Leg massage device

Abstract

A leg massage device 1 includes: an insertion recess 3 into which a leg of a user U can be inserted; a massage mechanism 4 for massaging a treatment area of the leg of the user U which was inserted into the insertion recess 3; and a case body 2 for holding the massage mechanism 4 therein. An inner bottom part of the insertion recess 3 is provided with a long groove 5 that is continuous so as to face in the vertical direction along the outline of the rear surface of the leg. The long groove 5 is formed so as to penetrate the inside of the case body 2 and the inside of the insertion recess 3. The massage mechanism 4 moves through the long groove 5 so as to advance and retreat with respect to the inside of the insertion recess 3. The massage mechanism includes an impact treatment element 6 that vibrates or impacts the treatment area. The impact treatment element 6 can move in the vertical direction along the length direction of the long groove 5.

Description

Lower limb massage device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a lower limb massage machine that performs percussion massage on a user's lower limbs. This application claims priority based on Japanese Application No. 2024-196697 filed on November 11, 2024, and Japanese Application No. 2025-156314 filed on September 19, 2025, and incorporates all the contents described in the above Japanese applications.

[0002] Conventionally, as lower limb massage machines that perform vibration massage on a user's lower limbs, those such as Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known. The lower limb massage machine of Patent Document 1 has a sole massage part that presses a treatment element that vibrates against the sole of the user's foot to massage the sole. The lower limb massage device of Patent Document 2 has a vibrating plate that is supported so as to be vibrationally movable in the horizontal direction, and a sole massage member provided on the vibrating plate that vibrationally massages the back side of the foot. The rotational movement of the output shaft of the drive motor is transmitted as vibration to the vibrating plate.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-221144 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-87741

[0004] A lower limb massage device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an insertion recess into which a user's lower limb can be inserted, a massage mechanism that massages a treatment part present on the user's lower limb inserted into the insertion recess, and a case body that holds the massage mechanism inside. In the lower limb massage device, a long groove is provided on the inner bottom of the insertion recess so as to be continuous in the vertical direction along the outer contour line of the rear surface of the lower limb, and the long groove is formed so as to penetrate the inside of the case body and the inside of the insertion recess. The massage mechanism moves so as to advance and retreat into the insertion recess through the long groove, and has a percussion treatment element that vibrates or strikes the treatment part, and the percussion treatment element is configured to be movable in the vertical direction along the longitudinal direction of the long groove.

[0005] This is a perspective view of the lower limb massage device according to the first embodiment. This is a side view showing the positional relationship between the striking element and the long groove (rail section) of the first embodiment. This is a perspective view of the massage mechanism. This is an exploded view showing the massage member (massage mechanism) disassembled into individual components. This is a perspective view showing the amplitude of the striking element. This is a lateral cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the striking element and the long groove. This is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the airbag and the striking element. This is a perspective view of the massage mechanism provided in the lower limb massage device according to the second embodiment.

[0006] The lower limb massage machines described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 vibrate and massage the soles of the feet as the treatment area, and cannot massage other treatment areas of the lower limbs. The vibration generation mechanisms in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are complex and large-scale devices, making it difficult to move them to accommodate treatment areas of the lower limbs other than the soles of the feet.

[0007] On the other hand, for the treatment area of ​​the lower limbs, there was a need for a stronger striking force than vibration massage, for example, a more intermittent striking force like tapping. The lower limb massage machines described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 were unable to satisfy this need.

[0008] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a lower limb massage device that can perform a percussive massage with stronger massage force than vibration massage on the entire treatment area of ​​the lower limb.

[0009] According to the lower limb massage device disclosed herein, it is possible to perform not only vibration massage but also percussive massage with a stronger massage force than vibration massage on the entire treatment area of ​​the lower limb.

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure are outlined below.

[0011] To address the above issues, the lower limb massage device disclosed herein employs the following technical means.

[0012] (1) The lower limb massage device according to the present disclosure comprises an insertion recess into which a user's lower limb can be inserted, a massage mechanism for massaging a treatment area on the user's lower limb inserted into the insertion recess, and a case body for holding the massage mechanism inside, wherein the bottom of the insertion recess is provided with a continuous elongated groove that runs vertically along the outer contour of the rear surface of the lower limb, and the elongated groove is formed to penetrate the inside of the case body and the inside of the insertion recess, and the massage mechanism has a striking treatment element that moves forward and backward into the insertion recess via the elongated groove and vibrates or strikes the treatment area, and the striking treatment element is configured to move vertically along the longitudinal direction of the elongated groove.

[0013] (2) In the above (1), the insertion recess has a left insertion recess into which the user's left calf and left foot can be inserted, and a right insertion recess into which the user's right calf and right foot can be inserted, and the long groove has a left long groove formed in the inner bottom of the left insertion recess and a right long groove formed in the inner bottom of the right insertion recess, and the striking device may have a left striking device that moves in and out of the insertion recess via the left long groove and moves up and down along the longitudinal direction of the left long groove, and a right striking device that moves in and out of the insertion recess via the right long groove and moves up and down along the longitudinal direction of the right long groove.

[0014] (3) In (1) above, the striking device may move back and forth between an embedded position in which it is embedded in the inside of the long groove and a protruding position in which it is protruding outwards from the outside of the long groove.

[0015] (4) In the above (1), the case body may have a vibration damping mechanism to suppress vibration caused by the advancement and retraction of the striking device.

[0016] (5) In (4) above, the massage mechanism has a drive unit that drives the striking element forward and backward, and the vibration damping mechanism may have a spring body provided between the striking element and the drive unit that dampens the striking force or vibration force transmitted from the striking element to the drive unit.

[0017] (6) In (1) above, a rail section extending along the direction in which the long groove is laid is provided inside the case body, and the striking device may move vertically along the rail section and move back and forth along the direction normal to the rail section.

[0018] (7) In (2) above, the massage mechanism has a drive unit for driving the striking device forward and backward, the drive unit having a left drive unit for driving the left striking device and a right drive unit for driving the right striking device, the massage mechanism may have a holding unit for holding the left drive unit and the right drive unit in an integrally connected state, and a moving drive unit for moving the left striking device and the right striking device in an vertical direction while holding them in an integrally connected state by the holding unit.

[0019] (8) In the above (4), a rail section extending along the laying direction of the long groove is provided inside the case body, the striking device moves vertically along the rail section, and the vibration damping mechanism is provided between the drive unit and the rail section to dampen the striking force or vibration force from the striking device.

[0020] (9) In (2) above, the massage mechanism has a drive unit that drives the striking treatment element forward and backward, and the drive unit may have a single drive motor that generates rotational driving force, a left drive unit that drives the left striking treatment element using the rotational driving force generated by the single drive motor, and a right drive unit that drives the right striking treatment element using the rotational driving force generated by the single drive motor.

