RECHARGEABLE PERSONAL MASSAGER

• US 20080306417A1
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LELO Incorporated (LELOi AB)
• Original Assignee: LELO Incorporated (LELOi AB)
• Inventors: Imboden, Ethan F., Wyatt, Roland J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,132,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/00 Massage for the genitals; Devices for improving sexual intercourse penis erection devices A61F5/41; vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/40 Devices insertable in the genitals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 21/00 Massage devices for cavities of the body , e.g. nose, ears and anus for the genitals A61H19/00; Vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0111 watertight
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0115 used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0134 Cushion or similar support
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0221 Mechanism for heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0228 heated by an electric resistance element
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0278 by chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0292 with microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1609 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1623 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/169 Physical characteristics of the surface, e.g. material, relief, texture or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 : Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 : Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 : wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/04 : neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/081 : Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/12 : Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/065 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/105 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/255 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/425 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/505 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/605 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/655 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• 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 39/002 : Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/005 : hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/66 : Cooled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A personal massage device is disclosed. The massage device includes a housing having an exterior surface defining first and second oppositely-disposed operative ends and an interior surface defining a cavity. Each of the operative ends includes a substantially smooth and continuous surface thereon. The massage device further includes a first motor disposed within the housing and adapted for creating vibration and a battery disposed within the housing and adapted to power the first motor.

Claims

1. A personal massage device, comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface defining first and second oppositely-disposed operative ends, each of the operatively ends including a substantially smooth and continuous surface thereon, and an interior surface defining a cavity;

a first motor disposed within the housing and adapted for creating vibration; and

a battery disposed within the housing and adapted to power the first motor.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface further defines a central portion including at least one substantially smooth and continuous surface thereon, wherein the first and second operative ends extend to the central portion, wherein substantially smooth and continuous surfaces of the first and second operative ends and the central portion occupy substantially the entire exterior surface.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the substantially smooth and continuous surfaces of the first and second operative ends occupy at least 95% of the entire exterior surface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the substantially smooth and continuous surfaces of the first and second operative ends occupy at about 100% of the entire exterior surface.

5. The device of claim 1 further including a second motor disposed within the housing and adapted for creating vibration, wherein the first motor is disposed near the first operative end, wherein the second motor is disposed near the second operative end, and wherein the battery is further adapted to power the second motor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from an inner layer including the interior surface and an outer layer including the exterior surface.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer are made of different materials.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the inner layer is made from hard plastic and wherein the outer layer is formed from an elastomeric material.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the outer layer includes a first section adapted to cover a first portion of the inner layer and a second section adapted to cover a second portion of the inner layer.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first section includes the first surface of the first operative end and wherein the second section includes the second surface of the second operative end.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the first and second sections include mutually-engaging ends so as to form the exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface is substantially continuous.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the outer layer further includes an annular third section adapted to cover facing ends of the first and second sections, respectively, so as to substantially seal the exterior surface of the device.

13. The device of claim 6 further including an electromechanical button adapted for receiving a control input for the device, wherein the operative end of the button is integrally formed in the exterior surface.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery is rechargeable, and wherein the device includes first and second contacts disposed on the exterior surface and in electronic communication with the battery.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the external surface further defines a central portion disposed between the operative ends, and wherein the contacts are disposed in the central portion.

16. A personal massage device, comprising:

a housing including an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity;

a first motor disposed within the housing and adapted for causing movement of the device; and

a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing and adapted to power the first motor;

wherein the exterior surface is configured for physical application to a user and is usable to provide an omnidirectional massage appliance.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the exterior surface is substantially seamless.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein at least 90% of the exterior surface is substantially smooth and continuous.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein approximately 100% of the exterior surface is substantially smooth and continuous.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the exterior surface includes a belt.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the exterior surface includes one or more flush mounted articles.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the an article is a contact for a charger.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the exterior surfaces comprises an elastomer.

24. A personal massage assembly, comprising:

a massage device including first and second operative ends disposed on opposite ends of a central portion, a motor disposed within the device and adapted to provide vibrating motion for the device, a rechargeable battery disposed within the device and adapted to provide power for the motor, and a first pair of contacts disposed on an external surface of the central portion and in electronic communication with the battery; and

a base adapted for supporting the massage device thereon and having a second pair of electrical contacts disposed on an external surface thereof and arranged to abut the second pair of contacts when the massage device is supported by the base;

wherein the abutting of the first and second pairs of contacts provides an electrical current to the battery to charge the battery.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the base includes an upper surface having a first depression and a second depression formed therein, wherein the first depression is shaped so as to mate with a portion of the first operative end, and wherein the second depression is shaped so as to mate with a portion of the second operative end.

26. The assembly of claim 25, wherein the first and second operative ends have different shapes such that the base can support the device in only one orientation.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the base further includes a pedestal adapted to contact the central portion, wherein the second pair of contacts are included on the pedestal.

28. The assembly of claim 24 further including a lid adapted to attach to the base so as to hold the device in a supported relationship with the base.

29. A rechargeable personal massager assembly, comprising:

a hand-held massager with at least a first electrical contact connected to a rechargeable battery disposed therein;

a base comprising a transformer connected to at least a second electrical contact; and

a respective magnet in each of the hand-held unit and the base for securing the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact when the hand-held massager is placed on the base.

30. The rechargeable personal massager assembly of claim 29, further comprising an additional magnet in the hand-held massager and a magnetically operated switch in the base;

whereby when the hand-held massager is placed on the base, the additional magnet operates the switch to enable the transformer in the base to charge the rechargeable battery in the hand-held massager.