Massage machine

Abstract

To provide a massage machine capable of enabling a treatment member to perform more complex movements, thereby applying massage stimulation which is diverse and does not become monotonous. This massage machine includes: a treatment member 2 including a treatment shaft 21; a linear motion mechanism 3 for causing the treatment member 2 to reciprocate in the axial direction of the treatment shaft 21; a rotary motion mechanism 4 for causing the treatment member 2 to rotate around the axis of the treatment shaft 21; and a motor 5 which is the drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4. The treatment member 2 is configured to perform linear motion and rotary motion at the same time.

Description

Massage machine

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage machine having a movable treatment member that applies physical stimulation to a user.

[0002] An example of a prior art document relating to this type of massage machine is Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a handheld massage device including a rod-shaped handle and a head formed at the tip of the handle in a cross shape. A pair of tapping massage members (treatment members) are provided at the tip of the head. The head contains a drive motor that serves as the drive source for the tapping massage members and a motion conversion mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the drive motor's output shaft into the extension and retraction motion of the tapping massage members. When the drive motor is driven, the tapping massage members move linearly in and out of the head.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-282322

[0004] The massage device of Patent Document 1 can apply massage stimulation to the surface of the human body by pressing a linearly moving treatment member (a hitting massage member) against the surface of the human body. However, since the massage stimulation applied to the user by the massage device of Patent Document 1 is only one type of massage stimulation caused by the linear motion of the treatment member, the massage stimulation given to the user is monotonous and does not provide a high level of satisfaction. Furthermore, since only one type of massage stimulation is applied, it is difficult to obtain a massage effect, which is a disadvantage.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a massage machine that can provide a user with a variety of massage stimuli that will not tire of the user by allowing the treatment members to operate in a more complex manner.

[0006] The massage machine of the present invention is characterized by comprising a treatment member 2 including a treatment shaft 21, a linear motion mechanism 3 that moves the treatment member 2 back and forth in the axial direction of the treatment shaft 21, a rotational motion mechanism 4 that rotates the treatment member 2 around the axial center of the treatment shaft 21, and a motor 5 that is the driving source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotational motion mechanism 4, and is configured so that the treatment member 2 performs linear motion and rotational motion simultaneously.

[0007] The distal end of the treatment member 2 is disposed at one end of the massage machine in the longitudinal direction, and the center of gravity of the motor 5 is disposed at the other end of the massage machine in the longitudinal direction.

[0008] A linear driving gear 15 that constitutes the linear motion mechanism 3 and a rotary driving gear 16 that constitutes the rotary motion mechanism 4 are provided on the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, with the linear driving gear 15 being arranged at the base end of the output shaft 14 and the rotary driving gear 16 being arranged at the tip end of the output shaft 14.

[0009] The linear motion mechanism 3 includes a linear driving gear 15 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, a linear driven gear 30 that rotates in mesh with the linear driving gear 15, and an eccentric cam 33 that converts the rotational power of the linear driven gear 30 into reciprocating power.

[0010] The rotary movement mechanism 4 includes a rotary driving gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary driving gear 16 and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment member 2.

[0011] The rotating driven gear 28 is formed longer in the axial direction than the rotating driving gear 16, and when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, the rotating driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotating driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear 28.

[0012] The rotary driving gear 16 is formed longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 engages with one end of the axial direction of the rotary driving gear 16, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 engages with the other end of the axial direction of the rotary driving gear 16.

[0013] The circumferential surface of the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 is surrounded by the internal frame 42, restricting radial free movement of the output shaft 14. The rotary drive gear 16 that constitutes the rotary movement mechanism 4 is fixed to the tip of the output shaft 14 that protrudes from the internal frame 42, and is rotatably supported by a support surface 53 provided on the surface of the internal frame 42.

[0014] The treatment shaft 21 of the treatment member 2 is supported by a shaft support 25 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 so as to be relatively rotatable around the axis of the treatment shaft 21 and so as to be reciprocally movable along the axis. A return spring 36 is provided to bias the treatment shaft 21 in a direction approaching the shaft support 25.

[0015] A pair of treatment members 2 are arranged in parallel. A treatment element 57 inclined relative to the treatment axis 21 is provided at the tip of each treatment member 2, and the treatment element 57 of at least one of the treatment members 2 is configured so that the direction of inclination relative to the treatment axis 21 can be changed.

[0016] A pair of treatment members 2 are arranged in parallel. The rotary movement mechanism 4 includes a rotary drive gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that rotates in mesh with the rotary drive gear 16, and the rotary driven gear 28 is provided on the treatment shaft 21 of one of the treatment members 2. The treatment shafts 21 of both treatment members 2 are provided with transmission gears 70 that mesh with each other.

[0017] The rotating driven gear 28 is formed longer in the axial direction than the rotating driving gear 16, and when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, the rotating driving gear 16 meshes with one end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotating driving gear 16 meshes with the other end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear 28.

[0018] The rotary driving gear 16 is formed longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 engages with one end of the axial direction of the rotary driving gear 16, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 engages with the other end of the axial direction of the rotary driving gear 16.

