Vibration massage device (variations)

Abstract

The present invention (and its variants) relates to the field of aesthetic technology, more particularly to a vibratory massage device for applying mechanical shocks to the human body to achieve a cosmetic or therapeutic effect, which can be used in the home or in equipped massage rooms. The technical solution presented here provides a vibratory massage device that is structurally simple, reliable, ergonomic, and configured for selecting the operating mode, and that controls the vibration parameters of the shaft in a non-contact manner without any mechanical limiters, so that the operation of the device is smooth and noiseless. In addition, due to the interaction between the magnets arranged on the shaft, the magnets arranged on the inner surface of the case, and the coils supplied with the current impulses from the inverter, a periodic force is formed on the massage element, which smoothly increases, reaches a maximum value, and smoothly decreases during a single vibration, and is adjustable according to the personal characteristics of the person, and there is no adverse effect of the vibration on the wrist of the operator, no shock load, and the force avoids uncontrolled circular rotation of the shaft, while at the same time the operating efficiency of the claimed device is significantly increased.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of beauty technology, more particularly to a vibration type massage device that applies mechanical shocks to the human body to achieve cosmetic or therapeutic effects, which can be used at home or in an equipped massage room. [Background technology]

[0002] Vibratory massage, or vibration massage, is a popular and well-known massage treatment that has been used for centuries up until the present day. Originally performed by the massage therapist's hands and feet, after the discovery of electricity in the 19th century, the first dedicated vibrating massage devices were invented.

[0003] During the treatment, the vibration massage device transmits vibratory movements of various amplitudes and periods to the tissues, and the impulses act on both the upper and subcutaneous layers of the skin, stimulating blood and lymph circulation, helping to loosen the fat layer, relieving muscle tension and pain sensations, and also facilitating skin cleansing. Vibration massage facilitates physical improvement in cases of intestinal motility disorders or metabolic disorders. The reflex action on the impulses improves health, reduces pain in cases of osteochondrosis and radiculitis, and eliminates inactivity of the pelvic organs and the lumbosacral region in cases of a sedentary lifestyle. Due to its unique properties, vibration massage is also recommended for preventing varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency, and for treating edema and various neurological disorders.

[0004] In addition to the above, vibratory massage techniques, including the use of massage devices, are significantly more effective than manual massage techniques in that they affect the body at a greater depth than manual procedures, and because any device operates at a constant frequency and amplitude until stopped, it affects the body at the same intensity for a longer period of time.

[0005] Despite the above-mentioned advantages of vibration massage, the majority of currently known vibration massage devices are based on the use of conventional electrical drives, which combine various electro-magnetic, magneto-electrical and mechanical motion converters, which generates significant shock forces when using such vibration massage devices, which may cause unpleasant pain or even injury to the human body. Furthermore, such vibration massage devices are characterized by loud operating noise, considerable weight, and significant vibrations of the massage device case that are transmitted to the operator's hands. All these factors negatively affect the ergonomics of the massage device, making it generally difficult to use.

[0006] The prior art teaches a wide range of vibratory massage devices, from which the applicant selects and describes several technical solutions that are closest to the invention presented herein in terms of a set of essential features.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 7,335,170 (B2), issued on February 26, 2008, teaches a handheld therapeutic treatment device for relieving pain and providing therapeutic healing effects, comprising an electric motor for rotating one or more permanent magnets or electromagnets to generate a magnetic field, micro-vibrations and audible sounds, and a shaft connecting the one or more permanent magnets or electromagnets to the motor, the one or more permanent magnets or electromagnets being offset by the shaft so as to rotate along a circular path having a center not located on the axis of the shaft, the permanent magnets or electromagnets being unevenly spaced around the ring of rotation, thereby generating a vibratory inertial load that is sensed by the human body's sensory organs as micro-vibrations that are transmitted to parts of the human body with which the case of the treatment device comes into contact. The disadvantages of the technical solution proposed here are that the structure of the treatment device uses an electric motor with an unbalanced shaft, which is characterized by noisy operation of the shaft, which generates strong impact forces associated with various injury events when the device case comes into contact with the human body surface, and the operator's hands feel the vibrations from the device case, which causes discomfort and rapid fatigue for the operator during use of the device.

[0008] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 307998(A1), dated October 7, 2021, teaches a handheld massager including a lower handle having a proximal end and a distal end, a curved upper handle having a proximal end and a distal end, an articulating head located between the distal end of the lower handle and the distal end of the upper handle, and a massage nozzle secured to the articulating head, the massage nozzle configured to adjust the angle of placement of the massage nozzle relative to the lower handle and the upper handle. In addition, the articulating head includes an electric motor and a drive assembly that actuates the massage nozzle via a vibrating arm and a shaft. In operation, rotary motion from the electric motor is converted to linear motion by a crank and transmitted through a piston coupled to the shaft. The shaft extends from the vibrating arm and is coupled to the massage nozzle. The disadvantage of the proposed technical solution is that during the operation of the handheld massager, due to the return movement caused by the sudden change of direction, the weight of the massage nozzle and shaft generates significant vibrations, which may cause fatigue in the wrist and forearm of the operator and make it impossible to use the device for a long time. To reduce the vibration acting on the user, the technical solution proposes the use of a rubber sleeve inserted on the outer diameter of the vibrating arm. This sleeve absorbs the vibrations at least partially and may be composed of one or more components such as silicone, thermoplastic elastomer or ethylene propylene diene monomer. However, the use of the rubber sleeve is not effective enough and would not completely eliminate the negative effects on the user's wrist generated by the vibration load. In addition, the rubber material has a short life span, is prone to deformation and wear, and requires frequent replacement.

[0009] Patent TWI702041B dated August 21, 2020 teaches a head massage device with a knob, the knob having a tubular element disposed at the top thereof, the tubular element having a cavity that opens through the top thereof and a needle portion extending from the inside lower portion thereof, the inside lower portion being provided with a plurality of openings. The knob is connected to a handle into which a vibration motor controlled by a switch is inserted. A magnetic element having protrusions for head massage is connected to the lower portion of the knob and has a plurality of openings disposed to correspond to the protrusions. A liquid container is inserted into the tubular element, and when the needle portion reaches the bottom of the container, the liquid flows through a tube disposed in a cavity in the lower portion of the knob, past the magnetic element, and reaches the protrusions of the magnetic element that massage the user's head. Depending on the need and purpose, oil, cream or medicine can be used as the liquid. According to this invention, the magnetic element generates magnetic energy to adjust the magnetic field of the head of the human body, and the nervous system is activated by the liquid, magnetic energy and vibration massage of the head, and the function of the cerebral cortex is adjusted. The disadvantages of the technical solution presented here are that its application is limited to vibration massage of the head and that the vibration motor is located inside the handle of the presented device, which results in vibration loads being generated through the handle of the device on the wrist and forearm of the operator, resulting in significant noise levels and significant impact loads on the area of ​​the body where the massage device is applied, thereby worsening the ergonomics of the device and causing discomfort and, as a result, negatively affecting the level of satisfaction of the person when performing the massage treatment.

[0010] US Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 031030(A1), dated February 4, 2021, teaches a cosmetic device with a vibration massage effect, which includes a pair of shafts fixed to a handle, a pair of rotors rotatably coupled to the pair of shafts, and a pair of vibration motors attached to the shafts for transmitting vibrations to the pair of rotors. The vibration motors are mounted not in the handle but in an element of the shaft inserted into the rotors, which increases the efficiency of the vibrations and minimizes the impact of the vibrations through the handle on the operator's hand, thereby increasing the level of satisfaction when using the device. The disadvantages of the proposed technical solution are that the use of the vibration motor as an electromechanical energy converter generates shock loads acting on human tissue, which creates a risk of tissue damage, and that the vibration motor is a source of noise that creates discomfort when using the proposed massage device.

