Abstract:
A massaging device that can be used to apply a powerful massaging action to any parts of the body according to necessity. The device includes a cylindrical body of given length and diameter, an eccentric weight rotating by a driving element within the cylindrical body, a handgrip coaxially extending to the cylindrical body, and a turbine mounted between the handgrip and the cylindrical body and forming the driving elements of the eccentric weight.

Description:
FIELD OF APPLICATION 
   The present invention relates to a massaging device operated by a working fluid for a powerful massaging action. 
   PRIOR ART 
   Known are massaging devices in which a cylindrical body is set into vibratory motion by a driving means rotating at least one eccentric weight. Also known is to have the eccentric weight driven by a turbine rotor which is operated by a working fluid, e.g. lukewarm to hot water, inside the cylinder body and functions as said driving means. 
   These prior devices are hard to manipulate, and are customarily associated with pillows and the like for treatment of the neck or cervix of the person to be massaged. Moreover, these are low-power devices since they can only accommodate a small turbine. 
   To provide a more powerful massaging action, it has been suggested of mounting the turbine on the exterior of the cylindrical body. However, this has worsen the capability of manipulating the device, e.g. when massaging different or farthest parts of the human body of the person to be massaged. 
   The aim of the present invention is that of providing a massaging device operated by a working fluid for a powerful massaging action and having suitable structural and functional features such to overcome the limitations of massaging devices according to the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a massaging device comprising:
         a cylindrical body of predetermined length and diameter;   an eccentric weight rotating by the action of a driving means;   a handgrip extending coaxially with the cylindrical body; and   a turbine placed between the handgrip and the cylindrical body, said driving means for said eccentric weight including said turbine.       

   A further embodiment of the invention relates to a massaging device operated by a working fluid for a powerful massaging action, comprising:
         a cylindrical body;   a handgrip extending coaxially with the cylindrical body;   a turbine driven by said working fluid and placed between the handgrip and the cylindrical body;   an eccentric weight driven by said turbine.       

