Massage ball having improved heat transfer performance and thermal massage device including same

Abstract

Disclosed is a massage ball having improved heat transfer performance. A massage ball having improved heat transfer performance according to one aspect of the present invention is a massage ball that receives current through a power supply unit so as to provide a thermal massage effect while pressed against a user, wherein the massage ball may comprise: a fixed shaft fixed and coupled to a support arm; a bracket rotatably coupled to the fixed shaft; and a plurality of heater rods inserted into the bracket to revolve around the fixed shaft when the bracket rotates about the fixed shaft.

Description

Massage ball with improved heat transfer performance and thermal massage device including the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage device, and more particularly, to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance and a thermal massage device including the same.

[0002] Traditionally, spinal thermal massage devices have been widely used to alleviate acute or chronic pain in the muscles and nerve tissues of the spine caused by prolonged work in an improper posture or by habitually maintaining such postures, to improve blood circulation in the body, or to relieve momentary muscle stiffness, by moving along the body and applying thermal stimulation to the painful area to improve blood flow.

[0003] These spinal thermal massage devices are equipped with heat-generating massage balls that apply thermal stimulation while applying pressure to the user. A PTC heater is located at the center of the massage ball, which heats when current is applied.

[0004] However, since only one of these PTC heaters is placed in the center of the massage ball, it is difficult to sufficiently transfer heat to the outer surface of the massage ball, which reduces the thermal massage effect.

[0005] In addition, the PTC heater is fixed in a non-rotating state at the center of the massage ball for power connection. However, if configured in this way, a minute gap is formed between the PTC heater fixed in a non-rotating state and the massage ball arranged to be rotatable, which allows relative rotation, resulting in a problem of reduced thermal massage effect.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to develop technologies that can solve these problems.

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance that can sufficiently transfer heat to a user, and a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance including the same.

[0008] The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0009] A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one aspect of the present invention is a massage ball that receives current through a power supply unit to provide a thermal massage effect while applying pressure to a user, wherein the massage ball includes a fixed shaft fixedly coupled to a support arm, a bracket rotatably coupled to the fixed shaft, and a plurality of heater rods inserted into the bracket so as to revolve around the fixed shaft when the bracket rotates around the fixed shaft.

[0010] At this time, an electrode frame electrically connected to the heater load may be further included so that current is supplied to the heater load.

[0011] At this time, the electrode frame may be provided with a first electrode electrically connected to a first electrode cable of the heater load, and a second electrode electrically connected to a second electrode cable of the heater load.

[0012] At this time, the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged axially forward of the electrode frame, and the first electrode cable and the second electrode cable are arranged penetrating from the axial rear of the electrode frame toward the front and then can be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

[0013] At this time, the first electrode and the second electrode may each include an electrode body electrically connected to the first electrode cable and the second electrode cable, respectively, and an electrode wing formed to extend from the electrode body.

[0014] At this time, the electrode body may be provided with a fixed rib extending axially rearward, and the electrode frame may be provided with a fixed slot into which the fixed rib is inserted and fixed.

[0015] At this time, the electrode wings provided on the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, can be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode, each having a circular cross-section, so as to supply current to the heater rod.

[0016] At this time, the electrode wings provided on the first electrode may be provided in multiple numbers so as to be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode at at least two or more locations, and the electrode wings provided on the second electrode may be provided in multiple numbers so as to be electrically connected to the second corresponding electrode at at least two or more locations.

[0017] At this time, the electrode wing provided on the first electrode may be arranged along a string connecting two points arranged on the first corresponding electrode, and the electrode wing provided on the second electrode may be arranged along a string connecting two points arranged on the second corresponding electrode.

[0018] At this time, the electrode wing provided on the first electrode may be arranged to have the same curvature as the first corresponding electrode, and the electrode wing provided on the second electrode may be arranged to have the same curvature as the second corresponding electrode.

[0019] At this time, a plurality of the heater rods can be arranged at the same distance from the center of the fixed shaft.

[0020] At this time, the first electrode and the second electrode can be arranged in a row along the radial direction.

[0021] At this time, a cover that comes into contact with the user is provided on the outer surface of the bracket, and the axial front of the cover can be coupled to the electrode frame, and the axial rear of the cover can be coupled to the rear cover.

