Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
COVER FOR MASSAGING APPARATUS AND LEG REST
This is a division of co-pending Canadian Patent Application No. 2,527,188
filed on
April 30, 2004.
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a chair-type massaging apparatus configured
to
massage a body of a user. More particularly, the present invention relates to
a chair-type
massaging apparatus equipped with a leg rest on which lower thighs of the user
are
supported. The present invention also relates to a cover for the massaging
apparatus or the
leg rest that is configured to massage the body such as legs, and a massaging
apparatus
equipped with these covers.
Background Art
Massaging apparatuses configured to apply to a body of a user, stimulation
such as
kneading, tapping, finger pressure, and rolling are widely known. There are a
variety of
massaging apparatuses, such as chair-type and mattress-type, among which the
chair-type
massaging apparatus has been highly demanded and widely used because it is
capable of
massaging the user in a relaxed attitude and its installation area is smaller
than that of the
mattress-type.
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Most of the conventional chair-type massaging apparatuses are typically
configured
to apply pressing stimulation to a back and a shoulder of the user. In order
to enable the user
to efficiently obtain effects such as facilitating of blood circulation,
recovery from fatigue, or
relaxation, it is important to massage physical parts such as legs and arms of
the user. In
recent years, chair-type massaging apparatuses capable of massaging arms and
legs have
been developed.
One type of chair-type massaging apparatuses comprises a chair body (massage
chair)
and a leg rest (lower thigh massager) provided with two concave receiver
portions on which
right and left lower thighs of the user are supported (see Japanese Patent No.
3012127). This
chair-type massaging apparatus is constructed such that air bags are provided
on opposite
side surfaces of each concave receiver portion, and the air bags expand and
contract to allow
a calf of a leg of the user to be massaged with the calf sandwiched from right
and left sides.
The chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012127 is
constructed such that the chair body is separated from the leg rest, while in
the Japanese
Patent No. 3012780, the leg rest is attached to the chair body. In the latter
construction, the
leg rest is attached to a front side of a seat portion of the chair body. The
user is seated in the
chair body and thereby the lower thighs of the user are placed on the leg
rest. In the chair-
type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012780, as in the
chair-type
massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012127, the leg rest is
provided with
concave receiver portions and right and left lower thighs are placed on the
concave portions
to be massaged (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 3012780).
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Some mattress-type massaging apparatuses are capable of massaging lower thighs
of
the user. One type of such mattress-type massaging apparatuses is such that
double air bags
are provided on both sides of each of right and left calves of the legs of the
user lying on the
back so as to correspond to the right and left calves of the user (see
Japanese Laid-Open
Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-57436 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application Publication No. Hei. 10-118143). This mattress-type massaging
apparatus is
capable of massaging the right and left calves of the user by expansion and
contraction of the
air bags with the calves sandwiched and retained from right and left sides,
and is of
increasing the force to sandwich and retain the calves by expanding the
doubled air bags
simultaneously.
However, in the chair-type massaging apparatuses disclosed in Japanese Patent
Nos. 3012127 and 3012780, when the user puts the calves into the concave
receiver portions,
the attitude of the user is restricted and obstructed by side walls of the
concave receiver
portions. This makes it difficult that the user takes a desired attitude.
In the chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No.
3012780, the
lower thighs can remain outside the concave receiver portions with the user
seated therein.
In this case, the leg rest may become an obstruction, making it difficult for
the user to take a
desired attitude.
It is known that there exist a plurality of acupuncture points called "sanri"
and
"horyu" in an outer region of a shin of a lower thigh of a body, i.e., in a
front outer region of
the lower thigh, and function adjustment of various internal organs is
provided as well as the
effects such as facilitating of blood circulation, recovery from fatigue, or
relaxation by
applying stimulation to these regions. But, the chair-type massaging
apparatuses disclosed in
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above Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 3012127 and 3012780 are incapable of
massaging
the outer region of the shin.
The inventions disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication
Nos. Hei. 10-57436 and 10-118143 are applicable to the leg rest of the chair-
type massaging
apparatus. Since the front surface of the leg rest is substantially flat when
each air bag is
contracting, the user easily takes desired attitude. However, the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of such a construction is incapable of massaging the outer region of
the shin.
Since the invention disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
Publication
No. Hei. 10-57436 is not a chair-type massaging apparatus but a mattress-type
massaging
apparatus, the user must lie on a mattress, and the lower thigh is incapable
of being massaged
with the user seated in the chair.
In the inventions disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
Publication
Nos. Hei. 10-57436 and 10-118143, since the mattress portion is substantially
flat with the
air bag contracting, there is no protruding portion that restricts or
obstructs the attitude of the
user in such a contracting state. However, since a protrusible and retractable
system of the
massaging apparatus is constructed such that the air bag substantially flat in
a retracting state
protrusively expands from the lower side of the lower thigh, a pressing angle
or a pressing
position with respect to the lower thigh is set in a limited range, and
therefore, a massage
pattern is very limited. In addition, since the air bags or a cloth cover
which covers these air
bags protrudes and is flexible, the precision of the pressing position or the
pressing angle is
not high.
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Some massaging apparatuses are configured to massage the body of the user in
such a
manner that a massaging system such as massaging elements protrudes and
retracts with
respect to the body of the user to apply a pressure to the body.
A cover that covers a massaging system equipped with the protrusible and
retractable system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
Publication
No. Hei. 8-112330. The cover covers a side surface of a massaging system
causing a
pressing drive plate having a pressing element to protrude and retract by
expansion and
contraction of air cells (air bags). One sheet (continuous sheet without seams
or joints) is
bent like bellows, and an elastic material such as rubber is stitched inside.
The bellows-like
sheet expands with extension of the elastic material during expansion of the
air cell and is
folded by contraction of the elastic material during contraction of the air
cell (see Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-112330).
The cover disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication
No. Hei. 8-112330 is configured not to cover a body side of the massaging
system but to
cover a side surface of the massaging system so as not to interfere with the
body side.
On the other hand, the cover disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application Publication
No. Hei. 10-295753 is configured to cover the body side of the massaging
system and is
made of an elastic material such as an elastic cloth or rubber sheet. Such an
elastic material
enables the cover to expand and contract according to protrusion and
retraction of the
massaging system with respect to the body of the user (see Japanese Laid-Open
Patent
Application Publication No. Hei. 10-295753).
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In the massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
Publication No. Hei. 8-112330, a foldable portion of the cover which is folded
during
contraction of the air cell (retraction of the massaging system) is not
located on the side of a
support surface on which a body of the user who is being massaged is
supported, but at a
position of the side surface which is away from the support surface side.
Therefore, this
cover does not cover the support surface on which the body of the user is
supported. This
cover is not configured for protrusion and retraction operation within the
support surface of
the massaging apparatus that protrudes and retracts within the support surface
on which the
body of the user is supported.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-295753 discloses
a
cover made of an elastic material as a cover which is capable of covering the
body side of the
massaging system having the protrusible and retractable system and is
configured for
protrusion and retraction operation. However, the elastic material decreases
elasticity after
repeated expansion and compression during use. As a result, the cover becomes
deformed,
and its external appearance degrades.
Disclosure of the Invention
The present invention has been made under the circumstances, and an object of
the
present invention is to provide a chair-type massaging apparatus that enables
a user to take a
desired attitude without restriction of lower thighs in a seated state.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair-type massaging
apparatus
that enables pressing angles or pressing positions with respect to the lower
thighs to be set
freely and precisely.
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Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair-type massaging
apparatus
that is capable of massaging outer regions of shins of the lower thighs of the
user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cover configured
according to
protruding and retracting operations within a support surface on which a body
of the user is
supported while maintaining its external appearance, and a massaging apparatus
using this
cover.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a
cover for a
leg rest including a support surface on which right and left legs are
supported, and a
protrusible and retractable system configured to protrude and retract with
respect to the legs
within the support surface, the cover comprising: an expandable and
contractable portion
which is positioned on an intermediate region in a rightward and leftward
direction of the
support surface and configured to expand and contract according to protrusion
and retraction
of the protrusible and retractable system, wherein the protrusible and
retractable system
equipped in the leg rest is configured such that the support surface is
substantially flat in
retraction of the system; and wherein the expandable and contractable portion
is a foldable
portion configured to expand according to protrusion of the protrusible and
retractable
system and to be folded to be substantially parallel to the cover surface
according to
retraction of the protrusible and retractable system.
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In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a
cover
for a massaging apparatus including a protrusible and retractable system
configured to
protrude and retract, the cover comprising: a foldable portion configured to
expand
according to protrusion of the protrusible and retractable system and to be
folded according
to retraction of the protrusible and retractable system, wherein the foldable
portion includes
a first front surface portion and a second front surface portion which are
arranged in a
rightward and leftward direction, and an expandable and contractable portion
provided
behind the first and second front surface portions and configured to connect
the first and
second front surface portions to each other, the expandable and contractable
portion being
configured to expand and contract according to protrusion and retraction of
the protrusible
and retractable system, the first and second front surface portions forming a
substantially flat
cover surface with the expandable and contractable portion contracted.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a
cover for a massaging apparatus including a support surface on which a body of
a user is
supported and a protrusible and retractable system configured to protrude and
refract with
respect to the body within the support surface, the cover being configured to
cover the
support surface, the cover comprising: a foldable portion configured to expand
according to
protrusion of the protrusible and retractable system and to be folded
according to retraction
of the protrusible and retractable system; wherein the support surface is
substantially flat in
retraction of the protrusible and retractable system; and wherein the foldable
portion includes
a first front surface portion and a second front surface portion which are
arranged in a
rightward and leftward direction, and an expandable and contractable portion
provided
behind the first and second front surface portions and configured to connect
the first and
second front surface portions to each other, the expandable and contractable
portion being
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configured to expand and contract according to protrusion and retraction of
the protrusible
and retractable system, the first and second front surface portions forming a
substantially flat
cover surface with the expandable and contractable portion contracted
The above and further objects and features of the invention will more fully be
apparent from the following detailed description with accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair-type massaging apparatus according to
a first
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of a leg rest of the chair-type massaging apparatus of
Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 2, showing a state in which air
cells (air
bags) contract;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 2, showing a state in which the
air cells
expand;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a lower air cell in a contracting state;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lower air cell in an expanding state;
Fig. 7 is a front view of a leg rest according to a second embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 7, showing a state in which air
cells
contract;
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Fig. 9 is a plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 7, showing a state in which the
air cells
expand;
Fig. 10 is a plan view of a leg rest according to a third embodiment of the
present
invention, showing a state in which the air cells contract;
Fig. 11 is a plan view of the leg rest according to the third embodiment of
the
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present invention, showing a state in which the air cells expand;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a construction of a massaging
system included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourth
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 14 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 15 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 16 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 17 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a construction of a rear air
cell
in a contracting state;
Fig. 18 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a construction of the rear air
cell
in an expanding state;
Fig. 19 is a partially enlarged plan view showing a hinge structure of a
receiver
plate according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 20 is a side view showing a rotating structure of the leg rest according
to
the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 21 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present
invention;
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Fig. 22 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation control of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourth
embodiment
of the present invention; .
Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 24 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 25 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 26 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 27 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 28 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation control of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fifth
embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 29 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 30 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 31 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
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chair-type massaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 32 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the
present
invention
Fig. 33 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 34 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation control of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the sixth
embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 35 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 36 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 37 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 38 is a partially enlarged plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 37;
Fig. 39 is a front view showing a construction of an example of the leg rest
included in a chair-type massaging apparatus according to an eighth embodiment
of the
present invention;
Fig. 40 is a plan view showing the construction of the example of the leg rest
included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth
embodiment of
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the present invention;
Fig. 41 is a plan view showing the construction of the example of the leg rest
included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth
embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 42 is a front view showing the construction of another example of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth
embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 43 is a plan view showing the construction of another example of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth
embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 44 is a plan view showing the construction of another example of the leg
rest included in the chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth
embodiment
of the present invention
Fig. 45 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 46 is a side view showing the construction of the leg rest included in a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the ninth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 47 is a front view showing a construction of the leg rest with air cells
in an
expanding state according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 48 is a side view showing a construction of the leg rest with the air
cells in
an expanding state according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 49 is a perspective view showing a construction of a leg rest of a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of the present
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invention;
Fig. 50 is a perspective view showing a construction of an expandable and
contractable system of the leg rest according to the tenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 51 is a perspective view showing the construction of the expandable and
contractable system of the leg rest according to the tenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 52 is a perspective view showing the construction of the expandable and
contractable system of the leg rest according to the tenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 53 is a perspective view showing the construction of the expandable and
contractable system of the leg rest according to the tenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 54 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to an eleventh embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 55 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eleventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 56 is a plan view showing the construction of the ldg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eleventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 57 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eleventh embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 58 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in a
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chair-type massaging apparatus according to a twelfth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 59 is a plan view showing a construction of the leg rest included in the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the twelfth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 60 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the twelfth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 61 is a partially enlarged plan view of the leg rest of Fig. 60;
Fig. 62 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a thirteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 63 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the thirteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 64 is a plan view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the thirteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 65 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest included in a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a fourteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 66 is a side view showing the construction of the leg rest included in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the fourteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 67 is a front view showing a construction of the leg rest with the air
cells
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in an expanding state according to the fourteenth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 68 is a side view showing a construction of the leg rest with the air
cells in
an expanding state according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 69 is a perspective view showing a construction of a leg rest included in
a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a fifteenth embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 70 is a perspective view of a chair-type massaging apparatus with a cover
according to a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention attached thereto;
Fig. 71 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the cover of the
sixteenth embodiment of the present invention covers a leg massaging system;
Fig. 72(a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a foldable portion of the
cover
according to the sixteenth embodiment of the present invention and Fig. 72(b)
is an
enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternation;
Fig. 73(a) is a view showing an external appearance of a state in which a
foldable portion of the cover of the sixteenth embodiment is folded, and Fig.
73(b) is a
view showing an external appearance of an expanding state of the foldable
portion;
Fig. 74 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a bellows-like foldable
portion;
Fig. 75 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a cover according
to
a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention covers the leg massaging
system;
Fig. 76 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an intermediate foldable
portion
in the cover according to the seventeenth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 77 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternation of a foldable
portion;
Fig. 78 is a front view of the leg massaging system;
Fig. 79 is a plan view of the leg massaging system in a retracting state;
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Fig. 80 is a plan view of the leg massaging system in a protruding state;
Fig. 81 is a view showing how an intermediate foldable portion expands;
Fig. 82 is a view showing how a right or left foldable portion expands; and
Fig. 83 is a view showing how an alternation of the right or left foldable
portion
expands.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with
reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair-type massaging apparatus 1 according
to
a first embodiment of the present invention. The chair-type massaging
apparatus 1
comprises a seat portion 2, a back rest 3, a leg rest 4 and arm rests 5. The
leg rest 4
is attached to a front portion of the seat portion 2 and is rotatable around
an axis located
at and extending along an upper end of the leg rest 4. Thereby, the leg rest 4
is
attached at a variable angle to the seat portion 2 and is configured for
change in a
bending angle of a leg of a user seated therein. The back rest 3, the seat
portion 2, and
the arm rest 5 may be provided with massaging elements that massage body parts
of the
user, although not shown. While the leg rest 4 is covered with a cover made of
a cloth
or the like, the cover covering the leg rest 4 is omitted in Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the leg rest 4. Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of the
leg
rest 4. Fig. 3 shows a state in which air cells (air bags) described later
contract and Fig.
4 shows a state in which the air cells expand. The leg rest 4 includes a
support
portion 7 having support surfaces 6 on which lower thighs of the user are
supported.
The leg rest 4 is symmetric in structure in the rightward and leftward
direction and is
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capable of uniformly massaging right and left lower thighs of the user.
As used herein, the terms "rightward and leftward direction" and "forward and
backward direction" mean directions from the perspective of the user seated in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus 1, and "vertical direction" means the direction
perpendicular to the "rightward and leftward direction" on a plane parallel to
the
support surfaces 6.
The support portion 7 has a substantially flat base 16 (see Fig. 3), and
protrusible portions 9 which are protrusible to rise up inward in the right
and leftward
direction and are retractable. Each protrusible portion 9 includes a receiver
plate 13
which is constructed of a plate element of a substantially rectangular shape
which is
elongate in the vertical direction of the leg rest 4. Each receiver plate 13
is mounted at
an inner peripheral region thereof in the rightward and leftward direction to
the base 16
(see Fig. 3) of the support portion 7 by a hinge 20. A torsion spring 21 is
mounted to
the hinge 20 and is configured to bias the receiver plate 13 outward in the
rightward and
leftward direction (in the direction to retract the receiver plate 13). A
rotational axis
Zi of each hinge 20 is mounted to be oriented vertically. Each lower cell 14
is
provided between the receiver plate 13 and the base 16 on the rear surface
side of the
receiver plate 13.
A massaging plate 10 which is a massaging element 8 is mounted on each
receiver plate 13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each massaging plate 10 is
comprised of
an upper massaging plate 11 and a lower massaging plate 12. As shown in Figs.
2 and
3, the upper massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12 are mounted
at inner
peripheral regions thereof to the receiver plate 13 by the hinges 20. A
rotational axis
Z2 of each hinge 20 is oriented vertically as in the rotational axes Zl. The
torsion
spring 21 is mounted to each hinge 20 and is configured to bias each of the
upper
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12 outward in the rightward
and
leftward direction (in the direction to retract these plates 11 and 12).
Air cells 17 are each provided between the upper massaging plate 11 and the
lower massaging plate 12, and the receiver plate 13 on the rear surface side
of the upper
massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12. Each air cell 17 is
divided in
two in the vertical direction as in each massaging plate 10. Each air cell 17
includes an
upper massaging air cell 18 located between the upper massaging plate 11 and
the
receiver plate 13 and a lower massaging air cell 19 located between the lower
massaging plate 12 and the receiver plate 13. It shall be appreciated that, in
Fig. 2,
contours of the upper massaging air cell 18 and the lower massaging air cell
19 overlap
with contours of the upper massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate
12.
Pressing elements 26 are mounted at appropriate positions on the upper
massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12 and are configured to have
convex
curved surfaces protruding toward the user. In this manner, the massaging
portion 8
and the protrusible portion 9 form an expandable portion. of the present
invention.
Now, protruding and retracting operation of the massaging plate 10 and the
receiver plate 13 will be described.
The above mentioned air cells (lower air cell 14, upper massaging air cell 18,
and lower massaging air cell 19) and an intermediate air cell 23 described
later are
connected to an air supply and exhaust device (not shown) through air hoses or
the like,
and are capable of repeating expansion and contraction by air supply and
exhaust by the
air supply and exhaust device.
As shown in Fig. 4, when the lower air cell 14 expands, the receiver plate 13
is
pushed by the lower air cell 14 from its rear surface side and protrudes to
rise up inward
in the rightward and leftward direction. Conversely, when the lower air cell
14
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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contracts, the receiver plate 13 retracts outward in the rightward and
leftward direction
by a bias force applied from the torsion spring 21.
When the air cell 17 including the upper massaging air cell 18 and the lower
massaging air cell 19 expands, the massaging plate 10 (upper massaging plate
11 and
the lower massaging plate 12) is pushed from its rear surface side by the air
cell 17,
causing the upper massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12 to fall
down
inward in the rightward and leftward direction (toward the lower thigh 22 of
the user).
Conversely, when the air cell 17 contracts, the upper massaging plate 11 and
the lower
massaging plate 12 retract outward in the rightward and leftward direction by
the bias
force applied from the torsion spring 21. Since the upper massaging air cell
18 and the
lower massaging air cell 19 are capable of expansion and contraction
independently of
each other, the upper massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12
which are
pushed by them are capable of protrusion and retraction (rotation)
independently of each
other.
Two intermediate air cells 23, which are intermediate massaging portions 15,
are mounted at an intermediate region in the rightward and leftward direction
of the
support portion 7 and are located to be symmetric in the rightward and
leftward
direction with respect to a center line 25 (imaginary broken line in Fig. 2)
of the support
portion 7. As shown in Fig. 4, when the intermediate air cell 23 expends to
push the
lower thigh 22 from inward, the lower thigh 22 is sandwiched between the
intermediate
air cell 23 and the massaging plate 10 (or pressing element 26).
In this manner, when all the air cells included in the leg rest 4, i.e., the
air cells
14, 18, 19, and 23 expand and contract, the massaging plate 10, the receiver
plate 13,
and the intermediate air cell 23 which is the intermediate massaging portion
15 protrude
and retract. When all the air cells contract to cause the massaging plate 10,
the
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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receiver plate 13, and the intermediate massaging portion 15 to retract, the
receiver plate
13, the elements of the support portion 7 which are located inward of the
receiver plate
13 and having the intermediate air cell 23, and the massaging plate 10 form a
substantially flat surface. Furthermore, the front surface of the leg rest 4
is
substantially flat (see Fig. 3).
Here, a structure of each air cell will be described in detail. Fig. 5 is a
cross-sectional view of the lower air cell 14 in a contracting state and Fig.
