Massage device

Abstract

To provide a massage device that can be stored in a thin backrest part by being equipped with means for causing a thickness of a mechanism for changing an amount of projection forward of a treatment element provided at a tip of a massage member to be thin, and allows massage effects on treatment parts such as the back, shoulders, waist, and nape to be acquired.SOLUTION: A massage device of the present invention includes: a pair of right and left massage members 12 each equipped with a treatment element 10 on a tip side, and disposed on a base 11; a rotary drive shaft 13 disposed on the base 11 in a right and left direction for transmitting rotation driving force to the pair of massage members 12; a conversion part 14 for converting the rotation driving force to a rocking motion and causing the pair of massage members 12 to execute a massage operation; a drive part 15 for generating rotation driving force for rotating the rotary drive shaft 13; and an advancing and retreating switching mechanism 16 for switching between the repetition of advancing and retreating in a back and forth direction of the treatment element 10, and stopping of advancing and retreating by switching the rotation of the rotary drive shaft 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage device that is housed in, for example, a chair-type massage machine. [Background technology]

[0002] A massage device generates at least one of massage actions, such as kneading, tapping, acupressure, and vibration, and applies massage actions to the user's treatment area (for example, the neck, shoulders, back, and lower back). Such massage devices (back massage devices) are housed, for example, inside the back of a chair and are commercially available as chair-type massage machines. An example of this chair-type massage machine is shown in Patent Document 1. Also, for example, as shown in Patent Document 2, there is a massage machine equipped with a retractable mechanism that changes the amount of forward projection of the treatment head (massage member). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6852903 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-153733 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Users have expressed a desire to be able to perform various massages on areas to be treated, such as the neck, shoulders, back, waist, etc. To meet this demand, for example, there is a massage machine, as shown in Patent Document 2, which is equipped with a retractable mechanism that changes the amount of forward projection of the treatment head attached to the tip of the massage member. The massage mechanism shown in Patent Document 2 is built into a large (stationary) chair-type massage machine (see Figure 17). In this way, for a large chair-type massage machine with a thick backrest, the massage mechanism disclosed in this document meets the needs of users and provides a high massage effect.

[0005] However, in recent years, there has been a demand for even more effective massage for areas to be treated, such as the neck, shoulders, back, and lower back, even with portable and relatively small chair-type massage machines such as those shown in Patent Document 1. However, the chair-type massage machine shown in Patent Document 1 has a thin backrest, so even if it has a built-in massage mechanism such as that shown in Patent Document 2, the thickness of the massage mechanism is so great that the entire mechanism protrudes forward from the front of the thin backrest. When the entire massage mechanism protrudes forward in this way, the user is pushed forward, making it difficult for them to lean against the backrest. In other words, it is difficult for the user to relax, and it is difficult for them to obtain the massage effect they desire.

[0006] Therefore, in consideration of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a massage device that is provided with a means for reducing the thickness of the mechanism that changes the amount of forward protrusion of the treatment element attached to the tip of the massage member, so that it can be housed within a thin backrest and can provide a massage effect on treatment areas such as the neck, shoulders, back, and waist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical means. The massage device according to the present invention comprises a pair of massage members, each having a treatment element at its tip end, arranged on a base on the left and right; a rotary drive shaft, which is arranged on the base facing left and right and transmits a rotational drive force to the pair of massage members; a conversion unit, which converts the rotational drive force into a swinging motion and causes the pair of massage members to perform a massage; a drive unit, which generates the rotational drive force for rotating the rotary drive shaft; and a forward / backward switching mechanism, which switches the rotation of the rotary drive shaft to switch between repeating forward and backward movement of the treatment elements and stopping the forward and backward movement, The rotary drive shaft is a double shaft capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, and the drive unit is driven by a single drive motor and is capable of generating a rotary drive force for forward rotation and a rotary drive force for reverse rotation. The rotary drive shaft has an outer cylindrical drive shaft arranged on the base in the left-right direction, and an inner drive shaft inserted at a certain interval so as to be in a floating state within the outer drive shaft. The inner drive shaft is arranged so that both ends protrude from both ends of the outer drive shaft. The conversion unit has an inclined boss portion that rotates integrally with the outer drive shaft, an annular fitting portion that fits externally to the inclined boss portion, and a regulation portion that restricts the rotation of the massage member together with the outer drive shaft. and a control section, wherein the external drive shaft can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by the drive section, and crank mechanisms constituting the forward / reverse switching mechanism are fitted to both ends of the internal drive shaft protruding from the external drive shaft, and the crank mechanisms convert the rotational drive force of the internal drive shaft into a reciprocating swing motion in the forward and backward directions, and are fitted inside the external drive shaft and fitted around the internal drive shaft, and include a one-way clutch that transmits the rotational drive force to the external drive shaft and the internal drive shaft when the rotational drive shaft is rotated forward, and is disconnected from the internal drive shaft when the rotational drive shaft is rotated backward, and transmits the rotational drive force only to the external drive shaft. It is characterized by:

[0008] Preferably, the rotary drive shaft is a double shaft that can rotate in one direction and in the other direction opposite to the direction of rotation. The drive unit is driven by a single drive motor and is capable of generating a rotational drive force for one rotation and a rotational drive force for the other rotation, and the forward / backward switching mechanism is configured so that when the rotary drive shaft rotates in one direction, the treatment element moves forward and backward to repeatedly move forward and backward, causing the pair of massage members to perform a massage, and when the rotary drive shaft rotates in the other direction, the forward and backward movement of the treatment element is stopped, causing the pair of massage members to perform a massage.