[0019] The time required for the treatment members 2 to make one reciprocating motion by the linear motion mechanism 3 is the same as the time required for the treatment members 2 to make one rotation by the rotary motion mechanism 4. The linear motion mechanism 3 reciprocates each treatment member 2 between an advanced position and a retracted position along the treatment axis 21. The pair of treatment members 2 reach the advanced position at the same time, and are configured so that the opposing distance between the tip ends of the treatment members 2 is minimized at that timing. The pair of treatment members 2 reach the retracted position at the same time, and are configured so that the opposing distance between the tip ends of the treatment members 2 is maximized at that timing.

[0020] A massage machine according to the present invention includes a treatment member 2 including a treatment shaft 21, a linear motion mechanism 3 for reciprocating the treatment member 2 in the axial direction of the treatment shaft 21, a rotational motion mechanism 4 for rotating the treatment member 2 around the axis of the treatment shaft 21, and a motor 5 as a drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotational motion mechanism 4. When the treatment member 2 is configured to perform linear and rotational motion simultaneously, pressing the treatment member 2 against the surface of the human body can impart massage stimuli resulting from both the linear and rotational motions of the treatment member 2 to the surface of the human body. Therefore, compared to conventional massage devices in which the treatment member only moves linearly, a more diverse range of massage stimuli can be imparted to the user, resulting in a more effective massage. The stimuli imparted to the user can be varied, thereby increasing user satisfaction and reducing boredom.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part of a massage machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the massage machine. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a treatment member and its surroundings in an advanced position. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a linear motion mechanism for the treatment member. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a treatment member and its surroundings in a retracted position. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the rotation direction and trajectory of a treatment pin at the tip of a treatment member. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a treatment pin at the tip of a treatment member. FIG. 8 is a front view of one of the treatment pins when inverted and reattached. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a treatment member and its surroundings in a massage machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the rotation direction and trajectory of a treatment pin at the tip of a treatment member. FIG. 11 is a front view of a treatment member and its surroundings in a massage machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a front view of a treatment member and its motion mechanism in a massage machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a front view of a treatment member and its motion mechanism in a massage machine according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a side view of a treatment member and its motion mechanism in a massage machine according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a view showing a modified example of a treatment pin at the tip of a treatment member.

[0022] (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention is shown in Figures 1 to 8. In this embodiment, the front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to the crossed arrows shown in Figure 2 and the indications of the front, back, left, right, and up and down written near each arrow. This also applies to the second and subsequent embodiments described below.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the massage machine includes a vertically elongated, generally cylindrical casing 1 and a pair of left and right treatment members 2 partially exposed from the top surface of the casing 1. Inside the casing 1 are housed a linear motion mechanism 3 that reciprocates the treatment members 2 along an axis in the vertical direction, a rotary motion mechanism 4 that rotates the treatment members 2 around the axis, a motor 5 with a reducer that serves as a drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary motion mechanism 4, and a battery 6 that supplies power to the motor 5. The battery 6 may be either a primary battery or a secondary battery.

[0024] The casing 1 tapers gradually in diameter from the center to the bottom in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), and the bottom portion forms a grip portion thick enough for a user to grip easily. In this embodiment, the relatively heavy motor 5 and battery 6 are positioned toward the bottom of the casing 1, and the center of gravity of the massager is located in the lower half of the casing 1, preventing the user from feeling heavy when grasping the grip portion of the casing 1. The casing 1 of this embodiment is composed of a cylindrical case body 9, which occupies the majority of the casing 1, an upper cap 10 that closes the upper opening of the case body 9, and a lower cap 11 that closes the lower opening of the case body 9. While the cross sections of the case body 9 and the lower cap 11 are circular, the cross section of the upper cap 10 changes continuously from circular to elliptical from the bottom end to the top end.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the motor 5 is provided with an output shaft 14 that rotates at a speed reduced by a reducer. The output shaft 14 extends upward from the top surface of the motor 5, with a linear drive gear 15 provided at its lower end and a rotary drive gear 16 provided at its upper end. The output shaft 14 is composed of a relatively short shaft base end 17 between the motor 5 and the linear drive gear 15 and a relatively long shaft tip end 18 extending upward from the linear drive gear 15. However, in the present invention, the output shaft 14 may be composed of a single shaft body, and the reducer of the motor 5 may be omitted.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3 , each treatment member 2 includes a round-rod-shaped treatment shaft 21 extending vertically within the casing 1 and a treatment pin 22 attached to the distal end (upper end) of the treatment shaft 21. The treatment shaft 21 has a two-layer structure in which a stainless steel (metal) core body 23 is covered with a plastic sheath body 24. A shaft support 25 is disposed below each treatment shaft 21 to support the treatment member 2 from below. The lower end of the core body 23 of the treatment shaft 21 protrudes downward from the underside of the sheath body 24 and is inserted into a connecting hole 26 recessed in the upper surface of the shaft support 25, thereby supporting the entire treatment member 2 on the shaft support 25. The core body 23 is formed in a round-rod shape and is inserted into the connecting hole 26 with some clearance. Therefore, the entire treatment shaft 21, including the core body 23, is rotatable relative to the shaft support 25 and movable up and down. Note that in the present invention, the materials for the core body 23 and the sheath body 24 are not limited to metal and plastic. In addition, the treatment shaft 21 may be composed only of the sheath body 24, with the core body 23 fixed to the shaft support 25 as a part thereof, and the treatment shaft 21 consisting only of the sheath body 24 may be configured to be rotatable relative to the core body 23 and movable up and down.

