JP2629385B2 - Cushionable variable bed - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bed used for sleeping or resting.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a bedding utilizing air pressure, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-7792
No. 7 is known. This changes the shape of the mat by alternately repeating the inflow of air into the air mat and the outflow of air from the air mat.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since this method deforms the entire air mat and does not control the cushioning property, the cushioning property cannot be controlled according to the sleep state.

An object of the present invention is to vary the cushioning properties of a bed according to a person's sleep state.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is to solve the above problems, a mattress, an actuator for controlling the displacement of the mattress,
The drive source and the control circuit of the actuator and a sleep state detection sensor, the control circuit, the displacement amount control actuator based on the output of the sleep state detection sensor into a large cushion before sleep and after awake, During sleep, the cushioning is controlled to be small.

Operation The present invention controls the actuator arranged on the lower surface of the mattress by the sleep state detection signal by the above configuration,
By changing the cushioning properties before sleep, after awakening, and during sleep, it is possible to always create a comfortable state.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a variable cushioning bed. 2 is a support, 3 is an air passage panel, and 4 is a mattress. Between the air passage 3 and the mattress 4,
Pneumatic bellows (actuator for controlling displacement) 5a, 5b ~
5y (however, 5b to 5y are not shown) are arranged in a matrix. Reference numeral 6 denotes an air pressure source (drive source). Reference numeral 7 denotes an electroencephalogram detection sensor (sleep state detection sensor).

Since the pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b to 5y have the same configuration, the description will be made by taking 5a as an example. In FIG. 2, pneumatic bellows 5a
Has a configuration in which a resin bellows 7a is welded to an upper plate 10a and a lower plate 11a. The upper plate 10a is provided with an outlet 12a, and the lower plate 11a is provided with an inlet 13a.

14a is an outflow control valve composed of a piezoelectric element, 15a
Is a supporting portion, and 16 is a lead wire. 17a is an inflow control valve formed of a piezoelectric element, 18a is a support portion thereof, 19a
Is a lead wire. Outflow control valve 14a and inflow control valve 1
7a is configured such that the outflow port 12a and the inflow port 13a are closed when no power is supplied, and are opened when power is supplied.

20a is a pressure sensor. 21a is a light emitting element, 22a is a light receiving element, and 21a and 22a constitute a displacement amount detecting sensor 23a. These sensors are mounted on all pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b-5y.

In FIG. 3, the air passage panel 3 has an opening 24.
a, 24b to 24y are opened in a matrix, all of which are supplied through the air passage 25 to the supply duct 26 of the air pressure source 6.
It is connected to the. Further, the openings 24a, 24b to 24y are provided with the inflow ports 13a, 13b to 13y of the lower plates 11a, 11b to 11y (however, 11b to 11y are not shown) of the pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b to 5y.
(However, 13b to 13y are not shown.)

Also, the outlets 12a, 12b ~ of the pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b ~ 5y ~
12y (however, 12b to 12y is not shown) is open to the atmosphere.

FIG. 4 shows a control circuit 27 for the outflow control valves 14a, 14b to 14y and the inflow control valves 17a, 17b to 17y. 28 is an AC power supply, 29 is a motor of the air pressure source 6, and 30 is its switch. 31 is a rectifier circuit and 32 is a smoothing capacitor. 33a, 3
3b to 33y are switches for the outflow control valves 14a and 14b to 14y, respectively, and 34a and 34b to 34y are inflow control valves 17a and 17b to 1 respectively.
7y switch.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the load (W) applied to the pneumatic bellows 5a and 5b to 5y and the displacement (Δx). The cushioning property of the bed is evaluated from the inclination of the straight line shown in this figure, that is, the apparent spring constant (k1, k2, etc.).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the cushioning control system. Reference numeral 35 denotes an operation signal generator.
36 is an apparent spring constant setting unit for the pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b to 5y, and 37 is a spring constant changing unit.

 Reference numeral 38 denotes a sensor signal generator.

Reference numeral 39 denotes a sleep state detection signal generation unit, 40 denotes a sleep state detection setting unit, 41 denotes a sleep start signal setting unit, 42 denotes an awakening start signal setting unit, and 43 denotes a sleep state detection spring constant setting unit. Here, k (1) is before sleep start, k (2) is during sleep, k
(3) is a spring constant after awakening.

Reference numeral 44 denotes an arithmetic circuit that performs processing on the detection amounts from the pressure sensor 20a and the displacement detection sensor 23a while referring to these signals.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart relating to the cushioning control process performed by the arithmetic circuit 44 of FIG.

