Massaging water bed

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a water bed type massaging machine so adapted as to massage the body of a person. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water bed type massaging machine with a water bed filled with water or hot water, so designed as to enable massaging the entire body of a person lying on the water bed.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

Hitherto, International Application No. PCT/US90/03505 (International Publication No. WO90/15585) discloses a massaging machine of a bed type which can massage the entire body of a person.

This massaging machine includes a housing constituting a massaging chamber within the interior thereof with its top side open, a flexible sheet disposed on the open top side of the housing for supporting a person lying thereon, a fluid jet apparatus disposed in the massaging chamber for blowing jet streams towards the flexible sheet, and a pressurized fluid supply unit for supplying pressurized fluid to the fluid jet apparatus.

The fluid jet apparatus is constructed in such a manner that it can slide in a lengthwise direction through the inside of the massaging chamber and that it can massage the entire body of the person lying on the flexible sheet by allowing the jet streams to come into touch with the body of the person from the back side of the flexible sheet while sliding the fluid jet apparatus.

The conventional massaging machine as disclosed in the above-mentioned International Application No. PCT/US90/03505 (International Publication No. WO90/15585), however, allows the fluid jet apparatus to move only in the lengthwise direction within the massaging chamber.

Generally, when massaging the body of a person, higher massaging effects can be achieved by stimulating the areas of the body of the person being massaged, which are symmetrical on the left- and right-hand sides in a breadthwise direction of the person's shoulders with respect to the person's backbone by an appropriate magnitude of temperature. Accordingly, where the fluid jet apparatus can be moved only in the lengthwise direction within the massaging chamber, the such massaging machine cannot be said that it can provide sufficient massaging effects.

The such conventional massaging machine suffers from the disadvantages that the fluid supply apparatus and a device such as a pipe or the like for supplying pressurized fluid to the fluid supply apparatus are forced to become larger in size because it is so constructed as to support the person being massaged with the flexible sheet alone, so that the flexible sheet has to be sufficiently thick enough from the point of view of strength to support the body of the person being massaged yet it has to be sufficiently thin enough to allow the blowing pressure to be transmitted to the body of the person being massaged through the thickness of the flexible sheet.

Further, the flexible sheet having such a somewhat thick dimension may have the problems that it provides a poor feeling of resting on the flexible sheet and it cannot be fitted comfortably to the shape of the body of the person being massaged.

Although it is generally known that a higher massaging effect can be gained by carrying out the massaging while warming the body of the person being massaged, the thick flexible sheet is unlikely to be warmed readily by heating the fluid so that such a cold flexible sheet may reduce the massaging effects to a great extent.

Moreover, as the conventional massaging machine is equipped with no device for forcibly cooling down the temperature of warm water or the like filled in a water container, it may present the defect that the massaging cannot be carried out at an optimal temperature for a long period of time because the temperature of hot water or the like in the water container is caused to arise due to friction of the water filled therein when the massaging machine is operate d continually for a long time.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention provides a water bed type massaging machine, having a water bed formed in a box-shaped water container with an opening portion formed oh top thereof in which water or warm water is filled, and a flexible sheet disposed extending over the opening portion thereof in a water-tightly closed manner so as to allow a person to lie on the upper side of the flexible sheet, in which left and right nozzles are disposed in the interior of the water container to sprinkle water or warm water onto the bottom side of the flexible sheet and the left and right nozzles are disposed so as each to move, including rotate, in the heightwise direction of the height of a person being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet and in the breadthwise direction of the shoulder of the person being massaged.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a water bed type massaging machine having a water bed formed in a box-shaped water container with an opening portion formed on top thereof in which water or warm water is filled, and a flexible sheet disposed extending over the opening portion thereof in a water-tightly closed manner so as to allow a person to lie on the upper side of the flexible sheet, in which a pair of left and right nozzles are disposed in the interior of the water container to sprinkle water or warm water onto the bottom side of the flexible sheet and the left and right nozzles are disposed in a relationship spaced apart along the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet so as to be movable in the heightwise direction of the height of the person being massaged and further in which the pair of the left and right nozzles are disposed so as to be movable, including movable rotatably, which are symmetrically transversely on the left and right sides in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a water bed type massaging machine having the pair of the nozzles disposed so as to move, including rotate, in such a manner that the carrier is disposed in the water container so as to be movable in the heightwise direction of the person being i massaged, a pair of gears for moving the nozzles are supported axially in an engaging state on the upper side of the carrier so as to be rotatable, and the pair of the nozzles are disposed on the pair of the gears.

The water bed type massaging machine is further provided with a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of water or warm water filled in the water container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a side view showing a water bed type massaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a plan view for describing the water bed type massaging machine according to the embodiment thereof said jet

FIG. 3

is a plan view showing a jet device.

