Patent Application
20190265095
The present invention relates to a cushion, and more particularly, to a cushion with a scale, capable of measuring and displaying a weight of a user using the cushion and convenient to carry, store and use.
In general, a cushion with a load measuring apparatus, in other words, a cushion with a scale is usually installed on a floor or the like of a chair in order to be used for posture correction, or installed therein with an additional device such as an acupressure device.
An example of a conventional cushion is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1551575.
As shown
In addition, a plurality of air pressure sensing units 140-1 to 140-N supplied with the power from the body part 110 to sense pressure of the air injected into the air embossing units 120.
A plurality of weight sensing units 160-1 to 160-N supplied with the power from the body part to sense partial weights of the user when the user using the cushion to correct a posture for a spine or the like sits on the air embossing units 120. A memory unit 180 is provided for presetting and storing an initial air pressure value for allowing the air embossing units to have the same height in an initial state before the user is seated, and correction air pressure values for correcting the posture to a normal symmetrical state in response to a body center while the user is seated.
In addition, a control unit 170 is provided in which the power is supplied from the body part 110, the body center of the user in a sitting state is determined by analyzing the partial weights sensed by the weight sensing units, the correction air pressure values corresponding to the determined body center of the user are read from the memory unit 180, and an air injection control signal, which allows the air to be injected into the air embossing units until the air pressure sensed by the air pressure sensing unit reaches the read correction air pressures, is generated and inputted into the air injection units.
In addition, a plurality of air discharge units 150-1 to 150-N supplied with the power from the body part 110 to discharge the air injected into the air embossing units according to a discharge control signal inputted from the control unit.
The control unit 170 is configured to generate a discharge control signal that allows the air injected into the air embossing units to be discharged until the air pressure sensed by the air pressure sensing unit reaches the read correction air pressures, and configured to input the discharge control signal to the air discharge units.
The cushion configured as described above is driven through the steps of: receiving external commercial power according to an on/off state of the power switch to convert the received power into necessary power and supply the necessary power, by the body part 110;
receiving power from the body part to sense pressure of the air injected into the air embossing units 120 provided on the upper portion of the body part, by the air pressure sensing units 140-1 to 140-N;
receiving the power from the body part to sense partial weights of the user, by the weight sensing units 160-1 to 160-N, when the user for posture correction sits on the air embossing units;
determining, by the control unit 170, the body center of the user while the user is seated by analyzing the partial weights sensed by the weight sensing units;
receiving the power from the body part to read correction air pressure values corresponding to the determined body center of the user, by the control unit;
generating an air injection control signal, which allows the air to be injected into the air embossing units 120 until the sensed air pressure reaches the read correction air pressure values, to input the air injection control signal to the air injection units 130-1 to 130-N, by the control unit; and
receiving, by the air injection unit, the power from the body part to inject the air into the air embossing units 120 according to the air injection control signal.
Although the conventional cushion 100 configured and controlled as described above is specialized for correcting a body unbalance of the user, there is a limit for using the conventional cushion as a general cushion, it is inconvenient to carry and store, and there is a structural problem that an accurate weight cannot be measured when the user sits on the cushion because the cushion has a feature that a cushion part is required to be installed.
Documents of related art: Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1551575.
To solve the above problems of the conventional arts, the present invention provides a cushion capable of accurately measuring and displaying a weight of a user sitting on the cushion, and convenient to store, use, and carry.
In addition, the present invention provides a cushion in which, when the cushion user input a predetermined weight value and then sits on the cushion, the inputted weight value is compared with a measured weight value on a user, and the difference value is displayed or alarmed, so that an increase/decrease of the weight of the user is easily recognized.
To this end, the cushion with a scale of the present invention includes: a flexible sheet constituting a bottom part, a flexible seat having an integrated rectangular space part formed on the flexible sheet, a pressure transfer medium injected into the space part of the flexible seat, and a scale for sensing pressure applied to the pressure transfer medium by an external pressure applied to the flexible seat and displaying the pressure as a weight, wherein
the scale includes a load cell positioned in the space part of the flexible seat to sense the pressure applied to the pressure transfer medium without coming into contact with the flexible seat, a control unit for calculating the pressure applied to the load cell as the weight, and a display unit for displaying the calculation result of the control unit as a weight value.
In addition, the scale may further include a base member fixed to the flexible sheet constituting the bottom part to support the load cell.
