Hand-held vibratory massager

• US 5,193,528 A
• Filed: 01/07/1991
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Hironori, Ichikawa, Kuniharu, Innami, Teruhisa, Mochida, Taro
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANLON, BRIAN EMMETT
• Application Number:
  US07/637,816
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24.2, 128/32-36, 128/41, 128/44, 128/45, 128/46, 128/48-52, 128/59-62 R, 128/24.1, 16/115, 16/110 R, 403/104, 403/107, 403/108
• US Class Current: 601/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/081 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses

Abstract

A hand-held extensible vibratory massager comprises a hand grip to be grasped by a hand of a user, a self-contained vibration applicator generating a vibratory massaging motion. An arcuately extensible arm interconnects the hand grip and the applicator so that the applicator is movable along an arcuate path from a normal position adjacent the hand grip to an extended position away therefrom, facilitating to locate the applicator on a portion of the body over an extended range with enhanced operability.

Claims

1. A hand-held extensible vibratory massager comprising:

a hand grip to be grasped by a hand of a user, the hand grip being a straight member having a longitudinal axis;

a vibration applicator containing a vibration source and having a center axis and an applicator portion projecting radially outwardly of said center axis;

an extensible arcuate arm interconnecting said hand grip and said vibration applicator along an arcuate path defined by said arm the arrangement being such that the projecting angle of the applicator portion with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hand grip varies as the arcuate arm is extended;

said extensible arcuate arm comprises an inner arcuately elongated tube and an outer arcuately elongated tube,

said inner tube being telescopically slidable within said outer arcuate tube so that said arcuate arm can vary its length along said arcuate path,

said outer tube carrying an adjustor which is engageable selectively with one of a plurality of indentations formed in the surface of one of said tubes and spaced longitudinally thereof for latching said outer tube into a selective longitudinal position relative to said inner tube,

said adjustor comprising a generally semi-circular member with an operator knob at its middle and opposed spring legs integrally extending from said operator knob in opposite directions, said spring legs disposed between said outer and inner tubes, said operator knob projecting outwardly through said outer tubes to be accessible by the hand of the user, said spring legs formed at their free ends respectively with shoes which are sprint biased into said indentations, each of said spring legs formed intermediate between said shoe and said operator knob with a fulcrum projection which abuts against the surface of one of said tubes such that, upon said operator knob being pushed inwardly, said spring legs are forced to pivot about said fulcrum projection to move away from the surface of the tube having said indentations, thus disengaging said shoes out of said indentations and, allowing the slidable movement of said outer tube relative to said inner tube.

2. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring legs are each formed at a portion opposite of said fulcrum projection with a slider projection for slidable contact with the surface of the tube not having said indentations;

said tube having said indentation being formed with a plurality of ledges slightly projecting on the surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, said slider projections brought into pressed contact with said ledges, respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

3. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tube having said indentations is formed with a plurality of ledges slightly projecting on the surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, and wherein said adjustor further comprises a clip separate from said spring legs and carried together therewith by one fos aid tubes, said clip disposed between said inner and outer tubes to extend over a circumferential portion of said inner tube not covered by said spring legs, said clip formed integrally with slider projections which come into pressed contact with the inner surface of said outer tube and the outer surface of said inner tube respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

4. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 2, wherein said adjustor is provided at the free end of said outer tube, and wherein said inner tube is provided at its free end with a slider ring, said slider ring extending circumferentially about said inner tube and having circumferentially spaced slide projections for sliding contact with the interior surface of said outer tube.

5. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 4, wherein said outer tube is formed with a plurality of lands slightly projecting on the interior surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, the slide projections of said slider ring brought into pressed contact with said lands of said outer tube, respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

6. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said tubes is formed on its surface with a plurality of guide rails which extend along the length thereof for engagement with fins projecting from the surface of the other of said tubes so as to non-rotatively hold said inner tube within said outer tube.

7. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein oen fo said tubes is formed on its surface with a rack having a number of spaced teeth extending along the length thereof, the other of said tubes is provided at its free end with a spring latch which is spring biased into latching engagement with said teeth at selected portions of said rack and is capable of being disengaged therefrom against the spring bias.

8. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inner tube has a circular exterior circumference centered on a first center axis;

and wherein said outer tube is provided at its free end with a sleeve which has a circular interior circumference centered commonly on said first center axis and which is in slidable contact with said exterior circumference of said inner tube, said sleeve supporting a fastener ring which is rotatable therearound and has a grip flange projecting radially inwardly to the exterior of said inner tube, said grip flange having an inner circular perimeter in slidable contact with said exterior circumference of said inner tube, said inner circular perimeter of said grip flange being centered on a second center axis which is in eccentric relation to said first center axis such that said inner circular perimeter is kept in loose contact with said outer circumference of said inner tube when said fastener ring is at one angular disposition about said first center axis for allowing said fastener ring to be slidable together with said sleeve along the length of said inner tube and that said inner circular perimeter comes into pressed engagement against said outer circumference of said inner tube when said fastener ring is rotated from said angular disposition about said first center axis for tightening said fastener ring on said inner tube to disable the sliding movement between said sleeve and the inner tube.

9. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 1, wherein said applicator includes a side pad projecting inwardly of said arcuate path.

10. A hand-held extensible vibratory massager comprising:

a hand grip to be grasped by a hand of a user;

a vibration applicator containing a vibration source; and

an extensible arcuate arm interconnecting said hand grip and said vibration applicator along an arcuate path defined by said arm;

said extensible arcuate arm comprising an inner arcuately elongated tube and an outer arcuately elongated tube,

said inner tube being telescopically slidable within said outer arcuate tube so that said arcuate arm can vary its length along said arcuate path;

said outer tube carrying an adjustor which is engageable selectively with one of a plurality of indentation formed in the surface of one of said tubes and spaced longitudinally thereof for latching said outer tube into a selective longitudinal position relative to said inner tube;

said adjustor comprising a generally semi-circular member with an operator knob at its middle and opposed spring legs integrally extending from said operator knob in opposite directions, said spring legs disposed between said outer and inner tubes, said operator knob projecting outwardly through said outer tube to be accessible by the hand of the user, said spring legs formed at their free ends respectively with shoes which are spring biased into said indentations, each of said spring legs formed intermediate between said shoe and said oeprator knob with a fulcrum projection which abuts against the surface of one of said tubes such that, upon said operator knob being pushed inwardly, said spring legs are forced to pivot about said fulcrum projection to expand away from the surface of the tube having said indentations, thus disengaging said shoes out of said indentations and allowing the slidable movement of said outer tube relative to said inner tube.

11. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 10, wherein said spring legs are each formed at a portion opposite to said fulcrum projection with a slider projection for slidable contact with the surface of the tube not having said indentations;

said tube having said indentation being formed with a plurality of ledges slightly projecting on the surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, said slider projections brought into pressed contact with said ledges, respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

12. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 10, wherein said tube having said indentations is formed with a plurality of ledges slightly projecting on the surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, and wherein said adjustor further comprises a clip separate from said spring legs and carried together therewith by one of said tubes, said clip disposed between said inner and outer tubes to extend over a circumferential portion of said inner tube not covered by said spring legs, said clip formed integrally with slider projections which come into pressed contact with the inner surface of said outer tube and the outer surface of said inner tube respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

13. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 11, wherein said adjustor is provided at an the free end of said outer tube, and wherein said inner tube is provided at its free end with a slider ring, said slider ring extending circumferentially about said inner tube and having circumferentially spaced slide projections for sliding contact with the interior surface of said outer tube.

14. A hand-held vibratory massager as set forth in claim 13, wherein said outer tube is formed with a plurality of lands slightly projecting on the interior surface thereof at spaced locations along the length thereof in correspondence to said indentations, the slide projections of said slider ring brought into pressed contact with said lands of said outer tube, respectively when said shoes are engaged into the indentations.

15. A hand-held extensible vibratory massager comprising:

a hand grip to be grasped by a hand of a user;

a vibration application containing a vibration source; and

an extensible arcuate arm interconnecting said hand grip and said vibration applicator along an arcuate path defined by said arm;

said extensible arcuate arm comprising an inner arcuately elongated tube and an outer arcuately elongated tube,

said inner tube being telescopically slidable within said outer arcuate tube so that said arcuate arm can vary its length along said arcuate path

wherein said outer tube is formed on its interior surface with a plurality of guide rails which extend along the length thereof for engagement with fins projecting from the exterior surface of said inner tube so as to non-rotatively hold said inner tube within said outer tube.

16. A hand-held extensible vibratory massager comprising:

a hand grip to be grasped by a hand of a user;

a vibration application containing a vibration source; and

an extensible arcuate arm interconnecting said hand grip and said vibration applicator along an arcuate path defined by said arm;

said extensible arcuate arm comprising an inner arcuately elongated tube and an outer arcuately elongated tube,

said inner tube being telescopically slidable within said outer arcuate tube so that said arcuate arm can vary its length along said arcuate path;

said inner tube having a circular exterior circumference centered on a first center axis; and

wherein said outer tube is provided at its free end with a sleeve which has a circular interior circumference centered commonly on said first center axis and which is in slidable contact with said exterior circumference of said inner tubes, said sleeve supporting a fastener ring which is rotatable therearound and has a grip flange projecting radially inwardly to the exterior of said inner tube, said grip flange having an inner circular perimeter in slidable contact with said exterior circumference of said inner tube, said inner circular perimeter of said grip flange being centered on a second center axis which is in eccentric relation to said first center axis such that said inner circular perimeter is kept in loose contact with said outer circumference of said inner tube when said fastener ring is at one angular disposition about said first center axis for allowing said fastener ring to be slidable together with said sleeve along the legnth of said inner tube and that said inner circular perimeter comes into pressed engagement against said outer circumference of said inner tube when said fastener ring is rotated from said angular disposition about said first center axis for tightening said fastener ring on said inner tube to disable the sliding movement between said sleeve and the inner tube.