Abstract:
In the case of a prior art massage device, an adhesive pad is used to hold a vibrating motor on a human body. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult, while transmitting vibrations, to knead or pinch a region being massaged. Disclosed is a massage device which massages a human body by transmitting vibrations to the same. This massage device is provided with vibrating motors which generate vibrations, and a pair of gloves which are worn on hands that apply massage and each of which is equipped with at least one of the vibrating motors.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a massage device which massages a human body by transmitting mechanical vibrations to the same. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]      FIG. 6  shows a conventional massage device. This massage device is disclosed in the Patent Document 1. 
         [0003]    As shown in  FIG. 6  an adhesive pad such as urethane gel or silicon gel is denoted by  110 , and a vibrating motor which functions as a vibration generation means is denoted by  120 . The opposite surface of the adhesive face of the adhesive pad  110  contains a magnetic piece and the vibrating motor  120  has a magnetically adherable surface respectively, which are not shown in the figure. 
         [0004]    As shown in  FIG. 6  in order to alleviate stiffness in shoulders, the adhesive face of the adhesive pad  110  is adhered to an area affected by shoulder stiffness, and the vibrating motor  120  is placed on the adhesive pad  110 . Thereafter, the magnetic piece of the adhesive pad  110  and the magnetically adherable surface of the vibrating motor  120  are adhered to each other so that the vibrating motor  120  is fixed on the affected area of shoulder stiffness. 
         [0005]    Subsequently, when a power switch is turned on to vibrate the vibrating motor  120 , the vibrations of the vibrating motor  120  are transmitted to the area affected by shoulder stiffness, resulting in the alleviation of the shoulder stiffness. To summarize, referring to  FIG. 6  the vibrating motor  120  is fixed on a given part of the body so as to produce vibrations by means of the adhesive pad  110  equipped with the magnetic piece in order to produce massage therapy. 
       PRIOR ART 
     Patent Document 1 
       [0000]    
       
         Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-44319 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problems 
       [0007]    In the case of the massage device of  FIG. 6  the adhesive pad is utilized to hold the vibrating motor on a given part of the body. Therefore, it is difficult to knead or pinch a region being massaged while concurrently transmitting vibrations, and it ends up merely transmitting vibrations. 
         [0008]    Moreover, since the adhesive pad is utilized to hold the vibrating motor on the body, there is a problem that the vibrations cannot be transmitted deeply inside the body. Instead, they are transmitted only to the surface part of the region being massaged. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, since the adhesive pad is utilized to hold the vibrating motor on the body, there is also a problem that the vibrations cannot be transmitted to a region where the adhesive pad is difficult to be adhered to and accordingly the vibrating motor is not accommodating such as underneath clothes or on head hair. 
         [0010]    To solve the problems described above, the present invention enables one to transmit vibrations to a region being massaged while concurrently kneading or pinching the same region so that the massaging effect can be enhanced. 
         [0011]    The present invention also enables one to transmit vibrations to not only the surface part of the region being massaged but also deeply inside of the body without difficulty so that the massaging effect can be enhanced. 
         [0012]    Moreover, the present invention removes restrictions on the possible regions to get massaged. The vibration generation means can be placed on a region that is difficult to be massaged, such as underneath clothes or on head hair. Therefore, it becomes possible to apply massage anywhere on the body. 
         [0013]    The massage device according to one embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a glove means which is worn on hands that apply the massage, and a coin-shaped vibration generation means which generates vibrations. The glove means are equipped with a plurality of the coin-shaped vibration generation means. The coin-shaped vibration generation means are secured to the glove means by their coin face. 
         [0014]    The massage device according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a vibration generation means which are coin-shaped vibrating motors. The vibrating motor is comprised of a shaft made of elastic material, a circular plate eccentrically fixed to the shaft, a plurality of coils which are fixed on the circular plate, a magnet which is fixed on a part of the circular plate, and a magnet which is fixed on a case and is located a predetermined distance apart from the plurality of the coils. Rotations of the said circular plate based on the eccentricity of the center of gravity generates vibrations in the radial direction, while concurrently generating vibrations in the axial direction caused by the adsorption between the magnet fixed on the circular plate and the magnet fixed on the case. 
