The present invention relates to a cushioning sheet, especially wherein body balance and the flow of blood are improved.
The weight of a human body added because of walking upright and the force of gravity causes an impact pressure between the foot skeleton and the ground to be continuously applied to the spine, pelvis, and joints such as knees of a human body, and thus the human body may be damaged. The continuously-applied impact pressure causes joints to be imbalanced and twisted, which may cause an imbalance in the musculoskeletal system, and thus the musculoskeletal imbalance also has an influence on blood vessels. As a result, blood is prevented from flowing smoothly, and thus diseases can be caused.
However, conventional health care and medical technology focus on treatment for only diseases caused by a musculosketetal imbalance and abnormal blood flow instead of environments causing the musculosketetal imbalance and abnormal blood flow.
<Description of the Reference Numerals in the Drawings>
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to easily practice them. The present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Elements unrelated to the following description are omitted so that a clear description of the present invention is provided, and like reference characters designate like or corresponding elements throughout the views.
As shown in
The cushioning member 200 supports the base 100, and includes a first cushioning space 211 that is used to relieve pressure applied from the outside and a second through hole 212 that is formed between the first cushioning space 211 and the outside. Accordingly, the second through hole 211 allows outside air to pass through the base 100. As a result, outside air flows into the first cushioning space 211 through the second through hole 212, and the first cushioning space 211 is filled with air when pressure is not applied to the cushioning sheet 1 from the outside. The cushioning members 200 may be provided to the base 100 in multiple numbers.
The cushioning member 200 includes a first impact-absorbing member 217 which has the first cushioning space 211 formed thereby and a first post 219. The first impact-absorbing member 217 includes a first pressurized portion 213 which receives pressure applied from the outside and a first elastically-deformed portion 215 which is elastically deformed in response to the pressure applied from the outside. When applied from the outside, pressure is delivered to the first pressurized portion 113, and then the first elastically-deformed portion 215 is deformed by the delivered pressure, while when the pressure is removed, the first elastically-deformed portion 215 returns to the state prior to the deformation.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cushioning member 200 further includes a second impact-absorbing member 220 which is connected to the first post 219 and has a second cushioning space 221 formed thereby. The second impact-absorbing member 220 includes a second pressurized portion 223 which receives pressure applied from the outside and a second elastically-deformed portion 225 which is elastically deformed in response to the pressure applied from the outside. The second impact-absorbing member 220 may further include a second post 229 which is directly connected to the first post 219 or connects the first post 219 with the second impact-absorbing member 220 in form and size corresponding to the first post. In addition, the second impact-absorbing member 220 may further have a second base 227 which is similar to the base 100 in size and form formed in the lower portion thereof, wherein the second impact-absorbing member 220 and the second base 227 may be integrally formed, and
An exemplary operation of the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is described with reference to
When the pressure is removed from the cushioning sheet 1, the first and second elastically-deformed portions 215 and 225 elastically return to the state prior to the deformation, respectively, and this allows air to flow through the first and second through holes 110 and 212, and thus the cushioning member returns to the original state in
As shown in
The fixing portion 300 may be a general vacuum-type fixing component, and the fixing portion 300 is connected to the bottom of the first post 219 of the cushioning member 200 to fix the cushioning sheet to a predetermined surface using vacuum. The another embodiment is applicable to the case in which edges of the base 100 come into contact with the ground or the surface of an object on which the cushioning sheet 1 is located, and thus the inside of the cushioning sheet 1 becomes a sealed space.
As shown in
Referring to
The sensing unit 400 may be at least one of the following sensors: a temperature sensor which senses the temperature applied to the cushioning sheet 1; a pressure sensor which senses the pressure applied to the cushioning sheet 1; and a fiber optic sensor which senses at least one of the temperature and the pressure applied to the cushioning sheet.
