Massage machine

Abstract

The invention provides a massage machine which can enable a treatment applying component to move more complexly so as to apply various massage stimuli which are not bored. The massage machine of the present invention is provided with: a treatment member (2) including a treatment shaft (21); a linear motion mechanism (3) for reciprocating the treatment member (2) in the axial direction of the treatment shaft (21); a rotational movement mechanism (4) for rotating the treatment member (2) around the axis of the treatment shaft (21); and a motor (5) serving as a driving source of the linear motion mechanism (3) and the rotary motion mechanism (4). The therapeutic member (2) is configured to perform linear motion and rotary motion at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a massager having movable therapeutic components that apply physical stimulation to a user. Background Technology

[0002] Prior art documents concerning such massagers include, for example, Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a handheld massage device comprising a rod-shaped handheld portion and a head formed in a crossed shape at the front end of the handheld portion. A pair of tapping massage components (treatment components) are provided at the front end of the head. Inside the head, a drive motor serving as the drive source for the tapping massage components is housed, along with a motion conversion mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the drive motor's output shaft into the forward and backward motion of the tapping massage components. When the drive motor is driven, the tapping massage components move linearly forward and backward relative to the head.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-282322 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the massage device of Patent Document 1, massage stimulation can be applied to the human body surface by pressing a linearly moving treatment component (tapping massage component) against the surface of the human body. However, the massage stimulation applied to the user by the massage device of Patent Document 1 is only one type of massage stimulation generated by the linear movement of the treatment component, thus providing a monotonous massage stimulation to the user and failing to provide a high level of satisfaction. In addition, since only one type of massage stimulation is applied, it is also disadvantageous in terms of difficulty in obtaining a massage effect.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a massage machine that enables more complex movements of the therapeutic components, thereby providing the user with a variety of massage stimuli that will not become tiresome.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] The massager of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a treatment component 2 including a treatment axis 21; a linear motion mechanism 3 for reciprocating the treatment component 2 along the axial direction of the treatment axis 21; a rotary motion mechanism 4 for rotating the treatment component 2 about the axis of the treatment axis 21; and a motor 5 serving as the drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4, wherein the treatment component 2 is configured to perform both linear and rotary motion simultaneously.

[0011] The front end of the treatment component 2 is located at one end of the massager along its length, and the center of gravity of the motor 5 is located at the other end of the massager along its length.

[0012] The output shaft 14 of the motor 5 is provided with a linear drive gear 15 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 and a rotary drive gear 16 constituting the rotary motion mechanism 4. The linear drive gear 15 is disposed at the base end of the output shaft 14, and the rotary drive gear 16 is disposed at the front end of the output shaft 14.

[0013] The linear motion mechanism 3 includes: a linear drive gear 15, which rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5; a linear driven gear 30, which meshes with the linear drive gear 15 and rotates; and an eccentric cam 33, which converts the rotational power of the linear driven gear 30 into reciprocating power.

[0014] The rotary motion mechanism 4 includes a rotary drive gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary drive gear 16 and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment component 2.

[0015] The driven gear 28 is formed to be longer than the driving gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is located at one end of the travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is located at the other end of the travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction.

[0016] The rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be longer than the rotary driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is located at one end of the travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is located at the other end of the travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction.

[0017] The circumferential surface of the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 is surrounded by the inner frame 42, and the radial floating of the output shaft 14 is restricted. The rotary drive gear 16 constituting the rotary motion mechanism 4 is fixed to the front end of the output shaft 14 protruding from the inner frame 42 and is supported by the support surface 53 provided on the surface of the inner frame 42 so that it can rotate.

[0018] The treatment shaft 21 of the treatment component 2 is supported by the shaft support 25 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3, so that it can rotate relative to the axis of the treatment shaft 21 and reciprocate along the axis. A return spring 36 is provided to apply force to the treatment shaft 21 in the direction of approaching the shaft support 25.

[0019] A pair of treatment components 2 are arranged side by side. Each treatment component 2 has a treatment element 57 that is inclined relative to the treatment axis 21 at its front end. The treatment element 57 of at least one treatment component 2 is configured to change the inclination direction relative to the treatment axis 21.

[0020] A pair of treatment components 2 are arranged side by side. The rotary motion mechanism 4 includes a rotary drive gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary drive gear 16 and rotates. The rotary driven gear 28 is provided on the treatment shaft 21 of either treatment component 2. The two treatment shafts 21 of the two treatment components 2 are respectively provided with mutually meshing transmission gears 70.

[0021] The driven gear 28 is formed to be longer than the driving gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is located at one end of the travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is located at the other end of the travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction.

[0022] The rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be longer than the rotary driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is located at one end of the travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is located at the other end of the travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction.

[0023] The time required for the treatment component 2 to reciprocate once via the linear motion mechanism 3 is the same as the time required for the treatment component 2 to rotate once via the rotary motion mechanism 4. The linear motion mechanism 3 causes each treatment component 2 to reciprocate between the extended position and the retracted position along the treatment axis 21. A pair of treatment components 2 simultaneously reach the extended position, at which moment the distance between the front ends of the treatment components 2 is minimal. A pair of treatment components 2 simultaneously reach the retracted position, at which moment the distance between the front ends of the treatment components 2 is maximum.

