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(11) | EP 1 464 313 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A bed for the body treatment of persons |
| (57) A bed (1) for the body treatment of persons, in particular for massage therapy, comprises
a plane (2) for supporting the person, provided with contour (3), which is shaped
correspondingly to the projection of the anatomical contour of the human body on the
support plane (2) to maximise a physiotherapist's ability to reach any body part of
the person to be treated. |
[0001] The present invention relates to equipment for the therapeutic, rehabilitative, preservative and/or aesthetic treatment of persons and in particular it concerns a bed for massage therapy.
[0002] To support the person during the body massage treatment performed for the most disparate purposes, be they rehabilitative, chirotherapeutic, sport-related, or for aesthetic improvement and/or maintenance, support beds are known which conventionally have a substantially rectangular plan shape. Moreover, since such beds must be able to support persons with a relatively wide range of sizes, variable from a minimum to a maximum height and body type, their superficial extension is normally pre-determined according to the maximum size of the potential users.
[0003] Both the constructive shape and the extensive dimensioning of the support plane necessarily adequate to support heavy or otherwise large persons generally imply that the physiotherapist administering the therapy to the person lying on the bed frequently has to operate with his/her arms in horizontal overhand and at a distance that occasionally is relatively large with respect to the parts of the body to be treated, all this being even more accentuated when persons of medium-small size are massaged.
[0004] This implies, in general, several drawbacks. One of them is that the physiotherapist is not able sufficiently to approach certain body parts in such a way as to reach them from the top and to exert, during the treatment, the intensity of effort which would instead be adequate to produce the maximum benefit to the recipient of the treatment; and in certain cases the physiotherapist is not at all able to execute certain manipulation techniques, such as spinal cord traction, which in fact would be quite beneficial in numerous pathological, rehabilitative, preventive and/or even simply relaxing and aesthetic situations. On the other hand, no less considerable drawbacks can conversely be noted at the expense of the bone and muscle system of the therapist who during the workday is subjected to intensive work loads, occasionally exacerbated by his/her awkward posture, which cause considerable physical fatigue and which in the long run may in turn generate potentially pathological conditions for the physiotherapist him/herself.
[0005] An object of the present invention therefore is to overcome said drawbacks by means of a bet: which is such as to allow the utmost and the greatest ease of reach - in particular from above, this being an essential condition for some treatments - of all the body parts of the person undergoing treatment, in order to maximise the range of possible therapeutic and/or manipulative techniques executable, whilst maximising the effectiveness of the treatment itself.
[0006] A further object is to allow even the widest range ofpossible different treatments, of all parts of the body; and the widest range of possible different combinations of said treatments.
[0007] Another, no less important, purpose is simultaneously to reduce the fatigue and potential risk of pathology for the physiotherapist, connected to his/her professional activity.
[0008] An additional object of the invention is to make available a versatile apparatus, able to allow the performance of multiple different treatments to improve the overall effect of individual treatments in a situation of uninterrupted comfort throughout the duration of the complete treatment.
[0009] In accordance with the invention, said object is achieved by a bed for the body treatment of persons, in particular for massage therapy, comprising a plane for supporting the person, characterised in that said support plane is provided with contour, which is shaped correspondingly to the projection of the anatomical contour of the human body on the support plane itself to maximise the ease of reach, by the physiotherapist, o any part of the body of the person undergoing treatment.
[0010] The bed can also be complemented with a support element placed in conjunction with its constituent parts whose purpose is to support the lower limbs of the person in order to allow the support - during treatment - of various accessories such as containers of fluids, solutions, or powders, useful during the treatment.
[0011] A suitable structure, extending superiorly to the plane supporting the person and longitudinally to the person can advantageously support means for treatment with liquids which can be constituted for example by body oiling devices to be placed at will along the person's entire body; the support plane of the bed being so shaped, in this case, as to collect the used liquids and appropriately channel them outwards.
