamber 41a of back-of-hand airbag 41. Main air chamber 41a and main air chamber 42a are connected to each other through communication passage 43a in connecting portion 43 so that air can flow therethrough. Therefore, air can be supplied to the entire hand airbag unit 40 through nozzle protrusion 44.

[0052] Before being attached to cylindrical body 11, hand airbag unit 40 is in a flat, unfolded shape as shown in Fig. 3(b). Hand airbag unit 40 is folded in half and placed inside inner storage space 16 so that back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 are positioned on either side of treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction (facing each other in the Y-axis direction). Back-of-hand airbag 41 is positioned on the front side of treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction, and palm-of-hand airbag 42 is positioned on the back side of treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction. In back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42, main airchamber 41a and main airchamber 42a face outward (toward outer fabric 12 and inner fabric 13), and sub-airchamber 41b and sub-airchamber 42b face inward (toward inner fabric 14). The nozzle projection 44 projects outward (toward the outer fabric 12 and the inner fabric 13) within the inner storage space 16.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3(c), arm airbag unit 50 is composed of two parts aligned in the Z-axis direction. Of arm airbag unit 50, the first part located at the tip end in the Z-axis direction is composed of forearm airbag 51 and forearm back airbag 52 connected by a band-shaped connecting part 53. Forearm airbag 51 and forearm back airbag 52 constitute an arm airbag. Forearm airbag 51 has a double (two-layer) air chamber structure in which one main air chamber 51a and one sub-air chamber 51b are stacked in the Y-axis direction, and main air chamber 51a and sub-air chamber 51b are connected to each other through a communication part 51c so that air can flow through them.

[0054] Nozzle protrusions 54 (air supply protrusions) are provided to supply air to the forearm front airbag 51 and the forearm back airbag 52. Nozzle protrusions 54 are provided at locations that communicate with the main air chamber 51a of the forearm front airbag 51. The main air chambers 51a and 52a are connected to each other through a communication passage 53a in the connection part 53 so that air can flow between them. Therefore, air can be supplied to the entire forearm front airbag 51 and the forearm back airbag 52 through the nozzle protrusions 54.

[0055] The second part of the arm airbag unit 50, located on the base end side in the Z-axis direction, is configured by connecting a forearm airbag 55 and a forearm back airbag 56 via a connecting portion 57. The forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 together form an arm airbag. The forearm back airbag 56 has a double (two-layer) airchamber structure in which one main airchamber 56a and two sub-airchambers 56b are stacked in the Y-axis direction, and the main airchamber 56a and the sub-airchambers 56b are connected to each other through communication passages 56c so that air can flow through them. The forearm front airbag 55 and the main airchamber 56a of the forearm back airbag 56 each have a partition 55a and a partition 56d that connect the front and back of the airchamber.

[0056] Nozzle protrusions 58 (air supply protrusions) are provided to supply air to the forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56. Nozzle protrusions 58 are provided at locations that communicate with the forearm front airbag 55. The forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 (main air chamber 56a) are connected to each other through a communication passage 57a in the connection part 57 so that air can flow through. Therefore, air can be supplied to the entire forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 through the nozzle protrusions 58.

[0057] Before being attached to the cylindrical body 11, the arm airbag unit 50 is in a flat, unfolded shape as shown in Fig. 3(c). The arm airbag unit 50 is folded in half and placed inside the inner storage space 16 so that the front forearm airbag 51 and the back forearm airbag 52 are positioned on either side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction (opposite each other in the Y-axis direction), and the front forearm airbag 55 and the back forearm airbag 56 are positioned on either side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction (opposite each other in the Y-axis direction). The front forearm airbags 51 and 55 are positioned on the front side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction, and the back forearm airbags 52 and 56 are positioned on the back side of the treatment space 15 in the Y-axis direction. In each of the airbags 51 for the front of the forearm and 56 for the back of the forearm, the main air chambers 51a and 56a face outward (towards the outer fabric 12 and inner fabric 13), and the sub-air chambers 51b and 56b face inward (towards the inner fabric 14). The nozzle projections 54 and 58 protrude outward (towards the outer fabric 12 and inner fabric 13) within the inner storage space 16.

[0058] When the massage device 10 is worn on the arm, the finger airbag unit 30 is located approximately in a position (range in the Z-axis direction) for treating the fingers, the hand airbag unit 40 is located approximately in a position (range in the Z-axis direction) for treating the palm and back of the hand, and the arm airbag unit 50 is located approximately in a position (range in the Z-axis direction) for treating the forearm. More specifically, in the finger airbag unit 30, the finger front airbag 31 is located opposite the front side of the fingers (back of the hand), and the finger back airbag 32 is located opposite the back side of the fingers (palm side). In the hand airbag unit 40, the back of the hand airbag 41 is located opposite the back of the hand, and the palm airbag 42 is located opposite the palm. In the arm airbag unit 50, the airbags 51 and 55 for the front of the forearm are positioned opposite the front side of the forearm (back of the hand), and the airbags 52 and 56 for the back of the forearm are positioned opposite the front side of the forearm (palm side).

[0059] By adjusting the internal pressure of each airbag unit 30, 40, and 50 using an air supply control device 70 (described later), each air chamber is inflated and deflated, and a treatment (massage) is performed on the arm (including the fingers, hand, and forearm) wearing the massage device 10. In the airbags (31, 41, 42, 51, and 56) having a dual structure of main and sub air chambers, in addition to the inflation and deflation of the main air chamber (31a, 41a, 42a, 51a, and 56a), the sub-air chambers (31b, 41b, 42b, 51b, and 56b) located on the inside facing the arm in the treatment space 15 also inflate and deflate at the same time, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the massage.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5(b), an attachment 60 for adjusting the treatment effect can be attached and detached to and from the attachment storage section 18 of the cylindrical body 11. The attachment 60 has a structure in which a protrusion 62 is attached to a plate-shaped base 61. The attachment storage section 18 has an internal shape that can store the base 61 in a stable position. With the size adjustment fastener 20 open, the attachment storage section 18 can be accessed from the outside, allowing the attachment 60 to be attached and detached.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 5(a), the attachment 60 stored in the attachment storage compartment 18 is located slightly toward the tip from the center in the Z-axis direction. This attachment 60 is located in a position corresponding to the hand airbag unit 40. More specifically, the attachment storage compartment 18 is formed in the Y-axis direction between the location where the palm airbag 42 is stored and the inner fabric 14. In other words, the attachment 60 inserted into the attachment storage compartment 18 is positioned facing the palm of the hand in the treatment space 15 (with the inner fabric 14 in between). The attachment 60 is inserted into the attachment storage compartment 18 so that the protrusion 62 faces inward (toward the inner fabric 14). With this configuration, when the palm airbag 42 is inflated, the attachment 60 is pushed inward, and the protrusion 62 presses against the palm. As a result, the treatment effect on the palm can be improved via the protrusion 62.

