JP7446652B1 - Footbath equipment and footbath system - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a footbath device that can be easily cleaned and that can objectively grasp the condition of the feet, such as the degree of warmth of the feet and the state of blood circulation. SOLUTION: A footbath device 100 includes a footbath container 20 that is detachably attached to a footbath main unit 10, an induction heating plate 33 that is detachably attached to the footbath container 20, and a footbath container 20 that covers the induction heating plate 33. A heat generating unit 30 having a protective cover 34 is provided. The footbath main unit 10 includes a heating coil 13 and an induction heating control board 16 that controls the supply of high-frequency power to the heating coil 13. The footbath unit 10 also includes a light source unit 14 that emits light toward the footrest 21 of the footbath container 20, a color unit that receives reflected light from the soles of the feet, and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components. It includes a sensor section 14 and a display section 18 that displays an image representing the condition of the sole according to color data. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a footbath device and a footbath system for warming feet with hot water.

Conventionally, various electric heating type footbath devices have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a footbath device that heats water in a bathtub using the electric heating device part of a hot plate, which is a household cooking appliance.

This footbath device has a space below the bottom of the bathtub that can accommodate an electric heating device for a hot plate, and a metal heat transfer plate that can come into contact with the heater of the electric heating device stored in this space. A footrest is installed at a certain height from the bottom of the bathtub to prevent the soles of the feet from directly touching the bottom of the bathtub, which is heated by a metal heat transfer plate and has a high temperature. be.

Utility model registration No. 3157386

However, in the footbath device described in Patent Document 1, since the bathtub and the electric heating device are integrated, there is a problem that cleaning the bathtub is not easy.

Additionally, there was a problem in that the user could not objectively grasp the condition of the feet, such as how warm the feet were and the state of blood circulation.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the footbath device of the present invention includes a footbath main unit, a footbath container that can be detachably attached to the footbath main unit, a heat generating unit that can be attached to the footbath container and has an induction heating plate, Equipped with
The footbath main unit includes a heating coil facing the induction heating plate, an induction heating control board that controls the supply of high-frequency power to the heating coil, and a light source unit that emits light toward a footrest in the footbath container. a color sensor unit that receives reflected light from the sole of the user's foot and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components; and a display unit that displays an image representing the state of the sole of the foot according to the color data. It is characterized by comprising the following.

Further, the footbath system of the present invention includes a footbath main unit, a footbath container that can be detachably attached to the footbath main unit, and a heat generating unit that can be attached to the footbath container and has an induction heating plate. and a management server and information terminal that can be connected to the network,
The footbath main unit is connectable to a network, and includes a heating coil facing the induction heating plate, and an induction heating control board that controls the supply of high-frequency power to the heating coil.
a light source unit that emits light toward a footrest in the footbath container; a color sensor unit that receives reflected light from the soles of the user's feet and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components;
a display unit that displays an image representing the state of the sole according to the color data,
The management server accumulates the color data received from the footbath unit via the network as big data, analyzes this color data, and transmits information on how to use the footbath device suitable for the user to the information terminal. It is characterized by being configured as follows.

According to the footbath device of the present invention, by adopting the induction heating method (IH heating method) as the heating method, it is possible to remove the footbath container from the footbath main unit and easily change the water and clean it. Yes, it is excellent in terms of hygiene.

In addition, the system is configured to display images that represent the condition of the soles of the feet, so by looking at the displayed images, the user can objectively assess the condition of the feet, such as the degree of warmth and blood circulation in the feet, as well as the state of health. It is possible to understand. As a result, users enjoy the results of using the footbath and are motivated to continue using it, thereby contributing to the promotion of their health.

Moreover, according to the footbath system of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above-mentioned footbath device, a kind of learning effect can be exhibited. In other words, the management server accumulates and analyzes color data received from the footbath device via the network, and sends information on how to use the footbath device that is suitable for the user to the information terminal via the network, improving user convenience. can be further improved.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a footbath device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a footbath device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a footbath device in an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. FIG. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram of the footbath system in embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram of a footbath device and a footbath system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a color sensor section and its surroundings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a color sensor section and its surroundings. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the display part of the footbath apparatus in embodiment of this invention.

A footbath apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 7.

<Example of overall configuration of footbath device 100>
This footbath device 100 includes three components: a footbath main unit 10, a footbath container 20 that can be detachably attached to the footbath main unit 10, and a heat generating unit 30 that can be attached to the footbath container 20.

