Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02331908 2001-O1-23
Rolling Massage Device Continuous 1-Iotion Reciprocal Drive Structure
13ACKGROI1ND OF THE INVENTION
1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein relates to a rolling massage device continuous motion
reciprocal drive structure for massagers or massage devices installed at the
rear
section of massage-use chairs or the interior section of the pillows that is
capable
of impelling continuous motion as well as reciprocal motion oriented along a
single
axis; the said structure is comprised of a shaft block disposed at each of the
upper
and lower ends of a base plate that provides for the pivoting installation of
the two
ends of a long drive shaft into seat holes and also insertion through the
center
section of a sleeve hole at the lower extent of a bottom mount, and a massage
device sleeved over the center section of the drive shaft, wherein the
imiovative
features are: the upper extent of the center section area of the bottom mount
sleeve
hole provides for the implantation and sleeving in of a cylindrical active
link block
having a double hyphen-profiled guide plate extending from its lower end that
is
inserted into slide tracking grooves; as such, while the drive shaft is being
rotationally driven in a set direction, since the guide plate therein is
forced to
follow in the direction defined by the interior section of the track path, the
bottom
mount equipped with massage components at its top surface is carried into
CA 02331908 2001-O1-23
continuous motion in an axial direction and, furthermore, achieves
continuously
driven reciprocal travel following the crisscrossed configuration of a
clockwise
slide tracking groove and a counter-clockwise slide tracking groove on a
crossed
bi-directional screw rod, and at the end of travel following each axially
oriented
movement forward or backward, automatically alternates direction to achieve
continuously driven reciprocal travel and, furthermore, without requiring the
utilization of a positive and negative electrical polarity switching device,
thereby
avoiding the large current surge instantaneously produced in the motor when
the
positive and negative polarity determining rotational direction is reversed, a
practical function that effectively prolongs the usable service life of the
motor.
2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Since conventional massage devices installed on chairs or the interior
sections of pillows utilized to provide users kneading or pressing back
section
massages must be capable of massaging the entire surface area of the back,
they
must be reciprocal travel drive designs disposed vertically relative to the
back. The
reciprocating carrier device of such conventional massage drive structures
consists
of a pair of a different rotational direction or a single different rotational
direction
rod, belt, chain, or other related means as well as a motor-based forward and
backward rotational direction massage structure or a massager capable of
straight
CA 02331908 2001-O1-23
reciprocal motion.
However, since the said kind of paired and separately driven different
rotational direction carrier device involves the necessity of a complicated
drive
structure that respectively impels a pair of shafts into rotation, this
results in
increased production cost and installation space; as such, there are
manufacturing
and utilization complications that do not comply with practicality.
The other kind of individually driven single rotational direction carrier
device has the rotational direction of its shaft impelled by a direct current
or an
alternating current motor in which each of the two extremities of the
reciprocating
drive shaft must be equipped with an actuation control device capable of a
producing upon every contact a positive and negative polarity reversal that
controls
electrical current to enable the reversal of~ motor rotational direction,
thereby
providing for the switching of the drive shaft into a state of clockwise
rotation or
counter-clockwise rotation and carrying the said massage device forward to the
end
of travel and then reversing it backward or backward to the end of travel and
then
reversing it forward. As such, although such a structural approach has a
production
cost and space occupancy that is advantageously lower than the said kind, each
time the positive and negative polarity is switched during operation, it is
impossible to avoid the generation of instantaneous starting electrical
current
inputs that subject the motor to the continual impact of high and low
fluctuating
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current, resulting in brief random screeching sounds indicative of high torque
loads
that shorten its usable service life. In situations of frequent utilization
and since the
said back section of the massage device is in continuous reciprocal motion,
such
phenomenon causes the motors of such devices to malfunction or burn out and
then
require repair or replacement, results in even more inconvenience, economic
unfeasibility, and impracticality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the invention herein is that since it only requires
the placement and utilization of a single long drive shaft situated between
t<vo shaft
blocks on a base plate and the center section of the drive shaft consists of a
clockwise spiral slide tracking groove and a counter-clockwise spiral slide
tracking
groove in a crisscrossed arrangement and, furthermore, completes a two-ended
cycling crossed bi-directional screw rod, this enables the upper extent of the
center
section area of a bottom mount sleeve hole to provide for the implantation and
sleeving in of a cylindrical active link block having a hyphen-profiled guide
plate
extending from its lower end that is inserted into the slide tracking grooves;
as
such, while the drive shaft is being rotationally driven in a set direction,
slide track
grooves of the said crossed bi-directional screw rod causes the guide plate to
be in
them and since it is forced to follow in the direction defined by the interior
section
,I _._
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of the track path, the bottom mount equipped with massage components at its
top
surface is carried into continuous motion in an axial direction and,
furthermore,
following the slide track clockwise and counter-clockwise, bi-directional, and
spiralled crisscrossed cycling an-angement, automatically alternating the
rotational
direction at the end of travel of each axial direction forward movement or
backward movement to achieve continuously driven reciprocal travel, utilizing
only a single drive motor and drive shaft configuration that is structurally
simple
and economically unique, which is among the innovative features of the
invention
herein.
