Flexible helical spring curve moving multi-directional massage mechanism

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible spiral spring curve moving multi-directional massage mechanism, which comprises a walking assembly and a massage head driven to move by the walking assembly. The walking assembly comprises a flexible core shaft which can be bent in a three-dimensional space; a flexible spiral spring which is rotatably sleeved on the flexible core shaft and is provided with continuous external thread structures; a driving unit for driving the flexible spiral spring to rotate; and a walking block for bearing or connecting the massage head and provided with internal thread holes matched with the flexible spiral spring. The flexible spiral spring passes through the walking block and is arranged so that when the flexible spiral spring is driven to rotate by the driving unit, the walking block drives the massage head to move along the bending path of the flexible core shaft. The application enables the massage head to perform controllable reciprocating movement massage along a preset two-dimensional or three-dimensional curve track, and solves the problems of single movement track, complex structure, loud noise and inadaptability to human body curve of the traditional massage mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of massage device technology, and more specifically, to a flexible spiral spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional massage equipment, the movement of the massage frame is usually achieved by a lead screw and nut assembly. The lead screw and the screw shaft are made of a single structural material, and because the screw rotates around its axis, the screw structure must be a constant-diameter cylindrical structure to ensure the translation of the nut shaft. Because the lead screw is a rigid structure, the lead screw and nut assembly can only achieve linear motion or arc-shaped motion with a fixed radius, which cannot adapt to the complex curves of the human body, especially the S-shaped physiological curvature of the spine, resulting in poor massage fit and insufficient comfort. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies and proposes a flexible spiral spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism. Its reasonable structural design enables the massage head to perform controllable reciprocating massage along a preset two-dimensional or three-dimensional curved trajectory. It solves the problems of traditional massage mechanisms having a single movement trajectory, complex structure, high noise, and inability to conform to the curves of the human body. It is especially suitable for products such as massage chairs, massage beds, and handheld massagers that need to achieve automatic walking and kneading functions.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A flexible helical spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism includes a walking assembly and a massage head driven to move by the walking assembly. The walking assembly includes: Flexible mandrel, which can be bent in three-dimensional space; A flexible helical coil spring, which is rotatably sleeved on a flexible mandrel and has a continuous external thread structure thereon; A drive unit is used to drive the rotation of a flexible helical coil spring. The traveling block is used to support or connect the massage head. It has an internal threaded hole that is adapted to the flexible helical spring. The flexible helical spring passes through the traveling block so that when the flexible helical spring is driven to rotate by the drive unit, the traveling block drives the massage head to move along the bending path of the flexible mandrel.

[0005] The core innovation of this technical solution lies in using the flexible helical spring as both a flexible transmission component and a moving guide component. By pre-setting a bending path on the flexible mandrel, the walking block can drive the massage head to move along the curve, allowing the massage head to conform to the complex curves of the human body (such as the spine, thighs, and neck) for moving kneading. This upgrades the massage from "point massage" to "line / surface tracking massage," achieving three-dimensional spatial curve-based moving massage. The flexible helical spring integrates rotary transmission and threaded drive; its rotation directly drives the walking block, making the mechanism lighter and easier to integrate into massage chairs, handheld massagers, and other devices with limited space, simplifying the transmission chain and resulting in a compact structure. The internal threaded hole of the walking block and the flexible helical spring have rolling or sliding contact, resulting in a low coefficient of friction. Simultaneously, the flexible mandrel can be made of low-damping material, reducing resistance when the flexible helical spring rotates on the mandrel, which helps reduce transmission noise, friction loss, and improve performance. Enhanced user comfort; the outer spiral structure of the flexible helical spring provides continuous, stepless position drive. When the drive unit operates at a constant speed, the walking block can move smoothly at a constant linear velocity, resulting in a smoother massage experience and improved motion control stability. The flexible helical spring has a certain degree of elasticity. When the walking block encounters abnormal resistance (such as the user's weight pressing on the massage head or foreign objects getting stuck), the flexible helical spring can produce a small amount of elastic deformation to absorb the impact or idle. This flexible transmission characteristic can effectively prevent motor overload burnout or mechanical component damage. It is safer than a rigid lead screw and has an overload protection function. By replacing the flexible mandrel of different shapes, the mechanism can be easily adapted to different human body parts. By adjusting the length and pitch of the flexible helical spring, the massage stroke and speed can be changed, facilitating modular design and adaptation.