[0024] Invention Effects

[0025] The massager of the present invention includes: a treatment component 2 comprising a treatment axis 21; a linear motion mechanism 3 for reciprocating the treatment component 2 along the axial direction of the treatment axis 21; a rotary motion mechanism 4 for rotating the treatment component 2 about the axis of the treatment axis 21; and a motor 5 serving as the drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4. If the treatment component 2 is configured to simultaneously perform linear and rotary motions, then by pressing the treatment component 2 onto the surface of the human body, massage stimulation caused by both the linear and rotary motions of the treatment component 2 can be applied to the surface of the human body. Therefore, compared to conventional massage devices where the treatment component only performs linear motion, a wider variety of massage stimulations can be applied to the user, making the massage more effective. Since the stimulation applied to the user can be made more enjoyable, user satisfaction can be increased, and boredom can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional front view of the main part of the massage machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is the front view of the massage machine.

[0028] Figure 3 It is a longitudinal sectional front view of the treatment component in the extended position and its surroundings.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional front view of the linear motion mechanism of the treatment component.

[0030] Figure 5 It is a longitudinal sectional front view of the treatment component in the retracted position and its surroundings.

[0031] Figure 6 It is a top view showing the rotation direction and trajectory of the treatment pin at the front end of the treatment component.

[0032] Figure 7 This is an exploded three-dimensional view of the treatment pin at the front end of the treatment component.

[0033] Figure 8 This is the front view when a treatment pin is reversed and reinstalled.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a longitudinal sectional front view of the massage device and its surroundings according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 10 It is a top view showing the rotation direction and trajectory of the treatment pin at the front end of the treatment component.

[0036] Figure 11 This is a front view of the massage device and its surroundings according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 12 This is a front view of the treatment component and motion mechanism of the massage machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 13 This is a front view of the massage device and its motion mechanism according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 14 This is a side view of the treatment component and motion mechanism of the massage machine according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing a modified example of the treatment pin at the front end of the treatment component. Detailed Implementation

[0041] (First Implementation)

[0042] Figures 1 to 8 This describes the first embodiment of the massager of the present invention. In this embodiment, front and back, left and right, and up and down are... Figure 2 The crossed arrows shown, along with the markings near each arrow indicating front / back, left / right, and up / down, are displayed. The same applies thereafter in the second embodiment described below.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the massager has a generally cylindrical outer shell 1 that is slender from top to bottom, and a pair of left and right treatment components 2 that are partially exposed from the upper surface of the outer shell 1. Inside the outer shell 1 are a linear motion mechanism 3 that causes the treatment components 2 to reciprocate along an axis in the vertical direction, a rotary motion mechanism 4 that causes the treatment components 2 to rotate around an axis, a motor 5 with a reducer that serves as the drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4, and a battery 6 that supplies power to the motor 5. The battery 6 can be either a primary battery or a secondary battery.

[0044] The outer casing 1 tapers gently from its center along its length (vertical direction) to its lower portion, forming a handle that is easy for the user to grip. In this embodiment, the relatively heavy motor 5 and battery 6 are positioned near the lower side of the outer casing 1, and the center of gravity of the massager is located in its lower half, thus avoiding the user's weight when holding the handle of the outer casing 1. The outer casing 1 of this embodiment is composed of a cylindrical casing body 9 occupying more than half of its length, an upper cover 10 blocking the opening on the upper side of the casing body 9, and a lower cover 11 blocking the opening on the lower side of the casing body 9. The casing body 9 and the lower cover 11 have circular cross-sections, while the cross-section of the upper cover 10 changes continuously from circular to elliptical from the lower end to the upper end.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, the motor 5 is provided with an output shaft 14 that rotates at a speed reduced by a reducer. The output shaft 14 extends upward from the upper surface of the motor 5, and a linear drive gear 15 is provided at the lower end of the output shaft 14, while a rotary drive gear 16 is provided at the upper end. The output shaft 14 is composed of a relatively short shaft base end 17 between the motor 5 and the linear drive gear 15, and a relatively long shaft front end 18 extending upward from the linear drive gear 15. However, in this invention, the output shaft 14 may also be composed of a single shaft, and the reducer of the motor 5 may be omitted.

[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, each treatment component 2 includes a cylindrical treatment shaft 21 extending vertically within the housing 1 and a treatment pin 22 mounted at the front end (upper end) of the treatment shaft 21. The treatment shaft 21 is formed as a double-layer structure with a stainless steel (metal) core 23 covered by a plastic sheath 24. A shaft support 25 supporting the treatment component 2 from below is disposed on the lower side of each treatment shaft 21. The lower end of the core 23 of the treatment shaft 21 protrudes downward beyond the lower surface of the sheath 24 and is inserted into a connecting hole 26 recessed in the upper surface of the shaft support 25, thereby supporting the entire treatment component 2 by the shaft support 25. The core 23 is formed as a cylindrical rod and is inserted with a certain margin relative to the connecting hole 26. Therefore, the entire treatment shaft 21 including the core 23 can rotate relative to the shaft support 25 and can move vertically. In addition, in this invention, the raw materials of the core 23 and the sheath 24 are not limited to metal and plastic. Furthermore, the treatment axis 21 can be configured to consist only of the sheath 24, with the core 23 fixed to the axis support 25 as part of it, so that the treatment axis 21 consisting only of the sheath 24 can rotate relative to the core 23 and can move up and down.