FIG. 4

is a partially cut-away plan view of the jet device.

FIG. 5

is a plan view showing a mechanism for transferring the jet device.

FIG. 6

is a sectional view when taken along line I—I of FIG.

4

.

FIG. 7

is a sectional view showing the construction of mounting a sheet.

FIG. 8

is a plan view showing a jet device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9

is a plan view showing a mechanism for transferring a jet device according to the another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10

is a plan view showing a jet device according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11

is a plan view showing a jet device according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12

is a plan view showing a jet device according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13

is a plan view showing a mechanism for transferring the jet device according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14

is a plan view showing a jet device according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15

is a plan view showing a mechanism for transferring the jet device according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16

is a side view for describing a water bed type massaging machine according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17

is a plan view for describing the jet device according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18

is a plan view showing the jet device according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19

is a side view for describing a water bed type massaging machine according to an other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20

is a plan view showing the jet device according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in a reciprocal way in the heightwise direction of a person being massaged.

FIG. 22

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in a reciprocal way in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of a person being massaged.

FIG. 23

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are rotated.

FIG. 24

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in the heightwise direction of a person being massaged while rotating the nozzles.

FIG. 25

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged while transferring the nozzles reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged.

FIG. 26

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when jet streams are blown intermittently from nozzles while transferring the nozzles in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged.

FIG. 27

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged, too, while transferring them reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged.

FIG. 28

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged for the upper half of the body thereof and when the nozzles are transferred reciprocally in the heightwise direction for the lower half of the body of the person being massaged.

FIG. 29

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged while rotating the nozzles for the upper half of the body of the person being massaged and when the nozzles are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged for the lower half of the body of the person being massaged.

FIG. 30

is a view for describing loci of massaging locations when nozzles are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged while rotating the nozzles for the right side of the body of the person being massaged and when the nozzles are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged for the left side of the body of the person being massaged.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2

are schematic views illustrating a usage status of the water bed type massaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. A water bed type massaging machine A according to the embodiment of the present invention is constructed with a water bed having a rectangular box-shaped water container

2

with an opening portion

2

a

on top thereof in which water or warm water is filled, and a flexible sheet

3

mounted extending over the opening portion

2

a

in a water-tight manner. On the bottom surface

2

b

of the water container

2

is mounted a jet device

1

so as to be movable in a reciprocal way toward the heightwise direction and the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of a person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

A detailed description will now be made of the construction of each portion of the water bed type massaging machine A.

As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the water container

2

is formed with a water inlet

10

in the bottom surface

2

b

thereof and a water outlet

9

in a side wall

2

c

thereof. Between the water inlet

10

and the water outlet

9

is interposed a circulating pump

11

in a relationship spaced therefrom. With the water outlet

9

are communicated nozzles

5

and

5

disposed in the jet device

1

so as to be associated therewith. In the drawings, reference symbol

8

a

stands for a flexible water discharge hose capable of following the reciprocal movement of the jet device

1

and branched off into two sections which in turn are connected to the nozzles

5

and

5

and reference symbol

8

b

stands for a connecting pipe.

Driving the circulating pump

11

allows a suction of warm water or the like in the water container

2

through the water inlet

10

and a jetting of warm water or the like from the nozzles

5

and

5

.

As shown in

FIG. 2

, the water container

2

is also provided with a drive pulley

24

and a follower pulley

23

at the both lengthwise ends of the bottom surface

2

b

and a belt

25

for transferring the jet device is wound between the follower pulley

23

and the drive pulley

24

. A rail

19

is disposed beneath and in parallel to the belt

25

for transferring the jet device and a spline shaft

22

for transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person on the side of and along the belt

25

for transferring the jet device.

Then, a description will be made of the construction of the jet device

1

by breaking it down into the construction for transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged and the construction for transferring them in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person.

First, a description will be made of the construction of the jet device

1

for transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged.

As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the jet device

1

has a pair of gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles disposed on an upper side of a carrier

7

and rolling wheels

30

and

30

on a bottom side of the carrier

7

.

The carrier

7

has support members

7

d

and

7

d

for supporting the rolling wheels mounted suspending down from a bottom side surface of a base table

7

b

in the form of a flat plate and the rolling wheels

30

and

30

are supported axially with the support members

7

d

and

7

d

for supporting the rolling wheels. In the drawings, reference numeral

31

stands for a rotary shaft.

The carrier

7

is also provided with belt support members

7

a

and

7

a

upstanding on the upper side surface of the base table

7

b

and the belt

25

for transferring the jet device is clamped with the belt support members

7

a

and

7

a

. In the drawing, reference numerals

34

and

35

stand for a fixing bolt and a fixing nut, respectively.