[0062] It should be noted that the attachment 60 can vary the position and shape of the protrusions 62 to vary the treatment effect. For example, the protrusions 62 may be detachable from the base 61 using hook-and-loop fasteners or the like. In this configuration, the position of the protrusions 62 on the base 61 can be changed according to the user's preference. Also, a plurality of protrusions 62 with different shapes can be prepared, and the protrusions 62 with the shape of the user's choice can be selected and attached.

[0063] Alternatively, a plurality of types of attachments 60 may be prepared, each having a base 61 and a protrusion 62 integrated in advance, and the entire attachment 60 may be replaced. Each attachment 60 has a variation in the position and shape of the protrusion 62.

[0064] An air intake control device 70 is stored in the outer storage space 17 of the cylindrical body 11. Figure 7(b) shows the appearance of the air intake control device 70, and Figure 7(a) shows the arrangement of the air intake control device 70 when stored in the outer storage space 17.

[0065] As shown in Figures 7(b) and 13, the air supply control device 70 has an outer housing 71. The housing 71 is composed of an upper housing 71a and a lower housing 71b. The bottom side of the lower housing 71b has a concave curved shape that fits the arm.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 13, an air pump 72, a battery 73, and an electromagnetic valve unit 74 are supported on the lower housing 71b. By attaching the upper housing 71a to the lower housing 71b, the components supported on the lower housing 71b are covered, resulting in the completed state shown in Fig. 7(b).

[0067] As shown in Figure 13, two air pumps 72 are provided in parallel in the X-axis direction, and each air pump 72 is supported on the lower housing 71b via a support bracket 75. More specifically, the support bracket 75 is composed of two parts arranged at a predetermined distance in the Z-axis direction. Each part of the support bracket 75 has a pair of support legs 75a protruding from a cylindrical portion into which the air pump 72 is inserted, toward both sides in the X-axis direction. In other words, a total of four support legs 75a are provided, two on each side in the X-axis direction, at different positions in the Z-axis direction.

[0068] The lower housing 71b is formed with a frame-shaped upright wall portion 71c that surrounds the two air pumps 72. An inner cover 76 that fits over the upright wall portion 71c is fixed to the lower housing 71b. Recesses (grooves) that are recessed in the Y-axis direction are formed on the end surfaces of the upright wall portion 71c and the inner cover 76 that face each other in the Y-axis direction. By fitting each support leg 75a into these recesses, the position of the holding bracket 75 in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions is determined. Each support leg 75a has a pair of large-diameter flanges on both sides of the position where it fits into the recess. The pair of flanges sandwich the sides of the upright wall portion 71c and the inner cover 76 from both sides, thereby restricting movement of the holding bracket 75 in the X-axis direction.

[0069] By storing the air pump 72 in the space surrounded by the bottom surface of the lower housing 71b, the upright wall portion 71c, and the inner cover 76, the operating noise of the air pump 72 when it is driven is less likely to leak outside the housing 71. This makes it less likely that the user will notice the vibrations and operating noise generated by the air supply control device 70 when using the massage device 10, improving the usability.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 13 , the battery 73 and the solenoid valve unit 74 are offset relative to the two air pumps 72 in the Z-axis direction. Each air pump 72 and battery 73 is cylindrical and oriented with its axis (longitudinal direction) aligned along the Z-axis direction. The solenoid valve unit 74 includes a first solenoid valve 84, a second solenoid valve 85, and a third solenoid valve 86 ( FIG. 14 ), which will be described later. These three solenoid valves 84, 85, and 86 are aligned along the Z-axis direction. One air pump 72 and the battery 73 are aligned along the Z-axis direction, while the other air pump 72 and the solenoid valve unit 74 are aligned along the Z-axis direction. This component layout efficiently utilizes space within the housing 71, resulting in a slim air supply control device 70 with reduced dimensions in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Therefore, the air supply control device 70 can be efficiently accommodated within the outer storage space 17 without increasing the size of the cylindrical body 11 or causing any part of the cylindrical body 11 to bulge significantly in the X-axis or Y-axis directions.

[0071] As shown in Figure 13, each air pump 72 and solenoid valve unit 74 are connected by an internal conduit 72a. Three nozzle protrusions 74a, 74b, and 74c are aligned in the Z-axis direction and protrude from solenoid valve unit 74. Nozzle protrusions 74a, 74b, and 74c are exposed to the outside of air supply control device 70 through openings formed in housing 71 (see Figure 7(b)).

[0072] Figure 12(a) shows the internal structure of the outer storage space 17. Note that Figure 12(a) shows the state of the massage device 10 during manufacturing or maintenance, and when the massage device 10 is in use, the interior of the outer storage space 17 is not exposed as shown in the figure. Within the outer storage space 17, there are disposed a tube 77 connected to the nozzle protrusion 74a, a tube 78 connected to the nozzle protrusion 74b, and a tube 79 connected to the nozzle protrusion 74a. Each of the tubes 77, 78, and 79 is supported by a plurality of loop-shaped tube guides 27 attached to the inside of the outer fabric 12 (see Figure 12(b)), and each is appropriately oriented.

[0073] Tube 77 is connected to nozzle protrusions 34 and 35 provided on finger airbag unit 30 and to nozzle protrusion 54 provided on arm airbag unit 50. Tube 78 is connected to nozzle protrusion 44 provided on hand airbag unit 40. Tube 79 is connected to nozzle protrusion 58 provided on arm airbag unit 50. This forms an air supply system that can inflate and deflate each of finger airbag unit 30, hand airbag unit 40, and arm airbag unit 50.

[0074] The means for operating and controlling the massage device 10 is mounted on the air supply control device 70. The air supply control device 70 is provided with a box-shaped operating unit 80 that protrudes above the housing 71 (upper housing 71a). A rectangular opening is formed in the outer fabric 12 to allow the operating unit 80 to pass through (see FIG. 8(b)), and when the air supply control device 70 is stored in the outer storage space 17, the operating unit 80 is exposed to the outside (front side) of the cylindrical body 11 through the opening.

[0075] Multiple (three) operation buttons 81 are arranged on the operation unit 80. The user operates each operation button 81 to turn the power on and off, select an operation mode (massage pattern), and so on. The operation unit 80 is also provided with a power supply port 82. The battery 73 in the air supply control device 70 can be charged through the power supply port 82.

[0076] Figure 14 conceptually illustrates the configuration of the control system installed in the air supply control device 70. The control unit 83 provides overall control over the operation of the air supply control device 70, and is configured by mounting a processor that executes programs, memory that stores the programs, and the like on a circuit board.

