US3467080A - Combined heating and massaging device - Google Patents

Description

s. L. M NAIR 3,467,080

COMBINED HEATING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Sept. 16, 1969 Filed Aug. 1, 1966 I N VENTOR fiamue/ L. M A/afr United States Patent 3,467,080 COMBINED HEATING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Samuel L. McNair, Overland Park, Kans., assignor to The Songrand Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 569,419 Int. Ci. A61b 21/00 U.S. C]. 128-242 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A heat generating electromagnet is supported for vibration on the free end of a leaf spring and means are provided for conducting heat from the electromagnet to a heat conductive applicator surface which is also subject to the vibrations of the electromagnet so as to provide vibration combined with heat.

This invention relates generally to vibrating devices for physical care and therapy and refers more particularly to a vibrating device capable of providing both vibration and infrared heat radiations for such purposes.

Combined heating and vibrating or massaging devices are known. In all such devices of which I am aware the heat has been supplied through an electric resistance heating element which is separate and apart from the vibrating mechanism, although both may be contained in the same case and are controlled by separate switches so that a selection of heat plus massage or massage alone may be had.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a combined heating applicator and massage device in which the heat is obtained from the electric vibrating means and the necessity of providing a separate heating element is done away with. As a result, my device can be constructed of fewer parts than other devices of which I am aware and thus made available to the public at a lower cost.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a combined heat applicator and massage device in which the user can, despite the continuous heating function served by the electric vibrating means, select at will the application of heat and vibration together or vibration alone.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of combined heat application and massage device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of same, parts being broken away for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lower half of the casing and the components mounted therein, the view being taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 of the drawing;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 55 of FIG. 3, but with the top half of the casing in place.

Referring to the drawings, in the preferred form of the invention the main body comprises a hollow housing made up of upper and lower shell-like members 10, 11 which have edges which register with one another on a substantially horizontal plane through the center of the unit. Both the upper and lower shells may be molded from any suit- Patented Sept. 16, 1969 "ice able plastic. The upper shell is formed with a circular boss portion 12 providing a planar circular surface 12a on the forward top side of the unit. Immediately below this boss and spaced around the shell are openings 13 which provide ventilation to the interior of the housing.

The lower shell 11 of the housing terminates also in a generally circular boss 14 but in this case the lower end of the boss is open and the opening is covered by a circumferentially flanged member 15 of circular configuration which has the flange 15a and the bottom planar portion 15b. For reasons later described, member 15 is made of material having good heat conductivity, and preferably aluminum.

The member 15 is secured to the housing by means of screws 16 which extend upwardly through recessed portions in the plate member 15 at opposite sides thereof through internal passages in bosses 17 formed on the inside of the lower shell 11 and are threaded into similar bosses 18 formed within the upper shell in order to secure the shells together as well as hold the plate member 15 thereto. A similar pair of screws 19 received in bosses 20 in the lower shell are threaded into bosses 22 in the upper shell. The screws '19 and their corresponding bosses 20, 22 are disposed at from the screws 16 and the heads of the screws 19 are concealed by the plate member 15.

The housing is formed with a handle portion as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, and screws 23 serve in similar manner to screws 16 and 19 to join the handle portions of the mating shells together.

The vibratory energy for the massage function of the device is supplied by a vibrator motor 24 which includes a U-shaped magnetically permeable spring 25. The lower leg of spring 25 is formed with a generally T -shaped head 25:: which is riveted as at 26 to a cross bar 27, also of magnetic material, extending diametrically across the inside of the plate member 15 and riveted to flange 151: by rivets 28 at the opposite ends of the cross bar. The upper leg of the U-shaped member overlies but is spaced well above the lower leg.

An electromagnet shown generally at 29 is mounted on the inside of upper leg 2511 by a rivet type connection 30. The electromagnet creates an alternating magnetic field which cooperates with each leg and the bend therebetween to transmit vibratory energy through the cross bar 27 to the plate and housing.

The electromagnet 29 includes a central core 31 which has an extension 31a of reduced diameter at its upper end. The end of the extension is flattened or headed to form the rivet connection 30 to the upper leg 25b. For exemplary purposes, I have shown cores 31 as cylindrical; however it may have other cross sections. The core 31 is constructed of a non-laminated magnetically permeable metal. An exciting coil 32 circumscribes the core 31. The coil is wound within a plastic bobbin which extends to the upper end of the core. The coil is energized by alternating current supplied through electric leads 33, 34 and input is controlled by a switch 35 later to be described. An additional part of the electromagnet 29 comprises the inverted U-shaped bar member 36 having the legs 36a on opposite sides of the core. This member is mounted on the reduced or necked down upper end 31a of the core and is also held in place by the hot-heading or rivet effect which serves to secure the core to the spring 25.

Positioned adjacent the U-shaped spring 25 and of generally similar configuration is a heat transfer member 36. The heat transfer member may supplement the spring, but it also may be freely flexible. Its primary requirement is that it be constructed of a metal having extremely good properties of heat conductivity, such as aluminum. The heat transfer member 36 is riveted at its upper end to the extension line 31a of the core by the headed connection 30 earlier described and its lower end passes beneath and is held firmly against the inside of plate member 15 by the cross strap 27.

The switch 35 earlier described is a three position switch having an off, high and low position supplying lesser power to the vibrator than in the high position. The switch is connected with the leads to the vibrator and to the electric cord 38 which is conventional and includes a plug for a wall jack (not shown).

In operation, when the vibrator motor 23 is energized by moving the switch to the high or low position, it is set in motion through the combination of alternating mag-- netic fields and the reaction thereof with the magnetic base components of the spring 25 and strap 27. As the core 31 is not laminated, it is not able to compensate for the eddy current loss accompanying the rapid flux change. The losses are converted to heat and this heat is conducted from the core through the extension 31 to the heat transfer member 36 and thereby to the plate member 15 which also being of good conductivity, tends to distribute the heat uniformly to all parts thereof. Thus heat is generated in the plate member by the motor while the motor is vibrating.

One desiring both application of vibratory energy and heat to a portion of the body simply places the plate 15 in contact with the desired area of the body while the unit is operating.

In the event the user desires application of vibratory energy for massage without application of heat, it is necessary only to turn the unit upside down and apply the surface 12a to the desired part of the body rather than the plate 15.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and suba support member having an applicator portion thereon constructed of a substance having good heat conductivity,

a U-shaped spring member mounted to said support member with one leg adjacent said applicator portion, the other spaced therefrom,

an electromagnet mounted on said other leg of said spring member, said electromagnet including a core constructed to produce substantial heat in response to alternating current applied to said electromagnet, and

heat transfer means in heat transfer relationship between said core and said portion of said support member and operable to transfer heat from said core to said applicator portion whereby to heat said portion while said electromagnet is energized.

2. The combination as in claim 1,

said support member including a second applicator portion remote from the first-named applicator portion.

3. The combination as in claim 1,

said heat transfer means comprising a U-shaped member similar to said spring having one leg connected with said core and the other contacting said applicator portion.

4. The combination as in claim 1,

said support member comprising a hollow housing having a handle portion and a head section,

one side of said head section being said applicator portion.

5. The combination as in claim 4,

said head section having a side opposite said applicator portion.

6. The combination as in claim 1,

said applicator portion comprising a metal plate secured to said support member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,312 11/1938 Muckle 128-242 2,582,617 1/1952 August 128-241 2,795,224 6/1957 Brandenburg 128--24.1 2,840,071 6/ 1958 McNair 128-41 XR 3,155,854 11/1964. Stam 128-41 XR r L. W. T RAPP, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R.

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