JP7714820B2 - Fascia massage machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fascia massager for massaging the fascia, and in particular to a fascia massager that can automatically massage the gluteus maximus and medius muscles while maintaining an effective posture.

A wide variety of massage machines with various innovative features have been developed and used in the past. Fascial massage, which massages the fascia, is a massage technique that removes adhesions between muscles and fascia.

All muscles are covered by a thin membrane called fascia, which supports the muscles. When deep muscles become fatigued or severely damaged, adhesions form between the muscles and fascia, or between the fascia and fascia, preventing the muscles from moving smoothly. This manifests as stiffness, numbness, and pain.

Fascia massage is a type of massage that applies pressure to the fascia and muscles from the outside while moving the muscles inside, thereby removing adhesions, relieving stiffness and pain, and allowing joints to move fully.A fascia massage machine makes it possible to perform this massage automatically.

Technology related to such massage machines is found, for example, in JP 2017-169604 A. This publication discloses technology related to a device that stimulates the muscles around the spine and related muscles to effectively treat pain and muscle spasms throughout the body. The technology discloses a structure related to a hydraulic massage device that includes a tank for holding liquid, a watertight, stretched flexible sheet on which the person to be massaged lies, a nozzle that sprays liquid toward the underside of the sheet, a pump that pressurizes the liquid into the nozzle, and control means for moving the nozzle in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the tank.

This technology certainly makes it possible to stimulate specific areas such as the gluteus maximus, effectively treating areas with pain or muscle spasms or the areas that cause them. However, the structure of this device makes it impossible to effectively perform treatment while moving the legs, thereby increasing the massage effect of the gluteus maximus and medius muscles, and the technology was insufficient from a treatment perspective.

It has been found that the effectiveness of massaging the gluteus maximus and medius muscles can be enhanced by gradually moving the legs, warming them, and applying pressure during the massage. Therefore, there was a need for the development of a fascia massager that could automatically massage while performing these movements.

JP 2017-169604 A

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a fascial massage machine for massaging the fascia, and in particular, a fascial massage machine that can automatically massage the gluteus maximus and medius muscles while maintaining an effective posture.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the fascia massage machine of the present invention is a fascia massage machine for massaging the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles, and comprises a backrest that can be tilted and fixed freely, a seat on which the user sits, a footrest on which the user places both legs, a base that supports the backrest and seat, and massage means that contact the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles to massage them. The footrests comprise a right footrest and a left footrest, each of which has a base on which the user's legs are placed and a lifting means for moving the base up and down. The right and left legrests are configured to lift and lower the user's left and right legs independently in the up and down direction while placed on the bases, and the massage means is configured to massage the left and right legs alternately or simultaneously depending on the stage of treatment.

The lifting means is equipped with a bag body that can inject and hold air, and an injection/discharge means that injects and discharges air into and from the bag body, and is configured to lift and lower the placement section by injecting and discharging air into and from the bag body.
The massage means is configured to include a treatment element that performs a massage action by applying pressure and pressure to the affected part of the user.

The massage means comprises a covering portion provided on the seat portion that covers the user's buttocks in a manner that allows pressure to be freely applied and depressurized, and the covering portion is configured so that a plurality of protrusions for massaging the buttocks are provided on the surface that comes into contact with the user's buttocks.
The covering portion is made of a bag-like member into which air can be injected and discharged, and is configured to cover the user's buttocks in a manner that allows for free pressure and decompression by injecting and discharging air into the bag-like member.
The covering portion is also configured to include an infrared heater in a portion located at the center of the user's buttocks.

The present invention has the above-described configuration and therefore has the following advantages.
1. The structure is provided with a right leg rest and a left leg rest, so it is possible to perform treatment by moving the left and right legs independently or alternately, making it possible to perform a highly effective massage.
2. The lifting means is configured to inject and retain air in a bag, which allows for gentle lifting and lowering of the legs using air, and also makes it possible to provide a fascia massager with a configuration that is less prone to malfunction.

3. Because the treatment is performed by the treatment applicator, it is possible to appropriately apply pressure or pressure to the affected area of the user.
4. The massage means is configured to have a covering portion that can freely apply pressure or depressurize the user's buttocks, so it is possible to perform treatment while enveloping and compressing the user's buttocks, making it possible to perform a more effective massage.