[0077] The first solenoid valve 84, second solenoid valve 85, and third solenoid valve 86 provided in the solenoid valve unit 74 are opened and closed individually under the control of the control unit 83. The first solenoid valve 84 controls the air flow between the air pump 72 and the nozzle protrusion 74a. The second solenoid valve 85 controls the air flow between the air pump 72 and the nozzle protrusion 74b. The third solenoid valve 86 controls the air flow between the air pump 72 and the nozzle protrusion 74c.

[0078] By opening the solenoid valves 84, 85, and 86 while the air pump 72 is running, air is supplied to the corresponding nozzle protrusions 74a, 74b, and 74c, inflating the corresponding airbags via the tubes 77, 78, and 79. Closing the solenoid valves 84, 85, and 86 stops the air supply, and gradually releases air from the airbags, causing them to deflate (deflate). More specifically, the operation of the first solenoid valve 84 controls the inflation and deflation of the finger-surface airbag 31, the finger-back airbag 32, the forearm-surface airbag 51, and the forearm-back airbag 52. The operation of the second solenoid valve 85 controls the inflation and deflation of the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42. The operation of the third solenoid valve 86 controls the inflation and deflation of the forearm-surface airbag 55 and the forearm-back airbag 56.

[0079] When the user operates the operation button 81, an operation signal is input to the control unit 83, and the control unit 83 controls each unit in accordance with the operation signal based on the stored program. Specifically, the control contents of the control unit 83 include turning the power circuit on and off, driving the air pump 72, and opening and closing the solenoid valves 84, 85, and 86.

[0080] As described above, the massage device 10 is configured to be used by inserting the arm into the cylindrical body 11, which is pre-formed into a cylindrical shape, so that it can be easily put on and taken off even in situations where the inserted arm itself cannot be used for putting on and taking off. The cylindrical body 11 is provided with a size adjustment fastener 20 and a size adjustment belt 21 that allow for circumferential size adjustment while the device is being worn. These size adjustment means are selected to have structures that can be operated comfortably with one hand.

[0081] The cylindrical body 11, including the outer fabric 12 that forms the outer periphery, the inner fabric 14 that forms the inner periphery, and the middle fabric 13 located between them, is made entirely of a flexible material and does not have a hard outer shell. Therefore, it has the advantage of being lightweight, compact, and easy to handle. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the massage device 10 can be folded and stored when not in use.

[0082] In the massage device 10, all components, including the airbag units 30, 40, and 50 as well as the air supply control device 70, are housed within the cylindrical body 11, making it a complete, stand-alone massage device. This eliminates the need to connect to an external air supply source or power source, making it easy to handle during use. For example, the user can move freely while using the massage device 10 without having to worry about externally connected cables or tubes.

[0083] In an airbag massage device, when the built-in airbag is operated (inflated or deflated), it is required to suppress outward deformation as much as possible and efficiently transmit force to the treatment target (such as an arm) inside. If the amount of outward deformation is large, the force used to press the treatment target will escape to the outside, resulting in poor efficiency.

[0084] In the massage device 10 of this embodiment, the cylindrical body 11 is made of a flexible material, thereby achieving the above-mentioned effects. On the other hand, compared to massage devices with hard outer shells, it is necessary to consider how to prevent the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 55, and 56 from deforming significantly outward, which would result in power loss.

[0085] First, in massage device 10, the fabric material used for outer fabric 12 is thicker and less stretchable than the fabric materials used for middle fabric 13 and inner fabric 14, making it difficult for outer fabric 12 itself to spread outward. For inner fabric 14, which comes into contact with the user's arm inserted into treatment space 15, a relatively thin and flexible fabric material must be used because it must be comfortable to the touch and able to easily follow the deformations of each airbag 31, 32, 41, 42, 55, and 56. In contrast, for outer fabric 12, since there is almost no part that comes into direct contact with the arm that is the treatment target, it is possible to select a fabric that is thicker and harder (less stretchable) to a certain extent while maintaining basic flexibility.

[0086] 9 and 10, the massage device 10 further includes reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95. Each of the reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95 is overlapped with each of the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56, and is disposed between each of the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56 and the outer fabric 12 within the inner storage space 16. Each of the reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95 is a resin plate-like material that is harder and less stretchable than the fabric material of the outer fabric 12, and is shaped to fit each of the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56 that are overlapped therewith.

[0087] Each of the nozzle projections 34, 35, 44, 54 and 58 provided on each of the airbags 31, 32, 41, 51 and 55 has a structure in which a cylindrical nozzle projects from the side of a box-shaped base.

[0088] The reinforcing member 90 is disposed so as to overlap the outside of the finger-surface airbag 31 (more specifically, the main air chamber 31a) in the Y-axis direction. The position of the reinforcing member 90 relative to the finger-surface airbag 31 is determined by inserting and fitting the box-shaped base of the nozzle protrusion 34 into a rectangular positioning hole 90a formed in the reinforcing member 90.

[0089] The reinforcing member 91 is disposed so as to overlap the outer side of the finger back airbag 32 in the Y-axis direction. The position of the reinforcing member 91 relative to the finger back airbag 32 is determined by inserting and fitting the box-shaped base of the nozzle protrusion 35 into a rectangular positioning hole 91a formed in the reinforcing member 91.

[0090] The reinforcing member 92 is disposed so as to overlap the outside of the back of the hand airbag 41 (more specifically, the main air chamber 41a) in the Y-axis direction. The position of the reinforcing member 92 relative to the back of the hand airbag 41 is determined by inserting and fitting the box-shaped base of the nozzle protrusion 44 into a rectangular positioning hole 92a formed in the reinforcing member 92.

[0091] Reinforcing member 93 is disposed overlapping the outside of palm airbag 42 (more specifically, main air chamber 42a) in the Y-axis direction. Because palm airbag 42 is not provided with a nozzle protrusion, reinforcing member 93 does not have a positioning hole corresponding to the nozzle protrusion.

[0092] The reinforcing member 94 is disposed in the Y-axis direction so as to overlap the outer sides of the forearm surface airbag 51 (more specifically, the main air chamber 51a) and the forearm surface airbag 55. The position of the reinforcing member 94 relative to the forearm surface airbag 51 and the forearm surface airbag 55 is determined by inserting and fitting the box-shaped bases of the nozzle protrusions 54 and 58 into two rectangular positioning holes 94a and 94b formed in the reinforcing member 94, respectively.

[0093] The reinforcing member 95 is disposed overlapping the outside of the airbag for the back of the forearm 52 and the airbag for the back of the forearm 56 (more specifically, the main air chamber 56a) in the Y-axis direction. Since the airbag for the back of the forearm 52 and the airbag for the back of the forearm 56 are not provided with nozzle protrusions, the reinforcing member 95 does not have positioning holes corresponding to the nozzle protrusions.