[0009] Preferably, the rotary drive shaft comprises an external drive shaft that is cylindrical and disposed on the base in a left-right direction, and an internal drive shaft that is inserted at a fixed interval within the external drive shaft so as to be suspended within the external drive shaft, and the internal drive shaft is disposed so that both ends thereof protrude beyond both ends of the external drive shaft. Preferably, the forward / backward switching mechanism includes a clutch member that transmits or does not transmit the rotational driving force generated by the drive unit to the internal drive shaft, and a crank mechanism that converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft into a reciprocating swinging motion in the forward / backward direction and transmits it to the pair of massage members.

[0010] Preferably, the clutch member is a one-way clutch that is fitted into the external drive shaft and arranged to fit around the internal drive shaft, and that transmits the rotational drive force to the external drive shaft and the internal drive shaft when the rotary drive shaft is rotated in one direction, and that is disconnected from the internal drive shaft and transmits the rotational drive force only to the external drive shaft when the rotary drive shaft is rotated in the other direction.

[0011] Preferably, the crank mechanism has an eccentric boss portion that converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft into a reciprocating swinging motion in the forward and backward direction, a crank body that slides freely around the eccentric boss portion and performs the reciprocating swinging motion, and a regulating portion that connects the crank body to the base and regulates the co-rotation of the crank body with the internal drive shaft. Preferably, the crank mechanism is provided with a brake mechanism for preventing the one-way clutch from spinning freely when the treatment head moves backward.

[0012] Preferably, the brake mechanism has an annular fitting portion that fits over the eccentric boss portion and has uneven portions provided within its annular cam surface, and the eccentric boss portion has uneven portions provided on its outer cam surface that engage with the uneven portions of the annular fitting portion, and the uneven portions of the annular fitting portion and the eccentric boss portion engage with each other to form a brake that prevents the one-way clutch from spinning freely.

[0013] Preferably, the crank mechanism includes an advance / retract position detector that detects the forward / retract position of the treatment head in the forward / retract direction by detecting the rotation of the internal drive shaft. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, by providing a means for reducing the thickness of the mechanism that changes the amount of forward protrusion of the treatment element attached to the tip of the massage member, it is possible to accommodate it within a thin backrest and still obtain a massage effect on treatment areas such as the neck, shoulders, back, and waist. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an outline of a chair-type massage machine equipped with a massage device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an outline of a massage device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a massage device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 3 is an exploded view of a forward / backward switching mechanism provided in the massage device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the rotary drive shaft (double shaft) and the clutch member (one-way clutch). [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the forward / backward switching mechanism, the rotary drive shaft (double shaft), the clutch member (one-way clutch), and the conversion unit, as seen from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a conversion unit provided in the massage device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a massage device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In explaining the massage device 1 according to the present invention, a chair-type massage machine 2 will be taken as an example. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of the present invention, and the configuration of the present invention is not limited to this specific example. In addition, in the drawings, for ease of understanding, some of the components are omitted and drawn using virtual lines.

[0017] Furthermore, the directions of the chair-type massage machine 2 equipped with the massage device 1 according to the present invention, such as front-back and left-right directions, are as shown in the drawings. These directions correspond to the directions seen by a user using the chair-type massage machine 2 while sitting on the seat 3 and leaning against the backrest 4. In the following explanation, the directions shown in the drawings will be the directions when explaining the chair-type massage machine 2 equipped with the massage device 1 according to the present invention.

[0018] The massage device 1 of this embodiment is housed in a chair-type massage machine 2 that is used by a user sitting on a seat portion 3 and leaning against a backrest portion 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the chair-type massage machine 2 of this embodiment has a seat 3 on which a user can sit, and a backrest 4 that is provided so as to extend upward from the rear end side of the seat 3. This chair-type massage machine 2 massages the user who is seated on the seat 3 and leaning against the backrest 4, from the neck and shoulders through the back to the waist.

[0019] The seat 3 is large enough for a user to sit on, and is equipped with cushioning on the seat surface (upper surface). The backrest 4 is positioned so that it stands upright from the rear of the seat 3. The backrest 4 is a member that supports the user's neck, shoulders, back, and waist by conforming to the user's neck, shoulders, back, and lower back. The backrest 4 is slightly wider than the user's shoulder width and has a plate shape that is long in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the thickness of the backrest 4 in the front-to-back direction is thinner than the width.

[0020] In this embodiment, the thin backrest portion 4 is divided into two parts, upper and lower, and has a main body portion 5 that supports the user from the shoulders to the waist, and a headrest portion 6 (swinging portion) that supports the user from the neck to the head. The thin main body 5 is a hollow housing with a vertically long strip-shaped opening 7 formed on the front side. A massage device 1 (details will be described later) is disposed inside the main body 5 so as to be movable vertically. The thin headrest 6 is swingable relative to the main body 5. The headrest 6 is a hollow housing with a vertically long opening 8 formed on the front side.

[0021] The openings 7 and 8 are connected in the vertical direction and serve as a moving area for the massage device 1 to move up and down. The openings 7 and 8 are tightly covered with a cloth-like outer cover (not shown) or the like to prevent the massage device 1 from directly contacting the areas to be treated, such as the shoulders, back, and waist of the user. The openings 7, 8 are fitted with treatment elements 10 of the massage device 1 so as to protrude forward, and are closed by a front cover, etc. Between the main body 5 and the headrest 6, there is provided a position changer 9 which swings the headrest 6 in a predetermined direction relative to the main body 5 and engages it in a predetermined position.

