Chiropractic percussor apparatus having compact percussion-applying head assembly centrally attached to reciprocatory push rod

• US 6,599,260 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erchonia Corporation
• Original Assignee: John W. Brimhall, Kevin Tucek
• Inventors: Tucek, Kevin B., Brimhall, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Fenn C
• Application Number:
  US09/749,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 601/101, 601/108, 601/110, 601/111
• US Class Current: 601/107
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1418 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0254 with rotary motor

Abstract

A chiropractic percussor apparatus includes a main housing adapted to be held by a user, an electric motor mounted in the main housing and having a rotary output shaft extending therefrom, an extension housing attached to an end of the main housing and extending outwardly therefrom and having an outer end defining an opening, an elongated push rod eccentrically mounted at an inner end on the rotary output shaft of the electric motor and extending through the extension housing to an outer end of the push rod having a central hole, a flexible coupler assembly supported by the outer end of the extension housing and coupled to the outer end of the push rod so as to permit the outer end of the push rod to undergo reciprocal lengthwise movement and wobbling side-to-side movement relative to the outer end of the extension housing, and a percussion-applying head assembly only centrally attached to the outer end of the push rod at the central hole therein.

Claims

1. A chiropractic percussor apparatus, comprising:

(a) a main housing adapted to be held by a user;

(b) an electric motor mounted in said main housing and having a rotary output shaft extending therefrom;

(c) an extension housing attached to an end of said main housing and extending outwardly therefrom and having an outer end defining an opening;

(d) an elongated push rod eccentrically mounted at an inner end on said rotary output shaft of said electric motor and extending through said extension housing to an outer end of said push rod having a central hole;

(e) a flexible coupler assembly supported by said outer end of said extension housing and coupled to said outer end of said push rod so as to permit said outer end of said push rod to undergo reciprocal lengthwise movement and wobbling side-to-side movement relative to said outer end of said extension housing, said flexible coupler assembly including

(i) an annular flange member attached at an inner surface to said outer end of said extension housing and mounted across said opening thereof, said annular flange member having an aperture receiving said outer end of said push rod and an outer surface facing away from said extension housing,

(ii) a diaphragm formed by a sheet of resilient flexible material disposed on said outer surface of said annular flange member and having a central aperture, and

(iii) means for attaching said diaphragm about a peripheral portion thereof to said annular flange member and for attaching said diaphragm at a central portion thereof about said central aperture thereof to said outer end of said push rod about said central hole in said push rod such that said diaphragm has an intermediate annular portion extending between said peripheral and central portions thereof that is free to flex so as to permit said reciprocal lengthwise movement and said wobbling side-to-side movement of said outer end of said push rod relative to said outer end of said extension housing, said means for attaching said central portion of said diaphragm to said outer end of said push rod including a first plurality of fasteners extending through holes in said diaphragm and fastened to said outer end of said push rod and having enlarged heads which overlie and engage an outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said central portion thereof against said outer end of said push rod, said means for attaching said peripheral portion of said diaphragm to said annular flange member including a second plurality of fasteners extending through holes in said diaphragm and fastened to said outer surface of said annular flange member and having enlarged heads which overlie and engage said outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said peripheral portion thereof against said outer surface of said annular flange member; and

(f) a percussion-applying head assembly only centrally attached to said outer end of said push rod at said central hole therein and extending outwardly and laterally beyond said outer end of said push rod and overlying said outer surface of said annular flange member such that said percussion-applying head assembly is separate from and overlies said enlarged heads of said first and second pluralities of fasteners that engage and attach said diaphragm to said outer end of said push rod and said outer surface of said annular flange member, said percussion-applying head assembly including;

(i) a pad support member having a plate and a single fastener mounted centrally on said plate and extending outwardly therefrom through said central aperture of said diaphragm and tightly fitted into said central hole in said outer end of said push rod so as to mount said plate of said pad support member directly to said outer end of said push rod by said centrally-located single fastener extending through said central aperture in said central portion of said diaphragm, said plate of said pad support member having a pair of fasteners attached thereon and extending outwardly from a side of said plate facing away from said outer end of said extension housing, and

