Patent Publication Number: US-2018042805-A1

Title: Etherneye massager

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 105125453, filed on Aug. 10, 2016. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a massage apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an eye massager. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With increasing dependency and time spent on electronic products, people&#39;s vision problems have gradually worsened. In order to adjust, for example, a pupillary distance between the eye balls and correct vision problems generated from abnormal diopter of cornea, wearing a pair of glasses is the most common way to solve such problems. Nevertheless, although vision may be restored through wearing the glasses and lenses, it is a rather negative way of visual correction, and fatigue and stress felt by the user generated from the eye balls themselves are yet to be improved. 
     In existing technologies, a type of massager is developed, in which positive and negative pressures are alternatively exchanged for performing pressure suction to the eye balls for achieving eye relaxation, so as to massage and treat the pupillary distance between the eye balls. Nevertheless, in practical use, a motor is rotated to drive a control disk, and then a turning shaft detent actuator on one side of the control disk actuates back and forth, such that the positive and the negative pressures are generated in the massager. Consequently, through adopting such an indirect motor convex wheel operating mechanism, a structure of the massager become complex, and an overall volume of the massager is considerably increased. On the other hand, pressure detection is further required to rotate the motor; and since a pressure detection element and a motor have to be disposed, overall complexity of the elements and manufacturing costs of the foregoing vision massager are increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides an eye massager which is able to more effectively massage and relax the eyes of a user. 
     An eye massager of the embodiments of the invention is adapted to massage eyes of a user. The eye massager includes a case, a flexible light transmissive film, and a pressure controller. The case includes an accommodation space and a pressure control space. The flexible light transmissive film is disposed in the case, and the flexible light transmissive film covers part of the case to form the pressure control space. The pressure controller is disposed in the accommodation space, and the pressure controller is adapted to detect and adjust a magnitude of a pressure in the pressure control space. When the case covers the eyes of the user, a sealed space is formed among the case, the flexible light transmissive film, and the eyes of the user. Moreover, a size of the pressure control space may compress or extract the sealed space. When the pressure controller lowers the pressure in the pressure control space, the flexible light transmissive film depresses towards the pressure control space, a volume of the sealed space is increased, and the eyes of the user are thus sucked towards the sealed space. When the pressure controller fills gas into the pressure control space, the flexible light transmissive film protrudes towards the sealed space and presses the eyes of the user, and then the pressure control space compresses the sealed space and the eyes of the user. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the eye massager further includes an elastic protection frame surrounding one end of the case. The elastic protection frame is adapted to be in contact with and surround around the eyes of the user, and the sealed space is thus formed. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the eye massager further includes a light emitting element. The light emitting element is disposed in the accommodation space, and a light beam emitted by the light emitting element is adapted to pass through the flexible light transmissive film. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the eye massager further includes a processor connected to the pressure controller. The processor sends a control signal to the pressure controller according to the magnitude of the pressure detected by the pressure controller and thus further adjusts the pressure in the pressure control space. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, when the eye massager covers the eyes of the user, the flexible light transmissive film is located between the case and the eyes of the user. 
     To sum up, the eye massager of the embodiments of the invention is adapted to extract gas from or fill gas into the pressure control space through the pressure controller and simultaneously detects the pressure in the pressure control space, so as to instantaneously determine operations of the pressure controller according to the pressure in the pressure control space and thus effectively massage the eyes of the user. 
     To make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with drawings are described in detail as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an eye massager according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  to  FIG. 2C  are schematic cross-sectional views of an eye massager according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of an eye massager according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention provides an eye massager which is able to more effectively massage eyes of a user. Referring to  FIG. 1 , in the first embodiment of the invention, an eye massager  100  includes a case  110 , flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140 , and pressure controllers  130  and  150 . The case  110  includes an accommodation space  112  and pressure control spaces  113  and  115 . Moreover, the pressure controllers  130  and  150  and light emitting elements  170  and  172  are disposed in the accommodation space  112 , the flexible light transmissive film  120  is disposed in the pressure control space  113 , and the flexible light transmissive film  140  is disposed in the pressure control space  115 . 