[0011] The massage device according to patent UA108725 dated 25 May 2015 is considered to be the closest analogue to the present invention, comprising a case having two coaxial shafts mounted on bearings within the case, the shafts carrying a first bipolar magnet and a second bipolar magnet and at least one massage nozzle, a non-movable ferromagnetic ring having an inner surface on which are mounted two electric winding coils and a third permanent magnet, the third permanent magnet being arranged opposite the first magnet, a fourth permanent magnet being arranged on the inner surface of the ferromagnetic ring in the plane in which the third permanent magnet is arranged, the fourth permanent magnet being arranged opposite the second magnet on the shaft, the third permanent magnet and the fourth permanent magnet having opposite polarity, and a transverse ring groove being provided in the center of the ferromagnetic ring. Thus, the device presented here controls the vibration of the shaft with at least one massage nozzle directly and without contact, by means of a so-called non-contact magneto-electric motor, without any transmission mechanism and mechanical limiters, which allows quiet operation and smooth contact between the massage nozzle and the skin of the human body without excessive shock loads. A disadvantage of the presented technical solution is that it does not allow for adjustment of the interaction forces between the first and third magnets, between the second and fourth magnets, and between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively, which may lead to imbalances in the operation of the device, i.e., the rotation of the shaft may become uncontrollable if the interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is too strong, or conversely, the rotation of the shaft does not occur or is too weak if the interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is insufficient, causing the operation of the massage device to be ineffective. Furthermore, the presented massage device does not adjust the frequency, amplitude and shape of the inverter output impulses at all. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 7335170 (B2) [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 307998(A1) [Patent Document 3] TWI702041B [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 031030(A1) [Patent Document 5] UA108725 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] The object of the present invention is to provide a vibration type massage device that is structurally simple, reliable, ergonomic and can be configured to select operating modes, which allows non-contact control of the vibration parameters of the shaft without using any mechanical limiters, resulting in a smooth and noiseless operation of the device, and in view of the interaction between the magnets arranged on the shaft, the magnets arranged on the inner surface of the case and the coils to which current impulses from the inverter are supplied, a periodic force is formed on the massage element, which force smoothly increases, reaches a maximum value and smoothly decreases during a single vibration and is adjustable according to the personal characteristics of the person, and there is no adverse effect of the vibration on the wrist of the operator and no shock load, and which force avoids uncontrolled circular rotation of the shaft, while at the same time achieving the technical effect of a significant increase in the operating efficiency of the claimed device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] According to a first embodiment of the claimed invention, this object is solved by a vibratory massage device comprising a case (1) with coaxial inner and outer shafts (2) and (3) mounted on bearings within the case (1), the shafts having ends to which inner and outer massage nozzles (4) and (5) are fixed, and cylindrical radially magnetized first and second magnets (6 and 7) are mounted on each of the shafts. A winding (8) is mounted on the inner surface of the case (1), the winding comprising at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, and radially magnetized third and fourth magnets (9 and 10) are fixed between the coils of the winding (8) opposite the cylindrical first and second magnets (6 and 7), the magnetic axes of the third and fourth magnets (9 and 10) being offset from each other by 180 degrees. The massage device further comprises an inverter, which is coupled to the coil and configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulse by a control unit connected thereto, and at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet are 5-30% greater than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively.

[0015] Therefore, the claimed massage device allows the use of a non-contact type magneto-electrical, electro-mechanical transducer with reciprocating motion without any transmission mechanism and mechanical limiters, which allows for smooth contact between the massage nozzle of the device and the body surface without noise of operation, without any shock load, and without any adverse effect of vibration on the wrist or forearm of the operator. In addition, the third magnet (9) and the fourth magnet (10) act as magnetic springs that equalize the deviation angles of the inner and outer shafts with the massage nozzles to their stable equilibrium positions.

[0016] The structure of the massage device implies that there is a case having coaxial inner and outer shafts concentrically mounted on bearings within the case, the shafts having ends to which the inner and outer massage nozzles are fixed, and is primarily intended to massage large areas of the body, for example the back, buttocks or lower back, using strong vibration loads that act not only on the upper layer of the skin of the human body but also on the subcutaneous tissue and muscles, thereby loosening the fatty layer and relieving tension and pain sensations in the human body's muscles.