[0094] During the manufacturing of the massage device 10, the reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95 are placed in the internal storage space 16 of the cylindrical body 11 together with the airbag units 30, 40, and 50. The reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95 are flexible and can bend or deform to a certain extent in response to the inflation and deflation of the overlapping airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56, but have very little stretchability. Therefore, when the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56 are inflated, the reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95 do not bulge outward significantly but suppress outward deformation, thereby acting to predominantly inflate the airbags 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56 inward. This reduces power loss of air pump 72, which is the air supply source, and allows the operation of each air bag 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 55 and 56 to be used efficiently for treatment within treatment space 15.

[0095] The housing 71 of the air supply control device 70 can also be used as a reinforcing member. The housing 71 is made of a hard resin material or the like to protect the air pump 72, battery 73, and solenoid valve unit 74 from the outside and to stably support them. As shown in Figure 7(a), the air supply control device 70 is provided in an area that generally overlaps with the forearm airbags 51, 55, and in this area, the outward inflation of the forearm airbags 51, 55 is restricted by the housing 71 (particularly the lower housing 71b).

[0096] Based on the effect of this housing 71, it is also possible to omit the provision of reinforcing member 94 on the outside of forearm airbags 51, 55 (that is, to use only housing 71 as a reinforcing member instead of reinforcing member 94).

[0097] Furthermore, it is also possible to select not to provide the reinforcing member 95 on the outside of the back-of-forearm airbags 52, 56, which are located on the back side of the front-of-forearm airbags 51, 55. As described above, the housing 71 of the air supply control device 70 has the effect of suppressing outward deformation of the front-of-forearm airbags 51, 55. Therefore, even if the outside of the back-of-forearm airbags 52, 56 is not reinforced, excessive outward deformation of the entire forearm treatment portion of the massage device 10 when each airbag is inflated can be suppressed to a certain extent. In light of this point, it is possible to select a configuration in which not only the reinforcing member 94 but also the reinforcing member 95 is omitted.

[0098] Since the reinforcing members 94 and 95 are larger than the other reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, and 93, not providing them is expected to have significant effects in terms of weight reduction, improved maneuverability of the massage device 10, cost reduction, and the like.

[0099] As described above, there is a trade-off between the reinforcing effect (the effect of suppressing outward deformation of the airbag) and effects other than the reinforcing effect (weight reduction, improved maneuverability, cost reduction), but when multiple airbags are provided as in this embodiment, the airbags to which the reinforcing member is to be provided can be appropriately selected depending on which effect is prioritized for which part of the airbag. In other words, when multiple airbags are provided, reinforcing members may be provided for all of the airbags, or for only some of the airbags.

[0100] 15 to 17 show the control of the operation of massage device 10. This control of operation is executed by control unit 83 of air supply control device 70 based on a program. The program includes control contents for multiple operation modes (massage patterns), and the user selects an operation mode by operating operation button 81 of operation unit 80. Regarding the air supply to each airbag described below, unless a control entity is specified, it is assumed that control is performed by control unit 83 of air supply control device 70.

[0101] FIG. 15 shows the first operating mode, FIG. 16 shows the second operating mode, and FIG. 17 shows the third operating mode. In FIGS. 15 to 17, the horizontal axis represents the passage of time, and the vertical axis represents the on / off states (signal changes from the control unit 83) of the first solenoid valve 84, the second solenoid valve 85, and the third solenoid valve 86. On corresponds to the open state of each solenoid valve 84, 85, and 86, and off corresponds to the closed state of each solenoid valve 84, 85, and 86. When the first solenoid valve 84 is opened while the air pump 72 is operating, air is supplied to the finger surface airbag 31, the finger back airbag 32, the forearm surface airbag 51, and the forearm back airbag 52. When the second solenoid valve 85 is opened while the air pump 72 is operating, air is supplied to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42. When the third solenoid valve 86 is opened while the air pump 72 is running, air is supplied to the front forearm airbag 55 and the back forearm airbag 56. When each solenoid valve 84, 85, and 86 is closed, the supply of air to the corresponding airbag unit 30, 40, and 50 is stopped, and the air inside each airbag unit 30, 40, and 50 is naturally exhausted.

[0102] 15 to 17 include control contents for preventing the massage device 10 from shifting out of position when worn by a user. More specifically, the control contents are intended to prevent the massage device 10 from shifting out of position when the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 in the finger airbag unit 30 are inflated to massage the finger.

[0103] This prevention of positional deviation is based on the idea that if the second airbags (back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42, and at least one of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56) intended for treatment of at least one of the hands and arms are inflated when the first airbags (fingers front airbag 31 and fingers back airbag 32) intended for treatment of the fingers are inflated, the pressure acting inward from the second airbags increases the holding pressure on the hand or arm, thereby restricting movement of cylindrical body 11 (particularly movement in the Z-axis direction). Therefore, when air is supplied to and inflated in the first airbag, the air supply is controlled so that the second airbag is inflated to an internal pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure.

[0104] In this embodiment, the second airbags include hand airbags (back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42) for treating the hands, and arm airbags (front forearm airbag 55 and back of forearm airbag 56) for treating the arms. Air supply to the hand airbags (back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42) and air supply to the arm airbags (front forearm airbag 55 and back of forearm airbag 56) in the second airbags are individually controlled by air supply control device 70.

[0105] In addition to the second airbag, there are also third airbags (airbag 51 for the front of the forearm and airbag 52 for the back of the forearm) for treating the arms. The air supply control device 70 simultaneously supplies air to the first airbag and the third airbag.

[0106] 15 to 17 directly show the operation of the first solenoid valve 84, the second solenoid valve 85, and the third solenoid valve 86, but the amount of air supplied to each airbag is proportional to the length of the air supply period, which is the duration of time that each solenoid valve 84, 85, and 86 remains open. During each air supply period, which will be described later, the corresponding airbag gradually expands at the beginning, building up internal pressure, and at the end, air is released from the corresponding airbag, causing it to gradually contract. Therefore, if the internal pressure of each airbag is graphed, it will have a mountain-like or trapezoidal shape with part of the air supply period missing.

[0107] The first operating mode will be described with reference to Figure 15. In the first operating mode, the period during which the first solenoid valve 84 is turned on to supply air to the finger surface airbag 31, the finger back airbag 32, the forearm surface airbag 51, and the forearm back airbag 52 is defined as air supply period T10, the period during which the second solenoid valve 85 is turned on to supply air to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 is defined as air supply period T20, and the period during which the third solenoid valve 86 is turned on to supply air to the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 is defined as air supply period T30.

[0108] As shown in Fig. 15, the air supply period T20 starts before the air supply period T10. That is, the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42 start to inflate before the finger-surface airbag 31 and the finger-sole airbag 32 start to inflate. When the finger-surface airbag 31 and the finger-sole airbag 32 start to inflate (when the air supply period T10 starts), the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42 are already inflated to a predetermined internal pressure or higher. In other words, the first airbags (the finger-surface airbag 31 and the finger-sole airbag 32) are inflated with air while the second airbags (the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42) are inflated with air.

