Massaging apparatus having two rollers and suction chamber

In a massaging apparatus (1) with two rotatable rollers (14, 15), which are spaced apart transversely to their roller axes (16, 17), at least one of the rollers being rotationally drivable by a roller drive motor (25), and with a suction chamber (39) disposed in the area of the two rollers (14, 15) and communicating with a pump (50) via an air-transfer line (49) for generating a vacuum in the suction chamber (39) so as to form a skin fold (57) which is drawn into the suction chamber (39), there has been provided a control device (80), preferably formed by an electropneumatic vacuum switch, which is responsive to a partial vacuum and which communicates with the suction chamber (39), the roller drive motor (25) being adapted to be turned on under control of the control device (80) when a given vacuum is reached in the suction chamber (39).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a massaging apparatus comprising two rollers which 
are each rotatable about one of two mutually parallel spaced-apart roller 
axes, these rollers being placeable onto the skin of a person with their 
circumferential surfaces, at least one roller being rotationally drivable 
in a given direction of rotation when the massaging apparatus with its two 
rollers is moved over the skin of a person in a given operating direction 
which extends transversely to the roller axes. The massaging apparatus 
comprises a suction chamber in the area of the two rollers, this suction 
chamber enclosing a suction space and is open in its area which faces a 
person's skin when the rollers are applied to the skin of a person, and 
communicating with a pump via an air-transfer line, the pump --with the 
rollers applied to the skin of a person--generating a partial vacuum in 
the suction chamber in order to form a skin fold which is drawn into the 
suction chamber. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Such a massaging apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph is 
known, for example, from the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,368 A. In this 
known massaging apparatus, both the roller drive motor of the roller drive 
device and the pump, i.e., the pump motor, are switched on by means of a 
hand-operated electrical switch provided on the massaging apparatus. A 
consequence of this for the operation of the known massaging apparatus is 
that the massaging apparatus is moved to and fro on a person's skin 
immediately after it has been placed onto the skin because the rollers of 
the massaging apparatus are constantly driven by the roller drive device 
upon actuation of the electrical switch, but there is not yet a vacuum in 
the suction chamber when this movement begins and, as a consequence, no 
massaging action is obtained with the known massaging apparatus when this 
movement begins. Since it takes a comparatively long time before a minimum 
value of the vacuum in the suction chamber is reached, a comparatively 
long period of time without any massaging action at all will elapse after 
the known massaging apparatus has been placed onto a person's skin. As a 
result of the above situation, the efficiency of the known massaging 
apparatus is not entirely satisfactory and certain areas of the body of a 
person can, in practice, not be massaged properly, i.e., towards the 
heart. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to preclude the above-mentioned problems 
and to provide an improved massaging apparatus of the type defined in the 
opening paragraph. In accordance with the invention, this is achieved in a 
massaging apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph, in that 
there has been provided a control device which is responsive to a partial 
vacuum and which, for a given value of the vacuum, performs a control 
function, this control device communicating with the suction chamber via 
an air transfer line, and activating the roller drive device when a given 
vacuum is reached in the suction chamber. By means of the measures in 
accordance with the invention, it is achieved, at only low cost, that a 
massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention, after it has been 
placed onto the skin of a person, is not moved over the person's skin 
until a given vacuum has been reached in the suction chamber of the 
massaging apparatus, because the roller drive device is not started by a 
vacuum-activated control device until such a given vacuum in the suction 
chamber of the massaging apparatus has been reached, so that at least one 
of the two rollers is not motor driven until the given vacuum has been 
reached. This has the advantage that a massaging action is already 
obtained directly after the beginning of the movement of the massaging 
apparatus over a person's skin by means of the rollers, because at the 
instant at which the movement begins, a skin fold has already been formed 
as a result of the given vacuum already reached in the suction chamber of 
the massaging apparatus, this which skin fold being subjected to a 
kneading massage as the massaging apparatus is moved over the skin of a 
person. A further advantage of a massaging apparatus in accordance with 
the invention is that after it has been placed onto the skin of a person, 
the massaging apparatus initially remains stationary, as a result of which 
the suction chamber of the massaging apparatus does not perform a relative 
movement with respect to the skin, which yields the advantage that a 
correct sealing between the skin and the suction chamber is achieved and, 
consequently, that a comparatively rapid evacuation of the suction chamber 
is guaranteed. 
After a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention has been moved 
over an area of the skin of person in order to carry out a massaging 
process in the given operating direction, the massaging apparatus should 
be lifted off the skin, in order to be subsequently placed back onto the 
skin. Lifting a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention off a 
person's skin can be effected in such a manner that the suction exerted on 
the skin by the suction chamber is overcome, but in that case, it is to be 
borne in mind that when the suction chamber is thus lifted off a person's 
skin with a comparatively high vacuum in the suction chamber this may be a 
comparatively unpleasant or even painful experience. Therefore, it has 
proved to be very advantageous in a massaging apparatus in accordance with 
the invention if there has been provided a manually actuated 
vacuum-elimination valve device which communicates with the suction 
chamber via an air-transferring vacuum-elimination line, such that, when 
this device is actuated, the suction space enclosed by the suction chamber 
can be put into communication with the ambient air surrounding the suction 
chamber so as to eliminate the vacuum prevailing in the suction chamber. 