[0006] Preferably, both ends of the flexible helical coil spring are fixed or integrally provided with a sleeve portion, both sleeve portions are rotatably sleeved on the flexible mandrel, the two sleeve portions are synchronously rotated, and at least one of the two sleeve portions is driven to rotate by a drive unit.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, and by setting synchronously rotating sleeves at both ends of the flexible helical coil spring, the synchronous constraint at both ends can effectively prevent the flexible helical coil spring from twisting or deforming or undergoing axial torsional vibration during rotation, ensuring that the force is uniform and the movement is more stable when the traveling block moves along the curved path. The sleeves are rotatably sleeved on the flexible mandrel, converting the relative motion between the end of the flexible helical coil spring and the flexible mandrel into a low-friction rotational contact, avoiding direct sliding friction between the end of the flexible helical coil spring and the flexible mandrel. At the same time, the synchronous rotation at both ends means that the flexible helical coil spring will not generate additional torsional compression on the flexible mandrel due to torque difference, thereby reducing the wear on the surface of the flexible mandrel and the inner ring of the flexible helical coil spring, and improving the durability of the mechanism. Since the two sleeves rotate synchronously and at least one is driven by a drive unit, the product design can be selected according to the spatial layout. Driving either end, or even both ends simultaneously, provides greater freedom in product structure design. With both ends of the flexible helical spring synchronously constrained, its effective pitch remains constant during rotation, preventing local pitch changes due to end torsion. The engagement between the internal threaded hole of the traveling block and the flexible helical spring is more precise, improving the accuracy and consistency of the traveling block's movement. Support at both ends and synchronous rotation suppresses lateral vibration and end-slapping phenomena during the rotation of the flexible helical spring, reducing collision noise between the metal flexible helical spring and the flexible mandrel, making the mechanism quieter and improving the user experience. The sleeve can be integrally formed with the flexible helical spring or fixed separately, such as by welding, ensuring coaxiality between the two ends of the flexible helical spring and the flexible mandrel, reducing the requirements for assembly precision, enhancing structural integrity, and facilitating assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the drive unit includes a rotating component fixedly connected to the sleeve portion and a drive component that directly or indirectly drives the rotating component to rotate.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, the rotational power output by the drive component can be first transmitted to the rotating component, and then the rotating component stably drives the flexible helical spring to rotate as a whole, ensuring the accuracy and synchronicity of the movement of the walking block along the flexible spindle and realizing the reliable transmission of driving force. The drive component can indirectly drive the rotation of the rotating component, which means that the drive component does not need to be installed coaxially or adjacent to the flexible helical spring. This allows for flexible adjustment of the installation position of the drive component according to the overall structure of the product (such as the internal space of the massage chair). At the same time, by selecting intermediate mechanisms with different transmission ratios, the speed and torque of the flexible helical spring can be adjusted to meet the needs of different massage intensities, facilitating the flexible arrangement and power adjustment of the drive component. The drive unit is divided into two parts: the rotating component and the drive component. The rotating component is fixedly connected to the sleeve part of the flexible helical spring. This makes it easy to install the core components such as the flexible helical spring and the walking block first during assembly, and then install the drive component and couple it with the rotating component. This modular design also facilitates the subsequent individual repair and replacement of the drive component or the rotating component, reduces maintenance costs, and simplifies assembly and maintenance.

