Automatic head care method and automatic head care system

Abstract

An automatic head care system capable of reliably caring, such as kneading and washing, or massaging, an entire occipital region with the occipital region securely supported is realized. By a method using an automatic head care system including an occipital region care unit having an occipital region contact unit and a pair of care arms having head contact units, when the care arms care a head except for an occipital region, the occipital region contact unit of the occipital region care unit supports the occipital region, and when the occipital region care unit cares the occipital region, the head contact units of the care arms support the head.

1 . An automatic head care method for caring a person's head with an automatic head care system including an occipital region care unit supporting the head, a pair of care arms arranged on right and left sides of the occipital region care unit, a head contact unit provided at each of the pair of care arms, an arm actuator driving the care arms, an occipital region contact unit provided at the occipital region care unit, an occipital region care unit actuator driving the occipital region care unit, and an occipital region pushing force detector detecting a pushing force on the occipital region contact unit, the method comprising:
 supporting the occipital region by the occipital region contact unit of the occipital region care unit when the care arms care the head except for the occipital region; and   supporting the head by the head contact units of the care arms when the occipital region care unit cares the occipital region.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 arranging the care arms at respective head support positions to support the head, when the head contact units of the care arms support the head.   
     
     
         3 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 adjusting the head support positions based on the detected pushing force on the occipital region contact unit, when the head contact units of the care arms support the head.   
     
     
         4 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 3 , comprising:
 detecting a pushing force on the head contact unit of one of the care arms by a first head pushing force detector and detecting a pushing force on the head contact unit of another one of the care arms by a second head pushing force detector; and   adjusting the head support positions so as to equalize the pushing force detected by the first head pushing force detector and the pushing force detected by the second head pushing force detector, each other.   
     
     
         5 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 2 , wherein swing angle of the care arm at the head support position is in a range of 0 to 30 degrees, given that the swing angle of the care arm arranged vertically downward is 0 degrees, and that the swing angle of the care arm horizontally arranged is 90 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 2 , wherein the head support positions are positions adjacent to the occipital region care unit. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 detecting an oscillating angle of the occipital region care unit and correcting a pushing force of the occipital region care unit according to the detected oscillating angle, when the occipital region care unit cares the occipital region.   
     
     
         8 . The automatic head care method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the automatic head care system includes at least one of a water system supplying unit, a washing liquid supplying unit, and a conditioner supplying unit, and   wherein the method comprises:
 washing the head except for occipital region with the head contact units of the care arms; and 
 washing the occipital region with the occipital region contact unit of the occipital region care unit. 
   
     
     
         9 . An automatic head care system comprising:
 an occipital region care unit supporting a person's head;   a pair of care arms arranged on right and left sides of the occipital region care unit;   a head contact unit provided at each of the pair of care arms;   an arm actuator driving the care arms;   an occipital region contact unit provided at the occipital region care unit;   an occipital region care unit actuator driving the occipital region care unit;   an occipital region pushing force detector detecting a pushing force on the occipital region contact unit; and   a control device controlling the arm actuator and the occipital region care unit actuator,   wherein the control device performs such control that   when the care arms care the head except for the occipital region, the occipital region contact unit of the occipital region care unit supports the occipital region, and that   when the occipital region care unit cares the occipital region, the head contact units of the care arms support the head.   
     
     
         10 . The automatic head care system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 when the head contact units of the care arms support the head, the control device arranges the care arms at respective head support positions to support the head.   
     
     
         11 . The automatic head care system according to  claim 10 , wherein
 when the head contact units of the care arms support the head, the control device adjusts the head support positions according to the detected pushing force on the occipital region contact unit.   
     
     
         12 . The automatic head care system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an oscillating device oscillating the occipital region care unit about an axis extending in a lateral direction of the occipital region care unit during washing of the occipital region; and   an oscillating angle detector detecting an oscillating angle of the occipital region care unit oscillated by the oscillating device,   wherein the control device has an output correcting section correcting the pushing force on the occipital region contact unit according to the oscillating angle detected by the oscillating angle detector.   
     
     
         13 . The automatic head care system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one of a water system supplying unit, a washing liquid supplying unit, and a conditioner supplying unit,   wherein the control device makes the head contact units of the care arms to wash the head except for the occipital region, and makes the occipital region contact unit of the occipital region care unit to wash the occipital region.