[0027] The treatment shaft 21 extends parallel to the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary drive gear 16 is integrally provided at the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the sheath body 24. The rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 constitute a rotary motion mechanism 4 that transmits the rotational power of the motor 5 (output shaft 14) to the treatment members 2. The treatment members 2 that receive the rotational power from the rotary motion mechanism 4 rotate, i.e., spin, around the axis of the treatment shaft 21 that extends in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotary drive gear 16 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view integral with the output shaft 14, and the pair of treatment members 2 rotate in the opposite direction to the output shaft 14, i.e., clockwise.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of left and right linear driven gears 30 mesh with the linear driving gear 15, and each linear driven gear 30 is supported by a horizontal gear shaft 31 extending in the left-right direction perpendicular to the output shaft 14. While the linear driving gear 15 is a typical spur gear, the linear driven gear 30 is a face gear with an annular row of teeth formed on one surface of a disk. Note that these spur gears and face gears may be replaced with bevel gears or the like that mesh with each other.

[0029] An eccentric pin 32 eccentric with respect to the gear shaft 31 protrudes from the other surface of each linear driven gear 30, and the eccentric pin 32 is connected to the shaft support 25 that supports the treatment member 2 via an eccentric cam 33. The eccentric cam 33 is formed long in the vertical direction, and its upper end is connected to the shaft support 25 and its lower end is connected to the eccentric pin 32 (linear driven gear 30) so as to be rotatable relative to each other. Therefore, the rotational power of each linear driven gear 30 is converted into vertical reciprocating power by the eccentric cam 33 and transmitted to the shaft support 25. The linear driving gear 15, linear driven gear 30, eccentric cam 33, and shaft support 25 constitute a linear motion mechanism 3 that converts the rotational power of the motor 5 (output shaft 14) into reciprocating power and transmits it to the treatment member 2. Since the phases of the eccentric pins 32 of the pair of linear driven gears 30 are the same with respect to the gear shaft 31, the pair of treatment members 2 simultaneously repeat rising and falling. The speed at which each treatment member 2 moves up and down is highest in the middle of the movement stroke and lowest at both ends.

[0030] When the eccentric pin 32 rises due to the rotation of the linear driven gear 30, the eccentric cam 33 and the shaft support 25 connected thereto also rise in conjunction with each other, pushing up the treatment member 2. On the other hand, when the eccentric pin 32 descends, the eccentric cam 33 and the shaft support 25 descend in conjunction with the eccentric pin 32, but the treatment member 2 does not descend by being pulled by the shaft support 25, but is instead urged downward by a return spring 36 wound around the treatment shaft 21. As shown in FIG. 1 , the return spring 36 is a compression coil spring that constantly urges the treatment member 2 downward, i.e., in the direction of retraction into the casing 1, and is disposed between an annular spring seat 37 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the treatment shaft 21 inside the casing 1 and a horizontal top wall 38 of the upper cap 10 of the casing 1. This return spring 36 also constitutes a part of the linear motion mechanism 3 that reciprocates the treatment member 2 up and down. The spring seat 37 is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the rotary driven gear 28. A pair of left and right shaft insertion holes 39 are provided in the top wall 38 to allow the treatment shaft 21 to pass through. The shaft insertion holes 39 are formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the treatment shaft 21 and smaller than the outer diameter of the return spring 36, thereby restricting horizontal (radial) movement of the treatment shaft 21 relative to the casing 1.

[0031] The length of the rotary driven gear 28 in the axial direction (vertical direction) is set to be greater than the vertical movement stroke of the treatment member 2 so that the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 mesh with each other regardless of the vertical position of the treatment member 2. In other words, when the treatment member 2 is in the advanced position (see FIG. 1) which is the upper end of the movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with the lower end of the rotary driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 is in the retracted position (see FIG. 5) which is the lower end of the movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with the upper end of the rotary driven gear 28.