6 is a
cross-sectional view of the lower air cell 14 in an expanding state. The other
cells
(upper massaging air cell 18, lower massaging air cell 19, and intermediate
air cell 23)
have structures similar to that of the lower air cell 14 and will not be
further described.
As shown in Fig. 6, the lower cell 14 is comprised of a plurality of
(in this embodiment, three) air bags, and air spaces of the plurality of air
bags
communicate with each other through a through hole 14a to permit air
communication
between them. The plurality of air bags are coupled at one end side 14b of the
lower
air cell 14 so as not to expand. On the other hand, the air bags are not
coupled at an
opposite end side 14c and is therefore capable of expanding. With such a
structure,
when air is supplied from the air supply and exhaust device (not shown) flows
into the
lower air cell 14 through an air inlet 14d, the air flows through the through
hole 14a and
is filled in all the air bags, causing the lower cell 14 to expand (see Fig.
6). Since the
air bags are configured not to expand at one end side 14b and to be able to
expand at
the opposite end side 14c, the opposite end side 14c expands like bellows, and
thus, the
lower air cell 14 expands in a substantially fan form in cross-section, as
shown in Fig. 6.
An end portion of the one end side 14b conflgured not to expand becomes a
center 14z
of a fan form of the substantially fan form in cross-section.
The air inlet 14d is desirably provided at a position which is not
displaceable
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
23
after the expansion and contraction (only at a bottom portion 14e which is
located
lowermost in the lower cell 14 of this embodiment). In this structure, the air
inlet 14d
does not limit the expansion of the lower air cell 14.
Thus, in the leg rest 4 of this embodiment, all the air cells 14, 18, 19 and
23 are
capable of expanding in the substantially fan form in cross-section.
Furthermore,
placement of these air cells is devised.
The lower cell 14 is placed such that the center 14z is positioned inward in
the
rightward and leftward direction of the support portion 7 (see Figs. 3 and 4).
The
center 14z, which is an expansion axis of the lower air cell 14, extends
vertically. In
this structure, since the center 14z of the lower air cell 14 and the first
rotational axis Zl
which is a rotational axis of the receiver plate 13 which is pushed by the
lower air cell
14 to rotate and is placed inward in the rightward and leftward direction of
the receiver
plate 13 (identical to a rotational axis of the hinge 20 mounted to the
receiver plate 13)
are disposed close to each other on the same side in the rightward and
leftward direction,
the lower air cell 14 and the receiver plate 13 are greatly movable at outward
regions in
the rightward and leftward direction (see Fig. 4). As a result, the receiver
plate 13
rotates very efficiently by the expansion and contraction of the lower ce1114.
The same relationship is established between the massaging element 10 and the
air cell 17 (upper massaging air cell 18 and lower massaging air ce1119).
The upper massaging air cell 18 (lower massaging air cell 19) is placed such
that a center 18Z (19Z) of the fan form is positioned inward in the rightward
and
leftward direction of the support portion 7 (see Figs. 3 and 4). The center
18Z (19Z),
which is an expansion axis of the upper massaging air cell 18 (lower massaging
air cell
19), extends vertically. Thereby, since the center 18Z (19Z) of the upper
massaging air
cell 18 (lower massaging air ce1119) and a second rotational axis Z2 which is
a
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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rotational axis (rotational axis of the hinge 20 mounted to the massaging
plate 10) of the
massaging plate 10 (upper massaging plate 11 and the lower massaging plate 12)
which
is pushed by the upper massaging air cell 18 (lower massaging air cell 19) to
rotate are
disposed close to each other on the same side in the rightward and leftward
direction,
the upper massaging air cell 18 (lower massaging air cell 19) are greatly
movable at
outward regions in the rightward and leftward direction. As a result, the
massaging
plate 10 (upper massaging plate 11 and lower massaging plate 12) rotates very
efficiently by the expansion and contraction of the upper massaging air cell
18 (lower
massaging air cell 19).
It shall be understood that the first rotational axis Z1 and the second
rotational
axis Z2 are not shafts forming the respective shafts Z1 and Z2, but are
imaginary axes
which are the centers of rotation. Therefore, elements including the
rotational axes Zl
and Z2 are meant to include elements which does not form shafts but have
imaginary
axes which become rotational centers, for example, thin hinges, as well as the
hinges 20
having the shafts.
In the above construction, the structure of the massaging portion 8 or the
protrusible portion 9 becomes very simple. As a result, the chair-type
massaging
apparatus (especially leg rest 4) becomes small-sized and lightweight, and a
manufacturing cost and component cost are reduced.
The intermediate air cells 23 which is the intermediate massaging portions are
placed as described below. As described previously, the intermediate air cells
23 are
provided on right and left sides to be symmetric in the rightward and leftward
direction
with respect to a center line 25 in the rightward and leftward direction (see
Fig. 2).
The right and left intermediate air cells 23 are placed such that their
centers 23Z of fan
forms are positioned outward in the rightward and leftward direction (see
Figs. 3 and 4).
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
The center axes 23Z which are expansion axes of the intermediate air cells 23
extend
vertically. As shown in Fig. 4, since the right and left intermediate air
cells 23 expand
toward the right and left lower thighs 22 of the user, the intermediate
massaging
portions 15 are able to efficiently press the right and left lower thighs 22
from inward in
the rightward and leftward direction. Since each lower thigh 22 is sandwiched
and
massaged by the corresponding intermediate air cell 23 and massaging plate 10
(upper
massaging plate 11 and lower massaging plate 12), it is reliably and strongly
pressed or
massaged.
The chair-type massaging apparatus 1 of this embodiment constructed as
described above makes it possible that the lower thighs 22 are massaged with
the user
seated therein. In addition, when the massaging portion 8, the protrusible
portion 9,
and the intermediate massaging portion 15 retract, the protrusible portion 9,
the
elements of the support portion 7 which are located inward of the protrusible
portion 9
in the rightward and leftward direction, and the massaging portion 8 form a
substantially flat surface, so that the user can take an attitude freely
without any
interference. Furthermore, the chair-type massaging apparatus 1 has a
relatively
simple design and improves its external appearance.
The protrusible portions 9 are located on both sides in the rightward and
leftward direction. The protrusible portions 9 protrude to rise up inward in
the
rightward and leftward direction, while they retract to expand outward.
Therefore, in a
retracting state of the protrusible portion 9, the lower thigh 22 is not
disturbed by the
protrusible portion 9 and the support portion 7 located inward of the
protrusible portion
9.
Since the massaging plate 10 is mounted on the protrusible portion 9
configured to protrude to rise up inward in the rightward and leftward
direction and is
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
26
configured to protrude and retract, a pressing angle or pressing position of
the
massaging portion 8 with respect to the lower thigh 22 are set very freely. By
combining the rising angle of the protrusible portion 9 and the position or
protruding
angle of the massaging plate 10 in various ways, the pressing angle or the
pressing
position with respect to the lower thigh 22 are set very freely. Since the
massaging
plate 10 is not installed on a flexible air cell but on the receiver plate 13
of the
protrusible portion 9 which is a part of the support portion 7, the massaging
portion 8 is
installed on a rigid base. As a result, positional or angular displacement of
the
massaging plate 10 is minimized, and the pressing angle or the pressing
position, and
the pressing force are set with high precision.
It is essential that the chair-type massaging apparatus massage the user
suitably.
Regarding a massager that massages the lower thigh 22 of the user, it is
essential that
the pressing position, the pressing angle and the pressing force with respect
to the lower
thigh 22 of the user be set optimally and accurately. The improvement of
setting
freedom and precision in the massaging apparatus enhances performance of the
massaging apparatus.
As shown in Fig. 4, in this embodiment, the lower thigh 22 is pressed from
substantially forward toward rearward. The pressing position and the pressing
angle of
the massaging plate 10 (or pressing element 26) with respect to the lower
thigh 22 are
finely adjustable by appropriately setting the position or angle of the
massaging plate 10
provided on the receiver plate 13 rotating. For example, the pressing position
is easily
adjusted so that the lower thigh 22 is pressed at plural acupuncture points
thereof.
When the massaging portion 8 includes the rotatable massaging plate 10 and
the protrusible portion 9 includes the rotatable receiver plate 13 as
illustrated in this
embodiment, a very simple structure is provided. In this embodiment, the first
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
27
rotational axis Zi which is the rotational axis of the receiver plate 13 and
the second
rotational axis Z2 which is the rotational axis of the massaging plate 10 are
provided at
different positions. To be specific, the first rotational axis Z 1 and the
second
rotational axis Z2 extend vertically of the leg rest 4 substantially in
parallel, and the
second rotational axis Z2 is positioned outward of the first rotational axis
Zl in the
rightward and leftward direction.
In contrast to the configuration in which the position of the first rotational
axis
Z1 coincides with that the second rotational axis Z2, the pressing angle and
the pressing
position of the massaging plate 10 with respect to the lower thigh 22 are set
very freely.
While the leg rest 4 of the first embodiment is constructed such that the
massaging plate 10 is comprised of the upper massaging plate 11 and the lower
massaging plate 12, it may alternatively be divided into right and left parts
or otherwise
three or more parts. In a further alternative, the receiver plate 13 may be
suitably
divided. The massaging plate 10 and the receiver plate 13 may be thus divided
and the
air cells that push these plates may be placed at separate positions so as to
correspond to
these divided plates. Thereby, since the divided plates may independently
protrude
and retract, a variety of massaging patterns are created.
As shown in Fig. 3, the base 16 of the support portion 7 of the first
embodiment is constructed such that the support surface 6 is set higher. In
other words,
the right and left sides outside the support surface 6 are set lower. For this
reason,
when the protrusible portion 9 (receiver plate 13) and the massaging portion 8
(massaging plate 10) retract, at least part of the receiver plate 13 and the
massaging
plate 10 are accommodated in the lower region. This desirably improves the
above
mentioned flatness. Furthermore, the region in which the intermediate
massaging
portion 15 (intermediate air cell 23) is located lower than the support
surface 6, and at
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
28
least part of the intermediate air cell 23 is accommodated in the lower
region.
Likewise, this desirably improves the flatness.
(Embodiment 2)
Figs. 7 to 9 are views showing the leg rest 4 mounted to the chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.
7 is a front view of the leg rest 4. Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views (Fig. 8
shows a
contracting state of air cells and Fig. 9 shows an expanding state of the air
cells).
In the second embodiment, one intermediate air ce1123, which is the
intermediate massaging portion 15, is provided instead of two (two air cells
on the right
and left sides). The intermediate air ce1123 is configured not to expand in
substantially fan form in cross-section, but to entirely expand forward
substantially
uniformly as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
As shown in Fig. 7, the intermediate air cell 23 is symmetric in the rightward
and leftward direction with respect to an imaginary center line 25 in the
rightward and
leftward direction, and is shaped such that its width continuously increases
from its
upper side to its lower side so as to well conform to the shape of the lower
thigh 22
whose thickness gradually decreases from its knee to its ankle. Thus, the
intermediate
massaging portion 15, the protrusible portion 9 or the massaging portion 8 is
placed to
be tilted with respect to the vertical direction so that a spacing between the
massaging
portion 8 and the intermediate massaging portion 15 decreases toward the lower
side of
the support portion 7 during the protrusion.
In the second embodiment, the massaging plate 10 and the pressing element 26
are omitted and the massaging portion 8 is comprised of the upper massaging
air cell 18
and the lower massaging air ce1119. That is, the upper massaging air cell 18
(lower
massaging air cell 19) presses the lower thigh 22 without the massaging plate
10 and the
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
29
pressing elements 26. Such a construction may be, as a matter of course,
applied to the
present invention.
(Embodiment 3)
Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views of the leg rest 4 according to a third
embodiment
of the present invention. Fig. 10 shows a contracting state of the air cells
and Fig. 11
shows an expanding state of the air cells. In the third embodiment, the
intermediate
massaging portion 15 in the support portion 7 is omitted. In addition,
differently from
the first and second embodiments, the receiver plate 13 of the support portion
7 is not
perfectly flat, and is bent a degrees forward in the vicinity of at a
substantially center
position thereof in the rightward and leftward direction. The upper massaging
air cell
18 or the lower massaging air cell 19 is provided as the massaging portion 8
to be
positioned outward relative to the bent position in the rightward and leftward
direction.
In this construction, also, in the contracting state of the air cells, the
protrusible portion
9, the elements of the support portion 7 which are located inward of the
protrusible
portion 9 and the massaging portion 8 form a substantially flat surface.
Therefore, the
user is not obstructed and may be seated more freely. It shall be understood
that if the
angle a is too large, then the flatness decreases, and therefore the angle a
is
desirably 30 degrees or less.
(Embodiment 4)
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
As
shown in Fig. 12, a chair-type massaging apparatus 101 of this embodiment is
chair-shaped and mainly comprises a seat portion 102, a back rest 103, a leg
rest 104,
and arm rests 105. The seat portion 102 is constructed such that a cushion
portion
102c whose supper surface is substantially flat for use as a seat surface 102b
is provided
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
on a base (not shown) having leg portions 102a on both sides of its lower
portion. The
cushion portion 102c is formed in such a manner that an internal material (not
shown)
such as urethane foam, sponge, or foamed polystyrene is provided over the
upper
surface of the base and is covered with an outer material (cover) formed of a
raised-fiber tricot made of polyester, artificial leather, or natural leather,
etc.
To a front side of an upper portion of the seat portion 102 (front side when
viewed from the perspective of the user seated in the chair-type massaging
apparatus
101, and right and left sides are viewed from the perspective of the user
seated in the
apparatus 101), the leg rest 104 is pivotally attached at an upper end 104
thereof to
massage the ankles and calves of the legs of the user. The leg rest 104 is
pivotable
forward and backward around the upper end thereof.
The leg rest 104 is entirely of a substantially flat-plate shape, and is
configured
to support the calves of the user on a front surface thereof. As described in
detail later,
the leg rest 104 is provided with a plurality of air cells (air bags) which
are connected to
an air supply and exhaust device 109 including a pump, a valve, and other
components
which are built in the seat portion 102 or the back rest 103 through air hoses
139 (see
Fig. 21). The air cells expand or contract by air supply and exhaust by the
air supply
and exhaust device 109. With the user seated in the seat portion 102, the air
cells
expand and contract repeatedly, thus applying pressing stimulation to the
lower thighs.
A plurality of air cells are further provided on a back side of the seat
surface
102b of the seat portion 102. These air cells are also connected to the air
supply and
exhaust device 109 through air hoses (not shown) and are configured to expand
and
contract by air supply and exhaust by the air supply and exhaust device 109. A
vibrator (not shown) which is identical to that described previously is
provided on a
back side of the center of the seat surface 102b of the seat portion 102. With
such a
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
31
construction, the air cells expand and contract repeatedly to apply pressing
stimulation
to a hip of the user, and in this state, the vibrator is driven to apply
vibration stimulation
to an anus region of the user, with the user seated on the seat portion 102.
The back rest 103 is provided on a rear portion of the seat portion 102. The
back rest 103 is sized so that an adult with a standard constitution is seated
on the
chair-type massaging apparatus 101 so as not to protrude outward therefrom and
is
shaped to be substantially rectangular as viewed from front in order to
support the upper
half body of the user. The back rest 103 is pivotally mounted at a lower end
portion
thereof to the rear portion of the seat portion 102 by a horizontal pivot and
is rotatable
around the pivot to enable reclining forward and backward. The arm rests 105
are
respectively provided on both sides of the back rest 103 and are fixedly
supported on
the base of the seat portion 102. The arm rests 105 extend forward from the
both sides
of the back rest 103 and are used as arm rests with the user seated in chair-
type the
massaging apparatus 101.
A massaging system 106 illustrated in Fig. 13 is mounted inside the back rest
103. Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a construction of the
massaging
system 106 included in the chair-type massaging apparatus 101 according to
this
embodiment of the present invention. The massaging system 106 includes four
roller-shaped massaging elements 110 that apply mechanical stimulation to the
body of
the user and motors 111 and 112 of DC servo motors that drive the massaging
elements
110 to displace. The massaging elements 110 are respectively mounted to tip
ends of
V shaped arms 113. The arms 113 are respectively mounted to substantially V-
shaped
two connecting rods 114 to be rotatable within a predetermined range. Each
connecting rod 114 is provided with a fitting hole 115. Tilted portions 117
are
provided on both ends of a rotational shaft 116 and are loosely fitted into
the fitting
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
32
holes 115. The tilted portions 117 are tilted at a predetermined angle with
respect to
the rotational shaft 116. A helical gear 118a is coaxially mounted on an
intermediate
region of the rotational shaft 116 and is in mesh with a worm screw 118b.
Thus, the
helical gear 118a and the worm screw 118b form a worm gear system 118.
A pulley 119a is coaxially mounted on one end of the worm screw 118b. The
pulley 119a is coupled to a pulley 119c mounted on an output shaft of the
motor 111
through a belt 119b. Therefore, the rotation of the motor 111 is transmitted
to the
worm screw 118b through the belt 119b, causing the worm screw 118b to rotate.
Thereby, the rotational shaft 116 rotates. According to the rotation of the
rotational
shaft 116, the tilted portions 117 displace to draw conical tracks. Thereby,
the
connecting rods 114 operate in a predetermined manner, causing the right and
left
massaging elements 110 to move close to and away from each other so as to draw
a
substantially oval shape both in the rightward and leftward direction and in
the vertical
direction. This operation corresponds to a kneading operation. The kneading
operation of the massaging elements 110 includes forward movement (toward the
user)
in which the right and left massaging elements 110 move close to each other
and
rearward movement in which the massaging elements 110 move away from each
other.
In this manner, in the kneading operation, the massaging elements 110 move
three-dimensionally.
As shown in Fig. 13, each connecting rod 114 is provided with a fitting hole
120 on a lower region thereof. A protruding portion 122 provided on a coupling
element 121 is inserted into the fitting hole 120. The coupling element 121 is
provided
with a horizontal hole 123. Eccentric portions 125 are provided on both ends
of a
rotational shaft 124 and are fitted into the holes 123. A pulley 126a is
coaxially
mounted on an intermediate region of the rotational shaft 124 and is coupled
to a pulley
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
33
126c mounted on the output shaft of the motor 112 through a belt 126b.
Therefore, the
rotation of the motor 112 is transmitted to the rotational shaft 124 through
the belt 126b.
Thereby, the eccentric portions 125 at both ends of the rotational shaft 124
rotate,
causing the coupling elements 121 to move substantially vertically. As a
result, the
connecting rod 114 reciprocates around the fitting hole 115, causing the
massaging
elements 110 to reciprocate substantially vertically to draw a circular arc.
When the
motor 112 is rotated at a constant speed, the massaging elements 110
reciprocate in a
fixed cycle, which corresponds to a tapping operation of the massaging element
110.
When the motor 112 is rotated while changing a rotation speed, the massaging
elements
110 reciprocate in a variable cycle, which conesponds to a pressing operation
of the
massaging elements 110.
As should be appreciated from the above, the massaging elements 110 are
driven by the motor 111 to perform the kneading operation and are driven by
the motor
112 to perform the tapping operation or the pressing operation. When the
massaging
elements 110 are driven by both the motors 111 and 112, the kneading operation
and the
tapping operation are combined, or the kneading operation and the pressing
operation
are combined. As a matter of curse, these operations may be independently
carried
out.
The massaging system 106 is, as shown in Fig. 12, mounted to an up-down
base 128. Rollers 128a are mounted at both side ends of the up-down base 128.
The
rollers 128a are supported on guide rails 129 to be able to roll along them.
Nuts (not
shown) are provided on the up-down base 128. A threaded rod 130 is provided in
parallel with the guide rails 129 and is threadedly engaged with the nuts. The
threaded
rod 130 is pivotally mounted at upper and lower end portions thereof. The
lower end
portion of the threaded rod 130 is coupled to an output shaft of a motor (not
shown)
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
34
provided on a lower portion of the back rest 103. Therefore, when the threaded
rod
130 is driven by the motor to rotate, the up-down base 128 having the nuts is
inhibited
from rotating integrally with the threaded rod 130 and the nuts and the
threaded rod 130
rotate relative to each other because the rollers 128a are engaged with the
guide rails
129, so that the up-down base 128 and the massaging system 106 move up and
down.
With such a construction, when the massaging system 106 moves up and down with
the
upper half body of the user leaning on the back rest 103, a rolling operation
is carried
out in such a manner that the massaging elements 110 roll on the back of the
user
vertically.
Subsequently, a construction of the leg rest 104 will be described in detail.
For the sake of simple explanation, as described below, the leg rest 104 is
illustrated as
extended substantially downward from a front end of the seat surface 102b,
except for
the condition specifically described. Fig. 14 is a front view showing the
construction
of the leg rest 104 equipped in the chair-type massaging apparatus 101
according to the
fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 15 and 16 are plan views of
the leg
rest 104. As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, the leg rest 104 of this embodiment
mainly
includes a support portion 131 and massaging portions 132. The support portion
131
is of a substantially flat plate shape, and is pivotally mounted at an upper
end thereof to
a front side of an upper portion of the seat portion 102 by a pivot extending
horizontally
(see Fig. 12).