[0022] Furthermore, with regard to the chair-type massage machine 2 equipped with this massage device 1, for example, if it is reclining, it is possible to massage the treatment areas such as the neck, shoulders, back, and waist of the user in various positions of the backrest 4 (such as an inclined position or an upright position). The massage device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail below. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the massage device 1 of this embodiment has massage members 12 which have treatment elements 10 at their tip ends and are arranged in pairs on the left and right sides of a base 11, a rotary drive shaft 13 which is arranged on the base 11 facing left and right and transmits a rotational drive force to the pair of massage members 12, a conversion unit 14 which converts the rotational drive force into a swinging motion to cause the pair of massage members 12 to perform a massage operation, a drive unit 15 which generates a rotational drive force to rotate the rotary drive shaft 13, and an advance / retract switching mechanism 16 which switches the rotation of the rotary drive shaft 13 to switch between repeating forward and backward movement of the treatment elements 10 and stopping the forward and backward movement.

[0023] In addition, the massage device 1 of this embodiment performs the massage operation by applying the massager The massage head 10 (massage member 12) can be moved forward and backward (in and out) repeatedly to perform a three-dimensional movement (pressure massage movement). The movement of moving the treatment head 10 forward and backward while performing this kneading massage movement is sometimes called 3D movement. The base 11 (casing) houses the rotary drive shaft 13, the conversion unit 14, the drive unit 15, the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, etc. A support unit 17 that supports the rotary drive shaft 13 is provided on the upper side (front side) of the base 11. The base 11 is a sturdy housing that can withstand the kneading massage action and the action of moving the treatment heads 10 forward and backward.

[0024] First, the configurations of the rotary drive shaft 13, the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, the brake mechanism 44, etc., which are features of the present invention, will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the rotary drive shaft 13 is disposed on the base 11 with its axis extending horizontally in the left-right direction. The rotary drive shaft 13 is rotatably supported by a support 17 via a bearing 18. The rotary drive shaft 13 passes through a conversion unit 14 provided at the base end of the massage member 12 and a forward / backward switching mechanism 16 provided outside the conversion unit 14 in the left-right direction.

[0025] The rotary drive shaft 13 of the present invention is capable of rotating in one direction and the other direction which is the opposite rotation, and by switching the direction of rotation, the massage action can be switched. Specifically, when the rotary drive shaft 13 is rotated in one direction (forward rotation), the massage member 12 performs a pressure massage action by moving the treatment element 10 forward and backward (in and out) via the forward and backward switching mechanism 16, and the conversion unit 14 performs a 3D action of performing a kneading massage action.

[0026] On the other hand, when the rotary drive shaft 13 is rotated in the other direction (reverse rotation), only the kneading massage action is performed by the conversion unit 14. At this time, the driving of the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 stops, and the forward / backward movement of the treatment element 10 is stopped. In other words, the kneading massage action is always performed in either direction of rotation of the rotary drive shaft 13 (regardless of whether the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 is driven or not).

[0027] The rotary drive shaft 13 has a cylindrical outer drive shaft 19 and an inner drive shaft 20 inserted at a fixed interval so as to be floating within the outer drive shaft 19. In other words, the rotary drive shaft 13 is a dual shaft in which the outer drive shaft 19 covers the inner drive shaft 20 while maintaining an internal space (not fitted). The length of the external drive shaft 19 is approximately the same as the distance between the pair of left and right massage members 12. The external drive shaft 19 has an outer diameter larger than that of the internal drive shaft 20. Both ends of the external drive shaft 19 are rotatably supported by the support parts 17 via bearings 18.

[0028] In addition, notches 21 are provided at both ends of the external drive shaft 19. These notches 21 are for fitting in inclined bosses 57 that constitute the conversion part 14 (details of which will be described later) and engaging with the external drive shaft 19. In addition, a through hole 22 is provided near the cutout portion 21. This through hole 22 is for fixing to the external drive shaft 19 by inserting a fixing pin into a hole that aligns with a hole provided in the inclined boss portion 57.

[0029] That is, the conversion unit 14 disposed at the base end of the massage member 12 is fitted to both ends of the external drive shaft 19. With the conversion unit 14 fitted therein, the external drive shaft 19 transmits a rotational driving force to the conversion unit 14. The external drive shaft 19 is fitted with a gear 55 that constitutes the drive unit 15 (described in detail later), and therefore rotates in either one direction (forward rotation) or the other direction (reverse rotation). In other words, the kneading massage action is always performed in either direction of rotation of the external drive shaft 19.

[0030] A through-hole is provided midway along the length of the external drive shaft 19. This through-hole is aligned with a hole 56 provided in the gear 55 of the drive unit 15, and a fixing pin is inserted into the hole, thereby fixing the external drive shaft 19 to the external drive shaft 19. The internal drive shaft 20 is disposed so that both ends thereof protrude from both ends of the external drive shaft 19. The length of the internal drive shaft 20 is approximately the same as the width of the massage device 1. The external diameter of the internal drive shaft 20 is smaller than that of the external drive shaft 19, and the internal drive shaft 20 is a slender shaft member. The drive shaft 19 is a cylindrical member that is shorter than the internal drive shaft 20 .

[0031] The internal drive shaft 20 is rotatably supported at both ends by a forward / backward switching mechanism 16 relative to the base 11 . In addition, engagement surfaces 23 are provided on both ends of the internal drive shaft 20. These engagement surfaces 23 are adapted to mate with inner flat surfaces 31 provided on an eccentric boss 27 that constitutes a crank mechanism 26 (details of which will be described later), thereby engaging the eccentric boss 27 with the internal drive shaft 20.

[0032] Further, a through hole 24 is provided near the engagement surface 23. This through hole 24 is aligned with a hole 32 provided in the eccentric boss 27, and a fixing pin is inserted into the through hole 24 to fix the eccentric boss 27 to the internal drive shaft 20. That is, the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 (crank mechanism 26) is fitted to both ends of the internal drive shaft 20. With the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 fitted into this internal drive shaft 20, the rotational driving force is transmitted to the forward / backward switching mechanism 16.