[0047] The treatment shaft 21 extends parallel to the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary drive gear 16 is integrally provided at the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the sheath 24. These rotary drive gears 16 and driven gears 28 constitute a rotary motion mechanism 4 that transmits the rotational power of the motor 5 (output shaft 14) to the treatment component 2. The treatment component 2, which transmits rotational power from the rotary motion mechanism 4, rotates about the axis of the treatment shaft 21 that extends vertically. In this embodiment, the rotary drive gear 16 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above, integral with the output shaft 14, and the pair of treatment components 2 rotate in the opposite direction to the output shaft 14, i.e., clockwise.

[0048] like Figure 4As shown, a pair of linear driven gears 30 mesh with linear driving gears 15, and each linear driven gear 30 is supported by a horizontal gear shaft 31 that is orthogonal to the output shaft 14 and extends in the left-right direction. The linear driving gear 15 is a general spur gear, while the linear driven gears 30 are composed of planar gears with annular tooth rows formed on one surface of the disk. Furthermore, these spur gears and planar gears can also be replaced with meshing bevel gears, etc.

[0049] An eccentric pin 32, eccentric to the gear shaft 31, protrudes from the other side of each linear driven gear 30. The eccentric pin 32 is connected to the shaft support 25 supporting the treatment component 2 via an eccentric cam 33. The eccentric cam 33 is formed to be longer in the vertical direction. Its upper end is rotatably connected to the shaft support 25, and its lower end is rotatably connected to the eccentric pin 32 (linear driven gear 30). Therefore, the rotational power of each linear driven gear 30 is converted into reciprocating power in the vertical direction by the eccentric cam 33 and transmitted to the shaft support 25. The linear drive gear 15, the linear driven gear 30, the eccentric cam 33, and the shaft support 25 constitute a linear motion mechanism 3 that converts the rotational power of the motor 5 (output shaft 14) into reciprocating power and transmits it to the treatment component 2. The phase of the eccentric pin 32 of a pair of linear driven gears 30 is the same relative to the gear shaft 31, so a pair of treatment components 2 rise and fall repeatedly at the same time. The speed at which each treatment component 2 moves up and down is highest in the middle of its travel and lowest at both ends.

[0050] When the eccentric pin 32 rises due to the rotation of the linear driven gear 30, the eccentric cam 33 and shaft support 25 connected to it also rise in conjunction, pushing the treatment component 2 upwards. Conversely, when the eccentric pin 32 descends, the eccentric cam 33 and shaft support 25 descend in conjunction with the eccentric pin 32, but the treatment component 2 is not pulled down by the shaft support 25; instead, it is lowered by the force exerted by the return spring 36 wound around and mounted on the treatment shaft 21. Figure 1 As shown, the return spring 36 is a compression coil spring that always applies force to the treatment component 2 in the direction of downward movement, i.e., retraction into the housing 1. It is disposed within the housing 1 between a ring-shaped spring seat 37 located on the outer circumferential surface of the treatment shaft 21 and the horizontal top wall 38 of the upper cover 10 of the housing 1. This return spring 36 also forms part of a linear motion mechanism 3 that causes the treatment component 2 to reciprocate in the vertical direction. The spring seat 37 is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the rotary driven gear 28. A pair of left and right shaft insertion holes 39 are provided in the top wall 38, allowing the treatment shaft 21 to pass through. The shaft insertion holes 39 are formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the treatment shaft 21 and smaller than the outer diameter of the return spring 36, limiting the horizontal (radial) floating of the treatment shaft 21 relative to the housing 1.

[0051] The length of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction (vertical direction) is set to be greater than the vertical travel of the treatment component 2, so that the driving gear 16 and the driven gear 28 mesh with each other regardless of the vertical position of the treatment component 2. That is, when the treatment component 2 is in the extended position, which is the upper end of the travel (see reference...), the driving gear 16 meshes with the driven gear 28. Figure 1 When the driving gear 16 is engaged with the lower end of the driven gear 28, the treatment component 2 is in the retracted position, which is the lower end of the travel stroke (see reference). Figure 5 When the rotational drive gear 16 engages with the upper end of the rotational driven gear 28, the rotational drive gear 16 meshes with the upper end of the rotational driven gear 28.