[0017] Since the massage device uses an inverter coupled to the coil, the inverter is configured to smoothly or discretely change the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulse, and can provide an interaction force between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, which interaction force is 5-30% greater than the interaction force between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively, allowing the device to perform a balanced operation and avoiding uncontrolled rotation of the shaft when the interaction force between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is too strong, or conversely, avoiding no or excessively weak rotation of the shaft when the interaction force between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is insufficient, and as a result, significantly increasing the operating efficiency and stability of the massage device of the claims. In addition, the inverter is configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses by a control unit connected to it, thereby making it possible to provide an adjustable, periodic force that smoothly increases, reaches a maximum value and smoothly decreases during a single oscillation and to create a massage device with a wide range of operating modes depending on the purpose and health of the human body.

[0018] The inventors have carried out several experiments on adjusting the interaction forces between the coil and the first and second magnets arranged on the shaft by the output impulse of the inverter, and compared the forces with the interaction forces between the first and second magnets and between the third and fourth magnets. It turns out that, in order to ensure reliable and stable operation of the massage device, at the maximum amplitude of the inverter output signal, the interaction forces between the first and third magnets and between the second and fourth magnets must be 5-30% greater than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively. In this way, it was observed that the mechanical rotational moment of the shaft carrying the massage nozzle was weakened when the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet were 35%, 40% and 45% greater than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively, but the occurrence of such cases increased as the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet increased compared to the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet. On the other hand, when the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet were 5%, 10% and 15% less than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively, the incidence of uncontrolled circular rotation of the shaft increased due to the interaction forces between the coil's magnetic field and the first magnet and between the coil's magnetic field and the second magnet becoming excessively strong, and the incidence of these cases increased as the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet decreased compared to the interaction forces between the first magnet and the coil and between the second magnet and the coil.

[0019] During the course of their experiments, the inventors also tried to adjust the amplitude of vibration of the shaft of the device using a mechanical limiter, but the limiter appeared to be ineffective and had a detrimental effect on the smooth operation of the massage device, as significant shock loads were formed and had a detrimental effect on the nature of the loads transmitted from the massage nozzle to the human body.

[0020] Therefore, surprisingly, in the course of numerous experiments, it was found that the use of a massage device with a third magnet and a fourth magnet acting as magnetic springs to equalize the deviation angles of the inner and outer shafts with the massage nozzles as well as the inverter connected to the coils, relative to their stable equilibrium positions, is an unquestionable advantage over the use of mechanical limiters in terms of smooth operation of the device and the absence of shock loads.

[0021] In addition to the above, the case of the massage device is made of a ferromagnetic material that can reduce the resistance to the passage of the magnetic current excited by the first magnet and the second magnet, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device.

[0022] Additionally, the case of the massage device is made of a diamagnetic material with a ferromagnetic cylindrical insert on its inner surface.

[0023] In addition to the above, the vibration frequency of the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft is 1 to 100 Hz, which allows for the most physiologically appropriate vibration massage, thereby producing a physical and unconscious effect specific to the human biological rhythm.

[0024] In addition to the above, the maximum deflection angle of the outer massage nozzle relative to the inner massage nozzle is up to 45 degrees, which makes the massage very effective and the operation of the device stable.

[0025] In addition to the above, the massage nozzles are made in the shape of spherical or conical projections or alternating spherical and conical projections, which ensures that no scratching effect occurs on the body surface that comes into contact with the massage nozzle, and allows massage nozzles of different shapes to be used separately or in combination to effectively massage different body parts.

[0026] In addition to the above, the massage nozzle is equipped with a magnetic insert arranged symmetrically relative to the axis of rotation of the nozzle, making it possible to perform magnetic therapy, which implies that a low-frequency magnetic field beneficially acts on problem areas of the body, thereby extending the efficacy of the claimed massage device in combination with a mechanical vibration massage.

[0027] In addition to the above, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a control unit for controlling the variation of the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulse of the inverter is mounted on the case, making the present invention compact, easy to operate and portable.

[0028] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the vibratory massage device comprises a case (1) having a shaft (2) mounted on a bearing (11) therein, the shaft having one end to which a massage nozzle (4) is fixed, a radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) is attached to a central portion of the shaft (2), a winding (8) is attached to the inner surface of the case, the winding comprising at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, a radially magnetized magnet (9) is fixed between the coils of the winding (8) facing the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6). The massage device further comprises an inverter, the inverter being coupled to the coils and configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses by a control unit connected thereto, and at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) is 5-30% greater than the interaction force between the cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil.

