"MASSAGE BED WITH HEATABLE MATTRESS"

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TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention concerns a massage bed mattress which can be used in the therapeutic and/or cosmetic and/or derrtiatological treatment sector or in the sector of wellbeing with relaxation techniques.

This mattress substantially consists of a sack with the same dimensions as the bed on which it is placed, the sack being made from transparent material appropriate to contain a certain amount of liquid that can be heated, generally water.

The sack and the liquid it contains are connected to a circulation system that makes it possible to control the levels of liquid and its temperature, in order to achieve the maximum comfort and wellbeing for the person lying on it during the treatment cycle, and to create, by means of a rhythmic inlet and drainage programme, a "wave" effect. The particularity of the invention is thus due to the presence of the sack containing the liquid which acts as a mattress but with highly beneficial effects from the point of view of comfort, since the person lying on it feels a warm enveloped effect which is extremely beneficial during the massage. The mattress according to the invention makes it possible to fully exploit the opportunity of carrying out massage and physiotherapy treatments in an ideal setting for achieving maximum relaxation, since they can be performed in a floating condition and at a predetermined temperature according to the most suitable parameters for the person concerned.

The invention in question can be applied in the wellness, cosmetic and wellbeing sectors and in particular in the sector of devices for massage, for physical wellbeing and

for beauty treatments .

BACKGROUND ART

The use of beds for massage, physiotherapy, beauty and relaxation treatments is known.

Massage beds generally consist of a support structure that can sometimes be adjusted in height to allow pivoted inclinations.

The upper surface of the bed accommodates the mattress, which is generally made from foamed and fireproof material, covered in imitation leather and sometimes combined with other accessories that complete the treatment. The mattress is also shaped to allow easy manipulation of the spine, the shoulders or other parts of the body.

In some cases the rear part can be adjusted to facilitate manipulation of the lower limbs and in others the bed is equipped with a cushion on which the patient can rest his/her hands during the treatment. It has however been found that these traditional elements that make up a massage bed are unable to provide an ideal setting for the therapeutic and/or cosmetic treatment, that is to say consisting of a substantially flat surface they do not allow the body to adopt the most appropriate position to obtain all the benefits of the massage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention proposes to provide a massage bed whose particular feature is that it is equipped with a mattress made with techniques that are totally innovative in this sector, that is by using liquid, generally water, inside it.

The use of liquid inside the massage bed mattress, in non-pressurized conditions, provides considerable

advantages and benefits for the person being treated, since during the treatment the mattress adapts to the person's body shape, which is maintained in a "floating" condition, particularly beneficial during massage. The massage bed according to the invention is equipped with a mattress that can eliminate or significantly reduce the drawbacks described above relative to the limited comfort of the person during the massage treatment. This invention proposes in particular to provide a new concept of massage bed mattress that can be used on any appropriately adapted massage bed, thereby obtaining the maximum benefit during the treatment. This is achieved by means of a support surface, for example a massage bed, which is characterised by the presence of a mattress with the features described in the main claim.

The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention. The massage bed according to the invention thus comprises a mattress made using a particular sack made from transparent PVC, having the peripheral shape of the bed and a certain thickness so that it is able to contain a certain quantity of liquid, generally water. The mattress is placed on the upper work surface of the bed and is connected to a hydraulic circuit which allows the water to be circulated and heated, that is to say maintained at a temperature that can be adjusted as required. According to the invention, the transparency of the PVC sack with which the mattress is made and the combination of support surfaces which are also transparent, at least in some parts, makes it possible to use chromatic effects provided by appropriate luminous elements, or LEDs,

positioned on special printed circuits that can be positioned next to each other in transparent tubes. In this specific case, each printed circuit can comprise twelve groups of three different coloured LEDs, using for example red, green and blue.

The tubular luminous elements are enclosed inside a special housing so as to reflect the luminous effects inside the mattress, which, in turn being transparent and containing water, provides extremely beneficial effects to the person being treated, the body being maintained in a floating condition, enveloped by luminous effects with variable colour and intensity.

