Heating and cooling stimulation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12016793-B2
Application number	US-202217705769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 11, 2019
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A heating and cooling stimulation device includes a stimulation supply unit configured to supply hot stimulation and cold stimulation to a subject; an estimation unit configured to estimate a fatigue level of the subject; and a control unit configured to control an operation of the stimulation supply unit so as to supply the hot stimulation and the cold stimulation alternately to the subject in accordance with the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit. The control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit such that an amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject increases as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heating and cooling stimulation device, comprising:
a stimulation supply unit configured to supply hot stimulation and cold stimulation to a subject;
an estimation unit configured to estimate a fatigue level of the subject; and
a control unit configured to control an operation of the stimulation supply unit and to perform an alternate control in which the hot stimulation and the cold stimulation are alternately supplied in sequence to the subject, wherein
the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase an amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject in the alternate control as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

2. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase the amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject increases by increasing an intensity of the cold stimulation supplied by the stimulation supply unit as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

3. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase the amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject by elongating an operating time of the stimulation supply unit during which the stimulation supply unit supplies the cold stimulation, as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

4. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase an amount of the hot stimulation received by the subject as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

5. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase the amount of the hot stimulation received by the subject by increasing an intensity of the hot stimulation supplied from the stimulation supply unit, as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

6. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the stimulation supply unit, to increase the amount of the hot stimulation received by the subject by elongating an operating time of the stimulation supply unit during which the stimulation supply unit supplies the hot stimulation, as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

7. A heating and cooling stimulation device, comprising:
a stimulation supply unit configured to supply hot stimulation and cold stimulation to a subject; and
a controller configured to estimate a fatigue level of the subject, and configured to control an operation of the stimulation supply unit and to perform an alternate control in which the hot stimulation and the cold stimulation are alternately supplied in sequence to the subject, wherein
the controller increases an amount of the cold stimulation supplied from the stimulation supply unit to the subject in the alternate control as the estimated fatigue level becomes higher, and decreases the amount of the cold stimulation supplied from the stimulation supply unit to the subject in the alternate control as the estimated fatigue level becomes lower.

8. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 7 , wherein the controller increases the amounts of the cold stimulation and the hot stimulation supplied from the stimulation supply unit to the subject as the estimated fatigue level becomes higher, and decreases the amounts of the cold stimulation and the hot stimulation supplied from the stimulation supply unit to the subject as the estimated fatigue level becomes lower.

9. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 7 , wherein the stimulation supply unit includes a heater configured to supply the hot stimulation, and a blower configured to supply the cold stimulation.

10. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the heater and the blower are both provided only in a backrest portion of a seat.

11. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 7 , wherein
the controller increases a difference of the amount of the cold stimulation and an amount of the hot stimulation received by the subject in the alternate control, by increasing the amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject in the alternate control, as the estimated fatigue level becomes higher.

12. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to increase a difference of the amount of the cold stimulation and an amount of the hot stimulation received by the subject in the alternate control, by increasing the amount of the cold stimulation received by the subject in the alternate control, as the fatigue level estimated by the estimation unit becomes higher.

13. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the stimulation supply unit includes a heater configured to supply the hot stimulation and a blower configured to supply the cold stimulation.

14. The heating and cooling stimulation device according to claim 13 , wherein the heater and the blower are both provided only in a backrest portion of a seat.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Matsuoka Takashi
• Kataoka Takuya
• Kakizaki Masaru
• Kawachi Taiji
• Shimizu Yuuki
• Seki Hideki

Classifications

• B60N2/0022

  for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature · CPC title

• B60N2/5657

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B60N2/565 Primary

  sucked from the seat surface · CPC title

• A61F2007/0093

  programmed · CPC title

• A61F2007/0075

  using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled · CPC title