5. The covering portion is made of a bag-shaped member into which air can be injected and discharged, so gentle pressure can be applied by air, and it is possible to provide a fascia massager with a structure that is less prone to malfunction.
6. By providing an infrared heater in the wrapping, it is possible to perform treatment while warming the affected area, enabling a more effective massage.

The fascia massager of the present invention will now be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. Figures 1a and 1b are side views of the fascia massager of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a diagram showing the foot rest of the fascia massager. Figure 3 is a side view showing the enclosure.

As shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the fascia massage machine 1 of the present invention comprises a base 10, a backrest 100, a seat 200, a footrest 300, and a massage means 400, and is a fascia massage machine that can automatically massage the fascia by maintaining and changing the patient's posture optimally in order to massage the gluteus maximus and medius muscles.

The backrest 100 is a member that supports the back of the user seated on the fascia massage machine 1, and is installed in a tiltable and fixed position as shown in Figures 1a and 1b. The seat 200 is a member that supports the area from the buttocks to the thighs of the user seated on the fascia massage machine 1, and the user sits on this member.

The leg rest 300 is a member that supports the area below the knees of a user seated on the fascia massage machine 1, and as shown in Figures 1a and 1b, it is on which the legs of a user seated on the seat 200 are placed. In this embodiment, the leg rest 300 is configured to be installed separately and independently from the backrest 100 and seat 200, but is not limited to this configuration and may also be configured to be connected to the backrest 100 and seat 200.

The base 10 is a component that forms the foundation of the fascia massage machine 1, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b, is configured to support the backrest portion 100 and the seat portion 200.

The massage means 400 is a component for contacting the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles to massage them. In this embodiment, it is configured as a pair installed on the left and right at positions that contact the user's left and right gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles, and is used to massage the left and right gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the leg rest section 300 is configured to consist of a right leg rest section 300R and a left leg rest section 300L. The right leg rest section 300R and the left leg rest section 300L are members on which the user's left and right legs are placed during treatment, and are configured to include supports 310R and 310L and lifting means 320R and 320L, respectively. The supports 310R and 310L are members on which the user's legs are placed, and the support section 310R is installed on the right leg rest section 300R, and the support section 310L is installed on the left leg rest section 300L.

The lifting means 320R and 320L are components for moving the support portions 310R and 310L up and down to move the user's left and right legs up and down, and the lifting means 320R is installed on the right leg support portion 300R, and the lifting means 320L is installed on the left leg support portion 300L.

With this configuration, the user's left and right legs can be placed on the support sections 310R and 310L and moved up and down independently of each other.

The massage means 400 is configured to massage alternately on the left and right sides or simultaneously on the left and right sides depending on the stage of treatment. The massage means 400 is configured to have protrusions that press against the affected area, but it can also be configured to vibrate during the massage to stimulate the affected area.

With the above configuration, it is possible to perform treatment using the massage means 400 while bending and straightening the user's legs by moving the user's left and right legs independently, alternately, or simultaneously, thereby enabling a highly effective massage.

In this embodiment, the lifting means 320R/320L are configured to include bag bodies 322R/322L and injection/discharge means 324R/324L. The bag bodies 322R/322L are bag-shaped members that can inject and hold air. The injection/discharge means 324R/324L are members for injecting and discharging air into the bag bodies 322R/322L. The injection/discharge means 324R/324L inject and discharge air into and from the bag bodies 322R/322L, thereby lifting and lowering the placement sections 310R/310L.

The bag body 322R and the injection/discharge means 324R are provided on the lifting/lowering means 320R, and the injection/discharge means 324R injects and discharges air into and from the bag body 322R. The bag body 322L and the injection/discharge means 324L are provided on the lifting/lowering means 320L, and the injection/discharge means 324L injects and discharges air into and from the bag body 322L.

In another embodiment of the lifting means 320R/320L, instead of the pneumatic type described above, it is also possible to configure the lifting means 320R/320L to move up and down using a drive device such as a motor (not shown). In other words, the rotational force of the drive device such as a motor is converted into vertical movement, which moves the mounting sections 310R/310L up and down, thereby moving the user's left and right legs up and down. This makes it possible to move the legs up and down quickly and precisely, allowing them to bend and straighten.