In this way, it is achieved, with a massaging apparatus in accordance with 
the invention, that after a massaging operation, the massaging apparatus 
can be withdrawn from a person's skin in an easy and unobstructed manner 
upon elimination of the vacuum in the suction chamber of the massaging 
apparatus. Moreover, the measures described above have the advantage that 
the roller drive motor of the massaging apparatus is stopped automatically 
by the elimination of the vacuum in the suction chamber of the massaging 
apparatus in accordance with the invention, so that the massaging 
apparatus can subsequently be placed onto the skin of a person while the 
rollers are stationary. 
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention, it has proven to 
be particularly advantageous if the vacuum-elimination valve device 
comprises two air valves which are disposed opposite one another and which 
communicate with the suction chamber via the vacuum-elimination line, and 
the massaging apparatus comprises two actuating elements disposed at 
opposite sides of a grip member of the massaging apparatus, each of said 
elements being adapted to open one of the two air valves. In this way, it 
is achieved by simple means, that the vacuum in the suction chamber of the 
massaging apparatus can be turned off in a convenient and simple manner 
both with the right hand and with the left hand of a user. 
In all the massaging apparatuses in accordance with the invention as 
defined hereinbefore, a vacuum-activated control device can be 
constructed, for example, in such a manner that it comprises a 
pressure-transducer diaphragm exposed to the vacuum in the suction 
chamber, which, via an actuating member connected to this diaphragm, such 
as a connecting rod, sets a part of the roller drive device, for example, 
a movable gear wheel or a coupling member of a drive coupling, to an 
operating position, after which at least one of the two rollers is driven 
by the roller drive device, which includes the roller drive motor, which 
has already switched on. Alternatively, a vacuum activated control device 
can be formed by a differently constructed and operating 
pneumatic-mechanical vacuum switch. However, it has proven to be 
particularly advantageous if the control device is an electropneumatic 
vacuum switch which performs an electrical switching function, for 
example, at a vacuum having a given value, and the vacuum switch forms 
part of a motor supply device and, by means of the vacuum switch, the 
roller drive motor can be turned on when a given vacuum is reached in the 
suction chamber. This is advantageous in view of a particularly simple and 
very reliable construction and has the additional advantage that such 
electropneumatic vacuum switches are commercially available in several 
variants and also comparatively low-priced. 
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention as defined in the 
preceding paragraph, it may occur that the pump, which communicates with 
the suction chamber for the transfer of air, generates undesired vacuum 
variations, as a result of which the vacuum switch bounces if no special 
measures are taken. As a special measure, a flow-control valve may be 
included in the connection to the pump, but this valve forms an has 
additional element. In order to avoid the use of such an additional 
element, it has proven to be very advantageous, in a massaging apparatus 
in accordance with the invention of the type defined in the preceding 
paragraph, if the vacuum switch and the pump each communicate with the 
suction chamber via a separate air-transferring line. Thus, it is achieved 
that the air volume in the suction chamber serves as a damping mass and 
the suction chamber itself is utilized for damping vacuum variations 
caused by the pump, as a result of which any vacuum variations produced by 
the pump are damped to such an extent that they cannot cause bouncing of 
the vacuum switch. Moreover, this leads to a simple and straightforward 
construction and a comparatively simple assembly of such a massaging 
apparatus in accordance with the invention. 
However, it has also proven to be advantageous if there has been provided 
an air-bleed line which connects the air-transfer line between the pump 
and the suction chamber to the ambient air surrounding the suction 
chamber, this air-bleed line including a controllable air bleed valve, 
which communicates with the air transfer line between the pump and the 
suction chamber via an air-bleed section at the suction chamber side, and 
a non-controllable air bleed valve, which communicates with the 
controllable air bleed valve via a central air-bleed section and with the 
ambient air of the suction chamber, and the vacuum switch communicates 
with the central air-bleed section via a further air-transferring line. 
Such an embodiment has the advantage that the vacuum switch performs its 
switching function at the very instant at which the desired vacuum is 
reached in the suction chamber, which vacuum can have different vacuum 
settings, if desired. 
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention of the type 
defined in the preceding paragraph, it has further proven to be 
advantageous if there has been provided a vacuum-elimination line which 
connects the air-bleed section at the suction chamber side to the ambient 
air of the suction chamber, and a manually actuated vacuum-elimination 
valve device communicates with this vacuum-elimination line. Such a 
solution has proven to be simple and favorable in practice. 
