Reclinable therapeutic massage chair

Abstract

A therapeutic massage chair is reclinable between a horizontal and inclined position. The chair includes an upper back support member and a lower support member that is axially movable along a support frame, and is also rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the upper back support member. Electric linear actuators are provided to both axially move and oscillate the lower body support member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to a reclinable chair for use in the alleviation of back pain. The chair may be used by Chiropractors as part of their treatment of clients in an office environment or may be used by individuals at home for example.

2. Description of Related Art

Several devices have been proposed for use as treatment apparatus for pain but few have been commercially successful due to their high cost and complexity. Examples of such reclinable chairs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,654,974; 7,341,565; and 6,277,141. These devices are cumbersome to use and are quite uncomfortable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a relatively inexpensive and comfortable back pain treatment device designed for use in either a home or office environment.

A cushioned chair is tiltable from a horizontal position to an inclined orientation. The chair includes a back support portion and a second lower back, upper leg and lower leg support section that is movable in a first axial direction with respect to the back support section and is also arcuately movable about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the axial direction. The chair includes remotely controlled linear actuators to control the relative movement of the different sections of the device. The chair may also include heaters and vibrators for additional therapeutic treatment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention showing the chair in an inclined position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the chair in a horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the reciprocating and oscillating mechanism for the lower portion of the chair.

FIG. 4 is a detailed showing of an embodiment of the pivoting mechanism of the lower portion of the chair.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the support frame for an embodiment of the lower portion of the chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 the chair 2 of an embodiment of the invention includes a chair support frame 4 that is pivotably attached at 21 to a floor support assembly that includes vertical support posts 5. The floor support assembly for chair frame member 4 includes two parallel horizontal members 6 and 28, a cross support 7, and two vertical support posts 5, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Horizontal support members 6 and 28 may have suitable castors 29 on their outer ends. Referring again to FIG. 1, chair 2 further includes an upper back support 16 secured to chair support frame 4. A head rest portion 15 may be provided for upper back support 16. A pair of cylindrical cushions 9 are attached to the frame 4 by supports 8 and tubes 30 that fit within sockets 45 shown in FIG. 3. Cylindrical cushions 9 extend outwardly from supports 8 and are adapted to be located at the arm pits of a user. The length of the supports 8 may be adjusted by telescoping members 10 that slide within supports 8 and are lockable by a pin or detent 22 and holes 3 as is known in the art. Upper back support 16 may be formed as a cushion supported by a planar member attached to frame 4. Frame 4 includes a bottom closure 61.

Chair 2 also includes a lower body support member 17 that has three support sections 18, 19, and 20 integrally formed together as a unit. Surface 18 is adapted to support the lower back portion of a user, surface 19 supports the upper thighs of a user and surface 20 conforms to the lower legs beneath the knees. In use, the back of a user's knees will be located at point 22 of the lower support member. Lower body support member 17 is secured to a platform 27 which is mounted for reciprocal and oscillatory motion as will be explained later. As shown in FIG. 2, an electric linear actuator 25 is mounted on a cross support member 26 and extends to box frame 4 for pivoting the chair about pivot point 21 shown in FIG. 1.

The internal mechanism for extending and retracting lower body support member with respect to box frame 4 will now be discussed with reference to FIG. 3. A carriage member 50 is slidably supported on shaped track supports 59 that are attached to a stationary frame 60 which is secured to box frame 4. Box frame 4 includes an upper and lower rectangular frames 42 and 46 as well as side walls 102 and 103.

Stationary frame 60 includes a front wall portion 65 to which an electric linear actuator 56 including extension rod 57 is secured. The end of the extension rod 57 is attached to a cross beam 53 of the carriage member 50. Carriage member 50 includes upper and lower elongated plates 55 and 54 on each side and vertical plate members 91 extending between plates 55 and 54 on each side of the carriage. These plates are welded together and to an end plate 64. Each inner surface of vertical plate members 91 carries a longitudinally extending track member 58 which slides along a complimentary shaped track support 59 attached to the outer vertical surface of stationary frame 60. In this manner, as extension rod 57 of linear actuator 56 is extended or retreated, carriage member 50 will move accordingly.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a pivot support bracket 70 is rigidly attached to end plate 64 of carriage member 50. Pivot support bracket 70 includes a pivot pin 71. A flange plate 74 is rotatably secured within bracket 70 by pin 71. The lower body support 17 includes a first rectangular tube portion 72, a second rectangular tube portion 76 extending vertically above tube portion 72 and a third rectangular tube portion 81 extending generally parallel to tube portion 72. A flat mounting plate 77 rests atop the junction of tubes 76 and 81. Plate 77 includes a pair of apertures 78 for securing platform 27 thereto. A second flange plate 73 is secured to tube portion 72 and to flange plate 74 so that support assembly 72, 76, 81, and 77 pivots about pin 71. End plate 64 is provided with an aperture 92 through which linear actuator rod 51 extends. An electric linear actuator 48 and rod 51 is supported by and carried with carriage member 50, as seen in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, frame member 81 supports a plate member 91 having apertures 92 for securing the lower portion of the chair to the frame. Member 81 has a flange 96 at its end for attachment to a further frame member 85 via a second flange 95. Bolts 97 may be used to secure the flanges together.