[0033] The internal drive shaft 20 rotates in one direction (forward rotation). That is, the internal drive shaft 20 rotates in the case of 3D movements that perform kneading massage movements and pressure massage movements in which the treatment elements 10 are moved forward and backward. Note that the internal drive shaft 20 does not rotate when switched to the other direction (reverse rotation) (however, the external drive shaft 19 rotates).

[0034] A clutch member 25 (described in detail later) that constitutes the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 is fitted into the outer periphery of the internal drive shaft 20 and inside the external drive shaft 19 . As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 is configured so that when the drive unit 15 rotates the rotary drive shaft 13 in one direction, i.e., when the external drive shaft 19 and the internal drive shaft 20 rotate, the treatment element 10 moves forward and backward, repeatedly moving forward and backward, causing the pair of massage members 12 to perform a massage (a 3D movement of kneading massage and pressing massage).

[0035] In addition, the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 is configured so that when the drive unit 15 rotates the rotary drive shaft 13 in the other direction, i.e., when only the external drive shaft 19 rotates, the forward / backward movement of the treatment element 10 is stopped and the pair of massage members 12 performs massage (only kneading massage action). The forward / backward switching mechanism 16 has a clutch member 25 that transmits or does not transmit the rotational driving force generated by the drive unit 15 to the internal drive shaft 20, and a crank mechanism 26 that converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft 20 into a reciprocating swinging motion in the forward / backward direction and transmits it to the pair of massage members 12.

[0036] A clutch member 25 is provided to fit within the outer drive shaft 19 and to fit over the inner drive shaft 20 . As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the clutch member 25 is attached to the left of the right massage member 12 and to the right of the internal drive shaft 20 in the longitudinal direction. The clutch member 25 transmits the rotational driving force to the outer drive shaft 19 and the inner drive shaft 20 when a rotational driving force in the forward direction is generated in the drive unit 15 to rotate the rotary drive shaft 13 in one direction (forward rotation).

[0037] The "forward rotation" of the rotary drive shaft 13 causes the internal drive shaft 20 to "forward rotate", driving the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, causing the treatment head 10 to repeatedly move forward and backward in the forward / backward direction, while the "forward rotation" of the external drive shaft 19 converts the conversion part 14 into a swinging motion, causing the massage member 12 to swing. On the other hand, when the clutch member 25 generates a rotational driving force in the opposite direction in the drive unit 15 and rotates the rotary drive shaft 13 in the other direction (reverse rotation), it is disconnected from the internal drive shaft 20 and transmits the rotational driving force only to the external drive shaft 19.

[0038] The "reverse rotation" of the rotary drive shaft 13 stops the rotation of the internal drive shaft 20 and stops the drive of the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, but the "reverse rotation" of the external drive shaft 19 converts the conversion part 14 into a swinging motion, causing the massage member 12 to swing. In other words, the clutch member 25 of this embodiment is a one-way clutch 25 (one-way clutch) that regulates the transmission of rotational driving force to the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 by switching the rotation direction of the rotating drive shaft 13, thereby changing the rotational states of the external drive shaft 19 and the internal drive shaft 20.

[0039] The clutch member 25 is not limited to a one-way clutch, but may be any other suitable clutch member. There are no particular limitations as long as the transmission of the rotational driving force can be switched depending on the rotation direction. The crank mechanism 26 has an eccentric boss portion 27 that converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft 20 into a reciprocating swinging motion in the forward and backward direction, a crank body 28 that slides freely around the eccentric boss portion 27 and performs a reciprocating swinging motion, and a restricting portion 29 that connects the crank body 28 to the base 11 and restricts the crank body 28 from rotating together with the internal drive shaft 20.

[0040] The eccentric boss portion 27 fits onto the internal drive shaft 20 of the rotary drive shaft 13 and rotates together with the internal drive shaft 20. The eccentric boss portion 27 is a flange-shaped member that has an inner cylindrical member 30, an outer cylindrical member 31, a disk member 32 formed between the inner cylindrical member and the outer cylindrical member, and a shaft hole 33 through which the internal drive shaft 20 passes. The inner cylindrical member 30 is disposed at an outer position adjacent to the inclined boss portion 57 of the conversion portion 14. An axial hole 33 is formed approximately at the center of the inner cylindrical member 30. That is, the central axis of the inner cylindrical member 30 and the axis of the axial hole 33 are on the same straight line. Also, an inner flat surface 34 that is long in the left-right direction is formed on the inside of the inner cylindrical member 30, i.e., on the axial hole 33.

[0041] The inner cylindrical member 30 is also provided with a hole 35 that passes through the inner plane 34 in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface 34. This hole 35 is aligned with the through hole 24 of the internal drive shaft 20, and a fixing pin is inserted into the hole to fix the eccentric boss 27 to the internal drive shaft 20. The outer tube member 31 is disposed outside the inner tube member 30. The outer diameter of the outer tube member 31 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of a bearing 40, which will be described later. A cam surface 36 that is eccentric with respect to the internal drive shaft 20 (rotation drive shaft 13) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube member 31. The degree of eccentricity of the eccentric boss portion 27 (cam surface 36) is set to be the same between the pair of left and right massage members 12.

[0042] The outer cylindrical member 31 is disposed so as to be shifted (offset) in the left-right direction from the inner cylindrical member 30. In other words, the central axis of the outer cylindrical member 31 faces in the same direction as the central axis of the inner cylindrical member 30, but they are not disposed on the same straight line. An axial hole 33 is formed inside the outer cylindrical member 31. The axis of the axial hole 33 is not collinear with the central axis of the outer cylindrical member 31, but is spaced a certain distance apart. Because the axis of the axial hole 33 and the central axis of the outer cylindrical member 31 are misaligned in this manner, when the internal drive shaft 20 rotates, the eccentric boss portion 27 rotates eccentrically relative to the internal drive shaft 20.

