Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-15
2001-04-10
DeMille, Danton D. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C601S093000, C601S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213962
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a roller massaging mechanism capable of performing a variety of massaging operations for a human and massaging apparatus incorporating such mechanism.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional massaging apparatus incorporating a roller massaging mechanism include a bed-type one as described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. SHO 59-28963 and a relatively compact stationary-type one as described, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication HEI No. 4-78307 or Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. HEI 2-109628.
The bed-type massaging apparatus includes a roller massaging mechanism which is shiftable in the longitudinal direction of the bed. The massaging mechanism comprises a transversely extending rotary shaft capable of moving longitudinally of the bed, and a pair of right and left massaging rollers mounted on the rotary shaft as slanted relative to the axis of the rotary shaft, the rollers being slanted opposite to each other.
The aforementioned stationary-type massaging apparatus comprises a compact stationary-type casing having an opening oriented upward and a roller massaging mechanism disposed in the casing. In this arrangement, the roller massaging mechanism comprises a rotary shaft rotatably supported by the casing, and a pair of right and left disc-shaped massaging rollers mounted on the rotary shaft at an intermediate location corresponding to the opening, the pair of right and left massaging rollers being mounted as slanted relative to the axis of the rotary shaft in opposite directions.
Since the pair of right and left massaging rollers are slanted opposite to each other in the roller massaging mechanism, the distance between the peripheries of the massaging rollers is widened and narrowed as the rotary shaft rotates, whereby when the massaging rollers are pressed against an affected part of a user, they perform a kneading massage.
In the conventional roller massaging mechanism, however, the pair of right and left massaging rollers are fixed on the rotary shaft as slanted opposite to each other and, hence, the slanting direction of each roller relative to the rotary shaft cannot be varied, thus providing the kneading massage only.
Accordingly, the conventional massaging mechanism capable of performing only the kneading massage with the pair of right and left slanted massaging rollers cannot meet users' diversified needs and tends to let users lose their interest easily.
Although a variety of massaging apparatus performing various massaging operations as well as the kneading massage have been suggested, such massaging apparatus generally have a complicated structure in the drive system of massaging members or in the control program for performing various massaging operations and, hence, are large in size and expensive.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a roller massaging mechanism which can perform, as well as the kneading massage, other massaging operations with a less complicated structure, and massaging apparatus incorporating such mechanism.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention provides the following technical means to attain the above objects.
A roller massaging mechanism according to the present invention is of a type having a pair of right and left massaging rollers mounted on an intermediate portion of a rotary shaft in a slanted fashion relative to an axis of the rotary shaft, and includes switching means for selectively switching the position of the pair of right and left massaging rollers into one of a kneading position where the pair of massaging rollers are slanted opposite to each other and a non-kneading position where they are slanted parallel with each other.
The switching means may be, for example, a mechanical structure in which the position of the massaging rollers is changed by switching the rotational direction of the rotary shaft (for example, a half-turn clutch as described later), but is not limited to this structure.
With this arrangement, when the massaging rollers are slanted in the same direction to assume the non-kneading position, the outer peripheries of the massaging rollers move their points of contact with an affected part to the right and left while maintaining a predetermined spacing therebetween, resulting in a massaging operation other than the kneading massage.
On the other hand, when the rotary shaft is rotated with the massaging rollers assuming the kneading position, the outer peripheries of the massaging rollers move their points of contact with the affected part toward and away from each other, thereby performing the kneading massage relative to the affected part.
The present invention recommends that the pair of right and left massaging rollers be mounted eccentrically relative to the rotary shaft such that a portion of one massaging roller which is closer to a corresponding portion of the other massaging roller becomes more distant from the rotary shaft than a portion of said one massaging roller which is more distant from a corresponding portion of said other massaging roller.
With this eccentric arrangement, rotation of the rotary shaft with the massaging rollers in the non-kneading position causes the massaging rollers to perform a massaging operation such that the respective outer peripheries of the massaging rollers repeatedly reciprocate against an affected part alternately with each other. When the rotary shaft rotates at a relatively low speed, such alternating reciprocation of the outer peripheries of the massaging rollers is equivalent to pressing the affected part slowly (finger pressure-like massage) while when the rotary shaft rotates at a relatively high speed, it is equivalent to tapping the affected part (tapping massage).
Accordingly, the present invention provides not only the kneading massage but also the finger pressure-like massage or the tapping massage by the use of the massaging rollers only, thereby realizing the roller massaging mechanism capable of performing the kneading massage and other massaging operations with a less complicated structure and lower cost.
The change of the rotational speed of the rotary shaft can be achieved by imparting the drive means with a function of varying the rotational speed of the rotary shaft to at least two levels when the pair of right and left massaging rollers are in the non-kneading position.
More specific modes of the roller massaging mechanism according to the present invention are as follows.
The rotary shaft according to the present invention may be divided into a first shaft portion supporting one massaging roller and a second shaft portion supporting the other massaging roller and disposed coaxially with the first shaft portion. In this case, the switching means may comprise a half-turn clutch which restricts relative rotation between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion to about a half turn.
In this arrangement, when the direction of the rotation of, for example, the first shaft portion is switched by the drive means, the position of the second shaft portion relative to the first shaft portion for rotation is changed by a half turn. Thus, the position of the massaging rollers can be switched to one of the kneading position and the non-kneading position selectively by simply rotating the rotary shaft forwardly or backwardly by means of the drive means, thereby extremely facilitating the switching and controlling of the position of the massaging rollers.
More specifically, the half-turn clutch may include a tubular member unrotatably and coaxially secured to an end portion of the second shaft portion and defining in an outer periphery thereof a transverse slot having a length circumferentially of the tubular member which corresponds to the half turn; and a stopper pin projecting radially outwardly of an end portion of the first shaft portion rotatably and coaxially inserted into the tubular member and having a tip portion staying within the tra
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Daito Electric Machine Industry Company Limited
DeMille Danton D.
Pothier Denise
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