Patent Publication Number: US-2017360651-A1

Title: Massage unit and massage machine

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese patent application Serial No. 2016-119811, filed Jun. 16, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a massage unit and a massage machine. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In JP 2002-159549A (patent document 1), there is disclosed a massage machine which can significantly change a protruding amount of a massage ball in a conventional massage machine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a massage unit includes: 
     a massage element; 
     a forward-backward axis forming a swinging fulcrum point for moving the massage element toward a body of a person to be treated; and 
     an up-and-down axis provided so as to extend in a width direction thereof for moving the massage unit up and down, 
     wherein the forward-backward axis is formed in parallel with the up-and-down axis and provided nearer to the side of the body of the person to be treated than the up-and-down axis. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a massage machine includes: 
     the massage unit defined by claim  1 ; and 
     an up-and-down motor interlocked and coupled with the up-and-down axis and elevating the massage unit along a body supporting portion for the person to be treated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a configuration of a massage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a partial cutout showing a structure of a backrest portion of the massage machine. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing one example of a configuration of a massage unit. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a structure of the massage unit. 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic view showing the one example of the outline of the structure of the massage unit. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a state that a massage ball unit mechanism protrudes from the massage unit of the massage machine according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is another schematic view showing the one example of the outline of the state that the massage ball unit mechanism protrudes from the massage unit of the massage machine according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a state that a massage ball unit mechanism protrudes from a conventional massage unit. 
         FIG. 9  is another schematic view showing the one example of the outline of the state that the massage ball unit mechanism protrudes from the conventional massage unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference the same objects or the equivalent objects and description for the same objects or the equivalent objects is not repeated. For ease of explanation, configurations are shown in the drawings referenced in the following description in a simplified or schematized manner and/or some of configuration members are omitted in the drawings. Further, a dimensional ratio among the configuration members shown in each drawing does not necessarily indicate an actual dimensional ratio. 
     Aspect of Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a configuration of a massage machine  100  according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the massage machine  100  according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a seat portion  200 , a backrest portion  300 , a base portion  400 , arm treating portions  500 , an operation part  800 , a stand  850  and leg placing portions  900 . 
     In this regard, in the following description for the massage machine  100 , the side on which the backrest portion  300  is formed on the seat portion  200  is assumed as a back side (BACK), the side opposed to the back side (BACK) is assumed as a front side (FRONT), each of a left side (LEFT) and a right side (RIGHT) is assumed and each of an upside (UP) and a down side (DOWN) is assumed as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the backrest portion  300  of the massage machine  100  is formed so that the backrest portion  300  can support a shoulder, a waist and a back of the person to be treated and can be erected and tilted in the front-back direction. Further, massage elements (a pair of massage balls)  350  (see  FIG. 2 ) are provided in the backrest portion  300  so that the massage elements  350  can be moved in the up-and-down direction along guide rails  311  (see  FIG. 2 ). The massage elements  350  are constituted of the pair of massage balls  350  so as to be capable of performing a variety of treatment operations such as a kneading operation, a beating operation and a rolling operation. 
     One or more expansion and contraction bags (air treatment portions) (not shown in the drawings) which can repeatedly expand are provided in the seat portion  200  and a hip of the person to be treated is supported and treated by the expansion and contraction bags. Further, the leg placing portions  900  are pivotally supported at front ends of the seat portion  200  and the base portion  400  and provided so that each leg placing portions  900  itself can be pivotally moved. One or more expansion and contraction bags (not shown in the drawings) which can repeatedly expand are provided in the leg placing portions  900  and legs of the person to be treated are treated by the expansion and contraction bags. 
     Further, the arm treatment portions  500  are respectively provided to stand on the left and right sides on the seat portion  200  shown in  FIG. 1 . One or more expansion and contraction bags (not shown in the drawings) which can repeatedly expand are provided in each of the arm treatment portions  500  and arms of the person to be treated are supported and treated by the expansion and contraction bags. 
     Next,  FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a partial cutout showing a structure of the backrest portion  300  of the massage machine  100 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pair of guide rails  311  and an up-and-down rack  734  of an up-and-down rack and pinion mechanism  733  (see  FIG. 3 ) are provided in the backrest portion  300  of the massage machine  100 . The massage unit  700  moves along the guide rails  311 . Further, an up-and-down pinion  735  (see  FIG. 3 ), which can mesh with the up-and-down rack  734  of the up-and-down rack and pinion mechanism  733 , is provided in the massage unit  700 . 
