A lie-down massager includes a base frame having an elongated top panel, through which an elongated top opening is formed, a rider, a guide member movably engaged between the base frame and the rider so as to enable the rider to make a horizontally reciprocal movement, massage bumps that move vertically and/or horizontally along the elongated top opening of the elongated top panel of the base frame, and a lifter that holds the massage bumps and adjusts the height of the massage bumps. Air shock absorbers are provided between the massage bumps and the lifter so that movement of the massage bumps by the rider and the lifter is flexible and more adapted to human body contour.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a massaging device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved lie-down massager capable of efficiently treating bodily malfunctions such as back pain and gastrointestinal weakness by applying a therapeutic massaging treatment along the back and neck of a patient lying down on the massager whose massaging bumps move horizontally and vertically along the patient's spinal cord and neck while the vertical movement of the massaging bumps are compensated and smoothed by air shock actuators.

Conventional bed or mat type massaging devices employ a spring mechanism for vertically moving massaging bumps. As disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,732, a spring mechanism allows the massaging bumps to gently move up and down. However, when it comes to therapeutic effects, the spring mechanism proves too soft to push up the massaging bumps when stronger pressure is required, because tension of springs applies equally to patients lying on the massaging device regardless of patient's requirements.

A demand is to adopt a reliable mechanism demonstrating a steady and robust therapeutic effects while stabilizing the vertical movement of the massaging bumps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is contrived to overcome the conventional disadvantages. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a lie-down massager that improves therapeutic effects by adopting air shock absorbers for compensating vertical movement of massaging bumps. Another object is to improve product reliability and customer satisfaction by mechanically stabilizing the vertical movement of the massaging bumps.

To achieve these and other objects, the lie-down massager according to the present invention includes a base frame having an elongated top panel, through which an elongated top opening is formed centrally and lengthwise, a rider provided below the elongated top panel of the base frame, a guide member movably engaged between the base frame and the rider so as to enable the rider to make a horizontally reciprocal movement relative to the base frame, a lifter, one or more air shock absorbers, massage bumps attached on the lifter via the air shock absorbers and moved by the lifter vertically and/or horizontally along the elongated top opening of the elongated top panel of the base frame, and a pad covering the massage bumps and the elongated top opening of the base frame.

The lifter includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a vertical actuator that moves the top plate up and down.

A massage plate is provided. The massage bumps are installed on the massage plate, and the air shock absorbers are vertically installed between the massage plate and the top plate.

Each of the air shock absorbers has a hollow cylinder, a plunger that is moved reciprocally in the cylinder, a shaft fixed to the plunger and protruding out of the cylinder and a bracket. The free end of the shaft is shaped as a ball, and the bracket has a semi-spherical recess so that so that the end of the shaft and the recess of the bracket form a ball and socket joint. The cylinder is fixed to the top plate, and the bracket is fixed to the massage plate.

Preferably, the number of the air shock absorbers is four, and the air shock absorbers are positioned near the four corners of the rectangular top plate.

The massage bumps are partitioned to first and second pairs, and the first pair bumps are aligned parallel to the second pair bumps. The massage bump includes a heater that is a heating lamp generating heat and infrared rays.

First and second bump holders are provided for propping and maintaining the first and second pair bumps above the top portion of the lifter. The first and second bump holders are tapered toward each lower end thereof. Also a first engagement member to rockingly engage the lower ends of the bump holders to the top portion of the lifter, and a second engagement member to rollingly engage the massage bumps thereto are provided. The massage bumps are roller balls that are formed of jade.

Alternatively, the massage bumps are provided as round projections that are fixed to the top upper surface portion of the lifter.

The guide member includes one or more roller gear engaged to and powered by a roller gear motor, and one or more side rack gears parallel to each other and provided lengthwise in the base frame. The roller gear motor is fixed to the rider, and the roller gears are rollably connected to the rider and rotatably mounted on the side rack gears.

Alternatively, the guide member includes rider guide rollers provided on each side of the rider, and a pair of pulleys linked by a rope and respectively mounted in a front end portion and a rear end portion of the base frame. The rider guide rollers are rollably engaged to the base frame to guide a horizontally reciprocal movement of the rider. A predetermined portion of the rope is fixedly attached to the rider so that the pulley rotation enables the rider to generate a horizontally reciprocal movement of the rider. The pulleys are relatively twisted by 90 degrees against each other.