[0043] Further, an inner flat surface 34 that is long in the left-right direction is formed on the inside of the outer cylindrical member 31, that is, on the shaft hole 33. The disk member 32 is disposed between the outer cylindrical member 31 and the inner cylindrical member 30. The disk member 32 is integral with the outer cylindrical member 31 and the inner cylindrical member 30. The thickness of the disk member 32 is thinner than the outer cylindrical member 31 and the inner cylindrical member 30.

[0044] The outer diameter of the disk member 32 is larger than the outer diameters of the outer cylindrical member 31 and the inner cylindrical member 30. The outer peripheral surface of the disk member 32 is provided with uneven portions 37 that mesh with uneven portions 49 that constitute a brake mechanism 44 (details of which will be described later). The uneven portions 37 are formed at a predetermined pitch. An axial hole 33 is formed approximately at the center of the disk member 32. That is, the central axis of the disk member 32 and the axis of the axial hole 33 are on the same straight line. Also, the central axis of the disk member 32 and the central axis of the inner cylindrical member 30 are on the same straight line. Also, an inner flat surface 34 that is long in the left-right direction is formed on the inside of the disk member 32, i.e., on the axial hole 33.

[0045] That is, the shaft hole 33 is disposed so that its axis faces the left-right direction, and passes through the inner cylindrical member 30, the outer cylindrical member 31, and the disk member 32. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 33 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the internal drive shaft 20. The inner flat surface 34 is formed in the axial hole 33 and is disposed so as to penetrate the inner cylindrical member 30, the outer cylindrical member 31, and the disk member 32. This inner flat surface 34 is used to engage the eccentric boss portion 27 with the internal drive shaft 20 by aligning with the engagement surface 23.

[0046] The outer cylindrical member 31 (cam surface 36) of the eccentric boss portion 27 is fitted onto the crank body 28. The crank body 28 (connecting rod) is a plate-shaped member that is slightly short in the vertical direction, and has a hole 38 formed at one end thereof. A hole 39 is also formed at the other end of the crank body 28. It has been done. The hole 38 serves as an annular fitting portion 38 into which the outer cylindrical member 31 of the eccentric boss portion 27 is fitted. A bearing 40 is inserted into this annular fitting portion 38. In other words, the inner diameter of the annular fitting portion 38 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the bearing 40. The outer cylindrical member 31 (cam surface 36) of the eccentric boss portion 27 is fitted onto the annular fitting portion 38 via the bearing 40.

[0047] One end (base end) of the crank body 28 is rotatably supported via an annular fitting portion 38 and a bearing 40 on the internal drive shaft 20 (rotary drive shaft 13) facing in the left-right direction. The hole 39 is formed by inserting the restriction pin 29a of the restriction portion 29 into the restriction hole 39. A bearing 41 is inserted into the restriction hole 39. In other words, the inner diameter of the restriction hole 39 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the bearing 41. The restriction pin 29a fits into the restriction hole 39 via the bearing 41.

[0048] The crank body 28 is held from the outside by a holding member 42 so as not to fall off the internal drive shaft 20. The restricting portion 29 restricts the crank body 28 from rotating together with the eccentric boss portion 27, and is provided on the other end side (base 11 side) of the crank body 28. The restricting portion 29 is made up of a restricting pin 29a provided on the base 11 and a restricting hole portion 39 provided on the other end side of the crank body 28.

[0049] The restriction pin 29a is a cylindrical member that protrudes outward from the side surface of the base 11. As described above, the restriction hole 39 is a hole that is sized to receive the bearing 41. The restriction hole 39 externally fits the restriction pin 29a with the bearing 41 interposed therebetween. The restricting portion 29 restricts the rotation of the crank body 28 by sliding the restricting hole portion 39 around the restricting pin 29a, and the crank body 28 performs eccentric motion in a constant cycle following the eccentric rotation of the eccentric boss portion 27. As a result, the treatment head 10 repeatedly moves forward and backward (advancing and retracting) in the front-rear direction, and the massaging member 12 swings.

[0050] A notch 43 into which the crank body 28 fits is formed in the side surface of the base 11 near the restriction pin 29a. Now, when the 3D movement is performed while a load is applied to the rotary drive shaft 13, the one-way clutch 25 may spin freely (rotate in the free direction) when the treatment element 10 moves backward, which may cause the treatment element 10 (3D movement) to move backward more than planned. As an example of a countermeasure, it is possible to move the treatment element 10 to a position with no or little load (for example, the top, near the neck, etc.) before determining the 3D movement and then perform the massage of that 3D movement. Alternatively, it may be necessary to provide a mechanism (a brake mechanism 44, described later) that biases the treatment element 10 forward or prevents the treatment element 10 from moving backward more than planned due to the spinning of the one-way clutch 25.

[0051] Therefore, the crank mechanism 26 of this embodiment is provided with a brake mechanism 44 that prevents the one-way clutch 25 from spinning freely when the rotary drive shaft 13 is rotated in one direction and the treatment head 10 moves backward. The brake mechanism 44 has an eccentric boss portion 27 having an uneven portion 37 on the outer circumferential cam surface 36, and an annular fitting portion 45 into which the eccentric boss portion 27 is fitted.

[0052] A hole is formed in the annular fitting portion 45. The inner diameter of this hole varies midway. A small hole 46, which has a smaller inner diameter, fits onto the outer surface of the inner cylindrical member 30 of the eccentric boss portion 27. In other words, the inner diameter of the small hole 46 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the inner cylindrical member 30. Among the holes, large hole portion 47, which has a larger inner diameter, fits onto the outside of disk member 32 of eccentric boss portion 27. The inner peripheral surface of large hole portion 47 serves as cam surface 48, and uneven portions 49 are formed on cam surface 48. Uneven portions 49 are formed at the same pitch as uneven portions 37 of disk member 32.