[0052] An internal frame 42 is arranged around the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 for supporting the output shaft 14 and the like. The internal frame 42 consists of a lower frame 43 covering the motor 5 from above, a middle frame 44 connected to the upper side of the lower frame 43, an upper frame 45 connected to the upper side of the middle frame 44, and a pair of horizontal frames 46 located on the left and right sides of the middle frame 44 and the upper frame 45. The entire internal frame 42 is held by the outer casing 1 from the left and right. A lower longitudinal hole 49 in the vertical direction is formed in the lower frame 43 to allow the shaft base end 17 of the output shaft 14 to pass through. A vertically elongated middle longitudinal hole 50 and an upper longitudinal hole 51 are also formed in the middle frame 44 and the upper frame 45 to allow the shaft front end 18 to pass through. In order to limit the radial floating of the shaft front end 18 and even the output shaft 14, the inner diameter of the middle longitudinal hole 50 and the upper longitudinal hole 51 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft front end 18. A cylindrical boss 52 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the inner frame 42, surrounding the front end 18 of the output shaft 14. The protruding end face of the boss 52 functions as a support surface 53 that rotatably supports the lower surface of the rotary drive gear 16. A washer or the like for good sliding can also be arranged between the rotary drive gear 16 and the support surface 53.

[0053] In the components constituting the linear motion mechanism 3, the linear drive gear 15 is housed in the space between the lower frame 43 and the middle frame 44, the linear driven gear 30 is housed in the space surrounded by the middle frame 44, and the eccentric cam 33 is housed in the space between the middle frame 44 and the cross frame 46. One end of the gear shaft 31 of the linear driven gear 30 (the center side of the housing 1) is supported by the middle frame 44, and the other end of the gear shaft 31 (the outer periphery side of the housing 1) is supported by the cross frame 46. In addition, the shaft support 25 is guided by the guide hole 54 provided in the vertical direction of the upper frame 45 so that it can only move up and down relative to the upper frame 45.

[0054] like Figure 3As shown, the treatment pin 22 consists of a cap-shaped treatment element 57 that applies stimulation through contact with the user's skin and a support 58 that supports the treatment element 57. The treatment element 57 is made of a soft resin or similar material with a good skin feel and is formed into a hollow, circular cross-section, bell-shaped, or dome-shaped form. The treatment element 57 can be attached to and detached from the support 58, and if the treatment element 57 becomes dirty or worn, only the treatment element 57 can be replaced. This pair of treatment pins 22 is surrounded by an elongated cylindrical protective tube 59 that is connected to the upper surface of the outer casing 1 (upper cover 10). When the treatment component 2 is located Figure 3 In the extended position shown, only the upper half of the treatment component 57 protrudes upwards beyond the upper edge of the protective sleeve 59, when the treatment component 2 is located... Figure 5 When in the withdrawn position as shown, the entire or most of the treatment piece 57 sinks inward toward the protective sleeve 59. The protective sleeve 59 defines the biting limit of the treatment pin 22 relative to the user's skin, etc., and prevents the treatment pin 22 from being damaged by strong impacts from the side.

[0055] The support 58 integrally comprises a connecting portion 60 externally embedded in the lower side of the front end of the treatment shaft 21 and a mounting portion 61 covered by the treatment component 57 on the upper side. The connecting portion 60 is formed as a downward-opening cylindrical shape, and the mounting portion 61 is formed as a cylinder with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 60. The axis of the mounting portion 61 is inclined relative to the axis of the connecting portion 60. Therefore, when the treatment pin 22 is installed on the treatment shaft 21, the axis of the mounting portion 61 is inclined relative to the treatment shaft 21. When the treatment component 2 rotates (i.e., rotates) around the axis of the treatment shaft 21, such as Figure 6 As shown by the single-dotted line, the treatment component 57 installed on the mounting part 61 is depicted in a rotational trajectory around the axis of the treatment axis 21.

[0056] like Figure 7As shown, the treatment element 57 and the support 58 are provided with a recess 64 and a protrusion 65 that engage with each other during installation, thereby restricting the rotation of the treatment element 57 relative to the support 58. Furthermore, a pair of vertically extending left and right slits 66 are recessed at the front end of the treatment shaft 21, and a pair of vertically extending protrusions 67 are formed on the inner surface of the mounting portion 61 of the support 58, allowing insertion and removal relative to the slits 66. Based on this mounting structure using the slits 66 and protrusions 67, the rotation of the treatment pin 22 relative to the treatment shaft 21 can be restricted, and the treatment pin 22 can be freely installed and removed from the treatment shaft 21. Since the mounting portion 61 of the support 58 is inclined relative to the connecting portion 60, if the treatment pin 22 is removed from the treatment shaft 21, rotated 180° around the axis of the connecting portion 60, and then reinstalled, the inclination direction of the mounting portion 61, i.e., the treatment element 57, can be reversed from its initial position. In other words, the massager according to this embodiment can switch between a first usage mode in which a pair of treatment elements 57 are tilted in opposite directions and a second usage mode in which a pair of treatment elements 57 are tilted in the same direction. Furthermore, in this invention, it is not necessary to make the treatment pins 22 of the two treatment elements 2 detachable from the treatment shaft 21; as long as the tilting direction of the treatment element 57 of at least one of the treatment elements 2 can be changed, the first usage mode and the second usage mode can be switched.