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention comprising an 
electropneumatic vacuum switch forming part of a motor supply device for 
the roller drive motor, it has proven to be very advantageous if the 
vacuum switch, which forms part of a motor supply device for the roller 
drive motor, comprises a motor current control device, which, if the motor 
current exceeds a given threshold value as a result of excessive braking 
of a roller driven by the roller drive motor, generates and supplies 
control information, and the motor supply device comprises a motor 
turn-off device, which is connected to the motor current control device 
and by means of which the roller drive motor can be turned off when the 
control information appears. This precludes damaging or destruction of the 
roller drive motor as a result of excessive braking of a roller which can 
be driven by the roller drive motor and it precludes skin injuries owing 
to excessive braking of a roller which can be driven by the roller drive 
motor. 
The afore-mentioned as well as further aspects of the invention will be 
apparent from the exemplary embodiments described hereinafter and will be 
elucidated by means of these exemplary embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A massaging apparatus 1 embodying the invention will be described 
hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. 
The massaging apparatus 1 comprises a housing 2 having a grip member 3, 
which, at its free end, changes into an end portion 4 of substantially 
ellipsoidal shape, which can be gripped by the fingers of a hand. At two 
opposite sides of the grip member 3, i.e., at the location of the two side 
faces of the end portion 4 of the grip member 3, the end portion 4 has two 
push-buttons 5 and 6, respectively. Each of the two push-buttons 5 and 6 
serves for opening an air valve of a vacuum-elimination valve device 7, 
which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The vacuum-elimination valve device 7 
will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
A rotary knob 10, which is rotatable about an axis 9, projects from a part 
8 of the housing 2. The rotary knob 10 can be set from an off-position 
into an on-position and can then be set continuously from the on-position 
to various settings. When the rotary knob 10 is set from its off-position 
to its on-position, a pump or pump motor of the massaging apparatus 1 is 
switched on and, in addition, a motor supply device for a roller drive 
motor is activated, which will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
The roller drive motor is, in fact, not started until a given vacuum is 
reached in a suction chamber of the massaging apparatus 1, which is 
detected by means of an electropneumatic vacuum switch, which turns on the 
roller drive motor when the given desired vacuum in the suction chamber is 
detected, as will also be described in more detail hereinafter. By turning 
the rotary knob 10 from its on-position to one of its different settings, 
a controllable vacuum control valve is set to different vacuum values, so 
that it is possible to obtain different partial vacuums in the suction 
chamber of the massaging apparatus 1 by means of the controllable vacuum 
control valve. 
The massaging apparatus 1 further comprises a suction chamber support 11. 
The suction chamber support 11 is fixedly connected to a bearing device 12 
of the massaging apparatus 1 in a manner not described. The bearing device 
12 is mounted in the housing 2, as a result of which the suction chamber 
support 11 is thus also fixedly connected to the housing 2. 
For carrying out a massage, the massaging apparatus 1 is movable over a 
part of a person's body, i.e., over the skin covering a part of a person's 
body, in a given operating direction indicated by an arrow 13 in FIGS. 1 
to 3. 
The massaging apparatus 1 further comprises two rollers 14 and 15. Each of 
the two rollers 14 and 15 is rotatable about one of two spaced-apart 
mutually parallel roller axes 16 and 17. For rotatably supporting the two 
rollers 14 and 15, the bearing device 12 has two bearing walls, of which 
only a bearing wall 18 is visible in FIG. 3. The bearing wall 18 has two 
bearing bores, in which the roller spindles materializing the axes 16 and 
17 are rotatably supported. With their circumferential surfaces 19 and 20, 
the two rollers 14 and 15 can be placed onto a person's skin 21, shown 
diagrammatically as a dotted line in FIG. 3. During the movement of the 
massaging apparatus 1 and its two rollers 14 and 15 over a person's skin 
21 in the operating direction 13, which extends transversely to the roller 
axes 16 and 17, the two rollers 14 and 15 can each be driven in a given 
direction of rotation. In the massaging apparatus 1, the two rollers 14 
and 15 are each driven in the same direction of rotation, as indicated by 
means of two arrows 22 and 23 in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
In the massaging apparatus 1, the two rollers 14 and 15 are motor-driven. 
For this purpose, as is shown highly diagrammatically for a variant of the 
massaging apparatus 1 in FIG. 2, the massaging apparatus 1 comprises a 
roller drive device 24. The roller drive device 24 comprises a roller 
drive motor 25, which is secured to the bearing device 12. The roller 
drive motor 25 has a nominal speed of approximately 8000 r.p.m. The roller 
drive motor 25 drives a first gear wheel 27 via its motor shaft 26, this 
gear wheel being in mesh with a second gear wheel 28. The second gear 
wheel 28 is rotatably supported on the bearing device 12 by means of a 
spindle 29. The second gear wheel 28 is coaxial with and rotationally 
locked to a third gear wheel 30. The third gear wheel 30 is in mesh with a 
fourth gear wheel 31, which is rotatably supported on the bearing device 
12 by means of a spindle 32. The fourth gear wheel 31 is coaxial with and 
rotationally locked to a fifth gear wheel 33, which meshes with a sixth 
gear wheel 34 which is coaxial with and has the same diameter as the 
second gear wheel 28. The sixth gear wheel 34 is also rotatably supported 
on the bearing device 12 by means of the spindle 29. The sixth gear wheel 
34 is coaxial with and rotationally locked to a seventh gear wheel 35. The 
seventh gear wheel 35 is in mesh with an eighth gear wheel 36, which is 
rotatably supported on the bearing device 12 by means of a spindle which 
is not shown in FIG. 2. The eighth gear wheel 36 is in mesh with a ninth 
gear wheel 37, which is coaxial with and which is rotationally locked to 
the roller 14, and with a tenth gear wheel 38, which is coaxial with and 
which is rotationally locked to the roller 15. By means of the roller 
drive device 24 described above, the two rollers 14 and 15 can be rotated 
in the given directions of rotation 22 and 23 by the roller drive motor 
25, both rollers 14 and 15 being drivable with a speed of approximately 50 
r.p.m. 