[0053] That is, brake mechanism 44 is made up of uneven portions 49 of annular fitting portion 47 and uneven portions 37 of eccentric boss portion 27. When uneven portions 49 of annular fitting portion 47 and uneven portions 37 of eccentric boss portion 27 mesh with each other, brake mechanism 44 is configured to remove load from internal drive shaft 20 and act as a brake to prevent one-way clutch 25 from spinning freely. The crank mechanism 26 detects the rotation of the internal drive shaft 20, and thereby moves the treatment head 10 forward and backward. An advance / retract position detection unit 50 may be provided to detect the advance / retract position in the direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the advance / retract position detection unit 50 is provided on the left side of the internal drive shaft 20. The advance / retract position detection unit 50 detects the rotation angle and direction of the internal drive shaft 20 to grasp the advance / retract position (amount of 3D movement) of the treatment head 10. The advance / retract position detection unit 50 is attached to the holding member 42. Examples of the advance / retract position detection unit 50 include a rotation sensor and a limit switch.

[0055] Next, the configuration of the kneading massage mechanism 51 provided in the massage device 1 will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the kneading massage mechanism 51 of this embodiment has massage members 12 that apply massage motions to treatment areas such as the back, waist, shoulders, and neck, a rotary drive shaft 13 that passes through the base end of the massage member 12, a drive unit 15 that rotates the rotary drive shaft 13, and a conversion unit 14 that converts the rotational drive force of the rotary drive shaft 13 into a kneading massage motion.

[0056] The pair of massage members 12 are provided at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. Each massage member 12 has an arm member 51 that protrudes from the drive unit 15 toward the user (forward). The arm member 52 has two protruding ends, one at an upper front end and one at a lower front end, with treatment elements 10 attached to the upper and lower ends of the forked ends. The arm member 52 has a longitudinal midpoint that serves as the base end of the massage member 12, and is provided with an annular fitting portion 58.

[0057] The treatment element 10 is a spherical member that massages areas to be treated, such as the back, lower back, shoulders, and neck of the user. When the pair of left and right massage members 12 move toward and away from each other, the upper and lower treatment elements 10 on the left side and the upper and lower treatment elements 10 on the right side repeatedly move toward and away from each other in the left and right directions, thereby performing a kneading massage on the treatment area. In addition, the treatment elements 10 move forward and backward in the front and rear directions using the forward and backward switching mechanism 16, thereby performing a pressure massage (3D operation).

[0058] The drive unit 15 is disposed within the base 11 (casing) and between the pair of left and right massage members 12. The drive unit 15 is driven by one drive motor 53 and is capable of generating a rotational drive force for one rotation (forward rotation) and a rotational drive force for the other rotation (reverse rotation). The drive unit 15 has a drive motor 53 that generates a rotational drive force and a gear case 54 that reduces the rotational drive force to a predetermined speed and transmits it to the rotary drive shaft 13. The drive motor 53 has an output shaft 53a that faces downward, and the output shaft 53a is inserted into the gear case 54 provided on the lower side.

[0059] The gear case 54 houses a plurality of meshed gears for reducing the rotational driving force output from the drive motor 53 to a predetermined speed. The gear case 54 also transmits the rotational driving force to the rotary drive shaft 13 that is disposed penetrating the gear case 54 in the left-right direction. A gear 55 fixed to the external drive shaft 19 of the rotary drive shaft 13 is housed in the gear case 53. The gear 55 has a hole 56 for fixing to the external drive shaft 19.

[0060] The conversion unit 14 converts the rotational driving force of the rotation drive shaft 13 into a swinging motion (approaching and receding motion) of the massage members 12. The conversion unit 14 is provided on the base end side of each of the pair of massage members 12, and the rotation drive shaft 13 rotatably passes through the conversion unit 14. The conversion portion 14 has an inclined boss portion 57 that rotates integrally with the rotary drive shaft 13, an annular fitting portion 58 that fits over the inclined boss portion 57, and a regulating portion 59 that regulates the massage member 12 from rotating together with the rotary drive shaft 13.

[0061] The inclined boss portion 57 rotates at an incline relative to the axis of the rotary drive shaft 13. The outer peripheral surface of the inclined boss portion 57 is provided with a cam surface 57a that is inclined relative to the rotary drive shaft 13. The inclination of the inclined boss portions 57 (cam surfaces 57a) is inclined in the opposite directions relative to each other between the pair of left and right massage members 12. The inclined boss portions 57 are held from the outside by holding members 57b to prevent them from falling off the internal drive shaft 20.

[0062] The annular fitting portion 58 is formed at the base end of the massage member 12. The annular fitting portion 58 externally fits the inclined boss portion 57 via a bearing 59 in a relatively rotatable state. The rotational driving force is converted by the movement of the annular fitting portion 58 and the inclined boss portion 57, causing the massage member 12 to oscillate. The restricting portion 59 restricts the annular fitting portion 58 from rotating with respect to the inclined boss portion 57. The restricting portion 59 is disposed on the rear side (the base 11 side) of the annular fitting portion 58. The restricting portion 59 has a restricting pin 61 formed in a spherical shape on one side, and a restricting recess 62 into which the restricting pin 61 fits.

[0063] The spherical portion 61a on one side of the restricting pin 61 slidably fits into a spherical hole 71 provided in a link member 66 that constitutes the tapping massage mechanism 63 (details will be described later). The restricting recess 62 is provided near the annular fitting portion 58. A rod-shaped portion formed on the other side of the restricting pin 61 fits into the restricting recess 62. In other words, the restricting portion 59 connects the annular fitting portion 58 to the link member 66 of the tapping massage mechanism 63, thereby restricting the annular fitting portion 58 from rotating with respect to the inclined boss portion 57.

[0064] The basic device configuration of the kneading massage mechanism 51 is similar to that described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 6,852,903. [Operation mode] The operation of the massage device 1 of the present invention will be described below. The user sits down on the seat 3 of the chair-type massage machine 2, and places his / her shoulders, back, waist, etc. against the main body 5 of the backrest 4, and also places his / her neck, head, etc. against the headrest 6.

[0065] By operating the start switch of the chair-type massage machine 2, the massage device 1 housed inside the backrest 4 is activated. Using this massage device 1, the user receives a massage on the treatment areas ranging from the neck and shoulders to the back and lumbar region. The following describes a case where the treatment head 10 is caused to perform a 3D movement (forward rotation of the rotation drive shaft 13) in which the treatment head 10 repeatedly moves forward and backward.

[0066] Specifically, a rotational driving force for "forward rotation" is output from the drive motor 53 of the drive unit 15, and the rotational driving force is input to the gear case 54. The rotational driving force is reduced to a predetermined speed in the gear case 54, and is transmitted to the rotary drive shaft 13 via the gear 55. The rotary drive shaft 13 rotates in the forward direction (rotates in one direction) due to the "forward rotation" rotary drive force from the drive motor 53. The "forward rotation" rotary drive force is transmitted to the external drive shaft 19 and the internal drive shaft 20 by the one-way clutch 25 inside the rotary drive shaft 13.

[0067] That is, during forward rotation, the internal drive shaft 20 (internal shaft) rotates via the one-way clutch 25, and 3D movement is driven via the forward / backward switching mechanism 16 having an eccentric structure. The forward rotation of the internal drive shaft 20 drives the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, causing the treatment head 10 to repeatedly move forward and backward (progress and retreat) in the front-rear direction. In the forward / backward switching mechanism 16, the eccentric boss portion 27 of the crank mechanism 26 rotates eccentrically, causing the crank body 28, which is slidably fitted around the eccentric boss portion 27, to perform a reciprocating swing motion.

[0068] The forward / backward switching mechanism 16 converts the rotational driving force of the "forward rotation" of the internal drive shaft 20 into a reciprocating swinging motion in the front-rear direction by the crank mechanism 26. As a result, the reciprocating swinging motion in the front-rear direction is transmitted to the massage member 12, and the treatment element 10 performs a repeated forward / backward movement (pressure massage action). At the same time, the conversion unit 14 converts the rotation into a swinging motion due to the "forward rotation" of the external drive shaft 19. As a result, the swinging motion is transmitted to the massaging members 12, and the treatment elements 10 also perform a swinging motion (kneading massage operation).

[0069] At this time, even if the one-way clutch 25 is loaded and rotates freely, the brake mechanism 44 applies a brake to the crank mechanism 26 to prevent the crank mechanism 26 from rotating freely, thereby preventing the treatment head 10 from moving backward. Next, a case where only the kneading massage action (reverse rotation of the rotary drive shaft 13) is performed will be described.

[0070] A "reverse rotation" rotational drive force is generated from the drive motor 53. The "reverse rotation" rotational drive force from the drive motor 53 causes the rotary drive shaft 13 to rotate in the reverse direction (rotate in the other direction). The one-way clutch 25 in the rotary drive shaft 13 transmits the "reverse rotation" rotational drive force only to the external drive shaft 19. At this time, the internal drive shaft 20 stops rotating, and the forward / reverse switching mechanism 16 also stops.

[0071] The conversion unit 14 converts the rotation into a swinging motion by the "reverse rotation" of the external drive shaft 19. As a result, the swinging motion is transmitted to the massaging member 12, and the treatment element 10 performs only the swinging motion (kneading massage operation). According to the massage device 1 of the present invention, the device is provided with a forward / backward switching mechanism 16 that reduces the thickness of the mechanism that changes the amount of forward protrusion of the treatment element 10 provided at the tip of the massage member 12, and a rotating drive shaft 13 with a double shaft structure consisting of an external drive shaft 19 and an internal drive shaft 20, so that it can be housed within the thin backrest portion 4 and can provide a massage effect on treatment areas such as the back, shoulders, waist, and neck.

[0072] That is, by using the rotary drive shaft 13 as a double shaft structure (external drive shaft 19 and internal drive shaft 20), it is possible to realize 3D movement (pressure massage movement in which the treatment elements 10 move back and forth while performing kneading massage) in a small area (even in a thin area). That is, the thickness of the structure of the massage device 1 can be made thin. Also, since 3D movement can be performed with just one drive motor 53, there is no need to provide a separate motor.

[0073] This embodiment also includes a pounding massage mechanism 63 that causes the massage members 12 to perform a pounding massage. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the hitting massage mechanism 63 of this embodiment is housed in the base 11 and has a hitting drive shaft 64 that transmits a rotational drive force to the massage member 12, a hitting drive unit 65 that generates a drive force to perform a hitting operation on the massage member 12, and a link member 66 that transmits the power of the hitting drive unit 65 to the massage member 12.

[0074] A spherical hole 67 is formed at the tip of the link member 66. A spherical portion 61a of the restriction pin 61 that constitutes the restriction portion 59 is slidably fitted into this spherical hole 67. In other words, the tip of the link member 66 forms a ball joint mechanism. When the hitting drive shaft 64 rotates, the link member 66 moves up and down reciprocally due to the eccentric cam member 68 attached to the end of the hitting drive shaft 64, and the ball joint mechanism at the tip of the link member 66 rotates the base end of the massage member 12 in small increments around the axis of the rotary drive shaft 13. This action moves the treatment element 10 back and forth in small increments, producing a hitting massage.