46 is a start instruction, and 47 is a spring constant setting instruction. 48 is a pressure value (p (i)) detection instruction, and 49 is a displacement amount (Δx
This is the detection instruction of (i)). 50 is the amount to be displaced (Δx
(I + 1)), and 51 is the current displacement amount (Δx
(I)) and the newly calculated displacement amount (Δx (i +
This is an instruction for branching the subsequent processing according to the difference between the values 1) and 1). 52 is an outflow control valve opening instruction, 53 is an instruction for judging a predetermined amount of displacement, and 54 is an outflow control valve closing instruction. 55 is an inflow control valve opening instruction, 56 is an instruction for judging a predetermined amount of displacement, and 57 is an inflow control valve closing instruction. Numeral 58 is a judgment command for changing the spring constant.

8 is a flowchart showing processing contents based on the sleep state detection signal generator 39.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a determination instruction relating to sleep state detection setting, reference numeral 61 denotes an instruction for setting a spring constant (k (1)) until the start of sleep, reference numeral 62 denotes a determination instruction whether or not a sleep start signal has been detected, and reference numeral 63 denotes a spring constant during sleep. (K (2)) setting command, 64 is a command for determining whether or not the awakening start signal has been detected, 65 is a setting command for a spring constant (k (3)) after the start of awakening, and 66 is an overall cushioning control. This is a determination command regarding stoppage. Reference numeral 67 denotes a signal processing stop instruction.

 Next, the operation will be described.

FIG. 1 shows pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b to 5y (however, 5f to 5y
Is not shown. () Shows a state in which air is sent from the air pressure source 6 under pressure. The state of the control circuit 27 at this time is as shown in FIG. 4, and the switches 33a, 33b to 33y for energizing the outflow control valves 14a, 14b to 14y, and the inflow control valve 17
a, switches 34a, 34b to 34y for energizing 17b to 17y
Is in the off state. Therefore, pneumatic bellows 5
As a typical example, a and 5b to 5y are closed as shown in FIG. 2 showing the pneumatic bellows 5a. Thus, the pneumatic bellows 5a, 5b to 5y maintain the mattress 4 in a flat state. The pressure at this time is p (o), and the displacement is Δx (o).

In this initial state, it is assumed that a person is lying on the mattress 4 and a load is applied to the pneumatic bellows 5a.

In the flowchart of FIG. 7, the sequence of the cushioning property control is started by 46. 47 sets the spring constants of the pneumatic bellows 5a and 5b to 5y, which are the points of cushioning property. On the other hand, the signal from the pressure detection sensor 20a is taken as p (1) by 48, and the signal from the displacement detection sensor 23a is taken as Δx (o) by 49.

Assuming that the area of the pressure receiving surface of the pneumatic bellows 5a is A,
The load (W) is calculated by W = (A) × (p (1)). Assuming that, for example, k1 in FIG. 5 is designated as the value of the spring constant, the amount to be displaced is (Δx (1))
= W / k1. (In this case, pneumatic bellows
It is assumed that the spring constant of 5a itself is small and is ignored. This value is compared with Δx (o) in 51 instructions.

In the initial state, since Δx (o) = 0, (Δx
The value of (1))-(Δx (o)) becomes positive, and the outflow control valve is opened by 52. The operation state of the pneumatic bellows 5a at this time is as shown in FIG. When a predetermined amount of displacement (Δx1) occurs, the outflow control valve is closed by 54. This action is similar to other pneumatic bellows 5b
55y is also performed individually. In this way, when a person lays on the mattress 4, for example, the tenth
The deformation of the mattress 4 as shown in the figure is performed.

If the spring constant is not changed, the instruction proceeds to NO at 58.

When the spring constant is changed, the instruction at 58 is directed to the YES side by the setting of the spring constant changing unit 37. Assuming that the new spring constant is k2 shown in FIG. 5, the value is read at 47. Now, assuming that the load has not changed, the amount to be displaced is calculated by (Δx (2)) = W / k2. This value is compared with (Δx (1)) in 51 instructions.

At this time, the value of (Δx (2)) − (Δx (1)) becomes negative, and due to 55, the inflow control valve is opened. When a predetermined amount of displacement (Δx (2)) occurs, the inflow control valve is closed by 57. That is, the state is set to a state where the displacement amount is smaller (a state where the cushioning property is small) than when the spring constant is k1.