     Further, a cover member  320  made of a cloth member is provided at a portion of the backrest portion  300  to which the back of the person to be treated contacts, specifically, a portion of the backrest portion  300  to which the person to be treated reclines. The cover member  320  is a member for blocking an opening portion formed in an area in which the pair of massage elements  350  can move and preventing a part of the body of the person to be treated from moving toward the side of the pair of massage elements  350  through the opening portion. 
     In this embodiment, a surface of the cover member  320  is formed from a fibrous material such as velour. Further a rear surface of the cover member  320  is formed from a polyamide resin. In this regard, although description is given to the above material for the cover member  320  in this embodiment, the cover member  320  is not limited thereto. For example, the cover member  320  may be formed from leather, artificial leather, a variety of other synthetic resin, a fibrous material, a composite material of them and the like. 
     In this regard, although description for this matter is omitted in this embodiment, it may be possible to prevent the back of the person to be treated from moving into the opening portion with not only the cover member  320  but also a supporting belt which can support the back of the person to be treated and the like. 
     Next, description will be given to a massage unit  700  and then description will be given to a protruding amount of the pair of massage elements  350  protruding from the massage unit  700 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing one example of a configuration of the massage unit  700 . Each of  FIGS. 4 and 5  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a structure of the massage unit  700 . In this regard, although the massage unit  700  is exemplified in this embodiment, the massage unit  700  is not limited thereto. The massage unit  700  may not be unitized. 
     The massage unit  700  shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5  mainly has the pair of massage elements  350 , a forward-backward mechanism  720 , an up-and-down mechanism  730 , a beating mechanism  740  and a kneading mechanism  750 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the massage unit  700  operates according to an instruction from a control part  600  corresponding to an operation of the person to be treated with respect to the operation part  800 . Thus, the control part  600  controls each of operations of a forward-backward motor  721  of the forward-backward mechanism  720 , an up-and-down motor  731  of the up-and-down mechanism  730 , a beating motor  741  of the beating mechanism  740  and a kneading motor  751  of the kneading mechanism  750 . As a result, each mechanism drives and the pair of massage elements  350  provide a massage to the person to be treated. In this regard, although the massage unit  700  of the seat-type massage machine  100  according to this embodiment has a width adjusting mechanism, description for the width adjusting mechanism is omitted from the description for the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , a part of the forward-backward mechanism  720 , the up-and-down mechanism  730  and the massage ball unit mechanism  770  are provided in the massage unit  700 . Another part of the forward-backward mechanism  720 , the beating mechanism  740  and the kneading mechanism  750  are provided in the massage ball unit mechanism  770 . 
     (Forward-Backward Mechanism  720 ) 
     Next, description will be given to each mechanism. First, the forward-backward mechanism  720  is described. As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the forward-backward mechanism  720  includes the forward-backward motor  721 , a forward-backward axis  722  and a forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723 . The forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723  contains a forward-backward rack  724  and a forward-backward pinion  725 . 
     The forward-backward rack  724  of the forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723  of the forward-backward mechanism  720  is provided on the side of an upper portion of the massage ball unit mechanism  770  and the forward-backward pinion  725  is provided on the side of the massage unit  700 . Further, the forward-backward axis  722  is provided on a lower end side of the massage unit  700  and a lower end side of the massage ball unit mechanism  770 . 
     As a result, when the forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723  drives around the forward-backward axis  722  as a rotational axis, the massage ball unit mechanism  770  protrudes with respect to the massage unit  700 . Further, as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , both end sides of the forward-backward axis  722  are pivotally supported by an inclusion preventive plate  790  of the cover member  320 . 
     (Up-and-Down Mechanism  730 ) 
     Next, the up-and-down mechanism  730  has the up-and-down motor  731  and an up-and-down axis  732 . When the up-and-down motor  731  normally rotates, the up-and-down axis  732  rotates and the rotation is transferred to a pinion gear and a rack (not shown in the drawings), and thereby the massage unit  700  moves in the upper direction. Further, when the up-and-down motor  731  inversely rotates, the up-and-down axis  732  rotates and the rotation is transferred to the up-and-down pinion  735  of the up-and-down rack and pinion mechanism  733 , and thereby the massage unit  700  moves in the lower direction. As a result, it is possible to move the pair of massage elements  350  in one direction of the upper and lower directions. Thus, by moving the pair of massage elements  350  in the upper direction, it is possible to massage an upper portion of the back of the person to be treated and by moving the pair of massage elements  350  in the lower direction, it is possible to massage a lower portion of the back or a waist portion of the person to be treated. 