Now, a description will be made of a mechanism for rotatably transferring the belt

25

for transferring the jet device with reference to FIG.

5

. The belt

25

for transferring the jet device is associated with and connected to a motor

16

for driving the belt disposed at the bottom side of the water container

2

through the drive pulley

24

. More specifically, a pulley shaft

47

is associated with and connected to the motor

16

for driving the belt and the drive pulley

24

is mounted on the top of the pulley shaft

47

with which in turn is installed the belt

25

for transferring the jet device. The pulley shaft

47

is supported with a cylinder

50

for supporting the pulley shaft mounted through a throughhole

2

e

formed in the bottom surface

2

b

of the water container

2

so as to be rotatable. In the drawing, reference numeral

48

stands for a drive bevel gear mounted on an output shaft

56

of the belt-driving motor

16

, reference numeral

49

for a follower bevel gear engageable with the drive bevel gear

48

, reference numeral

51

for a packing member, reference numeral

52

for a bearing, reference numeral

53

for a mounting nut, and reference numeral

64

for an oil seal.

The belt

25

for transferring the jet device is rotated by driving the belt-driving motor

16

to allow a reciprocal movement of the jet device

1

connected to the belt

25

in the lengthwise direction of the water container

2

along the rail

19

, in other words, in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

At a bottom edge portion of the pulley shaft

47

is disposed a rotary encoder

54

to specify the position of the jet device

1

by measuring an amount of rotation of the pulley shaft

47

. In the drawing, reference numeral

55

stands for a detecting disk mounted on the bottom edge portion of the pulley shaft

47

.

Then, a description will be made of the construction of the jet device

1

for transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged.

As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the jet device

1

is axially supported on an upper side of the carrier

7

in a state that a pair of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are engaged with each other. More specifically, shaft support cylinders

36

and

36

are disposed upstanding on the upper surface of the base table

7

b

of the carrier

7

and rotating shafts

29

and

29

of the respective gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are inserted into hollow portions of the shaft support cylinders

36

and

36

. On the upper surface of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are mounted the nozzles

5

and

5

so as to be rotatable axially about the rotary shaft

5

b

. In the drawing, reference symbol

5

a

stands for a blow-off outlet of the nozzle

5

.

A description will now be made of a mechanism for rotating the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles with reference to

FIGS. 4 and 6

. The gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are associated with and connected to the spline shaft

22

which in turn is spline-engaged with a driving bevel gear

40

to allow an association with and a connection to the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles. The driving bevel gear

40

is supported axially with a gear holder

21

disposed next to a side portion of the carrier

7

. In the drawing, reference numeral

32

stands for an intermediate gear engageable with the gear

6

for transferring the nozzle, reference numeral

41

for a follower bevel gear integrally formed with the intermediate gear

32

, reference numeral

44

for a driving gear mounted on an output shaft

57

of the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles, reference numeral

43

for a follower gear engageable with the driving gear

44

, and reference numeral

45

for a key for spline-engagement of the driving bevel gear

40

with the spline shaft

22

.

By driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles in the construction as described hereinabove, the spline shaft

22

is rotated and the driving bevel gear

40

is also rotated. Further, a pair of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are allowed to rotate in the directions opposite to each other to transfer a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

in the directions in which they come closer to each other or they become separated from each other, more specifically, to transfer the nozzles

5

and

5

in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

and symmetrically in the left and right directions.

In

FIG. 6

, reference numeral

46

stands for a potentiometer mounted on a one end of the spline shaft

22

to allow the determination of the positions of the nozzles

5

and

5

by measuring the amount of rotation of the spline shaft

22

.

As described hereinabove, the water bed type massaging machine A can offer higher massaging effects by stimulating various locations of the person P being massaged on the areas symmetrically on the left- and right-hand sides in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders with respect to the backbone of the person P being massaged, because the nozzles

5

and

5

are disposed so as to be transferred in a reciprocal manner in the heightwise direction and in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders as well as symmetrically in the left and right directions of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

Further, in this embodiment, two pieces of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are used which are equal in size to each other so that the jet device

1

can be constructed in a simple arrangement. Moreover, as the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles can be made equal in size to each other, the jet device

1

can also be made simple in construction and eventually the water bed type massaging machine A can be assembled in a ready manner and made superior in maintenance.

Then, a description will be made of the construction of mounting the flexible sheet

3

.

As shown in

FIG. 7

, the flexible sheet

3

is disposed to cover the peripheral edge of the opening portion

2

a

of the water container

2

. More specifically, the opening portion

2

a

of the water container

2

is formed at its peripheral edge with a flange

58

which is provided with a peripheral groove

59

in which the edge portion of the flexible sheet

3

is once folded and inserted and with which a sealing frame

60

is engaged. The sealing frame

60

is then pressed with a lock plate

62

to allow the fixing of the edge portion of the flexible sheet

3

in the peripheral groove

59

. The lock plate

62

is fixed through the flange

58

to a frame

4

with a bolt

61

.

