Percussive massager with eccentric drive

• US 7,491,184 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FKA Distributing Company, Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huang, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): DEMILLE, DANTON D
• Application Number:
  US11/303,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 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: 601/103
• 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 modular devices, A61H2201/0107
• 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 massager comprising:

a housing having an aperture formed therein;

a motor mounted within the housing, the motor having a rotary shaft;

an eccentric drive rotatably connected to the motor shaft at a location eccentrically spaced about an axis of rotation of the motor shaft to cause an output end of the eccentric drive to reciprocate as the motor shaft rotates;

a massage arm operably connected to the housing for oscillation relative to the housing, the massage arm being operably connected to the output end of the eccentric drive, causing the massage arm to oscillate relative to the housing as the eccentric drive output end reciprocates;

a massage formation provided on the massage arm, at least partially projecting from the housing through the aperture; and

a flexible sleeve mounted directly to the housing and the massage arm.

2. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve is mounted to the housing aperture.

3. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve extends through the housing aperture external of the housing when the massage arm is oriented away from the housing as the massage arm is oscillated.

4. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve expands and contracts as the massage arm oscillates relative to the housing.

5. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve generally seals the aperture.

6. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage formation is removably fastened to the massage arm.

7. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage arm is operably connected to the housing for limited rotation relative to the housing.

8. The massager of claim 1 further comprising a mounting plate for mounting the flexible sleeve to the housing.

9. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve is annular.

10. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve has a central opening sized to enable a connector to pass therethrough for mounting the massage formation to the massage arm.

11. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage arm includes a connector extending therefrom for securing the massage formation to the massage arm.

12. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage formation is removable and interchangeable with another massage formation.

13. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage formation has first and second sides spaced on opposite sides of the massage arm connection with the housing.

14. The massager of claim 1 wherein the massage formation further comprises at least a pair of massage members that are spaced relative to the massage arm connection to the housing to provide a percussive massage effect as the massage arm oscillates.

15. The massager of claim 1 wherein the eccentric drive is counterbalanced relative to the motor.

16. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve is affixed to an interior of the housing.

17. The massager of claim 1 further comprising a stud affixed to the output end of the eccentric drive.

18. The massager of claim 17 wherein the massage arm includes a protrusion and a corresponding cavity that is aligned and sized to receive the stud.

19. The massager of claim 1 wherein the flexible sleeve has a first end mounted directly to the housing and a second end mounted directly to the massage arm.

20. A percussive massager comprising:

a housing having an aperture formed therein;

a motor mounted within the housing, the motor having a rotary output shaft;

a connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the output shaft at a location eccentrically spaced about an axis of rotation of the output shaft to cause the second end of the connecting rod to reciprocate as the output shaft rotates;

a massage arm operably connected to the housing for oscillation relative to the housing, the massage arm being operably connected to the second end of the connecting rod, causing the massage arm to oscillate relative to the housing as the connecting rod second end reciprocates;

two transversely spaced apart massage nodes mounted to the massage arm; and

a flexible annular sleeve mounted to the housing aperture and the massage arm for generally sealing the aperture.

21. A percussive massager comprising:

a housing having two transversely spaced apart apertures formed therein;

a motor transversely mounted within the housing, the motor having a rotary output shaft;

a connecting rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the output shaft at a location eccentrically spaced about an axis of rotation of the output shaft to cause the second end of the connecting rod to reciprocate 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, one end portion being operably connected to the second end of the connecting rod, causing the rocker arm to rock about the central pivot axis as the connecting rod second end reciprocates;

two transversely spaced apart massage nodes which at least partially project from the housing through the apertures, each massage node operably connected to one of the spaced apart end portions of the rocker arm;

a pair of flexible annular sleeves mounted to the housing and generally sealing the apertures, each sleeve having a central opening sized to enable a connector to pass therethrough for mounting the massage node; and

a mounting plate for mounting the annular sleeves to the housing;

wherein the massage nodes move asynchronously toward and away from the housing providing a percussive massage effect in response to rotation of the output shaft.