Device for working a conditioning substance on a surface

• US 5,105,802 A
• Filed: 07/05/1990
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leatherjet Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leatherjet Incorporated
• Inventors: Pokorny, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANLON, BRIAN EMMETT
• Application Number:
  US07/548,405
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 128/32, 128/44, 128/45, 128/46, 128/56, 128/57, 128/60, 128/61, 128/67, 128/24.2
• US Class Current: 601/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0085 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0064 with freely rotating spheres
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics

Abstract

A device for working a conditioning substance on a surface comprises a body portion containing an activatable motor. A head attached to the body portion has an outer head and a rotatable inner head. A drive shaft extends between the motor and the head, and is driven by the motor. The drive shaft has a first drive take off for imparting rotation to the inner head about a first central axis of rotation passing through the inner head. The drive shaft also has a second drive take off for imparting rotation to at least one massaging element about a second axis of rotation passing through the massaging element by frictionally engaging the massaging element, each massaging element being located within the inner head and extending past an outer surface thereof. When the motor is activated, each massaging element is simultaneously rotated in two manners, firstly, about the first central axis of rotation and secondly about the second axis of rotation, to work the surface upon the device being then applied.

Claims

1. A device for working a conditioning substance on a surface, the device comprising:

a body portion containing an activatable drive means;

a head, attached to the having an outer head and a rotatable inner head;

a drive shaft extending between drive means and the head and driven by the drive means;

a first drive take off for imparting rotation to the inner head about a first central axis of rotation passing through the inner head; and

a second drive take off for imparting rotation to at least one spherical massaging element about a second axis of rotation passing through the massaging element by frictionally engaging the massaging element, each massaging element being located within the inner head and extending past an outer surface thereof;

wherein when the drive means is activated, each massaging element is simultaneously rotated in two manners, firstly, about the first central axis of rotation and secondly about the second axis of rotation, to work said surface upon said device being then applied.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the massaging element transfers a conditioning substance from within the head to the surface to be worked.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein a gearing mechanism associated with the first drive take off is adapted to allow slippage to occur between the drive shaft and the rotating inner head.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein, the second drive take off is adapted to allow slippage to occur between the drive shaft and the massaging element.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein rotation of the inner head about a first central axis of rotation is effected by the first drive take off imparting rotation to at least one planet gear, such planet gear being engaged with the inner head and an outer gear ring mounted within the outer head, wherein the outer gear ring frictionally engages the outer head.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the outer head is fixed to the body portion and houses the inner head and the gearing mechanism associated with the first drive take off.

7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in which two guide means made of a resilient material are fixed to the outer head wherein the guide means are frictionally engaged with the massaging element to allow slippage to occur between the guide means and the massaging element upon the massaging element encountering a predetermined amount of resistance.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein each second axis of rotation passes through a respective massaging element and, with no slippage occurring, said axis is angled towards the body portion inwardly into the inner head.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein each second axis of rotation passes through a respective massaging element and, with no slippage occurring, is angled away from the body portion outwardly out of the inner head.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein each second axis of rotation passes through a respective massaging element and, with no slippage occurring, is parallel to the first central axis of rotation.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the massaging element extends past the outer surface of the inner head into the space between the inner head and the outer head, said space being a reservoir adapted to contain the conditioning substance transported from the body portion, wherein the rotational motions of the massaging element and the inner head cause the conditioning substance to be transfered by the massaging element to the surface.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein the body portion acts as a handle for the device.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the body portion has a space adapted to act as a receptacle for a conditioning substance from which the conditioning substance may be transported to said reservoir.

14. An improved process for massaging a conditioning substance on a surface in which the improvement comprises simultaneously rotating a massaging element in two manners with the aid of a device comprising:

a body portion containing an activatable drive means;

a head, attached to the body portion, the head having an outer head and a rotatable inner head;

a drive shaft extending between drive means and the head and driven by the drive means;

a first drive take off for imparting rotation to the inner head about a first central axis of rotation passing through the inner head; and

a second drive take off for imparting rotation to at least one spherical massaging element about a second axis of rotation passing through the massaging element by frictionally engaging the massaging element, each massaging element being located within the inner head and extending past an outer surface thereof;

wherein when the drive means is activated, each massaging element is simultaneously rotated in two manners, firstly, about the first central axis of rotation and secondly about the second axis of rotation, to work said surface upon said device being then applied.