[0021] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. At least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any way.

[0022] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the lower limb massage device 1 of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 schematically shows a lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment can be placed on the floor or attached to the front of a chair-type massage machine, allowing the user U's lower limbs to be massaged.

[0025] The treatment area of ​​the lower limb massage device 1 includes the user U's lower limbs, particularly the area below the knee (calf and foot). In this specification, "calf" refers to the area from the knee to the ankle, and "foot" refers to the area from the ankle to the toes. In this specification, when referring to both the "calf" and the "foot" together, the term "lower limb" or "lower limb area" is used.

[0026] In other words, the lower limb massage device 1 massages one or more, or all, of the user's calf and / or foot, and massages the area below the user's knee.

[0027] In the following embodiments, the lower limb massage device 1 of the present disclosure will be described using as an example a lower limb massage device 1 that performs percussive massage on both the calf and the foot as the treatment area.

[0028] Furthermore, the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment treats both the left and right lower limbs. In other words, the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment massages the left calf and left foot of user U as the treatment area (the treatment area of ​​the left lower limb). Similarly, it massages the right calf and right foot of user U as the treatment area (the treatment area of ​​the right lower limb).

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the lower limb massage device of the first embodiment is formed in the shape of a box large enough to insert the user U's lower limbs. The lower limb massage device has a case body 2, which is made of synthetic resin or metal. The front surface of the case body 2 is inclined downward toward the front, and an insertion recess 3 is formed on the front surface of the case body 2 into which the user U's treatment area can be inserted.

[0030] In the first embodiment, the insertion recesses 3 are formed on the left and right front sides of the case body 2, respectively. Furthermore, a massage mechanism 4 is provided inside the case body 2 to massage the treatment portion inserted into the insertion recesses 3.

[0031] In the following explanation, the anterior-posterior, lateral-lateral, and vertical directions as viewed from the user U with the lower limb inserted into the insertion recess 3 will be referred to as the anterior-posterior, lateral-lateral, and vertical directions when describing the lower limb massage device 1. These directions are illustrated in representative drawings.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the insertion recess 3 is formed in a concave shape on the front surface of the case body 2, allowing the user U's calf and foot (i.e., lower limb) to be inserted. In the first embodiment, the insertion recess 3 has a left insertion recess 3L for inserting the left lower limb and a right insertion recess 3R for inserting the right lower limb. The left insertion recess 3L and the right insertion recess 3R have a structure that is symmetrical in the left-right direction.

[0033] The left insertion recess 3L and the right insertion recess 3R open in the shape of elongated holes that are vertically elongated when viewed from the front and above, and are formed on the front left and front right sides of the case body 2, respectively. Both the left insertion recess 3L and the right insertion recess 3R are formed with an opening width in the left-right direction that is sufficient to allow the user U's lower limbs to be inserted (for example, 100 mm to 200 mm). The left insertion recess 3L and the right insertion recess 3R have a left side surface 3a and a right side surface 3b that are formed in a substantially planar shape that extends in the vertical and front-back directions, and an inner bottom surface 3B formed between the rear end and lower end of the left side surface 3a and the rear end and lower end of the right side surface 3b.

[0034] The inner sole surface 3B is formed in a roughly L-shape when viewed from the side, and consists of an upper surface portion 3Bu located above the roughly L-shaped curved portion and a lower surface portion 3Bd located below the roughly L-shaped curved portion. The upper surface portion 3Bu of the inner sole surface 3B is formed as a surface that extends vertically and horizontally along the posterior surface of the calf. The lower surface portion 3Bd of the inner sole surface 3B is formed as a surface that extends horizontally and horizontally along the sole of the foot. The intermediate portion 3Bc of the inner sole surface 3B, located between the upper surface portion 3Bu and the lower surface portion 3Bd, is formed as a curved surface that curves backward so as to move away from the ankle bone.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3 is provided with a continuous long groove 5 that runs vertically along the posterior surface of the lower limb. The long groove 5 is formed so that the striking device 6, which will be described later, can move in and out of the insertion recess 3 from the inside of the inner bottom surface 3B, and is a continuous structure (uninterrupted structure) along the vertical direction so that the striking device 6 can move vertically along the groove formation direction while moving in and out.

[0036] The elongated groove 5 has a left elongated groove 5L formed on the inner bottom surface 3B of the left insertion recess 3L, and a right elongated groove 5R formed on the inner bottom surface 3B of the right insertion recess 3R. In other words, the elongated groove 5 of the first embodiment is composed of two grooves, the left elongated groove 5L and the right elongated groove 5R.

[0037] The left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R are formed to penetrate the inside of the case body 2 and the inside of the insertion recess 3 in the front-to-back direction or the up-to-down direction. In other words, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed on the upper surface portion 3Bu penetrate the case body 2 in the front-to-back direction, from the inside of the case body 2 located at the rear to the inside of the insertion recess 3 located at the front. Also, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed on the lower surface portion 3Bd penetrate the case body 2 in the up-to-down direction, from the inside of the case body 2 located at the bottom to the inside of the insertion recess 3 located at the top.

[0038] The left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R are formed to span both the upper surface portion 3Bu and the lower surface portion 3Bd, and are shaped to follow the outline of the posterior (or sole) surface of the lower limb. In the first embodiment, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R are shaped to follow the outline of the posterior surface of the calf and the outline of the sole of the foot.

[0039] Specifically, the upper portion 3Bu of the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3 is formed in a curved shape that curves along a gentle S-shape when viewed from the side, with the central part in the vertical direction bulging forward and the lower end in the vertical direction recessing backward. Therefore, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed in the upper portion 3Bu are also formed to curve along a gentle S-shape when viewed from the side. In other words, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed in the upper portion 3Bu are formed continuously so as to face vertically along the posterior surface of the lower limb (calf).

[0040] Among the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, the lower surface portion 3Bd is formed in a planar shape extending from the rear lower side toward the front upper side. Therefore, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed in the lower surface portion 3Bd are also linearly formed from the rear lower side toward the front upper side. That is, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed in the lower surface portion 3Bd are continuously formed so as to face the vertical direction and the front-rear direction along the outer contour line of the back surface of the lower limb (foot).

[0041] Incidentally, the lower limb massage device 1 of the present disclosure may be formed in a curved surface shape in which the lower surface portion 3Bd of the inner bottom surface 3B is curved upward in accordance with the outer shape (arch) of the sole of the foot. In this case, the left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R formed in the lower surface portion 3Bd may also be formed in a curved trajectory that gently curves so as to bulge upward.

[0042] Further, a plurality of protrusions may be provided on the upper surface portion 3Bu and the lower surface portion 3Bd of the inner bottom surface 3B in order to enhance the massage effect of the percussion massage and the foot reflexology effect.

