GB2209674A

GB2209674A - Massage device

Info

Publication number: GB2209674A
Application number: GB8721805A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yau-Kee Cheung
Original assignee: CHEUNG YAU KEE
Current assignee: CHEUNG YAU KEE
Priority date: 1987-09-16
Filing date: 1987-09-16
Publication date: 1989-05-24
Also published as: GB8721805D0

Abstract

A device (10) for simulating a part of a human body comprises a resilient housing (11), a mounting member (12) supported in the housing (11), and a rotatable member (13) supported by driving means (14) in the member (12). The driving means (14) includes an electric motor (22) which supports the rotatable member (13) on a shaft (31) for rotating the member (13) relative to the housing (11). In use, the housing (11) is attached to the body with the body part being received in the rotatable member (13). <IMAGE>

Description

A DEVICE The present invention relates to a stimulation device or the like, and in particular to a device for stimulating a part of a human body.

According to the invention, there is provided a device which comprises a housing, the housing having an opening for receiving a part of a human body, attachment means for attaching the device on a said body, a rotatable member rotatably mounted inside the housing, and driving means for rotating the member, the rotatable member contacting the body part received in the housing.

Preferred features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way cf example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional view taken along an axis of a device in accordance with the invention.

As shown in the drawing, a device 10 embodying the invention comprises a housing 11, a first, mounting member 12 removably mounted inside the housing 11, and a second, rotatable member 13 rotably mounted inside the first member 12 on driving means 14 for rotation relative to the first member 12 and the housing 11.

The housing 11 comprises a substantially spherical hollow portion 15 having an opening 16. The opening 16 is bound by a frusto-conical rim 17 which is contiguous with the hollow portion 15. The rim wall 17 decreases in thickness away from the opening 16.

A groove 18 is formed in an inside wall of a neck portion 16' formed between the rim 17 and the spherical portion 15 The first member 12 is in the form of a hollow cylinder open at one end 12' and having a cylindrical wall 19 and an end wall 20. A rib 21 complementary in shape to the groove 18 is formed on the outside of wall 19 adjacent to the open end 12'. The member 12 is supported in the housing 11 by the rib 21 engaging in the groove 18, the housing 11 and member 12 opening in the same direction. The outer diameter of the member 12 is slightly greater than the internal diameter of the opening 16 so that the neck portion 16' is stretched and grips the member 12. An aperture 33 is provided in the cylindrical wall 19.

The second member 13 is in the form of a hollow cylinder open at one end 13'. An axially extending socket 30 is formed on the outside of the closed end of the member 13. The driving means 14 comprises a PMDC electric micromotor 22 powered by a battery 23 and controlled by a switch 24. The motor is mounted in a seat 25 formed on the inside of the end wall 20 of the first member 12. A shaft 31 of the motor 22 fits in the socket 30 to support the second member 13, the member 13 being rotated relative to the housing 11 and the first member 12 by the motor 22.

The battery 23 is received in a recess 26 in the cylindrical wall 19, the recess carrying spring contacts 26a, 26b to connect the battery in series with the motor 22 and the switch 24. The switch 24 is a pushbutton on-off switch mounted in the wall 20. The switch projects through the wall 20 for operation from outside the first member 12.

The rotatable second member 13 is mounted inside the first member 12 and opens in the same direction as the first member 12. The second member 13 is a loose fit inside the first member 12 so that the first member 12 provides a degree of lateral support to the second member 13 whilst allowing it be rotated freely by the motor 22. A layer of fabric lining 27 is provided on the inside surface of the member 13. The pile of the lining 27 is of two different lengths 28 and 29. A relatively shorter pile 28 is provided inside the member 13 and a relatively longer pile 29 is provided adjacent to the opening 13' to extend out of the member 13.

In use, the motor 22 is energized to rotate the member 13 by depressing the pushbutton switch 24 from outside the resilient housing 11, the housing being deformed in the region of the switch 24. The device 10 is attached by suction at the rim portion 17 onto a human body, the rotating second member 13 receiving a part of the body. The space between the housing 11 and the first member 12 communicates with the ambient outside the housing 11 through -the aperture 33. The housing 11 is deformed to expel air out of the opening 16 before pressing the rim against the body, the housing is then released. The tendency of the housing to expand will thus hold it on the body by suction. Such suction effect may also give a user of the device 10 a feeling of suction at the part of the body received by the housing 11.

The lining 27 encloses the part of the body received in the housing 11 with the pile 28 contacting the body part received inside the rotatable member 13 and the pile 29 contacting the body part received just outside the member 13. Rotation of the member 13 will result in simulation of the body part, the lining pile 28, 29 brushing the body part.

To reduce the speed of rotation of the rotatable member 13, the driving means 14 may include a speed reduction gear train (not shown) which is connected between the motor 22 and the rotatable number 13.

The driving means 14 may comprise a spring motor (not shown) which supports the rotatable member 13 at its shaft, the spring motor having a pushbutton actuating member which is operated by deforming the housing 11 in the region of the actuating member.

The above embodiment is given by way of example only, and various modifications may be made. For example, the rotatable member 13 may be supported eccentrically so as to provide vibration to the part of the human body on which the device 10 is attached. It is intended to include all such modifications as fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising a housing, the housing having an opening for receiving a part of a human body, attachment means for attaching the device on a said body, a rotatable member rotatably mounted inside the housing, and driving means for rotating the member, the rotatable member contacting the body part received in the housing.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotatable member is a hollow cylinder open at one end to receive said body part.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein an inside surface of said rotatable member is provided inside with a fabric lining for contacting said body part.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fabric lining has a pile, part of the pile extending through the open end of the rotatable member.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein generally frusto-conical collar is provided on the housing about the opening.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said housing is generally spherical.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is resilient.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said housing is of rubber or like material.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said housing forms a suction cup for attaching the device to a human body by suction.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driving means and the rotatable member are mounted in a mounting member mounted in the housing.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting member is a hollow cylinder open at one end thereof, and is mounted in the opening of the housing.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rib is provided on the outside of the mounting member adjacent to the open end thereof, the rib engaging in a groove formed in an inside wall of the housing in the region of the opening.

13. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said driving means comprises an electric motor, and a battery and a pushbutton switch connected electrically in series with said motor.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said switch is located inside the housing and is operative from outside the housing by deforming a part of the housing in the region of the switch.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein a speed reduction gear train is provided to transmit rotational drive from said motor to said rotatable member.

16. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said driving means comprises a spring motor, the shaft of the motor supporting the rotatable member.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said spring motor comprises a pushbutton actuating member which is operative from outside the housing by deforming a part of the housing in the region of the switch.

18. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing