Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Vibrator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2002-12-17
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Vibrator
C601S053000, C601S054000, C601S090000, C601S091000, C601S092000, C601S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494850
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a relaxation apparatus and a method for providing relaxation and recreation for a person by applying a vibratory stimulus to the person.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
It has long been well known that as a cradle or a rocking chair makes it clear, a person can feel relaxed when cyclically oscillated moderately. The Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-216743, published Aug. 6, 1992, discloses a vibrating floor system comprising a flat support accommodated within a recess defined in a floor in flush with the floor and isolated from the floor. The flat support is oscillatably supported by means of a plurality of spring members and is adapted to be vibrated in two directions perpendicular to each other by means of respective vibrating mechanisms according to a predetermined pattern of vibration selectable through a control device.
It is well known that vibration applied to a local portion of a human body is sensed by acceleration sensitive receptors found on the skin. However, moderate oscillation or vibration applied to the whole body of a human being is detected mainly by cerebellum and semicircular canals. Accordingly, by oscillating or vibrating the whole body of the person moderately, it is rather feasible to lead the person to relaxation. Since the flat support disclosed in the above mentioned publication is used to support thereon the whole body of the person who desires relaxation, it appears that the vibrating floor system is satisfactory. However, it has been found that mere application of the vibration to the body of a human being does not necessarily lead to relaxation and will often provide an uncomfortable sensation to the person.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,089 issued Oct. 6, 1970 to Arntzenius discloses a bed or table supporting the body of a patient for reciprocation generally along the vertical or long dimension of the heart of the patient synchronously with the heartbeat that is sensed by a heartbeat sensor. With this bed or table, the patient's body is described accelerated rhythmically and synchronously with heartbeat, with varying degrees of magnitude (from 0 to 3 g) and duration (0 to 100 msec) of acceleration.
According to Arntzenius' patent, the bed is reciprocated in a direction generally along the vertical or long dimension of the heart of the patient, which corresponds to the lengthwise direction of the bed as viewed with the patient lying on the bed. While Arntzenius is silent as to the specific frequency of vibration of the bed, it describes that the patient's body on the bed is accelerated rhythmically and synchronously with the heartbeat, with varying degrees of magnitude from 0 to 3G and duration of 0 to 100 msec of acceleration. Assuming that the heartbeat is 65 per minute, the frequency of vibration synchronized with the heartbeat may correspond to about 1.8 Hz. However, Arntzenius' patent is directed to the bed for aiding cardiovascular circulation and is in no way related to the relaxation apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,305 issued Jan. 9, 1979 to Steuer discloses a relaxation apparatus including a mattress consisting essentially of an inflatable hollow body defining an interior space and having an upper reclining surface area for carrying a human body. According to this patent, an air pump is connected to the hollow body for inflating it with air. A vibrating device cooperates with the pump for periodically varying the pressure in the interior space at a preselected frequency so as to raise and lower the reclining surface area periodically. The vibrating device includes a control system for varying the preselected frequency within a range containing the respiration rates. The control system may include means for varying the amplitude of the periodic pressure variations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,250 issued Jul. 12, 1972 to Adams discloses a relaxation apparatus comprising an upholstered seat accommodated within a housing for permitting a person to recline on the seat, a pair of rockers supporting the housing and adapted to be driven by a drive unit for driving the rockers to rock the housing, a vibrator connected to the seat for vibrating a person on the seat, and one or a plurality of sensory stimulators. The sensory stimulators useable in this relaxation apparatus are described including loudspeakers or earphones for providing aural stimuli, one or more displays for providing visual stimuli, food materials for providing gustatory stimuli, a scent generator for providing olfactory stimuli, and so on.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,492 issued May 6, 1986 to Manahan discloses a therapeutic bed comprising upper, intermediate and lower frame structures all drivingly coupled with each other. Specifically, the upper frame structure is pivotable about its central longitudinal axis with respect to the intermediate frame structure which is also pivotable about its central longitudinal axis with respect to the lower frame structure. Independent mechanical means having variable speed controls each employ a rotating eccentric arm which oscillates the respective pivotable frame structure so that the bed itself can oscillate in a circular rhythmic fashion, most nearly analogized to a boat at anchor rolling in a gentle sea.
A bed similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,492, but movable in a circular or rotary path only in a vertical plane is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,661 issued Apr. 12, 1994 to Lloyd.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,676 issued Oct. 9, 1951 to Henderson discloses a reciprocating bed comprising a bed support capable of being oscillated in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal sense of a human body lying on a mattress which is mounted on the bed support through a plurality of coiled springs. This patent describes that best results would be brought about when the bed support is reciprocated in length (i.e., vibrating amplitude) from ⅛ to 18 inches (about 3 to 460 mm) and/or at a rate of 24 to 800 strokes per minute (corresponding to a vibration frequency of about 0.4 to 13 Hz).
Avestibular motion table disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,614 issued May 28, 1996 to McNamara et al. is generally similar to the bed disclosed in Henderson's U.S. Patent Number discussed above. This patent describes that best results would be brought about when he vestibular motion table is cyclically in a direction longitudinally thereof about ½ inch in each cycle (corresponding to a vibrating amplitude of about 13 mm) and/or at a frequency of 0 to 200 cycles per minute (corresponding to 0 to 3.3 Hz).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been devised to provide an improved relaxation apparatus effective to positively bring the person into a state of relaxation.
To this end, in accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, a relaxation apparatus which includes a support means for supporting a whole body of a person who desire relaxation. The support means is employed in the form of a reclining chair having a seat, a seatback tiltable relative to the seat, and a footrest tiltable to the seat. A vibrating means is employed to vibrate the support means to vibrate the whole body of the person at a frequency not higher than 25 Hz. A control means controls the vibrating means such that the maximum acceleration of the vibration produced by the vibrating means to vibrate the person supported on the support means is not greater than 0.1 G. Specifically, the control controls the acceleration in dependence on the frequency of vibrations outputted by the vibrating means such that said acceleration is small when the frequency of vibrations outputted by the vibrating means is low while the acceleration is large when the frequency of vibrations is high.
Preferably, the vibrating means has a capability of vibrating the support means selectively in at least first and second planes perpendicular to each other; and wherein the vibration applied from the vibrating means to the support means and then to the body of the person is such that a portion of the body of the person adjace
Araki Kazunori
Kishimoto Suehisa
Kitadou Masako
Okawa Kazumi
Takahashi Tatsuya
Brown Michael A.
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Koo Benjamin K.
Matsushita Electric & Works Ltd.
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