[0032] An internal frame 42 is disposed around the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 for purposes such as supporting the output shaft 14. The internal frame 42 is composed of a lower frame 43 that covers the motor 5 from above, a middle frame 44 connected to the upper side of the lower frame 43, an upper frame 45 connected to the upper side of the middle frame 44, and a pair of horizontal frames 46 located on the left and right of the middle frame 44 and the upper frame 45. The entire internal frame 42 is sandwiched from the left and right by the casing 1. The lower frame 43 is formed with a lower vertical hole 49 that allows the shaft base end 17 of the output shaft 14 to pass through. The middle frame 44 and the upper frame 45 are also formed with a middle vertical hole 50 and an upper vertical hole 51 that are elongated vertically and allow the shaft tip 18 to pass through. The inner diameters of the middle vertical hole 50 and the upper vertical hole 51 are formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft tip 18 to restrict radial play of the shaft tip 18 and, therefore, the output shaft 14. A cylindrical boss 52 that surrounds the shaft tip 18 of the output shaft 14 protrudes from the center of the upper surface of the internal frame 42, and the tip surface of the boss 52 functions as a support surface 53 that rotatably supports the lower surface of the rotary drive gear 16. A washer or the like may be placed between the rotary drive gear 16 and the support surface 53 to improve sliding.

[0033] Of the members constituting the linear motion mechanism 3, the linear driving gear 15 is housed in the space between the lower frame 43 and the middle frame 44, the linear driven gear 30 is housed in the space surrounded by the middle frame 44, and the eccentric cam 33 is housed in the space between the middle frame 44 and the horizontal frame 46. One end (near the center of the casing 1) of the gear shaft 31 of the linear driven gear 30 is journaled by the middle frame 44, and the other end (near the outer periphery of the casing 1) of the gear shaft 31 is journaled by the horizontal frame 46. In addition, the shaft support 25 is guided by a vertical guide hole 54 provided in the upper frame 45 so as to be able to move only up and down relative to the upper frame 45.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3 , the treatment pins 22 are composed of cap-shaped treatment elements 57 that contact the user's skin to provide stimulation, and a holder 58 that supports the treatment elements 57. The treatment elements 57 are hollow and circular in cross section, such as a bell or dome shape, and are made of a soft resin that feels pleasant to the touch. The treatment elements 57 are detachable from the holder 58, and can be replaced independently if they become dirty or worn. The pair of treatment pins 22 are surrounded on all four sides by an elongated cylindrical protective tube 59 connected to the top surface of the casing 1 (upper cap 10). When the treatment member 2 is in the extended position shown in FIG. 3 , only the upper half of the treatment elements 57 protrudes above the upper edge of the protective tube 59. When the treatment member 2 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 5 , the entire or most of the treatment elements 57 are recessed within the protective tube 59. The protective tube 59 defines the limit of penetration of the treatment pins 22 into the user's skin, etc., and also prevents the treatment pins 22 from being damaged by a strong impact from the side.

[0035] The holder 58 integrally comprises a lower connecting portion 60 that fits onto the tip of the treatment shaft 21, and an upper attached portion 61 that is covered by the treatment element 57. The connecting portion 60 is formed in a cylindrical shape that opens downward, and the attached portion 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 60, and the axis of the attached portion 61 is inclined with respect to the axis of the connecting portion 60. Therefore, when the treatment pin 22 is attached to the treatment shaft 21, the axis of the attached portion 61 is inclined with respect to the treatment shaft 21. When the entire treatment member 2 rotates around the axis of the treatment shaft 21, that is, when the treatment member 2 rotates on its axis, the treatment element 57 attached to the attached portion 61 traces a rotational trajectory around the axis of the treatment shaft 21, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 6.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, the treatment head 57 and the holder 58 are provided with recesses 64 and protrusions 65 that engage with each other when attached, thereby restricting rotation of the treatment head 57 relative to the holder 58. Furthermore, a pair of left and right slits 66 running vertically are recessed at the tip of the treatment shaft 21, and a pair of protrusions 67 running vertically are protruding from the inner surface of the attachment portion 61 of the holder 58, which can be inserted into and removed from the slits 66. The attachment structure using these slits 66 and protrusions 67 restricts rotation of the treatment pin 22 relative to the treatment shaft 21 and allows the treatment pin 22 to be freely attached and detached to and from the treatment shaft 21. Because the attachment portion 61 of the holder 58 is inclined relative to the connecting portion 60, removing the treatment pin 22 from the treatment shaft 21, rotating the treatment pin 22 180° around the axis of the connecting portion 60, and then reattaching the treatment pin 22 allows the inclination direction of the attachment portion 61, i.e., the treatment head 57, to be reversed from the initial orientation. That is, the massage machine according to this embodiment can be switched between a first usage mode in which the pair of treatment elements 57 are inclined in opposite directions, and a second usage mode in which the pair of treatment elements 57 are inclined in the same direction. Note that in the present invention, it is not necessary to make the treatment pins 22 of both treatment members 2 detachable from the treatment shaft 21; as long as the inclination direction of the treatment elements 57 of at least one of the treatment members 2 can be changed, switching between the first usage mode and the second usage mode is possible.

