Abstract:
A massage apparatus, which can be retrofitted to a footrest includes vibrators for mounting on the bottom of the footrest; a generally U-shaped frame; hinges for pivotally connecting the footrest to the frame; and a switch on the frame which is in the open position when the footrest lies against the frame and in the closed position when the footrest is rotated relative to the frame to the open, use position. Closing of the switch results in actuation of the vibrators. By placing the feet against the vibrators, the user gets a foot massage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 60/688,370, filed Jun. 8, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to a foot massage apparatus, and to a footrest with a built-in foot massager.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     There are many different recliners available in the marketplace. Many recliners include built-in massage devices. Examples of such chairs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,641, issued to N. Oetinger on May 24, 1960; U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,100, issued to N. Oetinger on Jun. 4, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,379, issued to H. J. Warner on Apr. 6, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,832, issued to A. S. Jain on Feb. 3, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,727, issued to A. Sugawa et al on Sep. 29, 1998 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,533, issued to M. Yonekawa et al on Jul. 15, 2003. In general, massage devices are built into the recliners during manufacture thereof. The resulting chairs are somewhat complicated in terms of structure and consequently expensive to produce. Moreover, the footrests disclosed by these patents are adapted to massage the back of a user&#39;s legs rather than the feet. While it would be a desirable addition to such chairs, the inventor is not aware of any recliners with built-in foot massagers.  
       GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     An object of the present invention is to meet the above defined need by providing a relatively simple massage apparatus for use in a footrest with a built-in foot massager.  
         [0007]     Another object of the invention is to provide a foot massage apparatus, which can be retrofitted to existing footrests.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, the invention relates to a foot massage apparatus for use on a footrest having a base and a cover comprising at least one vibrator for mounting on the bottom of the footrest base, a frame for connecting the footrest base to an article of furniture; hinge means for pivotally connecting the footrest base to the frame, whereby the footrest can be rotated between a closed position against the frame and an open position, in which said at least one vibrator is accessible to a user; and a switch on said frame connected to a source of electrical current and to said at least one vibrator, said switch being normally held open by the footrest base in the closed position and closed when the footrest base is rotated to the open position to actuate said at least one vibrator. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The invention is described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a foot massage apparatus in accordance with the present invention in the closed position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in the open, use position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a spring assembly used in the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the massage apparatus in the open, use position;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side view of one end of the apparatus of  FIGS. 4 and 5  as seen from the side opposite that shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the massage apparatus of the present invention is intended for use with a conventional footrest  1 , which includes a rigid base  2  and a padded top or cover  3 . In accordance with the invention, the base  2  is pivotally connected to a generally U-shaped metal frame  4  by a hinge for rotation between a closed, footrest position ( FIG. 1 ) and an open massage position ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0017]     In the closed position, the baseplate  2  of the footrest  1  rests on ledges or arms  5  extending outwardly from the vertical ends  6  of the frame  4 . Holes  6 ′ are provided in the ledges  5  for receiving screws, bolts or rivets (not shown) to connect the footrest and massage apparatus to an article of furniture, i.e. a chair or sofa. The hinge includes angle irons  7  connected to the bottom of the baseplate  2 . The angle irons  7  and consequently the base  2  are pivotally connected to the ends  6  of the frame  4  by bolts  8  and nuts  9  (one of each shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). As best shown in  FIG. 3 , a spring assembly  10  extends between one of the angle irons  7  and the frame  4 . The spring assembly  9  includes a cylinder  11  containing a spring (not shown). The top end of the cylinder  11  is pivotally connected to an outwardly extending arm  12  on one end of the angle iron  7  by a bolt  13  and a nut  14 . The bottom end of a piston rod  15  extending out of the cylinder  11  is pivotally connected to a triangular lug  16  extending upwardly from a ledge  17  at one end of the frame  4 . The spring assembly  10  could also be a fluid containing cylinder, e.g. an air cylinder. The spring assembly  10  slows the opening and closing of the footrest  1 , i.e. smooths movement of the footrest  1  between the open and closed positions.  
