Spinal Acupressure Piston Structure for Balanced Vertical Motion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acupressure and massage devices suffer from issues such as low effectiveness, secondary pain, inconvenience, and structural instability, leading to noise, vibration, and component damage due to unbalanced pistons, which affect the reliability and user satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A piston acupressure device with a cylinder housing, balance spring, and pressurization plate unit that ensures stable ascending and descending motion, preventing shaking and friction, and includes features like a vibration motor and thermal heater for enhanced therapy effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pneumatic pressure massager is used to massage the body, then pressure can be applied to body parts, but it is cumbersome to wear on arms, legs, or waist and cannot properly perform acupressure on the spine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional pneumatic cuff system with a mechanical piston structure that directly applies vertical pressing force to acupressure points on the spine. The piston is driven by a motor through a drive mechanism, eliminating the need for pneumatic pressure and body-worn cuffs, thereby improving both convenience and acupressure effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the core acupressure function from the cumbersome pneumatic cuff system and implements it through a dedicated piston structure positioned along the spine. This separation allows the acupressure mechanism to operate independently without requiring the user to wear restrictive cuffs on limbs or torso.
2Productivity
If a vibration massage machine is used, then massage can be provided, but it repeatedly hits the body causing secondary pain and low acupressure effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pressing and releasing action through the reciprocating motion of the piston. The piston moves downward to apply acupressure force, then returns upward to release, creating a rhythmic massage effect that avoids continuous vibration and repeated impact, thereby preventing secondary pain while maintaining massage effectiveness.
3Reliability
If multiple pistons are disposed along the spine, then acupressure coverage is improved, but unbalanced piston operation causes noise, vibration, and component damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a balance spring that applies an upward elastic force to counterbalance the downward force generated by the piston during operation. This counterbalancing mechanism neutralizes the unbalanced forces that cause vibration and noise, allowing multiple pistons to operate simultaneously without generating harmful effects while maintaining accurate acupressure positioning.
4Ease of operation
If the piston ascends and descends by air pressure, then acupressure can be applied, but unbalanced operation reduces operation reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The balance spring provides a counterbalancing elastic force that offsets the weight and operational forces of the piston. This ensures smooth and balanced ascent and descent movements, preventing tilting and unbalanced operation, thereby enhancing the reliability and stability of automatic piston operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pneumatic drive system to a mechanical drive system with motor and transmission mechanisms. This parameter change from air pressure to mechanical actuation provides more precise control over piston motion, improving operational stability and reliability while maintaining automatic operation capability.
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 provides reliable and effective acupressure in accurate positions, reducing noise and vibration, enhancing user satisfaction, and improving therapy outcomes through balanced operation and additional massage modalities.
Implementation Method 1
a piston which is configured by an ascending/descending plate unit which is located in the chamber to pass through the slit to be ascended or descended by an airbag
Implementation Method 2
a balance spring which has one end supported by the cylinder housing or a top housing and the other end supported by one side of the piston to apply a downward elastic force
Implementation Method 3
a pressurization plate unit which extends to an upper portion of the ascending/descending plate unit to pressurize the spine through the top surface when ascending
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a piston acupressure device for a spinal massage and provides an acupressure operation in an accurate position by ensuring firmly the ascending/descending operation of the piston which ascends/descends by expansion and contraction of the airbag and the movement phenomenon in the forward direction can be prevented during the ascending operation of the piston, damage, noise, and vibration caused by friction caused by parts interference caused by the unbalanced piston can be prevented in advance. Therefore, the durability for the product is increased and the reliability of the operation is ensured.