     (Beating Mechanism  740 ) 
     Next, the beating mechanism  740  includes the beating motor  741 , a beating drive worm  742 , a beating drive worm wheel  743 , a beating rotational axis  744  and beating eccentric axes  745 . 
     In the beating mechanism  740 , the beating rotational axis  744  extending in a left-right width direction is pivotally attached in the massage ball unit mechanism  770 . The beating drive worm wheel  743  is attached on the side of an end portion of the beating rotational axis  744 . The beating drive worm  742  is provided so as to mesh with the beating drive worm wheel  743 . Further, the beating eccentricity axes  745  are respectively provided on both end portions of the beating rotational axis  744  in a state that the beating eccentric axes  745  are eccentric with respect to an axial core of the beating rotational axis  744 . 
     As a result, when the beating motor  741  drives, the beating worm drive  742  rotates. When the beating drive worm  742  rotates, the beating drive worm wheel  743  is moved. The beating drive worm wheel  743  performs an eccentric operation due to the beating eccentric axes  745  and the beating rotational axis  744 . As a result, the pair of massage elements  350  perform the beating operation. 
     (Kneading Mechanism  750 ) 
     The kneading mechanism  750  has the kneading motor  751 , a kneading eccentrically and pivotally moving body  752  and a supporting axis  753 . As a result, when the kneading motor  751  drives, the pair of massage elements  350  eccentrically and pivotally move in the front-back direction due to the kneading eccentrically and pivotally moving body  752  provided at the supporting axis  753  to perform the kneading operation. As a result, the pair of massage elements during the kneading operation is eccentrically and pivotally moved in the front-back direction, thus the kneading operation contains all of a movement in the up-down direction, a movement in the front-back direction and a movement in the left-right direction, and thereby an abutting angle of the massage elements (the massage balls) with respect to the body also changes. In this regard, in this embodiment, description for a kneading drive worm wheel, a kneading drive worm, a kneading drive pulley, a kneading following pulley and a transmission belt is omitted. 
     (Pair of Massage Elements) 
     The pair of massage elements  350  are attached in a sloped state that upper end portions of a pair of left-right massage ball arm supporting bodies are directed toward an outward direction at left-right end portions of a kneading axis. Further, tip end portions of interlocking arms are respectively interlocked and coupled to back portions of the massage ball arm supporting bodies to attach base end portions of the interlocking arms to a beating eccentric axis. Further, the base end portions of the massage ball supporting arms are attached to front side upper portions of the massage ball arm supporting bodies and the pair of massage elements (massage balls)  350  are pivotally attached to tip end portions of the massage ball supporting arms. In this regard, in this embodiment, although the pair of massage elements  350  are constituted of two massage elements, the present invention is not limited thereto. The technic of the present invention can be applied to any number of massage elements such as one massage element, three massages elements, four massage elements, five massage elements, six massage elements and the like. 
     (Protruding amount due to a relationship between the forward-backward axis and the up-and-down axis) 
     Subsequently, description will be given to a relationship between the forward-backward axis and a protruding amount of the pair of massage elements and a relationship between the forward-backward axis and a protruding amount in a state that the forward-backward axis and the up-and-down axis are commonly used in this embodiment. 
     Each of  FIGS. 6 and 7  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a state that the massage ball unit mechanism  770  protrudes from the massage unit  700  of the massage machine  100  according to this embodiment. Each of  FIGS. 8 and 9  is a schematic view showing one example of an outline of a state that the massage ball unit mechanism  770  protrudes from a conventional massage unit  999 . Each of  FIGS. 6 and 8  shows the state that the massage unit mechanism  770  protrudes from the massage unit  700  or the massage unit  999  and each of  FIGS. 7 and 9  shows a state that the massage ball unit mechanism  770  is contained in the massage unit  700  or the massage unit  999 . 
