Percussive Massage Mechanism With Tuned Stroke and Frequency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Massage devices often provide ineffective, superficial massages that fail to offer real therapeutic benefits.
Innovation Solution
A massage device with a housing, motor, and actuated output that reciprocates at specific frequencies (15 Hz to 100 Hz) and amplitudes (0.15 to 1.0 inches) to provide therapeutically beneficial treatment to targeted muscles, utilizing a gearbox to convert rotary motion to reciprocal motion and incorporating a counterweight for vibration reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a massage device provides high frequency and high amplitude reciprocation, then the therapeutic benefit is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mechanical vibration through a motor-driven reciprocating mechanism that generates controlled oscillations at frequencies between 15-100 Hz and amplitudes of 0.15-1.0 inches. The motor converts electrical energy to mechanical reciprocating motion, creating the therapeutic vibration effect without requiring complex mechanical linkages
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes therapeutic effectiveness by controlling specific parameters: frequency (15-100 Hz) and amplitude (0.15-1.0 inches). These parameter ranges are carefully selected to penetrate deep muscle tissue while remaining comfortable for users, achieving therapeutic benefit without excessive device complexity
2Reliability
If a massage device provides deep tissue penetration, then the therapeutic benefit is improved, but the discomfort to the user increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves deep tissue penetration while minimizing discomfort by optimizing the frequency and amplitude parameters within specific ranges (15-100 Hz and 0.15-1.0 inches). This controlled parameter range allows effective muscle treatment without causing excessive pain or discomfort to users
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 device delivers efficient and therapeutically beneficial massages by optimizing frequency and amplitude ranges, ensuring effective muscle treatment while minimizing discomfort or ineffectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a motor, an actuated output operatively connected to the motor and configured to reciprocate in response to activation of the motor
Implementation Method 2
The motor is configured to rotate a shaft having a shaft gear thereon about a shaft rotation axis. The housing includes a gear member disposed therein that is operatively engaged with the shaft gear and rotates about a gear rotation axis. The rotational motion of the shaft is converted to reciprocating motion of the actuated output through the engagement of the shaft gear and the gear member
Implementation Method 3
the gear member comprises a counterweight disposed on the gear member, and the center of mass of the counterweight is not on the gear rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
A massage device that includes a housing, an electrical input, a motor, a switch in electrical communication with the electrical input and the motor and configured to selectively provide power from the electrical input to the motor, an actuated output operatively connected to the motor and configured to reciprocate in response to activation of the motor, and a treatment structure operatively connected to a distal end of the actuated output. The actuated output is configured to reciprocate the treatment structure at a frequency of between about 15 Hz and about 100 Hz, and at an amplitude of between about 0.15 and about 1.0 inches. The combination of amplitude and frequency provides efficient reciprocation of the treatment structure such that the treatment structure provides therapeutically beneficial treatment to a targeted muscle of a user.