FR2531335A1 - Portable massage instrument with vibrating massaging member - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable massage instrument with vibrating massaging member comprising a housing containing a vibration generator linked mechanically to the massaging member and connected to a source of alternating electrical current. This instrument is characterised in that the vibration generator 4 is an ultrasonic transducer and the external source of alternating electrical current 13 is a high-frequency current generator.

Description

The present invention relates to a mas apparatus
portable sage with vibrating massage device.

 Apparatuses of this type are already known which comprise, inside a case extended by a handle, an XleCtEO-magnet whose plunger core cooperates with the massage member in contact with the part of the body to be massaged, as a den to apply successive percussives to this massage organ, at low frequency, when the magnet magnet is connected to an alternating current source Such a massage device is described, for example, in French patent N 2 306,677.

 An apparatus of this kind has the disadvantage that the vibration applied to the massage member has a low frequency and it does not always make it possible to obtain the desired hygienic or therapeutic effect. Furthermore, such an apparatus also does not allow the simultaneous application of a fluid.

 The present invention aims to remedy these inconvenient negatives by providing a massage device of particularly simple design, providing a massage at high frequency and allowing the application of a fluid which can be heated beforehand.

 To this end, this portable masking apparatus with vibrating massage member comprising a housing in which is housed a vibration generator mechanically coupled to the massage member and connected to a source of alternating electric current, is characterized in that the generator vibration is an ultrasonic transducer and the external source of alternating electric current is a high frequency current generator.

 According to a complementary characteristic of the invention, the massage member has, on its external surface in contact with the part of the body to be treated, orifices which communicate by conduits with a reservoir containing a liquid in front of the blind applied to the body, at the same time as the massage takes place.

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawing in which
Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of a first embodiment of a massage device with vibrating massage member according to the invention
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1, taken along the line II-I I of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are bottom views of various embodiments of the massage member proper
Figure 5 is an axial sectional view of a variant of the massage device according to the invention.

 FIG. 6 is a cross-section view 7 taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

 Figure 7 is an axial sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the massage device according to the invention.

 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

 FIG. 9 is a view from below of the massage member of the apparatus of FIG. 7.

 Figure 10 is a sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the massage device.

The massage device shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a hollow knob 1 extended by a handle 2, also hollow, of elongated shape and which can be easily held in the hand. The knob 1 defines an opening of any shape, for example circular, across which extends a metal membrane 3. On the internal face of this metal membrane 3 is bonded an ultrasonic transducer 4 constituted for example by a piezo pellet electric. The metallic membrane 3 is linked, on its external face, to a massage member 5, which, in the example started
culier shown in the drawing, consists of a
brush. This brush has a number of teeth 6
distributed in any desired way, for example from
as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

The brush 5 can be constituted by a solid body
or even it can include, in its base which is
linked to the metal membrane 3, an internal volume 7 which is
filled with liquid in front of additionally applied to the body. This
internal volume 7 communicated, by a number of channels
8, with orifices 9 provided in the teeth 6, in the vicinity
ends of these. A filling orifice 10,
can be closed by a plug, is provided to fill
volume 7.

The piezoelectric pad 4 is connected, by
electrical conductors 11 which extend across the pol-
g. year 2, and a connection cord 12, to a generator
high frequency current 13.

Therefore when the current generator
high frequency 13 is put into operation, the chip
piezoelectric 4 is alternately energized -and it pro
due to mechanical vibrations at an ultra sound frequency.

Mechanical vibrations are transmitted to the brush and
the latter exerts its massage effect on the body by
through his teeth 6.

If brush 5 is hollow and contains, in its
volume 7, a liquid to distribute, this liquid is here too
subjected to ultrasonic vibrations and it flows progresses
through the channels 8 and the orifices 9, to
come into contact with the body on which it is thus distributed -
regularly.

It should be noted that due to vibrations
ultrasonic the liquid contained in volume 7 is subjected
to a heating and it is therefore .a relatively liquid
that is distributed over the body.

The massage device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is more particularly suitable for massaging leather.
hairy. For this purpose the metal membrane 14 on the face
internal of which the piezoelectric pellet 4 is glued, has an elongated shape and it carries on its external face a massage member 15 in the form of a comb. This comb 15 may be constituted by a completely full body or else it may have, in the vicinity of the membrane 14, an internal volume 16 containing a liquid intended to be applied to the scalp. This internal volume communicates, as in the previous case, with the ends of the teeth of the comb 15, by channels 17 opening to the outside through orifices located at the ends of the teeth of the comb 15.

 In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, which is quite similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1, the metal membrane 3 carries, on its external face, a compartment 18 completely sealed, made of flexible synthetic material and containing a variable amount of liquid. This liquid can be introduced into the compartment 18 through a filling orifice 19 closed by a plug.

 On the sealed compartment 18 is fixed another compartment 20, the upper face of which is joined and linked to the lower face of the upper sealed compartment 18. The lower face of the lower compartment 20 is formed by a permeable membrane 21 and the lower compartment 20 can be filled with a certain amount of liquid to be distributed on the body, this liquid being introduced through a filling orifice 22 which can be closed by a plug.

 When the piezoelectric pellet 4 is excited, the ultrasonic vibrations that it produces are modulated by the upper compartment 18 acting in a way as a buffer. In addition, the liquid contained in this compartment 18 absorbs a good part of the heat produced as a result of the vibrations and thus avoids the heating of the liquid contained in the lower compartment 20. The vibrations are transmitted to the lower compartment 20 and the liquid which contains the latter can flow over the part of the body to be treated by passing through the permeable membrane -ble 21.

 FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 7 in which the two compartments between 18 and 20 are much more extensive

Claims (8)

 1- Portable massage device with vibrating massage member comprising a housing in which is housed a vibration generator mechanically coupled to the massage member and connected to a source of alternating electric current, characterized in that the vibration generator (4 ) is an ultrasonic transducer and the external source of alternating electric current (13) is a high frequency current generator. 4  2- Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the massage member (5) has, on its external surface in contact with the part of the body to be treated, orifices (9) which communicate through conduits (8) with a reservoir (7) containing a liquid to be applied to the body, at the same time as the massage takes place.  3. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the ultrasonic transducer (4) is fixed on the internal face of a metal membrane (3) on the internal face of which is fixed the massage (5).  4.- Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the massage member (5) is constituted by a brush having teeth (6).  5.- Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the massage member (5) is constituted by a solid body.  6.- Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the massage member (5) comprises, in its base which is linked to the metal membrane (3), an internal volume (7) filled of a liquid, this internal volume communicating, through a number of channels (8), with orifices (9) provided in teeth (6) of the massage member (5), near the ends of these this.  7.- Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the massage member (15) has the shape of a comb which is fixed to a metal membrane (14) elongated. on the internal face of which the ultrasonic transducer (4) is stuck.  8.- Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the metal membrane (3) po-rt-e, on its outer face, a compartment (1B) completely sealed, in flexible material containing a variable amount of liquid, and on this sealed compartment (8) is fixed another compartment (20) whose outer face is constituted by a permeable membrane (-21), the second compartment (21) being filled with a certain amount of liquid to be dispensed.