Handheld massager with circulatory contact motion

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a massager, and more particularly to a massager with a bridge pivotally mounted on the massager and a pair of massage nodes detachably connected to opposite ends of the bridge so as to create a rubbing and massage effect to the user when the bridge is in operation.

2. Description of Related Art

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a conventional massager ( 50 ) comprises a motor ( 51 ), a pair of linkages ( 52 ) and a pair of massage balls ( 53 ). The linkages ( 52 ) are eccentrically connected to opposite ends of the motor shaft (not shown). Each of the massage balls ( 53 ) is securely engaged with one of the linkages ( 52 ). Because the linkages ( 52 ) are eccentrically engaged with the motor shaft, the motor ( 51 ) will thus drive and move the linkages ( 52 ). That is, the rotational movement of the motor shaft will be transformed into reciprocating movement of the linkage ( 52 ). Accordingly, the balls ( 53 ) securely mounted on the linkages ( 52 ) will move up and down. When the massager is against the user's skin, the up and down movement of the balls ( 53 ) generates a massage effect to the user.

However, the massaging effect generated by the monotonous up and down movement of the balls ( 53 ) can only be applied to a single limited area. When the user wants to apply the massager to a nearby area, the user will have to move the massager of this kind to the designated nearby area. Therefore, not only is the massage effect not as good as expected, but using this massager is troublesome.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved massager to mitigate and obviate the aforementioned problems.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a massager that generates a lateral massage effect. To accomplish this objective the massager in accordance with the present invention has a motor, a bridge, a pair of massage nodes and a pair of linkages. The bridge is pivotally engaged with the massager. The massage nodes are detachably connected to the bridge. The motor has a shaft with a linkage securely and eccentrically connected to each end of the motor shaft. The eccentric connection of the linkages to the ends of the shaft will transform the rotation movement of the motor shaft into linear movement of the linkages. The linear movement of the linkages will be transmitted to the bridge and cause the bridge to pivotally reciprocate. Because the massage nodes are securely attached to the bridge, the massage modes also reciprocate laterally.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of the massager in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the massager in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plane view of the transmission device of the massager in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side plan view of the massager in FIG. 1 showing the structural relationship between the massage node and the transmission device;

FIG. 5 is an operational front plan view of the massager in FIG. 1 showing the movement of the massage nodes caused by the reciprocating movement of the bridge;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged operational side plan view of the massager in FIG. 1 showing the operation of the bridge, which drives and moves the massage nodes;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a conventional massager; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the transmission mechanism in the conventional massager, wherein the ball moves up and down due to the eccentric connection between the linkage and the motor shaft.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 , 3 and 4 , the massager in accordance with the present invention has a housing ( 10 ) having head portion ( 111 ), an elongated laterally extending handle ( 112 ), a pair of massage nodes ( 111 ), a bridge ( 14 ), a motor ( 12 ) and a pair of linkages ( 13 ).

The motor ( 12 ) is securely mounted in the head portion ( 111 ) of housing ( 10 ) with a motor bracket (not numbered) and has a motor shaft ( 121 ) extending from each end of the motor ( 12 ). Each of the linkages ( 13 ) is eccentrically and rotatably connected to an opposite end of the motor shaft ( 121 ). The eccentric connection points on the ends of the shaft ( 121 ) are diametrically opposite to each other. The bridge ( 14 ) is pivotally attached to the motor ( 12 ) retainer bracket by a pivotal connector ( 141 ) and is securely attached to both linkages ( 13 ) with corresponding flexible connecting arms ( 131 ).

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 and still taking FIG. 3 for reference, when the motor ( 12 ) runs, the rotation of the motor shaft ( 121 ) drives the linkages ( 13 ) on opposite ends of the motor shaft ( 121 ) to linearly reciprocate relative to the motor ( 12 ). Accordingly, the linear movement of the linkages ( 13 ) drives the bridge ( 14 ) to pivotally reciprocate about axis “X”. Thus the massage nodes ( 11 ) mounted on the bridge ( 14 ) pivotally reciprocate laterally along with the bridge ( 14 ) in a plane parallel to the skin surface “S” of the user being massaged. The lateral movement of the massage nodes heating a rubbing and massage effect on the user's skin.

The massager nodes being generally oval in shape when viewed along X axis as shown in FIG. 5 . The massage nodes having a massage surface for engaging a user which is gradual convexly crowned when viewed laterally to the massage axis X as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the massager has a printed circuit board ( 15 ) mounted in the housing ( 10 ), and the housing ( 10 ) has control buttons ( 101 , 102 , 103 ) to respectively turn power on or off, control the speed of motor rotation and initiate or turn off heat generation. Since the control of motor speed, heat generation and power on/off are conventional in the art, further detailed description of these features is omitted.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.