[0109] More specifically, the air supply period T10 begins when more than half (approximately two-thirds) of the air supply period T20 has elapsed, at which point the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm of the hand airbag 42 are almost fully inflated.

[0110] Subsequently, in the middle of air supply period T10, air supply period T20 ends, and at approximately the same time, air supply period T30 begins. That is, while the finger surface airbags 31 and the finger back airbags 32 maintain inflation, the back of the hand airbags 41 and 42 switch from inflation to deflation, and the forearm surface airbags 55 and the forearm back airbags 56 begin inflation. In other words, while air supply to the first airbags (the finger surface airbags 31 and the finger back airbags 32) continues, air supply to one of the two second airbags (the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42) ends and air supply to the other (the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56) begins approximately simultaneously.

[0111] At the end of the air supply period T20, air remains in the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42, and this remaining air is gradually released. At the same time, the forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 gradually inflate. Therefore, the pair of back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 and the pair of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56 alternate between contracting and inflating, with at least one of them maintaining an inflated state with an internal pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined level. Then, halfway through the air supply period T30, the forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 reach nearly their maximum inflation state.

[0112] Air supply period T30 ends slightly before air supply period T10 ends. Air supply period T20 begins almost simultaneously with the end of air supply period T10. In other words, at the same time that the finger surface airbags 31 and the finger back airbags 32 change from inflation to deflation, the forearm surface airbags 55 and the forearm back airbags 56 also change from inflation to deflation, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 begin inflation.

[0113] In the first operating mode, the above-described operating cycle is repeated. At the start of the air supply period T10 during which the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are inflated, the back airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are inflated in advance by the air supply period T20, which starts earlier than the air supply period T10.

[0114] Subsequently, in the middle of air supply period T10, air supply period T20 ends and air supply period T30 begins at the same time, and forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56 are inflated, replacing back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42. At this time, by setting air supply period T30 immediately after air supply period T20, the inflation state of back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42 is shifted to the inflation state of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56.

[0115] In other words, when inflating the airbags 31 for the front of the fingers and 32 for the back of the fingers at positions where the fingers are to be treated, either the airbag 41 for the back of the hand and the airbag 42 for the palm at positions where the hand (palm, back of the hand) is to be treated, or the airbag 55 for the front of the forearm and the airbag 56 for the back of the forearm at positions where the arm (forearm) is to be treated, is always inflated to an internal pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

[0116] Inflation of the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 and the front-of-forearm airbag 55 and the back-of-forearm airbag 56 exerts a pressing force toward the inside (treatment space 15 side) of the hand or arm, thereby preventing displacement of the massage device 10. Because the cylindrical body 11 of the massage device 10 wraps around the arm from the outside, the massage device 10 is likely to be stable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, but may be displaced in the Z-axis direction through which the cylindrical body 11 passes. In particular, the treatment area covered by the finger airbag unit 30, which is made up of the front-of-finger airbag 31 and the back-of-finger airbag 32, is narrower than the treatment areas covered by the hand airbag unit 40 and the arm airbag unit 50. Therefore, if the finger airbag unit 30 is inflated alone, the pressing force acts unevenly in the Z-axis direction, which may cause the massage device 10 to become unstable in the Z-axis direction.

[0117] Here, by inflating the airbags for the back of the hand 41, the airbags for the palm 42, the airbags for the front of the forearm 55, and the airbags for the back of the forearm 56 in conjunction with the inflation of the airbags for the front of the fingers 31 and the airbags for the back of the fingers 32, a holding force is obtained over a wide range in the Z-axis direction, and the effect of stabilizing the position in the Z-axis direction is obtained.

[0118] During the air supply period T10 in which the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 are inflated, the pair of back of the hand airbags 41 and palm airbags 42 and the pair of forearm surface airbags 55 and back of the forearm airbags 56 are inflated to nearly their maximum extent during the respective air supply periods T20 and T30, thereby providing a high holding force toward the inside (toward the treatment space 15). Furthermore, since the end of the air supply period T20 and the start of the air supply period T30 occur immediately, the deflation of the back of the hand airbags 41 and palm airbags 42 and the inflation of the forearm surface airbags 55 and back of the forearm airbags 56 overlap in time, and either the pair of back of the hand airbags 41 and palm airbags 42 or the pair of forearm surface airbags 55 and back of the forearm airbags 56 is maintained in an inflated state to prevent misalignment. Therefore, during the air supply period T10, the effect of preventing misalignment can always be obtained by inflating the pair of airbags 41 for the back of the hand and 42 for the palm, or the pair of airbags 55 for the front of the forearm and 56 for the back of the forearm.

[0119] During the air supply period T10, air is supplied to and inflated by the first solenoid valve 84, which is connected in common via the tube 77, simultaneously with the airbags for the front of the forearm 51 and the airbags for the back of the forearm 52 and the airbags for the front of the finger 31 and the airbags for the back of the finger 32. The airbags for the front of the forearm 51 and the airbags for the back of the forearm 52 are inflated to press them inward (towards the treatment space 15) to provide a holding force. In other words, in addition to the second airbags (airbags for the front of the forearm 55 and the airbags for the back of the forearm 56), there are third airbags (airbags for the front of the forearm 51 and the airbags for the back of the forearm 52) for treating the arm, and air is supplied to the first airbags (airbags for the front of the finger 31 and the airbags for the back of the finger 32) and the third airbags (airbags for the front of the forearm 51 and the airbags for the back of the forearm 52) simultaneously.

[0120] As a result, during the air supply period T10, in addition to the inflation of the above-mentioned back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 and the inflation of the front-of-forearm airbag 55 and the back-of-forearm airbag 56, the inflation of the front-of-forearm airbag 51 and the back-of-forearm airbag 52 can also provide the effect of preventing displacement.

[0121] The second operating mode will be described with reference to Figure 16. In the second operating mode, the first solenoid valve 84 is turned on to supply air to the finger surface airbag 31, the finger back airbag 32, the forearm surface airbag 51, and the forearm back airbag 52 during air supply periods T40, T41, and T42. The air supply period T41 is longer than the air supply periods T40 and T42. The second solenoid valve 85 is turned on to supply air to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 during air supply periods T50, T51, and T52. The third solenoid valve 86 is turned on to supply air to the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 during air supply periods T60, T61, and T62.

[0122] As shown in Fig. 16, the air supply period T60 starts before the air supply period T40. That is, the forearm airbags 55 and 56 start to inflate before the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 start to inflate. At the time when the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 start to inflate (the air supply period T40 starts), the forearm surface airbags 55 and 56 are inflated to a predetermined internal pressure or higher. In other words, the first airbags (the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32) are inflated with air while the second airbags (the forearm surface airbags 55 and 56) are inflated with air.