[0029] Thus, the claimed massage device allows the use of a non-contact magneto-electrical, electro-mechanical transducer with reciprocating motion without any transmission mechanism and mechanical limiters, which allows for smooth contact between the massage nozzle of the device and the body surface without noise of operation, without any shock loads, and without any adverse effects of vibration on the wrist or forearm of the operator. In addition, the radially magnetized magnet (9) acts as a magnetic spring that equalizes the deviation angle of the shaft with the massage nozzle to a stable equilibrium position.

[0030] The structure of the massage device, which implies that the case has a shaft mounted on a bearing and the shaft has at one end a massage nozzle is fixed, is characterized by a relatively low weight and compact dimensions and is primarily intended to massage sensitive areas of the body, such as the face or neck, by means of non-noticeable vibration loads acting mainly on the upper layers of the human skin, thereby improving blood and lymphatic circulation, facilitating cleansing of the human skin and avoiding injuries to said areas and the occurrence of discomfort or pain.

[0031] The massage device uses an inverter coupled to the coil, which is configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses, and can provide interaction forces between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, which interaction forces are 5-30% greater than the interaction forces between the cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil, allowing the device to operate in a balanced manner and to avoid uncontrolled shaft rotation in the case of an excessively strong interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the cylindrical magnet (6), or conversely, to avoid no or excessively weak shaft rotation in the case of an insufficient interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the cylindrical magnet (6), and as a result significantly increasing the operating efficiency and stability of the massage device of the claims. In addition, considering that the inverter is configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses by a control unit connected to it, it is possible to provide an adjustable, periodic force that smoothly increases, reaches a maximum value and smoothly decreases during a single oscillation and to create a massage device with a wide range of operating modes depending on the purpose and health of the human body.

[0032] The inventors have carried out several experiments on adjusting the interaction force between the coil and the cylindrical magnet (6) arranged on the shaft by the inverter output impulse and compared it with the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9). It turns out that in order to ensure reliable and stable operation of the massage device, at the maximum amplitude of the inverter output signal, the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) must be 5-30% greater than the interaction force between the coil and the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6). In this way, it was observed that the mechanical rotational moment of the shaft with the massage nozzle was weakened when the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) was 35%, 40% and 45% greater than the interaction force between the coil and the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6), but the occurrence of such cases increased as the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) increased compared to the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil. On the other hand, when the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) was 5%, 10%, 15% less than the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil, the incidence of uncontrolled circular rotation of the shaft increased due to the interaction force between the coil magnetic field and the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) becoming excessively strong, and the incidence of these cases increased as the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) decreased compared to the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil.

[0033] During the course of their experiments, the inventors also tried to adjust the amplitude of vibration of the shaft of the device using a mechanical limiter, but the limiter appeared to be ineffective and had a detrimental effect on the smooth operation of the massage device, as significant shock loads were formed and had a detrimental effect on the nature of the loads transmitted from the massage nozzle to the human body.

[0034] Thus, surprisingly, in the course of numerous experiments, it was found that the use of a radially magnetized magnet (9) acting as a magnetic spring equalizing the deviation angle to a stable equilibrium position in which the massage device has an inverter connected to a coil as well as a massage nozzle, is an unquestionable advantage over the use of a mechanical limiter in terms of the smooth operation of the device and the absence of shock loads.

[0035] In addition to the above, the case of the massage device is made of a ferromagnetic material that can reduce the resistance to the passage of magnetic current excited by a radially magnetized cylindrical magnet attached to the shaft, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device.

[0036] Additionally, the case of the massage device is made of a diamagnetic material with a ferromagnetic cylindrical insert on its inner surface.

[0037] In addition to the above, the massage nozzle is made in the shape of a spherical or conical protrusion, which prevents the massage nozzle from scratching the surface of the human body that comes into contact with it, and different shapes of massage nozzles can be used to effectively massage different body parts.

