Patent Publication Number: US-2023157923-A1

Title: Negative pressure massage apparatus and method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure is related to a negative pressure massage apparatus, in particular to a negative pressure massage apparatus that includes two solenoid valves and has multiple modes. 
     Description of Related Art 
     In recent years, under a highly industrialized and informatized society, people generally lack exercise. For example, using a computer to go to work, watching TV, playing video games, flying on an airplane and other occasions, they all maintain a long sitting posture, forming a bad posture. In people&#39;s daily life, the muscles of the head, neck, shoulders, chest, buttocks, or abdomen are in a state of tension, which leads to tension headaches, which makes the neck and shoulders feel pain, and also hinders the smoothness of the brain. The blood circulation makes people often feel tired and unable to concentrate. 
     In today&#39;s society, people often face various challenges and great spiritual pressures, so that timely release of pressure becomes an important part of life, which may not only effectively change the mood at work, but also continue to accept more challenges in the future. Many people use massage to achieve physical and spiritual relaxation. Massage may increase the temperature of skin and accelerate blood circulation, so that the blood vessels in body may dilate to achieve a soothing effect on the body and mind, and it may promote metabolism and blood circulation in the body. And blood circulation will get better and better. 
     With the faster and faster pace of life, modern people often do not have enough time to exercise to relax their minds and bodies, or accumulate a lot of stress that needs to be relieved. In order to allow people to relax and rest in some limited free time, many kinds of massage and pressure relief devices, such as negative pressure massage apparatus, have appeared on the market. A related art negative pressure massage apparatus includes a main unit, a hose, and a vacuum cup. Two ends of the hose are connected to the main unit and the vacuum cup respectively. A user may control the vacuum cup through the main unit to pump or exhaust on skin surface, so as to achieve an effect of massage and relaxation. 
     However, the related art negative pressure massage apparatus only has a simple pumping or exhausting function. Due to the different physiological structures and organ positions of various parts of the human body, general negative pressure massage apparatus is not only difficult to optimally adapt to the massage state of each part of the human body, but also difficult to adapt to different objects to be massaged. (e.g., elders and children, boys and girls, etc.). It not only causes troubles in operation, but also increases a cost of manufacturing equipment and massage. 
     Therefore, how to design a negative pressure massage apparatus and a method thereof, in particular to solve the aforementioned technical problems of the prior art, is an important subject studied by the inventor of the present disclosure. 
     SUMMARY 
     A purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a negative pressure massage apparatus, which solves a technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to best fit a massage state of various parts of a human body or an object being massaged. To achieve a purpose of saving costs and improving efficiency. 
     In order to achieve the purpose of the present disclosure, the negative pressure massage apparatus includes a vacuum pump, a first solenoid valve, a second solenoid valve, and a control board. The vacuum pump generates a negative pressure outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. The first solenoid valve is connected to the vacuum pump, and the first solenoid valve is used to control a gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to a first flow rate. The second solenoid valve is connected to the vacuum pump and the first solenoid valve, and the second solenoid valve is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to a second flow rate. The control board is connected to the vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve. The control board is used to activate or stop at least one of the vacuum pumps, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve. 
     Further, in the negative pressure massage apparatus, the first flow rate is less than or equal to the second flow rate. 
     Further, the negative pressure massage apparatus further includes a communication pipe connected to the vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve, the second solenoid valve, and outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     Further, the negative pressure massage apparatus further includes a negative pressure cup connected to the communication pipe outside the negative pressure massage apparatus, and the negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure cup. 
     Further, in the negative pressure massage apparatus, the control board includes a control unit, the control unit is connected to the vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve. The control unit is used to activate or stop at least one of the vacuum pumps, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve. 
     Further, in the negative pressure massage apparatus, the control board further includes a storage unit connected to the control unit, and the storage unit stores a control parameter, the control unit is used to activate or stop at least one of the vacuum pumps, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve according to the control parameter. 
     Another purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method of using a negative pressure massage apparatus, which solves a technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to best fit a massage state of various parts of a human body or an object being massaged. To achieve the purpose of saving costs and improving efficiency. 
     In order to achieve the purpose of the present disclosure, the negative pressure massage apparatus includes a vacuum pump, a first solenoid valve, and a second solenoid valve, the method includes following steps: 
     The vacuum pump is continuously activated, and both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are continuously stopped to shut off the gas flow from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus into the negative pressure massage apparatus. The vacuum pump generates a first negative pressure that is stable over time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     Alternately activate the vacuum pump or the first solenoid valve over time, and the second solenoid valve is continuously stopped, the first solenoid valve is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to a first flow rate. The vacuum pump and the first solenoid valve generate a second negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     Alternately activate the vacuum pump or the second solenoid valve over time, or alternately activate the vacuum pump or both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve over time. The second solenoid valve is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to a second flow rate, and at least one of the vacuum pumps, the second solenoid valve, and the first solenoid valve generates a third negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     The vacuum pump is continuously activated, the first solenoid valve is alternately activated, and the second solenoid valve is continuously stopped. The first solenoid valve is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to the first flow rate. The vacuum pump and the first solenoid valve generate a fourth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     The vacuum pump is continuously activated, the second solenoid valve is alternately activated, and the first solenoid valve is continuously stopped. The second solenoid valve is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to the second flow rate. The vacuum pump and the second solenoid valve generate a fifth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     Further, the method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus further includes following step: the vacuum pump is continuously activated, both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are alternately activated. The first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus to a sum of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. The vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve generate a sixth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus. 