[0037] When the treatment member 2 is rotated with the pair of treatment elements 57 in the first usage configuration, the distance between the treatment elements 57 constantly fluctuates, alternately switching between the closest state of the treatment elements 57 as shown in FIG. 1 and the furthest state of the treatment elements 57 as shown in FIG. 5 . In the former state, the pair of treatment pins 22 strongly stimulate a relatively narrow area of ​​the user's skin, while in the latter state, the pair of treatment pins 22 weakly stimulate a relatively wide area. In other words, a massage machine with the pair of treatment elements 57 in the first usage configuration can provide a well-balanced massage with a constantly varying intensity of stimulation. On the other hand, when the pair of treatment elements 57 in the second usage configuration as shown in FIG. 8 , the distance between the treatment elements 57 remains constant even as the treatment member 2 rotates, and the intensity of stimulation provided by the treatment pins 22 is also constant. In other words, a massage machine with the pair of treatment elements 57 in the second usage configuration can provide a massage with a constant intensity of stimulation, resulting in a highly relaxing effect.

[0038] 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of a massage machine according to the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that a pair of treatment members 2 (2A and 2B) rotate in opposite directions in plan view. Specifically, a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary driving gear 16 is provided only on one of the treatment members 2A, and meshing transmission gears 70 are provided on the outer circumferential surfaces of the treatment shafts 21 of both treatment members 2A and 2B. These transmission gears 70 are provided above the rotary driven gear 28 and also serve as the spring seat 37 of the return spring 36. When the rotary driving gear 16 rotates counterclockwise, the treatment member 2A (on the right side) that includes the rotary driven gear 28 rotates clockwise. The other (left) treatment member 2B receives rotational power from the treatment member 2A via the transmission gear 70 and rotates in the opposite direction to the treatment member 2A, that is, counterclockwise.

[0039] In this embodiment, the time required for the treatment members 2A and 2B to rotate around the treatment shaft 21 is equal to the time required for the treatment members 2A and 2B to make one vertical reciprocating motion. The linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotational motion mechanism 4 are configured so that the distance between the treatment pins 22 is minimized when the treatment members 2A and 2B reach the advanced position, which is the upper end of their stroke, and the distance between the treatment pins 22 is maximized when the treatment members 2A and 2B reach the retracted position, which is the lower end of their stroke. According to the massage machine of this embodiment, the distance between the treatment pins 22 gradually narrows as the treatment members 2A and 2B move from the retracted position to the advanced position, enabling a focused massage that delivers strong, pinpoint stimulation to a single area, such as the user's skin. Since the remaining features are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. The same applies to the following third and subsequent embodiments.

[0040] 11 shows a third embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that the rotary drive gear 16 is longer in the axial direction (vertical direction) than the rotary driven gear 28. The axial length of the rotary drive gear 16 is set to be longer than the movement stroke of the treatment member 2. That is, when the treatment member 2 is in the advanced position, which is the upper end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the upper end of the rotary drive gear 16, and when the treatment member 2 is in the retracted position, which is the lower end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the lower end of the rotary drive gear 16. As a modification of the first and third embodiments, both the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 may be formed longer in the axial direction (longer than the movement stroke of the treatment member 2). In this case, the strength of both gears 16 and 28 can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the rotary movement mechanism 4.

[0041] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that the pair of treatment members 2 move up and down alternately. Specifically, the phases of the eccentric pins 32 of the pair of linear driven gears 30 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 are 180° out of phase with respect to the gear shaft 31, so that when one eccentric pin 32 is at the top end of its movement locus, the other eccentric pin 32 is at the bottom end of its movement locus. Therefore, the pair of treatment members 2 alternately rise and fall. The massage machine of this embodiment can provide a well-paced massage in which the pair of treatment members 2 alternately apply stimulation over a short span of time.

[0042] Fifth Embodiment Figure 13 shows a fifth embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that the treatment axes 21 of each treatment member 2 are inclined relative to the output shaft 14 of the motor 5. The pair of treatment members 2 shown in Figure 13(a) are inclined toward each other toward their distal ends (toward the treatment pins 22). This configuration allows for pinpoint, strong stimulation to be applied to a narrower area than when the treatment axes 21 are parallel. The pair of treatment members 2 shown in Figure 13(b) are inclined toward each other toward their distal ends. This configuration allows for simultaneous stimulation of a wider area than when the treatment axes 21 are parallel. While the treatment members 2 in both figures are inclined symmetrically, for example, the treatment members 2 may be inclined at different angles, or only one of the treatment members 2 may be inclined. In the present invention, the term "arrangement of a pair of treatment members 2 in parallel" refers to a concept that includes not only the form in which the treatment axes 21 of the treatment members 2 are parallel to each other as in the above-described embodiments, but also the form in which the treatment axes 21 of the treatment members 2 are arranged non-parallel to each other as in this embodiment. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a variety of massage machines that vary in the strength of stimulation and the width of the area to be stimulated.

[0043] 14 shows a sixth embodiment of the massage machine according to the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that there is only one treatment member 2. The protective tube 59 surrounding the treatment pin 22 on all four sides is formed in a cylindrical shape. In the present invention, the number of treatment members 2 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more.