[0057] When the treatment component 2 is rotated to use the pair of treatment elements 57 in the first mode, the opposing interval between the treatment elements 57 constantly changes, alternating and repeating as follows. Figure 1 As shown, the treatment components 57 are in the closest possible state to each other and as... Figure 5 As shown, the treatment pieces 57 are in the state where they are furthest apart from each other. In the former state, the pair of treatment pins 22 strongly stimulate a relatively narrow area of ​​the user's skin, while in the latter state, the pair of treatment pins 22 weakly stimulate a relatively wide area. That is, according to the massager with the pair of treatment pieces 57 set as the first mode of use, a massage with tension and relaxation can be performed, where the intensity of stimulation continuously varies. On the other hand, as... Figure 8 As shown, if the pair of treatment elements 57 are used in the second mode, the spacing between the treatment elements 57 will remain constant even if the treatment element 2 is rotated, and the intensity of the stimulation applied from the treatment pin 22 will also remain constant. That is, according to the massager with the pair of treatment elements 57 used in the second mode, a massage with excellent relaxation effect and constant stimulation intensity can be performed.

[0058] (Second Implementation)

[0059] Figures 9 to 10This invention represents a second embodiment of the massage machine, differing from the first embodiment in that the pair of treatment components 2 (2A, 2B) rotate in opposite directions when viewed from above. Specifically, a driven gear 28 meshing with the driving gear 16 is provided only on one treatment component 2A, and meshing transmission gears 70 are respectively provided on the outer circumferential surfaces of the treatment shafts 21 of the two treatment components 2A and 2B. These transmission gears 70 are positioned above the driven gear 28 and also serve as spring seats 37 for the return spring 36. When the driving gear 16 rotates counterclockwise, the treatment component 2A on the right side, equipped with the driven gear 28, rotates clockwise. The other (left) treatment component 2B receives rotational power from the treatment component 2A via the transmission gears 70 and rotates in the opposite direction to the treatment component 2A, i.e., counterclockwise.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the time required for the treatment components 2A and 2B to rotate one revolution around the axis of the treatment shaft 21 is the same as the time required for the treatment components 2A and 2B to reciprocate once in the vertical direction. The linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4 are configured such that the opposing distance between the treatment pins 22 is minimal when the two treatment components 2A and 2B reach the extended position, which is the upper end of their travel stroke, and the opposing distance between the treatment pins 22 is maximum when the two treatment components 2A and 2B reach the retracted position, which is the lower end of their travel stroke. According to the massage machine of this embodiment, the opposing distance between the treatment pins 22 gradually narrows as the two treatment components 2A and 2B move from the retracted position to the extended position, thus enabling a concentrated massage that precisely applies strong stimulation to a single area such as the user's skin. Everything else is the same as in the first embodiment, therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same components and their descriptions are omitted. The same applies to the third embodiment and thereafter.

[0061] (Third implementation method)

[0062] Figure 11This invention represents a third embodiment of the massage machine, in which the rotating drive gear 16 is longer than the rotating driven gear 28 in the axial direction (vertical direction) compared to the first embodiment. The axial length of the rotating drive gear 16 is set to be greater than the travel distance of the treatment member 2. That is, when the treatment member 2 is in the extended position (the upper end of the travel distance), the rotating driven gear 28 meshes with the upper end of the rotating drive gear 16; when the treatment member 2 is in the retracted position (the lower end of the travel distance), the rotating driven gear 28 meshes with the lower end of the rotating drive gear 16. Furthermore, as a variation of the first and third embodiments, both the rotating drive gear 16 and the rotating driven gear 28 can be made longer in the axial direction (than the travel distance of the treatment member 2). In this case, the strength of the two gears 16 and 28 can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the rotating motion mechanism 4.

[0063] (Fourth Implementation)

[0064] Figure 12 This fourth embodiment of the massage machine of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the pair of treatment components 2 move alternately up and down. Specifically, the phases of the eccentric pins 32 of the pair of linear driven gears 30 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 are 180° apart with respect to the gear shaft 31. When one eccentric pin 32 is at the upper end of its movement trajectory, the other eccentric pin 32 is at the lower end of its movement trajectory. Therefore, the pair of treatment components 2 alternately and repeatedly rise and fall. The massage machine according to this embodiment is capable of providing a well-rhythmic massage in which the pair of treatment components 2 alternately apply stimulation over a shorter span.

[0065] (Fifth Implementation)

[0066] Figure 13 The fifth embodiment of the massager of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the treatment axis 21 of each treatment component 2 is inclined relative to the output axis 14 of the motor 5. Figure 13 (a) The pair of treatment components 2 shown are tilted toward each other as they move toward the front end (treatment pin 22 side). In this way, a stronger stimulus can be applied precisely within a narrower range than when the treatment axes 21 are parallel to each other. Figure 13(b) shows a pair of treatment components 2 tilted further apart towards the front end, allowing for stimulation of a larger area than when the treatment axes 21 are parallel. The treatment components 2 in both figures are tilted symmetrically, but alternatively, they can be tilted at different angles, or only one treatment component 2 can be tilted. In this invention, a pair of treatment components 2 arranged side-by-side refers to a configuration where, in addition to the parallel arrangement of the treatment axes 21 as described in the above embodiments, the treatment axes 21 of the treatment components 2 are arranged non-parallel as in this embodiment. According to this invention, various massagers with different stimulation intensities and application ranges can be provided.

