Patent Publication Number: US-2010125228-A1

Title: Patting Device for Health Care

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a patting device, and more particularly, to a health care device which is driven by a gear to let a patting bar on a patting device move retractably along an axis to pat the human body. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The advance of civilization has improved the living standard; furthermore, better health care has prolonged average life span of people as well. 
     However, due to changed life styles, modern day people are more likely to encounter immunity problems and suffer from various kinds of disease caused by lack of exercise, unbalanced diet and irregular sleep pattern. 
     Therefore, it is critical for people to find ways to improve personal health and to avoid sickness. 
     In traditional Chinese health care practices, it is a known fact that patting the human body can improve health; however, the type of equipment and its availability are the concerns in using patting equipment. 
     Taiwan Patent numbered M325223 discloses an implementation using vibration generated by a centrifugal block disposed on the motor when the motor rotates; however, this implementation only provides vibration effects and no patting effects. 
     Taiwan Patent numbered M320388 also discloses an implementation using a centrifugal block to provide vibration effects and also a turntable comprising a protruding block for rotation to let the protruding block in contact with the human body, however, this implementation does not provide patting effects either. 
     Furthermore, Taiwan Patent numbered 86209977 discloses an implementation using a gear to drive a plurality of transmission bar to generate circular movement on a plane; still, this implementation does not provide patting effects either. 
     Therefore, the traditional health care equipments do not provide patting effects to realize practical and effective health care practices and need improvement. 
     In view of the above-described deficiencies of the traditional health care equipment, after years of constant efforts in research, the inventor of this invention has consequently developed and proposed a patting device in the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a patting device which can pat the human body to provide health care effects. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a patting device which is simple in structure, easy to dispose, and easy to operate for people, thereby helping promote the patting device. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a patting device which provides various implementations to let the user choose a suitable patting type for him/her. 
     The present invention discloses a patting device, which comprises a case for containing other structures; a motor disposed in the case for rotation; a power source installed in the case to provide power to the motor; a transmission structure connected to an output shaft of the motor to transmit power of the motor; and a patting structure at least comprising a turntable connected to and driven by the transmission structure, wherein the turntable comprises a protruding block disposed off-axis with respect to the turntable, a ring body is disposed around the protruding block and connected with a patting bar extending out of the case. Hence, the power of the motor is transmitted through the transmission structure to the patting structure. When the turntable rotates, the off-axis placement of the protruding block drives the patting bar to move back and forth to let the patting bar pat the human body to provide health care effects. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Please refer to the following description and figures for further understanding of the present invention and its objects, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates another perspective view of the patting device in the first embodiment of the present invention from another angle; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates another perspective view of the patting device in the second embodiment of the present invention from another angle; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 19  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 20  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 21  illustrates a perspective view of the patting device in a seventh embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 22  illustrates a vertical view of the patting device in the seventh embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 23  illustrates a front view of the patting device in the seventh embodiment of the present invention; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  for a patting device in a first embodiment of the present invention. The patting device mainly comprises a case  1 , a motor  2 , a power source  3 , a transmission structure  4  and a patting structure  5 . The case  1  is used for containing other structures and is not limited to any specific kind of shape. The motor  2  is installed in the case  1  to generate power to drive the transmission structure  4  and the patting structure  5  and is powered by the power source  3 , which is a battery in this embodiment. In practical use, the power source  3  can be implemented with an AC/DC converter to couple with the utility power. The case  1 , the motor  2 , and the power source  3  are known in the art and will not be further described. 
     The main feature of the present invention lies in the transmission structure  4 , the patting structure  5  and their arrangements. The transmission structure  4  is connected to an output shaft of the motor  2  and driven by the motor  2  to transmit power of the motor  2 . The patting structure  5  at least comprising a turntable  51  connected to and driven by the transmission structure  4 , wherein the turntable  51  comprises a protruding block  52  disposed off-axis with respect to the turntable  51 , and a ring body  53  is disposed around the protruding block  52  and connected with a patting bar  54  extending out of the case  1 . 
     Hence, when the patting device is activated, the power of the motor  2  is transmitted through the transmission structure  4  to the patting structure  5 . When the turntable  51  rotates, the off-axis placement of the protruding block  52  drives the patting bar  54  to move back and forth to let the patting bar  54  pat the human body to provide health care effects. 
