Massage device

• US 20040176710A1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chininis Product Development Group, LLC, Kennedy-Matsumoto Design LLC, Longoria Design LLC, Spectrum Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: Chininis Product Development Group, LLC, Kennedy-Matsumoto Design LLC, Longoria Design LLC, Spectrum Associates LLC
• Inventors: Longoria, Jose, Kennedy, Melvin R., Robbins, Robert G., Chininis, Steve
• Application Number:
  US10/804,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0165 Damping, vibration related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1418 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1664 linear
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1678 Means for angularly oscillating massage elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/006 Percussion or tapping massage hand percussion A61H23/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/04 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00

Abstract

A massage device for creating a massaging action. The massage device may include at least two massaging projections mounted in relation to a flexible fluid supply conduit, such as a shower hose. The device may include a chamber for containing an impeller, and the fluid supply conduit may include an outlet for fluid to contact the impeller and cause the impeller to rotate. At least one weight is disposed in the head and is coupled to the impeller eccentric to a rotational axis of the impeller for moving the projection in an oscillatory motion, which creates the massaging action. The head may be supplied on a handle, or along the fluid supply conduit.

Claims

1. A massage device, comprising:

a flexible fluid supply conduit;

at least two massaging projections mounted in relation to the fluid supply conduit, the at least two massaging projections each having at least one surface adapted to contact a skin surface of a user;

1

at least one chamber positioned in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit;

at least one impeller positioned in the at least one chamber and capable of rotating relative to the fluid supply conduit;

the fluid conduit having at least one outlet positioned proximate to the impeller for contacting the at least one impeller with a fluid, wherein the fluid causes the impeller to rotate; and

at least one weight rotationally coupled to the impeller, a center of mass of the at least one weight arranged off-center to a rotational axis of the impeller causing the at least two massaging projections to move in an oscillatory motion relative to the fluid supply conduit,

wherein a user can move the massage device attached to the flexible fluid supply conduit to provide a massaging action to different areas of the user'"'"'s body.

2. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight is coupled to at least one gear driven by the impeller, whereby the center of mass of the weight is off-center to a rotational axis of the at least one gear.

3. The massage device of claim 2, further comprising at least one stop on the at least one gear for limiting the rotation of the at least one weight.

4. The massage device of claim 2, wherein the at least one gear comprises a first gear and a second gear in communication with the at least one impeller through at least one center gear positioned between the first and second gears.

5. The massage device of claim 4, wherein the first and second gears each include at least one weight having a center of mass and the center of mass of the first gear is movable relative to the first gear.

6. The massage device of claim 5, further comprising at least one stop element extending from the first gear for limiting movement of the at least one weight.

7. The massage device of claim 5, wherein the center of mass of the at least one weight attached to the first gear is positioned a first distance from an axis of rotation of the first gear in a first position, and the center of mass of the at least one weight attached to the first gear is positioned at a second distance from an axis of rotation of the first gear in a second position, whereby the first and second distances are not equal.

8. The massage device of claim 5, wherein the center of mass of the at least one weight attached to the first gear is positioned between about 185 degrees and about 200 degrees out-of-phase with the at least one weight attached to the second gear.

9. The massage device of claim 5, wherein the center of mass of the at least one weight attached to the first gear is positioned in-phase with the at least one weight attached to the second gear.

10. The massage device of claim 5, wherein the at least one weight of the first gear is attached to the first gear so that the at least one weight moves relative to the first gear while the at least one weight of the second gear remains substantially motionless relative to the second gear.

11. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one body rotatable about a shaft, the body including a slot for receiving a first cam and having at least one massaging projection coupled thereto, and the first cam positioned in the slot and mechanically coupled to the at least one impeller.

12. The massage device of claim 11, further comprising a second cam pivotably coupled to the first cam for changing the action of the body depending on the direction of rotation of the at least one impeller.

13. The massage device of claim 12, wherein the second cam is positioned relative to the first cam to change between a large oscillation pattern and a small oscillation pattern.

14. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the fluid supply conduit comprises at least one end capable of being releasably attached to a fluid outlet fitting.

15. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one valve coupled to the fluid supply conduit for controlling fluid flowing through the fluid supply conduit and striking the at least one impeller.

