GB2267821A

GB2267821A - Chair with a massager for the feet

Info

Publication number: GB2267821A
Application number: GB9212160A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chin-Chung Chien
Original assignee: CHIEN CHIN CHUNG
Current assignee: CHIEN CHIN CHUNG
Priority date: 1992-06-09
Filing date: 1992-06-09
Publication date: 1993-12-22
Also published as: FR2692478A3; GB9212160D0

Abstract

A chair equipped with a massager for the soles of the feet has a seat on a vertical post connected to a base consisting of several hollow supporting bars which radially extend from a lower end of the post. The massager is mounted in at least one of the bars, and consists of an electric motor (2), driving a shaft (6) and cams (8) mounted thereon. The cams drive springs (14) disposed below an upper panel of the supporting bar, which move massaging rods (12) by means of springs, up and down through holes (10) in the upper panel to massage the soles of the feet when they are resting on the upper panel. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: CHAIR WITH A SOLE MASSAGER FOR HUMAN FEET The present invention relates to a chair with a sole massager for human feet and, more particularly, to a chair having a base consisting of a plurality of supporting bars among which at least one is equipped with a sole massager for human feet.

Various massaging chairs have been devised in order to massage human necks or backs. In fact, some sole massager for human feet have been devised in order to massage the soles of human feet. To use a sole massager of this type, a person first sits on a chair. Then, one gently places his or her legs on the sole massager if slight massaging is required, or firmly places his or her legs on the sole massager if strong massaging is required. If he or she exerts a stronger force on the sole massager for human feet, then the sole massager in turn exerts a stronger reaction to him or her. Because the sole massager and the chair are two isolated entities, the user, together with the chair, may drift away from the massager as more force is exerted on the massager. Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve this problem.

The present invention provides a chair equipped with a sole massager for human feet. Similar to any ordinary chairs, the chair has a seat which is connected with a base by means of a post. The base consists of a plurality of supporting bars which radially extend therefrom. Each supporting bar is hollow. A sole massager for human feet is mounted in at least one of the supporting bars. The sole massager for human feet has a motor, a shaft which is rotated by the motor, a plurality of cams which are mounted on the shaft, a plurality of springs which are disposed below an upper panel of the supporting bar and a plurality of rods which are each urged by means of a cam and a corresponding spring to move up and down along a rectilinear path to massage human soles.

For a complete understanding of the present invention and objects thereof, a study of the detailed description of the embodiments described hereinafter should be made in relation to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, showing a person sitting on a chair with a sole massager for human feet in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a sole massager for human feet in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a partially cross-sectional view of a sole -massager for human feet in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and-,- more particularly, to Fig.

1, a person sits on a chair which is equipped with a sole massager for human feet in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The chair has a seat on which the person sits. The seat is connected with a base by means of a post. As shown in Fig. 1, the base has five supporting bars which radially extend therefrom.

Referring to Fig. 2, each supporting bar is hollow and consists of upper and lower sections. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the upper and lower sections are connected with each other by means of a plurality of screws or any other appropriate means.

The lower section is an elongated plate. A motor 2 is mounted on the lower section by a plurality of screws or any other appropriate means. From the lower section extends a plurality of tabs 4 which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the mandrel of the motor 2. Each tab 4 is formed with a semicircular cutout. A shaft 6 is formed as an extension of the mandrel of the motor 2 and extends over the tabs 4. The semi-circular cutouts of the tabs 4 bears the shaft 6 which is rotated by the motor 2. A plurality of cams 8 are mounted on the shaft 6, so that they are rotated synchronously with the shaft 6 by means of the motor 2.

The semi-circular cutouts of the tabs 4 are adapted for bearing the shaft 6. Therefore, the tabs 4 can be replaced by at least an ordinary bearing, i.e., a ball bearing or a roller bearing. If only a bearing is employed, the bearing is preferably mounted at a free end of the shaft 6. If more than a bearing is employed, the bearings are mounted between the cams 8.

The upper section defines a horizontal upper panel which is formed with a plurality of holes 10. Each hole 10 is in alignment with a corresponding cam 8.

A plurality of rods 12 each have a first end, a second end and a middle portion connecting the first end with the second end. The first end is formed into a hemisphere for comfortably massaging soles of the person sitting on the chair. A gap axially extends into the second end, thereby forming the second end into two separated inserts. A diameter of the first end is greater than a diameter of the second end and the diameter of the second end is greater than a diameter of the middle portion. The diameter of the second end is identical to a diameter of the hole 10.

A cap-shaped element 16 defines a top which defines a hole 18 and a periphery which extends around the top. A diameter of the hole 18 is identical to the diameter of the middle portion of the rod 12. An inner diameter of the periphery of the cap-shaped element 16 is identical to the diameter of the second end of the rod 12.

Preferably the diameter of the second end is slightly greater than the diameter of the middle portion of the rod 12, i.e., the diameter of the second end of the rod 12 is only slightly greater than the diameter of the hole 10.

Thus, the second end of the rod 12 can be urged through the hole 10 as the separated inserts of the second end of the rod 12 can be urged towards each other. Then, the second -end of the rod 12 is -inserted through a spring 14 which has an inner diameter identical to the diameter of the middle portion of the rod 12. Similarly, the second end of the rod 12 is inserted through the hole 18 and securely received in the cap-shaped element 16.

Referring to Fig. 3, a plurality of batteries 20 are employed for supplying the motor 2 with power. Each spring 14 is disposed between the upper panel and a corresponding cap-shaped element 16 to thereby bias the second end of a corresponding rod 12 to abut a corresponding cam 8. Thus, the cam 8 and the spring 14 cooperate with each other to urge the rod 12 to move up and down along a rectilinear path when the shaft 6 is rotated by means of the motor 2. As a result, the second end of the rod 12, which is a hemisphere, massages a human sole.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the second end of the rod 12, which is formed into two inserts, and the cap-shaped element 16 cooperate with each other to retain the spring 14 between the upper panel and the second end of the rod 12. In accordance with another embodiment, the second end of the rod 12 has a threading. The second end of the rod 12 is inserted through the hole 10 and the spring 14. The threading of the rod 12 is secured in a nut, thereby disposing the spring between the horizontal panel and the second end of the rod 12. Other devices can be employed as long as the spring can be disposed between the horizontal panel and the second end of the rod 12.

While the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification. Therefore, the present invention is intended to cover all such variations as shall fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A chair with a sole massager for human feet, having a seat connected with a base by means of a post, the improvement comprising: said base having a plurality of hollow supporting bars each defining a horizontal upper panel defining a plurality of holes; at least one motor mounted in at least one said hollow supporting bar; a shaft rotated by means of said motor; a plurality of cams mounted on said shaft in alignment with said holes of said hollow supporting bar; a plurality of rods each defining an enlarged first end at a first side of the upper panel and an enlarged second end at a second side of the upper panel; a plurality of springs each disposed between said upper panel and said enlarged second end of one said rod; each spring cooperates with one said cam for moving one said rod up and down along a rectilinear-path when said shaft is rotated by means of said motor.

2. A chair in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hollow supporting bar further comprIses a plurality of tabs which are each formed with a cutout for bearing said shaft.

3. A chair in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least a bearing for bearing said shaft.

4. A chair in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second end of said rod is formed into two opposite inserts which can be urged towards each other to thereby be inserted and received in a cap-shaped element for retaining said spring between said upper panel and said second end of said rod.

5. A chair in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second end of said rod has a threading which is engaged with a nut for retaining said spring between said upper panel and said second end of said rod.

6. A chair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.