[0043] Specifically, the long groove 5 has a groove width in the left-right direction through which the percussion applicator 6 can enter and exit. The groove width of the long groove 5 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer dimension of the percussion applicator 6 in the left-right direction. In the first embodiment, the groove width of the long groove 5 is formed to be about 10 mm wider than the outer dimension of the percussion applicator 6 in the left-right direction. Thus, the long groove 5 of the present disclosure is formed to be about 5 mm to 10 mm wider than the outer dimension of the percussion applicator 6 in the left-right direction. If the groove width is too large, exceeding 10 mm, the heel or the like may fall into the inside of the case body 2, and there is a possibility of sandwiching the skin in the gaps (the gaps along the horizontal direction between the long groove and the applicator) on both sides of the percussion applicator 6. Therefore, it is preferable that the groove width of the long groove 5 is formed to be about 5 mm to 10 mm wider than the outer dimension of the percussion applicator 6 in the left-right direction.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment has a rail portion 7 inside the case body 2. The rail portion 7 is provided to guide the massage mechanism 4 along the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3 in the vertical direction or the front-rear direction.

[0045] The rail part 7 is provided inside the case body 2 and on the outer side in the left - right direction as viewed from the long groove 5. The rail parts 7 are provided in the same number corresponding to the number of long grooves 5. In the first embodiment, two rail parts 7 are arranged. That is, the rail part 7 of the first embodiment has a left rail part 7L arranged inside the left - hand case body 2 as viewed from the left long groove 5L and a right rail part 7R arranged inside the right - hand case body 2 as viewed from the right long groove 5R.

[0046] Considering the relationship with the stroke of the striking treatment element 6 of the massage mechanism 4 described later, the rail part 7 of the first embodiment is formed along the formation direction of the long groove 5 so as to be substantially parallel to the long groove 5. Specifically, the left rail part 7L is arranged at a position separated from the left long groove 5L by a certain distance in the vertical direction. Also, the right rail part 7R is arranged at a position separated from the right long groove 5R by a certain distance in the vertical direction.

[0047] The massage mechanism 4 massages the treatment part existing on the lower limb of the user U inserted into the insertion recess 3. The massage mechanism 4 has a striking treatment element 6 that vibrates or strikes the treatment part, and by moving the striking treatment element 6 so as to advance and retreat inside the insertion recess 3 through the long groove 5, a striking massage is applied to the treatment part.

[0048] The striking massage strikes the treatment part with the striking treatment element 6, and has a greater massage effect than the vibration massage that contacts the treatment part with a vibrating treatment element. Since the effect of the vibration massage also accompanies the striking massage, in the lower - limb massage device 1 of the present disclosure, regarding the striking treatment element 6, it is expressed as vibrating or striking the treatment part. However, the lower - limb massage device 1 of the present disclosure enables a striking massage with a greater massage force than the vibration massage.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the massage mechanism 4 has a drive unit 8 (hereinafter referred to as the striking drive unit 8) that drives the striking treatment element 6 to move forward and backward. Specifically, the massage mechanism 4 has a left massage unit 9L that performs striking massage on the treatment area of ​​the left lower limb (more precisely, the treatment area located at the rear of the left lower limb) inserted into the left insertion recess 3L, and a right massage unit 9R that performs striking massage on the treatment area of ​​the right lower limb (more precisely, the treatment area located at the rear of the right lower limb) inserted into the right insertion recess 3R. The left massage unit 9L has a left striking drive unit 10L that drives the left striking treatment element 6L to move forward and backward, and a left striking treatment element 6L that is driven in the forward and backward direction by the left striking drive unit 10L to vibrate or strike the treatment area of ​​the left lower limb (applying vibrational force or striking force to the treatment area of ​​the left lower limb). The right massage unit 9R includes a right striking drive unit 10R that drives the right striking treatment element 6R forward and backward, and a right striking treatment element 6R that is driven in the forward and backward direction by the right striking drive unit 10R to vibrate or strike the treatment area of ​​the right lower limb (applying vibrational or striking force to the treatment area of ​​the right lower limb).

[0050] The massage mechanism 4 has a moving mechanism 11 that moves the massage mechanism 4 along the rail section 7. The moving mechanism 11 has a running member 12 that travels along the rail section 7 and a moving drive unit 13 that moves the massage mechanism 4 by driving the running member 12.

[0051] The left massage unit 9L, the right massage unit 9R, and the moving mechanism 11 described above are provided on the base body 14.

[0052] The term "advance / return direction" refers to the direction in which the left striking element 6L and the right striking element 6R move during striking. In the first embodiment, the "advance / return direction" is along the normal direction of the rail section 7. Since the massage mechanism 4 moves along the laying direction of the rail section 7 by the movement mechanism 11, the direction in which the left striking element 6L and the right striking element 6R move during striking (the normal direction of the rail section 7) changes depending on the position of the rail section 7 on which the massage mechanism 4 is located. For example, if the massage mechanism 4 is located on the upper part of the rail section 7, the advance / return direction will be from rear-downward to front-upward. If the massage mechanism 4 is located on the lower part of the rail section 7, the advance / return direction will be from front-downward to rear-upward. Thus, since the advance / return direction changes depending on the position of the massage mechanism 4 on the rail section 7, it cannot be uniformly defined as an up-and-down direction or a front-and-back direction.

[0053] In the lower limb massage device of the first embodiment, the "advancing and retracting direction" of the treatment element is in the direction normal to the rail section 7 (perpendicular to the tangential direction of the rail), but the lower limb massage device of the present disclosure may have a direction that is inclined to some extent with respect to the normal direction.

[0054] From this point forward, when describing the movement of the left striking device 6L and the right striking device 6R, the description will be based on their forward and backward directions.

[0055] Furthermore, of the directions in which the striking device 6 moves forward and backward, the direction in which the striking device 6 moves forward is called the "tip side or tip direction," and the direction in which the striking device 6 moves backward is called the "base side or base direction." These directions are illustrated in Figure 4.

[0056] The following describes the base 14, the moving mechanism 11, and the massage unit that make up the massage mechanism 4.

[0057] The base body 14 is a long, rectangular member in the left-right direction, supporting the left massage unit 9L, the right massage unit 9R, and the moving mechanism 11. The moving drive unit 13 of the moving mechanism 11 is located in the center of the base body 14 in the left-right direction, the left massage unit 9L is located on the left side in the left-right direction, and the right massage unit 9R is located on the right side in the left-right direction. The left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R are fixed to the base body 14 using screws or the like (four screws in the first embodiment). In other words, the base body 14 functions as a holder that holds the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit) and the right striking drive unit 10R (right drive unit) in a state where they are integrally connected in the left-right direction.

[0058] Furthermore, the base body 14 is equipped with a running shaft 15 of the moving mechanism 11, a running member 12 (running gear) that is integrally rotatable with the running shaft 15, and a sliding shaft 16 (holding part 16) that is provided substantially parallel to the running shaft 15 and slides relative to the rail section 7. By providing such a sliding shaft 16, the base body 14 is supported by two axes, the sliding shaft 16 and the running shaft 15, relative to the rail section 7, making it possible to stably support the base body 14 relative to the rail section 7.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the moving mechanism 11 includes a moving drive unit 13 that generates rotational driving force, a traveling shaft 15 that is rotationally driven using the rotational driving force generated by the moving drive unit 13, and a traveling member 12 that is rotatably mounted on the traveling shaft 15 and rotates. Furthermore, as described above, a rail section 7 extending along the laying direction of the long groove 5 is arranged inside the case body 2. The moving mechanism 11 moves the massage mechanism 4 by making the traveling member 12 travel along the rail section 7.

[0060] Specifically, the mobile drive unit 13 has a mobile drive motor 17 arranged along the laying direction of the rail section 7. The mobile drive motor 17 has a drive shaft 17a in the direction along the laying direction of the rail section 7, and a drive gear (not shown) is attached to the drive shaft 17a so as to be integrally rotatable. A reduction gear group (not shown) consisting of multiple gears and shafts meshes with the drive gear, and reduces the rotational driving force of the drive shaft and transmits it to the driven gear (not shown) of the travel shaft 15. The driven gear is attached to the travel shaft 15 so as to be integrally rotatable, and the travel shaft 15 rotates with the reduced rotational driving force (rotational speed). Travel members 12 are provided on the left end and right end of the travel shaft 15 so as to be rotatable at a constant rate. In the first embodiment, the travel member 12 is a travel gear 12. Multiple rack sections 18 (rack teeth) that mesh with the travel gear 12 are formed on the rail section 7 along the laying direction of the rail section 7. By meshing the travel gear (pinion gear) with the rack sections 18, the massage mechanism 4 can be moved along the laying direction of the rail section 7.

[0061] The left massage section 9L and the right massage section 9R in the first embodiment are made of exactly the same material. Therefore, in the following description, the left massage section 9L will be used as an example to explain the massage section, and the explanation of the right massage section 9R will be omitted.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4, the left striking treatment element 6L has a tip portion 19 provided at the front end that contacts the treatment area, and a support portion 20 provided at the base end that supports the tip portion 19. The tip portion 19 is formed in a curved shape, with the surface on the tip side that contacts the treatment area bulging toward the tip. Since the left striking treatment element 6L is configured to travel vertically (in a direction intersecting the forward and backward direction) along the left rail portion 7L by the movement mechanism 11, the shape of the tip portion 19 may be formed in a hemispherical or spherical shape without irregularities to allow for smoother movement.

[0063] The support portion 20 is the part that supports the tip portion 19, and in the first embodiment it is formed in a cylindrical shape. Inside the support portion 20 there is a shaft insertion portion 23L into which the connecting shaft 21L and spring body 22L of the left striking drive unit 10L, which will be described later, can be inserted.

[0064] The shaft insertion portion 23 is formed to penetrate the left striking treatment element 6L in the forward and backward direction, from the tip portion 19 to the base portion. The shaft insertion portion 23 formed at the tip portion 19 is formed in accordance with the shape of the connecting shaft 21, with the tip side having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the head of the connecting shaft 21, and the base end side having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion of the connecting shaft 21. The shaft insertion portion 23 formed at the base end is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the spring body 22, allowing the spring body 22 to be inserted inside.

[0065] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the left striking drive unit 10L has a rectangular left drive case 24L. Inside the left drive case 24L, the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit) has a left striking drive motor 25L, a left eccentric cam body 26L, a left camshaft 27L, a left inner cylinder body 28L, a left outer cylinder body 29L, a left connecting shaft 21L, and a left spring body 22L. The left striking drive unit 10L converts the rotational driving force generated by the left striking drive motor 25L into a translational force that reciprocates in the forward and backward direction of the left striking treatment element 6L using the left eccentric cam body 26L, left camshaft 27L, left inner cylinder body 28L, and left outer cylinder body 29L, causing the left connecting shaft 21L to reciprocate in the forward and backward direction. The left striking treatment element 6L can be attached to the tip of the left connecting shaft 21L, and the left striking drive unit 10L enables the left striking treatment element 6L to reciprocate in the forward and backward direction.

[0066] The left striking drive motor 25L is positioned with its drive shaft 25a facing in a direction that intersects (orthogonal in the first embodiment) the forward and backward direction of the left striking treatment element 6L. A left eccentric cam body 26L is integrally rotatably attached to the drive shaft 25a of the left striking drive motor 25L.

[0067] The left eccentric cam body 26L has an eccentric shaft 30 whose axis is at a different position from the drive shaft 25a of the left impact drive motor 25L. The left eccentric cam body 26L has a shape in which the eccentric shaft 30 is combined with a cylindrical portion that is coaxial with the drive shaft 25a. When the drive shaft 25a of the left impact drive motor 25L is driven, the left eccentric cam body 26L, which can rotate integrally with the drive shaft 25a, rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a, and the eccentric shaft 30 of the left eccentric cam body 26L rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a.

[0068] The left camshaft 27L is formed in the shape of a spectacle, with cylindrical members attached to both ends of a straight, elongated rod, and is positioned to face in the direction of advancement and retraction. The left camshaft 27L has through holes 27a and 27b at its tip and base ends. The tip of the eccentric shaft 30 is rotatably inserted into the through hole 27b at the base end. The connecting pin 31 of the left inner cylinder 28L is rotatably inserted into the through hole 27a at the tip end.

[0069] The left outer cylinder 29L is a cylindrical member positioned outside the left inner cylinder 28L, and is formed in a cylindrical shape around an axis that faces the direction of advancement and retraction. The left outer cylinder 29L is fixed to the left drive case 24L and its movement is restricted relative to the base 14. Inside the left outer cylinder 29L, there is an inner cylinder insertion portion 32L that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the left inner cylinder 28L, and the left inner cylinder 28L is inserted through it so as to be able to move freely in the direction of advancement and retraction.

[0070] The left inner cylinder 28L is formed in a cylindrical shape around an axis that faces the direction of advancement and retraction of the left striking device 6L. A base end recess 33L is formed at the base end of the left inner cylinder 28L, opening toward the base end. Inside the base end recess 33L, a left connecting pin 31L, which is inserted into the tip end of the left camshaft 27L, is formed to protrude in the same direction as the eccentric shaft 30 (drive shaft 25a).

[0071] A tip recess 34L is formed at the front end of the left inner cylinder 28L, opening toward the front end. The tip recess 34L is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the left spring body 22L, and the left spring body 22L is inserted into it. A protruding cylindrical portion 35L is formed on the inner bottom surface of the tip recess 34L, protruding toward the front end. The tip of the protruding cylindrical portion 35L protrudes toward the front end more than the front end of the inner cylinder. The protruding cylindrical portion 35L has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the left spring body 22L, and is designed to be insertable into the left spring body 22L.