Referring to FIG. 3, it is to be noted, with respect to the two rollers 14 
and 15, that in the massaging apparatus 1, the forward roller 14, viewed 
in the given operating direction 13, is wholly made of a comparatively 
hard material, the circumferential surface 19 of the roller 14 
advantageously having a surface roughness ranging between 0 .mu.m and 2 
.mu.m. The interior of the rearward roller 15, viewed in the operating 
direction 13, is also made of a comparatively hard material but is 
surrounded by a shell of a comparatively soft material, the 
circumferential surface 20 of the rearward roller 15 having a higher 
surface roughness than the circumferential surface 19 of the forward 
roller 14. The surface roughness of the circumferential surface 20 of the 
rearward roller 15 may range approximately between 3 .mu.m and 6 .mu.m. 
The massaging apparatus 1 further has a suction chamber 39 in the area of 
the two rollers 14 and 15, this chamber bounding a suction space. The 
suction chamber 39 has two transverse walls 40 and 41, which extend 
substantially perpendicularly to the roller axes 16 and 17, two 
longitudinal walls 42 and 43, which extend parallel to the roller axes 16 
and 17 and which are connected to the two transverse walls 40 and 41, and 
a cover wall 44, which is connected both to the two transverse walls 40 
and 41 and to the two longitudinal walls 42 and 43. The suction chamber 39 
is open in its area which faces a person's skin 21 when the rollers 14 and 
15 are applied to the skin 21 of a person. Each of the two longitudinal 
walls 42 and 43 has a free end 45, 46 adjacent the circumferential surface 
19, 20 of a roller 14, 15, this free end--viewed in the direction of the 
roller axes 16 and 17--having a shape which is substantially straight in 
its center portion only and extends parallel to the two roller axes 16 and 
17 but which is curved in its two end portions. 
The suction chamber 39--as is apparent particularly from FIG. 5--has two 
juxtaposed connection tubes 47 and 48. By means of the first connection 
tube 47, the suction chamber 39 communicates with a pump 50 via a first 
air-transfer line 49, shown in FIG. 3 and represented, diagrammatically in 
FIG. 5, this pump being accommodated in the massaging apparatus 1 and 
being secured to the bearing device 12. The pump 50 comprises a pump motor 
51 to drive an air-pumping device 52 shown in FIG. 5 and forming part of 
the pump 50. In the present case, the first air-transfer line 49, between 
the first connection tube 47 and the pump 50 or its air-pumping device 52, 
comprises a first hose section 53 fitted onto the first connection tube 
47, a first T-piece 54, which is connected to the first hose section 53, 
and a second hose section 55, which is connected to the first T-piece 54 
and to a pump connection, not shown in FIG. 3, and thus to the air-pumping 
device 52 of the pump 50. The pump motor 51 is switched on by turning the 
rotary knob 10 shown in FIG. 5 from its off-position into its on-position, 
the rotary knob 10 in its on-position closing an electrical switch 56, as 
a result of which the pump motor 51 drives the air-pumping device 52. When 
the rollers 14 and 15 are applied to the skin 21 of a person, the pump 50 
can generate a partial vacuum in the suction chamber 39 in order to draw a 
skin fold 57 into the suction chamber 39, shown, diagrammatically, as a 
dotted line in FIG. 3 and as a solid line in FIG. 5. 
In the massaging apparatus 1, the afore-mentioned vacuum-elimination valve 
device 7, which is shown in detail in FIG. 4, is connected to the first 
T-piece 54 via a third hose section 58. The vacuum-elimination valve 
device 7 comprises two air valves 59 and 60, which are disposed opposite 
one another and of which an air valve 60 is shown in FIG. 3. The 
vacuum-elimination valve device 7 comprises a valve body 61 having a 
through-bore 62 which can be closed by the first air valve 59 at one end 
and by the second air valve 60 at its other end. The bore 62 communicates 
with a connection tube 63 of the valve body 61 for the transfer of air. 
