Patent Abstract:
A miniature electrically powered massage vibrator includes an outermost shell slideably holding a vibrating body, i.e., a vibration generator. The vibrating body contains a power source of button-type battery cells for powering a motor of the vibration generator encased inside the body, and a power switching mechanism. Sliding movement of the outermost shell relative to the vibrating body provides the switching on/off functions of the electric power. The massage vibrator is useful for sexual assistance or marital aid or therapeutic use.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to sexual assistance or marital aid or therapeutic devices, and particularly to a miniature electrically powered massage vibrator encased in a resilient housing worn by a user for transferring vibration to a partner of the user. 
         [0002]    Prior art miniature sexual aid or stimulating devices with a miniaturized massage vibrator generally have a mechanical switch which is manually actuated for the On/Off operation of the vibrator. 
         [0003]    Existing designs of the switch face a problem that the On/Off switch is too small to easily operate. However, on the other hand the switch cannot be made in a larger size as this could affect the normal application and use of the vibrator. 
         [0004]    Another problem faced by existing designs is the orientation of the switching direction relative to the device body. For example, in current vibrator devices, the switch is frequently positioned so as to be mistakenly actuated (switched off) by the motions of the massage action. 
         [0005]    Another problem of existing designs relates to the availability or inclusion of a battery carrying means or device. That is, some vibrators do not have capability for battery changes. Certain other vibrators do not have a secure battery cover. 
         [0006]    The present invention was therefore developed to provide for a miniature, electrically powered massage vibrator that overcomes one or more shortcomings of existing vibrator devices. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A device of the present character is intended for transferring vibration to the female clitoris during intercourse. For example, embodiments of the presently described technology provide a miniature electrically powered massage vibrator that is encased in resilient housing and can be worn on the base of the penis for such purposes. 
         [0008]    Among the advantages, benefits, features, goals and objectives relative to one or more embodiments of the present invention include the provision of a miniature (“mini”) electrically powered massage vibrator device (thus referred to as a “mini vibrator”) which of extreme compactness and miniature nature, which is capable of being worn on the male sex organ for stimulating the female clitoris during the act of sexual intercourse, as a sexual aid or for therapeutic purposes, for example. One or more embodiments of the device have a reduced overall dimension that can be effectively disposed at and provide vibrations to the sexual regions of partners. One or more embodiments of the device includes an effective on/off switch arrangement that, despite the miniaturized, very compact nature of the new device, is ergonomically convenient for operation of the device and is more difficult to be mistakenly actuated by movements of and/or use of the device during movements such as a massage action. One or more embodiments of the device includes an effective arrangement and means for changing one or more batteries of the device and which provides a more secure battery cover. 
         [0009]    Briefly, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention there is provided a miniature electrically powered massage vibrator with an outermost shell slideably holding a vibrating body, that is, a vibration generator. The vibrating body includes a power source (of button-type battery cells, for example) for powering a motor of the vibration generator that is encased inside the body. The vibrating body also includes a power switching mechanism. 
         [0010]    A sliding movement of the outermost shell relative to the vibrating body can provide the switching on/off functions of the electric power to the device. In a preferred application, this miniature vibrator can be encased in a soft resilient casing which is worn by a male user on the base of his sexual organ for providing stimulation to the organ of sexual partner of the user during intercourse. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective-type view of the massage device in accordance with an embodiment of the presently described invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective-type view of the massage device shown in  FIG. 1  with the battery cover and batteries detached from the vibration body in accordance with an embodiment of the presently described invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective-type view of the massage device shown in  FIG. 2  with the outermost shell detached from the vibrating body in accordance with an embodiment of the presently described invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the components making up the device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the presently described invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective-type view of the components forming the power switching mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the presently described invention. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts in multiple figures of the drawings. 
         [0017]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the presently described technology, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the presently described technology, certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the presently described technology is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    A preferred embodiment of an embodiment of the presently described invention is presented, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, powered miniature vibrator  1  comprises an outermost shell  2  slideably holding a vibrating body  3  with a battery cover unit  4  containing an electric motor, a battery chamber carrying button cell-type batteries and a power switching mechanism 
         [0020]    Outmost shell  2  is a cylindrical hollow tube having a longitudinal slot  7  which is slideably engaged to key portions  5  and  13  on the surface of vibration body  3 . The engagement of slot  7  and such key portions provides a sliding guide for a longitudinal relative movement between outermost shell  2  and vibrating body  3 , and it also introduces a restriction of inhibiting and even preventing the rotational relative movement between the outmost shell and the vibrating body. 
         [0021]    Cylindrical block  6  protrudes outwardly from the surface of vibrating body  3 . At a proximal end of outermost shell  2  there is a short curved slot  8  having two ends  8   a  and  8   b . Cylindrical block  6  is engaged with the slot  8 . When outermost shell  2  is made to move relative to vibrating body  3 , block  6  has to overcome a larger friction at the middle portion of slot  8  due to its curved shape and the restriction of rotational relative movement between the outmost shell and the vibrating body, so that block  6  tends to stay at either end  8   a  or end  8   b  of the slot. 