[0072] Inside the protruding cylindrical portion 35L, a shaft hole 36L is formed, opening toward the tip, through which the shaft portion of the left connecting shaft 21L can be inserted. The shaft hole 36L has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion of the left connecting shaft 21L, allowing the shaft portion of the left connecting shaft 21L to be inserted from the tip direction.

[0073] The left spring body 22L is positioned between the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit) and the left striking treatment element 6L. In the first embodiment, the left spring body 22L is a helical spring with a coil diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the tip recess 34L of the left inner cylinder body 28L and the shaft insertion portion 23 of the left striking treatment element 6L, and larger than the outer diameter of the protruding cylinder portion 35L. Although the spring body 22 in the first embodiment is a helical spring, other elastic members can also be used for the spring body 22 in this disclosure.

[0074] In the first embodiment, the left spring body 22L is supported at its base end by the tip recess 34L of the left inner cylinder body 28L and at its tip end by the shaft insertion portion 23 of the left striking device 6L, and elastically supports the left striking device 6L in the forward and backward directions relative to the left inner cylinder body 28L. In other words, the tip recess 34L of the left inner cylinder body 28L and the shaft insertion portion 23 of the left striking device 6L are each capable of moving independently in the forward and backward directions (they are separated) and can move apart. Therefore, when the left spring body 22L is placed between the members, it can move relative to the left spring body 22L in the forward and backward directions according to the elastic force of the left spring body 22L.

[0075] By positioning the left spring body 22L of the first embodiment between the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit) and the left striking treatment element 6L, excessive force (overload) from the left striking treatment element 6L directly acting on the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit) is suppressed, and the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive motor of the left drive unit) is prevented from stopping due to overload.

[0076] The right striking drive unit 10R (right drive unit) is also provided with components having the same structure as the left striking drive motor 25L, left eccentric cam body 26L, left camshaft 27L, left inner cylinder body 28L, left outer cylinder body 29L, left connecting shaft 21L, and left spring body 22L that constitute the left striking drive unit 10L (left drive unit). In other words, the right striking drive unit 10R (right drive unit) is provided with the right striking drive motor 25R, right eccentric cam body 26R, right camshaft 27R, right inner cylinder body 28R, right outer cylinder body 29R, right connecting shaft 21R, and right spring body 22R.

[0077] When the left striking drive motor 25L of the left striking drive unit 10L is driven, the drive shaft 25a rotates, and the left eccentric cam body 26L, which is integrally rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 25a, rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a. When the left eccentric cam body 26L rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a, the eccentric shaft 30, which is mounted at a different position from the drive shaft 25a, rotates so as to orbit around the axis of the drive shaft 25a.

[0078] The tip of the eccentric shaft 30 is rotatably inserted into the through hole 27b on the base end side of the left camshaft 27L, so the base end side of the left camshaft 27L also rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a. The tip side of the left camshaft 27L is connected to the left inner cylinder 28L by rotatably inserting the connecting pin 31 of the left inner cylinder 28L into the through hole 27a on the tip side. Here, the left inner cylinder 28L is movably inserted into the inner cylinder insertion portion 32 of the left outer cylinder 29L in the forward and backward directions, so although it is movable in the forward and backward directions, its movement in directions intersecting the forward and backward directions is restricted. Therefore, even if the base end side of the left camshaft 27L rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 25a, the tip side of the left camshaft 27L (left inner cylinder 28L) only moves in the forward and backward directions. In other words, the left inner cylinder 28L moves back and forth, and the rotational drive of the drive shaft 25a is converted into a translational force that causes the left inner cylinder 28L to move back and forth.

[0079] A shaft hole 36L is formed in the protruding cylindrical portion 35L of the left inner cylinder 28L, and the shaft portion of the left connecting shaft 21L is inserted into the shaft hole 36L from the tip direction. Therefore, when the left inner cylinder 28L is moved back and forth, the left connecting shaft 21L also moves back and forth, and the left striking therapist 6L attached to the tip side of the left connecting shaft 21L moves back and forth, making it possible to perform striking massage on the treatment area of ​​the left lower limb using the left striking therapist 6L.

[0080] The above explanation pertains to the left striking device 6L and the left striking drive unit 10L, but the right striking device 6R and the right striking drive unit 10R also perform striking massage on the treatment area of ​​the right lower limb.

[0081] As shown in Figure 5, the left striking element 6L and the right striking element 6R have a striking stroke ΔD between their most retracted position and their most advanced position. The striking stroke ΔD is determined by the eccentric distance between the eccentric shaft 30 and the drive shaft 25a in the eccentric cam bodies 26L and 26R, and the lengths of the left and right camshafts 27L and 27R.

[0082] The extent to which the striking stroke ΔD is used for striking massage affects the intensity of the massage. For example, if the striking device 6 is brought close to the treatment area, a large striking stroke can be used, allowing for a very strong striking massage. Conversely, if the striking device 6 is moved away from the treatment area, only a portion of the striking stroke ΔD is used, resulting in a smaller striking stroke and a weaker striking massage.

[0083] As shown in Figure 6, in the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment, the rail section 7 and the long groove 5 are arranged such that the opening of the long groove 5 is located at an intermediate position of the striking stroke ΔD in the upper and lower parts of the rail section 7. In other words, after the left striking element 6L exits the left long groove 5L, it moves to protrude into the left insertion recess 3L with a swing amplitude of half the striking stroke ΔD, and after entering the left long groove 5L, it moves backward or downward of the inner bottom surface 3B with a swing amplitude of the remaining half of the striking stroke ΔD. Similarly, after the right striking element 6R exits the right long groove 5R, it moves to protrude into the right insertion recess 3R with a swing amplitude of half the striking stroke ΔD, and after entering the right long groove 5R, it moves backward or downward of the inner bottom surface 3B with a swing amplitude of the remaining half of the striking stroke ΔD.

[0084] In other words, as shown in Figure 6, if the position where the striking device 6 protrudes the most into the insertion recess 3 is called the "protruding position (see Figure 6 right)," and the position where the striking device 6 retracts the most backward or downward of the inner bottom surface 3B is called the "recessed position (see Figure 6 left)," then the striking device 6 moves back and forth between the recessed position and the protruding position. In other words, the recessed position is the position where the tip of the striking device 6 has retracted inward from the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, and is the position where it is recessed into the interior of the long groove 5.

[0085] Furthermore, the protruding position is the position where the tip of the striking treatment element 6 protrudes outward from the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, and is the position where it protrudes outward from the long groove 5. In the case where multiple protrusions to enhance the foot reflexology effect are provided on the inner bottom surface 3B, the protruding position is the position where the tip of the striking treatment element 6 protrudes outward from the tip of the protrusion, and is the position where it protrudes outward from the protrusion.

