Method of controlling massaging machine

• US 6,932,779 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Kasai, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US10/186,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20030032903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 601/46, 601/48, 601/49, 601/56, 601/57, 601/58, 601/59, 601/60, 601/70, 601/97, 601/98, 601/99, 601/111, 601/100, 601/101, 601/102, 601/103, 601/107, 601/108, 601/115, 601/116
• US Class Current: 601/99
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/00 Apparatus for passive exercising A61H5/00 takes precedence; Vibrating apparatus driving means for vibrating A61H23/00; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/00 Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0078 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0028 disc-like, i.e. diameter substantially greater than width
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1427 Wobbling plate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1623 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1654 Layer between the skin and massage elements, e.g. fluid or ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/081 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 37/00 Accessories for massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/00 Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for electro-medical massage devices applying electric current by contact A61N1/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/007 Kneading

Abstract

In operating a massaging machine having massaging members and a motor for causing the massaging members to vibrate to massage a patient, a pulsed driving signal is applied to the motor for repetitively switching on and off the motor for specified time lengths such that the motor is intermittently activated, rather than continuously.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a massaging machine comprising the steps of:

providing said massaging machine with massaging members, arms that support said massaging members and are rotatably supported by a kneading shaft, a patting shaft supported parallel to said kneading shaft, eccentric members attached to said patting shaft, a link that connects said eccentric members with said arms, and a motor for rotating said patting shaft; and

applying to said motor a driving signal for repetitively switching on and off said motor for specified time lengths, thereby activating said motor intermittently to cause the massaging members to vibrate while undergoing patting motion, communicating driving power of said motor to said patting shaft, causing said arms to swing around said kneading shaft through said link by eccentric rotary motion of said eccentric members, and thereby causing said massaging members to undergo patting motion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more variables of the group consisting of pulse frequency, duty ratio, pulse number, pulse width and pulse interval are changed to vary the frequency by which said massaging members pat the patient.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein an electrical voltage is applied to said motor as said driving signal and wherein said method includes the step of varying said voltage.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein an electrical voltage is applied to said motor as said driving signal and wherein said method includes the step of varying said voltage.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the strength with which said massaging members pat the patient is varied by carrying out pulse width modulation on the voltage applied to said motor as said driving signal to thereby vary the pulse width of said voltage.