Patent Publication Number: US-6039703-A

Title: Double-sided massager

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to massaging devices. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Devices for massaging a person&#39;s body are well known. Some are hand-held rollers or studded bars that are rubbed along parts of the body, and some are electrically powered to provide a vibratory motion. My U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,533 shows a foot massager with an array of reciprocating balls arranged on a housing for massaging only the bottom of a foot. No prior art massager can simultaneously massage both sides of a body part, such as a foot or a hand. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, objects of the present massager are: 
     to simultaneously massage both sides of a hand; 
     to be adjustable for fitting hands of different thickness; 
     to massage the hand in a horizontal position or vertical position; and 
     to massage both hands at the same time. 
     Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A double-sided massager includes a housing with a slot sized for receiving a hand. Opposing sets of massaging members are arranged on the upper and lower sides of the slot for simultaneously massaging both sides of the hand. The massaging members are driven in a reciprocating up and down motion by crankshafts driven by a motor. One set of massaging members is attached to a movable carrier, which is adjustable so that the spacing between the opposing sets of massaging members can be varied for fitting hands of different thickness. In a second embodiment, the housing is wide enough for massaging both hands simultaneously. In a third embodiment, a pair of housings, each sized for receiving one hand, are hinged together for massaging the hands in a vertical position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a double-sided massager. 
     FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the double-sided massager. 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the double-sided massager. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the double-sided massager, taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a massaging member and a crankshaft of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the massaging member and the crankshaft in a rotated position. 
    
    
     DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         ______________________________________                                    
10. Housing        11. Slot                                               
12. Hand           13. Massaging Members                                  
14. Massaging Members                                                     
                   15. Speed Control                                      
16. Housing        17. Slot                                               
18. Hand           19. Hand                                               
20. Housing        21. Housing                                            
22. Hinge          23. Hand                                               
24. Hand           25. Slot                                               
26. Slot           27. Carrier                                            
28. Adjusting Mechanism                                                   
                   29. Knob                                               
30. Threaded Shaft 31. Gear                                               
32. Transaxle      33. Beveled Gears                                      
34. Gear Sleeves   35. Threaded Shaft                                     
36. Guide          37. Guide Slot                                         
38. Connecting Rod 39. Crankshaft                                         
40. Gap            41. Pin                                                
42. Crankshaft Portion                                                    
                   43. Axis                                               
44. Motor          45. Gears                                              
46. Floating Gear  47. Output Shaft                                       
48. Crankshaft     49. Gears                                              
50. Membrane       51. Membrane                                           
52. Holes          53. Spring                                             
______________________________________                                    
 
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1-3: 
     A first embodiment of a double-sided massager is shown in the front perspective view in FIG. 1. It includes a housing 10 with a slot 11 sized for receiving a single hand 12 with the fingers in an extended position. Opposing sets of massaging members 13 and 14 (FIG. 4) are respectively arranged on the lower and upper sides of slot 11 for simultaneously massaging both sides of the hand. Each set of massaging members is arranged in a plurality of rows that cooperate to form an array. A speed control 15 is arranged on a side of housing 10. A second embodiment of the massager shown in FIG. 2 includes a housing 16 and a slot 17 wide enough for receiving both hands 18 and 19 at the same time in a horizontal position. A third embodiment of the massager shown in FIG. 3 include two vertical housings 20 and 21 hinged together about a vertical axle 22 for receiving both hands 23 and 24 in vertical slots 25 and 26, respectively. 
     FIGS. 4-6: 
     In all embodiments, the massager includes the same internal mechanisms. The first embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown in a sectional view in FIG. 4 as an example. A non-adjustable set of massaging members 14 is attached to one side of slot 11, and an adjustable set of massaging members 13 is arranged on the opposite side of slot 11 for simultaneously massaging both sides of hand 12. Massaging members 13 are arranged on a carrier 27, which can be moved up and down with an adjusting mechanism 28 for adjusting the spacing between opposing massaging members 13 and 14 for fitting hands of different thickness. 
     Adjusting mechanism 28 preferably includes a knob 29 with a threaded shaft 30 extending into housing 10. A gear 31 meshing with shaft 30 is arranged around a transaxle 32. Beveled gears 33 are attached to opposite ends of transaxle 32, and are meshed with gear sleeves 34 which are pivoted on carrier 27. Gear sleeves 34 are screwed onto threaded shafts 35 fixedly attached to housing 10. Carrier 27 and massaging members 13 are thus adjusted toward or away from massaging members 14 by turning knob 29. A pair of guides 36 attached to housing 10 are movably positioned in guide slots 37 on carrier 27 to ensure its proper positioning. 
     The inner ends of massaging members 13 (one row shown) are connected by connecting rods 38 to a crankshaft 39 which is supported on carrier 27. As shown in the sectional view in FIG. 5, one end of connecting rod 38 is pivotally connected within a gap 40 on the lower end of massaging member 13 by a pin 41. Another end of connecting rod 38 is pivotally connected around a portion 42 of crankshaft 39 which is offset from its rotational axis 43. Massaging member 13 is driven in a reciprocating up and down motion by the rotation of crankshaft 39, as shown in FIG. 6. Massaging members 13 are positioned through holes 52 on a corresponding side of slot 11, so that they are restricted to linear motion, as shown in FIG. 4. 
     Crankshaft 39 is driven by a motor 44 through gears 45 and a floating gear 46 which is slidable along an output shaft 47 of motor 44. Shaft 47 is keyed to gear 46 to transmit rotary motion. Gear 46 is biased against gears 45 by a spring 53 positioned around shaft 47. Massaging members 14 are connected to a crankshaft 48 which is non-adjustably supported on the opposite side of slot 11, and driven by motor 44 through gears 49. Massaging members 13 and 14 are respectively covered by flexible membranes 50 and 51. Additional rows of massaging members 13 and 14 are likewise connected to additional crankshafts and driven by motor 44 by connected gears. 
     SUMMARY AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly, a double-sided massager is provided. It can simultaneously massage both sides of a hand. It is adjustable for fitting hands of different thickness. In different embodiments, it can massage a hand in a horizontal position or a vertical position, or massage both hands at the same time. 
     Although the above description is specific, it should not be considered as a limitation on the scope of the invention, but only as an example of the preferred embodiment. Many substitutes and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, the massaging members can be made to reciprocate up and down with other mechanisms, or arranged to move in other directions, such as from side to side, in circles, etc. Another adjusting mechanism may be provided for adjusting the massaging members within the housing. Instead of adjusting the massaging members within the housing, the entire housing may be adjustable in width for adjusting the spacing between the opposite sets of massaging members. The massager can be sized and shaped for massaging other parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, or feet. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the examples given.