Patent Application
20080091128
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, a massage apparatus is illustrated and generally indicated as 10 in
As illustrated in
Referring to
As shown in
In another embodiment flexible tube 18 may be made of a metallic spring for providing substantially the same flexibility and elasticity that permits massage actuator 16 to be similarly bent when external force 100 is applied to massage apparatus 10 or pressed against an object or body part. The inherent flexible and elastic nature of the flexible tube 18 allows the flexible tube 18 to return to its original unbent position along axis A once the external force 100 is removed from the massage apparatus 10 which permits the biasing force to bias the flexible tube 18 back to the original unbiased position.
Referring back to
Referring to
As further shown, conductive metallic pole 40 may define a proximal portion 75 engaged to compression spring 36 and a distal portion 76 that extends outwardly from battery housing 14 for establishing an electrical circuit for massage apparatus 10. In addition, the electrical circuit may further include a conductive metallic pole 54 operatively engaged to the positive terminal 82 of battery 22, while the negative terminal 80 of battery 22 may be operatively associated with the distal portion 75 of metallic pole 40 through its conductive engagement with compression spring 36.
Battery housing 14 may also include an inner boss 50 that defines pair of holes 88 and 90 having conductive metallic pole 54 extending outwardly from the center hole 88 and distal portion 76 of conductive metallic pole 40 extending outwardly from the off-center hole 90. In addition, an outer boss 52 may concentrically surround inner boss 50 and may be adapted to engage a clamping ring 38 that secures the battery housing 14 with the circular portion 56 of flexible tube 18 during assembly of massage apparatus 10.
In one embodiment, flexible tube 18 may be made from a flexible and elastic material that produces a natural biasing force when the flexible tube 18 is bent by external force 100, or pressed against an object or body part to produce such an external force 100. This natural biasing force biases the flexible tube 18 back to its original unbiased position along axis A and also provides a controllable massage pressure when the massage actuator 16 is bent along axis B, or any other suitable axis, and placed against a body part. As used herein, the term “bent” means any flexed position assumed by flexible tube 18 other than the original unbiased position along axis A. As such, flexible tube 18 provides a massage apparatus 10 with a bendable massage actuator 16 that produces a biasing force when bent due to the inherent material composition of the flexible tube 18. In addition, flexible tube 18 may define a plurality of annular rings 47.
In another embodiment, flexible tube 18 may have a hollow tubular construction having a metallic spring (not shown) either embedded in the flexible tube 18 or operatively disposed inside the flexible tube 18 such that flexible tube 18 exhibits similar flexibility and elasticity of the other embodiment. As with the other embodiment, the biasing force produced by the metallic spring biases the flexible tube 18 back to its original unbiased position along axis A. If desired, metallic spring may be covered by a flexible coat.
As further shown, massage actuator 16 may include an electric motor 28 having a rotatable motor shaft 32 with an eccentric mass 30 securely mounted on the motor shaft 32. Rotation of the motor shaft 32 by the electric motor 28 causes the eccentric mass to spin and generate a vibration function. Electric motor 28 may be disposed inside an upper casing 24 engaged to a lower casing 26 which vibrates when the massage actuator 16 is made operational.
When assembling the massage apparatus 10, flexible tube 18 may be engaged to the battery housing 14 by inserting the circular portion 56 defined by flexible tube 18 over the outer circumference of outer boss 52. The circular portion 56 protrudes radially outward around the flexible tube 18. Once the circular portion 56 is so attached, a clamping ring 38 may be engaged to the circular portion 56 in order to secure the flexible tube 18 to the battery housing 14.
The opposite end of the flexible tube 18 may define an opening 58 attached to an annular portion 60 defined by the lower casing 26 of massage actuator 16. However, either end of the flexible tube 18 may be attached first during assembly of the massage apparatus 10.
During assembly, electric wires (not shown) may connect conductive metallic poles 40 and 54 to respective terminals 72 and 74 of electric motor 28 for providing electric power from the battery 22 to the electric motor 28 in order to actuate massage actuator 16. In one embodiment, electric wires may be disposed inside the hollow construction of flexible tube 18.
A pair of sliding stripes 68, 70 may be operatively engaged with variable resistance elements (not shown) and encased inside holding member 12. These pair of sliding stripes 68, 70 may be operatively engaged to control cap 20 for establishing a control arrangement that controls the operation of the massage apparatus 10, and in particular the electric motor 28. In one embodiment, rotation of the control cap 20 may gradually increase the degree of vibration produced by the massage actuator 16, while in another embodiment the degree of vibration generated by electric motor 28 may be the same as the control cap 20 is rotated to a position that actuates massage actuator 16.
It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.