[0123] More specifically, the air supply period T40 begins when more than half of the air supply period T60 has elapsed, at which point the airbags 55 for the front and 56 for the back of the forearm are almost fully inflated.

[0124] At approximately the same time that air supply period T40 ends, air supply period T60 also ends. In other words, at the same time that the finger surface airbags 31 and the finger back airbags 32 change from inflation to deflation, the forearm surface airbags 55 and the forearm back airbags 56 also change from inflation to deflation.

[0125] The air supply period T60 overlaps the entire air supply period T40, and the start of the air supply period T60 is earlier than the start of the air supply period T40. Therefore, when the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are inflated during the air supply period T40, the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 are always inflated. As a result, a treatment is performed in which the fingers are pressed (the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 press the fingers) while applying a holding force (an inward pressing force by the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56) to the forearm, which has the effect of preventing displacement of the massage device 10 (particularly in the Z-axis direction).

[0126] The air supply period T50 starts almost simultaneously with the end of the air supply period T40. In other words, the back airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 start to inflate at the same time that the front airbag 31 and the back airbag 32 change from inflation to deflation.

[0127] In addition, an air supply period T61 starts in the middle of the air supply period T50. That is, the front and back airbags 55 and 56 are also inflated with a time lag from the start of inflation of the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42.

[0128] The air supply period T50 and the air supply period T61 end almost simultaneously. Immediately after the end of the air supply, the air supply period T41 begins. In other words, immediately after air supply to the pair of back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 is stopped and air supply to the pair of front-of-forearm airbag 55 and back-of-forearm airbag 56 is stopped, air supply to the front-of-finger airbag 31 and the back-of-finger airbag 32 begins to inflate them. In other words, immediately after air supply to the second airbags (back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42, front-of-forearm airbag 55 and back-of-forearm airbag 56) is stopped, air is supplied to the first airbags (front-of-finger airbag 31 and back-of-finger airbag 32) and they are inflated. In other words, just before air supply to the first airbags (airbag 31 for the front of the fingers and airbag 32 for the back of the fingers) begins, air supply to the second airbags (airbag 41 for the back of the hand and airbag 42 for the palm, airbag 55 for the front of the forearm and airbag 56 for the back of the forearm) is terminated.

[0129] At the start of the air supply period T41, a large amount of air remains in the pair of back-of-hand airbags 41 and palm-of-hand airbags 42 and the pair of front-of-forearm airbags 55 and back-of-forearm airbags 56, which are in a state immediately after the air supply was stopped, and this remaining air maintains inflation at a predetermined internal pressure or higher. In other words, inflation of the finger-front airbags 31 and back-of-finger airbags 32 begins when the pair of back-of-hand airbags 41 and palm-of-hand airbags 42 and the pair of front-of-forearm airbags 55 and back-of-forearm airbags 56 are inflated to some extent by the remaining air. This has the effect of preventing displacement of the massage device 10 (particularly in the Z-axis direction).

[0130] In the middle of the air supply period T41, the air supply period T51 starts. In other words, while the first airbags (the airbags for the front and back of the fingers 31 and 32) are continuing to inflate in the air supply period T41, the second airbags (the airbags for the back of the hand 41 and the airbags for the palm 42) are supplied with air and inflated.

[0131] After the previous air supply period T50 and air supply period T61 end, the remaining air gradually escapes from the pair of airbags for the back of the hand 41 and palm 42 and the pair of airbags for the front of the forearm 55 and back of the forearm 56. However, by supplying air to the airbags for the back of the hand 41 and palm 42 again during air supply period T51, the airbags for the back of the hand 41 and palm 42 can be inflated before the remaining air runs out, thereby maintaining the effect of preventing displacement of the massage device 10 (particularly in the Z-axis direction).

[0132] During the air supply period T42, displacement of the massage device 10 (particularly displacement in the Z-axis direction) is prevented by the same control as that during the air supply period T40 described above. That is, the air supply period T62 is started before the air supply period T42 to inflate the front airbag 55 and the back airbag 56. As a result, when the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are inflated during the air supply period T42, the airbags for the front and back of the forearm 55 and 56, which have been inflated by air supply earlier, provide a holding force.

[0133] Almost simultaneously with the end of the air supply period T42, the air supply period T62 ends and the air supply period T52 starts.

[0134] As described above, in the second operation mode, in the air supply periods T40 and T42 in which the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are inflated, the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 are inflated to almost their maximum during the air supply periods T60 and T62 that start earlier than the air supply periods T40 and T42, and this provides the massage device 10 with a holding force to prevent it from shifting position.

[0135] Furthermore, during the air supply period T41 (particularly the first half of the air supply period T41) in which the air bags for the front of the fingers 31 and the air bags for the back of the fingers 32 are inflated, the inflated state due to the remaining air in the pair of air bags for the back of the hand 41 and the air bag for the palm 42, which had been supplied with air up until immediately before that (air supply periods T50 and T61), and the inflated state due to the remaining air in the pair of air bags for the front of the forearm 55 and the air bag for the back of the forearm 56 can be utilized to provide the massage device 10 with a holding force to prevent displacement.

[0136] Furthermore, by starting the air supply period T51 in the middle of the air supply period T41 and supplying air to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 to inflate them, the massage device 10 can continue to be provided with a holding force to prevent it from shifting position even in the latter half of the air supply period T41.

[0137] During the air supply periods T40, T41, and T42, the first solenoid valve 84, which is connected to a common destination via the tube 77, operates to supply air to and inflate the forearm airbags 51 and 52 (third airbags) simultaneously with the finger airbags 31 and 32 (first airbags). The inflation of the forearm airbags 51 and 52 presses them inward (toward the treatment space 15) to provide a holding force. Therefore, during the air supply periods T40, T41, and T42, in addition to the inflation of the back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42 (second airbags) and the forearm airbags 55 and 56 (second airbags), the inflation of the forearm airbags 51 and 52 (third airbags) also prevents displacement of the forearm airbags.

[0138] In summary, there are two methods for preventing displacement of the massage device 10 when inflating the first airbags (airbags for the front of the fingers 31 and airbags for the back of the fingers 32) by using the inflation of the second airbags (airbags for the back of the hand 41 and airbags for the palm 42, airbags for the front of the forearm 55 and airbags for the back of the forearm 56) arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body 11. The first method is used in the first operating mode (Fig. 15), and the first and second methods are used together in the second operating mode (Fig. 16).

[0139] In the first method, air supply to the second airbag is started earlier than air supply to the first airbag, and the first airbag is inflated while air supply to the second airbag, which has started air supply earlier, is inflated. In other words, the air supply period to the second airbag overlaps with the air supply period to the first airbag (particularly the air supply start stage) so as to cover the air supply period to the first airbag.

