Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-04-02
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C601S101000, C601S102000, C601S090000, C601S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06364850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a massage device for a chair-type massage apparatus, more particularly to a massage device capable of performing combined tapping and kneading massaging actions.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a massage apparatus for mounting in the backrest of a chair. The massage apparatus includes a parallel pair of upright guiding rails
111
extending upwardly from on a horizontal platform
112
, a screw rod
12
mounted rotatably on the platform
12
and extending upwardly there from and a slide seat
13
mounted on the screw rod
12
and slidable upwardly and downwardly along the guiding rails
111
. A first motor
16
is mounted on the platform
112
for driving rotation of the screw rod
12
. A conventional massage device
2
is mounted on the slide frame
13
, and is driven by a second motor
14
mounted on the slide frame
13
.
With further reference to
FIG. 2
, the conventional massage device
2
includes two casing halves which cooperatively form a hollow casing
21
, and a rotary drive shaft
221
disposed uprightly in the hollow casing
21
and coupled to the second motor
14
by means of a pulley
17
and a transmission belt
141
disposed on the pulley
17
. The drive shaft
221
is driven by the second motor
14
to rotate axially in the hollow casing
2
. The casing
2
has horizontal upper and lower output shafts
231
,
232
extending transversely therethrough. An upper gear set includes an upper drive gear
225
sleeved co-axially on the drive shaft
221
, and an upper driven gear
233
meshing with the upper drive gear
225
and sleeved rigidly on the upper output shaft
231
. A lower gear set includes a lower drive gear
226
sleeved co-axially on the drive shaft
221
, and a lower driven gear
234
meshing with the lower drive gear
226
and sleeved rigidly on the lower output shaft
232
. A first unidirectional bearing
223
is disposed between the drive shaft
221
and the upper drive gear
225
, and is operable to transmit rotation in only a first direction. A second unidirectional bearing
224
is disposed between the drive shaft
221
and the lower drive gear
226
, and is operable to transmit rotation in only a second direction opposite to the first direction. Two linkage units
24
are disposed on opposite sides of the hollow casing
21
. Each linkage unit
24
has an upper linking plate
241
connected pivotally to the upper output shaft
231
at one end and mounted rotatably with a massage wheel
243
at the other end, a lower linking rod
242
with a lower end connected pivotally to the lower output shaft
232
, and an upper end mounted pivotally on an intermediate portion of the linking plate
241
.
When the drive shaft
221
is rotated in the first direction, the first unidirectional bearing
223
engages and rotates with the drive shaft
221
to cause corresponding rotation of the upper output shaft
231
via the upper gear set, whereas the second unidirectional bearing
224
prevents rotation of the drive shaft
221
from being transmitted to the lower gear set. Rotation of the upper output shaft
231
causes the upper linking plates
241
to move reciprocatingly to enable the massaging wheels
243
to exert a kneading massaging action on the back of a user seated on the chair that incorporates the massage device
2
. On the other hand, when the drive shaft
221
is rotated in the second direction, the second unidirectional bearing
224
engages and rotates with the drive shaft
221
to cause corresponding rotation of the lower output shaft
232
via the lower gear set, whereas the first unidirectional bearing
223
prevents rotation of the drive shaft
221
from being transmitted to the upper gear set. Rotation of the lower output shaft
232
causes the lower linking rod
242
to move reciprocatingly and to push and pull the upper linking plate
241
so as to enable the massaging wheels
243
to exert a tapping massaging action on the back of the user. It is noted that the tapping massaging action and the kneading massaging action are performed separately by driving the drive shaft
221
to rotate in opposite directions. When performing the tapping massaging action, each of the massaging wheels
243
taps at a certain area on the back of the user, and thus moves along a linear route during upward or downward sliding of the slide frame
13
along the guiding rails
111
, as shown in FIG.
3
. It is desirable to diversify the massaging action performed by the massage device and to expand the area on which the massaging action is exerted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a massage device capable of performing combined tapping and kneading massaging actions.
Accordingly, the massage device of the present invention includes a hollow casing, a drive shaft, parallel upper and lower output shafts, upper and lower gear sets, a unidirectional bearing, a pair of linkage units, and a pair of massaging wheels. The drive shaft is disposed uprightly in the hollow casing, and is rotatable axially in opposite first and second directions. The upper and lower output shafts are disposed transversely in the hollow casing, and have opposite end portions that extend out of the hollow casing and that are disposed respectively on opposite lateral sides of the hollow casing. The upper gear set includes an upper drive gear sleeved rigidly on the drive shaft so as to be co-rotatable with the drive shaft in the first and second directions, and an upper driven gear meshing with the upper drive gear and connected rigidly to the upper output shaft so as to permit rotation of the upper output shaft together with the drive shaft when the drive shaft rotates in each of the first and second directions. The lower gear set includes a lower drive gear disposed coaxially on the drive shaft below the upper drive gear, and a lower driven gear meshing with the lower drive gear and connected rigidly to the lower output shaft. The unidirectional bearing is provided on the drive shaft, and is disposed between the drive shaft and the lower drive gear. The unidirectional bearing prevents rotation of the drive shaft from being transmitted to the lower output shaft when the drive shaft rotates in the first direction, and permits rotation of the drive shaft to be transmitted to the lower output shaft via the lower gear set when the drive shaft rotates in the second direction. The linkage units are disposed respectively on the lateral sides of the hollow casing, and are mounted on the end portions of the upper and lower output shafts. The massaging wheels are mounted respectively on the linkage units.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4615336 (1986-10-01), Fijimoto
patent: 4718408 (1988-01-01), Barreiro
patent: 5052376 (1991-10-01), Yamasaki
patent: 5179940 (1993-01-01), Barreiro
patent: 5464382 (1995-11-01), Wang
patent: 5877570 (1999-03-01), Chen
patent: 5971944 (1999-10-01), Chang
patent: 6099487 (2000-08-01), Chen
patent: 6283928 (2001-09-01), Wang
Chapman Jeanette
Koo Benjamin K.
Ladas & Parry
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