     Further, in the method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus, the first flow rate is less than or equal to the second flow rate. 
     Further, in the method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus, an activation time of the vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve or the second solenoid valve is greater than 0 seconds and less than or equal to 9.9 seconds. 
     Further, in the method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus, a pressure value generated by the vacuum pump is between −40 Torr and −600 Torr. 
     When using the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure, the vacuum pump, the first solenoid valve, and the second solenoid valve are controlled to activate or stop by the control board, so that they may be activated continuously or alternately over time. When the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are respectively used to control the first flow rate and the second flow rate that are different from each other, the control board performs flow control by activating the first solenoid valve alone, or by activating the second solenoid valve alone, or by activating both the first solenoid valve and second solenoid valve at the same time. The control board may be matched with the vacuum pump to be activated continuously or alternately activated with any solenoid valve over time to achieve more diversified negative pressure changes over time, so as to achieve different massage effects and purposes for different application effects. 
     For this reason, the negative pressure massage apparatus and the method thereof of the present disclosure solves the technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to best fit a massage state of various parts of a human body or an object being massaged. To achieve the purpose of saving costs and improving efficiency. 
     In order to further understand the techniques, means, and effects of the present disclosure for achieving the intended purpose. Please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present disclosure. The drawings are provided for reference and description only, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a system architecture diagram of a first embodiment of a negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a system architecture diagram of a second embodiment of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a flowchart of a first mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a flowchart of a second mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a flowchart of a third mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a flowchart of a fourth mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a flowchart of a fifth mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following are specific examples to illustrate the implementation of a “negative pressure massage apparatus” of the present disclosure. A person skilled in the art may understand the advantages and effects of the present disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. The present disclosure may be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification may also be based on different viewpoints and applications, and various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the concept of the present disclosure. 
     It should be understood that the structures, the proportions, the sizes, the number of components, and the like in the drawings are only used to cope with the contents disclosed in the specification for understanding and reading by those skilled in the art, and it is not intended to limit the conditions that may be implemented in the present disclosure, and thus is not technically significant. Any modification of the structure, the change of the proportional relationship, or the adjustment of the size, should be within the scope of the technical contents disclosed by the present disclosure without affecting the effects and the achievable effects of the present disclosure. 
     The technical content and detailed description of the present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  1    is a system architecture diagram of a first embodiment of a negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. The negative pressure massage apparatus  1  includes a vacuum pump  10 , a first solenoid valve  11 , a second solenoid valve  12 , and a control board  13 . The vacuum pump  10  generates a negative pressure outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1 . The first solenoid valve  11  is connected to the vacuum pump  10 , and the first solenoid valve  11  is used to control a gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to a first flow rate. The second solenoid valve  12  is connected to the vacuum pump  10  and the first solenoid valve  11 , and the second solenoid valve  12  is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to a second flow rate. The control board  13  is connected to the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12 . The control board  13  is used to activate or stop at least one of the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12 . 
     Further, the first flow rate is less than or equal to the second flow rate. The negative pressure massage apparatus  1  further includes a communication pipe  20  and a negative pressure cup  30 . The communication pipe  20  connects to the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11 , the second solenoid valve  12 , and outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1 . The negative pressure cup  30  connects to the communication pipe  20  outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1 , and the negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure cup  30 . 
