Percussive massager

• US 6,981,954 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FKA Distributing Co. LLC, Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huang, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 601/101, 601/103, 601/107, 601/108, 601/110, 601/111, 601/129, 601/130, 601/131, 601/134, 601/135
• US Class Current: 601/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1685 interchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0254 with rotary motor

Abstract

A percussive massager is provided having a housing including a massage head portion and a handle portion, and a motor support unit affixable within the massage head portion. A motor is supported by the motor support unit, and an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor protrudes from the motor on either side thereof. The massager further includes a pair of vertical connecting rods each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends are operably connected to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft causes the connecting rods to reciprocate axially in an asynchronous manner. A rocker arm is attachable to the motor support unit at a central pivot axis thereof, wherein the rocker arm is operably connected to the second ends of the connecting rods and is moved about the central pivot axis by rotation of the output shaft. At least two massage nodes are operably connected to the rocker arm to form a massage surface, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away from the massage head portion by each of the connecting rods to provide a percussive massage effect.

Claims

1. A percussive massager, comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted within the housing;

an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor and protruding therefrom;

at least one connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is operably connected to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft causes the at least one connecting rod to reciprocate axially;

a rocker arm pivotably mounted relative to the housing and having a central pivot axis, wherein the rocker arm is operably connected to the second end of the at least one connecting rod at a location spaced from the central pivot axis such that the rocker arm is moved about the central pivot axis by rotation of the output shaft;

at least two spaced apart connectors located on the rocker arm on opposite sides of the pivot axis; and

at least two massage nodes removably fastened to the at least two connectors, each massage node being defined as a unitary member including a body portion and a node connector fastened to one of the at least two connectors, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away from the housing by the at least one connecting rod to provide a percussive massage effect.

2. The massager according to claim 1, wherein the at least two connectors are provided by screws extending from the rocker arm and the massage nodes each include a corresponding threaded portion.

3. The massager according to claim 1, wherein the massage nodes are generally hemispherically shaped.

4. The massager according to claim 1, wherein the massage nodes are at least partially constructed from a resilient material.

5. The massager according to claim 1, further comprising a motor support partially surrounding the motor and mounting the motor within the housing.

6. The massager according to claim 1, wherein the output shaft can be rotated at a plurality of speeds through actuation of a variable speed switch.

7. A percussive massager, comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted within the housing;

an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor and protruding therefrom;

at least one connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is operably connected to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft causes the at least one connecting rod to reciprocate axially;

a rocker arm pivotably mounted relative to the housing and having a central pivot axis, wherein the rocker arm is operably connected to the second end of the at least one connecting rod at a location spaced from the central pivot axis such that the rocker arm is moved about the central pivot axis by rotation of the output shaft;

at least two spaced apart connectors located on the rocker arm on opposite sides of the pivot axis; and

at least two massage nodes removably fastened to the at least two connectors, each massage node being defined as a unitary member including a body portion and a node connector fastened to one of the at least two connectors, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away from the housing by the at least one connecting rod to provide a percussive massage effect;

wherein the output shaft includes two axially spaced apart ends protruding from the motor on either side thereof and the at least one connecting rod includes a pair of connecting rods, wherein the first ends of the connecting rods are rotatably connected to the ends of the output shaft at locations eccentrically spaced about a longitudinal axis of the output shaft to cause the second ends of the connecting rods to reciprocate in an asynchronous manner as the output shaft rotates.

8. The massager according to claim 7, further comprising a pair of crank arms affixed to the ends of the motor output shaft and provided with an eccentric attachment location for connecting the first ends of the connecting rods to the output shaft.

9. The massager according to claim 7, wherein opposed ends of the rocker arm are operably connected to the second ends of the connecting rods.

10. A percussive massager, comprising:

a housing including a massage head portion and a handle portion;

a motor support unit affixable within the massage head portion;

a motor supported by the motor support unit;

an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor and protruding therefrom;

at least one connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is operably connected to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft causes the at least one connecting rod to reciprocate axially;

a rocker arm attached to the motor support unit at a central pivot axis thereof, wherein the rocker arm is operably connected to the second end of the at least one connecting rod and is moved about the central pivot axis by rotation of the output shaft; and

at least two spaced apart connecting screws extending from the rocker arm on opposite sides of the pivot axis; and

at least two massage nodes removably fastened to the at least two connecting screws and interchangeable with other massage nodes, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away, from the housing by the at least one connecting rod to provide a percussive massage effect.

11. The massager according to claim 10, wherein the massage nodes are generally hemispherically shaped.

12. The massager according to claim 10, wherein the massage nodes are at least partially constructed from a resilient material.

13. The massager according to claim 12, wherein the massage nodes have an internal frame constructed from a plastic material and an exterior surface member constructed from a resilient material.

14. The massager according to claim 13, wherein the density of the exterior surface member can be varied for different massage nodes.

15. The massager according to claim 10, wherein the massage head portion has two transversely spaced apart apertures sized to enable the massage nodes to pass therethrough.

16. The massager according to claim 15, further comprising a pair of flexible annular sleeves mounted to the housing and generally sealing the apertures, each sleeve having a central opening sized to enable one of the connecting screws to pass therethrough for mounting the massage node.

17. A percussive massager, comprising:

a housing including a massage head portion and a handle portion;

a motor support unit affixable within the massage head portion;

a motor supported by the motor support unit;

an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor and protruding therefrom;

at least one connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is operably connected to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft causes the at least one connecting rod to reciprocate axially;

a rocker arm attached to the motor support unit at a central pivot axis thereof, wherein the rocker arm is operably connected to the second end of the at least one connecting rod and is moved about the central pivot axis by rotation of the output shaft; and

at least two spaced apart connecting screws extending from the rocker arm on opposite sides of the pivot axis; and

at least two massage nodes removably fastened to the at least two connecting screws and interchangeable with other massage nodes, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away from the housing by the at least one connecting rod to provide a percussive massage effect;

wherein the output shaft includes two axially spaced apart ends protruding from the motor on either side thereof and the at least one connecting rod includes a pair of connecting rods, wherein the first ends of the connecting rods are rotatably connected to the ends of the output shaft at locations eccentrically spaced about a longitudinal axis of the output shaft to cause the second ends of the connecting rods to reciprocate in an asynchronous manner as the output shaft rotates.

18. The massager according to claim 17, further comprising a pair of crank arms affixed to the ends of the motor output shaft and provided with an eccentric attachment location for connecting the first ends of the connecting rods to the output shaft.

19. The massager according to claim 17, wherein opposed ends of the rocker arm are operably connected to the second ends of the connecting rods.

20. A percussive massager, comprising:

a housing;

a motor transversely mounted within the housing, the motor having a rotary output shaft with opposed ends protruding from opposite ends of the motor;

a pair of connecting rods each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends of the connecting rods are rotatably connected to the opposed ends of the output shaft at locations eccentrically spaced about the axis of rotation of the output shaft to cause the second ends of the connecting rods to reciprocate in an asynchronous manner as the output shaft rotates;

an elongated rocker arm having a central pivot axis, wherein the rocker arm is pivotably mounted relative to the housing and includes a pair of transversely spaced apart end portions each operably connected to the second ends of the connecting rods, causing the rocker arm to rock about the central pivot axis as the connecting rod second ends reciprocate;

at least two spaced apart connectors located on the rocker arm on opposite sides of the pivot axis; and

at least two transversely spaced massage nodes removably fastened to the at least two connectors, wherein the massage nodes are moved asynchronously toward and away from the housing by the connecting rods to provide a percussive massage effect in response to rotation of the output shaft.