         [0015]    The massage device according to one embodiment of the present invention is comprised of the glove means which are equipped with the vibration generation means on the fingertips side of them. 
         [0016]    The massage device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of the vibration generation means having a vibration control means which allows the vibrations to be generated sequentially and separately. 
         [0017]    The massage device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the vibration generation means having a vibration control means which produces changes in the level of the vibrations periodically. 
         [0018]    One embodiment of the present invention is comprised of the glove means which are worn on hands that apply massage and coin-shaped vibration generation means which generate vibrations. The glove means are equipped with a plurality of the vibration generation means. By securing the coin faces of the vibration generation means to the glove means, it becomes possible to make the gloves lighter and less bulky. Further, because the glove means are worn on the hands, it is possible to knead or pinch a region being massaged without difficulty while concurrently transmitting vibrations from the vibration generation means, which enhances the massaging effect. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the vibration generation means is a coin-shaped vibrating motor which is comprised of a shaft made of elastic material, a circular plate eccentrically fixed to the shaft, a plurality of coils which are fixed on the circular plate, a magnet which is fixed on a part of the circular plate, and a magnet which is fixed on the case and is locating predetermined distance apart from the plurality of the coils. Rotations of the said circular plate based on the eccentricity of the center of gravity generates vibrations in the radial direction, while concurrently generating vibrations in the axial direction caused by the adsorption between the magnet fixed on the circular plate and the magnet fixed on the case. Accordingly, multiple vibrations are generated so that the massaging effect can be enhanced. 
         [0020]    The glove means of the present invention are equipped with the vibration generation means on the fingertips side of them so that it becomes possible to use fingertips of the glove means to apply massage while concurrently transmitting the vibrations generated by the vibration generation means, resulting in the capability of providing a variety of massage therapy. 
         [0021]    Another embodiment of the present invention further comprises a vibration control means capable of controlling vibrations that are generated sequentially and separately from the plurality of vibration generation means, so that it becomes possible to create vibrations that are transmitted without having to move hands or fingers, resulting in the application of massage therapy along the lines of trigger points of the body. 
         [0022]    Another embodiment of the present invention further comprises a vibration control means which periodically produces changes in the level of the vibrations generated from the vibration generation means, making it possible to produce a variety of vibrational patterns, providing a varied massage therapy. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is an appearance diagram of the massage device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram which illustrates the internal constitution of the massage device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram which illustrates an example of how to use the massage device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a configuration diagram which illustrates an example of a variation of how to arrange vibrating motors. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of a coin-shaped vibrating motor, 
           [0028]    (a) shows a state that vibrations are generated by rotating an eccentric weight, while 
           [0029]    (b) shows a state that vibrations are generated toward normal direction of the coin face in parallel with the radial direction. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is an explanatory diagram which illustrates an example of how to use the conventional massage device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    Hereinafter, an embodiment of this invention will be concretely described with reference to the drawings. In each of the drawings, same numerical symbols are used to the same constitutions or corresponding constitutions. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is an appearance diagram of the massage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 1 , a pair of gloves (glove means) which are worn on the right hand and the left hand of a user are denoted by  10 . Coin-shaped vibrating motors (vibration generation means) which are placed on regions corresponding to balls of thumbs, forefingers, middle fingers, annular fingers and little fingers of the gloves  10  are denoted by  21 . A controller of the massage device is denoted by  30 . It is possible to independently place a downsized controller  30  on each one of the gloves so as to upgrade the operational flexibility. Herein, a ball of a finger intends a region where finger pattern is found. Each of the names of regions on the gloves  10  corresponds to the part names of hands hereinafter. 
