Massage Drive Unit Axial Length Adjustment via Cover Thread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive units for massage systems are difficult for consumers to mount and dismount, require complex electrical connections, and lack adaptability to massage bodies of different lengths due to fixed axial lengths and screw-based assembly designs.
Innovation Solution
A drive unit with a rotating electric motor connected to an imbalance, featuring a cover thread that adjusts the axial length between end plates, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and a fan surface for air cooling, enabling axial length compensation and vibration for adaptable massage systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If control elements and electrical components are mounted on end discs, then the drive unit can be operated and controlled, but the drive unit becomes difficult for consumers to replace and requires complex electrical connections for mounting and dismounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes control elements and electrical components from the end discs, extracting the problematic elements that caused difficulty in replacement. This allows the drive unit to be easily mounted and dismounted without dealing with electrical connections, while still providing operational functionality through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive unit is divided into separable components where the drive unit itself can be easily replaced as a module without requiring disconnection of electrical components. The housing and end discs are designed to be separable, allowing the drive unit to be exchanged independently from the massage body.
2Adaptability or versatility
If end plates are connected by screws with fixed axial length, then the drive unit structure is stable, but the drive unit cannot be adapted to massage bodies of different lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The axial length of the drive unit is made adjustable rather than fixed. The distance between the two end discs can be varied along the longitudinal axis, allowing the drive unit to adapt to different massage body lengths while maintaining structural integrity through the threaded connection mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive unit is designed with universal adaptability to work with massage bodies of various lengths. The adjustable end disc positioning system allows a single drive unit design to serve multiple applications and configurations, replacing the need for multiple fixed-length variants.
3Ease of manufacture
If the drive unit is designed with fixed axial length and screw-based assembly, then manufacturing is simplified, but consumer replacement and adaptation become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The drive unit is designed as a modular segment that can be independently replaced. The housing, motor, and unbalance are contained within a self-contained unit that can be manufactured simply yet replaced easily by consumers without requiring complex assembly or disassembly of electrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive unit is designed to enable self-service replacement by consumers. The simplified mounting and dismounting mechanism allows end users to replace the drive unit themselves without requiring technical expertise or special tools, while the manufacturing process remains simple and cost-effective.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easy installation and removal of the drive unit from massage bodies, allows for axial length adjustment, and provides effective air cooling and vibration for various massage applications, enhancing user convenience and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
An unbalanced weight, the unbalanced weight causing the drive unit to vibrate when the motor rotates
Implementation Method 2
The unbalanced element features a fan surface for the axial movement of air within the drive unit
Implementation Method 3
The connection between the cover and the housing is made by a thread in the cover that engages in a thread in the housing
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a drive unit (12) for a massage element. The drive unit (12) comprises a housing (28) which has a largely rotationally symmetrical, in particular cylindrical shape and which is delimited by two end disks (18, 26). The massage element can at least partially be clamped between the end disks (18, 26). For this purpose, one end disk (26) is connected to the housing (28) by a threaded connection. At least part of a housing thread (38) on the housing (28) is preferably designed in at least two portions, and the geometrical shapes of the units of which the radially inner portion of the housing thread (38) is composed are complementary in a largely interlocking manner. The invention further relates to a massage system comprising a drive unit (12) described above.