[0038] Further to the above, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the massage nozzle includes at least one magnetic insert.

[0039] In addition to the above, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the massage nozzle comprises at least two magnetic inserts arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis of the nozzle, so that it is possible to perform magnetic therapy, which implies that a low-frequency magnetic field acts beneficially on problem areas of the body, thereby extending the efficacy of the claimed massage device in combination with a mechanical vibration massage.

[0040] In addition to the above, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a control unit for controlling the variation of the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulse of the inverter is mounted on the case, making the present invention compact, easy to operate and portable.

[0041] Possible ways of implementing the invention are illustrated by the figures shown below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view of a massage device having main components according to a first embodiment of the claimed invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an overall view of a massage device having main components according to a second embodiment of the claimed invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the general operating principle of a massage device according to an embodiment of the claimed invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] The exemplary drawings illustrating the claimed invention and certain exemplary embodiments of the vibratory massage device referred to herein are in no way intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto, but are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a massage device with its main components according to a first embodiment of the claimed invention. The vibratory massage device comprises a case (1) with coaxial inner and outer shafts (2) and (3) mounted on bearings within the case, the shafts having ends with inner and outer massage nozzles (4) and (5) fixed thereto, cylindrical radially magnetized first and second magnets (6 and 7) mounted on each of the shafts. A winding (8) is mounted on the inner surface of the case, the winding comprising at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, radially magnetized third and fourth magnets (9 and 10) are fixed between the coils of the winding (8) opposite the cylindrical first and second magnets, the magnetic axes of the third and fourth magnets being offset from each other by 180 degrees. The coaxial inner and outer shafts (2) and (3) are mounted on bearings (11).

[0045] The massage device further comprises an inverter (not shown in the drawings), which may be provided as a separate unit or mounted in the case, coupled to the coil and configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses, and at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet are 5-30% greater than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively.

[0046] By adjusting the output impulse from the inverter, the interaction force between the magnet placed on the shaft and the magnetic field of the coil can be adjusted, thereby enabling the device to operate in a balanced manner and avoiding uncontrolled rotation of the shaft when the interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is too strong, or conversely, avoiding no or excessively weak rotation of the shaft when the interaction force between the magnetic field of the coil and the first and second magnets is insufficient, thereby significantly increasing the operating efficiency and stability of the massage device of the claims.

[0047] The massage device works according to the following principle: while the windings (8) are not connected to a power supply (inverter), the first cylindrical magnet (6) takes a stable equilibrium position together with the inner shaft (2) and the inner massage nozzle (4) due to the interaction with the third magnet (9), and the second cylindrical magnet (7) takes a stable equilibrium position together with the outer shaft (3) and the outer massage nozzle (5) due to the interaction with the fourth magnet (10), as shown in Figure 1, with the poles of the magnets (6) and (7) being arranged opposite the active part of the windings (8) coil. When the windings (8) are connected to an AC power supply (inverter), a variable electromagnetic field is generated, which interacts with the first magnet (6) and the second magnet (7). The winding (8) generates a magnetic field which is time-variable with the period of the inverter alternating current, so that the magnets (6) and (7) are displaced from their stable equilibrium position around the longitudinal axis of the shafts (2) and (3) in different directions according to the inverter period. In addition, a third magnet (9) and a fourth magnet (10) arranged between the coils of the winding (8) act as magnetic springs to ensure smooth operation of the massage device, thereby eliminating shock loads that would occur if, for example, a mechanical limiter were used. A negative reaction moment acts on the case of the device, but since the negative reaction moment is the sum of the mechanical moments of the magnets (6) and (7), and these mechanical moments have the same value but act in the opposite direction, any vibration of the case is avoided.

[0048] The structure of the massage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, having coaxial inner shaft (2) and outer shaft (3) with ends to which inner massage nozzle (4) and outer massage nozzle (5) are fixed, is primarily intended to massage large areas of the body, such as the back, buttocks or lower back, using strong vibration loads that act not only on the upper layer of the human skin but also on the subcutaneous tissue and muscles, thereby loosening the fatty layer and relieving tension and pain sensations in the human muscles.