[0022] At this time, the cover may be provided with an insertion protrusion protruding along the axial direction, and the rear cover may be provided with an insertion hole into which the insertion protrusion is inserted.

[0023] At this time, the electrode frame may be provided with a first electrode electrically connected to a first electrode cable of the heater load and a second electrode electrically connected to a second electrode cable of the heater load, and the power supply unit may include a first corresponding electrode and a second corresponding electrode having a circular cross-section so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

[0024] At this time, the power supply unit may include a power supply frame in which the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode are respectively inserted and arranged at the rear in the axial direction.

[0025] At this time, the power supply frame may be provided with electrode grooves into which the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode are respectively inserted.

[0026] At this time, the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode may each be provided with an insertion rib extending forward in the axial direction, and the power supply frame may be provided with an insertion slot so that each of the insertion ribs may be inserted and fixed.

[0027] At this time, the external electrodes arranged in the axial forward direction can be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode, respectively, after penetrating the power supply frame.

[0028] According to the above configuration, the massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to the embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of heater rods that revolve around the fixed shaft inserted into a bracket that rotates around the fixed shaft, so that heat can be sufficiently transferred to the outer surface of the bracket, thereby improving the thermal massage effect.

[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the composition of the invention described in the claims.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled state of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exploded state of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an electrode frame provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first electrode and a second electrode provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating a modified example of the first electrode and the second electrode provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Fig. 7 is a radial cross-sectional view of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 is a configuration diagram of a thermal massage device in which a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance is installed according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a power supply unit that supplies current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a power supply unit that supplies current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 11 is an axial cross-sectional view of a power supply unit that supplies current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. To clearly explain the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in the drawings, and the same reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0042] The words and terms used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principles by which the inventor can define terms and concepts in order to best explain his or her invention.

[0043] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings correspond to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace the configuration at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0044] In this specification, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to describe the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0045] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled state of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exploded state of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention. Here, the a direction represents the axial direction, and the r direction represents the radial direction.

[0046] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a massage ball (100) with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention is a massage ball (100) that receives current through a power supply unit (40) to provide a thermal massage effect while pressing a user. The massage ball (100) includes a fixed shaft (110) that is fixedly coupled to a support arm (21), a bracket (120) that is rotatably coupled to the fixed shaft (110), and a plurality of heater rods (130) that are inserted into the bracket (120) so as to revolve around the fixed shaft (110) when the bracket (120) rotates around the fixed shaft (110).

[0047] This support arm (21) is placed on a support part (20) provided in a thermal massage device to be described later, and can be configured to be rotatable at a certain angle during a thermal massage process. The support arm (21) is provided with a fixed shaft (110) to which a massage ball (100) is rotatably coupled. The fixed shaft (110) may be provided with a cylindrical body extending along the axial direction (a) and a disc-shaped head having an outer diameter larger than the body. That is, one side of the cylindrical body may be fixed to the support arm (21) while the cylindrical body penetrates the massage ball (100). A clamp groove to which a C-shaped clamp is fixed may be provided on one side of the cylindrical body. A head may be provided on the other side of the cylindrical body, and since the massage ball (100) is supported in the axial direction (a) by the head and the support arm (21), the axial direction (a) position can be stably fixed.

[0048] At this time, the massage ball (100) includes a bracket (120) that is rotatably coupled to the fixed shaft (110). That is, the inner surface of the shaft hole (121) provided in the bracket (120) and the outer surface of the fixed shaft (110) can be configured to allow slippage so that the bracket (120) rotates while the fixed shaft (110) is fixed to the support arm (21).

[0049] In addition, the bracket (120) includes a plurality of heater rods (130) inserted into the bracket (120) so as to revolve around the fixed shaft (110) when the bracket (120) rotates around the fixed shaft (110). The bracket (120) may be provided with a rod hole (122) for inserting the heater rods (130). For example, the heater rods (130) may be a PTC heater, but are not limited thereto, and may be other configurations such as a heating wire as long as they are capable of generating heat.