[0010] Preferably, the rotating member is configured as a transmission worm gear fixedly connected to the sleeve portion, and the driving member is configured as a drive motor, which is connected to the drive worm gear meshing with the transmission worm gear.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, a large single-stage reduction ratio can be obtained through the meshing transmission of the drive worm and the transmission worm (forming a worm-worm pair), which significantly reduces the high-speed rotation of the drive motor and greatly increases the output torque. This enables the flexible helical spring to overcome the load and rotate stably, driving the walking block and massage head to move along a curved path, meeting the thrust and speed requirements during massage. The worm drive (especially when the worm lead angle is less than the equivalent friction angle) has a self-locking characteristic, so that after the drive motor stops, the axial reaction force on the walking block and massage head cannot be reversed. The drive worm gear rotates, reliably locking the massage head in any trajectory position, preventing accidental displacement due to gravity or massage pressure, thus improving safety and positioning stability. The arrangement of the drive worm gear and transmission worm gear with perpendicularly intersecting axes allows the drive motor to be mounted laterally, spatially intersecting with the axis of the flexible helical spring. This arrangement effectively utilizes three-dimensional space, avoiding the increased length problem caused by coaxial arrangement of the drive motor and flexible helical spring, facilitating the miniaturization of the overall mechanism and easy integration into massage chairs, massage beds, and other products.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes support seats at both ends of the flexible mandrel, with the two ends of the flexible mandrel respectively fixedly connected to the two support seats.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, and by rigidly fixing both ends of the flexible mandrel to two support seats, its preset three-dimensional spatial bending shape can be reliably maintained. During the rotation of the flexible helical spring and the movement of the traveling block, the flexible mandrel will not twist, deviate, or elastically rebound due to torque, tension, or lateral force, thus ensuring that the massage head always moves along a precise predetermined curved trajectory. During operation, the movement of the traveling block will generate reaction forces (such as friction and pressure between the massage head and the human body). These forces will be transmitted to the flexible mandrel through the flexible helical spring. The support seats can effectively transfer these loads to the outer shell, preventing the flexible mandrel from excessive bending deformation due to suspended force, thereby extending the service life of the mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, at least one guide rail is connected between the two support bases, and the bending shape of each guide rail is adapted to the flexible mandrel. The traveling block is provided with guide holes that are adapted to the guide rails and allow the guide rails to pass through.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution and setting a guide rail that matches the bending shape of the flexible mandrel, additional guidance and support are provided for the walking block. This significantly improves motion stability, load-bearing capacity, path accuracy and torsional performance while maintaining the ability to move along flexible curves, making the entire massage mechanism more reliable, durable and able to withstand greater massage forces.

[0016] Preferably, a rotating rod is rotatably provided inside the walking block. The rotating rod is directly or indirectly connected to the massage head to drive the massage head to rotate. The rotating rod is provided with a toothed part that meshes with the external thread structure. The toothed part is located in the internal thread hole, and the external thread structure simultaneously mates with both the internal thread hole and the toothed part.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the external thread structure of the flexible helical coil spring, while driving the walking block to move along the curved path, also engages with the toothed part on the rotating rod, driving the rotating rod to rotate, which in turn drives the massage head to rotate. This allows the massage head to generate a continuous rotational kneading effect while following the path, achieving a composite massage action of "walking and rotating simultaneously," simulating a composite technique that is closer to the human "pushing, pressing, and kneading," greatly improving the richness and comfort of the massage. Traditional solutions usually require two motors (one to drive walking and one to drive rotation) or a complex clutch / reversing mechanism to achieve "movement + rotation." However, this solution uses only a single flexible helical coil spring as the only transmission component, simultaneously outputting axial thrust (to move the walking block) and circumferential torque (to rotate the rotating rod). This greatly reduces the number of motors, transmission gears, and control system complexity, lowering costs, size, and failure rates. Using a single power source to achieve both movements results in an extremely simplified structure. Since the movement of the walking block and the rotation of the rotating rod are both driven by the same external thread structure of the same flexible helical coil spring, the solution achieves a composite massage action. The drive system operates with a defined transmission ratio between the moving block and the rotating rod. The faster the moving block moves, the faster the rotating rod rotates, and vice versa. This mechanical rigidity ensures that the massage head achieves uniform rotational motion in any position, enabling coordinated movement without electronic control. This results in a fixed ratio between the moving speed and the rotational speed, leading to natural synchronization. The flexible helical spring can bend with the flexible spindle, while the rotating rod and its toothed portion maintain partial engagement with the external thread structure of the flexible helical spring. Even in the bent section, the external thread structure of the flexible helical spring can still drive the toothed portion to rotate, and the moving direction of the moving block is tangential to the axis of the flexible helical spring. This prevents jamming or rotational failure due to bending, ensuring that the massage head can still rotate stably even on complex paths that conform to the curves of the human body. Because the rotational kinetic energy of the flexible helical spring is used for both movement and rotation, the energy utilization rate is high. Compared to the traditional method of using two motors to drive the device separately, this solution generates less heat, making it more suitable for massage devices that operate continuously for extended periods (such as massage chairs and massage beds), improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing heat generation. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the flexible mandrel according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a flexible helical coil spring according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the driving unit in a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the walking block and the massage head in a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an internal cross-sectional view of the walking block, reflecting a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a partial structure of the rotating rod in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 100, walking assembly; 911, massage head; 81, flexible mandrel; 82, flexible helical spring; 821, external thread structure; 822, sleeve part; 83, drive unit; 831, rotating part; 832, drive part; 833, drive worm gear; 84, walking block; 841, internal thread hole; 842, guide hole; 85, support base; 86, guide rail; 87, rotating rod; 871, toothed part. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions in this embodiment will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, all directional indications (such as up, down, forward, backward, etc.) are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, in this invention, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. In the description of this invention, "a number" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0024] like Figure 1-7 As shown, a flexible helical coil spring 82 curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism includes a walking assembly 100 and a massage head 911 driven to move by the walking assembly 100. The walking assembly 100 includes: a flexible mandrel 81, which can be bent in three-dimensional space; a flexible helical coil spring 82, which is rotatably sleeved on the flexible mandrel 81 and has a continuous external thread structure 821 thereon; a driving unit 83 for driving the flexible helical coil spring 82 to rotate; and a walking block 84 for supporting or connecting the massage head 911, which has an internal thread hole 841 adapted to the flexible helical coil spring 82. The flexible helical coil spring 82 is disposed through the walking block 84 so that when the flexible helical coil spring 82 is driven to rotate by the driving unit 83, the walking block 84 drives the massage head 911 to move along the bending path of the flexible mandrel 81.