     Please refer to  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  2    is a system architecture diagram of a second embodiment of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. The second embodiment of the present disclosure is substantially the same as the first embodiment aforementioned, except that the control board  13  includes a control unit  14  and a storage unit  15 . The control unit  14  is connected to the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12 , and the control unit  14  is used to activate or stop at least one of the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12 . The storage unit  15  is connected to the control unit  14 , and the storage unit  15 , and the storage unit  15  stores control parameters. The control unit  14  activates or stops at least one of the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  according to the control parameters. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  3    to  FIG.  7   .  FIG.  3    is a flowchart of a first mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure.  FIG.  4    is a flowchart of a second mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. Th  FIG.  5    is a flowchart of a third mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure.  FIG.  6    is a flowchart of a fourth mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure.  FIG.  7    is a flowchart of a fifth mode of the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure. Moreover, the reference numbers of the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  are as described above, and will not be repeated here. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , in the first mode, the vacuum pump  10  is continuously activated, and both the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  are continuously stopped (step S 1 ) to shut off the gas flow from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1 . The vacuum pump  10  generates a first negative pressure  11  that is stable over time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  (step S 2 ). At this time, the vacuum pump  10  continuously generates the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , in the second mode, it alternately activates the vacuum pump  10  or the first solenoid valve  11  over time, and the second solenoid valve  12  is continuously stopped (step S 3 ). The first solenoid valve  11  is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to the first flow rate. The vacuum pump  10  and the first solenoid valve  11  generate a second negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  (step S 4 ). At this time, the vacuum pump  10  generates or restores the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure cup  30  within a time, and the first solenoid valve  11  weakens the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30  at another time. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , in the third mode, it alternately activates the vacuum pump  10  or the second solenoid valve  12  over time (step S 5 ), or alternately activates the vacuum pump  10  or both the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  over time (step S 6 ). The second solenoid valve  12  is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to a second flow rate, and at least one of the vacuum pump  10 , the second solenoid valve  12 . The first solenoid valve  11  generates a third negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  (step S 7 ). At this time, the vacuum pump  10  generates or restores the negative pressure within the negative pressure cup  30  within a time, and at least one of the first solenoid valve  11  or the second solenoid valve  12  weakens the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30  at another time. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , in the fourth mode, the vacuum pump  10  is continuously activated, the first solenoid valve  11  is intermittently activated, and the second solenoid valve  12  is continuously stopped (step S 8 ). The first solenoid valve  11  is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to the first flow rate. The vacuum pump  10  and the first solenoid valve  11  generate a fourth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  (step S 9 ). The alternative activation has a time ratio about on/off of the first solenoid valve  11 . At this time, the vacuum pump  10  continuously generates the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30 , and at the same time, the first solenoid valve  11  is intermittently activated with time so that the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30  continuously changes with time. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , in the fifth mode, the vacuum pump  10  is intermittently activated, the second solenoid valve  12  is alternately activated, and the first solenoid valve  11  is continuously stopped (step S 10 ). The second solenoid valve  12  is used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to the second flow rate. The vacuum pump  10  and the second solenoid valve  12  generate a fifth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  (step S 11 ). The first flow rate is less than or equal to the second flow rate. At this time, the vacuum pump  10  continuously generates the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30 , and at the same time, the second solenoid valve  12  is intermittently activated with time so that the negative pressure in the negative pressure cup  30  continuously changes with time. 
     A method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  further includes following step: the vacuum pump  10  is continuously activated, both the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  are intermittently activated. The first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  are used to control the gas flow input into the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  from outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1  to a sum of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. The vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  generate a sixth negative pressure that changes with time outside the negative pressure massage apparatus  1 . 
     Further, an activation time of the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11  or the second solenoid valve  12  is greater than 0 seconds and less than or equal to 9.9 seconds. A pressure value generated by the vacuum pump  10  is between −40 Torr and −600 Torr. 
     In the method of using the negative pressure massage apparatus, if the continuous activation time of the vacuum pump  10  is X, and the intermittent activation time of the first solenoid valve  11  or the second solenoid valve  12  is Y (the X and Y are independent on time axis and do not affect each other), the negative pressure massage device  1  may have the following suggested implementation modes according to parts of human body that are massaged: 
     (1). Chest: the first mode or the third mode (X=2.0˜2.4 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.0 seconds); 
     (2). Buttocks: the first mode, or the third mode (X=2.4˜3.0 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.5 seconds); 
     (3). Shoulder and neck: the fourth mode (X=2.2˜2.4 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.2 seconds) or the fifth mode (X=2.2˜2.4 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.2 seconds); 
     (4). Abdomen: the first mode or the third mode (X=1.6˜2.4 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.0 seconds); 
     (5). Face: the fourth mode (X=2.2˜2.4 seconds, Y=0.6˜1.2 seconds) or the fifth mode (X=0.1˜0.2 seconds, Y=0.1˜0.2 seconds); 
     (6). Women&#39;s privacy: the fourth mode (X=0.1˜0.2 seconds, Y=0.1˜0.2 seconds). 
     When using the negative pressure massage apparatus of the present disclosure, the vacuum pump  10 , the first solenoid valve  11 , and the second solenoid valve  12  are controlled to activate or stop by the control board  13 , so that they may be activated continuously or alternately over time. When the first solenoid valve  11  and the second solenoid valve  12  are respectively used to control the first flow rate and the second flow rate that are different from each other, the control board  13  performs flow control by activating the first solenoid valve  11  alone, or by activating the second solenoid valve  12  alone, or by activating both the first solenoid valve  11  and second solenoid valve  12  at the same time. The control board  13  may be matched with the vacuum pump  10  to be activated continuously or alternately activated with any solenoid valve over time to achieve more diversified negative pressure changes over time, so as to achieve different massage effects and purposes for different application effects. 
     For this reason, the negative pressure massage apparatus and the method thereof of the present disclosure solves the technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to best fit a massage state of various parts of a human body or an object being massaged. To achieve the purpose of saving costs and improving efficiency. 
     The above is only a detailed description and drawings of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, but the features of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. All the scope of the present disclosure shall be subject to the scope of the following claims. The embodiments of the spirit of the present disclosure and its similar variations are intended to be included in the scope of the present disclosure. Any variation or modification that may be easily conceived by those skilled in the art in the field of the present disclosure may be covered by the following claims.