With the arrangement as described hereinabove, the water container

2

can hold water and so on therein in a water-tight manner and prevent the water and so on from leaking outside the water container

2

.

The flexible sheet

3

is made of a flexible rubber material which is thin and has elasticity so as to comfortably adapt the shape of the body of a person being massaged and it can support the body of the person being massaged in association with the water or the like in the water container

2

.

The arrangement of the flexible sheet

3

can provide a comfortable feeling of resting thereon upon lying on the flexible sheet

3

and transmit the pressure of the jet streams from the jet device

1

to the person P being massaged, thereby realizing a comfortable massaging.

Now, a description will be made of the construction of maintaining the temperature of the hot water or the like in the a,water container

2

at an optimal level.

As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a side wall

2

d

of the water container

2

is provided with a suction opening

12

and a discharge opening

13

, and a suction pump

14

and a radiator

15

are interposed between the suction opening

12

and the discharge opening

13

. On the radiator

15

is mounted a cooling fan

63

. The side wall

2

c

of the water container

2

is provided with a heater

18

. In the drawing, reference numeral

33

stands for a connecting pipe.

Hot water or the like in the water container

2

can be allowed to cool by sucking the hot water or the like from the suction opening

12

with the suction pipe

14

, forcibly cooling it with the radiator

15

and the cooling fan

63

, and then supplying the cooled water or the like again into the water container

2

from the discharge opening

13

. The hot water or the like in the water container

2

can also be warmed with the heater

18

.

In this arrangement, a water temperature sensor is disposed in the water container

2

to measure the temperature of the hot water or the like in the water container

2

, thereby enabling the temperature of the water or the like in the water container

2

to be maintained always at an optimal level by heating or cooling the water or the like and leading to an increase in massaging effects. As the water or the like in the water container

2

can be sustained at the optimal temperature in the manner as described hereinabove, the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

can enjoy a pleasant feeling because the flexible sheet

3

can be maintained at a temperature that can be perceived by the person P being massaged as being not too hot or too cold.

Further, as the water bed type massaging machine A is arranged such that the hot water or the like in the water container

2

can be cooled even if the temperature of the water or the like therein would be elevated due to a friction of the hot water or the like in the water container

2

caused by the jet streams blown thereinto from the jet device

1

, the water bed type massaging machine A can be operated continuously for a long period of time.

In this embodiment, although the hot water or the like in the water container

2

can be cooled with the radiator

15

and the cooling fan

63

, it is also possible to cool the hot water or the like in the water container

2

with a pipe mounted in the inside of the water container

2

by passing cooling water through the pipe.

In the water bed type massaging machine A with the above arrangement, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the water bed type massaging machine A is installed with a controller

20

for controlling the operations of the circulating pump

11

, the motor

16

for driving a belt, the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles, the suction pump

14

and the heater

18

as well as with an operation panel

26

for operating the controller

20

.

In the arrangement as described hereinabove, a variety of controls can be implemented, which may include controls over the pressure of the water to be blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

, the positions of the nozzles

5

and

5

, and the temperature of the water in the water container

2

, among others. In particular, as the water bed type massaging machine A in the above arrangement can provide the person P being massaged with continuously varying stimuli by varying the magnitude of the jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

periodically or in a random fashion, the water bed type massaging machine A can offer higher massaging effects without allowing the person P being massaged to get used to an action produced by monotonous stimuli.

Therefore, the water bed type massaging machine A can provide a various manner of massaging appropriately in accordance with situations and preferences of the person P being massaged (referring to

FIGS. 21

to

27

).

FIG. 21

shows loci S of the massaging locations obtained when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in a reciprocal manner in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged. In this case, only the carrier

7

is transferred reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged. As shown in

FIG. 21

, this way of massaging enables jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

to provide stimuli onto effective spots for effectively producing stimuli, which are present over a wide area extending continually from the head to the feet of the person P being massaged.

FIG. 22

indicates loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in a reciprocal way in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged. In this case, the carrier

7

is transferred in an appropriate way in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged to transfer the nozzles

5

and

5

reciprocally in a straight way in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged, the nozzles

5

and

5

being transferred in an arc-shaped manner by the rotation of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles. Then, as shown in

FIG. 22

, jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

stimulate a variety of effective spots of the person P being massaged for effectively producing stimuli, which are present continually on the left-hand and right-hand sides with the backbone of the person P being massaged centered therebetween.