In this embodiment, the massage means 400 can be configured to consist of a treatment element 410. The treatment element 410 is a member that performs a massage action to apply pressure or depressurize the affected area of the user. In this embodiment, the treatment element 410 is a protruding element, and the protrusion presses against the affected area to perform the massage. The treatment element 410 may also be configured to vibrate during the massage to stimulate the affected area.

In an embodiment of the fascia massage machine according to the present invention, the massage means 400 can be configured to include a covering portion 420, as shown in Figure 3. The covering portion 420 is provided on the seat portion 200 and is a member that covers the user's buttocks while the user is seated, allowing for pressure and pressure to be freely applied, and is configured to include multiple protrusions 422.

The protrusions 422 are installed on the surface that comes into contact with the user's buttocks, and the protrusions massage the buttocks. Since multiple protrusions 422 are installed, the multiple protrusions 422 press and massage the user's buttocks. There is no limit to the number of protrusions 422 that can be installed. This makes it possible to perform treatment by enveloping and compressing the user's buttocks while bending and stretching the legs, resulting in a more effective massage.

In this embodiment, the covering portion 420 is configured as a bag-shaped member into which air can be injected and expelled. By injecting and expelling air into the covering portion 420, which is configured as a bag-shaped member, the user's buttocks are freely pressurized and depressurized. For example, the pressure applied to the user's buttocks by the covering portion 420 can be configured to be strong, medium, or weak. This pressure is adjusted by the amount of air injected into the covering portion 420. With this configuration, air pressure is applied to the entire user's buttocks, achieving an air-pressurized massage and making it possible to provide a fascia massager with a configuration that is less prone to malfunction.

The covering portion 420 can further be configured with an infrared heater 424 in the area located in the center of the user's buttocks. This configuration makes it possible to perform treatment while warming the user's affected area, resulting in a more effective massage.

Next, a fascia massage using the fascia massage machine 1 according to the present invention will be described.
The thin fascia that covers the muscles includes the subcutaneous fascia and the deep fascia. The subcutaneous fascia is located in the subcutaneous tissue, and the deep fascia is located directly below and deep to the subcutaneous fascia. It consists of three layers: the epimysium, the perimysium, and the endomysium, and it wraps around each muscle, allowing the muscles to move smoothly. Fascial massage focuses on massaging the deep fascia. For example, by applying pressure to the origin and insertion of muscles, the range of motion of the joints increases and the individual muscles can stretch and contract smoothly.

When performing fascial massage, simply applying pressure to the fascia itself is insufficient; instead, it involves using hands or elbows to compress the patient's fascia while also using external force to move the muscles underneath the fascia. For example, in cases of sudden lower back pain (acute lumbar myofasciosis) and chronic lower back pain, the muscles surrounding lumbar vertebrae 3, 4, and 5 are often compressed, causing tension in the erector spinae muscles and pain around the lumbar vertebrae. This is often caused by the gluteus maximus muscles surrounding the pelvis, particularly adhesions between parts of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius fascia, or muscle stiffness that causes the pelvis to tilt and arch the lower back, compressing lumbar vertebrae 3, 4, and 5, resulting in pain. By loosening the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles, which are the cause of the pain, the fascial adhesions are resolved, the erector spinae muscles are relaxed, and pressure on the lumbar vertebrae is relieved, eliminating the pain.

Using the fascial massage machine 1 of the present invention not only loosens muscles, but also makes it possible to restore fascial adhesions and deformations to a normal state. In particular, fascial massage of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles requires applying pressure to the muscles while moving the hip joint (bending and straightening the knee). By applying pressure and moving the muscles, adhered fascia is released and the muscles also relax. Furthermore, greater effectiveness can be achieved by fascial massaging the gluteal muscles one side at a time, rather than compressing and moving both gluteal muscles together.