[0012] A container, supported above the support plane and in such condition as to enclosed in combination therewith the person in a closed space, allows to subject the person to various other types of treatment: for example, with aspersing powders; or, if connected to a vapour generator, or with gaseous substances mixed with or carried by vapour, to subject the body to a vaporisation similar to a sauna.
[0013] A footboard, able to be integrally associated to the bed, can advantageously complement the latter in such a way as to allow its secure stabilisation relative to the ground under all conditions of usage, providing also a secure and warm support plane for the person carrying out the treatment.
[0014] The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforesaid objects, can clearly be seen from the content of the appended claims and its advantages shall become more readily apparent in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment provided purely by way of non limiting example, in which:
- Figure 1 is a global perspective view of a bed according to the invention;
- Figure 2 is a global perspective view of the bed of Figure 1 shown with parts removed, the better to highlight other parts;
- Figure 3 is a first detail, shown in enlarged scale, of the bed of the previous figures;
- Figure 4 is a second detail, in enlarged scale, of the bed of the previous figures;
- Figure 5 is a global perspective view of the bed of Figure 1, partially shown, provided with a first accessory apparatus for treating the person with fluids in the liquid state;
- Figure 6 is a global perspective view of the bed of Figure 1, partially shown, provided with an accessory apparatus for treating the person with gaseous fluids.
[0015] With reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the reference number 1 globally designates a bed for the body treatment of persons, where said term means a wide range of different treatment, including, but not limited to, massage therapy with the most g eneral p urposes, i.e. for therapeutic, rehabilitative, preservative, relaxing, or aesthetic treatment.
[0016] The bed 1 essentially comprises a plane 2 for supporting the person; a structure for sustaining the support plane 2 itself, globally designated by the reference number 25; and a footboard 23 bearing on the floor, whereto the support structure 25 is integrally fastened.
[0017] The support plane 2, preferably made of wood and provided with contour 3 embodied by a peripheral band, substantially vertical, which is variously profiled along its development and, more in particular, it is shaped correspondingly to the ideal projection of the average anatomical contour of the human body of a certain range of persons onto a substantially horizontal plane 26 of the support plane 2 itself.
[0018] Figure 2 shows that at parts 5 of the support plane 2 able to support the person's lower limbs, the contour 3 of the bed has a highly concave profile 28, curved towards the interior of the bed 1 and such as to delimit between said parts 5 an interposed space 29, recessed, for the very close access of the therapist to the abdominal area of the body of the person lying on the bed 1.
[0019] From the same Figure 2, it is readily apparent that when the ongoing treatment does not require the therapist's access between the parts 5 supporting the lower limbs, a removable support element 4 can be fitted to the bed 1 to allow the bridged junction of the support parts 5 which otherwise would be separate and the support, above it, of various types of containers (not shown) containing for example liquid herbal solutions, semi-fluid substances or also aspersing powders, providing a useful complement for the execution of the massage.
[0020] The support element 4, also preferably made of wooden material, can easily and rapidly be fastened to and unfastened from the bed 1 using guide means - generically designated 6 -represented, by way of example, by fins 30 borne by the support element 4 and by complementary grooves 31 obtained in the lower part of the support plane 2.
[0021] The guide means 6 described above therefore allow to engage and remove the support element 4 with respect to the support plane 2 by means of a relative translation of said elements, substantially directed along a direction of motion 7 longitudinal to the body of the person lying on the bed 1.
[0022] An edge 13, prominently projecting upwards from the horizontal plane 26, runs continuously along the entire contour 3 of the support plane 2. Bearing on the horizontal plane 26 and with lateral containment provided by the projecting edge 13 can be provided, depending on the cases, a mattress 27 for a comfortable yielding support of the person undergoing treatment.
