Massager unit

• US 5,018,511 A
• Filed: 03/28/1989
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Anretto
• Original Assignee: K. K. Anretto
• Inventors: Yokoi, Yasuna
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RACITI, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US07/329,702
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 128/51, 128/52, 128/53, 128/54, 128/55, 128/41, 128/32, 128/33, 128/44, 417/472
• US Class Current: 601/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0157 portable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1623 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1628 Pelvis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/081 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/106 for the lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/12 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0254 with rotary motor

Abstract

A portable massage unit which is attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, which includes an elongated plate member assembly having several massage protrusions on one side thereof for massaging the back of the user'"'"'s body and on the other side thereof for massaging a body part such as a hand, arm, foot, leg and thigh by swinging the plate member assembly relative to a base plate member by an electric motor and crank mechanism. By connecting the two members with a flexible plate, reciprocating movement is further provided to the elongated plate member in the longitudinal direction. The plate member may provide further delicate massage performance by mounting several leaf springs thereon, each having at least one protrusion.

Claims

1. A portable massager unit attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, said massager unit comprising:

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

said upper plate member assembly further including a plurality of secondary plate members, each of said secondary plate members being of a lesser thickness than said upper elongated plate and having a connecting end, said secondary plate members being attached at respective connecting ends to said end of said upper elongated plate;

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s extremity.

2. A portable massager unit attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, said massager unit comprising:

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

said upper plate member assembly further including a plurality of leafsprings, each of said leafsprings having a connecting end and a contact end, said leafsprings being attached at respective connecting ends to said end of said upper elongated plate and having an elastic massage protrusion disposed on said contact end;

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s extremity.

3. A portable massager unit attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, said massager unit comprising:

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

vibrator means mounted on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

said vibrator means, said electric motor, said crank mechanism and said support member being disposed between said bottom side of said upper elongated plate assembly and said base plate member; and

a bellows-type cover, mounted to said bottom side of said upper elongated plate and said base plate member, defining a space for covering said vibrator means, said electric motor, said crank mechanism and said support member;

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s extremity.

4. The massager unit of claim 3 wherein said bellows-type cover includes a hole, said hole being located such that when said electric motor is energized to swing said upper plate member assembly and the volume of said space defined by said bellows-type cover changes, air is admitted to said space through said hole serving to cool said space.

5. A portable massager unit attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, said massager unit comprising:

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

a flexible cushion mounted on said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, said flexible cushion being disposed opposite to said elastic massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate,

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said flexible cushion, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s extremity.

6. A portable massager unit attachable to a chair, sofa, vehicle seat and the like, said massager unit comprising:

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

a flexible cushion mounted on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate proximate said end of said upper elongated plate;

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said second end of said base plate member and on said flexible cushion;

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said flexible cushion mounted on said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said second end of said base plate member contact the user'"'"'s extremity.

7. A massage system comprising a legless chair and a portable massage unit;

said legless chair having;

a seat plate member and a back leaning plate member connected to said seat plate member so as to form an angle of approximately 90°

between planes of said seat plate member and said back leaning plate member, said back leaning plate member being adapted to detachably accommodate the portable massage unit;

said portable massage unit further comprising;

an upper elongated plate member assembly having an upper elongated plate with a top side, a bottom side, an end and a central portion; and

a plurality of elastic massage protrusions disposed on said top side and said bottom side of said upper elongated plate;

a base plate member having a central portion, a first end and a second end, said base plate being spaced apart from said upper elongated plate member assembly, the length of said base plate member substantially corresponding to the length of said upper elongated plate;

a support member having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said central portion of said upper elongated plate, said lower end being coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

an electric motor having an output shaft, said electric motor being mounted on said base plate member between said first end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member;

a crank mechanism, coupled to said output shaft of said electric motor, for swinging, as a fulcrum, the upper plate member assembly relative to said base plate member along said upper end of said support member;

whereby a user'"'"'s body can be disposed relative to said massager unit so that said protrusions disposed on said top side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s back between the waist and the head, and whereby a user'"'"'s extremity can be inserted between said end of said upper elongated plate member assembly and said base plate member between said second end of said base plate member and said support member coupled to said central portion of said base plate member, such that said massage protrusions disposed on said bottom side of said upper elongated plate contact the user'"'"'s extremity.