[0044] The shape of the treatment pin 22 according to the present invention is not limited to those shown in the above embodiments, and may be, for example, the shape shown in FIG. 15 . The treatment pin 22 shown in FIG. 15( a) has a spherical treatment element 57. The treatment pin 22 shown in FIG. 15( b) has a forked treatment element 57. The treatment element 57 has two upward protrusions, but the number of protrusions may be three or more. In the treatment pin 22 shown in FIG. 15( c), the tip of the treatment element 57 is formed in a disk shape. The treatment element 57 of the treatment pin 22 shown in FIG. 15( d) has a thicker disk-shaped portion than that of FIG. 15( c), and multiple small protrusions are densely arranged on the upper surface. The tip of the treatment element 57 of the treatment pin 22 shown in FIG. 15( e) is formed in an approximately conical shape with a rounded top. In these modified examples, the axis of the attachment portion 61 of the holder 58 is inclined relative to the axis of the connecting portion 60, but this inclination is not required in the present invention, and the axis of the attachment portion 61 may coincide with the axis of the connecting portion 60 and the treatment axis 21.

[0045] The massagers described in the above embodiments can be used as facial massagers or beauty probes, i.e., beauty tools, to massage various parts of the human body, such as the hands, arms, shoulders, and scalp. The application of the present invention is not limited to handheld devices, but can also be applied to, for example, floor-standing massagers for the soles of the feet, calves, and other parts of the legs, and head massagers worn on the head. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to electric massage chairs, massage cushions, and shower heads equipped with a massage mechanism in the water outlet.

[0046] Alternatively, the treatment pins 22 can be partially or entirely made of conductive materials such as metal or conductive rubber, allowing them to function as electrodes. In this case, for example, the treatment pins 22 can generate radio frequency (RF) waves to heat the user's skin while physically stimulating it, resulting in a massager that provides multiple effects on the user's skin. The treatment pins 22 may be equipped with Peltier elements to alternately heat and / or cool the skin. Furthermore, the treatment pins 22 as electrodes can also be used for iontophoresis and electroporation to penetrate active ingredients into the skin, and EMS to electrically stimulate muscles beneath the skin. The massager of the present invention can contribute to Goal 3 (good health and well-being) of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[0047] As described above, the massage machine according to each of the above-described embodiments includes a treatment member 2 having a treatment pin 22 attached to the tip of a treatment shaft 21, a linear motion mechanism 3 for reciprocating the treatment member 2 in the axial direction of the treatment shaft 21, a rotational motion mechanism 4 for rotating the treatment member 2 around the axis of the treatment shaft 21, and a motor 5 as a drive source for the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotational motion mechanism 4. The treatment member 2 is configured to perform both linear and rotational motion simultaneously. Therefore, by pressing the treatment pin 22 against the body surface, massage stimuli resulting from both the linear and rotational motions of the treatment member 2 can be applied to the body surface. Therefore, the massage device according to each of the embodiments can provide a more diverse range of massage stimuli to the user, resulting in a more effective massage, compared to conventional massage devices in which the treatment member only performs linear motion. Furthermore, the stimulation provided by the treatment member 2 can be varied to enhance user satisfaction and reduce boredom.

[0048] If the distal end of the treatment member 2 is located at one longitudinal end of the massager, the user can easily operate the massager by grasping the other longitudinal end. In addition, if the center of gravity of the motor 5, which is relatively heavy, is located at the other end of the massager, the user can avoid feeling heavy when grasping the other end.

[0049] If the linear drive gear 15 constituting the linear motion mechanism 3 and the rotary drive gear 16 constituting the rotary motion mechanism 4 are provided on the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, the structure of the output shaft 14 and its surroundings can be simplified compared to when both gears 15, 16 are provided on different shafts. Furthermore, if the linear drive gear 15 is disposed at the base end of the output shaft 14 and the rotary drive gear 16 is disposed at the tip end of the output shaft 14, the load that the output shaft 14 receives from the motion mechanisms 3, 4 can be distributed between the base end and tip end, preventing deformation of the output shaft 14 due to concentrated load.

[0050] If the linear motion mechanism 3 includes a linear driving gear 15 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, a linear driven gear 30 that rotates in mesh with the linear driving gear 15, and an eccentric cam 33 that converts the rotational power of the linear driven gear 30 into reciprocating power, the rotational power of the motor 5 can be converted relatively easily into reciprocating power and transmitted to the treatment member 2.

[0051] If the rotary motion mechanism 4 includes a rotary driving gear 16 that rotates integrally with the output shaft 14 of the motor 5, and a rotary driven gear 28 that meshes with the rotary driving gear 16 and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment member 2, it is possible to minimize the number of gears that make up the rotary motion mechanism 4 and simplify the rotary motion mechanism 4. Furthermore, when a pair of treatment members 2 are arranged in parallel, by providing a rotary driven gear 28 on each treatment shaft 21, it is possible to transmit rotational power from one rotary driving gear 16 to two rotary driven gears 28.

[0052] If the rotary driven gear 28 is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary drive gear 16, so that when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of its movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with one axial end of the rotary driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with the other axial end of the rotary driven gear 28. This allows the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 to mesh together, rotating the treatment member 2 regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment member 2. Furthermore, compared to when the rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be as long as the rotary driven gear 28, manufacturing costs can be reduced by the amount that the rotary drive gear 16 is made thinner.