         [0034]    The massage device shown in  FIG. 1  has a feature in a way that the gloves  10  are equipped with the vibrating motors  21 . The vibrating motors  21  are the materials which are often utilized as vibrators for mobiles, and are capable of employing a variety of types of vibration generation, not only the way which rotates an eccentric weight around a motor shaft (shown in  FIG. 5(   a )), but also the way in which vibrations are generated toward a normal direction of the coin face in parallel with the radial direction, and so on. 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 5(   a ), an oscillator  51  rotates around a motor shaft  50 . Since the oscillator  51  is equipped with an eccentric weight  52 , the whole of the case  53  vibrates through the motor shaft  50  around which the oscillator  51  rotates. It is ideal to set up the case  53  in the shape of a coin which is about 10 millimeters in outside diameter, about 3 to 5 millimeters in thickness, and weighs about 1.0 gram. This case is bonded with an adhesion bond to a certain place of the gloves  10  and wired to the controller  30  as in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 5(   b ) shows another example of the vibrating motor which generates vibrations toward a normal direction of the coin face in parallel with the radial direction. Here, a circular plate  61  is eccentrically fixed to a shaft  60  made of elastic material. The circular plate  61  is equipped with a plurality of coils. Since a rotative force is generated between the circular plate  61  and magnets  63  which are placed opposite to the circular plate  61 , the circular plate  61  rotates around the shaft  60  when it is energized. At this time, due to a magnet  62  placed on a part of the circular plate  61 , a force which intergrades in the axial direction affects the circular plate  61  so that the circular plate  61  vibrates in the axial direction i.e. normal direction of the coin face concurrently vibrating in the radial direction by eccentricity of the center of gravity. When these kind of vibrating motors which generate multiple vibrations are fixed to the gloves, it is possible to further enhance the massaging effect. 
         [0037]    The vibrating motors  21  are bonded with an adhesion bond or the like to balls of fingers of the gloves  10 . Although  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment wherein the vibrating motors  21  are placed outside of the gloves  10 , it is possible to place the vibrating motors  21  inside of the gloves  10  i.e. the side in which hands of the user are inserted. As the coin-shaped vibrating motors are employed, it becomes possible to make the gloves  10  lighter and less bulky, resulting in a more practical embodiment of the massage device. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  shows a block configuration according to the first embodiment of the massage device of the present invention. 
         [0039]    In  FIG. 2 , the controller  30  is comprised of the following parts: An operation panel which operates the massage device is denoted by  31 ; a CPU (vibration control means) which controls the massage device is denoted by  32 ; a memory which stores the program and the various settings of the massage device is denoted by  33 ; and a motor driver (vibration control means) which activates the respective vibrating motors  21  is denoted by  34 . 
         [0040]    Hereinafter it is explained how the device is used. When a user of the massage device wears the gloves  10  on their hands, the user starts up the massage device by operating the operation panel  31 . The CPU  32  activates the respective vibrating motors  21  by means of the motor driver  34  based on a program of a normal mode which is stored in the memory  33 . Subsequently, when the vibrations are generated from the vibrating motors  21 , the user applies the gloves  10  to a body region to get massaged in order to transmit the vibrations and concurrently knead or pinch the same region by the gloves  10 . 
         [0041]    As described above, as the gloves  10  are equipped with vibrating motors  21  which are worn on hands that apply massage and transmit vibrations to the body region to get massaged while concurrently kneading or pinching the same region by the gloves  10 , so that it becomes possible to enhance the massaging effect. 
         [0042]    Also, since it is possible to compress the vibrating motors  21  to the region being massaged thanks to the gloves  10 , the vibrations can be transmitted to not only the surface part of the body region being massaged but also deeply inside of the body without difficulty, enhancing the massaging effect. 
         [0043]    Furthermore, thanks to the gloves  10 , it is possible to place the vibrating motors  21  on body regions such as underneath clothes or on head hair and transmit vibrations without difficulty. Accordingly, it becomes possible to reflect the massaging effect into the regions which are conventionally considered to be difficult to get massaged without difficulty. 
         [0044]    In addition, the gloves  10  can be worn not only by the user themself but also by an assistant when it is used. 
         [0045]    In addition to what has been described above, below is another possible method of using the device. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram which illustrates an example of how to use the massage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It illustrates a case that a user applies massage to their own face  40  by using the massage device. However, the massage can be applied not only to the face but also to other parts of the body. 