[0025] The shaping process of the flexible mandrel 81 includes thermoplastic winding and cooling shaping, quartz sand plastic shaping tube, and material shape deformation processes such as molded parts, or various process routes and methods such as fixed structure curve contour injection molding pipe fittings. Furthermore, due to the inherent elasticity of the flexible helical spring 82, when coiled around the bent flexible mandrel 81, the equivalent pitch of the flexible helical spring 82 can adapt to the local pitch requirement changes caused by the bending of the flexible mandrel 81. In addition, the flexibility of the flexible helical spring 82 allows it to compensate for installation errors, minor path deformations, and dynamic deviations during operation, always maintaining engagement with the internal threaded hole 841, ensuring the continuity and reliability of the transmission process. The flexible helical spring 82 can be made of high-elasticity alloy steel wire and has a continuous helical thread structure. Compared to the existing integrated lead screw structure, the structural design of the flexible mandrel 81 and the flexible helical spring 82 changes the traditional inherent mode that lead screws must be straight, allowing them to be bent in any three-dimensional space.

[0026] Furthermore, both ends of the flexible helical coil spring 82 are fixedly or integrally provided with sleeve portions 822. Both sleeve portions 822 are rotatably sleeved on the flexible mandrel 81. The two sleeve portions 822 are synchronously rotated, and at least one of the two sleeve portions 822 is driven to rotate by the drive unit 83. Through the synchronously rotating sleeve portions 822 at both ends, the synchronous constraint at both ends can effectively prevent the flexible helical coil spring 82 from twisting or deforming or undergoing axial torsional vibration during rotation, ensuring that the force is uniform when the traveling block 84 moves along the curved path, and the movement is more stable. This significantly improves the stability, durability, accuracy, and quietness of the transmission mechanism, while also providing flexibility for the layout of the drive unit 83.

[0027] Furthermore, the drive unit 83 includes a rotating member 831 fixedly connected to the sleeve portion 822 and a drive member 832 that directly or indirectly drives the rotating member 831 to rotate. Specifically, the rotating member 831 is configured as a transmission worm fixedly connected to the sleeve portion 822, and the drive member 832 is configured as a drive motor. The drive motor is connected to a drive worm 833 that meshes with the transmission worm. Through the meshing transmission of the drive worm 833 and the transmission worm (forming a worm-worm pair), a large single-stage reduction ratio can be obtained. This significantly reduces the high-speed rotation of the drive motor and greatly increases the output torque, thereby enabling the flexible helical spring 82 to rotate stably over the load and drive the walking block 84 and the massage head 911 to move along a curved path, meeting the requirements for thrust and speed during massage.