The third hose section 58 is fitted onto the connection tube 63. By means 
of a first pivotal support 64, a first actuating lever 65 and by means of 
a second pivotal support 66, a second actuating lever 67 is pivotably 
mounted on the valve body 61. At the location of its end 68, the first 
actuating lever 65 carries the first air valve 59. At the location of its 
end 69, the second actuating lever 67 carries the second air valve 60. At 
the location of its other end 70, the first actuating lever 65 carries the 
first push-button 5. At the location of its other end 71, the second 
actuating lever 67 carries the second push-button 6. A pressure spring 74, 
mounted on a projection 72 or 73 of the respective actuating levers 65 and 
67, acts between these two actuating levers 65 and 67 and tends to keep 
the two air valves 59 and 60 in their closed positions. The first air 
valve 59 can be opened by actuation of the first push-button 5. The second 
air valve 60 can be opened by actuation of the second push-button 6. When 
at least one of the two air valves 59 and 60 is open, the partial vacuum, 
previously formed in the suction chamber 39 by means of the pump 50, is 
eliminated via an air-transfer vacuum-elimination line formed by the third 
hose section 57, the first T-piece 54, the first hose section 53 and the 
first connection tube 47. This is advantageous in view of an easy and 
painless withdrawal of the suction chamber 39, i.e., of the massaging 
apparatus 1, from the skin 21 of a person. 
In the massaging apparatus 1, a second air-transfer line 75 is connected to 
the second connection tube 48 of the suction chamber 39. The second 
air-transfer line 75 comprises a fourth hose section 76 fitted onto the 
second connection tube 48 of the suction chamber 39, a second T-piece 77, 
which is connected to the fourth hose section 76, and a fifth hose section 
78, which is connected to the second T-piece 77 and to a vacuum control 
valve 79, by means of which a desired vacuum in the suction chamber 39 can 
be selected by suitably turning the rotary knob 10 from its off-position 
into one of its various settings. As long as a vacuum, which can be 
generated in the suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 by the 
pumping action of the pump 50, is not yet reached, the vacuum control 
valve 79 is in its closed condition. However, when a desired vacuum in the 
suction chamber 39 is exceeded, the vacuum control valve 79 opens 
automatically, allowing air to bleed into the suction chamber 39 via the 
air-transfer line 75 until the desired partial vacuum is established in 
the suction chamber 39. 
The massaging apparatus 1 comprises a control device which is responsive to 
a partial vacuum in the suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 
and which, for a given value of the vacuum, performs a control function, 
this control device communicates with the suction chamber 39 via an air 
transfer line and can activating the roller drive device 24, shown, 
diagrammatically, in dash-dot lines in FIG. 5, when a given vacuum is 
reached in the suction chamber 39. An electropneumatic vacuum switch 80 
forming the control device is connected to the second T-piece 77 via a 
sixth hose section 81. For a given value of the vacuum, the vacuum switch 
80 performs an electrical switching function. The vacuum switch 80 
performs the electrical switching function, for example, at a given vacuum 
having a value of approximately 80 millibar. The vacuum switch 80 
comprises a pressure transducer 82, formed by means of a diaphragm and 
connected to the sixth hose section 81, and an electrical switch 84 which 
can be actuated by the pressure transducer 82 via a line 83 shown as a 
dash-dot line. In the massaging apparatus 1, the vacuum switch 80 forms 
part of a motor supply device 85 for the roller drive motor 25, the motor 
supply device being shown in block-schematic form in FIG. 5, and in detail 
in FIG. 6, the vacuum switch 80 enabling the roller drive motor 24 to be 
turned on in that its electrical switch is closed when a given vacuum in 
the suction chamber 39 is reached. 
With respect to the motor supply device 85, which is merely indicated in 
FIG. 5 and which is shown in detail in FIG. 6, it is to be noted that it 
can be activated by turning the rotary knob 10 from its off-position to 
its on-position, in that in its on-position the rotary knob 10 closes an 
electrical switch 86 connected to a supply voltage +V. When in the 
activated state of the motor supply device 85, i.e., with the electrical 
switch 86 closed, the vacuum switch 80 detects that a given vacuum is 
reached in the suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1, the 
electrical switch 84 of the vacuum switch 80 is closed. In this way, 
control information for the motor supply device 85 is generated, in that a 
base voltage divider 87 of a first transistor 88 is connected to ground 
potential, as a result of which the first transistor 88 is turned on. The 
conductive first transistor 88 connects a further base voltage divider 89 
to the supply voltage +V, as a result of which a second transistor 90 is 
turned on. The second transistor 90 is included in the base circuit of a 
third transistor 91, which has its emitter-collector path arranged in 
series with the roller drive motor 25. When the second transistor 90 is 
conductive, the third transistor 91 is also driven into conduction, as a 
result of which the roller drive motor 25 is switched on and, 
consequently, drives the two rollers 14 and 15 of the massaging apparatus 
1 by means of the roller drive device 24. 
As soon as the user of the massaging apparatus 1 opens one of the two air 
valves 59 and 60 of the vacuum-elimination valve device 7, as a result of 
which the suction chamber 39 is put into communication with the ambient 
air and the vacuum in the suction chamber 39 is consequently eliminated, 
this is immediately detected by the electropneumatic vacuum switch 80, 
which causes the electrical switch 84 of the vacuum switch 80 to be 
opened, so that the first transistor 88, the second transistor 90 and, 
eventually, the third transistor 91 are cut off, as a result of which the 
roller drive motor 25 is stopped and rollers 15 rollers 14 and 15 of the 
massaging apparatus 1 are no longer driven. 
