Pneumatic massage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11432995-B2
Application number	US-201816116433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2018
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A fluidic switching module body defining an inlet passage, a first nozzle in fluid communication with the inlet passage, an air splitter in fluid communication with the first nozzle, and a first transfer passage in fluid communication with a first side of the air splitter. A second transfer passage is in fluid communication with a second side of the air splitter, a second nozzle is in fluid communication with the first transfer passage, and a second air splitter is in fluid communication with the second nozzle. A first bladder passage is in fluid communication with a first side of the second air splitter, and a second bladder passage is in fluid communication with a second side of the second air splitter. A first vent passage is in fluid communication with the first bladder passage, and a second vent passage is in fluid communication with the second bladder passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic switching module comprising:
a module body defining
an inlet passage;
a first nozzle in fluid communication with the inlet passage;
a first air splitter in fluid communication with the first nozzle;
a first transfer passage in fluid communication with a first side of the first air splitter;
a second transfer passage in fluid communication with a second side of the first air splitter, wherein the first air splitter is configured to create two unequal air pressure fields to deflect an airflow from the first nozzle toward the first transfer passage;
a second nozzle in fluid communication with the first transfer passage;
a second air splitter in fluid communication with the second nozzle;
a first bladder passage in fluid communication with a first side of the second air splitter, wherein the second air splitter is configured to create two unequal air pressure fields to deflect the airflow toward the first bladder passage;
a second bladder passage in fluid communication with a second side of the second air splitter;
a first vent passage in fluid communication with the first bladder passage;
a second vent passage in fluid communication with the second bladder passage; and
a third air splitter, wherein the second transfer passage is located between the first air splitter and the third air splitter,
wherein feedback from a first feedback zone to the first transfer passage causes the first splitter zone to switch the airflow from the first transfer passage to the second transfer passage.

2. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising a first notch in fluid communication with the first nozzle and a second notch in fluid communication with the second nozzle.

3. The fluidic switching module of claim 2 , further comprising a third notch in fluid communication with the third nozzle.

4. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising a first stationary airflow biasing feature formed as an indentation in a wall of the first air splitter and a second_stationary airflow biasing feature formed as an indentation in a wall of the second air splitter.

5. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising a first feedback passage in fluid communication with the second vent passage and the first transfer passage, wherein the first feedback passage is connected between the second vent passage and the first transfer passage.

6. The fluidic switching module of claim 5 , further comprising a second feedback passage in fluid communication with the fourth vent passage and the second transfer passage, wherein the second feedback passage is connected between the fourth vent passage and the second transfer passage.

7. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising a first vent positioned in the first vent passage.

8. The fluidic switching module of claim 7 , further comprising a second vent positioned in the second vent passage.

9. The fluidic switching module of claim 8 , further comprising a third vent positioned in the third vent passage and a fourth vent positioned in the second feedback passage.

10. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , wherein the first air splitter and the second air splitter each defines a radius.

11. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third nozzle in fluid communication with the second transfer passage, the third air splitter in fluid communication with the third nozzle;
a third bladder passage in fluid communication with a first side of the third air splitter;
a fourth bladder passage in fluid communication with a second side of the third air splitter;
a third vent passage in fluid communication with the third bladder passage; and
a fourth vent passage in fluid communication with the fourth bladder passage.

12. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , wherein the first vent passage is positioned relative to the second nozzle so that air is drawn into the first bladder passage from the first vent passage when a first bladder in communication with the first bladder passage during inflation of the first bladder.

13. The fluidic switching module of claim 1 , further comprising a first feedback passage in fluid communication with the second vent passage and the first transfer passage, and wherein feedback from the first feedback passage to the first transfer passage causes the first splitter zone to switch the airflow from the first transfer passage to the second transfer passage.

14. A pneumatic module having an air passage formed therein, the air passage comprising:
a first inlet zone at a first upstream position;
a first splitter zone downstream from the first inlet zone;
a first transfer zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the first splitter zone;
a second transfer zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the first splitter zone;
a second inlet zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the first transfer zone;
a second splitter zone positioned downstream from the second inlet zone;
a first bladder zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the second splitter zone;
a second bladder zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the second splitter zone;
a first vent zone fluidly connected to the first bladder zone;
a second vent zone fluidly connected to the second bladder zone;
a first feedback zone fluidly connected to the second vent zone and the first transfer zone; and
a third splitter zone positioned such that the second transfer zone is located between the third splitter zone and the first splitter zone,
wherein the first splitter zone is configured to create two unequal air pressure fields to deflect an airflow from the first inlet zone toward the first transfer zone, and wherein feedback from the first feedback zone to the first transfer zone causes the first splitter zone to switch the airflow from the first transfer zone to the second transfer zone.

15. The pneumatic module of claim 14 , wherein the air passage further includes:
a third inlet zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the second transfer zone, the third splitter zone downstream from the third inlet zone;
a third bladder zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the third splitter zone; and
a fourth bladder zone fluidly connected to and downstream from the third splitter zone.

16. The pneumatic module of claim 15 , wherein the air passage further includes:
a third vent zone fluidly connected to the third bladder zone; and
a fourth vent zone fluidly connected to the fourth bladder zone.

17. The pneumatic module of claim 16 , wherein the air passage further includes a second feedback zone fluidly connected to the fourth vent zone and the second transfer zone.

18. The pneumatic module of claim 16 , wherein the first bladder zone is configured for fluid communication with a first bladder, the second bladder zone is configured for fluid communication with a second bladder, the third bladder zone is configured for fluid communication with a third bladder, and the fourth bladder zone is configured for fluid communication with a fourth bladder, and wherein the fluidic pneumatic module is configured to inflate and deflate the first bladder, the second bladder, the third bladder, and the fourth bladder in a predefined sequence.

19. A fluidic switching module comprising:
a first subsystem having
an inlet passage configured for fluid communication with a source of pressurized air, and
a first air splitter downstream from and in fluid communication with the inlet passage to receiv

Assignees

• Leggett & Platt Canada Co

Inventors

• O'Moore Wade
• Knelsen John
• Blendea Horia
• Colja Renato
• Mcmillen Robert J

Classifications

• A61H23/006

  Percussion or tapping massage (hand percussion A61H23/06) · CPC title

• A61H2201/5056

  pneumatically controlled · CPC title

• A61H2201/1238

  with hydraulic or pneumatic drive · CPC title

• A61H2201/1207

  with electric or magnetic drive · CPC title

• A61H2201/0149

  Seat or chair · CPC title