[0050] In addition, it includes an electrode frame (140) that is electrically connected to the heater rod (130) so that current can be supplied to the heater rod (130). The electrode frame (140) is provided with a frame fixing hole (145) into which a fastening member such as a screw is coupled so that the electrode frame (140) is fixed to the bracket (120), and when the bracket (120) rotates, the electrode frame (140) rotates together, thereby enabling a stable supply of current to the heater rod (130).

[0051] At this time, the bracket (120) is provided with a fixing hole (123) that is arranged in communication with the frame fixing hole (145) described above, and this fixing hole (123) is also arranged in communication with the cover fixing hole (162) of the rear cover (160) described later. Through this, not only the electrode frame (140) but also the rear cover (160) can rotate together with the bracket (120), thereby improving the structural stability of the massage ball (100).

[0052] That is, since a plurality of heater rods (130) that revolve around the fixed shaft (110) are inserted into the bracket (120) that rotates around the fixed shaft (110), heat can be sufficiently transferred to the outer surface of the bracket (120), thereby improving the thermal massage effect.

[0053] At this time, an electrode frame (140) electrically connected to the heater load (130) may be further included so that current is supplied to the heater load (130).

[0054] FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the electrode frame (140) may be provided with a first electrode (141) electrically connected to a first electrode cable (131) of a heater rod (130), and a second electrode (142) electrically connected to a second electrode cable (132) of the heater rod (130).

[0056] These first electrode cables (131) and second electrode cables (132) may be conductive cables through which current flows, and may be flexible so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively.

[0057] At this time, the first electrode cable (131) may be a conductive cable through which current flows in, and the second electrode cable (132) may be a conductive cable through which current flows out. The direction of the current flow can be changed according to the design specifications. The first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132) may be provided on one side in the axial direction (a), and if configured in this way, the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) are also provided on one side in the axial direction (a), so that the massage ball (100) can be miniaturized.

[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) are arranged in front of the electrode frame (140) in the axial direction (a), and the first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132) are arranged to penetrate from the rear of the electrode frame (140) toward the front and then can be electrically connected to the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively. To this end, the electrode frame (140) may be provided with a first through hole (143) through which the first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132) pass.

[0059] That is, since the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) are arranged in front of the axial direction (a) of the electrode frame (140), stable electrical connection with the power supply unit (40) to be described later is possible during the process of rotating the electrode frame (140). In addition, the first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132) are arranged through the axial direction (a) of the electrode frame (140) from the rear to the front and then electrically connected to the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively, so that stable current flow is possible through the first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132).

[0060] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an electrode frame provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) may each include an electrode body (141a, 142a) electrically connected to the first electrode cable (131) and the second electrode cable (132), and an electrode wing (141b, 142b) extending from the electrode body (141a, 142a).

[0062] That is, the current flowing in through the first corresponding electrode (41) described later moves to the electrode body (141a) through the electrode wing (141b) provided in the first electrode (141) and then moves to the heater rod (130) through the first electrode cable (131), and the current flowing out from the heater rod (130) moves to the electrode body (142a) provided in the second electrode (142) through the second electrode cable (132) and then moves to the second corresponding electrode (42) through the electrode wing (142b). This configuration enables a stable current flow.

[0063] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the electrode body (141a, 142a) may be provided with a fixed rib (141c, 142c) extending rearward in the axial direction (a), and the electrode frame (140) may be provided with a fixed slot (144) into which the fixed rib (141c, 142c) is inserted and fixed.

[0064] That is, the structural stability is improved by firmly fixing the electrode body (141a, 142a) to the fixed slot (144) provided in the electrode frame (140) through the fixed rib (141c, 142c), thereby enabling stable current supply even when the electrode frame (140) rotates together with the bracket (120).

[0065] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first electrode and a second electrode provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the electrode wings (141b, 142b) provided on the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively, can be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) having a circular cross-section to supply current to the heater rod (130), and with this configuration, even if the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) rotate while being fixed to the electrode frame (140), a stable current supply is possible.

[0067] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the electrode wings (141b) provided on the first electrode (141) may be provided in multiple numbers so as to be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode (41) at at least two or more locations, and the electrode wings (142b) provided on the second electrode (142) may be provided in multiple numbers so as to be electrically connected to the second corresponding electrode (42) at at least two or more locations.