(ii) a contact pad mounted to said plate of said pad support member such that rotation of said output shaft of said motor causes said outer end of said push rod and said pad support member and contact pad therewith to undergo said reciprocal lengthwise motion and said wobbling side-to-side motion so as to impose percussive and massaging actions on a surface against which said contact pad is applied by the user holding said apparatus, said contact pad having a base and a disc of compressible foam material attached on said base, said base having a pair of keyholes formed therein for receiving said fasteners on said plate of said pad support member,

(iii) said plate of said pad support member also having a disc of material adapted to be compressed by movement of said base of said contact pad into contact therewith and toward said plate to insert said fasteners on said plate through said keyholes in said base and to expand outwardly and thereby lift said contact pad away from said plate, after rotation of said contact pad relative to said plate, so as to hold enlarged heads on said fasteners in engagement behind portions of said base adjacent to said keyholes in said base.

2. A chiropractic percussor apparatus, comprising:

(a) a main housing adapted to be held by a user;

(b) an electric motor mounted in said main housing and having a rotary output shaft extending therefrom;

(c) an extension housing attached to an end of said main housing and extending outwardly therefrom and having an outer end defining an opening;

(d) an elongate push rod eccentrically mounted at an inner end of said rotary output shaft of said electric motor and extending through said extension housing to an outer end of said push rod having a central hole;

(e) a flexible coupler assembly supported by said outer end of said extension housing and coupled to said outer end of said push rod so as to permit said outer end of said push rod to undergo reciprocal lengthwise movement and wobbling side-to-side movement relative to said outer end of said extension housing; and

(f) a percussion head assembly only centrally attached to said outer end of said push rod at said central hole therein, said percussion head assembly including

(i) a pad support member having a plate, a single fastener mounted centrally on said plate and extending outwardly therefrom and tightly fitted into said central hole in said outer end of said push rod so as to mount said pad support member directly to said outer end of said push rod, and a pair of fasteners attached on said plate at locations spaced from opposite sides of said single fastener and extending outwardly from a side of said plate facing away from said outer end of said extension housing,

(ii) contact pad having a base with a pair of keyholes formed therein for receiving said pair of fasteners on said plate of said pad support member to mount said contact pad to said plate such that rotation of said output shaft of said motor causes said outer end of said push rod and said pad support member and contact pad therewith to undergo said reciprocal lengthwise motion and said wobbling side-to-side motion so as to impose percussive and massaging actions on a surface against which said contact pad is applied by the user holding said apparatus, said plate of said pad support member also having a disc of material adapted to be compressed by movement of said base of said contact pad into contact therewith and toward said plate to insert said pair of fasteners on said plate through said keyholes in said base and to expand outward and thereby lift said contact pad away from said plate, after rotation of said contact pad relative to said plate, so as to hold enlarged heads on said pair of fasteners in engagement behind portions of said base adjacent to said keyholes in said base.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said flexible coupler assembly includes an annular flange member attached at an inner surface to said outer end of said extension housing and mounted across said opening thereof, said annular flange member having an aperture receiving said outer end of said push rod and an outer surface facing away from said extension housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said flexible coupler assembly further includes a diaphragm of resilient flexible material disposed on said outer surface of said annular flange member and having a central aperture.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said flexible coupler assembly still further includes means for attaching said diaphragm about a peripheral portion thereof to said annular flange member and for attaching said diaphragm at a central portion thereof about said central aperture thereof to said outer end of said push rod about said central hole in said push rod.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for attaching said central portion of said diaphragm to said outer end of said push rod includes a first plurality of fasteners with enlarged heads which overlie and engage an outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said central portion thereof against said outer end of said push rod.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for attaching said peripheral portion of said diaphragm to said annular flange member includes a second plurality of fasteners with enlarged heads which overlie and engage an outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said peripheral portion thereof against said annular flange member.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said diaphragm has an intermediate annular portion extending between said peripheral and central portions thereof that is free to flex so as to permit said reciprocal lengthwise movement and said wobbling side-to-side movement of said outer end of said push rod relative to said outer end of said extension housing.