When a muscle is massaged, it relaxes under strong stimulation. For this reason, alternating between left and right massages results in a stronger muscle response and a more effective massage compared to simultaneous left and right massages. Furthermore, since conditions such as sudden lower back pain and chronic lower back pain are more likely to be unilateral rather than central or simultaneous pain on both sides of the spine, it is necessary to focus on massaging the affected side. Therefore, the fascial massage machine 1 of the present invention primarily uses the treatment elements 410 arranged on the left and right and the protrusions 422 of the encapsulation portion 420 to alternately massage the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles.

In addition, to eliminate fascial adhesions and muscle stiffness, it is effective to apply pressure and massage the muscles while moving them, which releases the fascia and allows the muscles to return to normal movement. When massaging the gluteus maximus and medius muscles using the fascia massager 1, bending and straightening the knees moves the gluteus maximus and medius muscles, so fascial adhesions and muscle stiffness can be eliminated by externally contacting the treatment element 410 or the protrusion 422 of the encasement portion 420 and tapping or kneading them.

In more detail, first, the user sits on the seat 200 of the fascia massage machine 1. Then, the backrest 100 slowly tilts. Then, the lifting means 320R and 320L operate to raise the leg rest 300, lifting the user's legs. The right leg rest 300R and left leg rest 300L then move up and down simultaneously or alternately to bend and straighten the legs, while the massage means 400 applies pressure and massage to the user's gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles, alternating between the left and right.

When massaging with the encased portion 420, intermittent pressure is applied first, followed by sustained pressure. Sustained pressure involves applying sustained pressure for a set period of time, followed by a repeated release. The compression time is gradually increased. In some cases, the treatment may be performed while the user's affected area is heated with an infrared heater 424.

The legs can be massaged in various positions, such as moving only one leg, alternating between the left and right, or both legs together.

By using the above configuration, it is possible to provide a fascia massage machine that maintains the patient's posture optimally and automatically massages the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles while gently moving both legs individually.

Side view of the fascia massage machine according to the present invention Side view of a fascia massage machine A diagram showing the foot rest of the fascia massager Side view showing the envelope

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fascia massage machine 10 Base 100 Backrest 200 Seat 300 Foot rest 300R Right foot rest 300L Left foot rest 310R Placement 310L Placement 320R Lifting means 320L Lifting means 322R Bag 322L Bag 324R Injection/discharge means 324L Injection/discharge means 400 Massage means 410 Treatment element 420 Cover 422 Projection 424 Infrared heater

Claims (6)

A fascia massager (1) for massaging the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles.
The device comprises a backrest (100) that can be tilted and fixed, a seat (200) on which the user sits, a footrest (300) on which the user places both legs, a base (10) that supports the backrest (100) and the seat (200), and massage means (400) that contact the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles to massage them.
The leg rest (300) is composed of a right leg rest (300R) and a left leg rest (300L), and the right leg rest (300R) and the left leg rest (300L) each include a rest (310R/310L) on which the user's legs are placed and a lifting/lowering means (320R/320L) for moving the rest up and down, and are configured to lift and lower the legs independently in the up and down direction with the user's left and right legs placed on the rest (310R/310L);
The massage means (400) is a fascia massage machine characterized in that it performs massage operations alternately on the left and right or simultaneously on the left and right depending on the stage of treatment. The fascia massage machine described in claim 1, characterized in that the lifting means (320R/320L) is equipped with a bag body (322R/322L) that can inject and hold air, and an injection/exhaust means (324R/324L) that injects and expels air into the bag body, and the lifting and expelling action of the placing portion (310R/310L) is performed by injecting and expelling air into the bag body (322R/322L). A fascia massage machine as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the massage means (400) consists of a treatment element (410) that performs a massage action by applying pressure and pressure to the affected area of the user. The massage means (400) comprises a covering part (420) provided in the seat part for covering the user's buttocks in a manner that allows pressure and pressure to be freely applied to the buttocks of the user;
The fascia massage machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the covering portion (420) has a plurality of protrusions (422) on the surface that comes into contact with the user's buttocks for massaging the buttocks. The fascia massage machine described in claim 4, characterized in that the covering portion (420) consists of a bag-shaped member into which air can be injected and expelled, and by injecting and expelling air into the bag-shaped member, the user's buttocks can be freely pressurized and depressurized. 6. The fascia massage machine according to claim 5, wherein the covering portion (420) is provided with an infrared heater (424) in a portion located at the center of the user's buttocks.