As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, an intermediate region in the width direction of
the
support portion 131 forms a support surface 133 on which rear regions of the
lower
thighs of the user, i.e., the calves of the legs of the user are supported.
Mounting
surfaces 134 are respectively provided on right and left sides outside the
support surface
133 of the support portion 131 such that they are set one-step lower than the
support
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
surface 133 and extend substantially in parallel with the support surface 133.
The
massaging portion 132 is mounted to each mounting surface 134 and mainly
includes a
rear air cell (rear air bag) 135, a receiver plate 136, and a front air cell
(front air bag)
137.
While in the fourth embodiment, the mounting surface 134 is located
one-step lower than the support surface 133 to form a step between them, they
may
altematively form a flat surface.
Fig. 17 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a construction of the rear air
cell
135 in a contracting state and Fig. 18 is a plan cross-sectional view showing
a
construction of the rear air cell 135 in an expanding state. As shown in Figs.
17 and
18, the rear air cell 135 includes a plurality of air bags 135a to 135c (three
in Figs. 17
and 18) that are superposed. A hole 138 is provided at a join portion between
adjacent
air bags 135a and 135b and a joint portion between the air bags 135b and 135c
to allow
the air bags 135a to 135c to communicate with each other therethrough. An air
hose
139 is connected to the air bag 135 in contact with the mounting surface 134
to allow air
to be supplied and exhausted therethrough A hole (not shown) is provided on
the
mounting surface 134 of the support portion 131, and through the hole, the air
hose
139 is connected to the air supply and exhaust device 109 equipped in the seat
portion
102 or in the back rest 109. The air supply and exhaust device 109 supplies
and
exhausts the air to cause the rear air cell 135 to expand or contract.
An outer end of the rear air cell 135, i.e., an end portion of the rear air
cell 135
that is distant from the support surface 133 is expandable like bellows. On
the other
hand, an inner end of the rear air cell 135, i.e., an end portion of the rear
air cell 135
which is closer to the support surface 133 forms an expansion inhibiting
portion 135d to
inhibit the end portions of the air bags 135a to 135c from being away from
each other.
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
36
In the expansion inhibiting portion 135d, an end portion of the air bag 135a
and an end
portion of the air bag 135c are coupled to each other so as not to be away
from each
other. Since the air bag 135b is interposed between the air bags 135a and
135c, an end
portion of the air bag 135b is not away from these unless the end portions of
the air bags
135a and 135c move away from each other. Thus, the inner end of the rear air
cell 135
is configured not to expand.
As shown in Fig. 17, with the air exhausted from the rear air cell 135, the
rear
air cell 135 is substantially flat. 1n this state, when the air is supplied to
the rear air
cell 135, the outer end of the rear air cell 135 expands with the inner end of
the rear air
cell 135 remaining unexpanding, and as a result, the rear air cell 135 expands
in
substantially fan form as shown in Fig. 18.
As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, the rear air cell 135 is mounted to the mounting
surface 134 in such a manner that the expansion inhibiting portion 135d is
fixed to the
mounting surface 134. In this construction, the inner end of the rear air cell
135 is
configured not to move away from the mounting surface 134 when the rear air
cell 135
expands in fan form.
The receiver plate 136 is mounted in front of the rear air cell 135. The
receiver plate 136 is of a substantially rectangular shape and has an area
that is slightly
larger than that of a main surface of the rear air cell 135 so as to entirely
cover the rear
air cell 135. The main surface of the receiver plate 136 has an area that is
slightly
smaller than that of the mounting surface 134. The receiver plate 136 is
mounted at an
inner end intermediate region thereof by a hinge 140 in the vicinity of the
step portion
between the mounting surface 134 and the support surface 133 of the support
portion
131. The receiver plate 136 is pivotable forward and backward around a pivot
extending in the longitudinal direction by the hinge 140. The receiver plate
136 may
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
37
be made of a relatively hard material such as a metal, or otherwise may be
made of a
relatively flexible material such as synthetic resin.
Fig. 19 is a partially enlarged plan view showing a hinge structure of the
receiver plate 136. The hinge 140 includes two support elements 140a arranged
in the
vertical direction to protrude and a pin 140b connecting the support elements
140a, in a
substantially intermediate region in the longitudinal direction of the
mounting surface
134 and in the vicinity of the step portion between the mounting surface 134
and the
support surface 133. An extending portion 140c extends from an intermediate
region
of a base end of the receiver plate 136 and has a width (longitudinal length)
slightly
smaller than a distance between the support elements 140a. The extending
portion
140c is provided with a hole extending in the longitudinal direction, i.e., in
the
longitudinal direction of the receiver plate 136. The extending portion 140c
is
provided between the support elements 140a. The pin 140b loosely extends
through
the hole of the extending portion 140c. In this manner, the receiver plate 136
is
pivotally mounted to the support portion 131.
The receiver plate 136 is biased by a coil spring 140d as described below.
The coil spring 140d includes coil portions 140e at both ends thereof, which
are coupled
to each other by. a coupling element (not shown) of a straight line shape. The
coil
spring 140d is formed of a spring steel. Each coil portion 140e is provided
between
the extending portion 140c and the support element 140a. The pin 140b extends
through the coil portions 140e. Both ends of the coil spring 140d extend in a
straight
line shape. An engagement plate 134a is provided to protrude from a region of
the
mounting surface 134 which are located outward of the support element 140a.
The
coil spring 140d is engaged at both ends with the engagement plates 134a. The
coupling element of the coil spring 140d engages with the extending portion
140c.
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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Thus, the receiver plate 136 is biased to move closer to the mounting surface
134 by an
elastic force exerted by the coil spring 140d. When the rear air cell 135
expands, the
receiver plate 136 rotates forward against the force exerted by the coil
spring 140d,
while when the rear air cell 135 contracts, the receiver plate 136 returns to
a position
which is substantially parallel to the mounting surface 134 by the force of
the coil
spring 140d.
As a return means of the receiver plate 136, the illustrated coil spring 140d
is
merely exemplary. Alternatively, a front surface portion of the rear air cell
135 may be
bonded to a rear surface of the receiver plate 136 so that the receiver plate
136 returns to
a position substantially parallel to the mounting surface 134 upon contraction
of the air
cell 135.
As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, two front air cells 137 are arranged in the
vertical
direction on a front surface of the receiver plate 136. The front air cells
137 are
constructed to be similar to and smaller than the rear air cells 135. As in
the rear air
cell 135, the front air cell 137 is substantially flat and expands in fan form
by supplying
the air. The width of each front air cell 137 is about as half as the width of
the receiver
plate 136. Each front air cell 137 is mounted to a substantially outer half
region of the
front surface of the receiver plate 136. Each front air cell 137 is placed in
such a
manner that an unexpandable end is located inward, i.e., closer to the support
surface
133, and an expandable end is located outward, i.e., distant from the support
surface 133.
The front air cell 137 is mounted to the receiver plate 136 with the expansion
inhibiting
portion 137d (see Figs. 17 and 18) fixed to the receiver plate 136. In this
embodiment,
the massaging portion constructed above forms an expandable portion of the
present
invention.
While the chair-type massaging apparatus 101 is not used, the rear air cell
135
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
39
and the front air cell 137 respectively contract to cause a front portion of
the massaging
portion 132 to become substantially flat as shown in Fig. 15. As a result, the
leg rest
104 forms a substantially flat plate shape, and hence the chair-type massaging
apparatus
101 has entirely a simple external appearance.
The user seated in the chair-type massaging apparatus 101 in such a state can
easily place the lower thighs on the leg rest 104 because the front surface of
the leg rest
104 is substantially flat. When the lower thighs are not massaged or otherwise
the
chair-type massaging apparatus 101 is used as an easy chair, the lower thighs
of the user
are not restricted and therefore the user can take a desired attitude freely
because the
front surface of the leg rest 104 is substantially flat.
When the rear air cells 135 and the front air cells 137 expand in fan form
with
the calves of the user placed on the support surface 133, the right and left
receiver plates
136 rotate forward around the hinges 140 by the expansion of the rear air
cells 135 such
that the right and left receiver plates 136 are substantially opposite to the
outer regions
of the lower thighs of the user. Also, by expansion of the front air cells
137, pressing
surfaces which are front surfaces of the left front air cells 137 rotate
rightward and
rearward and pressing surfaces of the right front air cells 137 rotate
leftward and
rearward, thereby pressing outer regions of the shins of the user including
acupuncture
points such as sanri and horyu inward and rearward. As a result, the user can
expect
effects such as facilitating of blood circulation, recovery from fatigue,
relaxation,
function adjustments of internal organs.
Fig. 20 is side view for explaining a rotating structure of the leg rest 104.
As
shown in Fig. 20, a frame structure 141 is mounted inside the seat portion
102.
Direct-acting type actuators 142 and 143 are attached to the frame structure
141. The
actuator 142 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the frame structure
141 such that
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
it is pivotable around a pivot extending horizontally and at an opposite end
thereof to a
lower end portion of the back rest 103 such that it is pivotable around a
pivot extending
horizontally. The actuators 142 and 143 respectively include electric motors.
The
rotation of output shafts of the electric motors is converted into straight-
line movement,
and thus, the actuators 142 and 143 expand and contract. The actuator 142 is
mounted
to the frame structure 141 at a position forward relative to a position at
which the
actuator 142 is mounted to the back rest 103. The actuator 142 is placed to
extend
substantially forward and backward. The back rest 103 is pivotally mounted in
the
vicinity of a lower end portion thereof to the frame structure 141 to be
pivotable around
a pivot 144 extending horizontally. When the actuator 142 expands and
contracts, the
back rest 103 is pivotable forward and backward around the pivot 144, thus
changing a
reclining angle.
The actuator 143 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the frame
structure
141 to be pivotable around a pivot extending horizontally, and at an opposite
end
thereof to a rear portion of the leg rest 104 to be pivotable around a pivot
extending
horizontally. The actuator 143 is mounted to the frame structure 141 at a
position
rearward relative to a position at which the actuator 143 is mounted to the
leg rest 104.
The actuator 143 is placed to extend substantially forward and backward. The
leg rest
104 is pivotally mounted at an upper end thereof to the frame structure 141 to
be
pivotable around a pivot 145 extending horizontally. When the actuator 143
expands
and contracts, the leg rest 104 is pivotable forward and backward around a
pivot 145,
thus changing a tiling angle of the leg rest 104.
While in the fourth embodiment, the reclining means of the back rest 103 and
the rotation means of the leg rest 104 are the direct-acting type actuators
142 and 143
including the motors, they are merely exemplary. Alternatively, other direct-
acting
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
41
type actuators including air cylinders or linear motors may be used or
otherwise, air
bags may cause the back rest 103 or the leg rest 104 to pivot. In a further
altemative,
the back rest 103 may be reclined manually or the leg rest 104 may be rotated
manually.
Fig. 21 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus 101 according to the fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
As shown in Fig. 21, the chair-type massaging apparatus is equipped with a
control
circuit 146. The control circuit 146 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, an input/output
interface, etc and is equipped inside the seat portion 102 or the back rest
103. The
control circuit 146 is coupled to an operation portion 147 equipped with a
plurality of
operation keys and to drive circuits 148 to 150. The control circuit 146 is
configured
to receive an operation signal from the operation portion 147 and to transmit
a control
signal according to the operation signal to the drive circuits 148 to 150. The
operations of the chair-type massaging apparatus 101 according to the
operation keys
and their combinations are preset in the control circuit 146. When the user
presses an
operation key corresponding to a desired operation, the operation signal is
transmitted to
the control circuit 146, which outputs a control signal corresponding to the
operation
input.
The drive circuits 148 and 149 are coupled to the direct-acting type actuators
142 and 143, respectively. This makes it possible to freely change the
reclining angle
of the back rest 103 and the tilting angle of the leg rest 104 according to
the user's
operation with the operation portion 147.
The drive circuit 150 is coupled to the air supply and exhaust device 109 and
is
configured to drive the air supply and exhaust device 109 according to the
control signal
received from the control circuit 146. The control circuit 146 is configured
to control
the operation of the air supply and exhaust device 109. The air supply and
exhaust
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
42
device 109 includes a switching valve such as an electromagnetic valve, an air
pump,
and other components and is coupled to the rear air cells 135 and the front
air cells 137
through the air hoses 139. The air supply and exhaust device 109 is capable of
independently supplying and exhausting air with respect to the rear air cells
135 and the
front air cells 137.
An operation control of the leg rest 104 will be described. Fig. 22 is a
flowchart showing an example of the operation control of the leg rest 104 in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus 101 according to the fourth embodiment of the
present
invention. When the user seated in the chair-type massaging apparatus 101
performs a
predetermined input operation to instruct the leg rest 104 to start massaging
the lower
thighs (step S1), the control circuit 146 sends a predetermined control signal
to the drive
circuit 150 to control the operation of the air supply and exhaust device 109
so that the
air is supplied to the rear air cells 135 for a preset time period (step S2).
This causes
the receiver plates 136 to rotate forward. Thereafter, the receiver plates 136
are fixed
when the air supply to the rear air cells 135 stops.
Subsequently, the control circuit 146 sends a predetermined control signal to
the drive circuit 150 to control the operation of the air supply and exhaust
device 109 so
that the air is supplied to the front air cells 137 for a preset time period
(step S3). This
causes the front air cells 137 to expand in fan form to press outer regions of
the shins of
the user inward and rearward.
After the set time period elapses from the start of the air supply to the
front air
cells 137, the control circuit 146 sends a predetermined control signal to the
drive
circuit 150 to control the operation of the air supply and exhaust device 109
so that the
air is exhausted from the front air cells 137 (step S4). This releases the
pressing force
applied to the outer regions of the shins of the user.
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
43
The control circuit 146 determines whether or not there is an instruction from
the user for terminating massaging the lower thighs (step S5). If it is
determined that
there is no instruction, the control circuit 146 returns the process to step
S3. On the
other hand, if it is determined that there is an instruction in step S5, the
control circuit
146 sends a predetermined control signal to the drive circuit 150 to control
the operation
of the air supply and exhaust device 109 so that the air is exhausted from the
rear air
cells 135 (step S6), thus terminating the process.
The front air cells 137 repeat expansion and contraction to repeatedly press
the
outer regions of the shins of the user unless the instruction for terminating
massaging
the lower thighs is received from the user. The massage strength of the lower
thighs
can be adjusted by the user's predetermined input operation with the operation
portion
147 in such a manner that in order to increase the massage strength, the time
period
during which the air is supplied to the rear air cells 135 is set longer,
while in order to
decrease the massage strength, the time period during which the air is
supplied to the
rear air cells 135 is set shorter. It shall be appreciated that the time
period during
which the air is supplied to the front air cells 137 may be configured to be
changed.
Furthermore, instead of changing the time periods during which the air is
supplied to the rear air cells 135 and the front air cells 137, an air supply
amount for the
same time period may be adjusted, thus adjusting the massage strength.
The number and size of the rear air cells 135, the receiver plates 136, and
the
front air cells 137 are not intended to be limited to those illustrated in the
fourth
embodiment. Alternatively, the rear air cells 135, the receiver plates 136,
and the front
air cells 137 may be substantially equally sized and one of them may be
mounted for
each lower thigh of the user. Also, the rear air cell 135 and the front air
cell 137 need
not be superposed with the receiver plate 136 interposed between them. For
example,
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
44
each of the rear air cel1135 and the front air ce11137 may include only one
air bag or
otherwise may be superposed without the receiver plate 136. Furthermore, they
may
include three or more air bags superposed.
(Embodiment 5)
Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus 152 according to a fifth embodiment of the present
invention. As
shown in Fig. 23, the chair-type massaging apparatus 152 is constructed such
that a leg
rest 153 is pivotally mounted at an upper end thereof to an upper front side
of the seat
portion 102. An intermediate massaging portion 155 is mainly comprised of an
intermediate air cell (intermediate air bag) 154 (see Figs. 24 to 26) and is
equipped in
substantially an intermediate region in a width direction of the leg rest 153.
The construction of the leg rest 153 will be described in detail. As described
below, for the simplicity of explanation, the leg rest 153 is illustrated as
extended
substantially downward from a front end of the seat surface 102b, except for a
case
specifically described. Fig. 24 is a front view showing the construction of
the leg rest
153 included in the chair-type massaging apparatus 152 according to the fifth
embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 25 and 26 are plan views thereof.
As
shown in Figs. 24 to 26, the leg rest 153 mainly includes a support portion
156, the
intermediate massaging portion 155, and massaging portions 132. The support
portion
156 forms a substantially flat plate shape, and is pivotally mounted at an
upper end
thereof to the upper front side of the seat portion 102 by a pivot extending
horizontally
(see Fig. 23).
As shown in Figs. 24 to 26, an intermediate mounting surface 157 is formed
in an intermediate region in the width direction of the support portion 156
and
configured to allow the intermediate massaging portion 155 to be mounted
thereon.
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
Support surfaces 158 are formed on right and left sides outside the
intermediate
mounting surface 157 of the support portion 156 and are configured to allow
the right
and left calves of the user to be supported thereon. Further, mounting
surfaces 159 are
formed outside the support surfaces 158 and are configured to allow the
massaging
portions 132 to be mounted thereon. The intermediate mounting surface 157, the
support surfaces 158 and the mounting surfaces 159 are parallel to each other.
The
intermediate mounting surface 157 is formed lower than the support surfaces
158, and
the mounting surfaces 159 are formed lower than the intermediate mounting
surface 157.
Thus, there are step portions between the intermediate surface 157 and the
support
surfaces 158 and between the mounting surfaces 159 and the support surfaces
158. As
shown in Fig. 24, the intermediate mounting surface 157 is formed to have a
width that
increases downward, and the step portions between the intermediate mounting
surface
157 and the support surfaces 158 are tilted with respect to the longitudinal
direction to
have a spacing between them that increases downward.
Alternatively, the support surfaces 158 and the intermediate mounting surface
157 may form a flat surface, or otherwise the support surfaces 158 and the
mounting
surfaces 159 may form a flat surface.
An intermediate air cell 154 is mounted to the intermediate mounting surface
157. The intermediate air ce11154 has a dimension sligbtly smaller than that
of the
inten.nediate mounting surface 157 and has a width that increases downward as
in the
intermediate mounting surface 157. The intermediate air ce11154 in a
contracting state
is substantially flat so as to form a flat surface along witb the support
surfaces 158. In
this state, the intermediate air cell 154 expands to protrude forward further
than the
support surfaces 158 by supplying the air.
Alternatively, the lower thighs of the user need not be supported only by the
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
46
support surfaces 158, but a part of the calves may be supported by the support
surfaces
158 and the remaining part of them may be supported by the intermediate air
cell 154.
Fig. 27 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus 152 according to the fifth embodiment of the present
invention.
As shown in Fig. 27, the control circuit 146 is coupled to drive circuits 148,
149, and
160 and is configured to send a control signal to them. The drive circuit 160
is
coupled to an air supply and exhaust device 161 and is configured to drive the
air
supply and exhaust device 161 in accordance with the control signal received
from the
control circuit 146. The control circuit 146 is capable of controlling an
operation of
the air supply and exhaust device 161. The air supply and exhaust device 161
includes
a switching valve such as an electromagnetic valve, an air pump, and other
components,
and is coupled to the rear air cells 135, the front air cells 137, and the
intermediate air
cell 154 through the air hoses 139. The air supply and exhaust device 161 is
configured to supply and exhaust air to and from each of the rear air cells
135, the front
air cells 137, and the intermediate air cel1154 independently.
An operation control of the leg rest 153 will be described. Fig. 28 is a
flowchart showing an example of the operation control of the leg rest 153 in
the
chair-type massaging apparatus 152 according to the fifth embodiment of the
present
invention. When the user seated in the chair-type massaging apparatus 152
performs a
predetermined input operation with an operation portion 147 to instruct the
leg rest 153
to start massaging the lower thighs (step S21), the control circuit 146 sends
a
predetermined control signal to the drive circuit 160 to control the operation
of the air
supply and exhaust device 161 so that the air is supplied to the intermediate
air cell 154
for a preset time period (step S22). This causes the intermediate air cell 154
to
protrude forward further than the support surfaces 158. So, the user only has
to move
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
47
the lower thighs so that inner regions of the calves are pressed against the
intermediate
air cell 154, in order to take a proper attitude to enable the lower thighs to
be massaged.
Steps S23 to S27 following the step S22 are identical to the steps S2 to S6
described in
the fourth embodiment, and will not be further described.
Since the other configuration, function, and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 152 of the fifth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment, the same components are identified by
the
same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not
be further
described.
In the chair-type massaging apparatus 152 of the fifth embodiment constructed
as described above, while it is not used, the rear air cells 135, the front
air cells 137, and
the intermediate air cel1154 respectively contract to cause front regions of
the
massaging portions 132 and the intermediate massaging portion 155 to form a
substantially flat surface as shown in Fig. 25, and thus the leg rest 153
forms a
substantially flat plate shape. As a result, the chair-type massaging
apparatus 152
entirely has a simple external appearance.