[0068] At this time, the electrode wings (141b, 142b) can be formed with a certain angle of inclination toward the front in the axial direction (a), and if configured in this way, during the process of combining the power supply unit (40) described later, the electrode wings (141b, 142b) are elastically deformed toward the rear in the axial direction (a), enabling stable electrical connection between the power supply unit (40) and the electrode wings (141b, 142b).

[0069] In addition, as described above, since the first electrode (141) is provided with a plurality of electrode wings (141b) and the second electrode (142) is provided with a plurality of electrode wings (142b), these electrode wings (141b, 142b) are electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) at at least two locations, respectively, to enable stable current flow.

[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the electrode wing (141b) provided on the first electrode (141) may be arranged along a chord (ch) connecting two points disposed on the first corresponding electrode (41), and the electrode wing (142b) provided on the second electrode (142) may be arranged along a chord (ch) connecting two points disposed on the second corresponding electrode (42).

[0071] That is, as described above, when a plurality of electrode wings (141b) are provided on the first electrode (141), these plurality of electrode wings (141b) are electrically connected at multiple locations on the first corresponding electrode (41), thereby enabling stable electrical connection.

[0072] For example, when a pair of electrode wings (141b) are provided on the first electrode (141), the first electrode (141) is electrically connected at two locations on the first corresponding electrode (41), and the two locations can become a ch connecting two points on the first corresponding electrode (41), thereby enabling a stable electrical connection.

[0073] In addition, when a pair of electrode wings (142b) are provided on the second electrode (142), the second electrode (142) is electrically connected at two locations on the second corresponding electrode (42), and the two locations can become a ch connecting two points on the second corresponding electrode (42), thereby enabling a stable electrical connection.

[0074] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating a modified example of the first electrode and the second electrode provided in a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the electrode wing (141b) provided on the first electrode (141) may be arranged to have the same curvature as the first corresponding electrode (41), and the electrode wing (142b) provided on the second electrode (142) may be arranged to have the same curvature as the second corresponding electrode (42).

[0076] By configuring it in this way, even if the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) rotate while the electrode frame (140) rotates together with the bracket (120), a stable electrical connection with the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) is possible, respectively.

[0077] Fig. 7 is a radial cross-sectional view of a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] As illustrated in Fig. 7, a plurality of heater rods (130) can be arranged at the same distance (d) from the center of the fixed shaft (110). With this configuration, the distance between each heater rod (130) and the outer surface of the bracket (120) is formed to be constant, so that heat is evenly transferred to the outer surface of the bracket (120), and even if the bracket (120) rotates during the thermal massage process, the user can feel a constant thermal sensation.

[0079] As illustrated in Fig. 5, the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) can be arranged in a row along the radial direction (r). As described above, the first electrode (141) through which current flows in and the second electrode (142) through which current flows out are provided on one side of the axial direction (a) of the heater rod (130), so that the massage ball (100) can be miniaturized. In addition, since the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) are arranged in a row along the radial direction (r), the structure of the power supply unit (40) to be described later can be simplified, thereby enabling stable current movement.

[0080] At this time, one of the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) may be disposed on the inner side in the radial direction (r), and the other electrode may be disposed on the outer side in the radial direction (r). In addition, the first electrode (141) may be disposed spaced apart from the center of the fixed shaft (110) by a first distance (r1) in the radial direction (r), and the second electrode (142) may be disposed spaced apart from the center of the fixed shaft (110) by a second distance (r2) in the radial direction (r).

[0081] As shown in Fig. 2, the outer surface of the bracket (120) is provided with a cover (150) that comes into contact with the user, and the front side of the cover (150) in the axial direction (a) can be coupled to the electrode frame (140), and the rear side of the cover (150) in the axial direction (a) can be coupled to the rear cover (160).

[0082] For example, the cover (150) may be composed of an elastic material, and this configuration can minimize a foreign body sensation that the user may feel through the bracket (120). At this time, it is preferable that the cover (150) be composed of a material that can smoothly transmit heat transferred to the outer surface of the bracket (120) to the user. However, the cover (150) is not necessarily limited to an elastic material, and any material that can smoothly transmit heat while minimizing a foreign body sensation that the user may feel through the bracket (120) may be used.