Another objective of the invention herein is that due the single drive shaft
and set rotational drive operation, the continuous drive of massage base
reciprocal
travel can be achieved without requiring at the two extremities of the drive
shaft
for reciprocating action the installation of an actuation control device
utilized to
control positive and negative polarity reversal and thereby control the
electrical
current reversing of the rotational drive of motor; as such, in addition to a
simplified device and circuitry, since there is no positive and negative
polarity
alternation situation, this prevents large electrical current generated by
instantaneous starting electrical current from impacting the motor to protect
motor
utilization and prolong the usable service life of the motor, thereby offering
advantageous practicality, which is among the innovative features of the
invention
5
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herein.
Yet another objective of the inventii>n herein is that there is an engager
between the motor and the drive shaft for the purpose of controlling single
direction drive rotation, this provides for the user selecting a reverse
polarity input
of electric current, wherein the motor can be driven in the reverse direction
such
that the drive shaft forms a separation-driven relationship set shaft-stopped
state,
causing the massage device to remain stationary at an original position for
the
fixed-point massage operation mode; as such, this increases the operations
variability of the device herein and, furthermore, also provides the
advantages of
simple structure and operation, which is among the innovative features of the
invention herein.
The structure, unique features, functions, and practical objectives of the
invention herein are further elaborated in the brief description of the
drawings
below followed by the detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded drawing of the invention herein.
Figure 2 is an isometric drawing of the invention herein.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional drawing c,~f the invention herein.
Figure 3-A is a magnified view of thc: crossed bi-directional spiralled shaft
b.
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in FIG. 3.
Figure 4-A is an orthographic drawing that illustrates the massage device
reverse movement depicted in I' IG. 3-A (in a state of forward movement).
Figure 4-B is a second orthographic drawing that illustrates the massage
device reverse movement depicted in FIG. 3-A (in a state of rotation).
Figure 4-C is a third orthographic drawing that illustrates the massage
device reverse movement depicted in FIG. 3-A (in a state of backward
movement).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FICJ. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 3-A, the invention herein
addresses a drive structure installed at the rear section of massage-use
chairs or in
the interior section of pillows that is utilized to provide the user back
section
massage applications by enabling the continuous motion as well as reciprocal
motion along a single axial direction of any massager or massage device 2 (the
structural form of the said massage device 2 is unlimited and, furthermore, is
not
an innovative objective of the invention herein); the said drive structure is
comprised of a shafr block 41 disposed at each of the upper and lower ends of
a
base plate 4 that provides for the pivoting installation of the two ends of a
long
drive shaft 3 into seat holes 411 and also inserted through the center section
of a
sleeve hole 21 1 at the Lower extent of a bottom mount 21, and a massage
device 2
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sleeved over the center section of the drive shaft 3, wherein the innovative
features
are:
The center section of the said drive shaft 3 situated between the two shaft
blocks 41 consists of a clockwise spiral slide tracking groove 31 1 and a
counter-
clockwise spiral slide tracking groove 312 in a crisscrossed arrangement and,
fiirthermore, completes a two-ended cycling crossed bi-directional screw rod
31;
and formed downwards from the upper extent of the center section area of the
said
bottom mount 4 sleeve hole 411 is a tubular recess 22 that provides for the
implantation and sleeving in of a cylindrical active link block 23;
furthermore, a
cotter hole 2211 in the center section of a mounting lock cover 221 at its top
section provides for the insertion of a shaft set pin 231 at the top end of
the active
link block 23 enabling the holding of the active link block 23 within the
interior
section of the said tubular recess 22 and, furthermore, extending from the
lower
end of the said active link block 23 is a double hyphen- profiled guide plate
232
that is inserted downwards into any clockwise slide tracking groove 311 or
Gaunter-clockwise slide tracking groove 312.