[0028] The system also includes support seats 85 at both ends of the flexible mandrel 81. The two ends of the flexible mandrel 81 are fixedly connected to the two support seats 85. By adding support seats 85 at both ends, a stable mechanical boundary is provided for the flexible mandrel 81, ensuring the accuracy and repeatability of its three-dimensional shape under dynamic loads. Simultaneously, it achieves limiting, installation, force transmission, and modular integration, ensuring the reliable and stable operation of the entire "curved movement massage mechanism." Furthermore, at least one guide rail 86 is connected between the two support seats 85. The bending shape of each guide rail 86 is adapted to the flexible mandrel 81. The traveling block 84 is provided with guide holes 842 that are adapted to the guide rails 86 and allow the guide rails 86 to pass through. By setting guide rails 86 adapted to the bending shape of the flexible mandrel 81, additional guidance and support are provided for the traveling block 84, thereby significantly improving motion stability, load-bearing capacity, path accuracy, and torsional resistance while maintaining flexible curved movement capability. This makes the entire massage mechanism more reliable, durable, and able to withstand greater massage forces.

[0029] More preferably, a rotating rod 87 is rotatably mounted inside the walking block 84. The rotating rod 87 is directly or indirectly connected to the massage head 911, thereby driving the massage head 911 to rotate. The rotating rod 87 is provided with a toothed portion 871 that meshes with the external thread structure 821. The toothed portion 871 is located in the internal thread hole 841, and the external thread structure 821 simultaneously engages with both the internal thread hole 841 and the toothed portion 871. With this configuration, using the same flexible helical spring 82, the rotating rod 87 is driven to rotate while the walking block 84 moves along a curved path, thereby driving the massage head 911 to achieve a composite massage action of "walking and rotating simultaneously." This brings multiple advantages such as simplified structure, reduced cost, synchronized movement, richer movements, and improved energy efficiency, and is especially suitable for high-end massage equipment that needs to simulate the combination of hand kneading and pushing.

[0030] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible helical spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism, comprising a walking assembly (100) and a massage head (911) driven to move by the walking assembly (100), characterized in that, The walking component (100) includes: A flexible mandrel (81) that can be bent in three-dimensional space; A flexible helical coil spring (82) is rotatably sleeved on a flexible mandrel (81) and has a continuous external thread structure (821) thereon; A drive unit (83) is used to drive the flexible helical coil spring (82) to rotate; The travel block (84) is used to carry or connect the massage head (911), and has an internal threaded hole (841) adapted to the flexible helical spring (82). The flexible helical spring (82) is provided through the travel block (84) so ​​that when the flexible helical spring (82) is driven to rotate by the drive unit (83), the travel block (84) drives the massage head (911) to move along the bending path of the flexible mandrel (81).

2. The flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both ends of the flexible helical coil spring (82) are fixed or integrally provided with a sleeve part (822). Both sleeve parts (822) are rotatably sleeved on the flexible mandrel (81). The two sleeve parts (822) are rotatably arranged. At least one of the two sleeve parts (822) is driven to rotate by the drive unit (83).

3. The flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive unit (83) includes a rotating member (831) fixedly connected to the sleeve (822) and a drive member (832) that directly or indirectly drives the rotating member (831) to rotate.

4. The flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating member (831) is configured as a transmission worm fixedly connected to the sleeve (822), and the driving member (832) is configured as a drive motor, which is connected to a drive worm (833) that meshes with the transmission worm.

5. A flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes support seats (85) at both ends of the flexible mandrel (81), with the two ends of the flexible mandrel (81) respectively fixedly connected to the two support seats (85).

6. The flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, At least one guide rail (86) is connected between the two support seats (85). The bending shape of each guide rail (86) is adapted to the flexible mandrel (81). The traveling block (84) is provided with a guide hole (842) that is adapted to the guide rail (86) and allows the guide rail (86) to pass through.

7. A flexible helical coil spring curved movement multi-directional massage mechanism according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, A rotating rod (87) is rotatably provided inside the walking block (84). The rotating rod (87) is directly or indirectly connected to the massage head (911) to drive the massage head (911) to rotate. The rotating rod (87) is provided with a toothed part (871) that meshes with the external thread structure (821). The toothed part (871) is located in the internal thread hole (841). The external thread structure (821) cooperates with both the internal thread hole (841) and the toothed part (871).

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