Massage Machine Drive Mechanism for Small Area Press-and-Knead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional massage machines are limited in the variety of motions they can perform, unable to administer massages to small areas effectively due to large motion orbits and inability to mimic human-like stimuli, such as press-and-knead massages.
Innovation Solution
A massage machine with a drive mechanism and ascent-descent mechanism that allows the massaging member to describe a predetermined closed curve locus, enabling relative reciprocating movements and coordinated up-down movements to produce a composite locus for varied massage techniques, including smaller area massages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the massaging member performs a large orbit kneading motion to achieve effective massage stimulation, then the massaging effect is improved, but the ability to massage small areas is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reference locus into multiple partial loci (first partial locus, second partial locus, third partial locus) that can be selectively combined. By dividing the overall kneading motion into smaller segments, the system can create both large orbit motions for general massage and small orbit motions for targeted areas, resolving the contradiction between effective stimulation and small area adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically adjusts the motion pattern by selectively combining different partial loci based on the desired massage type. The system transitions from fixed large orbit motion to variable composite motion, enabling adaptive control of massaging member trajectory to match different treatment requirements, including both large area and small area massages.
2Device complexity
If the massaging member performs only kneading motion to simplify the mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the variety of massage motions is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single drive mechanism portion perform multiple functions by controlling it to generate different motion patterns. The same mechanism can produce various composite loci by selectively combining partial loci, enabling diverse massage types (kneading, press-and-knead, etc.) without adding separate specialized mechanisms, thus maintaining simplicity while increasing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the motion parameters (trajectory, amplitude, frequency) of the massaging member by controlling the combination of partial loci. By varying these parameters through software control rather than mechanical redesign, the system achieves multiple massage motions while keeping the physical mechanism simple and unified.
3Device complexity
If the massaging member moves in a fixed reference locus to simplify control, then the control system is simplified, but the ability to perform varied massage types is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the reference locus into standardized partial loci that can be reused and recombined. This segmentation allows the controller to generate various massage patterns by selecting and combining predefined motion segments, simplifying control logic while enabling diverse massage types through different combination strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses periodic reciprocating movements within partial loci, combining them in different sequences and patterns. By utilizing periodic action with varying combinations of partial loci, the system achieves multiple massage types through controlled repetition and variation of basic motion patterns, maintaining control simplicity while increasing versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Under the control of a controller, a drive mechanism portion moves a massaging member and an ascent-descent mechanism moves up and down the massaging member together with the entire drive mechanism portion. During an ordinary kneading massage, the massaging member performs a relative motion to describe a reference locus in the shape of a closed curve. The controller controls to make the massaging member perform a relative reciprocating movement within a partial movement range corresponding to a partial segment of the reference locus and simultaneously controls to make the ascent-descent mechanism move the drive mechanism portion up and down. The relative reciprocating movement of the massaging member along the partial segment of the reference locus and the up-down movement of the entire drive mechanism portion are combined together to produce a new motion of the massaging member describing a locus different from the reference locus.