JP7577393B2 - Healthy Ear Prosthesis - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to ear prostheses for health purposes, and in particular to ear prostheses for health purposes that, when worn in the ear, provide the wearer with a comfortable state of mind and body.

Modern people are exposed to a great deal of stress, both physically and mentally. Therefore, it is extremely important for health to eliminate or reduce both physical and mental stress.

Figures 1 to 5 of Patent Document 1 show an ear-hook type fragrance emitting device. This fragrance emitting device comprises an auricle attachment part with a hanger part for hanging on the ear, a flexible rod-shaped support part extending from the auricle attachment part, and a fragrance emitting part disposed at the tip of the rod-shaped support part. The wearer attaches the auricle attachment part to their ear using the hanger part, and by appropriately deforming the rod-shaped support part, positions the fragrance emitting part near their nostrils and oral cavity. This allows the wearer to smell the fragrance, which is said to promote relaxation and refreshment.

JP 2006-26421 A

The fragrance generating device in Patent Document 1 aims to contribute to improving the health of the user by providing a fragrance. However, it would be even more preferable if the device could be configured to have another effect that contributes to improving health in addition to providing a fragrance.

In addition, in the fragrance emitting device of Patent Document 1, when in use, the rod-shaped support part extends from the wearer's ear to the front of the nose and mouth, and the fragrance emitting part is located in front of the nose and mouth. This means that the rod-shaped support part and the fragrance emitting part tend to get in the way of the wearer, and there is also the problem that the appearance when worn is poor.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide ear prosthesis for health purposes that, apart from or in addition to providing a fragrance, also has another effect that can contribute to improving health. The present invention also aims to provide ear prosthesis for health purposes that is not in the way of the wearer and has excellent design.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the health ear prosthesis of the present invention comprises an attachment part for attachment to a human auricle, an aroma emitting part supported by the attachment part, and a first health effect part and a second health effect part each of which contact a predetermined part of the wearer when attached by the attachment part, the predetermined part with which the first health effect part contacts is the skin above the bifurcation of the wearer's trigeminal nerve, and the predetermined part with which the second health effect part contacts is the rear base of the wearer's auricle, the attachment part is formed in a C-shape so as to hold the auricle from above and below, the attachment part also serves as the second health effect part , the attachment part has a large diameter part at its lower end, the large diameter part is detachable from the attachment part, the aroma emitting part is detachable from the attachment part, and the large diameter part functions as a member to prevent the aroma emitting part from falling off .

The health ear prosthesis of the present invention is attached to the wearer's auricle by the attachment part. When attached to the auricle, the first health effect part contacts the skin above the bifurcation of the wearer's trigeminal nerve, and the second health effect part contacts the rear base of the wearer's auricle. According to the health ear prosthesis of the present invention, the contact between the first health effect part and the second health effect part creates a sense of security for the wearer, and the wearer can relax and have a softer facial expression. For example, the contact of the first health effect part can be expected to ease the overactivity of the trigeminal nerve that controls the masseter muscle, and to alleviate symptoms such as temporomandibular joint disorder. In addition, the contact of the second health effect part can be expected to have the effect of relaxing the fascia. In addition, the wearer can obtain the effect of aromatherapy through the sense of smell due to the aroma generated from the aroma generating part. That is, the contact of the first and/or second health effect part with the wearer's skin and the aroma generated from the aroma generating part provide the brain with a health-friendly stimulus through the wearer's sense of touch and smell. This provides a double health promotion effect. Furthermore, since the mounting part is formed in a C-shape so as to hold the auricle from above and below, the mounting part is not exposed in front of the wearer's auricle, so that the mounting part is less likely to get in the way of the wearer and the ear prosthesis has excellent design. Since the mounting part also serves as the second health-promoting part, the configuration is compact and rational. Furthermore, the fragrance generating part can be replaced by removing the large diameter part from the mounting part, removing the old fragrance generating part, attaching a new fragrance generating part to the mounting part, and then attaching the large diameter part to the mounting part. Therefore, the fragrance generating part can be easily replaced, and a replaceable fragrance generating part can be realized simply and at low cost.