Frame member 85 extends upwardly at an angle from frame member 81. As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of support plates 86, 87 with suitable apertures are mounted on frame member 85 to support lower body member portion 19. Also, a crank arm 82 is attached at one end to extension rod 51 and at its other end to support 76 in order to oscillate the lower support frame 96 about pivot pin 71.

The chair may be equipped with vibrators at various locations and also with heaters in any convenient location. Also, a hand held wireless remote control or a wired controller may be used to control the various electronic elements of the chair including the vibrators, heaters, and electric linear actuators as known in the art. Electronic timers may also be included in the electronics to control the duration of the devices.

In use, a user may either lie horizontally on the chair in the position shown in FIG. 2 or begin by sitting in the chair in the position shown in FIG. 1.

In either instance, the upper back of the user would be positioned along support section 16 of the chair. The user's lower back would be supported by section 18 of the chair. The user's legs would be supported at the thighs by section 19 and the lower legs would be supported by section 20.

Lower body support member 17 including sections 18, 19, and 20 can be moved back and forth as shown in FIG. 2 relative to upper back support 16. This will gently massage and exercise the muscles as necessary. When support member 17 is moved to the left in FIG. 2, it may then be oscillated about pivot 71 to laterally move and exercise the lumbar and hip region of the back. While in the upright position shown in FIG. 1, cylindrical cushions 9 may be positioned under the user's arm pits to support the upper body while the lower support 17 is moved downwardly so as to enable the user's lower back muscles to be massaged and exercised. Lower support 17 may also be oscillated about pivot 71 in this position.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details of an embodiment of the invention, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A method of massaging and exercising muscles in a back of a person, comprising: providing a reclinable therapeutic massage chair comprising: a floor support assembly,a chair support frame pivotably attached to the floor support assembly,a linear actuator extending between the floor support assembly and the chair support frame for moving the chair support frame from an inclined position to a horizontal position,an upper back support mounted on the chair support frame,a pair of underarm supports mounted on the chair support frame, anda lower body support member having a lower back support surface, a thigh support surface and a lower leg support surface, said lower body support member being mounted for both reciprocal and oscillating movement in a same plane on the chair support frame, wherein the same plane is a chair support frame plane, wherein the thigh support surface forms an angle with the lower back support surface and the lower leg surface is at an angle with respect to the thigh support surface, wherein the lower back support surface is located in a lower back support surface plane, wherein the upper back support is located in the lower back support surface plane, the thigh support surface and the lower leg support surface form an angle having an apex;positioning a person on the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with each underarm support of the pair of underarm supports located under an arm of the person and the apex located behind the person's knee, wherein when the reclinable therapeutic massage chair is in the horizontal position, the person's thighs will be inclined upwardly toward the apex and the person's lower leg will extend downwardly from the apex;reciprocally extending and contracting the lower body support member along a longitudinal axis located in the chair support frame plane, thereby massaging and exercising the muscles in the back of the person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reclinable therapeutic massage chair further comprises a carriage member supporting the lower body support member, said carriage member being mounted on rails that are secured to a stationary frame on the chair support frame, and a second linear actuator connecting the stationary frame and the carriage member, and wherein the extending and contracting is accomplished by extending and contracting the second linear actuator.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising controlling the second linear actuator from a hand held wireless remote control or a wired controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating one or more portions of the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with one or more heaters located about the reclinable therapeutic massage chair.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising vibrating one or more portions of the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with one or more vibrators located about the reclinable therapeutic massage chair.

6. A method of laterally moving and exercising lumbar and hip regions of a back of a person, comprising: providing a reclinable therapeutic massage chair comprising: a floor support assembly,a chair support frame pivotably attached to the floor support assembly,a linear actuator extending between the floor support assembly and the chair support frame for moving the chair support frame from an inclined position to a horizontal position,an upper back support mounted on the chair support frame,a pair of underarm supports mounted on the chair support frame, anda lower body support member having a lower back support surface, a thigh support surface and a lower leg support surface, said lower body support member being mounted for both reciprocal and oscillating movement in a same plane on the chair support frame, wherein the same plane is a chair support frame plane, wherein the thigh support surface forms an angle with the lower back support surface and the lower leg surface is at an angle with respect to the thigh support surface, wherein the lower back support surface is located in a lower back support surface plane, wherein the upper back support is located in the lower back support surface plane, the thigh support surface and the lower leg support surface form an angle having an apex;positioning a person on the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with each underarm support of the pair of underarm supports located under an arm of the person and the apex located behind the person's knee, wherein when the reclinable therapeutic massage chair is in the horizontal position, the person's thighs will be inclined upwardly toward the apex and the person's lower leg will extend downwardly from the apex;reciprocally oscillating the lower body support member about a pivot axis oriented perpendicularly to the chair support frame plane, thereby laterally moving and exercising lumbar and hip regions of the back of the person.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the reclinable therapeutic massage chair further comprises a carriage member supporting the lower body support member, said carriage member being pivotably mounted to a stationary frame on the chair support frame, and a second linear actuator secured to the carriage member and having an extension rod that is connected to a support frame for the lower body support member for oscillating the lower body support member about a pivot axis on the carriage member, and wherein the oscillating is accomplished by extending and contracting the second linear actuator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising controlling the second linear actuator from a hand held wireless remote control or a wired controller.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising heating one or more portions of the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with one or more heaters located about the reclinable therapeutic massage chair.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising vibrating one or more portions of the reclinable therapeutic massage chair with one or more vibrators located about the reclinable therapeutic massage chair.