Patent ID: 6911012
Filing Date: 2005-06-28
Classification: A61H

Abstract:
1. A massage device for manipulating a user, the device comprising, in combination: a support member; a manipulator carried by the support member and adapted to engage and apply a shear force to the user; wherein the manipulator is rotatable relative to the support member about at least one axis; a brake operably connected to the manipulator to selectively adjust resistance to rotation of the manipulator about the at least one axis whereby the shear force applied to the user by the manipulator is adjusted; a translator operatively connected to the support member to selectively move the manipulator relative to the user such that the manipulator moves along the user; and a controller operatively connected to the translator and the brake such that the controller controls the translator to move the manipulator along a desired translation path along the user and automatically adjusts the brake to vary resistance to rotation of the manipulator about the at least one axis in real time as the manipulator moves along the desired translation path along the user to maintain a desired magnitude of the shear force applied to the user by the manipulator.