Patent ID: 9622933
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: A61H

Claim:
1. A motorized machine for passively applying a tapping force to the bottoms of a user's feet, the machine comprising: a housing; an axis-defining mechanism coupled to the housing, the axis-defining mechanism configured to define a rocking axis; at least one pedal positioned to receive a foot of the user and mounted on the rocking axis for rocking movement of the at least one pedal; a motor arranged within the housing, the motor configured to generate rotational motion to an output shaft of the motor; a pedal rocking mechanism coupled to the output shaft and driven by the motor, the pedal rocking mechanism being configured to translate the rotational motion generated by the motor to reciprocating rocking motion of the at least one pedal about the rocking axis; and at least one bumper, height-adjustably coupled to the housing, located spaced apart from a bottom portion of the at least one pedal, the reciprocating rocking motion of the at least one pedal provided by the pedal rocking mechanism providing a positive application of force for moving the bottom portion of the pedal towards and away from the at least one bumper, wherein the motor, the pedal rocking mechanism, the at least one pedal and the at least one bumper are configured so as to cooperate to apply, by the pedal rocking mechanism, the positive application of force to the at least one pedal so as to, during operation of the motor, cause the bottom portion of the at least one pedal to tap against the at least one bumper so as to provide pulsatile acceleration to the bottom of the user's foot, said pulsatile acceleration having a force sufficient to increase pulsatile shear stress to the endothelium, of sufficient magnitude to cause the release of beneficial mediators.