First, the configuration of the heat generating unit 30 will be explained.

The heat generating unit 30 has a plate-shaped unit bottom 31 and a unit side 32 that is connected to the end of the unit bottom 31. The unit side 31 is in contact with the inner surface of the footbath container 20, and It fits into the recess at the top end.

A metal induction heating plate 33 is mounted and held on the top or back surface of the unit bottom 31. An upside-down cup-shaped protective cover 34 having a plurality of water holes 34a is installed to cover the upper side of the induction heating plate 33.

The protective cover 34 prevents the user's feet from touching the high temperature induction heating plate 33 and unit bottom 31. Moreover, since the protective cover 34 has a plurality of water passage holes 34a, heat exchange between the induction heating plate 33 and the water in the footbath container 20 can be promoted.

When the heat generating unit 30 is attached to the footbath container 20, if the protective cover 34 is placed at the center of the footbath container 20, the bottom surface of the footbath container 20 on both sides of the protective cover 34 will be defined as the user's footrest 21. be able to. A unit side portion 32 of the heat generating unit 30 houses a temperature sensor 35 such as a thermistor, a water level sensor 36 such as an electrode conduction type, and a sensor control board 37 for controlling these sensors.

Next, the configuration of the footbath main unit 10 will be explained.

The footbath main unit 10 has a main body bottom 11 on which the footbath container 20 is placed, and a main body side part 12 that is continuous with the end of the main body bottom 11 and comes into contact with the outer surface of the footbath container 20, and has an external shape. It has an L-shaped casing.

A heating coil 13, a light source section 14, and a color sensor section 15 are housed in the bottom portion 11 of the main body. The heating coil 13 is arranged facing the induction heating plate 33 of the heat generating unit 30. The light source section 14 is arranged to face the footrest section 21 so as to emit a wide range of light toward the footrest section 21 of the footbath container 20. The color sensor section 15 receives reflected light from the sole of the user's foot placed on the footrest section 21, and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components.

The main body side portion 12 houses an induction heating control board 16 (IH control board), a cooling fan 17, and a display section 18. The induction heating control board 16 controls the supply of high frequency power to the heating coil 13 . When high-frequency power is supplied to the heating coil 13 to generate alternating magnetic flux, an eddy current is generated in the induction heating plate 33, and the water in the footbath container 20 is heated by Joule heat caused by this eddy current. .

The cooling fan 17 is arranged on the back side of the induction heating control board 16 and cools the induction heating control board 16 with air. The display unit 18 displays an image representing the state of the sole of the foot (for example, a symbol figure to be described later) according to the color data output from the color sensor unit 15, and is composed of an LCD panel, an LED panel, etc. .

Furthermore, a main control board 19 is housed in the main body side portion 12 . This main control board 19 controls the heat generating unit 30, the induction heating control board 16, the display section 18, and the like. Moreover, the main control board 19 has the function of communicating with the remote control 40 of the footbath apparatus 100 and connecting to a network such as the Internet 50.

Specifically, the main control board 19 controls the operation of the induction heating control board 16 based on sensor signals output from the temperature sensor 35 and the water level sensor 36 via the sensor control board 37. For this purpose, a heating unit communication section 191 that communicates with the sensor control board 37 is provided.

The main control board 19 also includes a remote control receiving unit 192 that receives remote control operation signals (for example, infrared rays) from the remote controller 40, temperature settings for hot water in the footbath container 20, water level settings, timer settings, and images of the state of the soles of the feet. A button input section 193 for displaying is provided.

Further, the main control board 19 is provided with a data memory 195 that stores color data of the soles of the feet and usage information of the footbath device 100 (time of use, temperature of hot water, time of use).

<Example of configuration of color sensor unit 15 and its surrounding area>
Next, an example of the configuration of the color sensor section 15 and its surroundings will be described based on FIG. 7.

As shown in the figure, a light source section 14 and a color sensor section 15 are housed in the bottom section 11 of the footbath main body device 10. In this case, the light source section 14 and the color sensor section 15 are arranged adjacent to each other on the sensor substrate 151.

A condenser lens 141 is disposed between the footrest 21 of the footbath container 20 and the light source 14, and condenses the light emitted from the light source 14 to illuminate the sole of the user's foot placed on the footrest 21. It is configured to be irradiated with.