   Further features and advantages of a massaging device according to this invention are set forth in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a sectional view of a massaging device according to the present invention, taken along the line I—I. 
       FIG. 2  shows a sectional view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a detail of the massaging device shown in FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view taken through the device of  FIG. 1 , taken along the line→III—III. 
       FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view taken through the device of  FIG. 1 , taken along the line IV—IV. 
       FIG. 5  shows a sectional view of a detail of the massaging device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A massaging device according to this invention is generally shown at  1  with reference to the drawing views. 
   The massaging device  1  comprises a substantially cylindrical handgrip  2  having an axis x—x, and a cylindrical working portion  3  extending along the axis x—x. The working portion  3  is intended for application in pressure contact relationship against a body part to be massaged. A turbine  4  is mounted between the handgrip  2  and the working portion  3 . 
   The turbine  4  comprises a case  5  consisting of a bell-shaped body  6  laid along the axis x—x, and a head piece, generally shown at  7 , closing the bell-shaped body  6 . The turbine  4  further comprises a turbine rotor  8 , which is carried inside the case  5  for rotation about the axis x—x. 
   The bell-shaped body  6  is contiguous and integral with the handgrip  2 , and is advantageously injection moulded out of a suitable plastics material, such as a nylon. 
   The head piece  7 , to be described, is contiguous with the working portion  3 . 
   The working portion  3  comprises a tubular body  9  approximately measuring 150 mm in length and 35 mm in diameter, which extends between an open end  10  facing the turbine  4  and a free end  11 , the latter being closed by a bottom  12 . The tubular body  9  as well as the bottom  12  are formed as integral pieces by injection moulding them out of a suitable plastics material, e.g. a nylon. 
   It should be noted that, inside the bottom portion of the tubular body  9 , a tubular boss  13  is integrally formed with the bottom  12  to provide a ball bearing block  14 . Furthermore, an annular skirt  15 , radially jutting outwards towards the handgrip, is formed on the exterior of the tubular body  9  integrally with it and on the same side as the open end  10 . The annular skirt  15  has a plug-in coupling means  16  for quick engagement with a mating coupling means  17  provided on the bell-shaped body  6 . Thus, the tubular body  9  and the handgrip  2  can be assembled for manipulation as a unit. 
   The annular skirt  15  is provided with girdling holes, collectively designated  18 , which extend along equidistant axes a-a lying parallel to axis x—x. 
   A disk  19 , formed with an annular recess  20  open to the handgrip  2 , and with a hub  21  facing the working portion  3 , is force fitted into the bell-shaped body  6  thereby abutting the handgrip  2 . The rotor  8  is journalled on the hub  21 . The rotor  8  is formed with a hub  22  having a hexagonal shape and facing the working portion  3 . 
   Shown at  23  is a bell-and-spigot joint having a bell part  24  with a internal hexagonal cross-section for keyed engagement on the hub  22 , and a spigot part  25  having a cylindrical outer shroud  26  and a socket  27  with a hexagonal cross-section. 
   The working portion  3  includes a shaft  28  made preferably of metal (in the example, a stainless steel). The shaft  28  has one end  29  carried in a bearing  30  mounted in the bearing block  14 , and has the other end  31  having to a hexagonal cross-sectional shape for keyed engagement in the hexagonal socket  27 . Thus, the rotor  8  is connected drivingly to the shaft  28  through the bell-and-spigot joint  23 . 
   A weight piece  32  having an offset center of gravity from the axis x—x to provide unbalance is keyed onto the shaft  28 , preferably unitized by moulding on, for rotation therewith. The weight piece  32  is made of a high density material such as filled plastics. 
   The turbine  4  is a driving means fluid powered—preferably water, possibly lukewarm to hot—to jointly rotate the shaft  28  and the offset weight piece  32  and create vibration that localizes mainly in the area of the working portion  3  of the massaging device  1 . 
   It should be noted that the case head piece  7  closing the bell-shaped body  6  comprises a disk  33  that mounts seals on three cylindrical outer portions  34 ,  35  and  36 —in the example, O-Rings  37 ,  38  and  39 , respectively—to provide tight joints true to the bell-shaped body  6 , the skirt  15 , and the tubular body  9 , respectively. Inside the disk  33  there is a bore  40  for mounting the cylindrical shroud  26  of the part  25  of joint  23  rotatably therein. A lip seal  41  would be provided in this area. 
   The turbine  4  is fed with fluid, in particular water lukewarm to hot, through a feed conduit  42  comprising a section  43  that coaxially extends through the handgrip  2  therewith, a passage  44  extending through the bell-shaped body  6  and open into the recess  20 , and a delivery nozzle  45  open to the rotor periphery. A fluid outlet conduit  46  is split into a plurality of holes  47  laid in a circle having a slightly larger diameter than a diameter of the cylindrical body. The fluid outlet conduit  46  leads, through the bell-shaped body  6  and the holes  47  formed in the disk  33 , into an annular chamber  48  formed under the skirt  15 , and then out to the part being massaged through the girdling holes  18 , along the axis x—x. 
   Alternatively, it should be noted that the outlet conduit may include a return leg along the handgrip  2  in the form of a conduit section  49  lying parallel to the section  43 . In this case, the disk  33  would be solid, i.e. have no holes  47  therein. 
   A modified embodiment of the inventive massaging device will now be described with reference to FIG.  5 . 
   In  FIG. 5 , those parts of the massaging device which are the same or similar constructions or serve the same or similar functions as in the previously described device carry the same reference numerals and will be no further described. 
   In this embodiment, the rotor  8  drives the shaft  28 , carrying the offset weight, through a reduction gear or gear train  50 . 
   The reduction gear  50  is a planetary system comprising: a gear wheel  51 , which is centered on the axis x—x and fastened with the handgrip; a gear wheel  52 , which is centered on the axis x—x and keyed on the shaft that carries the eccentric weight; and a gear wheel train  53  and  54 , wherein the gear wheels are coaxial and made fast together along a parallel axis y—y to the axis x—x for idle rotation about a stub shaft  55  on a spider  56 , the latter being rigid with the turbine rotor. The number of teeth on the gear wheels  51 ,  52  and  53 ,  54  will be selected to provide a desired step-down ratio of the turbine rotor to the eccentric weight. 
   In operation, pressurized water impinging on the turbine will excite it into rotary motion and then leave the device through the outlet conduit. The turbine rotor transfers the angular movement to the shaft that carries the offset weight, either directly through the joint or indirectly through the reduction gear. The shaft RPM, and with it the frequency of the massaging action, can be easily varied by controlling the water flow rate. 
   As a result it is obtained a powerful massaging action where the tubular body is located and, precisely, where the device active or massaging portion is located, and due to the centrifugal force caused by the offset weight. 
   It should be noted that the water outflow from the outlet conduit of the massaging device will sweep across the part being massaged for enhanced massaging and soothing effect. 
   A major advantage of the massaging device according to this invention is that a powerful massaging action can be achieved at the same time as the massaging action is most conveniently localized on a desired part whatever of the body, especially a part affected by cellulitis. 
   Another advantage of the massaging device according to this invention is that the massage can be applied at high vibratory frequencies, by virtue of the eccentric weight being drivable at a high rotational speed by water flow control. 
   Also noteworthy is the simple construction of this massaging device made for durable and reliable maintenance-free performance. 
   This device is handled as a self-contained unit, and can be used to implement any bathroom, Turkish bath and similar, along with or in lieu of other standard appliances therein. 
   Lastly, it should be noted that this device can be manufactured out of non-toxic plastics materials using automated methods, no mean advantage for an article intended for mass production and retail sale. 
   Finally, this device can be made into an aesthetically pleasing shape to enhance its surroundings. 
   It should be understood that, in order to fill individual demands, the skilled person in the art may make changes and modifications unto the massaging devices described hereinabove as encompassed by the protection scope of this invention arising from the following claims.