         [0018]     Two vibrators  19  are mounted on the bottom surface of the baseplate  2 , so that when the footrest is opened the vibrators are exposed for massaging a person&#39;s feet. Wires  20  and  21  connect the vibrators  19  to a microswitch  22  mounted beneath one of the ledges  5  of the frame  4 . The plunger  23  for opening and closing the switch  22  extends upwardly through a hole in the ledge  5 . Thus, when the footrest is closed, the microswitch  22  is also closed, and when the footrest is opened, the switch is also open to activate the vibrators  19 . A wire  24  connects the microswitch  22  to a source of electrical power (not shown) which can be built into a chair or sofa carrying the footrest.  
         [0019]     In the following description of a second embodiment of the invention, wherever possible the reference numerals used in FIGS.  1  to  3  have been used to identify the same or similar elements in FIGS.  4  to  6 .  
         [0020]     The apparatus of FIGS.  4  to  6  can be adapted to footrests  1  of varying lengths. For such purpose, the apparatus has a frame including a pair of end bracket assemblies indicated generally at  25  and  26  which are mirror images of each other. Each of the bracket assemblies  25  and  26  includes a generally S-shaped bracket  28  having a bottom ledge  29  for supporting one end of a board  30 . The length of the board  30  will depend upon the length of the footrest, i.e. the apparatus can readily be adapted to existing footrests having different dimensions. Thus, the bracket assemblies  25  and  26 , and the board  30  define the frame of the apparatus. The top, outwardly extending arm or ledge  31  of the bracket assembly  26  supports a microswitch  22  for opening when the footrest  1  is opened to actuate a pair of vibrators  19  mounted on the bottom of the footrest. As in the apparatus of FIGS.  1  to  3 , the vibrators  19  are connected to the microswitch  22  by wires  20  and  21 , and the microswitch is connected to a source of power by a wire  24  (the wires  20 ,  21  and  24  being shown in  FIG. 4  only). Holes  32  are provided in the ledges  31  for connecting the apparatus to a chair or sofa (not shown).  
         [0021]     As best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  each of the bracket assemblies  25  and  26  supports a generally L-shaped slide  33 . Pins  34  with large heads  35  extend from the vertical arm  36  of the slide  33  through washers  37  between the slide  33  and the bracket  28 , and through a pair of horizontal slots  38  and  39  in the vertical web  40  of the bracket  28 . The vertical arm of an inverted L-shaped bushing  41  mounted on the rear end of the bracket  28  extends downwardly between the slide  33  and the bracket. Thus, the slides  33 , which carry the footrest  1  can be slid relative to the brackets  28  for accommodating different users, i.e. people with longer or shorter legs. The generally triangular arms  43  of hinges  44  connected to the bottom of the footrest  1  are pivotally connected to the rear or outer ends of the slides  33  by pins  45  for rotation between the open and closed positions shown in solid lines and in phantom outline, respectively in  FIG. 5 . A helical spring  46  extends between a lug or ear  47  on the bottom front end of the bracket  28  and the outer, bottom end of the footrest  1  for biasing the footrest to the closed position (shown in phantom outline in  FIG. 5 ) The outer end  49  of each slide  33  is inclined and acts as a stop for limiting rotation of the footrest in the open position. When the footrest is moved to the open position, the hinge  44  butts against the outer end  49  of the slides  33  to maintain the footrest in the inclined, use position.  
         [0022]     The use of the apparatus of FIGS.  4  to  6  is the same as that of FIGS.  1  to  3 . When the footrest is pivoted from the closed to the open position, the microswitch  22  opens to actuate the vibrators  19 . The user presses his/her feet against the vibrators  19  for a foot massage. The slides  33  permit adjustment of the position of the footrest  1  relative to the board  30 , which is attached to the brackets  28  and consequently fixed with respect to the chair or sofa carrying the footrest apparatus.