The lie-down massager further includes a pair of roller coasters parallel to each other, and coaster guide rollers formed outwardly extending from each side of the lifter. The roller coasters are attached to the base frame, and each of the roller coasters has a substantially waved top surface. The coaster guide rollers enable the coasting member to make a roller coasting movement on and along the waved top surfaces of the roller coasters. Each of the waved top surfaces of the roller coasters substantially forms a curvature of a human spinal cord.

The bottom plate of the lifter further includes a plurality of elongated guides extending downward, and the rider further has a plurality of guide bushes upwardly formed on the rider to releasably receive the elongated guides so as to stabilize the roller coasting movement of the lifter along the roller coasters. The elongated guides are shaped in pins.

Advantages of the present inventions include that: (1) the air shock absorbers provides massaging motions that are flexible and adapted to the body contour of the user; (2) the air shock absorber provides smooth and quite operation of the lifter; and (3) the coasting member working with the roller coasters to realize an additional lifting by utilizing the horizontally reciprocal movement of the rider enables the massaging bumps to continue a smooth, steady and robust massaging on the patient, thereby substantially improving massaging effect and subsequently maximizing customer satisfaction.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the full understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows a brief massaging mechanism of a lie-down massager10according to the present invention with a patient lying thereon for a bodily massage, andFIG. 2shows a plan view of the massager10excluding the patient. As shown therein, the lie-down massager10includes a base frame12in a bed type or a mat type. The base frame12includes an elongated top panel14, and an elongated opening16is formed centrally and lengthwise through the elongated top panel14. The massager10includes a rider18and a lifter20. The rider18is provided below the elongated top panel14of the base frame12.

In order to implement the horizontal reciprocation of the rider18, there is provided a guide member26movably engaged between the base frame12and the rider18so as to enable the rider18to make a horizontally reciprocal movement relative to the base frame12. Here, it is recommended that the guide member26be either a rope-pulley application or a rack gear application.

Massage bumps100are attached on the lifter20via one or more air shock absorbers300and are moved by the lifter20vertically and/or horizontally along the elongated top opening16of the elongated top panel14of the base frame12.

As shown inFIG. 2together withFIG. 3, the guide member26according to the rope-pulley application includes a rope28, a pair of pulleys30and a pulley motor32that controls one of the pulleys30. The pulleys30are linked by the rope28and respectively mounted in a front end portion34and a rear end portion36of the base frame12. In a preferred version, the pulley motor32is provided adjacent to the pulley30provided in the rear end portion36of the base frame12. In this construction, a predetermined portion29of the rope28is fixedly attached to the rider18so that the pulley rotation enables the rider18to generate a horizontally reciprocal movement of the rider18. Preferably, the pulleys30are relatively twisted by 90 degrees against each other to facilitate the horizontal reciprocation of the rider18while improving controllability of the rider reciprocation.

Meanwhile,FIGS. 4,5and6respectively illustrate the rack gear application for the horizontal reciprocation of the rider18. As shown therein, the guide member26employing the rack gear application includes a pair of side rack gears40parallel to each other and lengthwisely provided in the base frame12, a roller gear42perpendicular to the side rack gears40, and a roller gear motor44fixed to the rider to power the roller gear42. The roller gear42is rollably connected to a rider46and rotatably mounted on the side rack gears40.

To accelerate massaging effect, the massager10includes one or more pairs of roller coasters50parallel to each other. The roller coasters50are attached to the base frame12and above the rider guide rollers52formed on each side of the rider18(refer toFIG. 3). The rider guide rollers52are rollably engaged to the base frame12to guide a horizontally reciprocal movement of the rider18. That is, the roller coasters50are formed on each side of the base frame12. Here, the roller coasters50each have a substantially waved top surface54. It is preferred that the waved top surfaces54of the roller coasters50each substantially form a curvature of a human spinal cord.

In order to utilize the roller coasters50, there are provided two coaster guide rollers90formed outwardly extending from each side of the lifter20. The coaster guide rollers90enable the lifter20to make a roller coasting movement on and along the waved top surfaces54of the roller coasters50.

As shown inFIGS. 7–9, the lifter20has a top plate120and a bottom plate122, and a vertical actuator400that moves the top plate120up and down. The vertical actuator400includes a first link assembly160, and a lifter motor128. The top plate120has a top upper surface portion130and a top lower surface portion132(refer toFIG. 8). The bottom plate122has a bottom upper surface portion134and a bottom lower surface portion136. The first link assembly160includes a gear shaft162rotatably attached to the bottom plate122, a link gear164fixed to the gear shaft162, a low link166fixed to the gear shaft162, a high link168connecting between the low link166and the top plate120. The lifter motor128rotates the link gear164either clockwise or counterclockwise direction, so that the rotation of the link gear164lifts or lowers the top plate120via the low link166and the high link168.