         [0047]      FIG. 3(   b ) shows a state when the user who wears the gloves  10  on hands as shown in  FIG. 3(   a ) put the palm sides of the gloves  10  onto the face  40 , selecting vibration modes in series. In the state of  FIG. 3(   b ), the respective vibrating motors  21  lies almost along the line of lymph nodes from around eyes to in front of ears. As the circled numbers in  FIG. 3(   c ) indicate, the CPU  32  activates the respective vibrating motors  21  in the order of fingers, i.e. little fingers, annular fingers, middle fingers, forefingers, thumbs, little fingers, annular fingers, middle fingers, forefingers, thumbs (and repeat), to generate vibrations in a series by means of the motor diver  34  for the vibration duration time of Δt, based on a program of a sequential mode which is remembered in the memory  33 . 
         [0048]    In this way, as the palms of the gloves  10  are opened and put over the face  40 , they sequentially vibrate the vibrating motors  21  in the order from little fingers to thumbs i.e. from the lymph nodes around the eyes to the lymph nodes in front of the ears of face  40  along the flow of lymph, it becomes possible to circulate the lymph in the direction of the arrow P in  FIG. 3(   c ) without moving the hands or fingers, resulting in the capability of the highly effective lymphatic massage from a health or aesthetic standpoint. 
         [0049]    The order, timing of the beginning, duration time or level of the vibrations of the respective vibrating motors  21  are not limited to the cases shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3 , it is possible to divide the fingers into two groups, one of which is a combination of little fingers and annular fingers and the other is a combination of middle fingers, fore fingers and thumbs. A pattern that sequentially vibrates the vibrating motors  21  of the two groups is possible. That is to say, it can be flexibly utilized depending on the positional relation between the flow of lymph and the respective vibrating motors  21  or the intention and preference of the user, by changing the setting of the program of the memory  33  by means of the operation panel  31 . Further, it is possible to sequentially vibrate the respective vibrating motors  21  along not only the flow of lymph but also other flows of bodily fluid such as blood. 
         [0050]    However, it is needless to say that the respective vibrating motors  21  can be sequentially vibrated irrespective of flows of bodily fluid, allowing one to transmit vibrations with directionality on the body, resulting in the capability of applying massage therapy without need of moving hands or fingers. 
         [0051]    Although the case that the vibrating motors  21  are fixed to the balls of fingers of the gloves  10  has been described above, it is not necessary to place the vibrating motors  21  on the balls of fingers of the gloves  10 . 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a variety of arrangement is possible. 
         [0053]      FIG. 4  is a configuration diagram which illustrates a variation of vibrating motors arrangement. 
         [0054]    In  FIGS. 4(   a ) and ( b ), the vibrating motors (vibration generation means) placed on the palm side of fingers of the glove  10  are denoted by  22 . Here, the vibrating motors  22  are placed not on the balls of fingers, but on regions between the balls of fingers and the bases of fingers. In addition, the vibrating motors (vibration generation means) placed on the palm of the glove  10  are denoted by  23 , the vibrating motors (vibration generation means) placed on the fingertips of the glove  10  are denoted by  24 , and the vibrating motors (vibration generation means) placed on the back-of-hand side of fingers of the glove  10  are denoted by  25 . 
         [0055]    As described above, it is possible to arrange the vibrating motors  21  to  23  on the palm of the glove  10 , the vibrating motors  24  on the fingertips of the glove  10 , and the vibrating motors  25  on the back-of-hand side of the glove  10 , respectively. Accordingly, it becomes possible to use the palm, fingertips and back-of-hand side of the glove  10  while concurrently transmitting the vibrations of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , resulting in the capability of providing a variety of massage therapy. However, it is needless to say that the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4  is just an example. It is possible to arrange the vibrating motors  21  to  25  on other locations aside from the locations shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0056]    Although the embodiment with the vibrating motors  21  to  25  has been described above, it is possible to constitute the vibration generation means by utilizing voice coils or magnetostrictive materials instead of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 . 