[0075] The basic device configuration of the above-mentioned hitting massage mechanism 63 is similar to that described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 6605443. This embodiment also includes a movement drive mechanism 69 that moves the massage device 1 up and down. The movement drive mechanism 69 is provided below the massage device 1 and has an elevation drive unit 70 that raises and lowers the massage device 1, and a guide unit 71 that guides the massage device 1 in the up and down direction.

[0076] When the lifting drive unit 70 rotates the lifting shaft 72, the pinion gear 73 attached to the end of the lifting shaft 72 runs upward or downward on the rack gear 74. Then, the roller member 75 of the guide unit 71 runs upward or downward on the track 76. The track 76 is long in the vertical direction and is provided in the main body 5 of the backrest 4 and the headrest 6. The rack gear 74 is long in the vertical direction and is provided in the main body 5 of the backrest 4.

[0077] The basic device configuration of the above-mentioned movement drive mechanism 69 is similar to the configuration described in Japanese Patent No. 6,852,903, for example. It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. In particular, in the embodiments disclosed herein, matters not explicitly stated, For example, the operating conditions, operation conditions, dimensions and weights of components do not deviate from the scope of what a person skilled in the art would normally do, and items that a person skilled in the art would easily be able to imagine are adopted.

[0078] For example, the amount of forward and backward movement (advance and retreat) of the treatment element 10 by the forward and backward movement switching mechanism 16 provided in the massage device 1, the degree of eccentricity of the eccentric boss portion 27 (cam surface 36), the shape of the uneven portions 37, 49 of the brake mechanism 44, the length of the massage arm 12, the inclination angle of the inclined boss portion 57 (cam surface 57a) relative to the rotation drive shaft 13 of the massage arm 12, the distance between the left and right massage arms 12, and the tapping rhythm of the tapping massage mechanism 63 can be changed as appropriate taking into account the treatment range. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 massage device 2. Chair-type massage machine 3 Seat 4 Backrest 5 Main body 6 Headrest 10 Treatment child 11 Foundation 12 Massage member 13 Rotating drive shaft 14 Conversion unit 15 Drive unit 16 Forward / backward switching mechanism 19 External drive shaft 20 Internal drive shaft 21 Notch 22 Through hole 23 Engagement surface 24 through holes 25 Clutch parts (one-way clutch) 26 Crank mechanism 27 Eccentric boss 28 Crank body 29 Regulatory Department 29a Regulator pin 30 Inner cylinder member 31 Outer cylinder member 32 Disk member 33 Shaft hole 34 Inner plane 35 Hole 36 Cam surface 37 Uneven part 38 Hole (annular fitting) 39 Hole 44 Brake mechanism 45 Annular fitting 48 Cam surface 49 Uneven part 50 Advance / retreat position detection unit 51 Kneading massage mechanism 52 Arm member 57 Inclined boss 58 Annular fitting 60 Regulatory Department 63 Beating massage mechanism 69 Mobile drive mechanism

Claims

1. The massage device comprises a pair of massage members provided on a base on the left and right sides with treatment heads at their distal ends, a rotary drive shaft provided on the base facing left and right and transmitting a rotary drive force to the pair of massage members, a conversion unit converting the rotary drive force into a swinging motion to cause the pair of massage members to perform a massage action, a drive unit generating the rotary drive force for rotating the rotary drive shaft, and a forward / backward switching mechanism for switching the rotation of the rotary drive shaft to switch between repeating forward / backward movement of the treatment heads and stopping the forward / backward movement, The rotary drive shaft is a double shaft capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, and the drive unit is driven by a single drive motor and is capable of generating a rotary drive force for forward rotation and a rotary drive force for reverse rotation, The rotary drive shaft includes an external drive shaft that is cylindrical and disposed on the base in the left-right direction, and an internal drive shaft that is inserted at a fixed interval within the external drive shaft so as to be in a floating state, and the internal drive shaft is disposed so that both ends thereof protrude beyond both ends of the external drive shaft, the converting portion has an inclined boss portion that rotates integrally with the external drive shaft, an annular fitting portion that fits onto the inclined boss portion, and a restricting portion that restricts the massaging member from rotating together with the external drive shaft, the external drive shaft can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by the drive unit; a crank mechanism that constitutes the forward / backward switching mechanism is fitted to both ends of the internal drive shaft that protrudes from the external drive shaft, and the crank mechanism converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft into a reciprocating swinging motion in the forward / backward direction; a one-way clutch that is fitted inside the external drive shaft and fitted around the internal drive shaft, and that transmits the rotational driving force to the external drive shaft and the internal drive shaft when the rotational drive shaft is rotated forward, and that is disconnected from the internal drive shaft and transmits the rotational driving force only to the external drive shaft when the rotational drive shaft is rotated backward; A massage device characterized by:

2. The crank mechanism includes: an eccentric boss portion that converts the rotational driving force of the internal drive shaft into a reciprocating swinging motion in the front-rear direction; a crank body that slidably fits onto the eccentric boss portion and performs the reciprocating swing motion; a restricting portion that connects the crank body and the base and restricts the crank body from rotating together with the internal drive shaft; 2. The massage device according to claim 1.

3. The crank mechanism is provided with a brake mechanism that prevents the one-way clutch from spinning freely when the treatment head moves backward.

3. The massage device according to claim 2.

4. the brake mechanism includes an annular fitting portion into which an eccentric boss portion is fitted and which has an annular cam surface provided with concave and convex portions, and the eccentric boss portion has an outer circumferential cam surface provided with concave and convex portions that mesh with the concave and convex portions of the annular fitting portion, The concave-convex portion of the annular fitting portion and the concave-convex portion of the eccentric boss portion mesh together to form a brake that prevents the one-way clutch from spinning freely.

4. The massage device according to claim 3.

5. The crank mechanism is provided with a forward / backward position detector that detects the forward / backward position of the treatment head by detecting the rotation of the internal drive shaft.

2. The massage device according to claim 1.

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