[0049] Figure 2 shows an overall view of a massage device with its main components according to a second embodiment of the claimed invention. The vibratory massage device comprises a case (1) with a shaft (2) mounted on a bearing (11), the shaft having one end with a massage nozzle (4) fixed thereto, a radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) mounted in the middle of the shaft (2), a winding (8) mounted on the inner surface of the case, the winding comprising at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, a radially magnetized magnet (9) fixed between the coils of the winding (8) and facing the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6).

[0050] The massage device further comprises an inverter (not shown in the drawings), which may be provided as a separate unit or may be mounted in the case, coupled to the coil and configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulses, and at the maximum amplitude of the inverter's output signal, the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) is 5-30% greater than the interaction force between the cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil.

[0051] By adjusting the output impulse from the inverter, the interaction force between the cylindrical magnet placed on the shaft and the magnetic field of the coil can be adjusted, thereby enabling the device to operate in a balanced manner and avoiding uncontrolled shaft rotation when the interaction force between the magnetic field of the coil and the cylindrical magnet placed on the shaft is too strong, or conversely, avoiding no or excessively weak shaft rotation when the interaction force between the magnetic field of the coil and the cylindrical magnet placed on the shaft is insufficient, thereby significantly increasing the operating efficiency and stability of the massage device of the claims.

[0052] The massage device works according to the following principle: While the winding (8) is not connected to a power supply (inverter), the cylindrical magnet (6) assumes a stable equilibrium position together with the shaft (2) and the massage nozzle (4) due to interaction with the radially magnetized magnet (9), as shown in FIG. 2, with the poles of the magnet (6) arranged opposite the active parts of the coils of the winding (8). When the winding (8) is connected to an AC power supply (inverter), a variable electromagnetic field is generated, which interacts with the cylindrical magnet (6). Since the winding (8) generates a magnetic field which is time-variable with the period of the inverter alternating current, the magnet (6) is displaced from the stable equilibrium position around the longitudinal axis of the shaft (2) in various directions according to the period of the inverter. In addition to this, the magnets (9) arranged between the coils of the winding (8) act as magnetic springs, ensuring a smooth operation of the massage device and thus eliminating shock loads that would occur if, for example, mechanical limiters were used.

[0053] The structure of the massage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, implying that the case has a shaft mounted on a bearing and the shaft has at one end a massage nozzle is fixed, is characterized by a relatively low weight and compact dimensions and is primarily intended to massage sensitive areas of the body, such as the face or neck, with non-noticeable vibration loads acting mainly on the upper layers of the human skin, thereby improving blood and lymphatic circulation, facilitating cleansing of the human skin and avoiding injuries to said areas and the occurrence of discomfort or pain.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating the general working principle of the massage device according to the embodiment of the claimed invention. The working principle is as follows: The operator sets the desired shape, period and amplitude of the inverter output signal using an adjustment tool assembled in a control unit connected to the inverter. The control unit is composed of an impulse shape setting unit, an impulse period setting unit and an impulse amplitude setting unit. Potentiometers, button-type switches, digital potentiometers, keyboards, etc. can be used as adjustment tools. The inverter converts the constant voltage of the power supply unit into a variable electric signal with a shape, period and amplitude corresponding to that set by the control unit. When the windings of the case of the massage device are connected to the output of the inverter, an alternating current flows through the windings, thereby generating a variable electromagnetic field of the windings that interacts with two cylindrical magnets arranged on the shaft of the massage device according to the first embodiment of the invention or one cylindrical magnet arranged on the shaft of the massage device according to the second embodiment of the invention. The windings generate a magnetic field that varies in time with the period of the inverter's alternating current, so that the cylindrical magnet displaces in different directions from its stable equilibrium position about the longitudinal axis of the shaft to which it is mounted, depending on the period of the inverter.

[0055] In addition to the above, considering that the inverter is configured to vary the amplitude, period and shape of the output impulse smoothly or discretely by the control unit, it is possible to provide an adjustable, periodic force that smoothly increases, reaches a maximum value and smoothly decreases during a single oscillation and to create a massage device with a wide range of operating modes depending on the purpose and health of the human body.