[0140] In the second method, the period during which air is supplied to the second airbag is shifted from the period during which air is supplied to the first airbag, and air is supplied to the first airbag immediately after air supply to the second airbag is stopped to inflate it (air is supplied to the second airbag until just before air supply to the first airbag), and inflation by the remaining air in the second airbag is utilized.

[0141] The third operation mode will be described with reference to Fig. 17. In the third operation mode, air supply periods T70 to T75 are set in which the first solenoid valve 84 is turned on to supply air to the finger surface airbag 31, the finger back airbag 32, the forearm surface airbag 51, and the forearm back airbag 52. Also, air supply periods T80 to T86 are set in which the second solenoid valve 85 is turned on to supply air to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42. Also, air supply periods T90, T91, and T92 are set in which the third solenoid valve 86 is turned on to supply air to the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56.

[0142] In the third operation mode, similarly to the second operation mode, the first and second methods are used in combination to prevent the massage device 10 from shifting position.

[0143] 17, the air supply period T80 starts before the air supply period T70 starts. That is, the back airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 start to inflate before the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 start to inflate.

[0144] While both air supply period T70 and air supply period T80 are continuing, air supply period T90 begins, and forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56 are inflated. Air supply period T80 ends midway through air supply period T70, and the supply of air to back of hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42 is temporarily interrupted. At this time, air supply period T90 continues, and the inflation of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56 provides a holding force.

[0145] While the air supply period T70 continues, the air supply period T81 starts, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are again inflated. Then, at the end of the air supply period T70, the air supply periods T81 and T90 continue.

[0146] When air supply to the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 begins in the next air supply period T71, air supply periods T81 and T90 are still ongoing, and the pair of back of hand airbags 41 and 42 and the pair of forearm surface airbags 55 and 56 are both inflated.

[0147] Air supply period T81 ends in the middle of air supply period T71, and air supply to back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 is temporarily interrupted, but air supply period T90 continues at this time, and holding force is obtained by inflation of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56.

[0148] While the air supply period T71 continues, the air supply period T82 starts, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are again inflated. Then, at the end of the air supply period T71, the air supply periods T82 and T90 continue.

[0149] When air supply to the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 begins in the next air supply period T72, air supply periods T82 and T90 are still ongoing, and the pair of back of hand airbags 41 and 42 and the pair of forearm surface airbags 55 and 56 are both inflated.

[0150] Air supply period T82 ends in the middle of air supply period T72, and air supply to back-of-hand airbag 41 and palm-of-hand airbag 42 is temporarily interrupted, but air supply period T90 continues at this time, and holding force is obtained by inflation of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56.

[0151] Furthermore, in the middle of air supply period T72, air supply period T83 starts, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are again inflated. After air supply period T83 starts, air supply period T90 ends, but at this stage air supply period T83 is still ongoing, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are inflated to provide holding force.

[0152] After a short interval following the end of air supply period T72, air supply to the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 begins during the next air supply period T73. Air supply period T83 ends immediately before the start of air supply period T73. Air supply to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 continues during air supply period T83 until immediately before the start of air supply period T73 (air supply to the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 begins immediately after air supply to the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 is stopped). Therefore, at the start of air supply period T73, the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 remain inflated at an internal pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined level due to the remaining air. Furthermore, since the interval between the end of air supply period T90 and the start of air supply period T73 is short, the airbags 55 for the front and 56 for the back of the forearm also remain inflated to a certain extent by the remaining air at the start of air supply period T73.

[0153] In the middle of the air supply period T73, the air supply period T91 starts, and the forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 are again inflated. In the second half of the air supply period T73, the air supply period T91 continues, and the airbags 55 and 56 are inflated to provide a holding force.

[0154] Almost simultaneously with the end of air supply period T73, air supply period T84 begins, and the back-of-hand airbag 41 and the palm-of-hand airbag 42 are inflated. At this stage, air supply period T91 continues, and the front-of-arm airbag 55 and the back-of-forearm airbag 56 remain inflated.

[0155] Air supply to the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 begins during air supply period T74. At the start of air supply period T74, air supply period T91 is ongoing, and supportive force is obtained through the inflation of the forearm surface airbags 55 and forearm back airbags 56. Also, air supply period T84 ends just before the start of air supply period T74, and at the start of air supply period T74, the back of the hand airbag 41 and palm airbag 42 remain inflated at a predetermined internal pressure or higher due to the remaining air, and supportive force is obtained.

[0156] After the start of air supply period T74, air supply period T91 ends. For a while after this stage (midway through air supply period T74), holding force is obtained by utilizing the remaining air in the pair of front and back of the forearm airbags 55 and 56 and the pair of back of the hand airbags 41 and 42. Then, shortly before the end of air supply period T74, air supply period T85 begins, and the back of the hand airbags 41 and 42 begin to inflate.

[0157] When the air supply period T74 ends, the air supply period T85 continues. Subsequently, the air supply period T92 begins, and the forearm front airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56 begin to inflate. The air supply period T85 ends while the air supply period T92 is still in progress.

[0158] Air supply to the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 begins during air supply period T75. At the start of air supply period T75, air supply period T92 is ongoing, and support force is obtained through the inflation of the forearm surface airbag 55 and the forearm back airbag 56. Furthermore, the time between the end of air supply period T85 and the start of air supply period T75 is short, and at the start of air supply period T75, there is remaining air in the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42, providing support force.

[0159] The start of air supply period T92 is earlier than the start of air supply period T75, and the end of air supply period T92 is later than the end of air supply period T75. Therefore, during air supply period T75, the holding force caused by the inflation of forearm front airbag 55 and forearm back airbag 56 is continuously obtained.

[0160] Almost simultaneously with the end of air supply period T75, air supply period T86 begins, and the back of the hand airbag 41 and the palm airbag 42 are inflated. After air supply period T86 begins, air supply period T92 ends. Then, air supply period T86 ends, completing one cycle of the third operating mode.

[0161] As described above, in the third operating mode, for the air supply periods T70, T71, T72, T74, and T75, the first method is used in which inflation of the finger surface airbags 31 and finger back airbags 32 (first airbags) is started after at least one (second airbag) of the pair of back of the hand airbags 41 and 42 and the pair of front forearm airbags 55 and back of the forearm airbags 56 (first airbags) has been inflated in advance.

[0162] For the air supply period T73, a second method is used in which air is supplied to and inflated by the airbags 31 and 32 for the finger surfaces (first airbags) immediately after air supply to at least one of the pair of airbags 41 and 42 for the back of the hand and the pair of airbags 55 and 56 for the front and back of the forearm (second airbags) is stopped.