[0053] If the rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear 28, and the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one axial end of the rotary drive gear 16 when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, and the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other axial end of the rotary drive gear 16 when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 can mesh together regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment member 2, thereby rotating the treatment member 2. Furthermore, compared to when the rotary driven gear 28 is formed to be as long as the rotary drive gear 16, the manufacturing cost can be reduced by the amount of thickness of the rotary driven gear 28.

[0054] By surrounding the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 with the internal frame 42 to restrict its radial free movement, and supporting the rotary drive gear 16 fixed to the tip of the output shaft 14 with the support surface 53 on the surface of the internal frame 42, the posture of the output shaft 14 and rotary drive gear 16 inside the massage machine can be more stabilized, and the rotational power can be more reliably transmitted to the rotary driven gear 28 and ultimately to the treatment member 2. Furthermore, by having the internal frame 42 perform the dual functions of restricting the free movement of the output shaft 14 and supporting the rotary drive gear 16, the number of parts can be reduced.

[0055] If the treatment shaft 21 of the treatment member 2 is supported by the shaft support 25 that constitutes the linear motion mechanism 3 so as to be relatively rotatable, the rotational power transmitted from the output shaft 14 of the motor 5 to the treatment shaft 21 is not transmitted to the linear motion mechanism 3 including the shaft support 25, and only the treatment member 2 can be rotated. Furthermore, if the treatment shaft 21 is biased by the return spring 36 in a direction approaching the shaft support 25, when the linear motion mechanism 3 moves the shaft support 25 in a direction away from the treatment shaft 21, the treatment shaft 21 can be moved together with the treatment shaft 21. This eliminates the need to axially connect the treatment shaft 21 and the shaft support 25, simplifying the assembly of the treatment shaft 21 to the shaft support 25.

[0056] If a pair of treatment members 2 are arranged in parallel and a treatment element 57 inclined relative to the treatment axis 21 is provided at the tip of each treatment member 2, when the treatment member 2 rotates, i.e., spins, around the axis of the treatment axis 21, the treatment element 57 traces a revolution trajectory around the axis of the treatment axis 21, and can alternately approach and move away from the other treatment element 57. Furthermore, if the direction of inclination of the treatment elements 57 of at least one treatment member 2 relative to the treatment axis 21 is changeable, multiple usage patterns can be adopted, such as a pattern in which the pair of treatment elements 57 approach and move away simultaneously, or a pattern in which one treatment element 57 approaches while the other treatment element 57 moves away, thereby diversifying the massage stimulation provided to the user.

[0057] A rotary driven gear 28 that rotates by meshing with the rotary driving gear 16 is provided on one of the treatment shafts 21 of a pair of treatment members 2 arranged in parallel, and transmission gears 70 that mesh with each other are provided on the treatment shafts 21 of both treatment members 2, so that rotational power is transmitted from one treatment member 2 to the other treatment member 2 only via the transmission gear 70, allowing both treatment members 2 to rotate in opposite directions with a relatively simple configuration.

[0058] If the rotary driven gear 28 is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary drive gear 16, so that when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of its movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with one axial end of the rotary driven gear 28, and when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 meshes with the other axial end of the rotary driven gear 28. This allows the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 to mesh together, rotating the treatment member 2 regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment member 2. Furthermore, compared to when the rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be as long as the rotary driven gear 28, manufacturing costs can be reduced by the amount that the rotary drive gear 16 is made thinner.

[0059] If the rotary drive gear 16 is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear 28, and the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with one axial end of the rotary drive gear 16 when the treatment member 2 reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism 3 is at one end of the movement stroke, and the rotary driven gear 28 meshes with the other axial end of the rotary drive gear 16 when the treatment member 2 is at the other end of the movement stroke, the rotary drive gear 16 and the rotary driven gear 28 can mesh together regardless of the position of the reciprocating treatment member 2, thereby rotating the treatment member 2. Furthermore, compared to when the rotary driven gear 28 is formed to be as long as the rotary drive gear 16, the manufacturing cost can be reduced by the amount of thickness of the rotary driven gear 28.

[0060] If the massage machine is configured so that the pair of treatment members 2 reach the advance position at the same time, and the distance between the opposing tips of the treatment members 2 is minimized at that timing, and so that the pair of treatment members 2 reach the retracted position at the same time, and the distance between the opposing tips of the treatment members 2 is maximized at that timing, the distance between the opposing tips of the treatment members 2 gradually narrows as the two treatment members 2 move from the retracted position to the advanced position, so that a strong pinpoint stimulus can be applied to one area, such as the user's skin, and a concentrated massage can be performed on that area.