[0086] By positioning the striking device 6 so that it moves back and forth between the immersion position and the protrusion position, the immersion position and the protrusion position can be changed by adjusting the installation position of the rail section 7, and an appropriate striking massage can be performed on the treatment area using the striking device 6.

[0087] For treatment areas with little muscle, such as the heel (bony treatment areas), applying the same intensity of percussive massage as to treatment areas with more muscle, such as the calf, may increase discomfort. In such cases, it is preferable to reduce the speed of percussive massage for treatment areas such as the heel by lowering the rotation speed (percussion speed) of the percussive drive unit or by changing the installation position of the rail section 7 (moving it away from the long groove).

[0088] For example, the position of the massage mechanism 4 on the rail section 7 can be detected using a rotary encoder or the like. If it is determined that the massage mechanism 4 is positioned on a treatment area such as the heel, the rotation speed (impact speed) of the impact drive units 10L and 10R can be reduced. This reduces the impact force from the impact treatment element 6 by the amount that the number of impacts decreases, thereby reducing the intensity of the impact massage. In addition, for rail sections 7 corresponding to treatment areas such as the heel, the installation position of the rail section 7 may be changed to a position further inward from the long groove 5. In this way, the impact intensity from the impact treatment element 6 can be reduced by the amount that the impact treatment element 6 is further away from the treatment area.

[0089] As shown in Figure 2, in the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment, the rail section 7 and the rack section 18 are laid parallel to each other, and the rack section 18 and the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3 are also laid parallel to each other. In other words, the lateral trajectories of the three members, the rail section 7, the rack section 18, and the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, are arranged in a parallel state. Therefore, regardless of the position of the massage mechanism 4, i.e., the striking treatment element 6, in the insertion recess 3, the stroke and protrusion angle relative to the treatment area will be approximately the same.

[0090] An airbag 37 can be used as a means to enhance the effectiveness of the percussive massage by the percussive therapist 6. Next, the airbag 37 provided in the lower limb massage device 1 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0091] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the airbag 37 of the first embodiment is provided on the left and right sides of the insertion recess 3, respectively. The airbag 37 of the first embodiment has an upper airbag 37U that applies pressure massage to the treatment area of ​​the calf and a lower airbag 37D that applies pressure massage to the treatment area of ​​the foot. Compressed air is supplied to the upper airbag 37U and the lower airbag 37D from an air pump 38, and the bags can be inflated using the compressed air. The air pump 38 of the first embodiment is located between the left insertion recess 3L and the right insertion recess 3R and is housed inside the case body 2. An exhaust valve (not shown) for discharging the compressed air stored in the bag is also provided inside the case body 2, and the bag can be deflated by discharging the compressed air stored in the bag using the exhaust valve. In other words, the airbag 37 of the first embodiment performs pressure massage on the treatment area (especially the front and sides of the lower limbs) by inflating and deflating the upper airbag 37U and the lower airbag 37D.

[0092] As shown in Figure 2, the airbag 37 of the first embodiment differs from the conventional one in the mounting positions of the upper airbag 37U and the lower airbag 37D. Specifically, the upper airbag 37U is mounted at a distance L1 (where distance L1 > 0) in the forward-upward direction relative to the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, and is positioned further forward than the conventional airbag 37 which is mounted in contact with the inner bottom surface 3B (in other words, distance L1 ≈ 0). The lower airbag 37D is mounted at a distance L2 (not shown, distance L2 > 0) in the rear-upward direction relative to the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3, and is positioned further upward than the conventional airbag 37 which is mounted in contact with the inner bottom surface 3B (in other words, distance L2 ≈ 0).

[0093] Specifically, in the first embodiment, the upper airbag 37U is positioned such that the distance L1 is 20 mm to 40 mm, and the lower airbag 37D is positioned such that the distance L2 is 20 mm to 40 mm.

[0094] As shown in Figure 7, the airbag 37 of the first embodiment is mounted at a distance L1 (where distance L1 > 0) in the forward and upward direction relative to the inner bottom surface 3B of the insertion recess 3. This allows the airbag to press against the calf from the front to the rear, and to press the treatment area toward the inner bottom surface 3B. Since the treatment area is less likely to escape away from the inner bottom surface 3B, the impact massage force from the impact treatment element 6 can be effectively applied to the treatment area.

[0095] The lower limb massage device 1 has a vibration isolation mechanism 39 that suppresses vibration of the case body 2 due to the movement of the striking device 6. The vibration isolation mechanism 39 prevents vibration of the case body 2 by suppressing the transmission of striking force (impact) or vibration force (vibration) generated by the movement of the striking device 6 to the case body 2, or by attenuating the striking force (impact) or vibration force (vibration). Examples of such a vibration isolation mechanism 39 include one that uses the spring body 22 described above, and one that is provided between the drive unit and the rail unit 7 to attenuate the striking force or vibration force from the striking device 6.

[0096] The spring body 22 is provided between the striking element 6 and the drive unit, and dampens the striking force or vibration force transmitted from the striking element 6 to the drive unit. In the first embodiment, the spring body 22 has a left helical spring positioned between the tip recess 34L of the left inner cylinder 28L and the shaft insertion portion 23L of the left striking element 6L, and a right helical spring positioned between the tip recess 34L of the right inner cylinder 28R and the shaft insertion portion 23R of the right striking element 6R. The spring body 22 has the function of not only preventing the left striking drive unit 10L and the right striking drive unit 10R from becoming stuck due to overload from the left striking element 6L and the right striking element 6R, but also the function of dampening the striking force or vibration force from the left striking element 6L and the right striking drive unit 6R and transmitting it to the left striking drive unit 10L and the right striking drive unit 10R.

[0097] Furthermore, even if a vibration-damping member (vibration-damping mechanism 39) is provided between the drive unit and the rail unit 7, the impact force or vibration force from the impact treatment element 6 can be attenuated, and vibration of the case body 2 can be prevented. As the vibration-damping member (vibration-damping mechanism 39), for example, a member made of an elastic resin sheet such as a rubber mat can be used, and these members may be sandwiched between screws that fix the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R to the base body 14, thereby providing a vibration-damping member between the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R and the base body 14. Alternatively, a vibration-damping member may be sandwiched between the rail unit 7 and the case body 2, or a vibration-damping member may be placed on the bottom surface of the case body 2 that is in contact with the floor, in other words, between the case body 2 and the floor.