[0163] During the air supply period T70 to T75, the first solenoid valve 84, which is connected to a common destination via the tube 77, operates to supply air to and inflate the forearm airbags 51 and 52 (third airbags) simultaneously with the finger airbags 31 and 32 (first airbags). The inflation of the forearm airbags 51 and 52 presses them inward (toward the treatment space 15) to provide a holding force. Therefore, during the air supply period T70 to T75, in addition to the inflation of the back-of-hand airbags 41 and 42 (second airbags) and the forearm airbags 55 and 56 (second airbags), the inflation of the forearm airbags 51 and 52 (third airbags) also prevents displacement of the forearm airbags.

[0164] In the above operation modes, the inflation and deflation operations of the airbags other than the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 have been described from the viewpoint of preventing displacement of the massage device 10, focusing mainly on the relationship between the operation timing of the airbags and the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32. However, the airbags other than the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 are not dedicated devices for preventing displacement, and their basic role is to provide treatment to the hand (palm, back of the hand) and arm (forearm). Therefore, the operation of the airbags other than the finger surface airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32 described above with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17 includes the effect of providing treatment to the hand and arm. The effect of preventing displacement is achieved by setting the operation timing.

[0165] For example, the third operating mode shown in FIG. 17 includes many periods in which all three solenoid valves 84, 85, and 86 are on, and during these periods, strong mode treatment is performed, pressing the entire area from the fingers to the forearm simultaneously.

[0166] 15 to 17, the control is realized to effectively prevent the massage device 10 from shifting in position when the massage is performed on the finger by the operation of the finger front airbag 31 and the finger back airbag 32. In particular, it is possible to prevent the massage device 10 from shifting in position in the Z-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the arm.

[0167] Since positional deviation is prevented by selecting the inflation timing of each airbag 41, 42, 51, 52, 55, and 56 for treating the hands and arms, there is no need to provide an airbag or stopper specifically for preventing positional deviation, which contributes to simplifying the configuration of the massage device 10 and making it smaller, lighter, and less expensive.

[0168] As described above, the massaging device 10 is provided with components that contribute to stability when worn, such as the size adjustment fastener 20, the size adjustment belt 21, and the finger loops 23 and 24. In addition, by using the air supply control device 70 to control the air supply to each airbag, the positional stability of the massaging device 10 can be improved in terms of control as well.

[0169] It is also possible to apply modified examples different from the massage device 10 described above. For example, the treatment space 15 at the tip end side of the cylindrical body 11 may be configured to be closed rather than open.

[0170] It is also possible to have an internal structure in which the interior of the cylindrical body 11 is not divided into an inner storage space 16 and an outer storage space 17, and there is no partition (intermediate fabric 13) between the outer fabric 12 and the inner fabric 14.

[0171] The positioning configurations provided on the reinforcing members 90, 91, 92, and 94 may be notches formed by recessing part of the outer edge, instead of through holes such as the positioning holes 90a, 91a, 92a, and 94a.

[0172] Although the above description has been given based on the illustrated embodiments, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and may be variously changed, substituted, or modified within the scope of the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way due to technological advances or other derived technologies, it may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0173] 10: Massage device 11: Cylindrical body 12: Outer fabric (periphery) 13: Middle fabric 14: Inner fabric (inner circumference) 15: Treatment space 16:Inner storage space 17:Outside storage space 18: Attachment storage section 20: Size adjustment zipper 21: Size adjustment belt 23: Finger rest part 24: Finger rest part 25: Exterior pocket 27: Tube guide 30: Finger airbag unit 31: Finger surface airbag (first airbag) 32: Airbag for the back of the finger (first airbag) 34: Nozzle protrusion (protrusion for air supply) 35: Nozzle protrusion (protrusion for air supply) 40: Hand airbag unit 41: Back of hand airbag (secondary airbag, hand airbag) 42: Palm airbag (secondary airbag, hand airbag) 44: Nozzle protrusion (protrusion for air supply) 50: Arm airbag unit 51: Forearm airbag (third airbag) 52: Airbag for the back of the forearm (third airbag) 54: Nozzle protrusion (protrusion for air supply) 55: Forearm airbag (secondary airbag, arm airbag) 56: Airbag for the back of the forearm (secondary airbag, arm airbag) 58: Nozzle protrusion (protrusion for air supply) 60: Attachment 61: Bass 62:Protrusion 70: Air supply control device 71: Housing (reinforcing member) 72: Air pump 73 :Battery 74: Solenoid valve unit 74a~74c: Nozzle protrusions 75: Retaining bracket 76: Inner cover 77~79: Tube 80: Operation section 81: Operation button 82: Power supply port 83: Control unit 84: First solenoid valve 85: Second solenoid valve 86: Third solenoid valve 90~95: Reinforcement member 90a, 91a, 92a, 94a, 94b: Positioning holes T10: Air supply period T20: Air supply period T30: Air supply period T40~T42: Air supply period T50~T52: Air supply period T60~T62: Air supply period T70~T75: Air supply period T80~T86: Air supply period T90~T92: Air supply period

Claims

1. A method for controlling a massage device in which a first airbag for treating fingers and a second airbag for treating at least one of a hand and an arm are provided inside a cylindrical body and separated in the longitudinal direction, and air supply to the first airbag and the second airbag is individually controlled by an air supply control device, The air supply control device is supplying air to the second airbag to inflate it, and then supplying air to the first airbag to inflate it immediately after stopping the supply of air to the second airbag; When the first airbag is inflated by supplying air to it immediately after the supply of air to the second airbag is stopped, air is supplied to the second airbag while air supply to the first airbag is continuing. A method for controlling a massage device, comprising:

2. 2. The method for controlling a massage device according to claim 1, wherein the second airbags include hand airbags for massaging hands and arm airbags for massaging arms, and the air supply control device controls the air supply to the hand airbags and the arm airbags separately.

3. 3. The method for controlling a massage device according to claim 1, further comprising a third airbag for massaging an arm in addition to the second airbag, and the air supply control device simultaneously supplies air to the first airbag and the third airbag.

4. A first airbag for treating fingers and a second airbag for treating at least one of a hand and an arm are provided inside a cylindrical body and separated in the longitudinal direction, an air supply control device that controls air supply to the first airbag and the second airbag separately, supplies air to the second airbag to inflate it, and then supplies air to the first airbag to inflate it immediately after stopping the supply of air to the second airbag; The cylindrical body has openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction, through which the internal treatment space communicates with the outside, and the opening is larger at one end than at the other end, the cylindrical body has a size adjustment fastener disposed along the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body from the other end side, and a folded portion provided inside a portion opened and closed by the size adjustment fastener, The size of the cylindrical body is adjusted by changing the degree of expansion of the folded-in portion by changing the opening degree of the size adjustment fastener; A massage device characterized by having a size adjustment belt that intersects with the size adjustment fastener in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body and is wound around the cylindrical body at a position closer to the other end than the one end to regulate the movement of the cylindrical body in the longitudinal direction.

Images