FIG. 23

illustrates loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are rotated. In this case, only the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles are rotated at given locations of the person P being massaged. Further, as shown in

FIG. 23

, jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

are designed so as to provide stimulation around effective spots for effectively producing comfortable stimuli as if massaging by hands, the effective spots being present on the back of the person P being massaged.

FIG. 24

shows loci S of the massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while rotating the nozzles

5

and

5

. In this case, the carrier

7

is transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while rotating the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles. As shown in

FIG. 24

, jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

are designed so as to stimulate as a whole effective spots for effectively producing comfortable stimuli, the effective spots being present on the back of the person P being massaged.

FIG. 25

indicates loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person. In this case, the carrier

7

is transferred in an appropriate way in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged in order to transfer the nozzles

5

and

5

in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged, too, while reciprocally transferring them in a linearly straight manner in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person, the nozzles

5

and

5

being in an arc-shaped way by the rotation of the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles. Further, in this case, as shown in

FIG. 25

, a variety of effective spots for effectively providing comfortable stimuli can be stimulated as a whole by jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

, the effective spots being present continually on the both light-hand and right-hand sides of the person P being massaged with respect to the backbone of the person P being massaged.

FIG. 26

illustrates loci S of massaging locations when jet streams are blown intermittently from the nozzles

5

and

5

while transferring the nozzles

5

and

5

in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged. In this case, the circulating pump

11

is operated intermittently while only the carrier

7

is being transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged. As shown in

FIG. 26

, in this case, the jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

can stimulate a variety of effective spots for effectively producing comfortable stimuli in a direct and concentrated way, the effective spots being present in the area extending from the head portion to the feet portion of the person P being massaged.

On the other hand, the person P being massaged may become getting used to stimuli when the stimuli are monotonous and such monotonous stimuli are provided continuously to the person P being massaged. Like in this case, however, when stimuli are provided intermittently to the person P being massaged, the person can be prevented from having getting used to such stimuli. Moreover, when a magnitude of blowing jet streams or an interval of blowing jet streams from the nozzles

5

and

5

is varied in a random manner, continuously varying stimuli are given the person P being massaged. This can enhance massaging effects to a higher level without causing the person P being massaged to become getting used to such stimuli.

FIG. 27

shows loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged, too, while transferring them reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person. This case of massaging is carried out by rotating the gears

6

and

6

for transferring the nozzles after the carrier

7

has been transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged, and then transferring the carrier

7

in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged. As shown in

FIG. 27

, in this case, jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

can stimulate a variety of effective spots for effectively producing comfortable stimuli present over the back of the person P being massaged as a whole.

The water bed type massaging machine A can stimulate a variety of effective spots for effectively producing comfortable and pleasant stimuli present over the back of the person P being massaged by jet streams blown from the nozzles

5

and

5

in the manner as described hereinabove. Likewise, it can provide comfortable and pleasant stimuli to the light-hand and right-hand sides of the person P being massaged symmetrically with respect to the backbone of the person P being massaged. Thus, it can produce higher massaging effects.

Now, a description will be made of another embodiment of the jet device

1

.

FIGS. 8 and 9

illustrate a jet device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the jet device

1

has a nozzle transferring shaft

71

disposed on top of the carrier

7

so as to be rotatable, a right-hand screw thread

71

a

formed on an outer peripheral right-hand side surface of the nozzle transferring shaft

71

, and a left-hand screw thread

71

b

formed on an outer peripheral left-hand side surface thereof said jet and the right-hand and left-hand screw threads

71

a

and

71

b

thread nozzle transferring members

74

and

74

fixed to the nozzles

5

and

5

, respectively. In the drawings, reference numeral

72

stands for a shaft support member with the nozzle transferring shaft

71

inserted therethrough rotatably and reference numeral

73

for a mounting vis.

A one edge portion of the nozzle transferring shaft

71

is connected to a flexible shaft

70

so as to be associated therewith. The flexible shaft

70

is coupled with and associated with the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles disposed on the back side of the side wall

2

d

of the water container

2

so as to transmit the power of the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles to the jet device

1

within the water container

2

.

In the arrangement of the construction as described hereinabove, the nozzle transferring shaft

71

is rotated via the flexible shaft

70

by driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles, thereby transferring a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

in the directions in which they come closer to each other or they are separated apart from each other, in other words, in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

FIG. 10

shows a jet device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device

1

has a nozzle transferring shaft

71

disposed on top of the carrier

7

so as to be rotatable and a right-hand screw thread

71

a

formed on an outer peripheral side surface of the nozzle transferring shaft

71

, and a moving member

76

is screwed with the right-hand screw thread

71

a

. The moving member

76

and a shaft support member

72

fixed to an edge portion of the carrier

7

are connected to a pair of light-hand and right-hand connecting members

77

and

77

via a nozzle transferring member

74

with each of the nozzles

5

and

5

fixed thereto. A one edge portion of the nozzle transferring shaft

71

is coupled with and associated with a flexible shaft

70

having a construction similar to the flexible shaft

70

in the second embodiment as described hereinabove. In the drawing, reference numeral

72

stands for a shaft support member with the nozzle transferring shaft

71

inserted rotatably therethrough, reference numeral

73

for a mounting vis, and reference numeral

75

for a connecting pin.

