DE69002329T2 - ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN MASSAGE DEVICE. - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

This invention relates to an electric massager, intended primarily as a device for home use to stimulate blood circulation, strengthen the muscles and hands of the human body and combat cellulite.

State of the art

Massage devices for domestic use are known which comprise a hand-held body containing an electric motor; the motor drives a massage head with a plurality of rounded projections via an eccentric coupling. A massage device of this type is disclosed in EP-A-229531.

DE-A-0559096 also discloses a hand-held body massager with two opposing massage heads arranged at a distance from one another, which are provided with several vibrating finger-like projections or several vibrating protruding balls. One or the other of the massage heads can be used to massage the body.

Summary of the invention

It is the object of the invention to provide a massage device that is able to exert a greater variety of massage effects on an affected part of the human body than the massage devices of the above-mentioned prior art and that is at the same time easy and convenient to handle.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a hand-held body massager, the body of which is equipped with two massage heads arranged at a distance from one another, which are provided with several vibrating finger-like projections or several vibrating projecting balls, and which is characterized in that all projections lie essentially in the same plane and that the finger-like projections and the ball projections are each set into vibration by a drive motor, which can be operated individually or simultaneously.

The features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Short description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a massage device according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the massager shown in Figure 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side view in cross section schematically showing the massage device of Figure 1.

Procedure for carrying out the invention

With reference to the drawings, (1) generally designates an electric massage device, in particular a hand-held massage device intended for domestic use.

The massage device (1) comprises a body (2) made of a rigid synthetic plastic material with low weight and sufficient strength, which is designed essentially like a telephone handset, with two adjacent, coplanar end regions (3) and (4) of flattened, essentially semicircular, flat shape and a bridge central part (5) between the end regions (3, 4) being defined, which forms a handle for the massage device (1).

The massage device (1) further comprises two massage heads designated (6) and (7), which are attached to the body (2) at its end regions (3) and (4) respectively.

It should be noted that the massage heads (6) and (7) are kept spaced a sufficient distance from each other to allow each of them to be used independently, as will be explained below.

In particular, the massage head (6) carries stiff fingers (8) of equal length, which extend in a direction perpendicular to the working surface of the head and are distributed across it at regular intervals.

The fingers (8) slide into respective openings formed in the head (6) on the work surface and are fixedly mounted on a plate (9) at their inside The plate (9) is in turn connected to electric drive motors (10) which are mounted inside the head (6) and are effective to cause the plate (9) and thus the fingers (8) to vibrate. In addition, spring elements known per se and not shown are provided which mediate between the plate (9) and the working surface of the head (6).

The massage head (7) is provided with balls (11) which are rotatably and elastically held in corresponding holders (12) with the insertion of spring elements (19). The balls (11) protrude outwards from the head (7) through respective openings formed in the working surface of the head and are distributed at regular intervals over this surface.

Furthermore, several stiff fingers (13) with rounded ends are attached to the head (7) across the working surface and around the balls (11).

The supports (12) for the balls (11) are fixedly mounted on a plate (14) which is connected to conventional electric drive motors (15) which act to vibrate the plate (14) and consequently the balls (11). The fingers (13) are fixedly mounted on the end region (4) of the body (2) and are not vibrated.

The drive motors (10) and (15) can be operated individually or together by a selector switch (16) which is mounted on the bridge part (5) and is provided with a control button (17). In addition, an electrical connection point (18) electrically connected to the selector switch (16) and the drive motors (10, 15) is provided for connecting the massage device (1) to the electrical power supply.

To operate the massager, after plugging in the massager (1), the button (17) of the selector is placed in a position corresponding to the massage effect required in order to activate one or the other of the massage heads or both heads simultaneously; then, holding the body (2) by its bridge part (5), press the selected massage head(s) onto a part of the body to be massaged.

More specifically, the drive motor (10) for the head (6) with the vibrating fingers (8) is activated when a strong, deep and constant massage effect is desired, whereby the head (6) is held pressed against the affected body part for a desired period of time.

The drive motor (15) for the head (7) with the vibrating balls (11) is instead activated for a gentler massage action or over uneven areas of the body, causing the head (7) to slide over such parts of the body. This operation is particularly effective for spreading cream and the like and for increasing the penetration of the same.

Finally, by activating both heads (6) and (7) a thorough, combined massage effect can be achieved.

The massage device of this invention has proven to be quite effective, easy and comfortable to use, and to function in a reliable and safe manner.

Claims (6)

1. Hand-held body massage device with a body (2) which is equipped with two massage heads (6, 7) arranged at a distance from one another, each of which is provided with several vibrating finger-like projections (8) or with several vibrating projecting balls (11), characterized in that all projections (8, 10) lie essentially in the same plane, and that the finger-like projections (8) and the ball projections (11) are each set into vibration by a drive motor (10, 15) which can be operated individually or simultaneously. 2. Massage device according to claim 1, in which the body (2) has a bridge part (5) between the two massage heads (6, 7) which forms a handle for the massage device. 3. Massage device according to claim 1, in which the finger-like projections (8) are firmly connected to a single plate (9) which is movable within the associated massage head (6). 4. Massage device according to claim 1, in which the ball projections (11) are elastically attached to a single plate (14) which is movable within the associated massage head (7). 5. Massage device according to claim 1, in which a plurality of fixed, rigid fingers (13) are provided around the ball projections (11). 6. Massage device according to claim 1, in which a selection switch (16) is provided which is connected to the two drive motors (10, 15) in order to activate one or the other of the two motors (10, 15), or the two motors (10, 15) simultaneously.