[0083] That is, since an electrode frame (140) is provided in front of the bracket (120) in the axial direction (a) and a rear cover (160) is provided in the rear, the heater rod (130) inserted into the bracket (120) can be prevented from being randomly dislodged to one or the other side in the axial direction (a).

[0084] At this time, a cover fixing hole (162) through which a fastening member such as a screw penetrates to fix the rear cover (160) may be provided, and the bracket (120) may be provided with a fixing hole (123) through which the fastening member is fixedly coupled. With this configuration, the structural stability of the massage ball (100) is improved. In addition, when the bracket (120) rotates, the cover (150), the electrode frame (140), and the rear cover (160) can rotate together.

[0085] As shown in Fig. 3, the cover (150) may be provided with an insertion protrusion (151) protruding along the axial direction (a), and the rear cover (160) may be provided with an insertion groove (161) into which the insertion protrusion (151) is inserted.

[0086] That is, when the cover (150) is coupled to the outer surface of the bracket (120), the rear cover (160) is coupled to the rear in the axial direction (a). By coupling the cover (150) so that the insertion protrusion (151) is inserted into the insertion groove (161) of the rear cover (160), it becomes possible to couple the rear cover (160) in the correct position. Alternatively, the cover (150) may be provided with an insertion groove, and the rear cover (160) may be provided with an insertion protrusion.

[0087] Additionally, an insertion protrusion may be provided in the front axial direction (a) of the cover (150), and an insertion groove may be provided in the electrode frame (140).

[0088] Figure 8 is a configuration diagram of a thermal massage device in which a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance is installed according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] As illustrated in FIG. 8, a thermal massage device in which a massage ball (100) with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed includes a transfer unit (10) that moves a massage ball (100) that pressurizes a user in a longitudinal direction, a support unit (20) equipped with a support arm (21) to which the massage ball (100) is fixedly coupled, a lifting and lowering unit (30) that raises or lowers the support unit (20) in a height direction, and a power supply unit (40) that supplies current to the massage ball (100).

[0090] These thermal massage devices can be inserted and placed into a pad that supports the user's body, and the thermal massage devices are inserted and placed into the pad and move along the length direction (in the same direction as the user's spinal alignment) to apply pressure to the user's body.

[0091] Such pads may be provided on a main body supporting the user's upper body, and an auxiliary part supporting the user's lower body may be connected to the main body. In this case, the main body may be configured to support not only the user's upper body but also the buttocks, and the auxiliary part may be configured to support only the user's legs.

[0092] At this time, pads can also be provided on the auxiliary part that supports the user's lower body, and it is also possible to configure the pads to be provided on both the main body and the auxiliary part.

[0093] The main body equipped with a pad may be provided with a separate leg member so that the upper surface of the pad is positioned away from the ground, thereby allowing the user to receive a massage in a comfortable position.

[0094] These leg members can be manufactured in a roughly rectangular band shape. That is, they can include side frames corresponding to the sides of the main body, a lower frame supported on the ground, and a connecting frame connecting the side frames and the lower frame. The above-mentioned frames can be manufactured as a single unit, or can be manufactured separately and then joined. Here, the side frames can be manufactured in a plate shape, and the lower frame can be manufactured in a rod shape.

[0095] The aforementioned main body portion may be configured to have a guide groove formed therein, and the auxiliary portion may be configured to have a guide protrusion formed therein to be inserted into the guide groove, so that the auxiliary portion can slide. Alternatively, it is also possible to configure the auxiliary portion to have a guide groove formed therein, and the main body portion to have a guide protrusion formed therein, so that the auxiliary portion can slide therein.

[0096] Massage balls (100) can be placed on both sides in the width direction (both sides centered on the user's spine), thereby providing a massage effect by applying pressure to acupressure points (for example, acupressure points according to the foot-taiyang bladder meridian) located on both sides along the user's spine.

[0097] At this time, the transfer unit (10) may be equipped with a plate-shaped transfer plate member on which a support member (20) and an elevation member (30) are arranged, and base ribs may be provided at both ends in the width direction of the transfer plate member. The base ribs may be equipped with support rollers, and these support rollers may be arranged to be movable along guide rails arranged in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the transfer unit (10) may be equipped with a transfer drive member that provides a driving force so that the support rollers move along the guide rails.