In the above arrangement, driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles rotates the nozzle transferring shaft

71

via the flexible shaft

70

and transfers the moving member

76

along the nozzle transferring shaft

71

, thereby transferring a pair of the nozzle transferring members

74

and

74

and the nozzles

5

and

5

via the connecting members

77

and

77

, respectively, in the directions in which they come closer to each other or they are separated apart from each other, that is, in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

FIG. 11

indicates a jet device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device

1

has a shaft support member

7

e

disposed upstanding on top of the carrier

7

and a flexible shaft

70

inserted through the shaft support member

74

, which has a construction similar to the flexible shaft

70

as in the second embodiment as described hereinabove. To a topside end of the flexible shaft

70

is connected a pinion gear

80

so as to be associated therewith. A pair of rack gears

78

and

78

are coupled with the pinion gear

80

mounted on top of the carrier

7

so as to be associated with the pinion gear

80

, and the rack gears

78

and

78

are provided with the respective nozzles

5

and

5

. In the drawing, reference numeral

79

stands for a secondary support member disposed so as to make a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

equal to each other in height.

In this arrangement, the pinion gear

80

is rotated via the flexible shaft

70

by driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles, thereby transferring the rack gears

78

to the left and the right, respectively, so that a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the directions in which they come closer together or they are separated apart from each other, that is, in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

FIGS. 12 and 13

illustrate a jet device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device

1

has a follower pulley

81

for transferring a nozzle supported axially on top of the carrier

7

and a pinion gear

89

connected coaxially thereto and associated therewith on top of the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

. To the pinion gear

89

are connected nozzle transferring members

83

and

83

with the nozzles

5

and

5

mounted thereon each at a topside edge thereof so as to be associated therewith. More specifically, the pinion gear

89

is screwed with a rack gear

82

a

to a topside edge of which is connected a connecting member

82

. The connecting member

82

is formed with guide holes

82

b

and

82

b

directed horizontally and connected slidably to the respective base ends of the nozzle transferring members

83

and

83

. The nozzle transferring members

83

and

83

are disposed crossing each other in their middle positions and connected at their topside ends to the nozzles

5

and

5

, respectively. In the drawings, reference numeral

86

stands for a shaft and reference numeral

87

for a connecting pin.

FIG. 13

shows a mechanism for rotating the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

. The water container

2

is disposed at a right-hand edge portion thereof with a drive pulley

90

for transferring the nozzle, which in turn is connected to the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

with a connecting member

85

connected rotatably through a pin

92

. On the pin

92

is further mounted a tension pulley

91

so as to be rotatable, and an endless timing belt

84

is wound on the tension pulley

91

, the nozzle-transferring drive pulley

90

and the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

. The nozzle-transferring drive pulley

90

is coupled with the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles at a lower portion of the water container

2

so as to be associated with each other, although not shown, thereby allowing the power of the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles to be transmitted to the jet device

1

within the water container

2

.

In the arrangement of the construction as described hereinabove, driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles rotates the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

through the timing belt

84

to transfer a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

in the directions in which they come closer to each other or they are separated apart from each other, that is, in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

FIGS. 14 and 15

illustrate a jet device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device

1

has shaft support members

7

e

and

7

e

disposed upstanding on top of the carrier

7

and a pair of gears

93

and

93

for transferring nozzles supported axially each in an engaged state to the shaft support members

7

e

and

7

e

, each of the gears

93

and

93

being fixed with the nozzles

5

and

5

, respectively. On top of the carrier

7

is disposed a follower pulley

81

for transferring the nozzle so as to be rotatable, and the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

is connected coaxially to a gear

94

for transferring a nozzle, which in turn is toothed with the respective nozzle-transferring gear

93

. In the drawings, reference numeral

88

stands for a rotary shaft.

FIG. 15

illustrates a mechanism for rotating the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

. The water container

2

is disposed at a right-hand edge portion thereof with the nozzle-transferring drive pulley

90

and at a left-hand edge portion thereof with a follower pulley

97

, and an endless timing belt

84

is wound about the pulleys

90

and

97

. The timing belt

84

is coupled with and associated with the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

, and the nozzle-transferring drive pulley

90

is coupled with and associated with the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles disposed at the lower portion of the water container

2

. This arrangement allows the power of the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles to be transmitted to the jet device

1

within the water container

2

. In the drawing, reference numeral

96

stands for a tension pulley.