According to the inventor's experiments, light reflected from the "heel" part of the sole of the foot best reflects the condition of the foot, such as the degree of warmth and blood circulation of the foot. , it is preferable to irradiate toward the ankle rest.

The light reflected from the sole of the user's foot is received by the color sensor section 15 through the condenser lens 141. In this case, at least a part of the footrest 21 (ankle rest) is made transparent so that light can pass therethrough.

Then, the color sensor unit 15 spectrally spectrally receives the reflected light and converts it into color data made up of RGB (red, green, and blue) signal components. In this case, in order to prevent the light from the light source section 14 from being diffused, it is preferable to provide a light shielding section 142 that covers the periphery of the light source section 14 and the color sensor section 15. The light shielding part 142 is housed in the bottom part 11 of the main body, and is arranged on the sensor board 151.

<Configuration example of the circuit of the color sensor section 15 and its signal processing>
Next, a configuration example of the circuit and signal processing of the color sensor section 15 will be explained based on FIG. 8.

As shown in the figure, photodiodes PD1, PD2, and PD3 receive reflected light from the soles of the feet through RGB color filters RF, GF, and BF, respectively. Then, the photodiodes PD1, PD2, and PD3 generate analog electrical signals corresponding to each of the separated RGB light components. These electrical signals are converted into digital signals by A/D conversion circuits AD1, AD2, and AD3, respectively.

In this way, the RGB color data output from the A/D conversion circuits AD1, AD2, and AD3 is output to the main control board 19 via the I2C interface 152.

The light reception ratio calculation unit 194 of the main control board 19 calculates the light reception ratio of RGB color data. Depending on the ratio, a plurality of colors such as "pink", "white", "yellow", "purple", and "red" are assigned.

For example, if the RGB light reception ratio is 1:1:1, it will be "white", if it is 1:0:0, it will be "red", if it is 1:1:0, it will be "yellow", and if it is 1:0:1, it will be "red". In this case, assign "pink". If the RGB light reception ratio is, for example, 0.5:0:1, "purple" is assigned.

The image data selection section 196 selects an image (for example, a symbol figure) that displays the condition of the sole of the foot, according to the calculation result of the light reception ratio calculation section 194.

The display unit 18 then displays the selected image. The light source section 14, the color sensor section 15, and the display section 18 are configured to be activated by operating a button input section 193 (a button for displaying an image of the state of the sole of the foot) on the main control board 19. There is.

<Display example of an image showing the condition of the sole of the foot>
As described above, the display section 18 displays an image representing the state of the sole of the foot according to the color data output from the color sensor section 15, and an example of such a display will be explained based on FIG. 9.

The display unit 18 can also directly display the words "pink", "white", "yellow", "purple", and "red". However, this may be difficult for users to understand. Therefore, in order to display the condition of the sole in an easy-to-understand manner, it is preferable to display, for example, a person's facial expression, a person's movement, or a symbol figure such as a weather mark in a manner that suggests the condition of the sole.

For example, if the sole of the foot is pink, it is determined that the foot is warm and the blood circulation is good, and a symbol of a smiling face or sunny weather is displayed. If the sole of the foot is "white", it is determined that the foot's warmth and blood circulation are poor, and a troubled face or cloudy symbol is displayed. If the sole of the foot is red, it is determined that the foot is too warm or the blood circulation is excessive, and an angry face or rain symbol is displayed.

By operating a button before, during or before using the footbath device 100, the user can display an image representing the condition of the sole of the foot on the display unit 18, and using this as a reference, It is possible to select how to use the footbath container 20, such as setting the temperature of the hot water, setting the usage time, and setting the timer.

As described above, according to the above-described footbath device 100, since the induction heating method (IH heating method) is adopted as the heating method, the footbath container 20 can be removed from the footbath main unit 10 and water can be easily replaced and cleaned. It is possible to do this and is excellent in terms of hygiene.

In addition, the display unit 18 is configured to display an image representing the condition of the sole of the foot, so that by looking at the displayed image (particularly the symbol shape), the user can determine the degree of warmth of the foot and the state of blood circulation. You can objectively understand the condition of your feet and, by extension, your health condition. As a result, users enjoy the results of using the footbath and are motivated to continue using it, thereby contributing to the promotion of their health.

Next, a footbath system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 5 and 6.