     Furthermore, the transmission structure  4  comprises a driving gear  41  and a driven gear  42 , the driving gear  41  is driven by an output shaft of the motor  2 , the driven gear  42  is engaged with the driving gear  41  to rotate with the driving gear, and the turntable  51  of the patting structure  5  is disposed on a same axis with the driven gear  42  to let the driven gear  42  drive the turntable  51  to rotate synchronously. By changing the gear ratio between the driving gear  41  and the driven gear  42 , it is possible to adjust a patting frequency (rhythm) of the patting bar  54 . 
     The patting device  5  is disposed with a plurality of patting bar  54 , in this embodiment, the number of the patting bar  54  is four; each patting bar  54  has a separate turntable  51  and protruding block  52 . For space saving concern, it is possible to use one driving gear  41  to drive two driven gears  42 , and each driven gear  42  is disposed with a patting bars  54  and related components at each side and on the same axle thereof. Hence, when the motor  2  is activated, it is possible to use four patting bar  54  to achieve patting effects. Each patting bar comprises a protruding block  52  disposed off-axis with a different angle with respect to the turntable  51  to let each patting bar  54  protrude out of the case  1  with a different length at the same time to generate a continuous patting rhythm. 
     Besides, the ring body  53  of the patting bar is extended by a length perpendicular to the protruding direction of the patting bar  54  to let the protruding block  52  move in the ring body  53 . When the turntable  51  is rotating, the protruding block  52  pushes the ring body  53  to move the patting bar  54 . Since the movement of the patting bar  54  is limited inside the extended length of the ring body  53 , the patting bar can move back and forth on a single direction on the axis and apply its full force on the human body with no side force loss. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8  for the patting device in a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the turntable  51  of the patting structure  5  is integrated on a crown gear  55 , and the so-called crown gear  55  has its gear teeth disposed on a plane at the outer rim of its perimeter. The crown gear  55  is characterized in that its rotation plane is perpendicular to that of the driven gear  42 . Therefore, the crown gear  55  engages with the driven gear  42  to rotate the driven gear  42 , and the crown gear  55  can be used for changing the rotation direction of the turntable  51  to let the patting bar  54  move back and forth on a direction parallel to the axial direction of the driving gear  51 . Similarly, four patting bars  54  are implemented in this embodiment, each driven gear  42  is disposed with two patting bars  54 , and each patting bar  54  comprising a protruding block  52  disposed off-axis with a different angle with respect to the axis of the turntable  51  to let each patting bar  54  protrude out of the case  1  with a different length at the same time to generate a continuous patting rhythm. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  for the patting device in a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is a variation of the first embodiment, wherein the driving gear  41  only drives one driven gear  42 , the patting bars  54  on each side of the driven gear  42  and related components on one side. Each patting bar  54  comprises a protruding block  52  disposed off-axis with a different angle with respect to the axis of the turntable  51  to generate a continuous patting rhythm. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 12  to  FIG. 14  for the patting device in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is a variation of the first embodiment, wherein each of the two driven gears  42  drives only one patting bar  54  and related components. Similarly, each patting bar  54  comprises a protruding block  52  disposed off-axis with a different angle with respect to the axis of the turntable  51  to generate a continuous patting rhythm. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 15  to  FIG. 17  for the patting device in a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is a variation of the second embodiment, wherein the two driven gears  42  drives only one patting bar  54  and related components. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 18  to  FIG. 20  for the patting device in a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is a variation of the second embodiment, wherein the crown gears  55  of the two patting bars  54  are directly engaged with the driving gear  41 , while no driven gears  42  are used, it is possible to simplify space arrangement, to reduce power loss and to improve output power efficiency. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 21  to  FIG. 23  for the patting device in a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The transmission structure  4  comprises a turbine  43  which is rotated and driven by the output shaft of the motor  2 ; the turntable  51  of the patting structure  5  is integrated with a gear  56 , which is engaged with the turbine  43 . The structure of the turbine  43  can change the rotation direction and provide irreversible transmission, therefore it is possible to change the rotation direction of the turntable  51  and to provide a more stable power output. 
     The present invention provides a patting device, while comparing with other prior art techniques, is advantageous in: 
     1. The present invention provides a patting device which can pat the human body to provide health care effects. 
     2. The present invention provides a patting device which is simple in structure and portable for the user to use it at designated positions at any time to improve personal health. 
     3. The present invention provides a patting device which provides various implementations to let the user choose a suitable patting type for him/her. 
     Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.