Four lifter guides170extend downward from the top lower surface portion132of the top plate120at the four corners of the top plate120. Four lifter guide bushes172extend upward from the bottom upper surface portion134of the bottom plate122to releasably receive the lifter guides170.

The lifter may further include a second link assembly174for balanced and more stabilized lifting and lowering operations. The second link assembly174includes a gear shaft176rotatably attached to the bottom plate122, a link gear178fixed to the gear shaft176, a low link180fixed to the gear shaft176, a high link182connecting between the low link180and the top plate120. The link gear164of the first link assembly160and the link gear178of the second link assembly174engage with each other so that when one rotates clockwise, the other rotates counterclockwise, and vice versa. The first link assembly160and the second link assembly174are positioned symmetrical with each other, as shown well inFIG. 8. Therefore, when the lifter motor128rotates the link gear164of the first link assembly160, the first link assembly160and the second assembly174together lift or lower the top plate120.

The link gears164,178of the first and second link assemblies160,174are spur gears having identical dimensions. The lifter motor128includes a driving spur gear184that engages with the link gear164of the first link assembly160.

Referring back toFIG. 6, elongated guides62downwardly extend from the bottom lower surface portion136of the lifter20, and guide bushes64are upwardly formed on the rider18to releasably receive the elongated guides62so as to stabilize the roller coasting movement of the lifter20along the roller coasters50. Preferably, the elongated guides62are shaped in pins.

Two side coasting walls156extend downward from two opposing ends of the bottom plate122, and the coaster guide rollers90are rotatably attached to the side coasting walls156.

A massage plate302, on which the massage bumps100are installed, is provided. The air shock absorbers300are vertically installed between the massage plate302and the top plate120.

FIGS. 10 and 11show the air shock absorber300. The air shock absorber300has a hollow cylinder304, a plunger306that is moved reciprocally in the cylinder304, a shaft308fixed to the plunger306and protruding out of the cylinder304, and a bracket310. The free end312of the shaft308is shaped as a ball, and the bracket has a semi-spherical recess314so that the end312of the shaft308and the recess314of the bracket form a ball and socket joint. The cylinder304is fixed to the top plate120, and the bracket310is fixed to the massage plate302. While the top plate120is parallel with the top panel14, the ball and socket joint enables arbitrary tilting of the massage plate302with respect to the top plate120as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. In this way, the air shock absorbers300compensate the difference between the body contour of each of different users and the movement of massage bumps100performed by the rider18and the lifter20.

Pressurized air is provided into the cylinder304through a flow-in pipe316to lift the plunger306upward against the force applied by the massage bumps100. A flow-out pipe318is provided to make the space above the plunger306within the cylinder304to be communicated with outside.

The top plate120and the massage plate302are rectangular. Four air shock absorbers300are positioned near the four corners of the top plate120.

In order to finally apply the gear-operated link lifting mechanism to a patient lying on the massager10, there are provided the massage bumps100attached to the top upper surface portion130of the lifter20and moving vertically and/or horizontally along the elongated top opening16of the elongated top panel14of the base frame12. Optionally, a pad17may be provided to cover the massage bumps100and the elongated top opening16of the base frame12.

FIG. 9shows that the top plate120is in its uppermost position, that is, the massage bumps100are in their topmost position.FIG. 8shows that the top plate120is in its lowermost position, that is, the massage bumps100are in their lowermost position.

The massage bumps100are preferably partitioned to first and second pairs102,104(refer toFIG. 6). Here, the first pair bumps102are aligned parallel to the second pair bumps104. The massage bumps100each include a heater106which can be a heating lamp generating heat and infrared rays (refer toFIG. 9).

To further improve massaging effect, there are provided first and second bump holders108,110propping and maintaining the first and second pair bumps102,104above the massage plate302. For a better massaging result, the first and second bump holders108,110are tapered toward each lower end109thereof, and a first engagement member112to rockingly engage the lower ends109of the bump holders108,110to the massage plate302, and a second engagement member116to rollingly engage the massage bumps100thereto, are provided. The massage bumps100may be roller balls formed of precious stone such as jade. InFIG. 6, fixed massage bumps202are provided between the massage bumps100.

FIG. 7shows alternate massage bumps98. The massage bumps98are round projections that are fixed to the top upper surface portion130of the lifter20.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, other versions are possible by converting the aforementioned construction. Therefore, the scope of the invention shall not be limited by the specification specified above.