Massage device with dual massage units

A massage device includes a housing, a driving unit and two massage units driven by the driving unit. Each massage unit includes a planetary gear disc assembled with a universal joint, an inner gear engaged with the planetary gear disc, and a massage disc assembly disposed on a top of the inner gear and driven by the universal joint. The driving unit drives the planet gear disc to rotate and the universal joint drives the massage disc assembly to rotate, thereby providing kneading massage. The inner gear has an incline top surface. When the planet gear disc drives the inner gear to rotate, the incline top surface makes the massage balls on the massage disc assembly to move up and down, thereby providing patting massage. Thus, the massage device can produce kneading and patting massage actions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a massage device, and more particularly to a massage device adapted to apply massage and heating.

2. The Prior Arts

A conventional stationary massage device, such as a foot, lower back, shoulder or neck massage device, usually includes a housing in which is assembled a driving unit adapted to drive multiple massage balls to rotate. When the massage balls is put in contact with the human body, the rotating massage balls provides a massage action on a region of the human body subjected to massage. The driving unit usually includes a motor coupled with a worm shaft. The worm shaft engages with several intermediary gears that in turn drive a follower wheel coupled with the massage balls in rotation.

The massage device is usually capable of applying only a single kneading massage action on a single part of a human body. Further, the massage action is usually superficial, cannot penetrate deep muscle tissue, and fails to adequately enhance blood circulation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present application is to provide a massage device that can apply multiple massage actions and can apply deep tissue massage to enhance blood circulation and offer a great relief for fatigue.

To achieve the objective, a massage device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing in which is placed a driving unit casing having a driving unit therein. An outer surface of the driving unit casing is coupled with two massage units driven in movement by the driving unit. The driving unit includes a series of gears. Each of the massage units includes a planetary gear disc that is assembled with a universal joint, an inner gear engaged with the planetary gear disc, and a massage disc assembly connected with the inner gear and driven by the universal joint. A plurality of massage balls are mounted in the massage disc assembly. The massage unit mounted on the driving unit casing connects with a rotary axle of the driving unit. The planetary gear disc is driven by the rotary axle, and consequently causes the massage disc assembly to rotate. The planetary gear disc also drives the inner gear to rotate, such that the massage balls on the rotating massage disc assembly performs up and down oscillating movements. Therefore, the massage device is thus able to provide kneading and patting massage actions.

With the above construction, the motor drives a synchronized rotation of the two massage units, and the interaction between the planetary gear disc and the inclined surface of the inner gear enables to rotate the rotary axle for driving the planetary gear disc and inner gear in rotation, thereby causing rotation and up and down oscillation movements of the massage disc assembly. As a result, at least two different types of massage actions can be performed with minimum structural components. Moreover, heating elements may be provided within the massage disc assembly for applying heating during massage, which thereby promotes blood circulation and relieves fatigue in an effective manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1,2,2A and3, a massage device with dual massage units according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing1, a driving unit casing2, an electric controller3, two massage units4and a driving unit5. The driving unit5is received in the driving unit casing2. The driving unit casing2, the electric controller3and the massage units4are received in the housing1.

Referring toFIGS. 2,2A and3, the housing1comprises an upper housing cover11and a lower housing cover12. An inner housing space is defined between the upper housing cover11and the lower housing cover12. The housing1has an ergonomic shape having an inclined angle as shown inFIG. 3. The upper housing cover11includes two openings111through which each of the massage units4protrudes outward, and two button holes112for placement of a power switch31and a speed setting switch32. The driving unit casing2includes an upper casing21and a lower casing22that define a hollow space therebetween. The upper casing21includes a casing opening211. The power switch31and the speed setting switch32are electrically connected with the electric controller3. The lower casing22includes a plurality of posts221and the driving unit5is mounted on the posts221. The hollow space between the upper casing21and the lower casing22is adapted to receive the driving unit5. The driving unit5includes a motor51that has two axles and each of the axles is respectively coupled with a worm shaft511. Each worm shaft511engages with a double gear52that is in engagement with a spur gear53. A rotary axle54is fitted into a center of the spur gear53. Each of the massage units4includes a planetary gear disc41. The rotary axle54passes through a through hole of the upper casing21and is coupled to a center of the planetary gear disc41. A bottom surface of the planetary gear disc41is coupled with an active gear43that is in engagement with three planet gears42(FIG. 2Ashows only two of the planet gears42and the third one is behind the active gear43). Each of the planet gears42is coupled with a planet gear shaft421that is fixed on a top of the upper casing21. A universal joint44is movably mounted on a top of the planetary gear disc41. The planetary gear disc41is received in an inner gear45that is in engagement with the three planetary gears42. The inner gear45has an inclined surface451that slidably coupled with a massage disc assembly46. The universal joint44connects with the massage disc assembly46. The massage disc assembly46comprises a cap-like bottom disc461connected with a universal joint axle441by a screw, an top cover462provided with a plurality of restricting openings4621, a circuit board463mounted on the bottom disc461, a plurality of lamps464disposed on the circuit board463, and a plurality of massage members465. The bottom disc461includes a cap-like bottom. The inner gear45is received in the bottom of the bottom disc461and the inclined surface451is slidably pressed against the bottom of the bottom disc461. The bottom disc461has a receiving portion at a center thereof to receive the universal joint axle441of the universal joint44and a plurality of ribs extended from the receiving portion to reinforce the structural strength of the bottom disc461. The massage members465are disposed between the top cover462and circuit board463and confined within the restricting openings4621. The massage members465may be made of plastics, metal, glass, resin, ceramics, etc. The massage device according to the present invention may combine with alternative medicine and the massage members465may be made of magnetite, Germanium, Titanium, or a material containing the aforementioned ingredients to alleviate muscle pain and enhance blood circulation.