9. A chiropractic percussor apparatus, comprising:

(a) a main housing adapted to be held by a user;

(b) an electric motor mounted in said main housing and having a rotary output shaft extending therefrom;

(c) an extension housing attached to an end of said main housing and extending outwardly therefrom and having an outer end defining an opening;

(d) an elongated push rod eccentrically mounted at an inner end of said rotary output shaft of said electric motor and extending through said extension housing to an outer end of said push rod having a central hole;

(e) a flexible coupler assembly supported by said outer end of said extension housing and coupled to said outer end of said push rod so as to permit said outer end of said push rod to undergo reciprocal lengthwise movement and wobbling side-to-side movement relative to said outer end of said extension housing, said flexible coupler assembly including

(i) an annular flange member attached at an inner surface to said outer end of said extension housing and mounted across said opening thereof, said annular flange member having an aperture receiving said outer end of said push rod and an outer surface facing away from said extension housing,

(ii) diaphragm formed by a sheet of resilient flexible material disposed on said outer surface of said annular flange member and having a central aperture, and

(iii) means for attaching said diaphragm about a peripheral portion thereof to said annular flange member and for attaching said diaphragm at a central portion thereof about said central aperture thereof to said outer end of said push rod about said central hole in said push rod such that said diaphragm has an intermediate annular portion extending between said peripheral and central portions thereof that is free to flex so as to permit said reciprocal lengthwise movement and said wobbling side-to-side movement of said outer end of said push rod relative to said outer end of said extension housing; and

(f) a percussion head assembly only centrally attached to said outer end of said push rod at said central hole therein, said percussion head assembly including

(i) a pad support member having a plate, a single fastener mounted centrally on said plate and extending outwardly therefrom through said central aperture of said diaphragm and tightly fitted into said central hole in said outer end of said push rod so as to mount said pad support member directly to said outer end of said push rod by said centrally-located single fastener extending through said central aperture in said central portion of said diaphragm, and a pair of fasteners attached on said plate at locations spaced from opposite sides of said single fastener and extending outwardly from a side of said plate facing away from said outer end of said extension housing, and

(ii) a contact pad having a base and a disc of compressible foam material attached on a side said base facing away from said plate of said pad support member, said base having a pair of keyholes formed in an opposite side of said base facing toward said plate of said pad support member, said keyholes for receiving said pair of fasteners on said plate of said pad support member to mount said contact pad to said plate of said pad support member such that rotation of said output shaft of said motor causes said outer end of said push rod and said pad support member and contact pad therewith to undergo said reciprocal lengthwise motion and said wobbling side-to-side motion so as to impose percussive and massaging actions on a surface against which said contact pad is applied by the user holding said apparatus, said plate of said pad support member also having a disc of material adapted to be compressed by movement of said base of said contact pad into contact therewith and toward said plate to insert said pair of fasteners on said plate through said keyholes in said base and to expand outward and thereby lift said contact pad away from said plate, after rotation of said contact pad relative to said plate, so as to hold enlarged heads on said pair of fasteners in engagement behind portions of said base adjacent to said keyholes in said base.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for attaching said central portion of said diaphragm to said outer end of said push rod includes a first plurality of fasteners with enlarged heads which overlie and engage an outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said central portion thereof against said annular flange member.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for attaching said peripheral portion of said diaphragm to said annular flange member includes a second plurality of fasteners with enlarged heads which overlie and engage an outer surface of said diaphragm so as to hold said peripheral portion thereof against said annular flange member.