[0067] (Sixth Implementation Method)

[0068] Figure 14 This represents a sixth embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention, in which the treatment component 2 consists of only one piece, which differs from the first embodiment. The protective sleeve 59 surrounding the treatment pin 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In the present invention, the number of treatment components 2 is not limited to two, but may be one or more.

[0069] The shape of the treatment pin 22 of the present invention is not limited to the shapes shown in the above embodiments, and may also be, for example, the shape shown in the embodiments. Figure 15 The shape shown. Figure 15 (a) The treatment pin 22 shown has a treatment element 57 formed into a spherical shape. Figure 15 (b) The treatment pin 22 shown has a treatment element 57 formed in a sheath shape (two strands). This treatment element 57 has two upward-facing protrusions, but it may also have three or more protrusions. Figure 15 In the treatment pin 22 shown in (c), the front end of the treatment piece 57 is formed into a disc shape. Figure 15 (d) The treatment component 57 of the treatment pin 22 shown has a higher ratio than Figure 15 (c) has a thick, disc-shaped portion of the treatment piece, and its upper surface is densely covered with a number of small protrusions. Figure 15 (e) The front end of the treatment member 57 of the treatment pin 22 shown is formed into a generally conical shape with a rounded top. In addition, in these modified examples, the axis of the mounting portion 61 of the bracket 58 is tilted relative to the axis of the connecting portion 60. However, in the present invention, this tilt is not necessary, and the axis of the mounting portion 61 may also be aligned with the axis of the connecting portion 60 and the treatment shaft 21.

[0070] The massagers described in the above embodiments, in addition to serving as beauty devices for facial massage and as beauty detectors, can also be used for massaging various parts of the body, such as hands, arms, shoulders, and scalp. Furthermore, the application of this invention is not limited to handheld models; for example, it can also be applied to floor-standing massagers for the feet, calves, etc., and head massagers that are placed over the head. Moreover, this invention can also be applied to electric massage chairs or massage mats, and shower heads with massage mechanisms in their spray nozzles.

[0071] Furthermore, the therapeutic pin 22 can be formed as part or entirely from conductive components such as metal or conductive rubber, allowing it to function as an electrode. In this case, for example, RF (radio waves) can be generated from the therapeutic pin 22, enabling the user's skin to be heated while simultaneously being physically stimulated by the therapeutic pin 22, thus creating a massager that provides a combined effect on the user's skin. A Peltier element can also be mounted on the therapeutic pin 22, allowing alternating heating and cooling of the skin. Additionally, the therapeutic pin 22, as an electrode, can also be used for iontophoresis to allow active ingredients to penetrate the skin, electroporation, and EMS (electroporation therapy) to electrically stimulate muscles on the inner side of the skin. The massager according to this invention contributes to Goal 3 (health and well-being of all) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[0072] As described above, the massage device according to each of the above embodiments includes: a treatment component 2 formed by providing a treatment pin 22 at the front end of a treatment shaft 21; a linear motion mechanism 3 that causes the treatment component 2 to reciprocate along the axial direction of the treatment shaft 21; a rotary motion mechanism 4 that causes the treatment component 2 to rotate around the axis of the treatment shaft 21; and a motor 5 that serves as the drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4. The treatment component 2 is configured to perform both linear and rotary motion simultaneously. Therefore, by pressing the treatment pin 22 onto the surface of the human body, massage stimulation caused by both linear and rotary motions of the treatment component 2 can be applied to the surface of the human body. Therefore, according to the massage device according to each embodiment, compared with conventional massage devices where the treatment component only performs linear motion, more diverse massage stimulation can be applied to the user, thereby making the massage more effective. In addition, the stimulation applied to the user by the treatment component 2 can be made more interesting, thus increasing user satisfaction and suppressing boredom.

[0073] If the front end of the treatment component 2 is positioned at one end of the massager along its length, the user can easily operate the massager by holding the other end along its length. Furthermore, if the center of gravity of the relatively heavy motor 5 is positioned at the other end of the massager, the user can avoid bearing weight when holding that other end.

[0074] If a linear drive gear 15 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 and a rotary drive gear 16 constituting the rotary motion mechanism 4 are provided on the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, the structure of the output shaft 14 and its surroundings can be simplified compared to the case where the two gears 15 and 16 are provided on different shafts. In addition, if the linear drive gear 15 is arranged at the base end of the output shaft 14 and the rotary drive gear 16 is arranged at the front end of the output shaft 14, the load on the output shaft 14 from the motion mechanisms 3 and 4 can be distributed to its base end side and front end side, preventing deformation of the output shaft 14 caused by load concentration.

[0075] If the linear motion mechanism 3 includes a linear drive gear 15 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, a linear driven gear 30 that meshes with the linear drive gear 15 and rotates, and an eccentric cam 33 that converts the rotational power of the linear driven gear 30 into reciprocating power, then the rotational power of the motor 5 can be converted into reciprocating power more easily and transmitted to the treatment component 2.

