Claims
- 1. An apparatus for generating wave motion, comprising:
a) a flexible member, at least one link member having opposed first and second end portions and being rigidly attached at said first end portion to said flexible member; and b) oscillatory drive means operably connected to a stationary inertial member, said oscillatory drive means including a crank assembly, and said at least one link member being attached to said crank assembly at said second end portion so that when said oscillatory drive means is engaged transverse wave motion is produced along said flexible member.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said crank assembly includes a crank shaft which engages said stationary inertial member and a crank shaft housing, said oscillatory drive means including a motor which drives said crank shaft, said crank shaft housing being rigidly attached to said second portion of the at least one link member.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said oscillatory drive means includes a motor which drives said crank shaft and a motor housing, said motor housing being rigidly connected to said stationary inertial member, wherein said crank assembly is connected to said second end portion of the at least one link member.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one link member is at least two link members each having opposed first and second end portions, the at least two link members being spaced apart a first preselected distance from each other and each being rigidly attached at their respective first end portions to said flexible member, and including at least one elongate beam, said at least two link members being pivotally attached to said at least one elongate beam, and said at least one elongate beam being attached to said crank assembly, for imparting oscillatory motion to the at least one elongate beam so that when the oscillatory drive means is engaged the at least one elongate beam undergoes oscillatory motion which produces transverse waves along said flexible member.
- 5. An apparatus for generating wave motion, comprising:
a) a flexible member; b) oscillatory drive means attached to said flexible member, said oscillatory drive means including a crank assembly having an axis of rotation; c) at least two link members each having opposed first and second end portions, the at least two link members being spaced apart a first pre-selected distance from each other and each being rigidly attached at their respective first end portions to said flexible member; and d) at least one elongate beam, said at least two link members being pivotally attached to said at least one elongate beam, and said at least one elongate beam being attached to said crank assembly, for imparting oscillatory motion to the at least one elongate beam so that when the oscillatory drive means is engaged the at least one elongate beam undergoes oscillatory motion which produces transverse waves along said flexible member.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said oscillatory drive means is attached to said flexible member between said at least two link members, and wherein said at least one elongate beam is an elongate rigid beam.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said flexible member is a substantially planar flexible member.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including two elongate ribs spaced apart said first pre-selected distance from each other and being attached to said planar flexible member and extending in a direction across said planar flexible member perpendicular to a direction of travel of said transverse traveling waves along said planar flexible member, and wherein said link members are rigidly attached at their first end portions to said ribs.
- 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 including a third elongate rib attached to said planar flexible member between said two elongate ribs and extending in a direction across said planar flexible member perpendicular to a direction of travel of said transverse traveling waves along said planar flexible member, and wherein said oscillatory drive means is rigidly attached to said third elongate rib.
- 10. The apparatus according to claim 7 including a second elongate rigid beam pivotally connected to another two link members which are rigidly connected at first end portions thereof to said planar flexible member and spaced apart a second pre-selected distance, said crank assembly including a first crank connected to said first elongate rigid beam and a second crank connected to said second elongate rigid beam, said two cranks being offset from each other by a preselected angular displacement so that the oscillatory drive means synchronously drives said two elongate rigid beams with an effective phase between each other so that said transverse traveling waves are produced along the planar flexible member.
- 11. The apparatus according to claim 10 including first and second elongate ribs spaced apart said first pre-selected distance from each other and being attached to said planar flexible member, including third and fourth elongate ribs spaced apart said second pre-selected distance from each other and being attached to said planar flexible member, said four elongate ribs extending in a direction across said planar flexible member perpendicular to a direction of travel of said transverse traveling waves along said planar flexible member, and wherein each link member is rigidly attached at its first end portion to an associated elongate rib.
- 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 including a fifth elongate rib attached to said planar flexible member and extending in a direction across said planar flexible member perpendicular to a direction of travel of said transverse traveling waves along said planar flexible member, and wherein said oscillatory drive means is rigidly attached to said fifth elongate rib.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 10 including a third elongate rigid beam located between said two elongate rigid beams and pivotally connected to another two link members which are rigidly connected to said planar flexible member and spaced apart a third pre-selected distance, said third elongate rigid beam being pivotally attached to said oscillatory drive means.
- 14. The apparatus according to claim 12 Including a third elongate rigid beam located between said two elongate rigid beams and pivotally connected to another two link members which are rigidly connected to sixth and seventh elongate ribs attached to said planar flexible member with said sixth and seventh ribs being spaced apart a third pre-selected distance and extending in a direction across said planar flexible member perpendicular to a direction of travel of said transverse traveling waves along said planar flexible member.
- 15. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said planar flexible member is a substantially planar spring assembly.
- 16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said planar spring assembly is attached to one of a bed frame and a chair frame.
- 17. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said planar flexible member is a substantially planar spring assembly.
- 18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said planar spring assembly is attached to one of a bed frame and a chair frame.
- 19. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said at least one elongate beam includes at least three flexible beams that are flexible in at least one plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of said transverse waves and rigid in tension in a plane parallel to the direction of travel of said transverse waves, said at least three flexible beams being connected to at least two associated link members, said at least three flexible beams being connected to said crank assembly, said crank assembly having at least three crank positions driven in phase so that the oscillatory drive means synchronously drives said at least three flexible beams with an effective phase between each of them so that said transverse traveling waves are produced along the planar flexible member.
- 20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said at least three flexible beams are flexible is two planes perpendicular to the direction of travel of the transverse waves.
- 21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said at least three flexible beams are wire cables.
- 22. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said link members include adjustment means for adjusting a length of each cable at the point of attachment to the link members for changing a static shape of the flexible member reshaping the flexible member to a desired ergonomic profile.
- 23. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said flexible member is a substantially planar flexible member.
- 24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said planar flexible member is attached to one of a bed frame and a chair frame.
- 25. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said planar flexible member is a substantially planar spring assembly.
- 26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said planar spring assembly is attached to one of a bed frame and a chair frame.
- 27. A wave generating device for pumping bodily fluids in a person, comprising:
a) a flexible member; b) oscillatory drive means attached to said flexible member, said oscillatory drive means including a crank assembly; c) at least two link members each having opposed first and second end portions, the at least two link members being spaced apart a pre-selected distance from each other and each being rigidly attached at their respective first end portions to said flexible member; d) at least one elongate beam, said at least two link members being pivotally attached at said second end portions to said at least one elongate beam, and said at least one elongate beam being attached to said crank assembly for imparting oscillatory motion to the at least one elongate beam so that when the oscillatory drive means is engaged the at least one elongate beam undergoes oscillatory motion which produces transverse waves in the flexible member; and e) securing means for temporarily strapping said wave generating device to a person with said flexible member bearing against a part of a person's anatomy through which body fluids are to be pumped.
- 28. The wave generating device according to claim 27 wherein said oscillatory drive means includes a motor connected to said crank assembly for driving said crank assembly, including a battery pack mounted on said flexible member connected to said motor.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/443,459 filed on Nov. 19, 1999, entitled MECHANISM FOR GENERATING WAVE MOTION, which has now been allowed, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/121,185 filed on Jul. 23, 1998, entitled MECHANISM FOR GENERATING WAVE MOTION which has now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,294.
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09443459 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
09922959 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09121185 |
Jul 1998 |
US |
Child |
09443459 |
Nov 1999 |
US |