When the person lies on the mattress, his/her body remains in a semi-floating condition without being in contact with the water, and the variable chromatic lighting system completes the treatment by providing a perception of light with beneficial effects during the treatment, also from a psychological-emotive point of view. The mattress according to the invention can be used during massage treatments, for example for physiotherapy, Shiatsu, etcetera, and can also be used for relaxation and meditation sessions, for the most complete psychophysical wellbeing of the person being treated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become evident on reading the description given below of one embodiment of the invention, provided as a non- binding example, with the help of the accompanying drawings in which:

- figure 1 shows a side view of a massage bed equipped with a water mattress according to the invention;

- figure 2 is a schematic view of a detail of the massage bed according to the invention, with the

"floating" mattress placed above the heating, power and control system, and in correspondence with the variable chromatic lighting elements.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT

In the figures the reference number 10 indicates in general a massage bed, that is to say a bed for physiotherapy, cosmetic, lymphatic, antistress or sports massage.

While a massage can be carried out anywhere and at any time, an appropriate preparation of the room and the atmosphere is necessary to make it special and above all truly beneficial.

For this purpose the upper support and working surface of the bed is equipped with a mattress 11 made according to the invention, that is by using a sack consisting of a waterproof and transparent material, for example PVC, of a certain thickness, formed by hot sealing of an upper layer 12 and a lower layer 13.

The PVC material with which the mattress 11 is made is transparent and has a high level of thermal conductivity. The sack comprising the mattress is designed to contain a certain amount of liquid inside the inner cavity, that is the chamber 14, generally water, the properties of which give the mattress the particular features of a "fluid springiness" and elasticity when a person lies on it during the session or treatment. The sack which forms the mattress rests on the work surface 15, made from foamed polyurethane, of the bed and is connected to a system for circulating the liquid it contains, that is water, which is flows in and out of a tank 16 positioned below the work surface 15.

The system providing inflow of the liquid from the tank 16 to the sack 11 is made possible by means of a circulation pump 17, positioned along a duct 18 which connects the tank 16 to the inlet 19 of the sack 11. The pump 17 is also able to circulate the water rhythmically and to create a "wave" effect in the sack. The tank 16 contains a heater 20 consisting of an electrical element positioned appropriately on the surface of the tank. The sack 11 forming the mattress, made from transparent material, is positioned on special compartments housing coloured lighting.

More specifically, and as shown in figure 2, the bed is equipped with luminous reflection areas 21 in certain parts, for example at the head or the foot of the mattress, or at the sides or even below it. These luminous reflection areas comprise luminous tubes 22 designed to generate diffused variable chromatic lighting inside the mattress, thus giving the user a sense of psychological-emotional wellbeing during the treatment.

As can be seen in figure 2, the lighting system uses particular components, the main elements consisting of transparent tubes 22 made from polycarbonate, fibreglass, glass or Plexiglas or other appropriate materials, which contain a plurality of electronic boards 23 each being equipped with luminous elements or LEDs 24, of various colours. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic boards 23 are inserted in the tubes 22 by means of special tracks designed to hold the boards and allow them to be inserted consecutively.

Each board can consist of a printed circuit comprising groups of LEDs. For example, the use of several groups of

three different coloured LEDs is foreseen, such as red, green and blue.

The different coloured light sources used emit beams of light towards the transparent material of the mattress 11, in such a way that when a person lies on the mattress, its base is modelled to the shape of the person's body, partially enveloping it and thus guaranteeing good adhesion to the skin, while the light sources emit their coloured light according to the intensity set, with a final effect that is pleasing and appropriate to provide maximum wellbeing during the treatment session.

The bed is also equipped with an electronic control unit 25 connected to the heater 20, the pump 17 and the electronic boards 23 of the light sources, in order to control and optimize the temperature of the water contained in the mattress, its pressure and the intensity and colour of the light sources. Underneath the mattress, the work surface of the bed is provided with a layer of foam rubber 26 positioned over an aluminium tray 27 designed to collect the water in the event of accidental tearing of the PVC sack. The surface of the foam rubber is coated in white reflective material in order to diffuse the light effects produced by the LED sources described above.

In ideal adjustment conditions, the person lying on the mattress can achieve maximum benefit, since heat exchange with the warm liquid contained in the mattress is favoured, while thanks to the transparency of the mattress sack the light emitted gives the user psychological-perceptive benefits ,with all the consequent advantages for the result of the treatment session. As stated above, being also able to circulate the water

rhythmically, the pump 17 makes it possible to create a

"wave" effect in the sack.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the outer flaps 28 of the mattress can be inserted in appropriate slots cut in the edges of the bed and/or the support surface, to form a system for anchoring and blocking the mattress in place.

The outer flaps 28 of the mattress are held taut by gravity by means of weights, made from metal such as lead or the like, or by clips of various types including spring clips.

The invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment.

It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations within the framework of technical equivalents.