     In the present embodiment, the flexible light transmissive film  120  is disposed on one side of the pressure control space  113  adjacent to a user  50  such that the pressure control space  113  is formed, and the flexible light transmissive film  140  is disposed on one side of the pressure control space  115  adjacent to the user  50  such that the pressure control space  115  is formed. The pressure controller  130  is configured to detect a magnitude of a pressure in the pressure control space  113  and controls the magnitude of the pressure through extracting gas from or pumping gas into the pressure control space  113 . A pressure in the pressure control space  115  is adjusted and detected by the pressure controller  150 . 
     When the case  110  covers eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , a sealed space Si is formed between the case  110  and the eye  52 , and moreover, the flexible light transmissive film  120  is adjacent to the eye  52 , such that a size of the pressure control space  113  may compress or extract the sealed space S 1 . Simultaneously, a sealed space S 2  is formed between the case  110  and the eye  54 , such that a size of the pressure control space  115  may compress or extract the sealed space S 2 , and the flexible light transmissive film  140  is adjacent to the eye  54 . When the pressure controllers  130  and  150  lower the pressures in the pressure control spaces S 1  and S 2 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  depress towards the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 , volumes of the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  are thereby increased, and the eyes of the user  50  are sucked towards the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2 . When the pressure controllers  130  and  150  increase the pressures in the pressure control spaces S 1  and S 2 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  protrude towards the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  and further press the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , as such, the pressure control spaces  113  and  115  compress the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  and the eyes  52  and  54 . 
     Specifically,  FIG. 2A  to  FIG. 2C  are schematic cross-sectional views of an eye massager according to the first embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2A , in the first embodiment of the invention, the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  are disposed in the case  110 . The flexible light transmissive film  120  covers part of the case  110  to form the pressure control space  113 , and the flexible light transmissive film  140  covers part of the case  110  to faun the pressure control space  115 . The pressure controllers  130  and  150  are disposed in the accommodation space  112  of the case  110 . 
     In other words, the flexible light transmissive film  120  seals one end of the pressure control space  113 , and the amount of gas in the pressure control space  113  is changed by the pressure controller  130 . The flexible light transmissive film  140  seals one end of the pressure controller  150 , and the amount of gas in the pressure control space  115  is changed by the pressure controller  150 . 
     When the case  110  of the present embodiment covers the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  are respectively formed among the case  110 , the flexible light transmissive film  120 , and the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2B , when the pressure controllers  130  and  150  respectively fill gas into the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  respectively protrude towards the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  and thus press the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 . In other words, when the pressure controllers  130  and  150  fill gas into the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  sealing the pressure control spaces  113  and  115  protrude and press the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2C , when the pressure controller  130  lowers the pressure in the pressure control space  113 , the flexible light transmissive film  120  depresses towards the pressure control space  113 , and that the volume of the sealed space S 1  is increased. In the pressure controller  150 , the flexible light transmissive film  140  depresses towards the pressure control space  115  through lowering the pressure in the pressure control space  115  such that the volume of the sealed space S 2  is increased. As the volume of the sealed space S 1  increases, the pressure in the sealed space S 1  is lowered relatively such that the eye  52  of the user  50  is sucked towards the pressure control space  113 . Simultaneously, the pressure in the sealed space S 2  is lowered owing to volume increase as well, and the eye  54  of the user  50  is thereby sucked. 
     Therefore, in the present embodiment, the eye massager  100  may adjust the magnitudes of the pressures back and forth to massage the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50  through the pressure controllers  130  and  150 . Since the pressure controllers  130  and  150  of the eye massager  100  can simultaneously adjust and detect the pressures in the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 , how the pressure controllers  130  and  150  adjust the pressures may be determined more effectively according to the magnitudes of the pressures. On the other hand, the pressure controllers  130  and  150  may be directly disposed in the accommodation space  112  of the case  110 , an overall volume of the eye massager  100  can thus be reduced. 
     In other words, when the eye massager  100  covers the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  are located between the case  110  and the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 . As such, pressures around the eyes of the user  50  can change along with bending of the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140 . 
     Specifically, the foregoing eye massager  100  further includes a processor  200  connected to the pressure controllers  130  and  150 . The processor  200  sends a control signal to the pressure controllers  130  and  150  according to the magnitudes of the pressures detected by the pressure controllers  130  and  150 , thereby adjusting the pressures in the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 . 