[0076] If the rotary motion mechanism 4 includes a rotary drive gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary drive gear 16 and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment component 2, then the number of gears constituting the rotary motion mechanism 4 can be minimized, thereby simplifying the rotary motion mechanism 4. Furthermore, when a pair of treatment components 2 are arranged side-by-side, by providing rotary driven gears 28 on each treatment shaft 21, rotational power can be transmitted from one rotary drive gear 16 to both rotary driven gears 28.

[0077] If the driven gear 28 is made longer than the driving gear 16 in the axial direction, when the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is at one end of its travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is at the other end of its travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. Therefore, regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment component 2, the driving gear 16 and the driven gear 28 are always engaged, enabling the treatment component 2 to rotate. Furthermore, compared to making the driving gear 16 the same length as the driven gear 28, manufacturing costs can be reduced by making the driving gear 16 thinner.

[0078] If the rotary drive gear 16 is made longer than the rotary driven gear 28 in the axial direction, when the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is at one end of its travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is at the other end of its travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. Therefore, regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment component 2, the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 are always engaged, enabling the treatment component 2 to rotate. Furthermore, compared to making the rotary driven gear 28 the same length as the rotary drive gear 16, manufacturing costs can be reduced by making the rotary driven gear 28 thinner.

[0079] By enclosing the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 with an internal frame 42 to limit its radial movement, and by supporting the rotating drive gear 16 fixed to the front end of the output shaft 14 with the support surface 53 of the internal frame 42, the posture of the output shaft 14 and the rotating drive gear 16 inside the massager can be made more stable, and its rotational power can be transmitted more reliably to the rotating driven gear 28 and then to the treatment component 2. In addition, the internal frame 42 undertakes both the function of limiting the movement of the output shaft 14 and supporting the rotating drive gear 16, thereby enabling a reduction in the number of components.

[0080] If the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment component 2 is supported by the shaft support 25 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 so that it can rotate relative to the shaft support 25, the rotational power transmitted from the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 to the treatment shaft 21 will not be transmitted to the linear motion mechanism 3 including the shaft support 25, and only the treatment component 2 can be rotated. Furthermore, if the treatment shaft 21 is forced in a direction close to the shaft support 25 by the return spring 36, the treatment shaft 21 can be moved together when the shaft support 25 moves away from the treatment shaft 21 by the action of the linear motion mechanism 3. Therefore, it is not necessary to connect the treatment shaft 21 and the shaft support 25 along the axial direction, thereby simplifying the assembly of the treatment shaft 21 relative to the shaft support 25.

[0081] If a pair of treatment components 2 are arranged side by side, and a treatment element 57 inclined relative to the treatment axis 21 is provided at the front end of each treatment component 2, then when the treatment component 2 rotates (i.e., spins) around the axis of the treatment axis 21, the treatment element 57 traces a rotational trajectory around the axis of the treatment axis 21, and can alternately and repeatedly approach and move away from the other treatment element 57. Furthermore, if the tilt direction of the treatment element 57 of at least one treatment component 2 relative to the treatment axis 21 can be changed, then multiple usage modes can be adopted, such as simultaneously approaching and moving away from the pair of treatment elements 57, or moving away from the other treatment element 57 when one treatment element 57 approaches, thus diversifying the massage stimulation applied to the user.

[0082] If a driven gear 28 that meshes with a driving gear 16 is provided on the treatment shaft 21 of either of the two parallel treatment components 2, and transmission gears 70 that mesh with each other are provided on the treatment shaft 21 of the two treatment components 2 respectively, and rotational power is transmitted from one treatment component 2 to the other treatment component 2 only through the transmission gears 70, then the two treatment components 2 can be rotated in opposite directions with a relatively simple structure.

[0083] If the driven gear 28 is made longer than the driving gear 16 in the axial direction, when the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is at one end of its travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is at the other end of its travel stroke, the driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the driven gear 28 in the axial direction. Therefore, regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment component 2, the driving gear 16 and the driven gear 28 are always engaged, enabling the treatment component 2 to rotate. Furthermore, compared to making the driving gear 16 the same length as the driven gear 28, manufacturing costs can be reduced by making the driving gear 16 thinner.

[0084] If the rotary drive gear 16 is made longer than the rotary driven gear 28 in the axial direction, when the treatment component 2, which reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism 3, is at one end of its travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. When the treatment component 2 is at the other end of its travel stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other end of the rotary drive gear 16 in the axial direction. Therefore, regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment component 2, the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 are always engaged, enabling the treatment component 2 to rotate. Furthermore, compared to making the rotary driven gear 28 the same length as the rotary drive gear 16, manufacturing costs can be reduced by making the rotary driven gear 28 thinner.

[0085] If a massager is configured such that a pair of treatment components 2 simultaneously reach the extended position and the distance between the front ends of the treatment components 2 is minimized at that moment, and a massager is configured such that a pair of treatment components 2 simultaneously reach the retracted position and the distance between the front ends of the treatment components 2 is maximized at that moment, then as the two treatment components 2 move from the retracted position to the extended position, the distance between the front ends of the treatment components 2 gradually narrows. Therefore, a strong stimulation can be precisely applied to a part of the user's skin, etc., thereby providing a concentrated massage to that part.