To provide smooth movement of the universal joint44, a joint base442is provided on the top of the planetary gear disc41. The joint base442includes a socket portion4421disposed at a center thereof for receiving a ball443of the universal joint44and four recesses4422extended radially from the socket portion4421for receiving support ribs444of the universal joint44. A joint cover445is assembled on the joint base442. A central region of the joint cover445has a through hole that allows the universal joint axle441of the universal joint44to pass through. The movement of the universal joint44is thereby restricted by the joint base442and the joint cover445. To provide heating of each massage disc assembly46, a bottom side of the planetary gear disc41is coupled with a large and small sliding rings made of copper. The large and small sliding rings47, a circuit board463and lamps464are electrically connected. The massage unit4is assembled on the driving unit casing2according to the method mentioned above. The driving unit casing2is secured on the lower housing cover12. After the upper housing cover11is assembled with the lower housing cover12, the two massage units4are restricted within the two openings111of the upper housing cover11, whereas the power switch31and the speed setting switch32on the driving unit casing are also restricted within the corresponding button holes112of the upper housing cover11. The assembly of the massage device4as shown inFIG. 3is thereby completed.

FIGS. 4-6are various additional views showing the massage device with dual massage units according to the embodiment of the present invention. More specifically,FIG. 4is a top view of the massage device,FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view taken along section line V-V shown inFIG. 4, andFIG. 6is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VI-VI shown inFIG. 4. Once the power switch31is pushed to start the motor51, the two axles of the motor51drive the two worm shafts511to rotate, respectively. The worm shaft511drives the double gear52and the double gear52drives the spur gear53. Because the spur gear53is securely connected with the rotary axle54and the rotary axle54is coupled with the planetary gear disc41, the planetary gear disc41is driven to rotate. The ball443and the support ribs444of the universal joint44are received in the joint base442of the planet gear disc41, and the bottom disc461of the massage disc assembly46is connected with the universal joint axle441of the universal joint44. Therefore, the massage disc assembly46rotates along with the planetary gear disc41. Because the massage members465are restricted in the restricting openings4621of the top cover462, the rotating massage disc assembly46will force the massage member465to spin. Because the massage disc assembly46is disposed on the inclined surface451of the inner gear45, the rotating massage disc assembly46slides on the inclined surface451. The rotating massage disc assembly46and the spinning massage members provide kneading massage. The active gear43of the planetary gear disc41then drives the three planet gears42in rotation. As a result, the planet gears42drive the inner gear45to rotate. Owing to the inclined surface451of the inner gear45, the rotating inner gear45will provide the massage members465with up and down patting massage movement.

The massage device with dual massage units according to the present invention may be adapted to apply kneading and patting massage actions on various parts of a human body, such as feet, thighs, lower back, etc. Referring toFIG. 7, the massage device is used for foot massage. With also reference toFIG. 2, when the feet are pressed against the massage disc assemblies46, the rotating massage disc assemblies46and the spinning massage members465provide kneading massage on bottoms of the feet. Further, as the massage members465of the massage disc assemblies46reciprocate moving up and down, an intermittent pressing action is also applied on the feet. In the meantime, the large and small sliding rings47also supply power to the lamps464on the circuit board463. The top cover462of the massage disc assembly46may be made of a transparent or translucent material, so that the light and heat from the lamps464may be propagated through the top cover462. Heating can thereby be applied on the body parts subjected to massage, whereas the illumination of the lamps464creates a vivid effect that improves the aesthetic appearance of the massage device. Through the electric controller3and the speed setting switch32, the rotation speed of the massage disc assemblies46, the desired massage strength and ON/OFF of the heating function may be adjusted. The power switch31and the speed setting switch32may be combined to a single switch.