The sensing unit 400 may be provided to the base 100 of the cushioning sheet 1 or the inside of the cushioning sheet 1, wherein, when provided to the base 100, the sensing unit 400 may be inserted into portions where the first through holes 110 are not formed while the base 100 is formed. Accordingly, when a user stands on the cushioning sheet 1, the temperature sensor senses the temperatures of parts of his or her left and right foot soles and the pressure sensor senses the pressures or the left, right, front, and rear parts of his or her feet. Results of the temperature and/or pressure sensors are transmitted to a storage unit 500 or a communication unit (not shown) to be described later, wherein the results are transmitted in the following manners: the sensing unit, the storage unit, or the communication unit is electrically connected to each other in a wired manner so that the results are transmitted; and a photo coupler is used, that is, the sensing unit transmits the results in the form of an optical signal, and than an optical sensor (not shown) included in the storage unit 500 or the communication unit (not shown) senses the optical signal, and thus the results are transmitted to the storage unit 500 or the communication unit (not shown). When the optical sensor is used, the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention may further include a cover for blocking light.
A fiber optic sensor is the one that made out of an optical fiber which is a thin fiber having a diameter of 0.1 mm and formed to have a high refractive index of light inside but a low refractive index outside so that total reflection occurs therein, and senses the intensity of the light passing through the optical fiber as well as the refractive index, length, mode, and changes in polarization state of the optical fiber in order to measure temperature and pressure when the optical fiber is stretched due to the temperature and pressure. The optical fiber is wrapped with a synthetic resin sheath one time or two times to be protected from an external impact. In a case in which the fiber optic sensor is used for the sensing unit 400, optical fibers 420 for transmitting an optical signal, light sources 410a and 410b for emitting the optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber, and an optical signal processor (not shown) for measuring and processing changes in wavelength of the optical signal reflected against the surface of the optical fiber are provided to the inside of the cushioning sheet 1. The optical fibers 420 may be provided to the base 100, specifically to portions where the first through holes 110 formed on the base 100 are not formed, and the light sources may be provided in multiple numbers to correspond to the arrangement of the optical fibers.
In addition, the cushioning sheet 1 may further include a storage unit 500 for storing the results from the sensing unit 400. The results from the sensing unit 400 may be stored in the storage unit 500 in seconds, minutes, hours, days, and so on according to a predetermined setting. The storage unit 500 may be configured with a memory that is attachable to/detachable from the cushioning sheet 1 and replaceable as well. Accordingly, the storage unit 500 may be provided in the form of a memory module that is attachable to/detachable from the cushioning sheet 1 and/or replaceable.
Furthermore, the cushioning sheet 1 may further include a communication unit (not shown) for transmitting the results obtained from the sensing unit 400 to an external device. The communication unit (not shown) transmits the results obtained from the sensing unit 400 to an external device according to a predetermined setting in every second, minute, hour, day, and so on. Although the communication unit may be configured with a module that performs short distance communication, such as Bluetooth or another module that performs wired or wireless communication, the present invention is not limited thereto.
The results from the sensing unit 500, which are stored in the storage unit 500 or transmitted to on external device by the communication unit (not shown), include temperature and/or pressure information on parts of the left and right foot soles of a user standing on the cushioning sheet 1, wherein these results are basic information on body balance and blood flow of the user and may be used as basic data for choosing medical institutions or medical instruments.
In addition, the above-mentioned cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention may be generally made out of a silicon material. According to the another embodiment, the cushioning sheet 1 may be made out of the silicon material to which at least one of a heating material, an anion generating material, and a far-infrared-ray generating material is added. The heating material may be a generally-known one that generates heat as well as another generally-known one than has high heat conductivity. Accordingly, the cushioning sheet 1 may be used in cold environments. The cushioning sheet 1 made out of the heating material may not include a sensor for sensing body temperature of the user. The anion generating material and/or far-infrared-ray generating material may be one containing elvan, germanium, sericite, yellow ocher, a mixture of elvan and amphibole, hardwood charcoal, jade, ceramic, and so on. It is known that anions have advantages that relieve stress and fatigue, reduce headaches, make blood clean, and increase an appetite, and far-infrared-rays have advantages that increase body temperature under the skin and expand blood vessels so as to improve blood flow. Accordingly, when the anion and/or far-infrared-ray generating materials are used, advantages of the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention may be obtained and a synergy effect may be created as well.