[0098] The lower limb massage device 1 disclosed herein comprises an insertion recess 3 into which the user U's lower limb can be inserted, a massage mechanism 4 for massaging a treatment area on the user U's lower limb inserted into the insertion recess 3, and a case body 2 for holding the massage mechanism 4 inside. The inner bottom of the insertion recess 3 is provided with a continuous elongated groove 5 that runs vertically along the outer contour of the posterior surface of the lower limb, and the elongated groove 5 is formed to penetrate the inside of the case body 2 and the inside of the insertion recess 3. The massage mechanism 4 moves inward and outward through the elongated groove 5 and has a striking treatment element 6 that vibrates or strikes the treatment area, and the striking treatment element 6 is configured to move vertically along the longitudinal direction of the elongated groove 5.

[0099] According to this, by positioning the long groove 5 to extend across the entire lower limb, the striking therapist 6 can be moved along the longitudinal direction of the long groove 5 across the entire lower limb, making it possible to perform striking massage on areas of the lower limb, such as the calf, which were previously difficult to treat.

[0100] Preferably, the insertion recess 3 has a left insertion recess 3L into which the user U's left calf and left foot can be inserted, and a right insertion recess 3R into which the user U's right calf and right foot can be inserted; the elongated groove 5 has a left elongated groove 5L formed at the inner bottom of the left insertion recess 3L and a right elongated groove 5R formed at the inner bottom of the right insertion recess 3R; and the striking treatment element 6 has a left striking treatment element 6L that moves to advance and reciprocate to the insertion recess 3 via the left elongated groove 5L and moves vertically along the longitudinal direction of the left elongated groove 5L, and a right striking treatment element 6R that moves to advance and reciprocate to the insertion recess 3 via the right elongated groove 5R and moves vertically along the longitudinal direction of the right elongated groove 5R.

[0101] According to this, user U can perform percussive massage on both the left and right lower limbs over a wide area from behind the knee to the toes simply by inserting the left calf and left foot into the left insertion recess 3L and the right calf and right foot into the right insertion recess 3R.

[0102] Preferably, the striking device 6 moves back and forth between an embedded position where it is embedded inside the long groove 5 and a protruding position where it is protruding outside the long groove 5.

[0103] According to this, by changing the installation position of the rail section 7, the immersion position and protrusion position can be changed to adjust the intensity of the impact massage on the treatment area to an appropriate level.

[0104] Preferably, the device has a vibration damping mechanism 39 that suppresses vibration of the case body 2 due to the movement of the striking device 6.

[0105] According to this, the vibration damping mechanism 39 can attenuate vibrations or impacts generated by the movement of the striking device 6, thereby preventing the case body 2 from vibrating.

[0106] Preferably, the massage mechanism 4 has a drive unit that drives the striking element 6 forward and backward, and the vibration damping mechanism 39 is provided between the striking element 6 and the drive unit and has a spring body 22 that dampens vibrations or impacts transmitted from the striking element 6 to the drive unit.

[0107] According to this, the spring body 22 can dampen the impact or vibration from the left impact treatment element 6L and the right impact treatment element 6R and transmit it to the left impact drive unit 10L and the right impact drive unit 10R, thereby preventing vibration of the case body 2. In addition, the spring body 22 can also prevent the left impact drive unit 10L and the right impact drive unit 10R from stopping due to overload from the left impact treatment element 6L and the right impact treatment element 6R, thus achieving both vibration damping of the case body 2 and avoidance of drive stoppage.

[0108] Preferably, a rail section 7 extending along the laying direction of the long groove 5 is provided inside the case body 2, and the striking device 6 moves vertically along the rail section 7 while advancing and retracting along the direction normal to the rail section 7.

[0109] According to this, by positioning the rail section 7 along the posterior and sole surfaces of the lower limb, the position of the treatment area can be changed while performing a striking massage on the treatment area with the striking therapist 6, making it possible to treat a wide area of ​​the lower limb at once.

[0110] Preferably, the drive unit has a left drive unit for driving the left striking treatment element 6L and a right drive unit for driving the right striking treatment element 6R, and the massage mechanism 4 has a holding unit 16 that holds the left drive unit and the right drive unit in an integrally connected state, and a moving drive unit 13 that moves the left striking treatment element 6L and the right striking treatment element 6R in the vertical direction while holding them in an integrally connected state by the holding unit 16.

[0111] According to this, since the left drive unit and the right drive unit are integrally connected by the holding unit 16, the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R can be moved together. For example, if an overload is applied to either the left massage unit 9L or the right massage unit 9R, the positions of the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R on the rail unit 7 may shift, but if the left drive unit and the right drive unit are integrally connected by the holding unit 16, the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R can be moved together.

[0112] Preferably, a rail section 7 extending along the laying direction of the long groove 5 is provided inside the case body 2, the striking element 6 moves vertically along the rail section 7, and the vibration damping mechanism 39 is provided between the drive unit and the rail section 7 to dampen the impact or vibration from the striking element 6.

[0113] According to this, a vibration damping mechanism 39 such as an anti-vibration mat can be used between the massage mechanism 4 equipped with a drive unit and the rail unit 7 (for example, between the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R and the base unit 14), thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the drive unit to the case body 2 and preventing vibrations of the case body 2.

[0114] The left long groove 5L and the right long groove 5R are formed to penetrate the inside of the case body 2 and the inside of the insertion recess 3 in the front-to-back or up-to-down direction. By forming the long grooves 5 to penetrate the case body 2 in the front-to-back direction in this way, it becomes possible to move the striking treatment element 6 forward and backward through the long grooves 5, and to perform striking massage on the treatment area using the striking treatment element 6.

[0115] The elongated groove 5 has a width in the left-right direction that allows the striking device 6 to enter and exit, and is formed to be about 5 mm to 15 mm wider than the left-right outer dimensions of the striking device 6. By forming the elongated groove 5 in such a way that the width allows the striking device 6 to enter and exit, that is, about 5 mm to 15 mm wider than the left-right outer dimensions of the striking device 6, the striking device 6 can enter and exit without obstruction, while preventing the heel or other body parts from getting caught between the edge of the elongated groove 5 and the striking device 6.

[0116] [Second Embodiment] Next, the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment will be described.

[0117] As shown in Figure 8, the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment uses rotational driving force generated by a single drive motor 25c (single drive motor) to perform percussive massage in the left massage section 9L and the right massage section 9R.

[0118] Specifically, unlike the first embodiment, the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment has a single drive motor 25c (central drive unit). The drive motor 25c is a biaxial motor positioned between the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R, and provides rotational driving force to both the left massage unit 9L and the right massage unit 9R. A left eccentric cam body 26L is integrally rotatably attached to the drive shaft of the drive motor 25c extending to the left, and a right eccentric cam body 26R is integrally rotatably attached to the drive shaft extending to the right. The mechanism from the left and right eccentric cam bodies 26L and 26R to the left and right striking therapists 6L and 6R in the second embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment. In other words, the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment performs striking massage with the left striking therapist 6L and the right striking therapist 6R by splitting and transmitting the rotational driving force generated by the central drive unit 25c to the left and right.