With the user seated in the chair-type massaging apparatus 152 in such a
state,
the user easily places the lower thighs onto the leg rest 153 because the
front surface of
the leg rest 153 is a substantially flat surface. When the lower thighs are
not massaged
or otherwise the chair-type massaging apparatus 152 is used as an easy chair,
the user
can take a desired attitude freely without restriction of the lower thighs
because the front
surface of the leg rest 153 is the substantially flat surface.
When the intermediate air cell 154 expands, the inner regions of the calves of
the user contact the intermediate air cell 154. As shown in Fig. 26, when the
rear air
cells 135 and the front air cells 137 respectively expand in this state, the
outer regions of
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
48
the shins of the user are pressed inward and rearward by the pressing surfaces
of the
front air cells 137. As a result, each lower thigh of the user is sandwiched
between the
front air cell 137 and the intermediate air cel1154 to be subjected to grab-
massage.
As used herein, the term "grab-massage" refers to a massage operation in
which a massager such as a massage person applies a finger pressure to massage
the leg
or the arm of the user in such a manner that the massager grabs the leg or the
arm while
applying strong and weak forces. The grab-massage is one of massage operations
which may be comfortable to the user.
Since the intermediate air cell 154 is mounted to the support portion 156 to
have a width that increases downward, it contacts large regions in the
longitudinal
direction of the lower thighs. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the fact that
the
intermediate air cell 154 contacts only a longitudinal part of the calves of
the user.
While in the fifth embodiment, the intermediate air cell 154 is configured to
have the width that increases downward, it may alternatively have a
rectangular shape.
Since the inner regions of the calves of the user contact the intermediate air
cell
154, it is possible to inhibit the lower thighs of the user from moving inward
even when
the outer regions of the shins of the user are pressed inward and rearward. As
a result,
the massaging effects are enhanced as compared to the case wbere only the
massaging
portions 132 massage the outer regions of the shins.
The operation control of the leg rest 153 is not limited to the above. For
example, an operation cycle may be repeated in such a manner that only the
rear air
cells 135 may contract and thereafter the front air cells 137 and the
intermediate air cell
154 may respectively contract in the state in which the rear air cells 135,
the front air
cells 137, and the intermediate air cell 154 respectively expand. In this
case, with the
rear air cells 135, the front air cells 137 and the intermediate air cell 154
respectively
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
49
expanding, the lower thigh of the user is sandwiched between the massaging
portion
132 and the intermediate massaging portion 155. In this state, by contracting
only the
rear air cells 135, the front air cells 137 are caused to retract by an
elastic force exerted
by the coil spring 140d. Therefore, the lower thigh of the user is pulled
rearward with
the lower thigh sandwiched between the massaging portion 132 and the
intermediate
massaging portion 155. Thus, the lower thigh of the user is subjected to pull
massage.
As used herein, the term "pull-massage" refers to a massage operation in which
the massager grabs a region of the user, for example, the lower thigh, to be
massaged,
and shifts a massage position (position at which finger or the like is in
contact with a
body of the user) outward relative to the massage position while grabbing the
region' to
be massaged. The pull-massage is one of massage operations which may be
comfortable to the user.
Alternatively, the operation of the leg rest 153 may be controlled so that the
front air cells 137 and the intermediate air cell 154 expand and contract
repeatedly in
synchronization with each other with the rear air cells 135 expanding. In this
case, the
grab-massage of the lower thighs of the user is repeatedly performed.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 135,
the
receiver plates 136, and the front air cells 137 are not intended to be
limited to those
illustrated in the fifth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 135 and the front
air cell 137
need not be superposed with the receiver plate 136 interposed between them.
For
example, each of the rear air cell 135 and the front air cell 137 may include
only one air
bag or otherwise may be superposed without the receiver plate 136.
Furthermore,
they may include three or more air bags superposed.
Furthermore, the number and size of the intermediate air cell 154 are not
intended to be limited to those of the fifth embodiment, but a plurality of
intermediate
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
air cells 154 may be arranged in the vertical direction, or otherwise the
intermediate air
cell 154 may include a plurality of air bags.
(Embodiment 6)
Fig. 29 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
As
shown in Fig. 29, a chair-type massaging apparatus 162 of this embodiment is
constructed such that a leg rest 163 is pivotally attached at an upper end
portion thereof
to an upper front side of the seat portion 102, and an intermediate massaging
portion
166 mainly includes a pair of intermediate air cells 164 (see Figs. 30 to 32)
mounted at
an intermediate region in the width direction of the leg rest 163.
Subsequently, a construction of the leg rest 163 will be described in more
detail.
As described below, for the sake of simple explanation below, the leg rest 163
is
illustrated as extended substantially downward from a front end of the seat
surface 102b,
except for the condition specifically described. Fig. 30 is a front view
showing the
construction of the leg rest 163 equipped in the chair-type massaging
apparatus 163
according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 31 and 32
are plan
views thereof. As shown in Figs. 30 to 32, the leg rest 163 of this embodiment
includes a support portion 165 and the massaging portions 132. The support
portion
165 includes an intermediate mounting surface 167 (trapezoid region defmed by
two-dotted line in Fig. 30) at a substantially intermediate region in the
width direction
thereof. Support surfaces 168 are formed on right and left sides outside the
intermediate mounting surface 167 of the support portion 165 and are
configured to
allow the right and left calves of the user to be supported thereon. Mounting
surfaces
169 are provided outside the support surfaces 168 and are configured to allow
the
massaging portions 132 to be mounted thereon. The intermediate mounting
surface
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
51
167, the support surfaces 168 and the mounting surfaces 169 are parallel to
each other.
The intermediate mounting surface 167 is as high as the support surfaces 168
to form a
flat surface, and the mounting surfaces 169 are lower than the intermediate
mounting
surface 167 and the support surfaces 168. Thus, there are step portions
between the
mounting surfaces 169 and the support surfaces 168. Alternatively, the
mounting
surfaces 169 and the support surfaces 168 may form a flat surface, or
otherwise there
may be step portions between the intermediate mounting surface 167 and the
support
surfaces 168 so that the intermediate mounting surface 167 is lower than the
support
surfaces 168.
A pair of right and left intermediate air cells 164 are mounted to the
intermediate mounting surface 167. Each intermediate air cell 164 is shaped to
have a
reduced width of the rear air cell 135. As in the rear air cell 135 and the
front air cell
137, each intermediate air cell 164 is configured to expand in fan form from a
substantially flat state by air supply. The respective intermediate air cells
164 are
mounted to the intermediate mounting surface 167 in such a manner that their
expandable ends are closer to each other and their unexpandable ends are
distant from
each other, and a distance between them increases downward. As in the mounting
structure of the rear air ce11135 to the support surface 133 described in the
fourth
embodiment, each intermediate air cell 164 is mounted to the intermediate
mounting
surface 167 such that an expansion restricting portion 164d is fastened to the
intermediate mounting surface 167.
While the intermediate air cells 164 are mounted to the intermediate mounting
surface 167 to be tilted, they may alternatively be mounted to the
intermediate mounting
surface 167 to be arranged in parallel with each other.
The lower thighs of the user are not necessarily supported only by the support
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52
surfaces 168. Alternatively, a part of the calves may be supported by the
support
surfaces 168 and remaining part may be supported by the intermediate air cells
164 in a
contracting state. In this case, the intermediate air cells 164 are always in
contact with
the lower thighs of the user. Thus, the pressing force of the intermediate air
cells 164
may be applied to the lower thighs of the user more efficiently.
Fig. 33 is a block diagram showing a part of a configuration of the chair-type
massaging apparatus 162 according to the sixth embodiment of the present
invention.
As shown in Fig. 33, the control circuit 146 is coupled to the drive circuits
148, 149,
and 170 and is configured to send a control signal to them. The drive circuit
170 is
coupled to an air supply and exhaust device 171 and is configured to drive the
air
supply and exhaust device 171 in accordance with the control signal received
from the
control circuit 146. The control circuit 146 is capable of controlling an
operation of
the air supply and exhaust device 171. The air supply and exhaust device 171
includes
a switching valve such as an electromagnetic valve, an air pump, and other
components,
and is coupled to the rear air cells 135, the front air cells 137, and the
intermediate air
cells 154 through the air hoses 139. The air supply and exhaust device 171 is
configured to supply and exhaust air to and from each of the rear air cells
135, the front
air cells 137, and the intermediate air cells 154 independently.
Subsequently, an operation control of the leg rest 163 will be described. Fig.
34 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation control of the leg rest
163 in the
chair-type massaging apparatus 162 according to the sixth embodiment of the
present
invention. When the user seated in the chair-type massaging apparatus 162
performs a
predetermined input operation with the operation portion 147 to instruct the
leg rest 163
to start massaging the lower thighs (step S31), the control circuit 146 sends
a
predetermined control signal to the drive circuit 170 to control the operation
of the air
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
53
supply and exhaust device 171 so that the air is supplied to the rear air
cells 135, the
front air cells 137 and the internediate air cells 164 for a preset time
period (step S32).
This causes the rear air cells 135, the front air cells 137, and the
intermediate air cells
164 to respectively expand to an extent to which the front air cells 137
contact the outer
regions of the shins of the user and the intermediate air cells 164 contact
the inner
regions of the calves. In this state, each lower thigh is sandwiched between
and
pressed by the front air cells 137 and the intermediate air cel1164.
Since the intermediate air cells 164 are mounted to the support portion 165
with a distance between them that increases downward, they contact large
regions in the
longitudinal direction of the lower thighs. Thereby, it is possible to avoid
the fact that
the intermediate air cells 164 contact only a longitudinal part of the calves
of the user.
After an elapse of the set time period from when the air supply to the rear
air
cells 135, the front air cells 137, and the intermediate air cells 164 starts,
the controller
146 sends a predetermined control signal to the drive circuit 170 to control
the operation
of the air supply and exhaust device 171 so that the air is exhausted from the
rear air
cells 135 (step S33). This causes the rear air cells 136 to contract. The
receiver
plates 136 rotate rearward by the force exerted by the coil springs 140d, and
the front air
cells 137 retract. Thus, the pull massage is performed on the lower thigh of
the user in
such a manner that the lower thigh of the user is pulled rearward with the
lower thigh
sandwiched between the front air cell 137 and the intermediate air cell 164.
After an elapse of a predetermined time period from when the air exhaust from
the rear air cells 135 starts, the control circuit 146 sends a predetermined
control signal
to the drive circuit 170 to control the operation of the air supply and
exhaust device 171
so that the air is exhausted from the front air cells 137 and the intermediate
air cells 164
(step S34). Thereby, the pressing force applied to the lower thighs of the
user is
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
54
released.
The control circuit 146 determines whether or not there is an instruction from
the user for terminating massaging of the lower thighs (step S35), and if it
is determined
that there is no instruction, the control circuit 146 retums the process to
step S32. On
the other hand, if it is determined that there is an instruction in step S35,
the control
circuit 146 terminates the process.
The leg rest 163 repeats pull-massage of the lower thighs unless there is an
instruction from the user for terminating massaging of the lower thighs. The
massage
strength of the lower thighs is adjustable by the user's predetermined input
operation
with the operation portion 147 in such a manner that in order to increase the
massage
strength, the time period during which the air is supplied to the rear air
cells 135, the
front air cells 137 and the intermediate air cells 164 is set longer, while in
order to
decrease the massage strength, the time period during which the air is
supplied to them
is set shorter.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 162 of the sixth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment, the same components are
identified
by the same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects
will not be
further described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 135,
the
receiver plates 136 and the front air cells 137 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the sixth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 135 and the front
air cell
137 need not be superposed with the receiver plate 136 interposed between
them. For
example, each of the rear air cell 135 and the front air cell 137 may include
only one air
bag or otherwise may be superposed without the receiver plate 136.
Furthermore, they
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
may include three or more air bags superposed.
The number and size of the intermediate air cells 164 are not intended to be
limited to those of the sixth embodiment. The intermediate air cells 164 may
be
configured in such a manner that a plurality of intermediate air cells 164 may
be
arranged in two lines in the vertical direction, or otherwise may be comprised
of a
plurality of air bags.
(Embodiment 7)
Fig. 35 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest 172 of a chair-
type
massaging apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present
invention.
Figs. 36 and 37 are plan views thereof. Fig. 38 is a partially enlarged plan
view of the
leg rest 172 of Fig. 37. As shown in Figs. 35 to 37, each massaging portion
240 of the
leg rest 172 of the seventh embodiment is constructed such that two pressing
heads
(massaging elements) 173 are arranged in the longitudinal direction on a front
side of
each front air cel1137. In greater detail, as shown in Fig..38, a pressing
plate 174
having a main surface of a substantially the same shape as that of a front
surface of each
front air cel1137 is mounted to the front surface of the front air cell 137,
and the two
pressing heads 173 are arranged in the vertical direction on the front surface
of the
pressing plate 174. When the rear air cells 135 and the front air cells 137
expand, the
pressing heads 173 press the outer regions of the shins of the user to apply
stimulation
to the user as if the massager were pressing the outer regions of the shins.
The pressing heads 173 may be made of materials that are not specifically
limited, for example, metal or synthetic resin, but preferably elastomer
having an
elasticity, various types of urethane foams, other foams, etc. This makes it
possible to
inhibit too strong stimulation from being applied to the user. The shape of
the
pressing heads 173 is not specifically limited, but may be round, for example,
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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hemispherical.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the seventh embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 162 of the sixth embodiment, the same components are identified by
the same
reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not be
further
described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 135,
the
receiver plates 136 and the front air cells 137 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the seventh embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 135 and the
front air cell
137 need not be superposed with the receiver plate 136 interposed between
them. For
example, each of the rear air cell 135 and the front air cell 137 may include
only one air
bag or may be superposed without the receiver plate 136. Furthermore, they may
include three or more air bags superposed.
As in the sixth embodiment, the number and size of the intermediate air cells
164 are not intended to be limited to those of the seventh embodiment. The
intermediate air cells 164 may be configured in such a manner that a plurality
of
intermediate air cells 164 may be arranged in two lines in the vertical
direction, or
otherwise may be comprised of a plurality of air bags.
(Embodiment 8)
Fig. 39 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest of a chair-type
massaging apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present
invention. Figs.
40 and 41 are plan views thereof. As shown in Figs, 39 to 41, each receiver
plate 176
included in a massaging portion 241 of a leg rest 175 is configured such that
its outer
end portion in the width direction is bent forward a predetermined angle. The
front air
cells 137 are mounted to the receiver plate 176 at a position which is outward
relative to
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the bent position. As shown in Fig. 41, each rear air cell 135 is expandable
to an
extent to which a base end portion of the receiver plate 176 becomes
perpendicular to
the support surface 168. When the rear air cell 135 expands, the outer end
portion of
the receiver plate 176 covers the support surface 168 from front. The receiver
plate
176 may be made of materials having hardness sufficient to maintain the bent
state, and
is preferably made of materials having relatively high hardness, for example,
metal or
plastic having plasticity at temperatures near a room temperature.
In contrast to the configuration in which the receiver plate is flat, the
front air
cell 137 is moved closer to the lower thigh of the user when the rear air cell
135
expands. Therefore, by expanding the front air cell 137, a front region of the
lower
thigh including the outer region of the shin of the user is pressed
substantially backward,
and thus stronger stimulation is applied to the outer region of the shin.
Furthermore, if
the front air cel1137 is made smaller, sufficient massage strength can be
ensured.
Instead of the receiver plate 176 that is bent forward at one point, it may
alternatively be entirely curved forward in a circular arc shape.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the eighth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 162 of the sixth embodiment, the same components are identified by
the same
reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not be
further
described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 135,
the
receiver plates 136 and the front air cells 137 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the eighth embodiment. Furthermore; two or more air bags may be
superposed on the front surface of the receiver plate 176, or otherwise may be
superposed behind the receiver plate 176.
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58
As in the sixth embodiment, the number and size of the intermediate air cells
164 are not intended to be limited to those of the eighth embodiment. The
intermediate air cells 164 may be configured in such a manner that a plurality
of
intermediate air cells 164 may be arranged in two lines in the vertical
direction, or
otherwise may be comprised of a plurality of superposed air bags.
Fig. 42 is a front view showing another construction of the leg rest of the
chair-type massaging apparatus according to the eighth embodiment of the
present
invention. Figs. 43 and 44 are plan views thereof. As shown in Figs. 42 to 44,
a leg
rest 242 is constructed in such a manner that an intermediate mounting surface
167 of
the support portion 165 is rectangular (region defined by-two-dotted line in
Fig. 42) and
an intermediate massaging portion 244 including a rectangular flat
intermediate air cell
243 is mounted to intermediate mounting surface 167 instead of the
intermediate
massaging portion 166 including a pair of intermediate air cells 164. The
intermediate
air cell 243 is flat in a contracting state, and hence the front surface of
the support
portion 165 is substantially flat. When the intermediate air cell 243 expands,
it
protrudes forward from the support surface 168 so as to contact and press the
inner
region of the calf of the user. When the user places the lower thigh on the
support
portion 165 such that the inner region of the calf contacts the intermediate
air cell 243,
the calf of the user is guided to a massage position on the support surface
168.
The shape of the intermediate air cel1243 is not intended to be limited to
rectangle, but may be trapezoid shape with a width increasing downward.
The number, size and configuration of the intermediate air cell 243 are not
intended to be limited to the above. The intermediate air cells 243 may be
configured
in such a manner that a plurality of intermediate air cells 243 may be
arranged in two
lines in the vertical direction, or otherwise may be comprised of a plurality
of
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
59
superposed air bags.
(Embodiment 9)
Fig. 45 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest 177 of a chair-
type
massaging apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.
46 is a side view thereof. As shown in Figs. 45 and 46, the leg rest 177 of
the ninth
embodiment includes a lower thigh massaging unit 178 configured to massage the
lower
thigh of the user, i.e., a region from the knee to the ankle, and a foot
massaging unit 179
configured to massage a foot of the user, i.e., a region from the ankle to tip
portion.
The lower thigh massaging unit 178 is identical in construction to the leg
rest 163
described in the seventh embodiment except that the intermediate massaging
portion
180 includes two pairs of intermediate air cells 181, and each of right and
left
massaging portions 183 includes rear air cells 184 and receiver plates 185
which are
formed by dividing the rear air cell 135 and the receiver plate 136 in two in
the vertical
direction and by arranging them in the vertical direction. In greater detail,
the
intermediate massaging portion 180 is constructed such that a pair of
intermediate air
cells 181 are arranged on right and left sides of an upper half region of the
intermediate
mounting surface 167 and another pair of intermediate air cells 181 are
arranged on
right and left sides on a lower half region of the intermediate mounting
surface 167.
Each pair of intennediate air cells 181 are arranged to be tilted with respect
to the
longitudinal direction such that a distance between them increases downward.
Also,
the two intermediate air cells 181 arranged in the longitudinal direction,
i.e., two
intermediate air cells 181 arranged on the right side or on the left side are
arranged in a
straight line shape. Thereby, the intermediate air cells 181 contact a large
range of the
lower thighs in the longitudinal direction while the lower thighs of the user
are
massaged. Therefore, the fact that the intermediate air cells 181 contact only
a
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
longitudinal part of the calves of the user is avoided.
Subsequently, a construction of the massaging portion 183 will be described in
detail. The two rear air cells 184 are vertically arranged on each mounting
surface 169.
As in the rear air cells 135 and the front air cells 137 described in the
fourth
embodiment, each rear air cell 184 is configured to expand in fan form from a
substantially flat state by supplying the air thereto. Each rear air cell 184
has a main
surface portion which is slightly smaller than an upper half region (or lower
half region)
of the mounting surface 169, and is placed on the mounting surface 169 as in
the rear air
cell 135 in such a manner that its unexpandable end is oriented inward, i.e.,
toward the
support surface 168, and its expandable end is oriented outward.
The receiver plate 185 is placed in front of each rear air cell 184 thus
configured. Each receiver plate 185 is constructed of a substantially
rectangular plate
having an area slightly larger than that of the main surface portion of the
rear air cell
184, and is placed in front of the rear air cel1184 so as to cover the entire
rear air cell
184. Each receiver plate 185 is mounted to the mounting surface 169 by a hinge
186
as in the receiver plate 136 of the fourth embodiment, which will not be
described in
detail. One front air ce11137 is mounted in an outer half region of the front
surface of
the receiver plate 185 as in the fourth embodiment. As in the receiver plate
136 of the
fourth embodiment, the receiver plate 185 may be constructed of a relative
hard material
such as metal, or otherwise a relatively flexible material such as synthetic
resin.
In the manner described above, the massaging portion 183 is constructed of the
rear air cells 184, the receiver plates 185, and the front air cells 137.
Each foot massaging unit 179 includes a sole support portion 187 of a
substantially flat plate shape, and a sole massaging portion 192 comprised of
air cells
(air bags) 188 to 191, and a vibrator (not shown). As in the rear air cell 135
and the
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61
front air cell 137, the air cells 188 to 191 are configured to expand in fan
form from a
substantially flat state by supplying the air thereto. An intermediate
mounting surface
193 is formed in an intermediate region in the width direction of the sole
support
portion 187 and configured to allow the air cell 188 and the vibrator to be
mounted
thereon. Support surfaces 194 are provided on right and left regions outside
the
intermediate mounting surface 193 of the sole support portion 187 and
configured to
allow the sole of the user to be supported thereon. Mounting surfaces 195 are
provided on outer end regions of upper surfaces of the sole support portions
187 to be
positioned on right and left regions outside the support surfaces 194. The
intermediate
mounting surface 193, the support surfaces 194, and the mounting surfaces 195
are
parallel to each other. The intermediate mounting surface 193 is formed lower
than the
support surfaces 194 and the mounting surfaces 195 are formed lower than the
intermediate mounting surface 193. In this manner, there are steps between the
intermediate mounting surface 193 and the support surfaces 194 and between the
mounting surfaces 195 and the support surfaces 194.