         [0022]    At the distal end of outermost shell  2  one or more holes  9  are disposed. For example, in an embodiment, two holes  9  of rectangular shape are disposed circumferentially at 180° apart. Each one of holes  9  is engaged with an arm  10  of a switch ring encased in the vibrating body  3 . Start/stop positions of block  6  at  8   a  and  8   b  in the slot respectively define on and off positions of the power switching system or arrangement. That is, block  6  can be moved between being at  8   a  and being at  8   b . In an embodiment, when block  6  is at  8   a , the power switching system can be on and when block  6  is at  8   b , the system can be off (and vice-versa). 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , twisting battery cover  4  relative to vibrating body  3  and about the axis A-A unfastens the battery cover from the vibrating body, and button-type batteries  11  are loaded into or unloaded from the battery chamber of the vibrating body. A plurality of protrusions  3   a  on the outer surface of the distal end of vibrating body  3 , and a plurality of protrusions  4   a  on the surface of battery cover  4  provide an anti-slip gripping means. Various arrangements of protrusions, grooves or ribs are possible, and other gripping surfaces such as checking and surface roughening or regular or irregular surface treatments such as knurling or cross-hatching are among possible alternatives to enhance gripping of cover  4 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an exploded or partly disassembled view, outmost shell  2  is shown detached from vibrating body  3 , whereas the battery cover  4  is detached from the vibrating body as well. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , showing still further disassembly, hollow casing  12  has one opening  24  at the proximal end for accommodating an electric motor  17 , a plurality of protrusions  3   a  on the outer surface of the distal end, and a key portion  13  on the outer surface. At the edge of the opening end of the casing  12  there one or more slots  14  apart for accommodating one or more arms  10  of switch ring  21 . For example, two slots  14  can be disposed circumferentially at 180° apart for accommodating one or more arms  10  of switch ring  21 . At the edge of the opening end of the casing  12  there are circular shoulder segments  34  for engaging the hole of cylindrical casing  16  at its distal end  25 . Further, at the edge of the opening end of the casing  12  and on the internal surface there is a recess  23  for accommodating contact blade or plate  35 . 
         [0026]    The vibration generator formed by electric motor  17  has an eccentric mass  18  fixed on its shaft, an electric pole  19  defined by the outer surface of the motor, and another electric pole  20  disposed at the end of the motor. Switch ring  21  has a center hole slideably engaged with the external diameter of electric motor  17 , and an external flat face  22  for engaging with contact plate  35 . On the edge of distal end  25  of cylindrical casing  16  there one or more slots  15  for accommodating one or more arms  10  of switch ring  21 . For example, there can be two slots  15  disposed circumferentially at 180° apart for accommodating arms  10  of switch ring  21 . On the outer surface of the casing  16  is key portion  5 . On the outer surface of the casing  16  is cylindrical block  6  for engaging with slot  8  of outermost shell  2 . On the internal surface of the casing  16  there is a longitudinal key portion  26  for engaging with slot  28  of inner sleeve  30 , and on the other side of the internal surface there is a longitudinal recess  27  for accommodating contact plate  35 . In an embodiment, slot  28  extends from a distal end  32  of sleeve  30  to a proximal end  31  of sleeve  30 . 
         [0027]    On the edge of the proximal end  31  of inner sleeve  30  there are two L-shape slots  29  disposed circumferentially at 180° apart for engaging with locking blocks  41  of battery cover  4  to lock the cover on to vibrating body  3 . Also, at the proximal end  31  of inner sleeve  30  and on the internal surface there is a recess  33  for securing the fixing end  35   a  of contact plate  35 . The inner sleeve  30  is inserted, from the opening  44 , into the cylindrical casing  16  and fixed for providing the internal structural features. Contact spring assembly  45  is formed by a metallic blade or plate  37  with two locating tags  38  carrying a compression spring  39 . Spring assembly  45  is fixed with its locating tags  38  seated in recesses  42  on distal end  40  of battery cover  4 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , when battery cover  4  is locked on vibrating body  3 , spring assembly  45  is brought into effect to push battery set  11  toward electric motor  17 , i.e., in the distal direction, and so enables the negative pole (not shown) of the first battery to contact pole  20  of the motor, and at the same time a tag  38  of the assembly  45  is connected to the fixing end  35   a  of the contact plate  35 . When switch ring  21  is moved in the direction B, it is equivalent to moving the block  6  towards the slot position  8   a  ( FIG. 1 ), so that contact plate  35  then will bias into contact with pole  19  of the motor to close the power circuit and so to provide the switch-on function. Conversely, when switch ring  21  is moved in the proximal direction by the sleeve in the direction C it is equivalent to moving block  6  towards slot position  8   b  ( FIG. 1 ), so that the switch ring  21  will push portion  35   b  of contact plate  35  and move it away from pole  19  to open the power circuit and so to provide the switch-off function. 
         [0029]    In view of the foregoing description of the present invention and possible variations of embodiments and methodology it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantages are attained. As modifications could be made in the constructions and methodology herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0