[0056] Therefore, the claimed invention can provide a vibration type massage device which is structurally simple, reliable, ergonomic, and configured to select an operating mode according to the purpose of massage and the health of the human body, and since the interactive force between the magnet arranged on the shaft and the magnetic field of the coil is adjusted by an inverter, the device operates in a balanced manner and avoids the case where the circular rotation of the shaft is not controlled, or conversely, the rotation of the shaft does not occur or is excessively weak, thereby significantly improving the efficiency and stability of the operation of the claimed massage device.

[0057] In addition, the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention should be used as examples only, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications of the embodiments of the present invention can be easily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the present invention.

Claims

1. The device comprises a case (1) having coaxial inner and outer shafts (2) and (3) mounted on bearings therein, the shafts having ends to which an inner massage nozzle (4) and an outer massage nozzle (5) are fixed, cylindrical radially magnetized first and second magnets (6) and (7) are attached to each of the shafts, a winding (8) is attached to the inner surface of the case (1), the winding comprises at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, radially magnetized third and fourth magnets (9) and (10) are attached to the cylindrical first and second magnets between the coils of the winding (8). A vibration type massage device, in which the third magnet and the fourth magnet are fixed opposite to each other, and the magnetic axes of the third magnet and the fourth magnet are shifted by 180 degrees from each other, the vibration type massage device further comprises an inverter, the inverter is connected to the coil and configured to smoothly or discretely change the amplitude, period and shape of an output impulse by a control unit connected thereto, and at the maximum amplitude of the output signal of the inverter, the interaction forces between the first magnet and the third magnet and between the second magnet and the fourth magnet are 5 to 30% greater than the interaction forces between the coil and the first magnet and between the coil and the second magnet, respectively.

2. 2. The vibrating massage device according to claim 1, wherein the case is made of a ferromagnetic material.

3. 2. The vibratory massage device of claim 1, wherein said case is made of a diamagnetic material having a ferromagnetic cylindrical insert on its inner surface.

4. 2. The vibrating massage device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration frequency of the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft is 1 to 100 Hz.

5. 2. The vibratory massage device of claim 1, wherein the maximum deflection angle of the outer massage nozzle relative to the inner massage nozzle is up to 45 degrees.

6. 2. The vibratory massage device according to claim 1, wherein the massage nozzle is made in the shape of spherical or conical protrusions or alternating spherical and conical protrusions.

7. 10. The vibratory massage device of claim 1, wherein the massage nozzle includes magnetic inserts disposed symmetrically about an axis of rotation of the nozzle.

8. The vibratory massage device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is attached to the case.

9. 1. A vibratory massage device comprising a case (1) having a shaft (2) mounted on a bearing (11) therein, the shaft having an end at one of which a massage nozzle (4) is fixed, a radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) is attached to a central part of the shaft (2), a winding (8) is attached to the inner surface of the case, the winding comprising at least two coils whose magnetic axes are radial and offset from each other by more than 90 degrees, a radially magnetized magnet (9) is fixed between the coils of the winding (8) and facing the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6), the vibratory massage device comprising an inverter, the inverter being connected to the coils and configured to smoothly or discretely vary the amplitude, period and shape of an output impulse by a control unit connected to the inverter, the interaction force between the radially magnetized cylindrical magnet (6) and the radially magnetized magnet (9) being 5-30% greater than the interaction force between the cylindrical magnet (6) and the coil.

10. 10. The vibrating massage device according to claim 9, wherein the case is made of a ferromagnetic material.

11. 10. The vibratory massage device of claim 9, wherein the case is made of a diamagnetic material having a ferromagnetic cylindrical insert on its inner surface.

12. 10. The vibrating massage device according to claim 9, wherein the massage nozzle is made in the shape of a spherical or conical protrusion.

13. 10. The vibratory massage device of claim 9, wherein the massage nozzle comprises at least one magnetic insert.

14. 10. The vibratory massage device of claim 9, wherein the massage nozzle comprises at least two magnetic inserts arranged symmetrically about an axis of rotation of the nozzle.

15. The vibratory massage device according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is attached to the case.

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