The support surface 194 and the intermediate mounting surface 193 may form
a flat surface, or otherwise the support surface 194 and the mounting surface
195 may
form a flat surface.
A pair of air cells 188 are arranged on right and left sides on a front half
region
of the interniediate mounting surface 193. The air cells 188 are mounted to
the
intermediate mounting surface 193 in such a manner that their expandable ends
are
closer to each other and their unexpandable ends are distant from each other.
The vibrators are mounted in regions of the intermediate mounting surface 193
which are located behind the two air cells 188. Each vibrator is positioned to
correspond to an arch of the foot of the user with a standard constitution
with the foot
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
62
placed on the foot massaging unit 179.
An air cell 189 is mounted in a front half region of the mounting surface 195
to
be located at a position lateral relative to the air cell 188. The air ce11189
has a main
surface sized to be slightly smaller than a front half region of the mounting
surface 195,
and is placed in such a manner that its unexpandable end is oriented inward. A
receiver plate 196 having a main surface of substantially the same shape as
that of the
upper surface of the air ce11189 is mounted on the upper surface of the air
cell 189.
Furthermore, an air cel1191 is mounted on an upper surface of the receiver
plate 196.
Since placement and construction of these air cells 189 and 191 and the
receiver plate
196 are identical to those of the rear air cel1135, the receiver plate 136,
and the front air
cell 137 described in the fourth embodiment, they will not be further
described.
An air cell 190 is mounted to a rear half region of the mounting surface 195
to
be located at a position lateral relative to the vibrator. The air ce11190 is
sized to be
slightly smaller than the air cell 189, and is placed in such a manner that
its
uriexpandable end is oriented inward as in the air cell 189.
Fig. 47 is a front view showing a construction of the leg rest 177 with the
air
cells 188 to 191 expanding. Fig. 48 is a side view thereof. With the sole of
an adult
user with a standard constitution placed on the sole massaging unit 179, a
part of the
sole is placed on the support surface 194 and the remaining part is placed on
the air cell
188 and the vibrator. Under this condition, by expanding the air cells 189 and
191, a
dorsum of the foot of the user is pressed from above by the air cell 191 as
shown in Figs.
47 and 48. Thus, the dorsum of the foot of the user is massaged. In addition,
when
the air ce11s 188 and 190 and the vibrator operate with the foot of the user
pressed from
above, the foot of the user is inhibited from moving away therefrom due to
pressure or
vibration of them.
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63
By expanding the air cell 188, the tip portion of the foot of the user from a
bottom region to an inner region is pressed. Further, by expanding the air
cell 190, an
ankle (malleolus) of the user is pressed. By operating the vibrator, the
vibrational
stimulation is applied to the arch of the foot of the user.
By repeating expansion and contraction of the air cells 188 to 191
independently or in synchronization with each other, or by operating the
vibrator
independently or in synchronization with these air cells 188 to 191,
comfortable
stimulation is applied to the user while the foot is massaged.
As shown by two-dotted line in Figs. 45 to 48, the lower thigh massaging unit
178 and the foot massaging unit 179 are coupled by a frame 197 to configure
the leg
rest 177. In this case, the frame 197 may be equipped with an expansion and
contraction system to vary a distance between the lower thigh massaging unit
178 and
the foot massaging unit 179. Alternatively, instead of coupling the lower
thigh
massaging unit 178 to the foot massaging unit 179 by the frame 197 or the
like, only the
lower thigh massaging unit 178 may be pivotally mounted on the seat portion
102, and
the foot massaging unit 179 may be placed on a floor surface under the lower
thigh
massaging unit 178 during use.
The above mentioned configuration of the lower thigh massaging unit 178 is
merely exemplary, and may be configured as in that of the leg rest of any of
the fourth
to ninth embodiments. In addition, the above mentioned configuration of the
foot
massaging unit 179 is merely exemplary. The foot massaging unit 179 may be
configured in such a manner that the air cells 189 and 191 and the receiver
plate 196
may be omitted, and/or one or a plurality of the air cells 189 and 191 and the
receiver
plate 196 may be omitted, another air cells or vibrators may be provided
separately from
the air cells 188 to 191 and the vibrator, or otherwise one or a plurality of
the air cells
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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188 to 191 and the vibrator may be placed at positions different from those
mentioned
above.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the ninth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment, the same components are identified by
the
same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not
be further
described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 184,
the
receiver plates 185 and the front air cells 137 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the ninth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 184 and the front
air cell
137 need not be superposed with the receiver plate 185 interposed between
them. For
example, each of the rear air cell 184 and the front air cell 137 may include
only one air
bag or may be superposed without the receiver plate 185. Furthermore, they may
include three or more air bags superposed.
(Embodiment 10)
Fig. 49 is a perspective view showing a construction of a leg rest 198 of a
chair-type massaging apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of the present
invention. In description below, the leg rest 198 is illustrated as extended
substantially
downward from a front end of the seat surface 102b, except for a case
specifically
mentioned.
The leg rest 198 of the tenth embodiment mainly comprises an upper unit 199a,
a lower unit 199b, and an expansion and contraction system (distance changing
means)
200. Tfie upper unit 199a mainly includes an upper support portion 201a, a
massaging
portion 202a, and an intermediate massaging portion 203a. The lower unit 199b
mainly includes a lower support portion 201b, a massaging portion 202b, and an
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
intermediate massaging portion 203b. A support portion of the present
invention is
constructed of the upper support portion 201a and the lower support portion
201b.
The upper unit 199a is mounted in front of and under the seat surface 102b of
the seat portion 102, and the lower unit 199b is mounted under the upper unit
199a.
The upper and lower units 199a and 199b are mounted to be vertically arranged
on the
front side of the expansion and contraction system 200 mounted on a front side
of an
upper region of the seat portion 102b to be pivotable around a pivot 204. As
in the
construction in which the lower thigh massaging unit 178 described in the
ninth
embodiment is divided in two, the upper unit 199a and the lower unit 199b are
vertically arranged to be closer to and away from each other.
The upper unit 199a includes an upper support portion 201a which is of a
substantially flat plate shape. The upper support portion 201a has an
intermediate
mounting surface 205a (trapezoid-shaped region def"med by two-dotted line of
Fig. 49)
in an intermediate region substantially in a width direction thereof to allow
the
intermediate massaging portion 203a to be mounted thereon. Support surfaces
206a
are provided on right and left sides outside the intermediate mounting surface
205a of
the upper support portion 201a and configured to allow the right and left
calves of the
user to be supported thereon. Further, mounting surfaces 207a are formed
outside the
support surfaces 206a and configured to allow the massaging portion 202a to be
mounted thereon. The intermediate mounting surface 205a, the support surfaces
206a,
and the mounting surfaces 207a are parallel to each other, and the
intermediate
mounting surface 205a and the support surface 206a are configured to be as
high as
each other to form a flat surface, and the mounting surface 207a is configured
to be
lower than these. Thus, there are steps between the mounting surfaces 207a and
the
support surfaces 206a.
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66
Such a construction is exemplary. Alternatively, the mounting surface 207a
(207b) and the support surface 206a (206b) may form a flat surface, or
otherwise the
intermediate mounting surface 205a (205b) and the support surface 206a (206b)
may
form a step between them in such a manner that the intermediate mounting
surface 205a
(205b) is lower than the support surface 206a (206b).
' The rear air cells 208a are respectively mounted to the right and left
mounting
surfaces 207a. The rear air cell 208a is configured to expand in fan form from
a
substantially flat state by supplying the air thereto as in the rear air cell
135 and the
front air cell 137 which have been described in the fourth embodiment. The
rear air
cell 208a has a main surface which is slightly smaller than the mounting
surface 207a.
The rear air cell 208a is mounted on the mounting surface 207a as in the rear
air cell
135 of the fourth embodiment in such a manner that its unexpandable end is
oriented
inward, i.e., toward the support surface 206a, and its expandable end is
oriented
outward.
A receiver plate 209a is mounted in front of the rear air cel1208a. The
receiver plate 209a is of a substantially rectangular shape having an area
slightly larger
than that of the main surface of the rear air cell 208a and is placed in front
of the rear air
cel1208a so as to cover the entire of the rear air cell 208a. The receiver
plate 209a is
mounted to the mounting surface 207a by a hinge 210a as in the receiver plate
136 of
the fourth embodiment. Since the detail of the mounting structure is identical
to the
mounting structure of the receiver plate 136 of the fourth embodiment, it is
not further
described. As in the receiver plate 136 of the fourth embodiment, the receiver
plates
209a and 209b which will be described later may be formed of a relatively hard
material
such as metal, or otherwise a relatively flexible material such as synthetic
resin.
A front air cell 211a is mounted to a front surface of the receiver plate
209a.
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67
A main surface portion of the front air cell 211a is of a substantially
rectangular
parallelepiped shape having an area substantially equal to that of an outer
half region of
the main surface of the receiver plate 209a. The front air cel1211a is mounted
to a
substantially outer half region of the front surface of the receiver plate
209a as in the front air cell 137 of the fourth embodiment in such a manner
that its unexpandable end
is oriented inward and its expandable end is oriented outward.
In this manner, the massaging portion 202a is constructed of the rear air cell
208a, the receiver plate 209a, and the front air cel1211a.
A pair of intermediate air cells 212a are mounted to be arranged on right and
left sides on the intermediate mounting surface 205a. As in the rear air cell
208a and
the front air cell 211a, each intermediate air cel1212a is configured to
expand in fan
form from a substantially flat state by supplying the air thereto. The
intermediate air
cells 212a are mounted to the intermediate mounting surface 205a in such a
manner that
their expandable ends are closer to each other, their unexpandable ends are
distant from
each other, and a distance between them increases downward. As in the mounting
structure by which the rear air cell 135 is mounted to the support surface 133
as
described in the fourth embodiment, each intermediate air cell 212a is mounted
to the
intermediate mounting surface 167 such that an expansion restricting portion
is fixed to
the intermediate mounting surface 205a. The intermediate massaging portion
203a is
constructed of the two intermediate air cells 212a.
The intermediate air cells 212a (212b) are not intended to be limited to a
configuration in which adjacent intermediate air cells 212a (212b) are tilted,
but may be
mounted to the intermediate mounting surface 205a (205b) to be arranged in
parallel
with each other.
The lower unit 199b mainly includes a lower support portion 201b, a
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massaging portion 202b which is mounted to a mounting surface 207b of the
lower
support portion 201b and includes a rear air cell 208b, a receiver plate 209b
and a front
air cell 211b, and an intermediate mounting portion 203b which is mounted to
an
intermediate mounting surface 205b (trapezoid-shaped region defined by two-
dotted
line of Fig. 30) of the lower support portion 201b and includes two
intermediate air cells
212b. The two intermediate air cells 212b are placed in such a manner that a
distance
between them is larger than that of the intermediate air cells 212a and
increases
downward and a tilting angle of the intermediate air cells 212b with respect
to the
longitudinal direction is equal to that of the intermediate air cells 212a so
that the
intermediate air cell 212a of the upper unit 199a and the intermediate air
cell 212b of
the lower unit 199b which are located on the same side extend in a straight
line shape
when the upper unit 199a and the lower unit 199b are moved closer to each
other. The
other construction of the lower unit 199b is identical to that of the upper
unit 199a, and
will not be further described.
The upper unit 199a and the lower unit 199b are mounted to the expansion and
compression system 200 as shown in Fig. 49 in such a manner that they are
movable
close to each other or away from each other.
Figs. 50 to 53 are perspective views showing a construction of the expansion
and contraction system 200. Figs. 50 and 51 are views of the expansion and
contraction system 200 in a most contracting state as seen from obliquely
forward and
obliquely rearward. Figs. 52 and 53 are views of the expansion and contraction
system
200 in a most expanding state as seen from obliquely forward and obliquely
rearward.
As shown in Figs. 50 and 52, the expansion and contraction system 200 mainly
includes
an upper element 213, an intermediate element 214, and a lower element 215.
The
upper element 213 includes two tubes 216 that are rectangular in cross-section
and are
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arranged to extend in a vertical direction in parallel with each other. Upper
end
portions of the tubes 216 are coupled to each other by a coupling element 217.
For the
purpose of improved strength, a rod-shaped element 218 is provided to extend
between
intermediate regions of the two tubes 216.
The coupling element 217 is bent to protrude forward at its intermediate
region.
A link at one end of an extensible ann 219 is pivotally mounted to a
protruding portion
217a by a pivot extending forward and backward. The extensible arm 219 has a
panda
graph structure with continuous three lozenges.
A mounting element 216a is fastened to a front side of an intermediate region
of each tube 216. Each mounting element 216a has a flat surface portion
oriented
forward, and the upper unit 199a is mounted to the flat surface portion (see
Fig. 49).
The pivot 204 extends horizontally outward from upper end portions of the
tubes 216. This enables the upper element 213 to be pivotable forward and
backward
with respect to the seat portion 102. The pivot 204 is mounted to the seat
portion 102.
The direct-acting type actuator 143 is pivotally attached at a tip end portion
thereof to a
pivot element (not shown) mounted at a rear portion of the expansion and
contraction
system 200. By a user's predetermined input operation with the operation
portion 147,
the leg rest 198 is automatically pivotable forward and backward.
The intermediate element 214 includes two slidable rods 220 that are
longitudinally elongated rectangular in cross-section and are arranged in
parallel with
each other, and a horizontally elongated connecting rod 221 connecting lower
ends of
the slidable rods 220 to each other. The slidable rods 220 are inserted into
the tubes
216, respectively. 'I'hereby, the slidable rods 220 are protrusible and
retractable
together, with respect to the tubes 216. A longitudinally elongated nut 222 is
fastened
at a lower end thereof to an intermediate region in the rightward and leftward
direction
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of the connecting rod 221. A threaded rod 223 is threaded into the nut 222,
and an
upper portion of the threaded rod 223 protrudes from an upper end of the nut
222.
The threaded rod 223 is mounted to a rear side of the protruding portion 217a
of the connecting element 217, i.e., concave portion, to be rotatable around
its axis. A
motor 224 is mounted laterally relative to a position where the threaded rod
223 is
mounted to the connecting element 217. The motor 224 and the threaded rod 223
are
coupled to each other by a rotation transmission system 224a including a belt
and
pulleys. Thereby, a rotation of an output shaft of the motor 224 is
transmitted to the
threaded rod 223, which is thereby protrusible and retractable with respect to
the nut
222.
The nut 222 has an outer shape of a rod having a rectangular cross-section. A
link foimed by crossing two link members at an intermediate position of the
extensible
arm 219 is pivotally mounted to an intermediate region in a longitudinal
direction of the
nut 222 by a pivot extending forward and backward. In this construction, by
driving
the motor 224, the intermediate element 214 moves up and down, causing the
extensible
arm 219 to expand and contract.
A cut-out portion 216b that is vertically elongate is provided to extend in
each
of opposing surfaces, i.e., inner surfaces of the tubes 216 in a range from
lower end
thereof to an intermediate region thereof. A connecting plate 220a extends
from an
intermediate region in the longitudinal direction of each slidable rod 220
inward, i.e.,
toward the opposite slidable rod 220. A guide 225 is mounted on the connecting
plate
220a and is configured to have a circular hole extending in parallel with the
slidable rod
220. The connecting plate 220a extends from the inner side to the outer side
of the
tube 216 through the cut-out portion 216b. This allows the slidable rod 220 to
advance
and retract into and from the rube 216 without any interference between the
connecting
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plate 220a and the tube 216. In this manner, the slidable rod 220, the
connecting plate
220a, and the guide 225 are movable up and down.
The lower element 215 mainly includes two slidable rods 226 and two
mounting elements 227. Each slidable rod 226 is of a round rod shape with a
diameter
slightly smaller than that of the circular hole formed in the guide 225. Lower
ends of
the slidable rods 226 are coupled to each other by a horizontally elongate
coupling
element 226a. A mounting element 227 is mounted to a lower end portion of each
slidable rod 226. Each mounting element 227 has a flat surface portion
oriented
forward. The lower unit 199b is mounted to the flat surface portion (see Fig.
49).
Upper ends of the mounting elements 227 are coupled to each other by a
horizontally elongate coupling element 227a. A link at a lower end of the
extensible
arm 219 is pivotally mounted to the coupling plate 227a by a pivot extending
forward
and backward. The motor 224 drives the intermediate element 214, which thereby
moves close to and away from the upper element 213. When the extensible arm
219
expands and contracts, the lower element 215 slides close to and away from the
intermediate element 214, causing the expansion and contraction system 200 to
entirely
expand and contract.
In the above mentioned construction, the leg rest 198 is pivotable forward and
backward around the pivot 204. In addition, by changing the distance between
the
upper unit 199a and the lower unit 199b, the leg rest 198 is expandable and
contractable.
By causing the leg rest 198 to expand and contract, the upper unit 199a is
moved to a
position at which the upper unit 199a supports an upper side of the lower
thigh of the
user and the lower unit 199b is moved to a position at which the lower unit
199b
supports a lower side of the lower thigh of the user.
Since the intermediate air cells 212a and 212b are mounted to the support
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portion 165 such that the distance between the air cells 212a and the distance
between
the air cells 212b respectively increase downward, they contact a larger range
in the
longitudinal direction of the lower thighs of the user. As a result, the fact
that the
intermediate air cells 212a and 212b contact only a longitudinal part of the
calves is
avoided.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the tenth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment, the same components are identified by
the
same reference numerals, their configuration, function and effects will not be
further
described.
It shall be understood that the upper unit 199a and the lower unit 199b are
not
intended to be limited to the above mentioned configurations, but may be
constructed
such that any of the leg rests of the fourth to ninth embodiments is divided
in two in the
vertical direction. As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the
rear air
ce11s 208a (208b), the receiver plates 209a (209b), and.the front air cells
211a (211b) are
not intended to be limited to those illustrated in the tenth embodiment. Also,
the
rear air cel1208a (208b) and the front air cell 211a (211b) need not be
superposed with
the receiver plate 209a (209b) interposed between them. For example, each of
the rear
air cell 208a (208b) and the front air ce11211a (211b) may include only one
air bag or
may be superposed without the receiver plate 209a (209b). Furthermore, they
may
include three or more air bags superposed.
(Embodiment 11)
Fig. 54 is a perspective view showing a construction of an entire chair-type
massaging apparatus according to an eleventh embodiment of the present
invention.
As shown in. Fig. 54, a chair-type massaging apparatus 301 of this embodiment
is
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constructed such that the leg rest 104 of the chair-type massaging apparatus
of the
fourth embodiment is replaced by a leg rest 304 described below.
The leg rest 304 is provided with a longitudinally elongate support protrusion
331
formed at a substantially intermediate region in a width direction of a front
surface
thereof, and is configured to support the calves of the legs of the user on
regions of the
front surface which are located on both sides of the protrusion 331. As
described later,
the leg rest 304 is provided with a plurality of air cells which are connected
by air hoses
to the air supply and exhaust device 109 including a pump, a valve, and other
components, which is built in the seat portion 102 or the back rest 103. The
air cells
expand and contract by air supply and exhaust by the air supply and exhaust
device 109.
With the user seated, the air cells expand and contract repeatedly, applying a
pressing
stimulation to the lower thighs of the user.
A construction of the leg rest 304 will be described in detail. For the sake
of
simple explanation, as described below, the leg rest 304 is illustrated as
extended
substantially downward from a front end of the seat surface 102b, except for
the
condition specifically described. Fig. 55 is a front view showing the
construction of
the leg rest 304 equipped in the chair-type massaging apparatus 301 according
to the
eleventh embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 56 and 57 are plan views
thereof.
As shown in Figs. 55 to 57, the leg rest 304 of this embodiment mainly
includes a
support portion 332 and massaging portions 333. The support portion 332 is
configured such that the longitudinally elongate support protrusion 331
protrudes from
the substantially intermediate region in the width direction of the front
surface of a flat
plate oriented such that its longitudinal direction corresponds with the
vertical direction.
The support portion 332 is mounted at an upper end thereof to a front side of
the upper
portion of the seat portion 102 by a pivot extending horizontally (see Fig.
54).
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
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As shown in Figs. 55 to 57, support surfaces 334 are located on both sides
outside the support protrusion 331 of the support portion 332 and configured
to support
the right and left calves of the user. Mounting surfaces 335 are provided
outside the
support surfaces 334 and configured to allow the massaging portions 333 each
including
rear air cells 336, receiver plates 337, and front air cells 338 to be mounted
thereon.