By means of the measures described above, it is achieved at only low cost 
that a massaging apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, after its rollers 
14 and 15 have been placed onto the skin 21 of a person, is not moved over 
the person's skin 21 until a given vacuum has been reached in the suction 
chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1, because the roller drive device 
24 is not started by the electropneumatic vacuum switch forming the 
vacuum-activated control device until such a given vacuum in the suction 
chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 has been reached, so that the two 
rollers 14 and 15 are not motor driven until the given vacuum has been 
reached. This has the advantage that a massaging action is already 
obtained directly after the beginning of the movement of the massaging 
apparatus 1 over a person's skin 21 by means of the rollers 14 and 15, 
because at the instant at which the movement begins, a skin fold 57 has 
already been formed as a result of the given vacuum already reached in the 
suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1, this skin fold being 
subjected to a kneading massage as the massaging apparatus 1 is moved over 
the skin 21 of a person. A further advantage of a massaging apparatus as 
shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 is that after it has been placed onto the skin 21 of 
a person, this massaging apparatus initially remains stationary, as a 
result of which the suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 does 
not perform a relative movement with respect to the skin 21, which yields 
the advantage that a correct sealing between the skin 21 and the suction 
chamber 39 is achieved and, consequently, that a comparatively rapid 
evacuation of the suction chamber 39 is guaranteed. Owing to the provision 
of the vacuum-elimination valve device 7, it is advantageously achieved, 
with a massaging apparatus as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, that after a 
massaging operation, the massaging apparatus I can be withdrawn from a 
person's skin 21 in an easy and unobstructed manner upon elimination of 
the vacuum in the suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1. 
Moreover, the advantage is obtained that the roller drive motor 25 is 
stopped automatically by the elimination of the vacuum in the suction 
chamber 39, so that the massaging apparatus 1 can subsequently be placed 
onto the skin 21 of a person while the rollers 14 and 15 are stationary. 
By providing the two pushbuttons 5 and 5 at opposite sides of a grip 
member 4, it is achieved, advantageously that the vacuum in the suction 
chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 can be turned off in a convenient 
and simple manner both with the right hand and with the left hand of a 
user. Owing to the fact that the pump 50 and the vacuum switch 80 of the 
massaging apparatus 1 each communicate with the suction chamber 39 via a 
separate air-transfer line and via two separate connection tubes 47 and 
48, the advantage is obtained that the air volume in the suction chamber 
39 serves as a damping mass by means of which any vacuum variations caused 
by the pump 50 are damped to such an extent that they cannot cause 
bouncing of the vacuum switch 80. 
A second embodiment of a massaging apparatus 1 in accordance the invention 
is shown,, diagrammatically in FIG. 7. In the massaging apparatus 1 shown 
in FIG. 7, the suction chamber 39 has only one connection tube 92. The 
suction chamber 39, i.e., its connection tube 92, communicates with the 
pump 50 via an air-transfer line 93. In the present case, the air-transfer 
line 93 between the pump 50 and the suction chamber 39 comprises a first 
hose section 94 fitted onto the connection tube 92, a part of a crosspiece 
95, and a second hose section 96 connected to the air-pumping device 52 of 
the pump 50. 
In the massaging apparatus as shown in FIG. 7, an air-bleed line 97 
connects the air-transfer line 93 between the pump 50 and the suction 
chamber 39 to the ambient air surrounding the suction chamber 39. The 
air-bleed line 97 comprises an air-bleed section 98 at the suction chamber 
side, this section being formed by a third hose section connected to the 
crosspiece 95, and connected to a controllable air bleed valve 99 for the 
passage of air. A central air-bleed section 100 is connected to the 
controllable air bleed valve and comprises a fourth hose section 101, a 
T-piece 102 connected to the fourth hose section 101, and a fifth hose 
section 103 connected to the T-piece 102. A non-controllable air bleed 
valve 104 communicates with the central air-bleed section 100 and with the 
ambient air of the suction chamber 39. The vacuum switch 80 communicates 
with the central air-bleed section 100 via the T-piece 102 and a sixth 
hose section 105. 
The massaging apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 further comprises a 
vacuum-elimination line 106, essentially formed by a seventh hose section, 
which connects the air-bleed section 98 at the suction chamber side to the 
ambient air of the suction chamber 39. A manually actuated 
vacuum-elimination valve device 7 communicates with this 
vacuum-elimination line 106. 
With respect to the non-controllable air bleed valve 104, it is to be noted 
that this air bleed valve opens at a vacuum of approximately 100 millibar. 
The controllable air bleed valve 99 is adjustable in a range between 0 and 
200 millibar. This results in a vacuum adjustable in a desired range from 
100 to 300 millibar in the suction chamber 39. 
Hereinafter, the operation of the massaging apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 7 
will be described briefly in more detail. 