[0061] 2 Treatment member 3 Linear motion mechanism 4 Rotational motion mechanism 5 Motor 14 Output shaft 15 Linear driving gear 16 Rotational driving gear 21 Treatment shaft 22 Treatment pin 25 Shaft support 28 Rotational driven gear 30 Linear driven gear 33 Eccentric cam 36 Return spring 42 Internal frame 53 Support surface 57 Treatment element 70 Transmission gear

Claims

1. A massage machine comprising: a treatment member (2) including a treatment shaft (21); a linear motion mechanism (3) for reciprocating the treatment member (2) in the axial direction of the treatment shaft (21); a rotational motion mechanism (4) for rotating the treatment member (2) around the axial center of the treatment shaft (21); and a motor (5) that is the drive source for the linear motion mechanism (3) and the rotational motion mechanism (4), wherein the treatment member (2) is configured to perform linear motion and rotational motion simultaneously.

2. The massage machine according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the treatment member (2) is disposed at one end of the massage machine in the longitudinal direction, and the center of gravity of the motor (5) is disposed at the other end of the massage machine in the longitudinal direction.

3. A massage machine as described in claim 1, wherein a linear drive gear (15) constituting the linear motion mechanism (3) and a rotary drive gear (16) constituting the rotary motion mechanism (4) are provided on the output shaft (14) of the motor (5), the linear drive gear (15) being disposed at the base end of the output shaft (14) and the rotary drive gear (16) being disposed at the tip end of the output shaft (14).

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

5. The massage machine of claim 1, wherein the rotary motion mechanism (4) includes a rotary driving gear (16) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (14) of the motor (5), and a rotary driven gear (28) that meshes with the rotary driving gear (16) and rotates integrally with the treatment shaft (21) of the treatment member (2).

6. A massage machine as described in claim 5, wherein the rotating driven gear (28) is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotating driving gear (16), and when the treatment member (2) reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of its movement stroke, the rotating driving gear (16) meshes with one end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear (28), and when the treatment member (2) is at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotating driving gear (16) meshes with the other end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear (28).

7. A massage machine as described in claim 5, wherein the rotary drive gear (16) is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear (28), and when the treatment member (2) reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear (28) meshes with one end of the axial direction of the rotary drive gear (16), and when the treatment member (2) is at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear (28) meshes with the other end of the axial direction of the rotary drive gear (16).

8. A massage machine as described in claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the output shaft (14) of the motor (5) is surrounded by an internal frame (42) to restrict radial movement of the output shaft (14), and the rotary drive gear (16) constituting the rotary motion mechanism (4) is fixed to the tip of the output shaft (14) protruding from the internal frame (42) and rotatably supported by a support surface (53) provided on the surface of the internal frame (42).

9. A massage machine as described in claim 1, in which the treatment shaft (21) of the treatment member (2) is supported by a shaft support (25) constituting the linear motion mechanism (3) so as to be rotatable relative to the axis of the treatment shaft (21) and so as to be capable of reciprocating along said axis, and a return spring (36) is provided to bias the treatment shaft (21) in a direction approaching the shaft support (25).

10. A massage machine as described in claim 1, in which a pair of treatment members (2) are arranged in parallel, a treatment element (57) inclined relative to the treatment axis (21) is provided at the tip of each treatment member (2), and the treatment element (57) of at least one of the treatment members (2) is configured so that the direction of inclination relative to the treatment axis (21) can be changed.

11. A massage machine as described in claim 1, in which a pair of treatment members (2) are arranged in parallel, the rotary motion mechanism (4) includes a rotary driving gear (16) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (14) of the motor (5) and a rotary driven gear (28) that rotates in mesh with the rotary driving gear (16), the rotary driven gear (28) is provided on the treatment shaft (21) of one of the treatment members (2), and transmission gears (70) that mesh with each other are provided on the treatment shafts (21) of both treatment members (2).

12. A massage machine as described in claim 11, wherein the rotating driven gear (28) is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotating driving gear (16), and when the treatment member (2) reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism (3) is at one end of its movement stroke, the rotating driving gear (16) meshes with one end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear (28), and when the treatment member (2) is at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotating driving gear (16) meshes with the other end of the axial direction of the rotating driven gear (28).

13. A massage machine as described in claim 11, wherein the rotary drive gear (16) is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the rotary driven gear (28), and when the treatment member (2) reciprocated by the linear motion mechanism (3) is located at one end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear (28) meshes with one axial end of the rotary drive gear (16), and when the treatment member (2) is located at the other end of its movement stroke, the rotary driven gear (28) meshes with the other axial end of the rotary drive gear (16).

14. A massage machine as described in claim 11, wherein the time required for the treatment member (2) to make one reciprocating motion by the linear motion mechanism (3) is the same as the time required for the treatment member (2) to make one rotation by the rotary motion mechanism (4), the linear motion mechanism (3) reciprocates each treatment member (2) between an advanced position and a retracted position along the treatment axis (21), the pair of treatment members (2) reach the advanced position simultaneously, and the opposing distance between the tip ends of the treatment members (2) is minimized at that timing, and the pair of treatment members (2) reach the retracted position simultaneously, and the opposing distance between the tip ends of the treatment members (2) is maximized at that timing.

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