     First, in the conventional massage unit  999 , the up-and-down axis  732  and the forward-backward axis  722  are provided in a state that the up-and-down axis  732  and the forward-backward axis  722  are commonly used as an axis on the lower side of the massage ball unit mechanism  770  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 8 , a distance from an upper end portion of the conventional massage unit  999  to the up-and-down axis  732  and the forward-backward axis  722  is a distance R 2 . Thus, the massage ball unit mechanism  770  pivotally moves in a direction of an arrowed line M 2  around the up-and-down axis  732  and the forward-backward axis  722  due to the forward-backward motor  721  and the forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723 . As a result, it is possible to obtain a protruding amount AP 2  from the massage ball unit mechanism  770  to the pair of massage elements  350 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in the massage unit  700  of the massage machine  100  according to this embodiment, the forward-backward axis  722  is provided on the front (FRONT) side and the lower (DOWN) side than the up-and-down axis  732  of the massage unit  700 . Namely, the forward-backward axis  722  is provided at a position nearer to the side of the back of the person to be treated. 
     Since the forward-backward axis  722  is provided at the position differing from the up-and-down axis  732  on the front (FRONT) side and the lower (DOWN) side in this embodiment, a distance from the upper end portion of the massage unit  700  to the forward-backward axis  722  can be a distance R 1  (R 1 &gt;R 2 ) as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus, the massage ball unit mechanism  770  pivotally moves in a direction of an arrowed line M 1  around the up-and-down axis  732  and the forward-backward axis  722  due to the forward-backward motor  721  and the forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723 . As a result, it is possible to obtain a protruding amount AP 1  (AP 1 &gt;AP 2 ) from the massage ball unit mechanism  770  to the pair of massage elements  350 . Here, it is possible to make the protruding amount AP 1  a value larger than the protruding amount AP 2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the protruding amount AP 1  of the pair of massage elements  350  is larger than the protruding amount AP 2 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 7 , since the forward-backward axis  722  is pivotally supported by the inclusion preventive plate  790  which is conventionally provided, it is possible to prevent an increase in cost. 
     As described above, since the forward-backward axis  722  according to this embodiment is formed in parallel with the up-and-down axis  732  and provided nearer to the side of the body of the person to be treated than the up-and-down axis  732 , it is possible to largely protrude the pair of massage elements  350  to the side of the body (the back) of the person to be treated. 
     Further, it is possible to pivotally support the forward-backward axis  722  with the inclusion preventive plate  790  which is used for preventing the inclusion of the cover member  320  when the massage unit  700  moves. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in cost. 
     Further, since the massage unit  700  can include the beating mechanism  740  and the kneading mechanism  750  and increase the protruding amount AP 1  (&gt;the protruding amount AP 2 ), it is possible to efficiently provide a more desirable massage to the person to be treated. 
     (Correspondence Relationships among each Portion in the Embodiment and each Constituent Element in the Claims) 
     In the present invention, the massage machine  100  corresponds to “a massage machine”, the pair of massage elements  350  correspond to “a massage element and a pair of massage elements”, the forward-backward axis  722  corresponds to “a forward-backward axis”, the up-and-down axis  732  corresponds to “an up-and-down axis”, the massage unit  700  corresponds to “a massage unit”, the distance R 1  corresponds to “a distance from the forward-backward axis to an uppermost end portions of a housing of the massage unit”, the distance R 2  corresponds to “a distance from the up-and-down axis to the uppermost end portions of the housing of the massage unit”, the inclusion preventive plate  790  corresponds to “a member”, the seat portion  200  and/or the backrest portion  300  corresponds to “a body supporting portion”, the beating mechanism  740  corresponds to “a beating mechanism”, the kneading mechanism  750  corresponds to “a kneading mechanism”, the massage ball unit mechanism  770  corresponds to “a unit mechanism”, the lower side of the massage ball unit mechanism  770  corresponds to “one end side of the unit mechanism”, the upper side of the massage ball unit mechanism  770  corresponds to “the other end side of the unit mechanism”, the forward-backward rack and pinion mechanism  723  corresponds to “a rack and pinion mechanism”, the forward-backward motor  721  corresponds to “a forward-backward motor” and the up-and-down motor  731  corresponds to “an up-and-down motor”. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. It would be understood that a variety of embodiments can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the functions and effects provided by the configuration of the present invention have been described in this embodiment, these functions and effects are merely one example and do not limit the present invention. 