When the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7 is placed onto the skin 21 of a 
person, the vacuum in the suction chamber 39 builds up to the selected 
value. When the selected value of the vacuum is reached, this causes the 
two air bleed valves 99 and 104 to be opened simultaneously. At the 
instant at which the two air bleed valves 99 and 104 open, simultaneously, 
a vacuum of 100 millibar arises suddenly in the central air-bleed section 
100 because the non-controllable air bleed valve 104 opens at a vacuum of 
approximately 100 millibar. The vacuum of 100 millibar suddenly arising in 
the central air-bleed section 100 is detected by means of the vacuum 
switch 80, which, in the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7, is also 
activated at a vacuum of approximately 80 millibar. Since, owing to the 
noncontrollable air bleed valve 104, the vacuum in the central air-bleed 
section 100 is always 100 millibar, i.e., a well-define value of 20 
millibar below the activation vacuum of 80 millibar, the vacuum switch 80 
guarantees a very reliable detection that the desired vacuum in the 
suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7 is reached. The 
massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7 has the advantage that the vacuum switch 
80 only performs its switching function when the desired vacuum in the 
suction chamber 39 of the massaging apparatus 1 is reached, the vacuum 
capable of being set to different values by means of the controllable air 
bleed valve 99. 
In the massaging apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 7, the roller drive motor 25 
is also switched on in dependence upon the control information generated 
by means of the electric switch 84 of the vacuum switch 80. 
In order to enable the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7 to be lifted off the 
skin 21 of a person in an easy and painless manner after a massaging 
operation, the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7 also comprises a 
vacuum-elimination valve device which, in the massaging apparatus 1 of 
FIG. 7, also comprises two air valves disposed opposite one another, but 
this is not shown in FIG. 7. However, the vacuum-elimination valve device 
may alternatively comprise a single air valve. When the vacuum-elimination 
valve device 7 is activated, the suction space defined by the suction 
chamber 39 is put into communication with the ambient air of the suction 
chamber 39 via the first hose section 94, a part of the crosspiece 95 and 
the vacuum-elimination line 106 formed by the seventh hose section, as 
result of which, the vacuum in the suction chamber 39 is eliminated. 
In the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7, the situation may arise, although 
this is very unlikely, that both air valves 99 and 104 close at exactly 
the same instant after the activation of the vacuum-elimination valve 
device 7, i.e., after the cancellation or elimination of the vacuum in the 
suction space of the suction chamber 39, as a result of which the vacuum, 
previously prevailing in the central air-bleed section 100, is shut off, 
causing the roller drive motor 25 to remain energized via the vacuum 
switch 80 although there is no longer a vacuum in the suction chamber 39. 
In order to preclude this unlikely though possible situation, an 
air-transfer line 107, formed by an eighth hose section and indicated in 
broken lines in FIG. 7, can be arranged between the sixth hose section 105 
and the seventh hose section forming the vacuum-elimination line 106 in 
the massaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 7. 
With respect to the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 7, it is to be noted that 
the suction chamber 39 of this massaging apparatus 1 may likewise have two 
separate connection tubes, in which case, similarly to the massaging 
apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the pump 50 and the vacuum-elimination 
valve device 7 are connected to one of these connection tubes and, via a 
hose section forming an air-bleed section at the suction chamber side, the 
controllable air bleed valve 99 and, via this valve and further 
air-transfer lines, the non-controllable air bleed valve 104 and the 
vacuum switch 80 are connected to the other connection tube. 
FIG. 8 shows only the motor supply device 85 of a third embodiment of a 
massaging apparatus 1 in accordance with the invention. The part of the 
motor supply device 85 situated between the vacuum switch 80 and the 
roller drive motor 25 is of substantially the same construction as the 
motor supply device 85 shown in FIG. 6 and forming part of the massaging 
apparatus 1 of FIGS. 1 to 6. 
However, the motor supply device 85 of the massaging apparatus 1 of FIG. 8 
further comprises a motor current control device 108, which, if the motor 
current in the roller drive motor 25 exceeds a given threshold value as a 
result of excessive braking of a roller driven by the roller drive motor 
25, generates and supplies control information. The motor supply device 85 
further comprises a motor turn-off device 109, which is connected to the 
motor current control device 108 and by means of which the roller drive 
motor 25 can be turned off when the control information is supplied by the 
motor current control device 108. 