In this arrangement as described hereinabove, the nozzle-transferring follower pulley

81

is rotated via the timing belt

84

by driving the motor

17

for transferring the nozzles to transfer a pair of the nozzles

5

and

5

in the directions in which they come closer to each other or they part from each other, that is, in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

FIGS. 16

to

18

, inclusive, illustrate a jet device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device comprises an upper-half jet device

1

U for the upper half of the body of a person being massaged and a lower-half jet device

1

D for the lower half of the body thereof. As shown in

FIG. 17

, a water container

2

is provided with drive pulleys

24

U and

24

D and follower pulleys

23

U and

23

D on the respective lengthwise ends of the bottom surface

2

b

, and a belt

25

U for transferring the jet device is wound about the pulleys

23

U and

24

U while a belt

25

D for transferring the jet device is wound about the pulleys

23

D and

24

D. Beneath the belts

25

U and

25

D for transferring the respective the jet devices is disposed a rail

19

common for the upper-half and the lower-half of the body of the person being massaged along and in parallel to the belts

25

U and

25

D for transferring the jet devices. A spline shaft

22

U is disposed along the side of the belt

25

U for transferring the jet device and a spline shaft

22

D is disposed along the side of the belt

25

D for transferring the jet device. In the drawings, reference symbols

9

U and

9

D stand for blow-off outlets, reference symbols

10

U and

10

D for water inlets, reference symbols

11

U and

11

D for circulating pumps, reference

17

U and

17

D for motors for transferring the nozzles, and reference symbols

19

a

,

19

b

and

19

c

each for a rail groove.

The upper-half jet device

1

U has a construction substantially the same as the construction of the jet device according to the first embodiment above, as shown in FIG.

18

. In the upper-half jet device

1

U, a carrier

7

U is connected to and associated with the jet device-transferring belt

25

U. On the other hand, the lower-half jet device

1

D has the construction symmetrical sideways to the construction of the upper-half jet device

1

U, in which a carrier

7

D is connected to and associated with the belt

25

D for transferring the jet device.

In this embodiment, the jet device-transferring belts

25

U and

25

D are rotated by driving the motors

16

U and

16

D for driving the belts, respectively, to reciprocally transfer the jet devices

1

U and

1

D connected to the belts

25

U and

25

D, respectively, in an independent manner in the lengthwise direction within the water container

2

along the rail

19

, that is, reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

.

Therefore, the water bed type massaging machine A can carry out various modes of massaging each of the upper half and the lower half of the body of the person P being massaged in an appropriate manner (referring to FIGS.

28

and

29

).

FIG. 28

shows loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged for the upper half of the body thereof and when they are transferred reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person for the lower half of the body thereof said jet

FIG. 29

indicates loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged while rotating them for the upper half of the body of the person being massaged and when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged for the lower half of the body thereof.

An appropriate combination of various modes of massaging as shown in

FIGS. 21

to

27

above can carry out various modes of massaging simultaneously in accordance with the locations of the person P being massaged.

FIGS. 19 and 20

illustrate a jet device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the jet device comprises a left-side jet device

1

L for the left-hand side of a person being massaged and a right-side jet device

1

R for the right-hand side thereof said jet As shown in

FIG. 19

, a water container

2

is provided with drive pulleys

24

L and

24

R and follower pulleys

23

L and

23

R on the lengthwise ends of the bottom surface

2

b

, and a belt

25

L for transferring the jet device is wound about the pulleys

23

L and

24

L while a belt

25

R for transferring the jet device is wound about the pulleys

23

R and

24

R. Beneath the belts

25

L and

25

R for transferring the respective the jet devices are disposed rails

19

L and

19

R along and in parallel to the belts

25

L and

25

R for transferring the jet devices, respectively. A spline shaft

22

L is disposed along the side of the belt

25

L for transferring the jet device and a spline shaft

22

R is disposed along the side of the belt

25

R for transferring the jet device. In the drawings, reference symbols

9

L and

9

R stand for blow-off outlets, reference symbols

10

L and

10

R for water inlets, reference symbols

11

L and

11

R for circulating pumps, and reference

17

L and

17

R for motors for transferring the nozzles.

As shown in

FIG. 20

, the left-side jet device

1

L supports axially the nozzle-transferring gear

5

on the upper portion of a carrier

7

L and the nozzle

5

is mounted on the upper surface of the nozzle-transferring gear

6

so as to be rotatable about the rotary shaft

5

b

. In the left-side jet device

1

L, the carrier

7

L is connected to and associated with the jet device-transferring belt

25

L. On the other hand, the right-side jet device

1

R has the construction symmetrical sideways to the construction of the left-side jet device

1

L, in which a carrier

7

R is connected to and associated with the belt

25

R for transferring the jet device.