Since rear air cell 336 and the front air cell 338 are configured as in the
rear air cell 135
and the front air cell 137 described in the fourth embodiment, and the
construction and
the rotating structure of the receiver plate 337 are identical to those of the
receiver plate
136 described in the fourth embodiment, these will not be further described.
The
support surface 334 and the mounting surface 335 are parallel to each other,
and the
mounting surface 335 is lower than the mounting surface 334. Thus, there is a
step
between the mounting surface 335 and the support surface 34.
While in the eleventh embodiment, the mounting surface 335 is formed lower
than the support surface 334 to form a step between them, they may
alternatively form a
flat surface.
The support protrusion 331 is made of urethane foam, sponge, foamed
polystyrene, low-repulsion urethane, or chip urethane. The support protrusion
331 is
provided on an intermediate region of the front surface of the support portion
332 to
extend over an entire length in the vertical direction thereof and to protrude
slightly
forward from the support surface 334. The protruding amount is sufficiently
small for
the thickness of the lower thighs of the user with a standard constitution.
With the
lower thighs of the user placed on the leg rest 304, both lateral end portions
of the
support protrusion 331 are in contact with rear inner regions of the lower
thighs, i.e.,
inner regions of the calves. In contrast to an intermediate wall or a side
wall of the leg
rest of the conventional massaging apparatus, the height of the support
protrusion 331 is
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
sufficiently small. This makes it possible that the user takes a desired
attitude by
merely moving the lower thighs slightly away from the support surface 334 and
by
crossing them when the user desires to cross the thighs. The support
protrusion 331 is
shaped to have a width that increases downward.
Depending on the use status of the leg rest 304, the lower thighs of the user
may be supported only by the support surface 334, or otherwise, only a part of
the
calves may be supported on the support surface 334 and the remaining part may
be
supported by the support protrusion 331.
The support protrusion 331 may be made of materials other than the urethane
foam, the sponge, the foamed polystyrene, the low-repulsion urethane, or the
chip
urethane.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 301 of the eleventh embodiment are identical to those of the chair-
type
massaging apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment, the same components are
identified
by the same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects
will not be
further described.
In such a configuration, while the chair-type massaging apparatus 301 is not
used, the rear air cells 336 and the front air cells 338 contract as shown in
Fig. 56, so
that the front side of the massaging portion 333 form a substantially flat
surface with the
protrusion present only in the intermediate region in the width direction.
Therefore,
the leg rest 304 forms a substantially flat plate shape and the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 301 has a simple external appearance.
With the user seated on the chair-type massaging apparatus 301 in such a
state,
the lower thighs of the user are easily placed on the leg rest 304 because the
front
surface of the leg rest 304 forms a substantially flat surface except for the
intermediate
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region in the width direction thereof, and the leg rest 304 opens forward and
laterally.
In addition, by causing the inner regions of the calves to contact the support
protrusion
331 with the lower thighs of the user placed on the support portion 332, the
calves of
the user are guided to a massage position on the support surface 334.
Furthermore,
when the lower thighs are not massaged, or otherwise the chair-type massaging
apparatus 301 is used as an easy chair, for example, the user takes an
attitude to cross
the legs, the user can take a desired attitude freely without being disturbed
by the
support protrusion 331, because the height of the support protrusion 331 is
sufficiently
small in contrast to the interniediate wall or the like provided on the leg
rest of the
conventional massaging apparatus.
Since the support protrusion 331 is configured to have the width that
increases
downward, the lower thighs of the user are easily fitted to the support
protrusion 331,
and the fact that the support protrusion 331 contacts only a longitudinal part
of the
calves is avoided.
The number and size of the support protrusion 331 are not intended to be
limited to the configuration of the eleventh embodiment. For example, a
plurality of
support protrusions may be arranged in the vertical direction.
(Embodiment 12)
Fig. 58 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest of a chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a twelfth embodiment of the present
invention. Figs.
59 and 60 are plan views thereof. Fig. 61 is a partially enlarged plan view of
the leg
rest. As shown in Figs. 58 to 60, each massaging portion 352 of a leg rest 351
of the
twelfth embodiment is constructed such that two pressing heads (massaging
elements)
353 are arranged in the longitudinal direction on the front side of each front
air cell 338.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 61, a pressing plate 354 having a main
surface of a
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T1
shape substantially identical to that of the front surface of the front air
cell 338 is fixed
to the front surface of the front air cell 338, and the two pressing heads 353
are arranged
in the vertical direction on the front surface of each pressing plate 354.
When the rear
air cell 336 and the front air cell 338 expand, the pressing heads 353 press
the outer
region of the shin of the user, thus applying stirnulation to the user as if
the user was
being massaged by a massage person.
The pressing heads 353 may be made of metal or synthetic resin, and are
desirably made of elastic elastomer, various kiuds of urethane foams, or other
foams, in
order to inhibit strong stimulation from being applied to the user. Also, the
shape of
the pressing heads 353 is not intended to be limited, and is desirably
pointless, for
example, hemispherical.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the twelfth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 301 of the eleventh embodiment, the same components are identified
by the
same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not
be further
described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 336,
the
receiver plates 337 and the front air cells 338 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the twelfth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 336 and the
front air cell
338 need not be superposed with the receiver plate 337 interposed between
them. For
example, each of the rear air cell 336 and the front air cell 338 may include
only one air
bag or may be superposed without the receiver plate 338. Furthermore, they may
include three or more air bags superposed.
As in the eleventh embodiment, the number and size of the support protrusion
331 are not intended to be limited to the configuration of the eleventh
embodiment, and
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for example, a plurality of support protrusions may be arranged in the
vertical direction.
(Embodiment 13)
Fig. 62 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest of a chair-type
massaging apparatus according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present
invention.
Figs. 63 and 64 are plan views thereof. As shown in Figs. 62 to 64, a receiver
plate
363 included in a massaging portion 362 of a leg rest 361 according to the
thirteenth
embodiment is structured such that an outer end portion in the width direction
thereof is
bent forward a predetermined angle. A front air cell 338 is mounted to a
region of the
receiver plate 363 which is located outside the bent position. As shown in
Fig. 64, a
rear air cell 336 is expandable to an extent to which a base end portion of
the receiver
plate 363 becomes vertical to a support surface 334. So, when the rear air
cell 336
expands, the support surface 334 is covered with an outer end portion of the
receiver
plate 363 from forward. The receiver plate 363 may be made of any materials so
long
as it has hardness sufficient to maintain the bent state, and is preferably
made of.
materials having relatively high hardness such as metals, plastic or other
materials
having high strength and rigidity at temperatures around a room temperature.
In contrast to the configuration in which the receiver plate is flat, the
front air
cell 338 is moved closer to the lower thigh of the user when the rear air cell
336
expands. By expanding the front air cell 338, the front region of the lower
thigh
including the outer region of the shin of the user is pressed substantially
rearward, thus
applying stronger stimulation to the outer region of the shin. Even when the
front air
cell 338 is smaller, sufficient strength of massage is ensured.
While the receiver plate 363 is bent forward at one point, it may
alternatively
be entirely curved in a circular arc shape.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
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apparatus of the thirteenth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-
type
massaging apparatus 301 of the eleventh embodiment, the same components are
identified by the same reference numerals and their configuration, function
and effects
will not be further described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 336,
the
receiver plates 337 and the front air cells 338 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the thirteenth embodiment. Also, two or more air bags may be
superposed on the front surface of the receiver plate 363 or behind it.
As in the eleventh embodiment, the number and size of the support protrusion
331 are not intended to be limited to those of the thirteenth embodiment. For
example,
a plurality of support protrusions may be arranged in the vertical direction.
(Embodiment 14)
Fig. 65 is a front view showing a construction of a leg rest 371 of a chair-
type
massaging apparatus according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present
invention.
Fig. 66 is a side view thereof. As shown in Figs. 65 and 66, the leg rest 371
according
to the fourteenth embodiment includes a lower thigh massaging unit 372
configured to
massage the lower thigh of the user, i.e., a region ranging from a knee to an
ankle of the
user, and a foot massaging unit 373 configured to massage a foot of the user,
i.e., a
region ranging from the ankle to a tip portion of the foot. The lower thigh
massaging
unit 372 is identical in construction to that of the leg rest 304 of the
eleventh
embodiment except that each of the right and left massaging portions 374
includes rear
air cells 375 and receiver plates 376 which are arranged in the vertical
direction in such
a manner that the rear air cell 336 and the receiver plate 337 of the
massaging portion
333 shown in Fig. 11 are each divided in two in the vertical direction.
Subsequently, a construction of the massaging portion 374 will be described in
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
detail. The two rear air cells 375 are arranged in the vertical direction on
each
mounting surface 335. As in the rear air cell 135 and the front air ce11137 of
the
fourth embodiment, each rear air cell 375 is configured to expand in fan form
from a
substantially flat state by supplying the air thereto. The rear air cell 375
has a main
surface portion which is slightly smaller than an upper half region (or lower
half region)
of the mounting surface 335, and is placed on the mounting surface 335 as in
the rear air
cell 135 of the fourth einbodiment in such a manner that its unexpandable end
is
oriented inward, i.e., toward the support surface 334, and its expandable end
is oriented
outward.
The receiver plate 376 is mounted in front of each rear air cell 375. Each
receiver plate 376 is of a substantially rectangular plate shape having an
area slightly
larger than that of a main surface portion of the rear air cell 375, and is
mounted in front
of the rear air cell 375 to entirely cover the rear air cell 375. The receiver
plate 376 is
mounted on the mounting surface 335 by a hinge 377 as in the receiver plate
136 of the
fourth embodiment, as in the mounting structure of the receiver plate 136 of
the fourth
embodiment. One front air cell 338 is mounted on an outer half region of the
front
surface of each receiver plate 376 as in the fourth embodiment. As in the
receiver
plate 136 of the fourth embodiment, the receiver plate 376 may be made of a
relatively
hard material such as metal, or a relatively flexible material such as
synthetic resin.
In the manner described above, the rear air cells 375, the receiver plates
376,
and the front air cells 338 form the massaging portion 374.
Each foot massaging unit 373 includes a sole support portion 378 of a
substantially flat plate shape, and a sole massaging portion 383 comprised of
air cells
379 to 382 and a vibrator (not shown). As in the rear air cells 336 and the
front air
cells 338, the air cells 379 to 382 expand in fan form from a substantially
flat state by
.
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supplying the air thereto. The sole support portion 378 has an intermediate
mounting
surface 384 in an intermediate region in a width direction thereof to allow
the air cells
379 and the vibrator to be mounted thereon. Support surfaces 385 are provided
on
right and left sides outside the intermediate mounting surface 384 of the sole
support
portion 378 and configured to allow the sole of the foot of the user to be
supported
thereon. Mounting surfaces 386 are provided on outer end portions of an upper
surface of the sole support portion 378 to be located on right and left sides
outside the
support surface 385 and configured to allow air cells 380 and 381 to be
mounted
threreon. The intermediate mounting surface 384, the support surfaces 385 and
the
mounting surfaces 386 are parallel to each other. The intermediate mounting
surface
384 is formed lower than the support surface 385, and the mounting surface 386
is
formed lower than the intermediate mounting surface 384. Thus, there are step
portions between the intermediate mounting surface 384 and the support surface
385
and between the mounting surface 386 and the support surface 385.
The support surface 385 and the intermediate mounting surface 384 may form
a flat surface or otherwise the support surface 385 and the mounting surface
386 may
form a flat surface.
The pair of air cells 379 are mounted to a front half region of the
intermediate
mounting surface 384 to be arranged on the right and left sides. The air cells
379 are
mounted to the intermediate mounting surface 384 in such a manner that their
expandable ends are close to each other and their unexpandable ends are
distant from
each other.
The vibrators are mounted to the intermediate mounting surface 384 to be
located behind the two air cells 379. Each vibrator is positioned to
correspond to an
arch of a foot of the user with a standard constitution placed on the foot
massaging unit
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373.
The air cell 380 is mounted on a front half region of the mounting surface 386
and positioned laterally of the air cell 379. The air cell 380 has a main
surface that is
slightly smaller than the front half region of the mounting surface 386, and
is placed
such that its unexpandable end is oriented inward. A receiver plate 387 having
a main
surface of substantially the same shape as an upper surface of the air cell
380 is
mounted on the upper surface of the air cell 380. Further, the air cell 382 is
mounted
on an upper surface of the receiver plate 387. Since the arrangement and
configuration
of the air cells 380 and 382 and the receiver plate 387 are identical to those
of the rear
air cell 135, the receiver plate 136, and the front air cell 137 described in
the fourth
embodiment, they will not be further described.
The air cell 381 is mounted on a rear half region of the mounting surface 386
and positioned laterally of the vibrator. The air cell 381 is smaller in size
than the air
cell 380, and is placed such that its unexpandable end is oriented inward as
in the air
cell 380.
Fig. 67 is a front view showing a construction of the leg rest 371 with the
air
cells 379 to 382 expanding, and Fig. 68 is a side view thereof. With the sole
of an
adult user with a standard constitution placed on the foot massaging unit 373,
a part of
the sole is placed on the support surface 385 and a remaining part is placed
on the air
cell 379 and the vibrator. Under this condition, by expanding the air cells
380 and 382,
a dorsum of the foot of the user is pressed from above by the air cell 382 as
shown in
Figs. 67 and 68. Thus, the dorsum of the foot of the user is massaged. In
addition,
when the air cells 379 and 381 or the vibrator operate with the foot of the
user pressed
above, the foot of the user is inhibited from disengaging by the pressing
force or the
vibration.
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By expanding the air cell 379, the tip portion of the foot is pressed over a
range
from a bottom region to an inner region. By expanding the air cell 381, ankle
(malleolus) of the user is pressed. By operating the vibrator, vibrational
stimulation is
applied to the dorsum of the user.
By repeating expansion and contraction of the air cells 379 to 382
independently
or in synchronization with each other, or by operating the vibrator
independently or in
synchronization with these air cells 379 to 382, comfortable stimulation is
applied to the
user while the foot is massaged.
As shown by two-dotted line in Figs. 65 to 68, the lower thigh massaging unit
372 and the foot massaging unit 373 may be coupled by a frame 388 to configure
the
leg rest 371. In this case, the frame 388 may be equipped with an expansion
and
contraction system to vary a distance between the lower thigh massaging unit
372 and
the foot massaging unit 373. Alternatively, instead of coupling the lower
thigh
massaging unit 372 to the foot massaging unit 373 by the frame 338 or other
element,
only the lower thigh massaging unit 372 may be pivotally mounted on the seat
portion
102, and the foot massaging unit 373 may be placed on a floor surface under
the lower
thigh massaging unit 372 during use.
The above mentioned configuration of the lower thigh massaging unit 372 is
merely exemplary, and may be configured as in the leg rest of any of the
eleventh to
thirteenth embodiments. In addition, the above mentioned configuration of the
foot
massaging unit 373 is merely exemplary, and the foot massaging unit 373 may
alternatively be configured in such a manner that the air cells 380 and 382
and the
receiver plate 387 may be omitted, and/or one or a plurality of the air cells
379 and 381
and the vibrator may be omitted, another air bags or vibrators may be provided
separately from the air cells 379 to 382 and the vibrator, or otherwise one or
a plurality
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of the air cells 379 to 382 and the vibrator may be placed at positions
different from
those mentioned above.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the fourteenth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-
type
massaging apparatus 301 of the eleventh embodiment, the same components are
identified by the same reference numerals and their configuration, function
and effects
will not be further described.
As in the fourth embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 375,
the
receiver plates 376 and the front air cells 338 are not intended to be limited
to those
illustrated in the fourteenth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 375, the
receiver plate
376, and the front air cell 338 need not be superposed with the receiver plate
376
interposed between them. For example, each of the rear air cell 375 and the
front air
cell 338 may include only one air bag or may be superposed without the
receiver plate
376. Furthermore, they may include three or more air bags superposed.
(Embodiment 15)
Fig. 69 is a perspective view showing a construction of a chair-type massaging
apparatus according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. As
described
below, for the simplicity of explanation, a leg rest 391 is illustrated as
extended
substantially downward from a front end of a seat surface 102b, except for a
case
specifically described.
The leg rest 391 of the fifteenth embodiment mainly includes an upper unit
392,
a lower unit 393, and an expansion and contraction system (distance changing
means)
200. The upper unit 392 includes an upper support portion 395, massaging
portions
396, and a support protrusion 397. The lower unit 393 mainly includes a lower
support portions 398, massaging portions 399 and a support protrusion 400. A
support
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portion of the present invention is constructed of the upper support portion
395 and the
lower support portion 398.
The upper unit 392 is positioned in front of and under the seat surface 102b
of
the seat portion 102, and the lower unit 393 is positioned under the upper
unit 392.
The upper unit 392 and the lower unit 392 are mounted to be arranged in the
vertical
direction on a front side of the expansion and contraction system 200 mounted
to a front
side of an upper portion of the seat portion 102 to be rotatable around a
pivot 204. In
other words, as in the configuration in which the lower thigh massaging unit
372 of the
fourteenth embodiment is divided in two in the vertical direction, the upper
unit 392 and
the lower unit 393 are arranged in the vertical direction such that they are
close to and
away from each other.
The upper support portion 395 of the upper unit 392 is of a substantially
plate
shape. The upper support portion 395 is structured such that the support
protrusion
397 protrudes forward from a substantially intermediate region in the width
direction
thereof. Support surfaces 402 are provided on right and left sides outside the
support
protrusion 397 of the upper support portion 395 and configured to allow the
right and
left calves of the legs of the user to be supported thereon. Mounting surfaces
403 are
provided outside the support surfaces 402 and configured to allow the
massaging
portion 396 to be mounted thereon. The support surface 402 and the mounting
surface
403 are parallel to each other, and the mounting surface 403 is formed lower
than the
support surface 402. Thus, there is a step between the mounting surface 403
and the
support surface 402.
Alternatively, the mounting surfaces 403 (405) and the support surface 402
(404) may form a flat surface.
A rear air cell 406 is mounted to each of the right and left mounting surfaces
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403. The rear air cell 406 expands in fan form from a substantially flat state
by
supplying air thereto as in the rear air cell 135 and the front air cell 137
described in the
fourth embodiment. The rear air cell 406 has a main surface portion which is
slightly
smaller than the mounting surface 403, and is fixed on the mounting surface
403 as in
the rear air cel1135 of the fourth embodiment in such a manner that its
unexpandable
end is oriented inward, i.e., toward the support surface 402, and its
expandable end is
oriented outward.
The receiver plate 407 is mounted in front of the rear air cell 406. The
receiver plate 407 has a substantially rectangular plate shape having an area
slightly
larger than that of a main surface portion of the rear air cell 406, and is
mounted in front
of the rear air cel1406 to entirely cover the rear air cell 406. The receiver
plate 407 is
mounted on the mounting surface 403 by a hinge 408 as in the receiver plate
136 of the
fourth embodiment, which will not be further described. As in the receiver
plate 136
of the fourth embodiment, the receiver plate 407 and a receiver plate 411
described later
may be made of a relatively hard material such as metal, or a relatively
flexible material
such as syntbetic resin.
A front air cell 409 is mounted to a front surface of the receiver plate 407.
A
main surface portion of the front air cell 409 is of a substantially
rectangular
parallelepiped shape having an area substantially equal to that of an outer
half region of
the main surface of the receiver plate 407. The front air cell 409 is mounted
to a
substantially outer half region of the front surface of the receiver plat 407
as in the front
air cell 137 of the fourth embodiment in such a manner that its unexpandable
end is
oriented inward and its expandable end is oriented outward.
In the manner described above, the massaging portion 396 is constructed of the
rear air cell 406, the receiver plate 407, and the front air cell 409.
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The support protrusion 397 is formed to have a width between both lateral ends
thereof that increases downward. While the support protrusion 397 is formed to
have
the width that increases downward, it may alternatively be structured such
that the both
lateral ends are parallel to each other to form a substantially rectangular
shape in a front
view.
The lower unit 393 mainly includes a lower support portion 398, and a
massaging portion 399 that is mounted to the mounting surface 405 of the lower
support
portion 398 and is comprised of a rear air cell 410, a receiver plate 411, and
a front air
cell 412. A support protrusion 400 protrudes forward from a substantially
intermediate
region in the width direction of the lower support portion 398 to have a width
that
increases downward. The support protrusion 400 is configured in such a manner
that
the width thereof is larger than that of the support protrusion 397 and
increases
downward and tilting angles of the lateral ends of the support protrusion 400
with
respect to the longitudinal direction are equal to those of the support
protrusion 397 so
that the ends of the protrusions 397 and 400 which are located on the same
side extend
in a straight line shape when the upper unit 392 and the lower unit 393 are
moved close
to each other. Support surfaces 404 are provided on right and left sides
outside the
support protrusion 400 of the lower support portion 398 and configured to
allow the
right and left calves of the user to be supported thereon. Since the other
configuration
of the lower unit 393 is identical to that of the upper unit 393, it will not
be further
described.
The above constructed upper unit 392 and lower unit 393 are mounted to the
expansion and contraction system 200 described in the tenth embodiment in such
a
manner that they are relatively movable close to and away from each other.