[0098] In addition, the support arm (21) described above may be arranged to be rotatable at a certain angle on the support member (20). The elevation member (30) may be provided with an elevation member in the shape of a rack gear and an elevation drive member in the shape of a pinion gear, and a separate driving motor may be connected to the elevation drive member so that the elevation member may be configured to rise or fall depending on rotation in one direction or the other.

[0099] In addition, a power supply unit (40) that supplies current to the massage ball (100) may be provided, and when current is supplied to the heater rod (130) through this, the heater rod (130) can generate heat.

[0100] At this time, the massage ball (100) with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention may be installed in the above-described massage device, but this is only one example, and as another example, it may also be installed in a massage chair or a massage roller.

[0101] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the massage ball (100) includes a fixed shaft (110) fixedly coupled to a support arm (21), a bracket (120) rotatably coupled to the fixed shaft (110), and a plurality of heater rods (130) inserted into the bracket (120) so as to revolve around the fixed shaft (110) when the bracket (120) rotates around the fixed shaft (110). At this time, the massage ball (100) may further include an electrode frame (140) electrically connected to the heater rod (130) so that current is supplied to the heater rod (130). Since the specific configuration of the massage ball (100) is the same as the configuration described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0102] In this way, a plurality of heater rods (130) revolving around the fixed shaft (110) are inserted into the bracket (120) that rotates around the fixed shaft (110), so that heat can be sufficiently transferred to the outer surface of the bracket (120), thereby improving the thermal massage effect.

[0103] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the electrode frame (140) is provided with a first electrode (141) electrically connected to a first electrode cable (131) of a heater rod (130) and a second electrode (142) electrically connected to a second electrode cable (132) of the heater rod (130), and the power supply unit (40) may include a first corresponding electrode (41) and a second corresponding electrode (42) having a circular cross-section so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively.

[0104] These first counter electrodes (41) and second counter electrodes (42) are electrically connected to electrode wings (141b, 142b) provided on the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142), respectively, to supply current to the heater rod (130). With this configuration, even if the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) rotate while being fixed to the electrode frame (140), a stable current supply is possible.

[0105] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a power supply unit for supplying current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a power supply unit for supplying current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an axial cross-sectional view of a power supply unit for supplying current to a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the power supply unit (40) may include a power supply frame (43) in which a first corresponding electrode (41) and a second corresponding electrode (42) are respectively inserted and arranged at the rear in the axial direction (a).

[0107] This power supply frame (43) is provided with an arm fixing hole (43d) so that the power supply frame (43) is fixed to the support arm (21), so that the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) are stably fixed while maintaining a non-rotating state even when the massage ball (100) rotates.

[0108] As illustrated in Fig. 10, the power supply frame (43) may be provided with electrode grooves (43a) into which the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) are respectively inserted and placed. That is, when the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) are inserted and placed in the electrode grooves (43a), structural stability is improved, and when the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) are also inserted into the electrode grooves (43a) to the same depth as the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42), an electrical connection is formed, thereby enabling a stable electrical connection.

[0109] At this time, the inner and outer sides of the radial direction (r) of the electrode groove (43a) may be provided with inclined surfaces facing the center of the electrode groove (43a), and when the inclined surfaces are provided in this manner, when the massage ball (100) is combined, the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) can be guided along the inclined surfaces to the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) so as to be placed in the correct position.

[0110] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) are each provided with insertion ribs (41a, 42a) that extend forward in the axial direction (a), and the power supply frame (43) may be provided with insertion slots (43b) so that each insertion rib (41a, 42a) is inserted and fixed.

[0111] By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to couple the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) in the correct position, and even if frictional force is applied while the first electrode (141) and the second electrode (142) rotate when the massage ball (100) rotates, the stable position fixation of the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) becomes possible.

[0112] As illustrated in Fig. 11, the external electrode (50) positioned in the front in the axial direction (a) can be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) after penetrating the power supply frame (43).

[0113] At this time, the external electrode (50) may include a first external electrode (51) electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode (41) and a second external electrode (52) electrically connected to the second corresponding electrode (42), thereby enabling a stable current flow. In addition, the power supply frame (43) may be provided with a second through hole (43c) through which the external electrode (50) passes.