In addition, the display unit may include a first display unit for displaying a weight value that is actually measured, and a second display unit for displaying a difference between a predetermined set value inputted through the control unit and the weight value of the first display unit.
In addition, the pressure transfer medium may include air or fluid.
In addition, a thickness of the space part of the flexible seat may be in a range of 30 mm to 100 mm, and an area of an upper surface of the flexible seat may be in a range of 900 cm2 to 2,500 cm2.
According to the cushion with a scale of the present invention, a load cell is provided in the space part of an integrated flexible seat having one space part, the load cell provided in the space part senses pressure applied to the space part, and the load cell is positioned at a lower portion of the flexible seat and supported by the base member fixed to the flexible sheet constituting the bottom part, so that the accuracy for measuring a load can be ensured even if the scale is provided in the cushion having a cushion part.
In addition, the cushion is soft so as to be easily rolled, folded or bent for storage even if the scale is installed in the cushion, so that the scale can easily serve as a usual cushion in a home, a restaurant, or the like.
Hereinafter, the technical configuration and operation of the cushion with a scale of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
The flexible sheet 210 may be formed of a fabric, or a natural or artificial leather to which vinyl or the like for maintaining the airtightness is attached. In addition, the flexible seat 220 may be formed of a material such as a leather which is flexible and has low elasticity to prevent a pressure transfer medium from leaking to the outside, even if pressure is applied to the pressure transfer medium injected into the space part in a state that the integrated space part 221 is completely sealed in an airtight state at a portion on which a user using the cushion seats (Preferably, the pressure transfer medium is formed of air for weighting and handling convenience though any fluid such as air and water may be used). As shown in
The pressure transfer medium may be injected or exhausted at suitable amounts through a pressure transfer medium inlet 222.
Particularly, a scale 230, which senses pressure applied to the pressure transfer medium by an external pressure applied to the flexible seat and displays the pressure as a weight, is installed in the cushion.
As shown in
The load cell 231 is not limited to a structure, as shown
The load cell 231 is configured by using a principle in which a physical strain generated in a detecting unit of an elastic strain member, which generates a structurally stable deformation with respect to a force or a load, is converted into an electrical resistance variance by using a strain gauge, and the electrical resistance variance is converted into a precise electrical signal by an electrical circuit referred to as a wheat stone bridge. Since the above technique has been already known and used for a scale or the like, a detailed description will be omitted.
In addition, the display unit 233 includes a first display unit 233a for calculating pressure applied to the load cell by the control unit 236 and displaying the calculated pressure as a weight value, and a second display unit 233b for displaying a difference between a predetermined set value inputted by the user through the control unit and the weight value of the first display unit. The second display unit may be configured by adding a separate alarm device or voice device. The first display unit 233a, the second display unit 233b, and the alarm device are configured as described above to provide information for preventing the cushion user from overeating foods more than a predetermined weight when the cushion user eats the foods.
In addition, an input key 235 may be additionally configured to set a mode as a weight measurement mode, reset contents displayed on the display unit 233, or command an instruction to the control unit. For example, the setting a mode as a weight measurement mode signifies that the control unit preliminarily deduction-calculates a pressure value of the pressure transfer medium injected into the space part 221 in a state that the user is not sitting on the cushion, such that a display window displays “0 Kg”. Of course, when the user sits on the cushion seat set as the weight measurement mode, the deduction-calculated pressure value is added to the additional pressure value applied onto the cushion seat, such that the weight value of the user may be accurately displayed on the first display unit.
Although the present invention illustrated the structure that the control unit 236 and the display unit 233 are provided on the flexible seat, the control unit 236 and the display unit 233 also may be arranged outside the cushion and connected by a wiring cable or the like.
In addition, the base member 232 supporting the load cell 231 is fixed to the flexible sheet 210 of the bottom part to minimize an influence of the cushion parts of the cushion on the pressure sensing of the load cell.
When the user places the weight of the user on the cushion of the present invention configured in the above manner, especially on the flexible seat 220, a thickness of the space part of the flexible seat 220 may be about 30 mm to about 100 mm to prevent a surface of the flexible seat 220 from coming into contact with a surface of the flexible sheet 210, and an area of an upper surface of the flexible seat may be 900 cm2 to 2500 cm2 to enable the user to sit thereon with an entire body weight.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2018-0023092 | Feb 2018 | KR | national |