In one embodiment, the first health effect part may be formed in a ball shape at the upper end of the C-shaped wearing part, in which case the first health effect part will feel soft against the human body and the ear prosthesis will not easily fall off the auricle.

In one embodiment, the fragrance generating unit may be supported in a suspended state from the wearing unit, which has the advantage that the fragrance generating unit swings in response to the movement of the wearer, thereby accelerating the spread of the fragrance.

1 is an overall view of an ear prosthesis for health use according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side view of the ear prosthesis for health of FIG. 1 in a worn state. FIG. 2 is a front view of the ear prosthesis for health of FIG. 1 in a worn state. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the ear prosthesis for health of FIG. 1 in a worn state.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, health ear prosthesis 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a mounting part 3 for mounting on a person's auricle 2 (see Figures 2 to 4), and an aroma generating part 4 supported by this mounting part 3. The mounting part 3 serves to attach the health ear prosthesis 1 to the wearer's auricle 2.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the health ear prosthesis 1 includes at least one of a first health action part 7 and a second health action part 5, which contact a predetermined part of the wearer when the ear prosthesis is worn by the wearing part 3. Preferably, as in the illustrated example, the ear prosthesis 1 includes both the first health action part 7 and the second health action part 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the predetermined part that the first health action part 7 contacts is the skin above the bifurcation of the trigeminal nerve of the wearer. On the other hand, the predetermined part that the second health action part 7 contacts is the base 6 on the rear side of the auricle 2, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In the illustrated example, the wearing part 3 is formed in a C-shape so as to hold the auricle 2 from above and below, and the wearing part 3 also serves as the second health action part 5. The first health action part 7 is formed in a ball shape at the upper end of the C-shaped wearing part 3. In this case, the first health action part 7 comes into contact with the human body softly, and the ear prosthesis is less likely to fall off the auricle 2, which is preferable.

The illustrated example of the health ear prosthesis 1 is attached to the wearer's auricle 2 by the attachment part 3, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4. When the health ear prosthesis 1 is attached to the auricle 2, the first health effect part 7 contacts the skin above the bifurcation of the wearer's trigeminal nerve, and the second health effect part 5 contacts and extends to the rear base 6 of the wearer's auricle 2. The second health effect part 5 may have a part that is not in contact with the rear base 6 of the wearer's auricle 2, but it is preferable that the entire second health effect part 5 contacts the entire rear base 6 of the wearer's auricle 2. The contact between the first health effect part 7 and the second health effect part 5 creates a sense of security for the wearer, which relieves tension and allows the wearer to relax, resulting in a softer facial expression.

Contact stimulation by the first health action part 7 is expected to ease overactivity of the trigeminal nerve, which controls the masseter muscle, and to alleviate symptoms such as temporomandibular joint disorder. Near the branching point of the trigeminal nerve, there is an acupuncture point called "Waryo" in Oriental medicine. It is said that stimulating this acupuncture point improves eye fatigue such as blurred vision and tired eyes, and also relieves headaches and stiff shoulders. For this reason, by having the first health action part 7 come into contact with the skin above the Waryo, it is expected that eye fatigue, headaches, stiff shoulders, and the like will be improved. For acupuncture points on the head above the neck, even just gently pressing or touching them is effective, so it is expected that having the first health action part 7 come into contact with the skin above the Waryo will be beneficial for health.

In addition, the contact stimulation from the second health action part 5 is expected to have the effect of relaxing the fascia. Fascia is often translated as "fascia," but the original concept is "a thin connective tissue that encases and protects various tissues such as muscles, bones, internal organs, nerves, and blood vessels." Therefore, "fascia" is a part of the fascia. As shown in Figure 4, the second health action part 5 comes into contact with and extends to the base 6 behind the wearer's auricle 2, and is expected to have the effect of relaxing the fascia connected to the temporalis muscle and masseter muscle.