16. The massage device of claim 15, wherein the at least one valve is adjustable between an off mode, an open mode allowing fluid to flow through a first outlet, and an open mode allowing fluid to flow through a second outlet, and further comprising at least one conduit coupled to the first outlet and having at least one end positioned proximate to the at least one impeller to expel a fluid to rotate the impeller in a first direction and comprising at least one conduit coupled to the second outlet and having at least one end positioned proximate to the at least one impeller to expel a fluid to rotate the impeller in a second direction that is generally opposite to the first direction.

17. The massage device of claim 16, wherein the at least one impeller comprises a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter, and wherein the at least one end of the at least one conduit coupled to the first outlet is positioned to expel a fluid from the end to rotate the at least one impeller in the first direction, and the at least one end of the at least one conduit coupled to the second outlet is positioned to expel a fluid from the end to rotate the at least one impeller in the second direction.

18. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one rotation limiting device for limiting a range of rotation of the projection relative to the fluid supply conduit.

19. The massage device of claim 18, wherein the at least one rotation limiting device comprises at least one spring positioned between the fluid supply conduit and the projection.

20. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additive emitting chamber for mixing the fluid with an additive contained in the at least one additive emitting chamber.

21. The massage device of claim 20, further comprising at least one valve coupled to at least one conduit for directing fluid into the at least one additive emitting chamber, wherein fluid flow through the valve is adjustable along a continuum between a completely open mode and a completely closed mode.

22. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one aperture in the at least one chamber for releasing the fluid from the device to contact a user.

23. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising at least one oscillation device coupled to the at least one weight, wherein the device comprises at least one first chamber containing the at least one impeller and at least one second chamber containing the at least one oscillation device.

24. The massage device of claim 23, wherein the at least one oscillation device is positioned in the second chamber, and further comprising a fluid barrier isolating the at least one oscillation device from the at least one chamber and wherein the fluid barrier substantially prevents the fluid from contacting the at least one oscillation device.

25. The massage device of claim 24, further comprising at least one drain positioned in the at least one first chamber for draining fluids.

26. The massage device of claim 24, further comprising at least one drain positioned in the at least one second chamber for draining fluids.

27. The massage device of claim 2, wherein the at least one gear is positioned in a plane that is generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the massage device.

28. The massage device of claim 2, wherein the at least one gear is positioned in a plane that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the massage device.

29. The massage device of claim 1, wherein one impeller is provided, which operates all of the at least two massaging projections.

30. The massage device of claim 1, wherein at least two impellers are provided, each impeller operating one massaging projection.

31. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid supply conduit has a free end, and a fluid outlet fitting affixed to said free end, and wherein the device comprises a portion of said fluid outlet fitting.

32. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid supply conduit has a free end, and a fluid outlet fitting affixed to said free end, and wherein the device is provided along the fluid supply conduit, remote from said fluid outlet fitting.

33. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the device is provided on a handle attached to the fluid supply conduit.

34. The massage device of claim 33, wherein the handle is extendible.

35. The massage device of claim 31, wherein fluid supply to the at least one impeller is controlled by a Venturi valve.

36. A massage device, comprising:

a flexible fluid supply conduit;

at least one massaging head mounted to the fluid supply conduit, the at least one head having at least one massaging surface adapted to contact a skin surface of a user, wherein the at least one massaging surface includes a domed shape;

at least one chamber positioned in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit;

at least one impeller positioned in the at least one chamber and capable of rotating relative to the fluid supply conduit;

the fluid conduit having at least one outlet positioned proximate to the impeller for contacting the at least one impeller with a fluid, wherein the fluid causes the impeller to rotate; and

at least one weight rotationally coupled to the impeller, a center of mass of the at least one weight arranged off-center to a rotational axis of the impeller causing the at least one massaging projection to move in an oscillatory motion relative to the fluid supply conduit,

wherein a user can move the massage device attached to the flexible fluid supply conduit to provide a massaging action to different areas of the user'"'"'s body.

37. The massage device of claim 36, wherein fluid supply to the at least one impeller is controlled by a Venturi valve.

38. The massage device of claim 36, wherein the at least one weight is mounted to the at least one impeller.

39. The massage device of claim 36, wherein the at least one massaging head has a generally spherical shape.

40. The massage device of claim 36, comprising at least two massaging heads.

41. The massage device of claim 36, wherein rotatable massaging balls are provided adjacent the at least one massaging head.

42. The massage device of claim 36, wherein the flexible fluid supply conduit is a shower hose, the shower hose having a shower head attached to one end thereof, wherein the at least one massaging head is provided along the shower hose remote from the shower head.