[0119] In addition, the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has a restricting member 40 (restricting mechanism) that connects the base body 14 and the left and right outer cylinders 29L and 29R in the left-right direction. The restricting member 40 has a left restricting member 40L that connects the left outer cylinder 29L and the base body 14, and a right restricting member 40R that connects the right outer cylinder 29R and the base body 14. Both the left restricting member 40L and the right restricting member 40R are made of sheet rubber and restrict the left outer cylinder 29L and the right outer cylinder 29R from rotating together with respect to the drive shaft 25a.

[0120] The impact drive unit 8 (drive unit) provided in the lower limb massage device 1 of the second embodiment includes a central drive unit 25c (drive motor 25c) that generates rotational driving force, a left drive unit (left massage unit 9L) that drives the left impact treatment element 6L using the rotational driving force generated by the central drive unit 25c, and a right drive unit (right massage unit 9R) that drives the right impact treatment element 6R using the rotational driving force generated by the central drive unit 25c. With this configuration, the left and right impact treatment elements 6 can be driven using the rotational driving force generated by a single central drive unit 25c, and even with a simple configuration of one drive motor, sufficient impact massage can be performed on the left and right treatment areas.

[0121] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. In particular, matters not explicitly disclosed in the embodiments disclosed herein, such as massage conditions, massage modes, parameters such as the intensity and speed of various massage movements, and the dimensions, weight, and volume of each component, do not deviate from what is normally practiced by those skilled in the art, and the values ​​adopted are those that can be easily anticipated by those skilled in the art.

[0122] In the embodiment described above, the massage device 1 for the lower limbs treated the left calf and left foot, as well as the right calf and right foot. However, the massage device 1 for the lower limbs of this disclosure may treat only the left side of the left lower limb, or only the right side of the lower limb. Furthermore, it may include not only the calf and foot, but also the thigh above the knee.

[0123] 1 Lower limb massage device 2 Case body 3 Insertion recess 3L Left insertion recess 3R Right insertion recess 3B Inner bottom surface 3Bc Middle part of inner bottom surface 3Bd Bottom part of inner bottom surface 3Bu Top part of inner bottom surface 3a Left side of inner bottom surface 3b Right side of inner bottom surface 4 Massage mechanism 5 Long groove 5L Left long groove 5R Right long groove 6 Striking treatment element 6L Left striking treatment element 6R Right striking treatment element 7 Rail section 7L Left rail section 7R Right rail section 8 Striking drive unit (drive unit) 9L Left massage section 9R Right massage section 10L Left striking drive unit 11 Moving mechanism 12 Travel gear (travel member) 13 Moving drive unit 14 Base body 15 Travel shaft 16 Slide shaft 17 Moving drive motor 17a 18 Drive shaft of the mobile drive motor 19 Rack section 19 Tip of the impact treatment device 20 Support section of the impact treatment device 21 Connecting shaft 21L Left connecting shaft 22 Spring body 22L Left spring body 23 Shaft insertion section 23L Left shaft insertion section 24L Left drive case 25L Left impact drive motor 25a Drive shaft of the impact drive motor 25c Single drive motor (central drive section) 26L Left eccentric cam body 27L Left camshaft 27a Insertion hole on the tip side of the camshaft 27b Insertion hole on the base side of the camshaft 28L Left inner cylinder body 29L Left outer cylinder body 30 Eccentric shaft 31L Left connecting pin 32 Inner cylinder insertion section 33L Base end recess 34L Tip recess 35L Protruding cylinder section 36L Shaft hole 37 Airbag 37D Lower airbag 37U Upper airbag 38 Air pump 39 Vibration damping mechanism 40 Regulating member L1 Distance U User ΔD Striking stroke

Claims

1. A lower limb massage device comprising: an insertion recess into which a user's lower limb can be inserted; a massage mechanism for massaging a treatment area on the user's lower limb inserted into the insertion recess; and a case body for holding the massage mechanism inside, wherein the inner bottom of the insertion recess is provided with a continuous elongated groove that runs vertically along the outer contour of the posterior surface of the lower limb, and the elongated groove is formed to penetrate the inside of the case body and the inside of the insertion recess; the massage mechanism has a striking treatment element that moves forward and backward into the insertion recess via the elongated groove and vibrates or strikes the treatment area; and the striking treatment element is configured to move vertically along the longitudinal direction of the elongated groove.

2. The lower limb massage device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion recess has a left insertion recess into which the user's left calf and left foot can be inserted, and a right insertion recess into which the user's right calf and right foot can be inserted; the long groove has a left long groove formed in the inner bottom of the left insertion recess and a right long groove formed in the inner bottom of the right insertion recess; and the striking therapist has a left striking therapist that moves to advance and reciprocate to the insertion recess via the left long groove and moves vertically along the longitudinal direction of the left long groove, and a right striking therapist that moves to advance and reciprocate to the insertion recess via the right long groove and moves vertically along the longitudinal direction of the right long groove.

3. The lower limb massage device according to claim 1, wherein the striking treatment element moves back and forth between an embedded position in which it is embedded in the inside of the long groove and a protruding position in which it is protruding outwards from the outside of the long groove.

4. The lower limb massage device according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration damping mechanism that suppresses vibration of the case body due to the advancement and retraction of the striking treatment element.

5. The lower limb massage device according to claim 4, wherein the massage mechanism has a drive unit that drives the striking element forward and backward, and the vibration damping mechanism has a spring body provided between the striking element and the drive unit that dampens the striking force or vibration force transmitted from the striking element to the drive unit.

6. The lower limb massage device according to claim 1, wherein a rail portion extending along the laying direction of the long groove is provided inside the case body, and the striking treatment element moves vertically along the rail portion while advancing and retracting along the direction normal to the rail portion.

7. The massage mechanism has a drive unit for driving the striking element forward and backward, the drive unit having a left drive unit for driving the left striking element and a right drive unit for driving the right striking element, the massage mechanism having a holding unit for holding the left drive unit and the right drive unit in an integrally connected state, and a moving drive unit for moving the left striking element and the right striking element in the vertical direction while holding them in an integrally connected state by the holding unit, the lower limb massage device according to claim 2.

8. The lower limb massage device according to claim 4, wherein a rail section extending along the laying direction of the long groove is provided inside the case body, the striking treatment element moves vertically along the rail section, and the vibration damping mechanism is provided between the drive unit and the rail section to dampen the striking force or vibration force from the striking treatment element.

9. The massage mechanism has a drive unit for moving the striking element forward and backward, the drive unit comprising: a single drive motor for generating rotational driving force; a left drive unit for driving the left striking element using the rotational driving force generated by the single drive motor; and a right drive unit for driving the right striking element using the rotational driving force generated by the single drive motor, as described in claim 2.

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