     For instance, the processor  200 , for example, may determine a maximum value of pressure during gas filling according to a pressure change when the pressure controllers  130  and  150  fill gas into the pressure control spaces  113  and  115  or may determine a minimum value of pressure during gas extraction according to a pressure change when the pressure controllers  130  and  150  extract gas from the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 . 
     The pressure controllers  130  and  150  of the present embodiment are a type of pressure transducers. For instance, the pressure controllers  130  and  150 , for example, are pressure transducers suitable for biomedical science, meteorology, and other areas. A core of such pressure transducer is a pressure transducer chip technically processed using the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The pressure transducer chip is formed by an elastic membrane and four electrical resistances integrated on the membrane. The four electrical resistances, for example, may be formed by piezoelectric materials, and thus the Wheatstone bridge structure is formed. As such, when a pressure is applied onto the elastic membrane, the bridge generates a voltage output signal in linear proportion to the pressure applied. Therefore, the overall volume of the eye massager  100  can be significantly reduced. 
     The pressure controllers of the embodiments of the invention are not limited to the foregoing arrangement. In other embodiments of the invention, the pressure controllers may further include a gas pump motor or a vacuum motor suitable for controlling gas flowing in and out of the pressure control space. The invention is not limited thereto. 
     On the other hand, a material of the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  provided by the first embodiment of the invention is, for example, silicone. As such, the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  are suitable for being in contact with the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , and that the user  50  will not feel uncomfortable when being massaged. 
     The eye massager  100  of the present embodiment further includes elastic protection frames  160  and  162  surrounding one end of the case  110 . The elastic protection frames  160  and  162  are adapted to be in contact with and surround around the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 , and the sealed spaces Si and S 2  are thus formed. Specifically, the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  of the present embodiment protrude from portions of the case  110  forming the pressure control spaces  113  and  115 . Moreover, a material of the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  is, for example, silicone. As such, when the user  50  wears the eye massager  100 , the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  may lean against the skin around the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50 . The elasticity of the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  may further ensure that the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2  are sealed, and that the pressure control spaces  113  and  115  may effectively drive the volumes and sizes of the sealed spaces S 1  and S 2 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of an eye massager according to the first embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , in the present embodiment, the eye massager  100  may further includes a head band  60 . The head band  60  is suitable for being in contact with the head of the user  50 , such that the case  110  and the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  of the eye massager  100  may properly press the eyes  52  and  54  of the user  50  and to further control a pressure around the eyes  52  and  54  through the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140 . On the other hand, the eye massager  100  of the present embodiment may be used more conveniently when a gas pipeline and an electrical connecting circuit are both disposed in the case  110 . But the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the invention, the eye massager may also be connected to external electronic elements through additional gas pipelines and electrical connecting circuits. 
     On the other hand, the elastic protection frame  160  is fixed and connected to the flexible light transmissive film  120  and the case  110 , and the elastic protection frame  162  is fixed and connected to the flexible light transmissive film  140  and the case  110 . In other words, since the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  are sleeved on the case  110 , the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140  may respectively be sandwiched between the elastic protection frames  160  and  162  and the case  110 . 
     The eye massager  100  of the present embodiment further includes light emitting elements  170  and  172 . The light emitting elements  170  and  172  are disposed in the accommodation space  112 , and a light beam L emitted by the light emitting elements  170  and  172  is adapted to pass through the flexible light transmissive films  120  and  140 . As such, when the user  50  wears the eye massager  100 , the eyes  52  and  54  can both receive the light beam L. 
     Specifically, the light beam emitted by the light emitting elements  170  and  172 , for example, is a green light beam with a wavelength ranges between  495  nanometers and  570  nanometers. Therefore, the eye massager  100  of the present embodiment may massage the eyes  52  and  54 , and that a stress felt by the user  50  is released simultaneously. 
     In view of the foregoing, in the embodiments of the invention, the pressure controllers may be directly disposed in the case of the eye massager, and the flexible light transmissive films are adapted to cover the eyes of the user to form the sealed spaces. When the pressure controllers extract gas from or fill gas into the pressure control spaces, the pressure controllers can simultaneously detect the pressures in the pressure control spaces and thus drive the flexible light transmissive films to protrude or depress, and that the eyes of the user are effectively massaged. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.