         [0057]    Furthermore, it is possible that the CPU  32  and the motor driver  34  control vibrations to be generated by the vibrating motors  21  to  25  such that the vibrational amplitudes are modulated by periodic functions such as sine wave, triangle wave, saw-tooth wave, square wave or the like. By periodically producing changes in the level of the vibrations of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , it becomes possible to produce a variety of vibrational patterns, resulting in a varied massage therapy. 
         [0058]    It is not necessary to provide the gloves  10  for both hands. Either one for a right hand or a left hand of the gloves  10  is sufficient. In addition, it is not necessary to form the glove as a five-finger glove. 
         [0059]    Moreover, a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25  are not necessarily needed. With a single vibrating motor, it is essentially possible to conduct a massage therapy other than the sequential vibration mode shown in  FIG. 3 . However, it is ideal to provide a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , so that the vibrations can be transmitted from a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , resulting in the enhancement of the massaging effect. 
         [0060]    Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide the gloves  10  and the controller  30  as separate bodies. When the controller  30  is downsized, the glove  10  and the controller  30  can be constituted as a combined one, resulting in the enhancement of the massage device. 
         [0061]    As described above, according to the first embodiment of the massage device of the present invention which massages a human body by transmitting vibrations, it is possible to enhance the massaging effect. This enhancement can be achieved since the device comprises vibrating motors  21  to  25  which generate vibrations and a pair of gloves  10  which are worn on the hands that apply massage, each of which is equipped with at least one of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , allowing a user to knead or pinch a region being massaged without difficulty. In addition, due to the gloves  10  being worn on the hands, it becomes possible to compress the vibrating motors  21  to  25  on the body so that the vibrations can be transmitted to not only the surface part of the body region being massaged but also deeply inside of the body without difficulty, resulting in the enhancement of the massaging effect. Furthermore, due to the gloves  10  being worn on the hands, the vibrating motors  21  to  25  can be placed on body regions such as underneath clothes or on head hair without difficulty, making massage possible in body regions which are conventionally considered difficult to get massaged. 
         [0062]    In addition, according to the first embodiment, as the gloves  10  are equipped with the vibrating motors  21  to  23  on the palm side of them, it becomes possible to use palms of the gloves  10  for applying massage while concurrently transmitting the vibrations generated by the vibrating motors  21  to  23 , resulting in the capability of providing a variety of massage therapy. 
         [0063]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the gloves  10  are equipped with the vibrating motors  24  on the fingertips side of them, it becomes possible to use fingertips of the gloves  10  for applying massage while concurrently transmitting the vibrations generated by the vibrating motors  24 , resulting in the capability of providing a variety of massage therapy. 
         [0064]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the gloves  10  are equipped with the vibrating motors  25  on the back-of-hand side of them, it becomes possible to use back-of-hand of the gloves  10  for applying massage while concurrently transmitting the vibrations generated by the vibrating motors  25 , resulting in the capability of providing a variety of massage therapy. 
         [0065]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the gloves  10  are equipped with a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , it becomes possible to transmit vibrations from a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , further enhancing the massaging effect. 
         [0066]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the CPU  32  and the motor driver  34  which control vibrations that are generated sequentially from a plurality of the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , it becomes possible to transmit vibrations with directionality on the body, resulting in the capability of applying massage therapy without need of moving hands or fingers. 
         [0067]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the CPU  32  and the motor driver  34  which periodically produce changes in the level of the vibrations generated from the vibrating motors  21  to  25 , it becomes possible to produce a variety of vibrational patterns, resulting in the capability of providing a varied massage therapy. 
         [0068]    Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as the vibrating motors  21  to  25  are coin-shaped vibrating motors, it becomes possible to make the gloves  10  lighter and less bulky, resulting in a more practical embodiment of the massage device. 
         [0069]    Although the vibrating motors are pointed out as the vibration generation means in the embodiment described above, the present invention is not restricted to this embodiment. An electrodynamic vibration generation equipment wherein an iron sheet is drawn and repelled by applying alternate current to a coil, or a vibration generation equipment wherein a magnetostrictive material is transformed by applying alternate current to a coil, are also possible.