[0023] Figures 3 and 4 show details of a structure 8 which can be associated to the bed 1 to allow the sequential execution, complementing or subsequent to the massage, of additional body treatments, without any need for the person to move to another apparatus, distinct and separate from the bed 1. It is necessary to note that this possibility has not only the advantage of avoiding the need for the person to move, maintaining his/her comfortable initial posture, but also the advantage of enhancing the effectiveness of the massage and of the entire treatment cycle by combining additional body treatments, which is particularly synergetic if performed in immediate time proximity with the massage therapy and under conditions of uninterrupted body relaxation.
[0024] This structure 8 comprises in particular two vertical uprights 15 sustained by related horizontal base plates 32, 33. The uprights 15 can be removably associated to the plane 2 for supporting the person in correspondence with the concave profile 28 related to the parts 5 meant for the lower limbs and at a convex part 34 of the profile, which instead is substantially contiguous to the head of the person. The relative engagement and disengagement of the uprights 15 and of the plane 2 for supporting the person are obtained by means of a horizontal sliding translation - to an from locking means globally designated by the number 37 - by guide means 6 that are wholly similar to those already described for the support element 4. In fact, observing Figure 3 one notes that the upright 15 relating to the concave profile 28 of the contour 3 engages with its fins 35 in the very same grooves 31 usable by the support element 4. Mutually complementary fins 43 and grooves 44 are also provided for the upright 15 relating to the convex part 34 of the contour 3.
[0025] In regard to the locking means 37, Figures 3 and 4 show a possible embodiment thereof constituted by mutually complementary holes 38 and pins 39, able to engage each other axially and positioned between the uprights 15 and the edge 3 of the support plane 2.
[0026] The structure 8, which in the case at hand is embodied by a planar frame 10 composed of the uprights 15 and by a horizontal cross member 36, supports means for the fluid treatment of the person, globally designated by the reference 9. In the case of Figure 5, the fluid treatment means 9 are liquid treatment means 11, i.e. are constituted by oiling apparatuses 12 which can be selectively positioned along the cross member 36 of the frame 10, above the support plane 2. The oiling apparatuses 12 allow to pour, by gravity, particular substances on any point of the body of the person lying on the support plane 2.
[0027] Obviously, before said treatment the mattress 27 will previously have been moved, the person in this case lying in direct contact with the horizontal plane 26. During the oiling treatment, the continuous edge 13 of the contour 3, raised relative to the horizontal plane 26 of the support plane 2 of the bed 1, will allow to retain the liquid substance above the horizontal plane 26. A hole 14 traversing the horizontal plane 26 will then allow to drain the liquid substance collected on the support plane 2 and its discharge underneath the support plane 2 itself.
[0028] Figure 6 shows a different embodiment of the structure 8 and of the fluid treatment means 9 which in this case operate with gases. More in particular, the structure 8 includes in this case arched rod-like elements 16, sustained by the uprights 15 above the support plane 2 of the bed 1. The means 9 for the fluid treatment of the person in this case comprise an enclosure 17, made of deformable material, able to be associated to the rod-like elements and able to delimit in combination with the underlying support plane a closed space destined to contain the person.
[0029] Means for inj ecting a gaseous fluid below the enclosure 17 - generically designated by the reference 18 - comprise a vapour generator apparatus 22 schematically shown - and pipelines 41 and 42 which connect said generator apparatus 22 with suitable manifolds 40 borne by one of the uprights 15. The means 18 for injecting a gaseous fluid thus allow to create under the enclosure 17 a micro-climate of vapour and/or of other gaseous fluids, suitable for recreating the best conditions for bodily treating the person lying on the bed 1.
[0030] Figure 6 also shows that the enclosure 17 can be removably secured both to the structure 8 that supports it and to the underlying support plane 2 to minimise the dispersion of the gaseous substances to the environment outside the space immediately surrounding the person undergoing the treatment.