Since the
configuration, function, and effects of the expansion and contraction system
200 are
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88
identical to those described in the tenth embodiment, the same reference
numerals are
used to designate the same or corresponding parts, which will not be further
described.
With the above mentioned configuration, the leg rest 391 is pivotable forward
and backward around the pivot 204, and is contractable by changing the
distance
between the upper unit 392 and the lower unit 393. By thus expanding and
contracting
the leg rest 391, the upper unit 392 is moved to a position where the upper
unit 392
supports the upper portion of the lower thigh of the user and the lower unit
393 is
moved to a position where the lower unit 393 supports the lower portion of the
lower
thigh, regardless of the constitution of the user.
Since the support protrusions 397 and 400 are configured to have the widths
that
increase downward, they contact a longitudinal larger region of the lower
thighs of the
user. As a result, the fact that the support protrusions 397 and 400 contact
only a
longitudinal part of the calves of the user is avoided.
Since the other configuration, function and effects of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus of the fifteenth embodiment are identical to those of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus 301 of the eleventh embodiment, the same components are identified
by the
same reference numerals and their configuration, function and effects will not
be further
described.
The configurations of the upper unit 392 and the lower unit 393 are not
intended to be limited to the above, and the leg rest of any of the eleventh
to fourteenth
embodiments may be divided in two in the vertical direction. As in the fourth
embodiment, the number and size of the rear air cells 406 (410), the receiver
plates 407
(411) and the front air cells 409 (412) are not intended to be limited to
those illustrated
in the fifteenth embodiment. Also, the rear air cell 406 (410) and the front
air cell
409(412) need not be superposed with the receiver plate 407 (411) interposed
between
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them. For example, each of the rear air cell 406 (410) and the front air
cel1409 (412)
may include only one air bag or may be superposed without the receiver plate
407 (411).
Furthermore, they may include three or more air bags superposed.
(Embodiment 16)
Fig. 70 is a perspective view of a massaging apparatus with a massaging
apparatus cover 501 attached thereover according to a sixteenth embodiment of
the
present invention. The massaging apparatus comprises a chair body 505
including a
seat portion 502 in which the user is seated, a back rest 503 on which a back
of the user
is supported, a leg rest 504 on which legs are placed, and right and left arm
rests 510.
The cover 501 is attached over the chair-type massaging apparatus. The cover
501 includes a back rest cover 506 that covers the back rest 503, and a lower
cover 507
that is separable from the back rest cover 506, and covers the seat portion
502 and the
leg rest 504. Alternatively, a separate leg rest cover may be configured to
cover only
the leg rest 504, instead of an integral cover that covers the seat portion
502 and the leg
rest 504.
A mounted state of the cover 501 will be described. The back rest cover 506
covers a substantially entire surface of the back rest 503 on which the body
of the user
is placed, and its upper end portion and both side end portions are folded
backward with
respect to the back rest 503. The back rest cover 506 is fixed to a back
surface of the
back rest 503 by fasteners at the folded end portions. A region of the lower
cover 507
that covers the seat portion 502 is fixed to the seat portion 502 by tape
fasteners at a
peripheral region of the seat portion 502.
A region of the lower cover 507 that covers the leg rest 504 functions as the
cover for the leg rest 504. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 71,
right and
left end portions 530 are folded back and located on the rear side. Upper and
lower
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peripheral regions of the both end portions 530 and upper and lower peripheral
regions
of a front portion of an intermediate foldable portion 509 which are opposed
to the
upper and lower peripheral regions of the both end portions 530 are stitched
up together.
Thereby, pocket-shaped bag portions 532 are formed on right and left end
portions of
the intermediate foldable portion 509 (see Fig. 71). Each of the right and
left bag
portions 532 has an opening that opens inward in the rightward and leftward
direction
on the rear surface side of the intermediate foldable portion 509. A
protrusible plate
513, an upper air cell 515, a receiver plate 522, and a pressing element 523
are inserted
into the bag portion 532 through the opening. The protrusible plate 513 is
able to rise
up inward in the rightward and leftward direction as described later, and in
this state, the
above elements are inserted into the bag portion 532. After the insertion, by
falling
and retracting the protrusible plate 513 outward in the rightward and leftward
direction,
each of the end portions 530 is sandwiched between the lower air cel1514 and
the
protrusible plate 513. In this manner, the region of the lower cover 507 that
covers the
leg rest 504 is attached to the leg rest 504 without using means such as the
fasteners.
Since the bag portion 532 accommodates the protrusible plate 513 and other
elements,
the lower cover 507 is configured not to disengage from the leg rest 504.
Thereby, a
leg rest cover that is easily removably attachable is achieved.
The cover 501 is configured such that the back rest cover 506 and the lower
cover 507 are respectively removable.
An arch-shaped hand accommodating portion 510a is provided on a front
portion of each of the arm rests 510 on right and left sides of the chair-type
massaging
apparatus to allow a hand, for example, a palm to be inserted into the
accommodating
portion 510a. A massaging system such as air cells (not shown) is provided on
an
inner surface of the hand accommodating portion 510a to allow the hand to be
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massaged.
As shown in Fig. 79, the leg rest 504 of the chair body 505 includes a support
surface 518 on which the right and left legs of the user are supported with
the user
seated on the chair body 505, and a protrusible and retractable system 508
configured to
protrude and retract toward the legs within the support surface 518. Fig. 79
is a plan
view of the protrusible and retractable system 508, in which the air cells are
in
unexpanding (retracting) state and Fig. 80 is a plan view of the protrusible
and
retractable system 508, in which all the air cells are in expanding
(protruding) state.
Fig. 78 is a front view of the protrusible and retractable system 508.
As shown in Figs. 79 and 80, the protrusible and retractable system 508
includes intermediate air cells 511 located at an intermediate region in the
rightward and
leftward direction of the protrusible and retractable system 508, and right
and left air
cells 5121ocated at both peripheral regions in the rightward and leftward
direction.
Each of the right and left air cells 512 includes the lower air ce11514 placed
under (on a
rear surface side of ) the protrusible plate 513 and the upper air cell 515
placed on (on a
front surface side) of the protrusible plate 513. The legs of the user are
massaged with
each of the legs placed between the intermediate air ce11511 and the air cell
512. In
Figs. 79 and 80, the contours of the right and left legs 517 are indicated by
broken lines.
As shown in Figs. 78 to 80, a hinge 520 is mounted on inner side in the
rightward and leftward direction of the protrusible plate 513, and the
protrusible plate
513 is mounted to a base 516 by the hinge 520. The hinge 520 enables the
protrusible
plate 513 to rise up inward in the rightward and leftward direction. A torsion
spring
521 is mounted to the hinge 520. The torsion spring 521 causes the protrusible
plate
513 to be biased outward in the rightward and leftward direction. Therefore,
in a state
in which no external force is applied by the air cells, the protrusible plates
513 retracts
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92
as shown in Fig. 79.
A receiver plate 522 is mounted on an upper side (front side) of the
protrusible
plate 513 by a hinge 520. The hinge 520 is positioned on inner side in the
rightward
and leftward direction of the receiver plate 522. Thereby, the receiver plate
522 is able
to fall inward in the rightward and leftward direction. A torsion spring 521
causes the
protrusible plate 513 to be biased outward in the rightward and leftward
direction.
Therefore, in a state in which no external force is applied by the air cells,
the protrusible
plate 513 retracts as shown in Fig. 79. As should be appreciated, the support
surface
518 on which the legs of the user are supported, and the protrusible and
retractable
system 508 are substantially flat in a retracting state.
All the air cells 511, 514, and 515 have a fan form in cross-section and
expand
in a fan form as shown in Fig. 80.
As shown in a front view of Fig. 78, the two intermediate air cells 511 have a
substantially rectangular shape that is vertically elongated as seen in a plan
view, and
are placed to be symmetric in the rightward and leftward direction. As shown
in Fig.
80, the intermediate air cells 511 are placed such that centers of fan forms
in
cross-section are oriented outward in the rightward and leftward direction.
With the
intermediate air cells 511 expanding, they protrude outward in the rightward
and
leftward direction.
Right and left lower air cells 514 are each placed between each of right and
left
peripheral regions of the base 516 and the protrusible plate 513, and are
placed in such a
manner that centers of fan forms are oriented inward as shown in Fig. 80. When
the
lower air cells 514 expand, they protrude inward in the rightward and leftward
direction
so as to press the protrusible plates 513 from rearward, causing the
protrusible plate 513
to rise up inward in the rightward and leftward direction. When the upper air
cell 515
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93
further expands, the upper air cel1515 presses the receiver plate 522 from
rearward,
causing the receiver plates 522 to fall inward in the rightward and leftward
direction.
A pressing element 523 that protrude in a substantially hemispherical shape is
mounted
on a front side of the receiver plate 522. Right and left legs 517 are each
sandwiched
between the pressing element 523 and the intermediate air cell 511 and
massaged.
Since the center of the fan form of the upper air cell 515 is oriented toward
the hinge
520 by which the receiver plate 522 is mounted, the receiver plate 522 is
pressed
efficiently by the expansion of the upper air cell 515 in fan form.
As shown in Fig. 78, each upper air cell 515 is divided in two in the vertical
direction to include a calf air cell 515a and an ankle air cell 515b, which
are
independently protrusible and retractable. In the front view of Fig. 78, the
receiver
plates 522, the pressing elements 523, and other elements are appropriately
omitted.
As described above, the leg rest 504 of the chair body 505 is provided with
the
protrusible and retractable system 508 which is covered with the lower cover
507 of the
cover 501. Fig. 71 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the
lower cover
507 covers the protrusible and retractable system 508. As shown in Fig. 71,
the lower
cover 507 includes an intermediate foldable portion 509 in an intermediate
region in the
rightward and leftward direction, which is expandable according to protrusion
(expansion) of the intermediate air cells 511.
Fig. 72(a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the intermediate foldable
portion 509 in a folded state with the protrusible and retractable system 508
retracting.
As shown in Fig. 72(a), the intermediate foldable portion 509 includes first
and second
surface portions 509a and 509b that form a surface portion of the lower cover
507, a
first superposed portion 509c placed on the rear side of the first surface
portion 509a,
and a second superposed portion 509d placed on the rear side of the first
superposed
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portion 509c. An inner end tl in the rightward and leftward direction of the
first front
surface portion 509a and an inner end t2 in the rightward and leftward
direction of the
second front surface portion 509b are butted against each other with a slit
(gap) S
between them. As shown in Fig. 70, the slit S extends in the vertical
direction between
the right and left legs. With the intermediate foldable portion 509 folded,
the first
superposed portion 509c and the second superposed portion 509d are covered by
the
first front surface portion 509a and the second front surface portion 509b and
are
therefore invisible from outside (It shall be appreciated that only a part of
the second
superposed portion 509d is visible through the slit S).
For improved external appearance, the width of the slit S is made as small as
possible, and is desirably substantially zero in dimension design of the lower
cover 507.
When the intermediate air cells 511 protrusively expand, the intermediate
foldable portion 509 expands in the rightward and leftward direction so as to
increase an
area of the cover surface. Figs. 73(a) and 73(b) are views showing how the
intermediate foldable portion 509 expands. As shown in Fig. 73(a), with the
intermediate foldable portion 509 folded, the first and second superposed
portions 509c
and 509d are invisible from outside except for a region corresponding to the
slit S
having a small gap.
When the intermediate air cells 511 protrusively expand, the intermediate
foldable portion 509 expands, causing the first and second superposed portions
509c
and 509d to be exposed on the front side of the cover. Thereby, the region of
the lower
cover 507 that covers the leg rest 504 extends in the rightward and leftward
direction so
as to increase the area of the cover surface.
Thus, since the cover extends according to expansion of the intermediate
foldable portion 509, the cover need not be made of elastic materials but may
be made
CA 02590893 2007-06-15
of non-elastic material such as artificial leather or genuine leather. If the
cover is made
of the elastic material, expansion and contraction of the elastic material is
less,
because the cover extends according to the expansion of the foldable portion.
Therefore, even when the cover is made of the elastic material, durability
improves and
extemal appearance is maintained. Further, the elastic material is typically
more
expensive than the non-elastic materials such as the artificial leather, a low
cost is
achieved by using the non-elastic material. In view of this, the cover is
suitably made
of artificial leather.
As shown in cross-sectional view of Fig. 72(a), the four cover elements, i.e.,
the first front surface portion 509a, the second front surface portion 509b,
the first
superposed portion 509c, and the second superposed portion 509d, which form
the
intermediate foldable portion 509, are separate from each other within the
intermediate
foldable portion 509. The integral lower cover 507 is formed by coupling end
portions
of the separate cover elements suitably by stitching them up together.
Specifically, a
region near one end 0 of the first superposed portion 509c and a region near
the inner
end tl of the first front surface portion 509a are stitched up together to
form a first
coupled portion cl. A region near an opposite end t4 of the first superposed
portion
509c and a region near one end t5 of the second superposed portion 509d are
stitched up
together to form a second coupled portion c2. Furthermore, a region near an
opposite
end t6 of the second superposed portion 509d and a region near an inner end t2
in the
rightward and leftward direction of the second front surface portion 509b are
stitched up
together to form a joint g.
In this embodiment and embodiments below, stitching is employed as a
coupling method of the coupled portions and the joints, but is merely
exemplary. It
shall be appreciated that when the cover elements that are stitchable,
stitching is
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96
desirable as the coupling method because of its high coupling strength and low
cost.
The first and second coupled portions cl and c2 and the joint g have different
configurations. Specifically, in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 72(a), the
two elements
to be stitched up together extend from the coupled portions cl and c2 in the
same
direction, while two elements to be stitched up together extend from the joint
g in
opposite directions. In such a configuration, the first superposed portions
509c and the
second superposed portion 509d are folded toward the same side (left side in
Fig. 72(a)),
the first superposed portion 509c is placed on the rear side of the first
front surface
portion 509a, and the second superposed portion 509d is placed on the rear
side of the
first superposed portion 509c.
In the folded state, the first front surface portion 509a, the first
superposed
portion 509c, the second superposed portion 509d, and the second front surface
portion
509b are all substantially parallel to a cover surface h. As used herein, the
term "cover
surface" refers to a region of the intermediate foldable portion 509 that
forms an outer
surface of the cover, and in the embodiment of Fig. 72(a), an outer surface of
the first
front surface portion 509a and an outer surface of the second front surface
portion 509b
in the intermediate foldable portion 509 form the cover surface h.
Fig. 72(b) shows an alternation of the intermediate foldable portion 509.
Here,
the second front surface portion 509b which is integral, including the second
front
surface portion 509b and the second superposed portion 509d which are separate
in the
embodiment of Fig. 72(a), is employed, thus omitting the joint g of the
embodiment of
Fig. 72(a). In this case, the coupled portion or the joint which is visible
from outside
in the folded state is only the first joint cl, and thereby, external
appearance
advantageously improves because of the absence of the slit S.
In the embodiment of Fig. 72(a), the first coupled portion cl and the second
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coupled portion c2 are provided and the cover elements 509a, 509c, and 509d
which are
folded substantially in parallel and superposed are coupled in the thickness
direction at
the regions in the vicinity of the coupled portions ci and c2. Since the
coupled state of
the superposed cover elements causes a restricting force, the foldable portion
which
expands by protrusion of the protrusible and retractable system easily returns
to its
folded state when the protrusible and retractable system retracts. The detail
of effects
caused by the restricting force will be described later.
In the structure in which the joint g is provided as shown in Fig. 72(a),
since
the second front surface portion 509b and the second superposed portion 509d
which
are superposed in parallel in the region k near the joint g are coupled to
each other in the
thickness direction as described above, rigidity in the region superposed in
parallel
increases. As a result, after expanding, the foldable portion easily returns
to its folded
state. Since the joint g is provided along with the first coupled portion c1,
the first
front surface portion 509a and the second front surface portion 509b are
butted against
each other with the slit S interposed between them, and tend to be flush with
each other,
decreasing a step in the cover surface in the folded state. As a result,
external
appearance improves and the step which may be an obstruction to the user is
minimized.
By providing the joint g, external design appearance advantageously improves.
In the perspective view of Fig. 70, stitch lines 525 are provided to extend on
both sides
of the slit S in the intermediate foldable portion 509. These two stitch lines
525 extend
from the back rest 503, through the seat portion 502, through both sides of
the
intermediate foldable portion 509, and to a lowermost portion of the leg rest
504, along
with a center line L2 in the rightward and leftward direction.
One of the stitch lines 525 on both sides of the intermediate foldable portion
509 is a stitch line at the joint g in Fig. 72 between the second front
surface portion
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98
509b and the second superposed portion 509d of Fig. 72. By stitching the cover
elements up in the vicinity of the joint g, the two stitch lines 525
continuously extend
from a region of the lower cover 507 which covers the seat portion to a
lowermost
portion of the leg rest that is covered. As result, external design appearance
improves.
As shown in Fig. 72(b), without the joint g, the stitch line along which the
second front
surface portion 509b and the second superposed portion 509d in Fig. 72(a) are
stitched
up together is omitted. Therefore, only one stitch line 525 along which the
first front
surface portion 509a and the first superposed portion 509c are stitched up
together,
extends along the slit S in the intermediate foldable portion 509, rather than
the stitch
lines 525 extending on both sides of the slit S in Fig. 70. Nonetheless, the
stitch lines
provided on right and left sides of the slit S by providing the joint g,
improve external
design appearance. In this manner, the respective cover elements of the
foldable
portion 509 are coupled by stitching and by providing the stitch line
continuously with
another stitch line. As a result, external design appearance improves.
Furthermore, since the second front surface portion 509b and the second
superposed portion 509d are separate rather than integral, the first front
surface portion
509a and the second front surface portion 509b are equal in size, and hence
the same cut
pattern may be advantageously used.
As shown by a broken line of Fig. 71, a rear cover 531 is provided between the
lower cover 507 and the support surface 518 of the leg rest 504, and the rear
cover 531
and the lower cover 507 are stitched up together. The rear cover 531 is made
of elastic
material, for example a material formed into a wet suit. The rear cover 531
allows the
intermediate foldable portion 509 to return to its folded state more easily. '
Furthermore,
since the protrusible and retractable system 508 does not directly contact the
lower
cover 507, the event that a strong stress is applied to the lower cover 507,
due to
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engagement of the lower cover 507 with the protrusible and retractable system
508 does
not take place when the protrusible and retractable system 508 is protruding.
As a
result, durability of the lower cover 507 improves.
The stitching position in the region k near the coupled portion cl or c2 is
desirably set such that a distance d (see Fig. 72(a)) between the end position
of the two
elements to be stitched together and the stitching position is between 3 to
7mm. If the
distance d is too small, then a superposed and stitched region a decreases,
causing the
foldable portion 509 to be less likely to return to is folded state.
Conversely, if the
distance d is too large, then the cover elements are wasted.
The material of the cover elements is not specifically limited, but the cover
elements having bending rigidity with a predetermined degree or more is
desirably used
to enable the foldable portion to easily return to its folded state.
Nonetheless, if the
bending rigidity is too high, then the foldable portion is difficult to
expand, and
therefore, leather (artificial leather or genuine leather) with a thickness of
0.4 mm to
1mm, more preferably 0.5mm to 0.75mm, is used.
Since the intermediate foldable portion 509 is folded to extend in parallel
with
the cover surface h of the intermediate foldable portion 509 and the support
surface 518
of the intermediate foldable portion 509 is substantially flat in retraction,
the
intermediate foldable portion 509 protrudes outward least and becomes
substantially flat.
Therefore, the user easily places the legs 517 on the lower cover 507 without
being
disturbed by the intermediate foldable portion 509. Also, the lower cover 507
improves external appearance.
The protrusible and retractable system 508 covered by the lower cover 507
forms the support surface 518 (see Fig. 79) which is substantially flat in
retraction, and
the intermediate foldable portion 509 covers a part of the support surface
518. In this
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case, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is folded in parallel with the
substantially
flat support surface 518, and flatness of the support surface 518 is not
substantially
reduced by the intermediate foldable portion 509. Therefore, the intermediate
foldable
portion 509 of the lower cover 507 does not interfere with the legs 517 of the
user
placed on the support surface 518. In addition, the intermediate foldable
portion 509
does not interfere with the leg rest 504 which is used as a simple leg rest.
As described
above, since the flatness of the substantially flat support surface 518 is not
substantially
reduced, its external appearance of the cover improves.
As shown in Fig. 70, three lines Ll, L2, and 13 are provided on the cover 501
covering the chair base 505 to extend in the vertical direction from the back
rest 506 to
the lower cover 507 in order to improve external design appearance. The
intermediate
foldable portion 509 extends along a lower region of the center line L2 in the
rightward
and leftward direction, and the first coupled portion c1 and the joint g (see
Fig. 72(a)) of
the intermediate foldable portion 509 form the lower portion of the center
line U. The
stitch lines 525 are positioned on right and left sides of the center line L2
to extend to
the lowermost region of the lower cover 507.
