Motor assemblies and massage assemblies using the same

• US 20050192519A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sigma Instruments, Inc. (Inficon Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sigma Instruments, Inc. (Inficon Holding AG)
• Inventors: Crunick, John
• Application Number:
  US10/788,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20050192519A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses

Abstract

This patent discloses electric motor assemblies for increasing vibratory power with less noise and massage assemblies using the same.

Claims

1. An electric motor assembly for increasing vibratory power with less noise, said motor assembly comprising:

a motor;

a drive shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein said drive shaft runs through said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s first end exits on one side of said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s second end exits on the opposite side of said motor;

a weight secured to said drive shaft'"'"'s second end; and

a pressure-applying member abutting and applying pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

2. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein said weight is an eccentric weight.

3. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the weight is of a size and mass sufficient to produce vibrations of a frequency of about thirty to sixty hertz (30-60 Hz).

4. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the mass of the weight is about ten grams (10 g).

5. The motor assembly of claim 2, wherein said motor is selected from the group consisting of a DC motor and an AC motor.

6. The motor assembly of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said pressure-applying member comprises a piece of material secured to said motor assembly so as to apply pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

7. The motor assembly of claim 6, wherein said pressure-applying member is selected from the group consisting of a piece of rubber, Teflon tape, tape, and foam.

8. The motor assembly of any one of claims 1 or 2, also comprising:

a housing to which said motor assembly is secured.

9. The motor assembly of claim 8, wherein said pressure-applying member is secured to said housing and abuts said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

10. The motor assembly of claim 9 wherein said pressure-applying member comprises:

a piece of folded sheet metal; and

a post member secured to said housing that acts to secure one end of said piece of folded sheet metal such that said piece of folded sheet metal applies pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

11. The motor assembly of any one of claims 1 or 2, also comprising a power source.

12. The motor assembly of claim 11, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of at least one battery and a power cord.

13. The motor of claim 8 also comprising a power source.

14. The motor assembly of claim 13, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of at least one battery and a power cord.

15. A massage assembly comprising:

a handle unit;

a head unit;

a neck connecting said handle unit to said head unit;

a power source; and

an electric motor assembly for increasing vibratory power with less noise, said motor assembly comprising;

a motor;

a drive shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein said drive shaft runs through said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s first end exits on one side of said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s second end exits on the opposite side of said motor;

a weight secured to said drive shaft'"'"'s second end; and

a pressure-applying member abutting and applying pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

16. The massage assembly of claim 15, wherein said weight is an eccentric weight.

17. The motor assembly of claim 15, wherein the weight is of a size and mass sufficient to produce vibrations of a frequency of about thirty to sixty hertz (30-60 Hz).

18. The motor assembly of claim 15, wherein the mass of the weight is about ten grams (10 g).

19. The massage assembly of claim 16, wherein said motor is selected from the group consisting of a DC motor and an AC motor.

20. The massage assembly of any one of claims 15 or 16, wherein said pressure-applying member comprises a piece of material secured to said motor assembly so as to apply pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

21. The massage assembly of claim 20, wherein said pressure-applying member is selected from the group consisting of a piece of rubber, Teflon tape, tape, and foam.

22. The massage assembly of any one of claims 15 or 16, also comprising:

a housing to which said motor assembly is secured.

23. The massage assembly of claim 22, wherein said pressure-applying member is secured to said housing and abuts said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

24. The massage assembly of claim 23, wherein said pressure-applying member comprises:

a piece of folded sheet metal; and

a post member secured to said housing that acts to secure one end of said piece of folded sheet metal such that said piece of folded sheet metal applies pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

25. The massage assembly of claim 15, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of at least one battery and a power cord.

26. A massage assembly comprising:

a handle unit;

a head unit having a face and an attachment side opposite said face;

a neck connecting said handle unit to the attachment side of said head unit;

a power source; and

an electric motor assembly for increasing vibratory power with less noise, said motor assembly comprising;

a motor, wherein said motor is selected from the group consisting of a DC motor and an AC motor;

a drive shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein said drive shaft runs through said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s first end exits on one side of said motor and said drive shaft'"'"'s second end exits on the opposite side of said motor;

a weight secured to said drive shaft'"'"'s second end, wherein said weight is an eccentric weight; and

a pressure-applying member abutting and applying pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end; and

wherein said motor assembly is secured within said head unit.

27. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein the weight is of a size and mass sufficient to produce vibrations of a frequency of about thirty to sixty hertz (30-60 Hz).

28. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein the mass of the weight is about ten grams (10 g).

29. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said pressure-applying member comprises a piece of material secured to said motor assembly so as to apply pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

30. The massage assembly of claim 29, wherein said pressure-applying member is selected from the group consisting of a piece of rubber, Teflon tape, tape, and foam that is secured to said motor.

31. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said pressure-applying member is secured to said housing and abuts said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

32. The massage assembly of claim 31, wherein said pressure-applying member comprises:

a piece of folded sheet metal; and

a post member secured to said housing that acts to secure one end of said piece of folded sheet metal such that said piece of folded sheet metal applies pressure to said drive shaft'"'"'s first end.

33. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said power source is housed within said handle unit.

34. The massage assembly of claim 26, further comprising:

a power button to enable a user to turn said massage assembly on, off, and to various vibratory levels.

35. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said head unit is ergonomically shaped to conform to a person'"'"'s body.

36. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein a plurality of protrusions stem from said head unit'"'"'s face.

37. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein the back of said attachment side of said head unit is designed to ergonomically-and comfortably conform to the palm and fingers of a user.

38. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said neck is designed to ergonomically and comfortably rest between two adjacent fingers of a user.

39. The massage assembly of claim 26, wherein said handle unit is designed to ergonomically and comfortably fit in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand.

40. A method of decreasing the noise of an electric motor in a vibratory unit, said method comprising the application of pressure to the end of said motor'"'"'s internal drive shaft so as to decrease the lateral motion of said drive shaft and said motor while allowing said drive shaft to rotate.