The effects of improving body balance and blood flow of the cushioning sheet 1 according to the present invention are described with reference to
a to 9c illustrate the relation between the spine and feet, and specifically,
Considering characteristics of humans walking upright, the weight of a human body and the force of gravity are delivered to the ground through the head, the cervical spine, the spine, the pelvis, legs, and feet in sequence, and specifically the weight of a human body and the force of gravity reach the ground after passing through 26 bones of the each foot. However, pressures applied to the feet of people are greatly different from each other because people have habits different from each other and the weights of people are also different from each other, and the form of foot skeleton is gradually changed due to the pressures, and thus body imbalance may be caused.
When a weight of 5 to 10 kg is applied from the top in a downward direction in a state in which one hand is stacked on the other hand and the body bends forward about 15 degrees, the ground fails to absorb the applied weight and rebound resilience is delivered to the feet, and thus people may fall forward. In addition, when a weight same as above is applied from the top in a downward direction in a state in which both of the hands are laced behind the body with setting the palms turned upward, the ground fails to absorb the applied weight and rebound resilience is delivered to the spine and the pelvis through the feet. This rebound resilience is associated with a walking habit, so as to have a bad influence on body balance.
b illustrates the relation between the spine and a foot, and
Hereinafter, body balance and blood flow improved by the cushioning sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention are described with reference to
In a case in which people make a step on the ground, pressure is applied to toes and the heel (refer to (a) of
In addition, referring to (b) of
People in an experimental group stand on the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention for at least 10 minutes, and then pressure applied to the left and right feet is measured (refer to (a) of
Changes in muscles are made in about 10 minutes after the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is used, and also changes in the foot skeleton begin to be made when the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is used for 3 to 60 days, and thus the user's body becomes balanced. In addition, when the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is continuously used, improvement in body balance allows the twisted spine to be straightly manipulated.
Furthermore, referring to (b) of
a to 11d illustrate examples to which the cushioning sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied.
The cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is variable in size and form according to the object to which the sheet is applied.
a illustrates an example of an indoor mat 1a to which the cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is applied. The cushioning sheet 1 of the present invention is used for any places where the weight of a user's body and the force of gravity are delivered to the user, thereby being provided in different forms, such as the indoor mat of
b illustrates an example of an exercise machine to which the cushioning sheet of the present invention is applied, and although the cushioning sheet of the present invention is applicable to a rolling belt 1b of a treadmill 2, the present invention is not limited thereto.
c illustrates an example of women's shoes to which the cushioning sheet of the present invention is applied. According to the example of women's shoes, a cushioning sheet 1c is cut in a shape corresponding to the front of a main body 3a, and then the cut cushioning sheet is applied to the main body of women's shoes 3, and after that, an insole 3b is put on the cut cushioning sheet. Accordingly, when a user walks while wearing the shoes to which the cushioning sheet 1c is applied, body balance and blood flow are improved. In addition to the women's shoes, the cushioning sheet according to the present invention may be applied to any types of shoes such as men's shoes, outdoor shoes (for example, hiking boots), military boots, safety shoes, slippers, bathroom shoes, and so on in an appropriate size and form.
d illustrates an example of a case in which the cushioning sheet of the present invention is used as a sole 4, and the sole accommodates a user's foot. When the sole is manufactured, a cushioning sheet 1d of the present invention is applied to the sole corresponding to the front and rear of the foot that receive the greatest pressure. As a result, when the user walk while wearing the running shoes to which the cushioning sheet is applied, body balance and blood flow of the user are improved.
It is apparent to those skilled in the art that, although some embodiments of the present invention are described, modifications of the embodiments are made without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2011-0008785 | Jan 2011 | KR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/KR2011/010186 | 12/28/2011 | WO | 00 | 6/29/2014 |