WO1995001149A1

WO1995001149A1 - Massaging equipment with an endless massage belt

Info

Publication number: WO1995001149A1
Application number: PCT/SI1994/000011
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrej Breznik
Original assignee: Gaby Sport, D.O.O.
Priority date: 1993-06-30
Filing date: 1994-06-30
Publication date: 1995-01-12
Also published as: SI9300352A; AU6987394A

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a special item of massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, which consists of an array of freely-rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements (2). The device according to the invention can be used for massaging various parts of the human body, e.g. the back, and is suitable for autoomatic motor drive or a similar kind of drive. The main part of the massaging equipment according to the invention is a massage belt, consisting of massaging units (1) mounted at right-angles to the direction of movement of the belt, these units (1) being made up of freely-rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements (2) and connected together by means of connecting elements (4) lying in parallel. The latter elements (4) make possible the joining together of the massaging units (1), as well as, at the same time, the movement of the endless massage belt.

Description

MASSAGING EQUIPMENT WITH AN ENDLESS

MASSAGE BELT

The subject of the invention is a special piece of massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, consisting of an array of freely-rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements. The equipment according to the invention can be used for the massaging of various parts of the human body, e.g. the back, and is suitable for automatic motor drive or a similar kind of drive. The invention can be classified into class A 61 H 15/00 of the International patent classification. The technical problem, successfully solved by the proposed invention, is how to design and make a mechanism for achieving a good massage effect which could be driven electrically or by a similar kind of drive, taking into account all the specific requirements for equipment which makes possible the massaging of, particularly, parts of the back of the body, as well as other requirements such as, in particular, safe operation, the use of special materials, etc. The technical problem is further extended to include the design and making of massaging elements whose method of connection should be such that it makes possible their movement while at the same time permitting the free movement of individual parts of the massaging elements.

For the solving of the above-described technical problem, but without the use of a special drive, there exists a hand-held massager, which is described in patent document WO 91/13605. This equipment consists of a massaging roller, which is, as it rotates, supported on a pair of longer holders. The massaging effect is carried out by the man (or woman) working the equipment, who , while leaning against a fairly hard vertical support, moves the massaging roller, by means of the holders, up and down his back. The intensity of the massaging effect depends mainly on the force with which the man or woman carrying out the massage leans against the support. The massaging effect of this equipment is very limited, and the method of applying the massaging effect is complicated.

For the acheiving of a similar effect on less accessible and other parts of the body, more complex pieces of equipment have been developed. One of these is described in the patent document WO 91/12787, where disc-shaped massaging elements, placed at waist height, make possible, as they rotate, the massage effect, which is limited mainly to the region of the waist, whereas, in EP 329 644, a massage bed, by means of which massage of the whole body is made possible, has been described.

In the case of all so far developed pieces of massaging equipment, where there is a requirement for the autonomous movement of the massaging elements, the problem of a simple drive which must at the same time permit the satisfactory functioning of the massaging elements has not yet been successfully solved.

The main part of the massaging equipment according to the invention is a massage belt, which consists of massaging units, placed at right-angles to the direction of motion of the belt, which are made up of freely-rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements. These elements are linked together by means of linking elements, lying in parallel, which make possible the simultaneous linkage of the massaging units as well as the movement of the endless massage belt.

The invention will be explained in greater detail on the basis of the design example and the figures which belong to it. These figures show the following:

Figure 1 an axonometric view, from above, of part of the endless massage belt according to the invention

Figure 2 an axonometric view, from the side, of part of the endless massage belt according to the invention Figure 3 a partial cross-section of the spherical massaging element of the equipment with an endless massage belt according to the invention

Figure 4 a longitudinal cross-section and view A-A of a massaging unit of the equipment with an endless massage belt according to the invention

Figure 5 a schematic drawing of the equipment with an endless massage belt

Figure 1 shows an axonometric view, from above, of part of the endless massage belt according to the invention. As can be seen from the drawing, the massage belt consists of individual massaging units 1 , which are connected together by means of fairly short plate-shaped connecting elements 4. .Each massaging unit 1 consists of a shaft 5, onto which are placed the freely-rotating massaging elements, e.g. in the form of spherically-shaped massaging elements 2, with hemispherically shaped cut-outs 3, on their circumferences. A cross-section of the freely-rotating massaging element 2 is shown in Figure 3, whereas Figure 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section and view A-A of a massaging unit of the equipment with an endless massage belt according to the invention.

The plate-shaped connecting elements 4, which are also shown in Figure 2, have the shape of a fairly thin, oblong rectangle with rounded ends. These elements also have a reduction of thickness at both ends, where the shaft 5 is fitted.

The shaft 5 has, at those places where the massaging elements 2 are fitted, extensions 5' in the form of thin circular discs, which make possible the unhindered rotation of the massaging elements 2.

The endless belt of the massaging equipment with an endless belt according to the invention is made up of the individual massaging units 1 , which consist of freely rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements 2, positioned on the shafts 5, the massaging units 1 being connected together by means of the parallel-lying connecting elements 4.

The endless massage belt, represented by the massaging units 1 connected together by the connecting elements 4, can be fixed between two parallel axes, where two larger gear wheels are positioned. One of the axes is driven by an electrical motor or a similar drive. Such a method of connection is shown schematically in Figure 5.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. For the massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, it is claimed , that it is an endless massage belt, represented by massaging units (1) held together by means of connecting elements (4) and fixed between two separate and parallel axes, where two larger gear wheels are positioned, one of the axes being driven by an electric motor or similar kind of drive

2. For the massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, according to claim 1 , it is claimed , that it is an endless massage belt, consisting of massaging units (1) placed at right-angles to the direction of movement of the belt, these units consisting of freely-rotating spherically-shaped massaging elements placed on shafts (5), the massaging units being connected together by means of parallel-lying connecting elements (4).

3. For the massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, according to claim 2, it is claimed, that the massaging elements (2) have on their circumferences hemispherical cut-outs (3).

4. For the massaging equipment with an endless massage belt, according to claims 2 and 3, it is claimed, that it has shafts (5) with extensions (5') in the shape of thin circular discs, so that the massaging elements (2) fit onto them.