[0114] By configuring in this way, the first corresponding electrode (41) and the second corresponding electrode (42) can be stably electrically connected to the external electrode (50).

[0115] As previously discussed, the massage ball with improved heat transfer performance and the thermal massage device including the same according to one embodiment of the present invention have a plurality of heater rods (130) that revolve around the fixed shaft (110) inserted into a bracket (120) that rotates around the fixed shaft (110), so that heat can be sufficiently transferred to the outer surface of the bracket (120), thereby improving the thermal massage effect.

[0116] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention will be able to easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components within the scope of the same spirit, but this will also be considered to fall within the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. In a massage ball that is supplied with current through a power supply to provide a thermal massage effect while pressurizing the user, The above massage ball, A fixed shaft fixedly connected to the support arm; a bracket rotatably coupled to the above fixed shaft; and A plurality of heater rods inserted into the bracket so as to revolve around the fixed shaft when the bracket rotates around the fixed shaft. Massage ball with improved heat transfer performance including.

2. In paragraph 1, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance further comprising an electrode frame electrically connected to the heater load so that current is supplied to the heater load.

3. In paragraph 2, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode frame comprises a first electrode electrically connected to a first electrode cable of the heater load, and a second electrode electrically connected to a second electrode cable of the heater load.

4. In paragraph 3, The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged axially forward of the electrode frame, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the first electrode cable and the second electrode cable are arranged to penetrate from the axial rear of the electrode frame toward the front and then are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

5. In paragraph 3, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each include an electrode body electrically connected to the first electrode cable and the second electrode cable, respectively, and an electrode wing extending from the electrode body.

6. In paragraph 5, The above electrode body is provided with a fixed rib extending axially rearward, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode frame is provided with a fixing slot into which the fixing rib is inserted and fixed.

7. In paragraph 5, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode wings provided on the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode, respectively, having a circular cross-section to supply current to the heater rod.

8. In paragraph 7, The electrode wings provided on the first electrode are provided in multiple numbers to be electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode at at least two locations, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode wings provided on the second electrode are provided in multiple numbers so as to be electrically connected to the second corresponding electrode at at least two locations.

9. In paragraph 8, The electrode wing provided on the first electrode is arranged along a string connecting two points arranged on the first corresponding electrode, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode wing provided on the second electrode is arranged along a string connecting two points arranged on the second corresponding electrode.

10. In paragraph 8, The electrode wing provided on the first electrode is arranged to have the same curvature as the first corresponding electrode, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the electrode wing provided on the second electrode is arranged to have the same curvature as the second corresponding electrode.

11. In paragraph 3, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein a plurality of the heater rods are arranged at equal distances from the center of the fixed shaft.

12. In paragraph 11, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in a row along the radial direction.

13. In paragraph 2, The outer surface of the above bracket is provided with a cover that comes into contact with the user, The axial front of the above cover is coupled to the electrode frame, The axial rear of the above cover is a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance that is coupled to the rear cover.

14. In paragraph 13, The above cover is provided with an insertion projection protruding along the axial direction, A massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the rear cover is provided with an insertion hole into which the insertion protrusion is inserted.

15. In paragraph 2, The electrode frame is provided with a first electrode electrically connected to a first electrode cable of the heater load, and a second electrode electrically connected to a second electrode cable of the heater load. A massage device comprising a massage ball having improved heat transfer performance, wherein the power supply unit comprises a first corresponding electrode and a second corresponding electrode having a circular cross-section so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

16. In paragraph 15, A massage device including a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the power supply unit includes a power supply frame in which the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode are each inserted and arranged at the rear in the axial direction.

17. In paragraph 16, A massage device including a massage ball with improved heat transfer performance, wherein the power supply frame has electrode grooves into which the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode are respectively inserted.

18. In paragraph 16, The first counter electrode and the second counter electrode are each provided with an insertion rib extending forward in the axial direction, A massage device comprising a massage ball having improved heat transfer performance, wherein the power supply frame is provided with an insertion slot for each of the insertion ribs to be inserted and fixed.

19. In paragraph 16, A massage device comprising an external electrode positioned axially forward, the external electrode penetrating the power supply frame and electrically connected to the first corresponding electrode and the second corresponding electrode, respectively, and having improved heat transfer performance.

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