Next, in this state, in the sleep state detection signal generator 39, the sleep state detection setting by 40, the sleep start signal setting by 41, the awakening start signal setting by 42, and the sleep state detection spring constants k (1), k ( It is assumed that 2) and k (3) are set.

At this time, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the determination command regarding the sleep state detection setting of 60 goes to YES.

When the sleep state detection operation is started, the spring constant is set to k (1) by 61, and until the sleep start signal is detected, the judgment command of 62 is directed to the NO side, so that the cushioning property is: It is maintained at the value of k (1).

Next, when a sleep start signal is detected, the judgment command of 62 is directed to the YES side, and the spring constant is 63 (k (2)). After that, until the awakening start signal is detected, 64 judgment commands are directed to the NO side.
The value of (2) is maintained.

Finally, when the awakening start signal is detected, the judgment command of 64 turns to the YES side, and the spring constant becomes k (3) by 65. Until the processing of the cushioning property control is stopped, the determination command at 66 is directed to the NO side, so that the cushioning property is maintained at the k (3) side. When a stop command relating to the cushioning control process is issued, the determination command of 66 turns to the YES side, and the entire process is stopped by the command of 67.

In general, when considering the setting of the cushioning property, those having an unnecessarily large cushioning property may rather cause fatigue. In particular, during sleep, the body movement is considerable, so that the cushioning property is desirably small in order to make it relatively unlikely to cause fatigue in any state. In consideration of the sleeping posture of a growing child, it is desirable that the cushioning property is small during long hours of sleep. Therefore, it is necessary to set the spring constant k (2) during sleep to a small value.

On the other hand, in consideration of comfortable sleeping comfort and awakening, on the other hand, it is desirable that the cushioning property is large. For this purpose, only the cushioning property for the set time before sleep and after awakening may be increased. That is, in this embodiment, k
It suffices to increase the values of (1) and k (3).

Although an electroencephalogram sensor is shown as a sleep state detection sensor in the above embodiments, it may be one that detects physical quantities other than electroencephalogram such as body temperature. Further, the actuator for controlling the displacement of the mattress is shown as a pneumatic actuator, but the actuator is not limited to this. Electric control using a motor or hydraulic control may be used.

In addition, although the inflow / outflow control valve using a piezoelectric element has been described, the invention is not limited to this, and any valve that can be deformed by energization control may be used. For example, a bimetal or a shape memory alloy may be used.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention (1) In the present invention, the cushioning control can be performed by controlling the displacement of the actuator disposed at the lower part of the mattress, and this control is performed by the sleep state detection sensor, so that before and after waking up. Has a large cushioning state, a small cushioning state during sleep, does not give the body more curvature than necessary while sleeping, and realizes a comfortable state before sleeping and after waking up, Become comfortable.

(2) In the case where each displacement amount controlling actuator is independently displaced based on the output from each pressure sensor, since each displacement amount controlling actuator is displaced based on the output from the pressure sensor, The mattress is shaped according to the posture of the user, and the user receives uniform pressure over the whole body in any posture, thereby improving comfort.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a cushion-type variable bed showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a pneumatic bellows, FIG. 3 is a plan view of an air passage panel, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between load and displacement, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a cushioning control system, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing cushioning control processing, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart relating to sleep state detection signal processing, FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view showing different operation states of the pneumatic bellows, and FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view showing a deformed state of the mattress. 1 ... Cushionable variable bed, 4 ... Mattress, 5
a, 5b to 5y: pneumatic bellows (actuator for controlling displacement), 6: pneumatic source (drive source), 7: brain wave sensor (sleep state detection sensor), 27: control circuit, 39: sleep state Detection signal generator.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-222711 (JP, A) JP-A-53-33758 (JP, A) JP-A-62-181011 (JP, A) 71456 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A mattress, an actuator for controlling the amount of displacement of the mattress, a drive source thereof, a control circuit for the actuator, and a sleep state detection sensor, wherein the control circuit performs displacement based on an output of the sleep state detection sensor. Cushionable variable bed that controls the quantity control actuator to a large cushion before sleep and after waking, and to a small cushion during sleep. 2. A mattress, a plurality of displacement control actuators provided on the mattress, a drive source thereof and a control circuit of the actuator, a sleep state detection sensor and pressure detection provided on each of the displacement control actuators. The control circuit independently displaces each displacement amount controlling actuator based on the output from each pressure sensor, and performs cushioning before sleep and after waking up based on the output from the sleep state detection sensor. In a state of great nature,
In addition, a cushion-type variable bed that controls the cushion to a small state during sleep.