Stimulus imparting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173696-B2
Application number	US-201515552369-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A stimulus imparting device is provided with at least one of a first vibration device and a second vibration device, the first vibration device being provided to a vehicle seat (chair) where a driver (user) sits on and imparting a stimulus to a tendon part of the latissimus dorsi muscle of the driver, the second vibration device being provided to the vehicle seat and imparting a stimulus to a tendon part of the gluteus medius of the driver and a control device provided with a drive control unit for imparting a stimulus to the driver by performing drive control for at least one of the first vibration device and the second vibration device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stimulus imparting device comprising:
at least one of a first vibration device provided at a chair to be positioned to face to a tendon portion of musculus latissimus dorsi of a user when the user is seated on the chair for imparting a stimulus to the tendon portion of musculus latissimus dorsi of the user and a second vibration device provided at the chair to be positioned to face to a tendon portion of musculus gluteus medius of the user when the user is seated on the chair for imparting the stimulus to the tendon portion of musculus gluteus medius of the user;
a control device including a drive control portion which imparts the stimulus to the user by driving at least one of the first vibration device and the second vibration device;
a first judging portion which judges whether or not a suppression of generation of drowsiness of the user sitting on the chair is necessary; and
a first stimulus pattern deciding portion which decides a first stimulus pattern for suppressing the generation of the drowsiness when the generation of drowsiness of the user is judged to be necessary by the first judging portion, wherein
the drive control portion imparts stimulus to the user by driving at least the one of the first vibration device and the second vibration device, based on the first stimulus pattern decided by the first stimulus pattern deciding portion.

2. The stimulus imparting device according to claim 1 , wherein
each stimulus imparted by the first vibration device and the second vibration device has a frequency of 90 to 110 Hz and a one-time consecutive imparting time is set to be 20 to 40 seconds.

3. The stimulus imparting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second judging portion which judges whether or not an elimination of drowsiness of the user sitting on the chair is necessary; and
a second stimulus pattern deciding portion which decides a second stimulus pattern for eliminating the drowsiness when the elimination of drowsiness of the user is judged to be necessary by the second judging portion, wherein
the drive control portion imparts stimulus to the user by driving at least the one of the first vibration device and the second vibration device based on the second stimulus pattern decided by the second stimulus pattern deciding portion.

4. The stimulus imparting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the chair corresponds to a vehicle seat equipped in a vehicle and the user corresponds to a driver of the vehicle.

5. The stimulus imparting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the chair corresponds to a vehicle seat equipped in a vehicle,
the control device further includes a drive information obtaining portion which obtains a drive information which is an information relating to a drive of the vehicle and a third stimulus pattern deciding portion which decides a third stimulus pattern in response to types of the drive information which is the information relating to the drive of the vehicle obtained by the drive information obtaining portion, and
the drive control portion imparts stimulus to a driver seating on the vehicle seat by driving at least the one of the first vibration device and the second vibration device, based on the third stimulus pattern decided by the third stimulus pattern deciding portion.

6. The stimulus imparting device according to claim 5 , wherein
the drive information which is the information relating to the drive of the vehicle includes at least one of a guide information relating to a guide of the vehicle and a vehicle surrounding information which is the information on a surrounding of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Hideaki

Classifications

• A61M2021/0083

  especially for waking up · CPC title

• B60R21/015

  including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats {, and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use} · CPC title

• G01C21/36

  Input/output arrangements for on-board computers · CPC title

• B60W2040/0827

  due to sleepiness · CPC title

• A61M21/00

  Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis · CPC title