[0086] Symbol Explanation

[0087] 2—Treatment component, 3—Linear motion mechanism, 4—Rotary motion mechanism, 5—Motor, 14—Output shaft, 15—Linear drive gear, 16—Rotary drive gear, 21—Treatment shaft, 22—Treatment pin, 25—Shaft support, 28—Rotary driven gear, 30—Linear driven gear, 33—Eccentric cam, 36—Return spring, 42—Internal frame, 53—Support surface, 57—Treatment component, 70—Transmission gear.

Claims

1. A massage machine, characterized in that, have: Treatment component (2) including treatment axis (21); A linear motion mechanism (3) that causes the treatment component (2) to reciprocate in the axial direction of the treatment axis (21); A rotary motion mechanism (4) that rotates the treatment component (2) about the axis of the treatment shaft (21); and The motor (5) serves as the driving source for the linear motion mechanism (3) and the rotary motion mechanism (4). The treatment component (2) is configured to perform both linear and rotational motions simultaneously.

2. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the treatment component (2) is arranged on one end of the massager along its length. The center of gravity of the motor (5) is located at the other end of the massager along its length.

3. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A linear drive gear (15) constituting the linear motion mechanism (3) and a rotary drive gear (16) constituting the rotary motion mechanism (4) are provided on the output shaft (14) of the motor (5). A linear drive gear (15) is disposed at the base end of the output shaft (14), and a rotary drive gear (16) is disposed at the front end of the output shaft (14).

4. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear motion mechanism (3) includes a linear drive gear (15) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (14) of the motor (5), a linear driven gear (30) that meshes with the linear drive gear (15) and rotates, and an eccentric cam (33) that converts the rotational power of the linear driven gear (30) into reciprocating power.

5. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary motion mechanism (4) includes: a rotary drive gear (16) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (14) of the motor (5); and a rotary driven gear (28) that meshes with the rotary drive gear (16) and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft (21) of the treatment component (2).

6. The massage machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The driven gear (28) is formed to be longer than the driving gear (16) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of the travel stroke, the rotating drive gear (16) meshes with one end of the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) is at the other end of the travel stroke, the rotating drive gear (16) meshes with the other end of the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction.

7. The massage machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rotating driving gear (16) is formed to be longer than the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of the travel stroke, the driven gear (28) meshes with one end of the driven gear (16) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) is at the other end of the travel stroke, the driven gear (28) meshes with the other end of the driven gear (16) in the axial direction.

8. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circumferential surface of the output shaft (14) of the motor (5) is surrounded by an internal frame (42), thus restricting the radial movement of the output shaft (14). The rotary drive gear (16) constituting the rotary motion mechanism (4) is fixed to the front end of the output shaft (14) protruding from the inner frame (42) and is supported by the support surface (53) provided on the surface of the inner frame (42) so that it can rotate.

9. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The treatment axis (21) of the treatment component (2) is supported by the shaft support (25) constituting the linear motion mechanism (3) so that it can rotate relative to the axis of the treatment axis (21) and reciprocate along the axis. A return spring (36) is provided to apply force to the treatment axis (21) in the direction of approaching the axis support (25).

10. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pair of treatment components (2) are arranged side by side. Each treatment component (2) has a treatment element (57) that is inclined relative to the treatment axis (21) at its front end. The treatment component (57) of at least one treatment component (2) is configured to change the tilt direction relative to the treatment axis (21).

11. The massage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pair of treatment components (2) are arranged side by side. The rotary motion mechanism (4) includes a rotary drive gear (16) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (14) of the motor (5) and a rotary driven gear (28) that meshes with the rotary drive gear (16) and rotates. A rotary driven gear (28) is provided on the treatment shaft (21) of either treatment component (2). The two treatment components (2) are respectively provided with intermeshing transmission gears (70) on the treatment shaft (21).

12. The massage machine according to claim 11, characterized in that, The driven gear (28) is formed to be longer than the driving gear (16) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of the travel stroke, the rotating drive gear (16) meshes with one end of the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) is at the other end of the travel stroke, the rotating drive gear (16) meshes with the other end of the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction.

13. The massage machine according to claim 11, characterized in that, The rotating driving gear (16) is formed to be longer than the rotating driven gear (28) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) reciprocates through the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of the travel stroke, the driven gear (28) meshes with one end of the driven gear (16) in the axial direction. When the treatment component (2) is at the other end of the travel stroke, the driven gear (28) meshes with the other end of the driven gear (16) in the axial direction.

14. The massage machine according to claim 11, characterized in that, The time required for the treatment component (2) to reciprocate once via the linear motion mechanism (3) is the same as the time required for the treatment component (2) to rotate once via the rotary motion mechanism (4). The linear motion mechanism (3) causes each treatment component (2) to reciprocate between the extended position and the retracted position along the treatment axis (21). When a pair of treatment components (2) simultaneously reach the extended position, the distance between the front ends of the treatment components (2) is minimal at that moment. A pair of treatment components (2) simultaneously reach the retraction position, at which moment the front ends of the treatment components (2) are at their maximum opposing distance.

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