<Example of overall configuration of footbath system 200>
In addition to the footbath device 100 described above, the footbath system 200 includes a management server 51 connectable to a network such as the Internet 50, and an information terminal 53 such as a smartphone or a personal computer.

The footbath main unit 10 can be connected to the Internet 50 via WiFi or a router 52, for example. Further, the footbath main unit 10 is configured to store sole color data and footbath usage information (time of use, temperature of water, time of use) in the data memory 195.

As described above, the footbath main unit 10 displays an image of the state of the sole according to the color data measured by the color sensor section 15, and the same display is also performed on the information terminal 53 via the Internet 50. be able to.

The management server 51 can receive the above-mentioned foot sole color data and footbath usage information (time of use, water temperature, usage period) from the footbath main unit 10 via the Internet 50, and the received color data. It has a database DB that stores data as big data for each user.

Then, the management server 51 analyzes the color data etc. accumulated in the database DB, and generates information on how to use the footbath device 100 that matches the user's condition (sole condition, health condition, etc.) and usage information trends, or the user's lifestyle. The style suggestion information is configured to be transmitted to the user's information terminal 53 via the Internet 50. In this case, the management server 51 is configured to transmit usage information and the like to the information terminal 53 in response to a viewing request from the information terminal 53 or automatically.

The usage information includes information such as how to enter the footbath, water temperature, usage time, and recommended bath additives. In addition, the lifestyle suggestion information includes information about the content of meals, daily exercise and posture, and sleep and health.

Further, the footbath system 200 can also cooperate with a medical institution 60. For example, by connecting an information terminal in a medical institution 60 to the Internet 50, medical data such as the results of a medical examination can be shared on the management server 51, and information on the soles of the feet (sole color data, etc.) can be shared with the management server 51. It is also possible to link medical data. This makes it possible to provide users with more accurate usage information and lifestyle suggestions.

10 Foot bath main unit 11 Main body bottom 12 Main body side 13 Heating coil 14 Light source 15 Color sensor 16 Induction heating control board 17 Cooling fan 18 Display 19 Main control board 20 Foot bath container 21 Footrest 30 Heat generating unit 31 Unit bottom 32 Unit side part 33 Induction heating plate 34 Protective cover 34a Water hole 35 Temperature sensor 36 Water level sensor 37 Sensor control board 40 Remote control 50 Internet 51 Management server 52 Router 53 Information terminal 100 Footbath device 141 Condenser lens 142 Light shielding part 151 Sensor board 152 I2C interface 191 Heat generating unit communication section 192 Remote control receiving section 193 Button input section 194 Light reception ratio calculation section 195 Data memory 196 Image data selection section 200 Footbath system

Claims (5)

The footbath main unit,
a footbath container that can be detachably attached to the footbath main unit;
a heat generating unit that can be installed in the footbath container and has an induction heating plate;
The footbath main unit is
a heating coil facing the induction heating plate;
an induction heating control board that controls the supply of high-frequency power to the heating coil;
a light source unit that emits light toward a footrest in the footbath container;
a color sensor unit that receives reflected light from the soles of the user's feet and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components;
A footbath device comprising: a display unit that displays an image representing the condition of the sole of the foot according to the color data. The footbath main unit includes a condenser lens that is disposed between the footrest and the light source, and that collects the light emitted from the light source, and a light shield that covers the light source and the color sensor. The footbath apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a. The footbath apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat generating unit includes a protective cover having a water hole that covers the induction heating plate. The heat generating unit includes a temperature sensor and a water level sensor,
2. The footbath main unit includes a main control board that controls the operation of the induction heating control board based on sensor signals output from the temperature sensor and the water level sensor, respectively. Footbath equipment. A footbath device having a footbath main unit, a footbath container that can be detachably attached to the footbath main unit, and a heat generating unit that can be attached to the footbath container and has an induction heating plate;
Equipped with a management server and an information terminal that can be connected to the network,
The footbath main unit is connectable to a network,
a heating coil facing the induction heating plate;
an induction heating control board that controls the supply of high-frequency power to the heating coil;
a light source unit that emits light toward a footrest in the footbath container;
a color sensor unit that receives reflected light from the soles of the user's feet and outputs color data consisting of RGB signal components;
a display unit that displays an image representing the state of the sole according to the color data,
The management server accumulates the color data received from the footbath unit via the network as big data, analyzes this color data, and transmits information on how to use the footbath device suitable for the user to the information terminal. A footbath system characterized by being configured as follows.

Images