Abstract:
A device is disclosed. The device contains a housing with a power source, and a removable massaging head with a vibrating unit, wherein the vibrating unit is powered by the power source.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a personal massager (i.e. vibrator). 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Sexual self-stimulators, principally in the form of vibrators, have been available for a long time. Examples of such devices are described in a substantial volume of patent literature, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,391, which issued to J. H. Tavel on Jun. 24, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,665, which issued to M. I. Bakunin et al on Apr. 7, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,751, which issued to J. O. O&#39;Rourke on Nov. 16, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,338, which issued to K. Igwebiki on Jul. 5, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,480, which issued to P-G. E. Woog et al on Nov. 16, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,303, which issued to Leonard on Nov. 28, 1995 which are all incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0003]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , as known in the art, a vibrator  10  comprises a substantially tubular housing  1  dimensioned to be held in a hand and having an open neck end  2 . The vibrator  10  also comprises a head  3  removably affixed to the housing  1  at the neck end  2 . The housing  1  further comprises an electric vibrating device  8  for vibrating the head  3 . The vibrating device  8  may be powered by any suitable source of electrical energy  9 , such as, for example, a stepdown transformer connected to a commercial power source, or any suitable type of battery or batteries. The source of electrical energy  9  is also disposed within the housing  1 . The removable head  3  may be replaced by one of the heads  5  and/or  6  as shown in  FIGS. 3-4 . 
         [0004]    Because the vibrating device  8  and the source of electrical energy  9  are both disposed within the housing  1 , each removable head  3 ,  5  and  6  will vibrate (i.e. operate) at the same speed (or range of speeds) and/or at the same vibrating strength. This is not well-suited when different users (for example women) often have different sensitivities and may require the removable head  3 ,  5  and  6  to operate at higher or lower speeds and/or vibrating strength. Furthermore, the removable heads  3 ,  5  and  6  have different shapes. Using the same vibrating device  8  to operate (i.e. vibrate) the differently shaped heads  3 ,  5  and  6  does not take full advantage of each heads unique shape (i.e. features). 
         [0005]    Therefore, a need exists for a vibrator that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art as described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the portable vibrator as known in the art. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts part of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3-4  depict different heads to be used with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIGS. 5-6  depict a massaging unit according to the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 7-8  and  10  depict internal components of the embodiment of  FIGS. 5-6 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 9  depicts a vibrating head of the embodiment of  FIGS. 5-6 . 
           [0012]      FIGS. 11-13  depict a charging station according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    In the following description, like reference numbers are used to identify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended to illustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of every implementation nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to clearly describe various specific embodiments disclosed herein. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the presently claimed invention may be practiced without all of the specific details discussed below. In other instances, well known features have not been described so as not to obscure the invention. 
         [0015]    Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , a vibrating (i.e massaging) unit  20  is depicted according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The unit  20  is defined by a housing  25  and a massage (i.e. vibrating) head  30  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ). The head  30  is connected with one end  35  of the housing  25 . The housing  25  comprises a power switch  40  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) to turn the unit  20  on and off. The switch  40  may be a sliding switch or a push switch configured to move up and down. 
         [0017]    The interior of the housing  25  houses a power source  45 , a printed circuit board  50 , and a connector  55   a  as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . The power source  45  may be, for example, a re-chargeable battery. The printed circuit board  50  may be in electrical contact with the power switch  40  and the power source  45 . When the power switch  40  is turned on, the printed circuit board  50  is configured to activate a vibrating unit  65  disposed with the massage head  30  as shown in  FIGS. 9-10 . The vibrating unit  65  may be, for example, a motor. In one embodiment, the housing  25  and the massage head  30  are electrically coupled with each other at least through the connectors  55   a  and  55   b.  The connectors  55   a - b  may be, for example, bourn connectors. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the housing  25  comprises high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) material and/or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material; and the massage head  30  comprises silicone FDA approved material with soft touch finish. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment, the power source  45  is charged (i.e. recharged) by coupling the connector  55   a  to a connector  70  of a charging station  75  depicted in  FIGS. 11-13 . In one embodiment, the connector  70  is the same as the connector  55   b  associated with the massage head  30 . The charging station  75  comprises a holding area  80  configured to accommodate the housing  25  while the power source  45  is being charged. The charging station  75  further comprises a jack  80  for providing power to the charging station  75  from, for example, a commercial power source (not shown). The housing of the charging station  75  may comprise HIPS and/or ABS materials. 
         [0020]    Unlike prior art, the vibrating unit  20  presently disclosed allows the users to purchase differently massaging heads without having to replace the housing  25 . It is to be understood that the massaging heads configured to be compatible with the housing  25  may comprise vibrating units having different speeds and/or vibrating strength. Furthermore, the massaging heads configured to be compatible with the housing  25  may comprise vibrating units having performance characteristics that are compatible with the shape of the massaging heads. Finally, because the housing  25  is charged by the charging station  75  without the massaging head  30 , the user of the unit  20  will not be embarrassed to leave it on their night stand when the guests are visiting. 
         [0021]    While several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternative embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 
         [0022]    As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term “plurality” includes two or more referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. 
         [0023]    The foregoing detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form(s) described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation. The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should be implied therefrom. Applicant has made this disclosure with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for. . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the phrase “step(s) for . . . .”