US3478736A - Massage device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, 1969 W. A. ROBERTS ET MASSAGE DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1967 INVENTORS Wz'liz'am 4. /P0fi7 is 4/0277? fifiz'siadare BY t a A ORNEY United States Patent O 3,478,736 MASSAGE DEVICE William A. Roberts, 293 Crooks Ave., Paterson, NJ. 07503, and Morris R. Christadore, 36-23 Stelton Terrace, Fair Lawn, NJ. 07410 Filed Aug. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 660,950 Int. Cl. A6111 1 A61n 1/00 US. Cl. 128-36 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-contained and powered lightweight device for gently massaging the temple areas of the head and constructed to be worn on the head in a manner similar to headphones. The device may be utilized at the time of retiring as an aid to relieving simple tensi n and headache.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a pair of temple massage units are adjustably mounted upon a headspanning band or strap. Each unit has a self-contained battery powered driver which produces oscillation of a soft spring-suspended massage element which may bear against the temple. The mechanism is within a cup-like housing having a soft rim which may contact the head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention massage device in use;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of one unit of the device, the device consisting of an identical pair of said units;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged interior side elevation of one massage unit; and

FIGURE 4 is a central vertical section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the massage apparatus or device in its entirety is shown in FIGURE 1, and comprises a companion pair of identical massage units 10, carried by the opposite ends of a resilient head-spanning member or strap 11 which may carry cushioning pads 12. Since the units are identical, a detailed description of one unit as depicted in FIGURES 2 through 4 will describe both.

Referring to these figures, each massage unit 10 comprises a cup-like shell or housing 13 having a central threaded stud 14 mounted centrally on its outer side and engageable through an adjusting slot 15 in the adjacent end portion of the resilient head strap 11, whereby the unit 10 is rendered adjustable with respect to the head. The stud 14 receives a clamping nut 16, as shown. The forward open side of the housing 13 has its edge covered by a soft cushioning bead 17 of rubber-like material which may engage the temple area during use without scratching or cutting the skin.

Fixedly mounted centrally within the interior of the housing 13 by a suitable rigid bracket means 18 is a cylindrical self-contained battery powered drive motor assembly 19 of a known miniature type which is conventional and need not be described in great detail. The drive assembly 19 has a rotary output drive shaft 20 carrying at its leading end an eccentric pin or crank 21 which in turn carries a suitable bushing 22 to reduce wear and vibration.

A floating plate or disc 23 is suspended centrally within the housing 13 inwardly or forwardly of the drive assembly 19 and is bodily carried by four radial springs 24 which have connections with both the disc 23 and housing side wall, as shown. These springs maintain the disc centered but support it yieldingly for limited radial and axial movement. The center of the disc 23 has an opening 25 which receives the bushing 22 of eccentric 21, the latter being sufficiently long to allow the disc 23 to adjust itself axially during use without loss of engagement with the eccentric. As should be clear, rotation of the drive shaft 20 causes the eccentric 21 to move in a circular path and this moves the disc 23 in an oscillatory circular path, the springs 24 yielding to permit this movement.

A rather thick soft compressible massage pad 26 of foam plastic or the like is adhesively secured to the plate or disc 23 and covers the latter and the eccentric and the massage pad, when relaxed, FIGURE 4, projects forwardly of the housing and bead 17. However, during use, when the pad 26 is in contact with the temple, it is compressed and may lie totally inside of the housing and bead 17 and both the massage pad and soft bead may contact the temple. The drive assembly 19 has any conventional off and on switch, not shown.

During use, with the units 10 properly adjusted on the head band 11 and the drive shafts 20 revolving, the pads 26 produce a gentle, yet effective, circular path massaging action on the temples, which is very effective for relieving headache, nervous tension and inducing sleep. The device is extremely simple and economical and its advantages should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A massage device comprising a cup-like housing, supporting means for said housing on the head of a wearer, a self-contained power drive assembly mounted within the housing including a rotary drive shaft having an eccentric part, a disc within the housing having an opening receiving the eccentric part so that the eccentric part may drive the disc in a circular path, spring means resiliently suspending the disc within the housing, and a massage pad secured to and substantially covering the disc and moving with the disc and engageable with the temple area of the head to massage the same.

2. A massage device according to claim 1, and wherein said massage pad is a thick compressible pad which proj'ects forwardly of the open side of the housing when relaxed, and a soft protective bead covering the edge of the open side of the housing.

3. A massage device according to claim 1, and wherein said disc is a relatively thin rigid disc considerably smaller in diameter than the housing, and a plurality of radial springs connected with said disc in circumferentially spaced relation and also connected with said housing side wall to suspend the disc floatingly within the housing.

4. A massage device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means comprises a resilient member which spans the head of a wearer of the device to support the 7. A massage device according to claim 2, wherein said device on the head, said member having an adjusting slot, massage pad is a foam plastic pad. and an element carried by said housing and engaging said slot adjustably. References Cited 5. A massage device according to claim 4, and wherein 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS the device constitutes a unit on one end portion of said member for massaging one temple, and a duplicate unit 1,001,236 8/1911 Bachelet 128--32 on the other end portion of the member to massage the 2,742,036 4/ 1956 Montesano 128-36 other temple. 3,323,517 6/1967 Keller 12824.1

6. A massage device according to claim 1, wherein the 10 power drive assembly is a battery-powered miniature L- W- TRAPP, Prlmary Examiner motor assembly.

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