The motor current control device 108 comprises a sensing resistor 110 
arranged in series with the third transistor 91. A voltage U.sub.M 
proportional to the motor current of the roller drive motor 25 appears 
across the resistor 110. The voltage U.sub.M is applied to an inverting 
input 112 of a first comparator 113 via a low-pass filter 111, which 
provides a time delay. A reference voltage U.sub.R, obtained by means of a 
diode D.sub.R, is applied to a non-inverting input 114 of the first 
comparator 113. The time delay, obtained by means of the low-pass filter 
111, is required in order to ensure that the starting current of the 
roller drive motor 25 cannot inadvertently turn off the roller drive motor 
25. As long as the roller drive motor 25 is not turned on, i.e., the motor 
current of the roller drive motor 25 is below a permissible value, the 
voltage appearing on the inverting input 112, which corresponds to the 
voltage U.sub.M, is smaller than the reference voltage U.sub.R, as a 
result of which the output 105 of the first comparator 113 is at a high 
potential. The output 115 of the first comparator 113 drives a fourth 
transistor 116 by means of which the charging and discharging process of a 
capacitor 118 can be influenced via a resistor 117. The capacitor 118 can 
discharge via a further resistor 119. The node between the resistor 117 
and the capacitor 118 is connected to a non-inverting input 121 of a 
second comparator 122 via a resistor 120, this second comparator also 
receiving the reference voltage U.sub.R on its inverting input 123 via a 
line 124. The output 125 of the second comparator 122 also forms the 
output of the motor current control device 108. The motor current control 
device 108 generates control information on the output 125 of the second 
comparator 122 when the motor current of the roller drive motor 25 exceeds 
a given threshold value. The output 125 of the second comparator 122 is 
connected to the base terminal of a fifth transistor 127, which forms the 
essential part of the motor turn-off device 109. The collector terminal 
128 of the fifth transistor 127 is connected to the center tap 129 of the 
voltage divider 89. 
When the motor current of the roller drive motor 25 in the massaging 
apparatus 1 of FIG. 8 exceeds a given threshold value, in which case the 
voltage U.sub.M appearing across the sensing resistor 110 likewise exceeds 
a given threshold value, the voltage on the inverting input 112 of the 
first comparator 113, which corresponds to the voltage U.sub.M, exceeds 
the reference voltage U.sub.R appearing on the non-inverting input 114 of 
the first comparator 113, as a result of which a low potential appears on 
the output 115 of the first comparator 113. As a result of this, the 
fourth transistor 116 is driven into conduction, causing the capacitor 118 
to be rapidly charged via the resistor 117. As soon as the voltage U.sub.C 
across the capacitor 118 exceeds a given threshold value, in which case 
the voltage appearing on the non-inverting input 121 of the second 
comparator 122 also exceeds the reference voltage U.sub.R appearing on the 
inverting input 123 of the second comparator 122, a high potential is 
produced on the output 125 of the second comparator 122. As a result of 
this, the fifth transistor 127 is driven into conduction, thereby causing 
both the second transistor 90 and the third transistor 91 to be cut off. 
This means that the circuit of the roller drive motor 25 is interrupted 
and the roller drive motor 25 is consequently turned off. 
After the roller drive motor 25 has been turned off the voltage U.sub.M no 
longer appears on the inverting input 112 of the first comparator 113, as 
a result of which the output 115 of the first comparator 113 assumes a 
high potential. As a result of this, the fourth transistor 116 is cut off, 
so that the capacitor 118 can discharge via the further resistor 119. 
Since the capacitor 118 discharges, the voltage U.sub.C across the 
capacitor 118 and, consequently, the corresponding voltage on the 
non-inverting input 121 of the second comparator 122 decrease. As soon as 
the voltage on the non-inverting input 121 of the second comparator 122 
becomes smaller than the reference voltage U.sub.R, the output 125 of the 
second comparator 122 is pulled to a low potential, as a result of which 
the fifth transistor 127 is cut off and, as a consequence, the second 
transistor 90 and the third transistor 91 are turned on again. Thus, after 
a given discharge time of the discharge process of the capacitor 118 the 
roller drive motor 25 is turned on again and the roller drive motor 25 
then remains energized if no excessive braking of the rollers of the 
massaging apparatus 1 occurs but is turned off again if the cause of the 
excessive braking of the rollers and, consequently, of the roller drive 
motor 25 still persists. 
The provision of the motor current control device 108 and the motor 
turn-off device 109 in the massaging apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 8 has 
the advantage that the roller drive motor 25 or the roller drive device 
driven by this motor cannot be damaged or destroyed as a result of 
excessive braking of a roller which can be driven by the roller drive 
motor 25 via the roller drive device and, moreover, skin injuries due to 
excessive braking of a roller which can be driven by the roller drive 
motor 25 are precluded. 
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The 
measures in accordance with the invention can also be applied 
advantageously to massaging apparatuses of different constructions. In 
this respect it is to be noted, for example, that in a massaging apparatus 
comprising two rollers which are rotationally drivable by means of a 
roller drive motor, it is alternatively possible to provide independent 
drive transmissions which are at least partly independent from one another 
between the roller drive motor and each of the two rollers, and to drive 
the forward roller, viewed in the given operating direction of a massaging 
apparatus, with a higher speed than the rearward roller, viewed in the 
given operating direction of a massaging apparatus, by means of which it 
is achieved that the forward roller, which is driven with a higher speed, 
tends to feed more skin or tissue into the suction chamber than is moved 
out of the suction chamber by the rearward roller, which is driven more 
slowly, thereby assisting the two rollers in the formation of a skin fold 
which is drawn into the suction chamber of such a massaging apparatus. In 
a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention, it is also 
possible that only one of the two rollers is drivable by means of a roller 
drive device.