In this embodiment, the jet device-transferring belts

25

L and

25

R are rotated by driving the motors

16

L and

16

R for driving the belts, respectively, to reciprocally transfer the jet devices

1

L and

1

R connected to the belts

25

L and

25

R, respectively, in an independent manner in the lengthwise direction of the water container

2

along the rails

19

L and

19

R, that is, reciprocally in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet

3

independently for the left-half and right-half sides of the person's body being massaged.

Therefore, the water bed type massaging machine A can carry out various modes of massaging each of the upper half and the lower half of the body of the person P being massaged in an appropriate manner (referring to FIG.

30

).

FIG. 30

shows loci S of massaging locations when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred in the heightwise direction of the person P being massaged while rotating them for the left-half side of the person's body being massaged and when the nozzles

5

and

5

are transferred reciprocally in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person P being massaged for the right-half side of the person's body being massaged.

The water bed type massaging machine according to the present invention can implement various modes of massaging simultaneously in accordance with the locations of the person P being massaged by combining various modes of massaging as shown in

FIGS. 21

to

27

, inclusive, in an appropriate manner.

INDUSTRIAL UTILIZABILITY

The present invention can be practiced in the manner as described hereinabove and demonstrate the effects as will be described hereinafter.

More specifically, the water bed is constructed with a box-shaped water container with an opening portion disposed on top thereof, in which water or warm water is filled, and with a flexible sheet disposed covering the opening portion in a water-tight manner, so as to allow a person being massaged to lie on the upper surface of the flexible sheet. Also, the interior of the water container is provided with light-hand and right-hand nozzles capable of blowing water or warm water against the back surface of the flexible sheet and the light-hand and right-hand nozzles are disposed so as to be transferred each in the heightwise direction and in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged, including being transferred in a rotatable way. Therefore, the person being massaged can be massaged over the entire body thereof by providing stimuli thereto by jet streams to the person being massaged in a state in which the person is lying on the flexible sheet, thereby assisting the person being massaged in recovering or relieving from fatigue and alleviating localized stiff muscle of the person being massaged.

Also, the water bed is constructed with a box-shaped water container with an opening portion disposed on top thereof, in which water or warm water is filled, and with a flexible sheet disposed covering the opening portion in a water-tight manner, so as to allow a person being massaged to lie on the upper surface of the flexible sheet, wherein the water container is provided within the interior thereof with a pair of light-hand and right-hand nozzles so as to blow water or warm water toward the back surface of the flexible sheet and the pair of the light-hand and right-hand nozzles are further disposed so as to move in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged as well as to move in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person symmetrically in the left- and right-hand directions. Therefore, the water bed is arranged to transfer the pair of the nozzles in the heightwise direction and in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders of the person being massaged, including rotating the nozzles, thereby providing comfortable and pleasant stimuli onto various locations symmetrically sideways in the breadthwise direction of the shoulders with respect to the backbone of the person being massaged centered therebetween and consequently achieving higher massaging effects.

Further, the water container is disposed in the interior thereof with the carrier so as to be movable in the heightwise direction of the person being massaged and a pair of the gears for transferring the nozzles are rotatably disposed on top of the carrier in a state in which they are engaged while the nozzles are provided on the pair of the gears for transferring the nozzles. Therefore, the pair of the nozzles can be transferred, including rotating, and the jet device can be formed into a simple structure, thereby providing the water bed type massaging machine which can be assembled in a ready manner and has a high degree of maintenance performance.

Furthermore, as the water bed type massaging machine is provided with the temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of water or warm water filled in the interior of the water container, the water or the like in the water container can be heated or cooled to maintain the temperature of the water or the like in the water container always at an optimal level. In addition, the water bed type massaging machine according to the present invention can sustain the flexible sheet at an optimal temperature so that massaging effects can be enhanced and the person being massaged while lying on the flexible sheet can enjoy the massaging without undergoing an unpleasant feeling because the flexible sheet does not become too hot or too cold.

Moreover, the water bed type massaging machine can be operated continuously for a long period of time because the hot water or the like in the water container can be cooled down even if the temperature of the water or the like in the water container would become higher due to friction of the water or the like.

Number	Name	Date
4607405	Ellis et al.	Aug 1986
4635620	Ricchio	Jan 1987
4757808	Effler, Jr.	Jul 1988
4908016	Thomsen	Mar 1990
4976256	Marlin et al.	Dec 1990
5540651	Risch et al.	Jul 1996
5713834	Palmer	Feb 1998

Massaging water bed

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)

PCT Information

US Referenced Citations (7)