Body massage apparatus
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for administering massage actions to a person in intimate contact with a structure comprising:
- at least one vibrator motor adapted to be operatively connected to said structure to vibrate said structure in accordance with the waveform of a signal energizing said motor;
a pulse train generator controllable to generate a train of pulses of continually varying amplitude versus time relationship;
a function generator controllable to generate a modulating signal of varying amplitude versus time relationship different than that of said train of pulses and selected relative to said train of pulses to simulate therewith a traveling wave pattern, the frequency of said modulating signal being significantly lower than the frequency of said train of pulses;
a first coupling means for combining the modulating signal with the train of pulses to effect modulation of the amplitude versus time relationship of said pulses and thereby produce a modulated output signal simulative of a traveling wave pattern; and
a second coupling means for operatively connecting said first coupling means directly to the vibrator motor to energize said vibrator motor with a signal having substantially the same shape as said modulated output signal.
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Abstract
A vibrator motor is coupled to the frame of a body support structure to vibrate the latter. The motor is energized by a train of triangular pulses modulated by a triangular pulse signal having a lower frequency than that of the triangular pulse train.
37 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for administering massage actions to a person in intimate contact with a structure comprising:
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at least one vibrator motor adapted to be operatively connected to said structure to vibrate said structure in accordance with the waveform of a signal energizing said motor; a pulse train generator controllable to generate a train of pulses of continually varying amplitude versus time relationship; a function generator controllable to generate a modulating signal of varying amplitude versus time relationship different than that of said train of pulses and selected relative to said train of pulses to simulate therewith a traveling wave pattern, the frequency of said modulating signal being significantly lower than the frequency of said train of pulses; a first coupling means for combining the modulating signal with the train of pulses to effect modulation of the amplitude versus time relationship of said pulses and thereby produce a modulated output signal simulative of a traveling wave pattern; and a second coupling means for operatively connecting said first coupling means directly to the vibrator motor to energize said vibrator motor with a signal having substantially the same shape as said modulated output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for administering massage actions to a person in intimate contact with a structure comprising:
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at least one vibrator motor adapted to be operatively connected to said structure to vibrate said structure in accordance with the waveform of a signal energizing said motor; a pulse train generator controllable to generate a train of pulses of selected amplitude versus time relationship; a function generator controllable to generate a modulating signal of selected amplitude versus time relationship different than that of said train of pulses and selected relative to said train of pulses to simulate therewith a traveling wave pattern, said function generator including; a second pulse train generator for generating a train of pulses having gradually rising and falling edges for forming the modulating signal; and a timing circuit in circuit with the second pulse generator and controllable to adjust differentially the durations of the rising and falling edges of the modulating signal pulses; a first coupling means for combining the modulating signal with the train of pulses to effect modulation of the amplitude versus time relationship of said pulses and thereby produce a signal simulative of a traveling wave pattern; and a second coupling means for operatively connecting said first coupling means to the vibrator motor to energize said vibrator motor with a signal corresponding to said modulated train of pulses.
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10. In apparatus for administering massage actions to a person;
- the combination comprising;
at least one vibrator motor coupled to vibrate in accordance with the waveform of a signal energizing said motor; a trigger pulse generator controllable to generate a train of trigger pulses of a selected frequency; a first pulse train generator controllable to generate a first train of pulses of selected first amplitude versus time relationship; control circuit means coupled in circuit with the first pulse train generator for enabling the generation of the first train of pulses, said control circuit means including control input means having first and second terminals, said first terminal being coupled to the trigger pulse generator to receive the trigger pulses, said second terminal coupled to said first pulse trains generator to receive a signal indicative of the amplitude of the pulses generated by said first pulse train generator, said control circuit means responsive to trigger pulses to enable the generation of a pulse by said first pulse train generator when the signal level at said second terminal exceeds a reference signal level, and said control circuit means further responsive to said signal indicative of the amplitude of the pulse generated by said first pulse train generator exceeding a selected level to disable the generation of the pulse by said first pulse train generator; a second pulse train generator controllable to generate a second train of pulses of selected second amplitude versus time relationship; first coupling means for coupling the second train of pulses to said second terminal of said control input means to effect modulation of the reference signal level in accordance with the second amplitude versus time relationship of said second train of pulses; and second coupling means for furnishing a signal corresponding to the resulting train of pulses to the vibrator motor to energize the same. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- the combination comprising;
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18. Apparatus for administering massage actions to a person in intimate contact with a structure comprising:
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a structure adapted to be in intimate contact with the body of a person; at least one vibrator motor operatively connected to said structure to vibrate said structure in accordance with the waveform of a signal energizing said motor; a pulse train generator controllable to generate a train of pulses of continually varying amplitude versus time relationship; a function generator controllable to generate a modulating signal of varying amplitude versus time relationship different than that of said train of pulses and selected relative to said train of pulses to simulate therewith a traveling wave pattern, the frequency of said modulating signal being significantly lower than the frequency of said train of pulses; a first coupling means for combining the modulating signal with the train of pulses to effect modulation of the amplitude versus time relationship of said pulses and thereby produce a modulated output signal simulative of a traveling wave pattern; and a second coupling means for coupling said first coupling means directly to the vibrator motor to energize said vibrator motor with a signal having substantially the same shape as said modulated output signal. .Iadd. 19. Apparatus for administering massage actions to a person in intimate contact with a structure comprising; at least first and second vibrator motors adapted to be operatively connected to said structure to vibrate said structure in accordance with the waveforms of signals energizing said motors; at least first and second controllable motor drive systems connected respectively to said at least first and second vibrator motors for producing waveforms to energize said motors, each of said at least first and second controllable motor drive systems comprising a pulse train generator controllable to generate a train of pulses of continually varying amplitude versus time relationship a function generator controllable to generate a modulating signal of varying amplitude versus time relationship different than that of said train of pulses and selected relative to said train of pulses to simulate therewith a traveling wave pattern, the frequency of said modulating signal being significantly lower than the frequency of said train of pulses a first coupling means for combining the modulating signal with the train of pulses to effect modulation of the amplitude versus time relationship of said pulses and thereby produce a modulated output signal simulative of a traveling wave pattern, and a second coupling means for operatively connecting said first coupling means directly to a vibrator motor to energize said vibrator motor with a signal having substantially the same shape as said modulated output
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19. signal. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said at least first and second controllable motor drive systems are configured to respectively produce different waveforms for energizing their associated motors, by controlling one of the pulse train generator and the function generator of one of said first and second controllable motor drive systems to be different in waveform with respect to the other. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said at least first and second controllable motor drive systems are configured to respectively produce different waveforms for energizing their associated motors, by controlling one of the pulse train generator and the function generator of one of said first and second controllable motor drive systems to be different in phase with respect to the other. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 including a structure adapted to be in intimate contact with the body of a person, and wherein said at least first and second vibrator motors are operatively connected to said structure. .Iaddend.
Specification