Parallel Axis Massage Unit Reducing Friction and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing massage units for seats and backrests are complex, heavy, and inefficient, with excessive components and friction losses, limiting their ability to provide a reliable and compact pressure point massage without vibration, which is disruptive.
Innovation Solution
A compact massage unit with a controllable electric motor and a massage head where the rotational axis and translational axis are parallel, using a spindle drive with a threaded spindle and spindle nut, and a housing with a linear guide, allowing for simplified assembly and reduced friction, enabling both pressure point and vibration massages by controlling the motor's rotation direction and voltage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a 90° deflection mechanism (worm gear with hollow shaft) is used to convert rotary motion to translational motion, then the massage head can be moved translationally, but the device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the unnecessary 90° deflection mechanism (worm gear with hollow shaft) from the drive system. By directly aligning the motor shaft with the lead screw axis, the complex worm gear assembly is removed entirely, reducing the number of components while maintaining the translational motion function of the massage head.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from a 90° deflected configuration to a coaxial alignment. The motor shaft and lead screw are arranged collinearly, eliminating the need for intermediate transmission elements and simplifying the mechanical structure while achieving the same translational output.
2Ease of operation
If a worm gear with hollow shaft is used to convert rotary motion to translational motion, then the massage head can be driven, but friction losses increase due to the worm drive
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful worm gear mechanism is completely removed from the system. The patent replaces it with a direct drive configuration where the motor shaft connects directly to the lead screw, eliminating the high-friction worm mesh and significantly reducing energy losses during motion transmission.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple massage units (20-30 per seat) are installed, then comprehensive seat coverage is achieved, but the total weight becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the massage system into multiple independent, lightweight units that can be distributed across the seat. Each unit is individually optimized with the simplified drive mechanism, allowing 20-30 units to be installed without excessive total weight, achieving comprehensive coverage while maintaining acceptable weight levels.
4Reliability
If a complex drive mechanism with multiple gears is used, then reliable pressure point massage is achieved, but assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multi-gear transmission system is extracted and replaced with a simple direct-drive configuration. The motor shaft connects directly to the lead screw, eliminating intermediate gears and reducing assembly steps while maintaining reliable pressure point massage functionality through the straightforward linear motion mechanism.
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
The solution results in a lightweight, reliable, and efficient massage unit that can perform pressure point and vibration massages effectively, improving assembly simplicity and reducing weight, while minimizing friction losses and allowing for customizable massage durations and frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
a controllable electric motor (7) with a rotational axis (8) and a massage head (15) which can be driven by the electric motor (7) and moved translationally in the direction of a seat user to perform a massage movement
Implementation Method 2
The electric motor (7) is connected via a spindle drive (13), consisting of a threaded spindle (11) and a spindle nut (12), to the massage head (15)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a massage unit (6) for a seat part (2) and/or a backrest part of a seat. The massage unit (6) consists of a controllable electric motor (7) and a massage head (15) which can be driven by the electric motor (7) and which can be moved in a translational manner in the direction of a seat user in order to carry out a massage movement. According to the invention, a rotational axis (8) of a rotor (9) of the electric motor (7) and a translational axis (14) of the massage head (15) are parallel to each other. In this manner, a reliable massage unit (6) which consists of few components and which has a compact design can be provided for a seat part (2) or a backrest part of a seat.