As shown in Fig. 73, in regions 533 near the intermediate foldable portion 509
which are positioned on both sides of an extended line of a line including the
coupled
portion c1 of the intermediate foldable portion 509, the respective cover
elements (first
front surface portion 509a, the second front surface portion 509b, the first
superposed
portion 509c, and the second superposed portion 509d) are stitched up together
so as not
to expand. Thereby, expansion of the intermediate foldable portion 509 is
restricted at
both end positions in the direction of the line formed by the coupled portion.
Therefore, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is restricted to be in the
folded state,
and easily returns to its folded state during retraction of the intermediate
air cell 511.
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While in this embodiment, regions near the both ends in the direction of the
line formed
by the coupled portion of the foldable portion 509 are unexpandable, only one
side in
the direction of the line formed by the coupled portion may alternatively be
expandable.
The positions of the unexpandable regions 533 of the intermediate foldable
portion 509 are set in association with placement of the intermediate air
cells 511. As
shown in Fig. 73(a), a length Lc in the direction of the line formed by the
coupled
portion cl forming the slit S is set larger than a length Le in the direction
of the line
formed by the coupled portion of the intermediate air cell 511 which is the
protrusible
and retractable system mounted in the vicinity of the intermediate foldable
portion 509.
Thereby, the intermediate air cell 511 is protrusible substantially without
restriction by
the unexpandable regions 533.
In this case, the intermediate air cell 511 which is the protrusible and
retractable system is desirably placed at the center position in the direction
of the line
formed by the coupled portion of the intermediate foldable portion 509. In
this case,
since the distance between the intermediate air cell 511 and the unexpandable
region
(533) is equal on both sides of the intermediate air cells 511 and therefore a
restricting
force is applied evenly.
The leg rest 504 is vertically slidable according to the positions of the legs
517
of the user, and a vertical relative position of the lower cover 507 and the
intermediate
air cell 511 may be variable. In this case, it is desirable to set the length
Lc larger than
the length Le so that vertical both ends of the intermediate air cell 511 are
inward
(closer to the center in the vertical direction) relative to vertical both
ends of the
intermediate foldable portion 509 in a sliding range of the intermediate air
cel1511.
As shown in Fig. 70, in this embodiment, the three lines Ll, L2, and L3
extend.
As shown in Fig. 71, a foldable portion is not formed in a region of the lower
cover
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507 that covers the leg rest 504, which corresponds to the lines Ll and L3.
That is, the
lines Ll and L3 located on right and left sides of the intermediate foldable
portion 509
are typically provided to meet design requirement.
As shown in Fig. 71, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is positioned to
avoid the right and left legs 517 of the body of the user, i.e., between the
right and left
legs 517. In such a configuration, since the intermediate foldable portion 509
is not
located between the legs 517 and the protrusible and retractable system 508
(massaging
apparatus), it is smoothly expandable during protrusion (expansion) of the
intermediate
air cells 511. In addition, discomfort caused by the fact that the
intermediate foldable
portion 509 expand between the legs 517 and the protrusible and retractable
system 508
is avoided.
As should be appreciated from the above, the foldable portion is desirably
placed at the position where the body of the user is not placed. As used
herein, the
"position where the body of the user is not placed" refers to a position
except for a
position where the body is placed when the leg rest is used as the massaging
apparatus.
The intermediate foldable portion 509 is placed in the vicinity of the
intermediate air cells 511 so as to cover the intermediate air cells 511. If
the
intermediate foldable portion 509 is distant from the intermediate air cells
511, the
cover moves in the direction from the intermediate foldable portion 509 toward
the
intermediate air cells 511 according to the expansion of the intermediate air
cells 511.
In this case, if the leg 517 is placed on the moving cover, an external force
which is
irrelevant to a force to be applied to the leg 517, may be applied to the leg
517, causing
discomfort. In addition, since the cover moves to a large extent by the
expansion of
the intermediate foldable portion 509, the expansion does not take place
smoothly. In
this embodiment, since the intermediate foldable portion 509 is positioned in
the
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vicinity of the intermediate air cells 511, it is possible to minimize the
movement of the
cover when the intermediate foldable portion 509 expands and the intermediate
foldable
portion 509 expands. Therefore, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is
expandable
smoothly, and the user does not suffer discomfort which may otherwise be
caused by
the movement of the cover between the body and the massaging apparatus.
Thus, the foldable portion is positioned preferably in the vicinity of the
protruding range of the protrusible and retractable system, more preferably in
the
protruding range of the protrusible and retractable system. In this case, the
region of
the cover that may move according to expansion of the cover is minimized. As a
result,
the foldable portion is smoothly expandable, and the user does not suffer
discomfort
which may otherwise be caused by the movement of the cover between the body
and the
massaging apparatus.
In the folded state, the first superposed portion 509c and the second
superposed
portion 509d of the intermediate foldable portion 509 are accommodated on the
rear
surface side of the cover surface h, i.e., on the rear surface side (inside)
of the first front
surface portion 509a and the second front surface portion 509b. In other
words, the
intermediate foldable portion 509 is folded to be accommodated on the rear
surface side
of the cover surface h. Since the first superposed portion 509c and the second
superposed portion 509d are accommodated in the folded state on the rear
surface side
of the cover, and are therefore less conspicuous, resulting in improved
external
appearance. Furthermore, the user is not disturbed by the first superposed
portion
509c and the second superposed portion 509d which are loosely folded and
exposed on
the front side (outer side).
As shown in Fig. 71, bellows-like foldable portions 526 are provided at both
end portions in the rightward and leftward direction of the lower cover 507 of
the
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sixteenth embodiment. The bellows-like foldable portions 526 expand when the
lower
air cell 514 and the upper air cel1515 of the protrusible and retractable
system 508
expand to cause the protrusible plate 513 and the receiver plate 522 to
protrude. As
described above, since the lower cover 507 is not fixed to the leg rest 504,
the lower
cover 507 is unable to move according to protrusion of the receiver plates 522
(or
expansion of the upper air cells 515) without the bellows-like foldable
portion 526,
causing the lower cover 507 to disengage from the leg rest 504, or to displace
from a
position where the lower cover 507 covers the leg rest 504. Nonetheless,
disengagement or displacement of the lower cover 507 is inhibited because of
the
presence of the bellows-like foldable portion 526.
Unlike general bellows-like covers, the bellows-like foldable portion 526
easily
returns to its folded state. Fig. 74 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of
the
bellows-like foldable portion 626. As shown in Fig. 74, in its folded state, a
front
surface portion 526a, a first superposed portion 526b, a second superposed
portion 526c,
a third superposed portion 526d, a fourth superposed portion 526e, a fifth
superposed
portion 526f, a sixth superposed portion 526g, and a rear portion 526h, which
are cover
elements forming the bellows-like foldable portion 526, are folded
substantiaDy in
parallel with the support surface 518 of the protrusible and retractable
system 508 in
retraction. The cover elements 526a to 526h in a folded state are coupled
(stitched
together) in the thickness direction in regions k near the coupled portions c.
Therefore,
as in the above mentioned intermediate foldable portion 509, the bellows-like
foldable
portion 526 easily returns to its folded state in retraction of the
protrusible and
retractable system 508. As a result, external appearance is improved.
(Embodiment 17)
Fig. 75 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a lower cover 507
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according to a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention covers a
protrusible and
retractable system 508. In the seventeenth embodiment, in addition to the
intermediate
foldable portion 509, right and left foldable portions 519 are provided as
foldable
portions which are folded substantially in parallel with the support surface
518 on the
support surface 518 of the protrusible and retractable system 508. In
addition, the
bellows-like foldable portions 526 of the sixteenth embodiment are omitted.
Fig. 76 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the intermediate foldable
portion
509 of the seventeenth embodiment. The intermediate foldable portion 509 of
the
seventeenth embodiment is structured such that the first front surface portion
509a and
the second front surface portion 509b are butted against each other with the
slit S
interposed between them. An end portion on the slit S side of the first front
surface
portion 509a and an end portion on the slit S side of the first superposed
portion 509c
are stitched up together to form a first coupled portion c1. An end portion on
the slit S
side of the second front surface portion 509b and an end portion on the slit S
side of the
third superposed portion 509e are stitched up together to form a fourth
coupled portion
c4. Further, end portions on the opposite side of the slit S side of the
superposed
portions 509c and 509e and the both end portions of the second superposed
portion
509d are stitched up together to form a second coupled portion c2 and a third
coupled
portion c3, respectively. The first superposed portion 509c and the
third.superposed
portion 509e have an equal width in the rightward and leftward direction, and
the
second superposed portion 509d has a width in the rightward and leftward
direction
which is approximately twice as large as that of these superposed portions
509c and
509e. In the folded state, all the cover elements 509a to 509e are
substantially parallel
to the cover surface h.
The right and left foldable portions 519 have a folded structure shown in the
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embodiment of Fig. 72(b). The perspective view of the lower cover 507 of Fig.
75 is
shown in Fig. 70. The lower cover 507 of Fig. 75 is provided with three lines
Ll to L3
extending in the vertical direction, among which the lines Ll and 13
positioned on right
and left sides of the intermediate foldable portion 509 aie slits including
the first
coupled portions cl (see Fig. 72(b)) of the right and left foldable portions
519.
In this manner, by providing the lines including the coupled portions of the
foldable portion in the folded state on extended lines of another lines on the
cover 501,
the lines including the coupled portions are integral with the another lines
and are less
conspicuous. In addition, external design appearance improves. When a
plurality of
foldable portions are provided, another lines which are visible on the cover
501 may be
provided on extended lines of the lines including the coupled portions
resulting from a
plurality of foldable portions. The number and direction of the lines
including the
coupled portions and lines partially including these lines of the coupled
portions are not
specifically limited.
In this embodiment, as in the intermediate foldable portion 509 of the
sixteenth
embodiment, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is configured to easily
return to its
folded state during retraction of the protrusible and retractable system 508.
All the
cover elements 509a to 509e are separate at the stitching positions, and all
the coupled
portions ci to c4 are formed by stitching, in the thickness direction, the
cover elements
509a to 509e superposed in the folded state in parallel with each other in the
regions k
near the coupled portions ci to c4. Therefore, the foldable portion 509 of the
seventeenth embodiment easily returns to its folded state as in the
intermediate foldable
portion 509 of the sixteenth embodiment.
Since in the folded state, the first superposed portion 509c, the second
superposed portion 509d, and the third superposed portion 509e which are
folded and
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become deformed are accommodated on the rear side of the cover surface h,
i.e., on the
rear side of the first and second front surface portions 509a and 509b, their
external
appearance improves and the deformed regions do not interfere with the user.
Subsequently, how the cover 507 of the seventeenth embodiment expands
when the protrusible and retractable system 508 protrudes and.retracts will be
described.
In a contracting (retracting) state of the intermediate air cells 511, the
intermediate
foldable portion 509 is folded as shown in Fig. 81(a). On the other hand, in
an
expanding (protruding) state of the intermediate air cell 511, the
intermediate foldable
portion 509 expands as shown in Fig. 81(b). Therefore, the lower cover 507 is
expandable according to the expansion (protrusion) of the intermediate air
cells 511.
As described above, the intermediate foldable portion 509 is structured such
that the cover elements 509a to 509e superposed in the folded state
substantially in
parallel are stitched up together in the thickness direction in the regions
near the first to
fourth coupled portions c1 to c4. The restricting force resulting from this
stitching
causes the first superposed portion 509c to be curved in substantially U-shape
at right
and left end regions (near the first coupled portion cl and the second coupled
portion
c2), in the expanded state of Fig. 81(b). The restricting force causes the
third
superposed portion 509e to be also curved in substantially U-shape at right
and left end
regions (near the third coupled portion c3 and the fourth coupled portion c4).
The
cover elements such as the first superposed portion 509c and the third
superposed
portion 509e have bending rigidity of a predetermined value, and a force for
causing
these cover elements to return to its substantially flat state acts, when they
are bent.
When a bending degree (curvature) is larger as in the above mentioned curved
state, the
force for causing the cover elements to return its substantially flat state
becomes larger.
Since the restricting force resulting from the stitching increases the
curvature of the
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cover element during expansion, the cover elements are more likely to return
to its
folded state. When the intermediate air cell 511 re-contracts from the
expanding state
of Fig. 81(b), the intermediate foldable portion 509 easily return to its
folded state.
The right and left foldable portions 519 expand according to the expansion
(protrusion) of the upper air cells 515 of the right and left air cells 512.
Fig. 82 shows
how each of the right and left foldable portions 519 expands. In Fig. 82, the
lower air
cell 514, the receiver plate 522, the pressing element 523, and other elements
are
suitably omitted.
With the protrusible plate 513 protruding by expansion of the lower air cell
514
(not shown) as shown in Fig. 82(a), each of the right and left foldable
portions 519 does
not substantially expand. This is because each of the end portions 530 of the
lower
cover 507 is sandwiched between the protrusible plate 513 and the lower air
cell 514,
and not fixed to the leg rest 504 side, so that the lower cover 507 is not
pulled by
protrusion of the protrusible plate 513. When the upper air cell 515 expands
(protrudes) as shown in Fig. 82(b), each of the right and left foldable
portions 519
expands. If the right and left foldable portions 519 are not provided, the end
portions
530 of the lower cover 507 tends to move according to the expansion of the
upper air
cell 515, causing the lower cover 507 to disengage and displace from the leg
rest 504.
This does not occur because the right and left foldable portions 519 expand.
In the expanding state of Fig. 82(b), the cover elements are curved in the
vicinity of the first coupled portion cl and the second coupled portion c2 of
each of the
right and left foldable portions 519. Therefore, the force for causing the
foldable
portion 519 to return to the substantially folded state acts, causing the
foldable portion
519 to easily to return its folded state.
Fig. 83 shows how an alternation of the foldable portion 519 expands. The
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alternation of the foldable portion 519 is configured as in the intermediate
foldable
portion 509 in the embodiment of Fig. 76. Since the foldable portion 519
expands as
shown in Fig. 83(b) during expansion of the upper air cell 515, and the cover
elements
are curved at the coupled portions c1 to c4, it easily returns to its folded
state by the
force for causing the foldable portion 519 to return its initial state.
Since intermediate foldable portion 509 of the seventeenth embodiment of Fig.
76 is symmetric in the rightward and leftward direction, it easily expands
evenly
rightward and leftward. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 75, by causing a
protrusion
symmetric axis of the two intermediate air cells 511 which is the protruding
system that
is protrusible evenly rightward and leftward to conform to a symmetric axis of
the
foldable portion 509, the foldable portion 509 becomes expandable more
smoothly.
Figs. 77(a) and 77(b) show alternations of the intermediate foldable portion
509. As a matter of course, these foldable structures may be employed in all
foldable
positions such as the right and left foldable portions 519.
As compared to the embodiment of Fig. 72(a), the joint g is located on the
rear
side (lower side) of the first front surface portion 509a and the first
superposed portion
509c in the embodiment of Fig. 77(a). The joint g is accommodated on the rear
side of
the cover surface h. In such a structure, since the joint g hides behind in
the folded
state, only one coupled portion ci is visible and the slit S (see Fig. 72(a) )
does not
occur. It shall be appreciated that the first front surface portion 509a and
the second
front surface portion 509b are not butted against each other unlike the
embodiment of
Fig. 72(a), and a step is formed at the first coupled portion cl.
The embodiment of Fig. 77(b) is similar to that of Fig. 76, and has coupled
portions cl to c4. The embodiment of Fig. 77(b) is different from that of Fig.
76 in
that the fourth coupled portion c4 is located on the rear side (lower side) of
the first
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front surface portion 509a and the first superposed portion 509c, and is
accommodated
on the rear surface side of the cover surface 76. In this structure, the first
coupled
portion ci and the fourth coupled portion c4 are not butted against each other
unlike the
embodiment of Fig. 76, and there is a step at the first coupled portion c1. On
the other
hand, since the fourth coupled portion c4 hides behind in the folded state,
only one
coupled portion cl is visible from outside, and therefore, the slit S (see
Fig. 76) does not
occur advantageously.
When the maximum number of the superposed cover elements in the folded
state is four or less, or three or less, the protruding amount of the foldable
portion in the
folded state desirably becomes minimum. In the intermediate foldable portion
509 of
Fig. 72(a), the maximum number is three (i.e., first front surface portion
509a, the first
superposed portion 509c, and the second superposed portion 509d). Likewise,
the
intermediate foldable portion 509 includes three cover elements in the
embodiment of
Fig. 76. The foldable portion of Fig. 77(a) includes four cover elements
(i.e., the first
front surface portion 509a, the first superposed portion 509c, the second
superposed
portion 509d, and the second front surface portion 509b), while the foldable
portion of
Fig. 77(b) includes five cover elements. If the maximum number of the
superposed
cover elements increases, then the cover is swollen greatly, so that the body
is difficult
to place thereon and its external appearance degrades. Since it is typically
necessary to
superpose three or more cover elements to form the foldable portion, the
maximum
number of the superposed elements is preferably three or four, more preferably
three in
order to improve flatness of the cover.
The above described massaging apparatus in the respective embodiments is
equipped with the leg rest 504 including the support surface 518 on which the
right and
left legs are supported, and the protrusible and retractable system 508
configured to
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protrude and retract with respect to the legs 517, and the cover 501
configured to cover
the support surface 518 and including the intermediate foldable portion 509
configured to expand according to protrusion and to be folded according to
retraction.
In this massaging apparatus, the support surface 518 that supports the body
and has the
protrusible and retractable system is covered with the cover. Because of the
presence
of the foldable portion that is capable of expanding and being folded
according to the
protrusion and retraction, the cover need not be made of an elastic material,
and its
amount of expansion and contraction decreases if the cover is made of the
elastic
material. The elastic material decreases elasticity and becomes deformed after
repeated expansion and contraction during use. In accordance with the above
configuration, since the cover need not be made of the elastic material, and
its
expansion and contraction amount decreases if it is made of the elastic
material, its
external appearance is maintained.
In the above mentioned embodiments, the region of the lower cover 507 that
covers the leg rest 504 functions as the cover for the leg rest. The cover for
the leg rest
is configured to cover the leg rest 504 including the support surface 518 on
which the
right and left legs are supported, and the protrusible and retractable system
configured
to protrude and retract with respect to the legs 517 within the support
surface 518. The
cover includes the intermediate foldable portion 509 which is an expandable
and
contractable portion that is placed on the intermediate region in the
rightward and
leftward direction of the support surface 518 and is capable of expanding and
retracting
according to protrusion and retraction.
In order to enable the leg rest 504 to massage the right and left legs, a
separating wall is typically provided between these legs to allow these legs
to be
supported from inward, because the legs are required to be respectively
massaged.
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The separating wall makes it difficult to place the legs on the leg rest 504.
It is
therefore desirable to provide the protrusible and retractable system
configured to
protrude between the right and left legs, because the separating wall is
omitted and thus
the legs are easily placed thereon. In this case, by placing the expandable
and
contractable portion on the intermediate region in the rightward and leftward
direction
of the support surface 518, the cover expands according to protrusion and
contracts
according to retraction in the intermediate region. Since the cover contracts
according
to retraction, it does not substantially interfere with the legs during
retraction. In
addition, since the expandable and contractable port'ion is positioned in the
intermediate
region in the rightward and leftward direction between the right and left legs
517 so as
to avoid the positions of the legs 517, it is expandable and contractable
smoothly, and
discomfort felt by the user is minimized.
Furthermore, since the support surface 518 of the leg rest 504 is
substantially
flat in retraction of the protrusible and retractable system 508, the legs are
placed on the
leg rest 504 more easily and its external appearance improves.
The expandable and contractable portion may be made of, for example, various
types of elastic materials. It shall be understood that the elastic material
decreases
elasticity and becomes deformed after its repeated expansion and contraction.
In order
to maintain the external appearance, the foldable portion is desirably made of
non-elastic material such as leather (e.g., artificial leather) and is
desirably the
intermediate foldable portion 509. Since the foldable portion is configured to
be
foldable substantially in parallel with the cover surface h, a protruding
amount of the
cover on the support surface 518 of the leg rest 504 becomes minimum, and the
cover
allows the legs to be easily placed thereon while maintaining its external
appearance.
As mentioned previously, this effects are enhanced when the support surfaces
518 are
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substantially flat.
The above mentioned foldable structures of the intermediate foldable portion
509 or the right and left foldable portions 519 are not intended to be
employed in only
the regions that cover the leg rest 504, but may be applied to foldable
portions at all
positions of the massaging apparatus, for example, the back rest 503, the arm
rest 510,
the seat portion 502; and other elements. The present invention is applicable
to
massaging apparatus associated with protruding and retracting operations,
other than the
chair-type massaging apparatus mentioned so far. Moreover, the protruding and
retracting operations are not intended to be massage operations.
Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.
Accordingly,
the description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is provided for
the purpose of
teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention.
The
details of the structure and/or function may be varied substantially without
departing
from the spirit of the invention and all modifications which come within the
scope of
the appended claims are reserved.
Industr3al Applicability
A chair-type massaging apparatus, a cover for a massaging apparatus, a cover
for a leg rest, and a massaging apparatus of the present invention are useful
as a
chair-type massaging apparatus comprising a leg rest on which lower thighs of
a user
are supported, a cover for a massaging apparatus or a leg rest that is
configured to
massage a body such as legs, and a massaging apparatus comprising these
covers.