In an ideal state, fascia slide against adjacent fascia to reduce friction and help facilitate smooth movement; for this reason, bodily fluids are very important. For example, when there is a decrease in moisture, such as hyaluronic acid, in a joint, it is thought that the ability of fascia to slide against each other decreases, resulting in "restricted range of motion" and "tightness." In severe cases, the tissues do not slide well against each other, and adjacent fascia become adhered to each other. When a traction stimulus occurs at the adhesion site in this state, nociceptors (pain sensors) react, causing the sensation of "pain."

The common treatments for removing fascial adhesions include hydrorelease, which involves injecting saline into the adhesion site, acupuncture treatment of trigger points, low-stress repetitive exercise therapy that does not put stress on the muscles, and manual therapy that shifts the skin. However, with the health ear prosthesis of this embodiment that is equipped with a second health action part, it can be said that an effect similar to the "manual therapy that shifts the skin" among the above treatments can be expected.

The size and shape of the auricle 2 differs from person to person. Therefore, it is preferable that the health ear prosthesis 1 is a custom-made product. In other words, it is preferable that the health ear prosthesis 1 is made for each individual wearer so that the first health effect part 7 and the second health effect part 5 come into contact with each specified part of the wearer when worn on the auricle 2. This allows each wearer to receive the health effect. However, for example, a sales format can be adopted in which health ear prostheses of various sizes and shapes are prepared in advance and each wearer tries them on to select the one that fits best.

The wearing part 3 supports the aroma generating part 4, and the aroma generated from this aroma generating part 4 allows the wearer to obtain the effects of aroma therapy through the sense of smell. In other words, the contact of the first and second health effect parts 7, 5 with the wearer's skin and the aroma generated from the aroma generating part 4 provide the brain with health-friendly stimulation through the wearer's senses of touch and smell. This provides a double health promotion effect.

Next, each component of the ear prosthesis 1 for health purposes shown in Figure 1 will be described in detail.

In the health ear prosthesis 1 of Figure 1, the attachment part 3 is formed in a C-shape so as to hold the auricle 2 by pinching it from above and below. Therefore, when attached to the auricle 2, the attachment part 3 is not largely exposed in front of the wearer's auricle 2 (see Figure 3). Therefore, the attachment part 3 is unlikely to get in the way of the wearer, and has excellent design. The C-shaped attachment part 3 also serves as the second health function part 5, and is provided with an upper large diameter part 7 at its upper end and a lower large diameter part 8 at its lower end. The upper large diameter part 7 is the first health function part.

The second health effect portion 5 extends in a curved line or band shape along the base 6 at the back of the wearer's auricle 2. Since the second health effect portion 5 is made to fit the shape and size of the wearer's auricle 2, it is preferable to form it from a material that is easy to shape. In addition, since the second health effect portion 5 comes into contact with the wearer's skin, it is formed from a material that is harmless to human skin. From these perspectives, it is preferable to form the second health effect portion 5 from a material that is harmless to human skin and has plastic deformability. It is preferable to form it from a metal that satisfies these conditions, and in particular surgical stainless steel. As for other materials, the second health effect portion 5 may be formed from plastic or wood.

The first and second health effect parts 7, 5 may have a built-in magnetic source that is effective for the human body. In this case, the magnetic force generated from the magnetic source can act on pressure points on the human body to relieve stiff shoulders, headaches, eye fatigue, etc. However, the health effect part 1 in FIG. 1 does not have such a magnetic source. This allows for a health ear prosthesis 1 with a simple configuration and low cost to be obtained. Even without a magnetic source, the health effect described above is achieved by the first and second health effect parts 7, 5 coming into close contact with specified parts of the wearer, so there is no lack of health benefits.

The upper large diameter portion 7 is attached to the upper end 5a of the second health function portion 5, and the lower large diameter portion 8 is attached to the lower end 5b of the second health function portion 5. The attachment method may be a screw connection type or a press-fit type. Both the upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 are larger than the thickness of the second health function portion 5. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when attached to the auricle 2, the upper large diameter portion 7 is located in front of the upper part of the base of the auricle 2 (as seen by the wearer), and the lower large diameter portion 8 is located in front of the lower part of the base of the auricle 2, i.e., in front of the earlobe 9. By providing the upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8, the upper and lower ends of the attachment portion 3 are softened in contact with the human body, and the attachment portion is less likely to fall off the auricle 2. It is preferable that the upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 are also made of surgical stainless steel, as is the second health function portion 5.

The upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 are shaped to be able to contact the wearer's skin with a soft feel. For example, at least the surface that contacts the skin is rounded with no corners. As a typical example, the upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 are formed as a whole into a sphere or an oval sphere. When the upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 contact the front side of the auricle 2, the health effect portion 5 is maintained in close contact with the base 6 at the back of the auricle, making it a wearing portion that is unlikely to fall off the auricle 2. The upper large diameter portion 7 and the lower large diameter portion 8 are located above and below the front side of the auricle 2 and are easily visible, so it is preferable that they have a design as an ornament.

The health ear prosthesis 1 in FIG. 1 has an aroma generating unit 4 supported by a mounting unit 3. The aroma generating unit 4 is composed of a container 10 and an aroma source 11 housed in the container 10. The aroma source 11 is an aroma that calms, heals, or relaxes people, such as essential oils (fragrant components extracted from plants) or perfume. The aroma source 11 may be replaceable with respect to the container 10, or may be replenished within the container 10.

The fragrance generating unit 4 may be fixed to an appropriate location on the wearing unit 3, but may also be supported in a suspended state from the wearing unit 3. In this way, the fragrance generating unit 4 swings in response to the wearer's movements, which has the advantage of promoting the spread of the fragrance. In the example of Figure 1, a chain 12 is attached to the fragrance generating unit 4 as a suspension support member, and the upper end of the chain 12 is connected to the lower end 5b of the second health effect unit 5.

The aroma-generating unit 4 may be fixed to the attachment part 3, but if it is removable, it is preferable since the aroma-generating unit 4 can be replaced. For example, the lower large diameter part 8 can be made removable from the lower end part 5b of the second health effect part 5, and further, the lower end part 5b of the second health effect part 5 with the lower large diameter part 8 removed can be inserted and removed into the top ring 13 of the chain 12, thereby making the aroma-generating unit 4 removable from the attachment part 3. In this case, the lower large diameter part 8 functions as a member to prevent the aroma-generating unit 4 from falling off.

That is, the aroma generating unit 4 can be replaced by removing the lower large diameter portion 8 from the second health function unit 5, removing the old aroma generating unit 4, attaching a new aroma generating unit 4 to the second health function unit 5, and then attaching the lower large diameter portion 8 to the second health function unit 5. In this way, the aroma generating unit 4 can be easily replaced, and a replaceable configuration for the aroma generating unit 4 can be realized simply and at low cost.

As another embodiment of the aroma generating unit 4, the lower large diameter portion 8 itself may serve as the container 10 of the aroma generating unit, and the aroma source may be housed within the lower large diameter portion 8.

The above describes the embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined by reusing each other's technologies as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purpose and configuration, etc.

1 Healthy ear prosthesis 2 Auricle 3 Wearing part 4 Fragrance generating part 5 Second health-improving part 6 Base of rear part of auricle 7 First health-improving part [large diameter part (upper large diameter part)]
8 Large diameter section (lower large diameter section)

Claims (3)

an ear prosthesis for health comprising: a mounting part for mounting on a human auricle; an aroma emitting part supported by the mounting part; and a first health effect part and a second health effect part each contacting a predetermined part of the wearer when the ear prosthesis is mounted by the mounting part, the predetermined part with which the first health effect part contacts is the skin above the bifurcation of the wearer's trigeminal nerve, and the predetermined part with which the second health effect part contacts is the rear base of the wearer's auricle, the mounting part is formed in a C-shape so as to hold the auricle from above and below, the mounting part also serving as the second health effect part, the mounting part has a large diameter part at a lower end, the large diameter part is detachable from the mounting part, the aroma emitting part is detachable from the mounting part, and the large diameter part functions as a member to prevent the aroma emitting part from falling off . The ear prosthesis for health according to claim 1, in which the first health action part is formed in a ball shape at the upper end of the C-shaped attachment part. The ear prosthesis for health according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the aroma generating unit is supported in a suspended state from the attachment unit.

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