Referring to FIG. 3-A, FIG. 4-A, FIG. 4-B, and FIG. 4-C, in the said
structure, while the drive shaft 3 is directly rotated or indirectly rotated
in a set
rotationally driven direction by the motor 5 at the rear extent (the two
enmeshed
bevel gears in the drawings illustrate an indirectly driven arrangement), the
said
b_
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crossed bi-directional screw rod 31 is driven into continuous rotation in a
set
direction. As such, since the said guide plate 232 inserted in the clockwise
slide
tracking groove 311 or counter-clockwise slide tracking groove 312 is forced
to
follow in the direction defined by the interior section of the track path, the
bottom
mount 21 of the massage device 2 equipped with other components at its top
surface is carried continuously forward (as shown in FIG. 4-A) or continuously
backward (as shown in FIG. 4-C) in an axial direction; furthermore, since the
two
lateral end sections of the crossed bi-directional screw rod 31 clockwise
slide
tracking groove 311 and counter-clockwise slide tracking groove 312 are in a
cyclical and crisscrossed configuration, therefore, at the end of travel
following
each axially oriented movement forward or backward, the guide plate 232 is
directed into the interior section of the groove oriented towards the opposite
direction (transferred from the clockwise slide tracking groove 311 to the
counter-
clockwise slide tracking groove 312; or, transferred from the counter-
clockwise
slide tracking groove 312 to the clockwise slide tracking groove 31 l, as
shown in
FIG. 4-B), and after automatically alternating its direction of axial
movement,
continues in the direction or the opposite direction along the interior
section of its
track path carrying the bottom mount 21 of the massage device 2 equipped with
other components at its top surface continuously forward or continuously
backward
(as shown in the continuous travel of FIG. 1-A, FIG. 1-B, and FIG. 1-C; or,
the
cj
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continuous travel of FIG. 1-C' to FIG. 1-I3 and FICi. 1-A).
~I7le said structure is capable of a single drive shaft 3 elementary
arrangement having a single driven rotational direction and simplified
operation
that does not require electric current supply directional switching or other
component prerequisites such that its drive shaft 3 carries the massage device
2 in
an axial direction across the back of the user and along entire sections in a
reciprocal travel massage action driven continuously and repeatedly, with the
massage device 2 effectively carried in an automatic operation.
Additionally, when the user wishes to apply a fixed-point massage at a
selected area involving the stopping of operation during the reciprocal travel
of the
massage device 2 (referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 ), the transmissive relationship
of the
enmeshed gears between the motor 5 and the drive shaft 3 is suspended, a
controlling "single direction" drive application is additionally installed
and,
furthermore, the upper and lower two sections of the respective drive teeth
sections
each enmeshed to the front end motor shaft ~A of the motor 5 are transferred
via
the driven teeth 3A engager 51 (a single direction clutch in which the counter-
clockwise direction is disengaged during clockwise driven rotation or the
clockwise direction is disengaged during counter-clockwise driven rotation;
since
this structure is conventionally utilized at the front end of motor shafts, it
will not
be addressed in the description of the invention herein and is only presented
to
1p
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briefly illustrate of the invention herein, with no further elaboration of its
structure)
at the front end of the drive shaft 3.
As such, before the user selects a reverse polarity input of electric current,
the motor 5 rotates in a single direction such that the drive shaft 3 operates
as
previously described, carrying the massage device 2 across the back of the
user in
whole section reciprocal travel to perform a massage (as indicated by the
invisible
line at the engager upper section 51 A engaged with the lower section engager
51 B
which constitutes a state of transmissive engagement.).
After the user selects a reverse polarity input of electric current (for
example, by adding a "fixed-point" selection button on the operating panel and
connecting a reverse polarity electric current operating circuit), the motor 5
can
drive in the reverse direction such that the drive shaft 3 forms a drive-
separation
relationship (as shown by engager upper section 51 A indicated by the solid
line in ,
which is not enmeshed with the lower section engager 51 B and forms a
separation
that precludes a transmissive state) of a set shaft stopped state;
furthermore, since
the massage device 2 remains stationary because it is not yet being carried
and
moved, it is stopped at the said original position for the fixed-point massage
operation; as such, this increases the operations variability of the device
herein and,
furthermore, also has the advantages of simple structure and operation, which
is
among the innovative features of the invention herein.
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In addition, there pan be movement stabilization to effectively assist the
massage device ? during the travel of reciprocal movement by installing fixed
axle
roller wheels 24 at the sides and lower extent of the bottom mount 21 that are
sleeved into travelling position within a matched recessed position-limiting
slide
channel 42 (as indicated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3) disposed in the top
surface
of the base plate 4; this functions as a restrictive retaining structure that
enables the
reciprocal motion of the massage device 2 to be effectively stabilized against
drifting or swaying towards the left and right sides.
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