     In the massage machine described in the patent document 1, an effect that a protruding amount of a massage ball can be significantly changed is provided. 
     As described above, in the patent document 1, it is possible to appropriately increase the protruding amount of the massage ball. However, it is required by the person to be treated that the protruding amount of the massage ball is further increased. However, it is difficult to further increase the protruding amount of the massage ball for the reason on the structure of the massage unit. 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a massage unit and a massage machine which can increase the protruding amount of the massage ball. 
     (1) A massage unit according to one aspect, comprises a massage element; a forward-backward axis forming a swinging fulcrum point for moving the massage element forward or backward toward a body of a person to be treated; and an up-and-down axis provided so as to extend in a width direction thereof for moving the massage unit up and down, wherein the forward-backward axis is formed in parallel with the up-and-down axis and provided nearer to the side of the body of the person to be treated than the up-and-down axis. 
     In this case, since the forward-backward axis is formed in parallel with the up-and-down axis and provided nearer to the side of the body (the back) of the person to be treated than the up-and-down axis, it is possible to largely protrude the massage element toward the body (the back) of the person to be treated. Further, it is preferred that the forward-backward axis is provided on the lower side than the up-and-down axis. 
     (2) A massage unit according to a second present invention according to the massage unit of the one aspect, wherein a distance from the forward-backward axis to an uppermost end portion of a housing of the massage unit may be formed so as to be equal to or more than a distance from the up-and-down axis to the uppermost end portion of the housing of the massage unit. 
     In this case, since the distance from the forward-backward axis to the uppermost end portion of the housing of the massage unit is formed so as to be equal to or more than the distance from the up-and-down axis to the uppermost end portion of the housing of the massage unit, it is possible to increase a protruding amount of the massage element from the massage unit compared with the case where the up-and-down axis and the forward-backward axis are integrally provided. As a result, it is possible to allow the massage element to strongly contact with the back of the person to be treated. 
     (3) A massage unit according to a third present invention according to the massage unit of the one aspect or the second present invention, further comprises a member provided at an axis supporting portion pivotally supporting the up-and-down axis, and wherein both end sides of the forward-backward axis in a width direction thereof may be pivotally supported by the member. 
     In this case, it is possible to pivotally support the up-and-down axis with the member integrally provided at or attached to the axis supporting portion. The member may be a frame additionally having a function of preventing inclusion, for example. Conventionally, a preventive cover for preventing inclusion of a cloth at the time of moving the massage unit is provided. Thus, by pivotally supporting the forward-backward axis with the inclusion preventive cover, it is possible to reduce a cost required for providing a bearing constituted of a new member. 
     (4) A massage unit according to a fourth present invention according to the massage units of the one aspect to the third present invention, further comprises a unit mechanism including: a pair of massage elements providing a massage to the person to be treated, a beating mechanism allowing the pair of massage elements to perform a beating drive on the person to be treated, and a kneading mechanism allowing the pair of massage elements to perform a kneading drive on the person to be treated, and wherein a lower side (one end side) of the unit mechanism is pivotally supported by the forward-backward axis, and wherein a rack and pinion mechanism and a forward-backward motor are formed on an upper side (other end side) of the unit mechanism, and the unit mechanism may be swung by the forward-backward axis. 
     In this case, the pair of massage elements can beat the back of the person to be treated with the beating mechanism. Further, the pair of massage elements can perform an eccentric operation with the kneading mechanism to knead the back of the person to be treated. Furthermore, the one end portion of the unit mechanism is pivotally supported by the forward-backward axis and it is possible to protrude the unit mechanism with the rack and pinion structure. As a result, it is possible to largely protrude the unit mechanism itself around not the up-and-down axis but the forward-backward axis as an axis, thereby efficiently providing a massage to the person to be treated with the beating mechanism and the kneading mechanism. 
     (5) A massage machine according to another aspect comprises the massage unit defined by any one of claims  1  to  4 ; and an up-and-down motor interlocked and coupled with the up-and-down axis and elevating the massage unit along a body supporting portion for the person to be treated. 
     In this case, it is possible to elevate the massage unit in the massage machine including a seat portion and a backrest portion. Further, it is possible to increase the protruding amount of the pair of massage elements from the massage unit.