[0031] For this reason, the bed 1 is provided with means for the rapid connection 19 and disconnection of the enclosure 17 to the support structure 8 and of the enclosure 19 to the support plane 2. Said connecting means 19 are constructed in such a way as to include complementary rapid connection strips 20 made of Velcro, conveniently distributed along the rod-like elements 16 of the structure 8 and, inferiorly to the enclosure 17, between the opposite edge thereof and of a component 21 of the support plane 2 that in the example shown in the figure can advantageously be represented by the mattress 27 itself.
1. A bed for the body treatment of persons, in particular for massage therapy, comprising
a plane (2) for supporting the person, characterised in that said support plane (2) is provided with a contour (3), which is shaped correspondingly
to the projection of the anatomical contour of the human body on the support plane
(2) itself to maximise a physiotherapist's ease in reaching any body part of the person
undergoing treatment.
2. A bed, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a support element (4) which can be removably associated to said support
plane (2) interposing itself between parts (5) thereof destined to support the lower
limbs of the person sustained by the support plane (2).
3. A bed, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it comprises guide means (6) positioned between said support plane (2) and said support
element (4), which are able to allow the relative translation of said support element
(4) with respect to said support plane (2) along a direction of motion (7) that is
longitudinal to the body of the person lying on said support plane (2).
4. A bed, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a structure (8), and means (9) for the fluid treatment of the person,
sustained by said structure (8) and able to be selectively positioned along it, superiorly
to said support plane (2).
5. A bed, as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said structure (8) includes a vertical frame (10), which is oriented longitudinally
to the person's body and is positioned superiorly to said support plane (2), said
bed (1) comprising means (11) for treating the person with at least one liquid substance,
which can be selectively positioned along the structure (8) in such a way as to allow
the treatment of the person on any parts of his/her body.
6. A bed, as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said means (11) for treatment with at least a liquid substance include an apparatus
(12) for oiling the body of the person lying on said support plane (2).
7. A bed, as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said plane (2) for supporting the person is provided with an upwardly prominent edge
(13) obtained along its contour (39, said prominent edge (13) being able to contain
said liquid substance above the support plane (2).
8. A bed, as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that said support plane (2) is provided with at least one hole (14) for evacuating the
liquid substance connected on the support plane (2).
9. A bed, as claimed in one of the previous claims 4 through 8, characterised in that said structure (8) is removably secured to said support plane (2).
10. A bed, as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said structure ( 8) includes uprights (15) sustained by said support plane (2) and
rod-like elements (16) sustained by said uprights (15), the means (9) for the fluid
treatment of the person comprising an enclosure (17), able to be associated to said
rod-like elements (16), which enclosure is adapted to delimit in combination with
said support plane (2) a closed space for containing the person; said bed (1) further
comprising means for injecting a gaseous fluid (18) underneath said enclosure (17).
11. A bed, as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said enclosure (17) can be removably secured to said structure (8) and to said support
plane (2).
12. A bed, as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that it comprises means (19) for rapid connection and disconnection positioned between
said enclosure (17) and said support structure (8) and between said enclosure (19)
and said support plane (2).
13. A bed, as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that said connecting means (19) include at leas tin part rapid connection elements (20)
made of Velcro.
14. A bed, as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that said rapid connection elements (20) made of Velcro are positioned at least between
said enclosure (19) and said rod-like elements (16) of the structure (8).
15. A bed, as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that said rapid connection elements (20) made of Velcro are positioned at least between
said enclosure (19) and at least one component (21) of said support plane (2).
16. A bed, as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that said component of the support plane (2) includes a mattress (21) for supporting the
person above said support plane (2).
17. A bed, as claimed in one of the claims 10 through 16, characterised in that said enclosure (17) is made of deformable material.
18. A bed, as claimed in one of the claims 10 through 17, characterised in that said means for injecting a gaseous fluid (18) comprise a vapour generation apparatus
(22) which can be connected to said enclosure (17) in a manner suitable for injecting
vapour into the space underlying it.
19. A bed, as claimed in one of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a footboard (23) for the stabilisation of at least said support plane
(2).
20. A bed, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that at least said support plane (2) is made of wooden material.