The present invention concerns a portable massaging head for an apparatus for carrying out localised massages for aesthetic use and for a person's health.
On 13.03.06 the same applicant of the present application filed a patent application for the invention n°
With the aim of highlighting the improvements subject of the present patent application, the two drawings of the previous application - with reference numbers indicated in the figures and in the corresponding description - are attached to the present application, see
In order to outline the problem, it is deemed sufficient to refer to the content of the main claim of
The inventive concepts claimed above substantially remain valid regarding the overall structure of the apparatus conceived, while the improvements claimed below essentially concern feasible modifications to the abovementioned portable massaging head (3).
During the steps of testing a prototype of the same head made according to the guidelines of the previous patent application, some functional drawbacks were observed. Such drawbacks, without jeopardising the validity of the guidelines themselves, induced to carrying out feasible improvements, on the same massaging head, capable of enhancing its operation.
In detail and referring to the claim indicated above, it was observed that "...... the button elements (31) moved by an actuator member (32) ....." imply an excessive construction complexity especially regarding the use of the rotary disc (36) moved by the actuator member (32).
A further drawback was observed in the consequence that arranging "... a plurality of button elements (31) moved by an actuator member (32) inside a chamber (33) for circulating the fluids conveyed into the same chamber by the aforementioned controlled circulation means .....", caused sealing difficulties towards the zone of arrangement of said actuator member (32) operating on the heads of said button elements (31).
Still referring to the continuation of the abovementioned claim, a further drawback observed regards the fact that, ".... said same chamber (33) has the lower surface made with an elastic membrane (34) suitable for being deformed from the inside rhythmically by the button elements (31).....", are poorly effective at actuating the massaging action on the person, through the same button elements which are not in direct contact with the skin.
The improvements of the present invention are intended to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks.
In particular, a first object of the present invention is to solve the problems indicated above in a simple and safe manner.
A second object of the present invention is to enhance the effectiveness of the massaging action of the aforementioned button elements, bringing it into direct contact with the patient's skin.
The abovementioned objects are attained by a portable massaging head according to claim 1.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the portable massaging head is round-shaped and comprises the plurality of button elements divided into groups, each of which groups is supplied by the abovementioned system for compressing and distributing compressed air according to a preset sequence.
The objects stated above shall be outlined better in the subsequent description, referring to such preferred embodiment, provided for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes and illustrated in the third and fourth attached drawings, wherein:
The improvements in question lead to providing the portable massaging head shown in all its essential components in the view of
In particular, the perspective view of
Such essential elements are held together by the plurality of peripheral screws 9 and by the central screw 10, shown better in
Present interposed between the cup-shaped container 6 and the intermediate disk 7 is a first gasket 67 which ensures the upper hydraulic sealing of the cup itself circulating in which is the hot an cold water coming from the container 1 of
Analogously, present between the intermediate disk 7 and the cover 8 is the second gasket 78 which respectively ensures, both the hydraulic sealing of the liquid supplied through the inlet/outlet holes 81 of the cover 8, and the pneumatic sealing of the compressed air passing through the passage holes 71, as better specified hereinafter.
The improved massaging head of
Each button element 4 comprises the head 43 joined to the cylindrical body 41 and having a circular seat for accommodating the pneumatic sealing ring 63.
The alternate movement of the button elements 4 occurs, as aforementioned, due to the action of the compressed air operating on the surface of the head 43 and related to the same through the passage holes 71.
More precisely, the button elements 4 shall be pushed downwards by the compression action of the air and shall return upwards to the idle position due to the reaction of the return spring 64 arranged at the lower part of the abovementioned sliding seat 62 for the same button elements 4.
The skin contact elements 42, associated with the head 41 of each button element 4, are preferably of the interchangeable type, being advantageous that they take up the most suitable shape for localised treatment and/or suitable for the intended purpose.
The most commonly used shape shall be the one of a capsule with a convex surface - like the one of the feasible example of the attached drawings - which is suitable for treatments by compression on the different parts of the body.
Alternatively, a capsule with a concave surface with a suctioning purpose can be used for performing traction treatments on the skin of the patient.
Other shapes of the skin contact elements 42 shall be used depending on the particular requirements.
Furthermore,
The embodiment of the same figure shows a subdivision into three groups which comprise three button elements each, for example the ones indicated with 4a; 4b; 4c.
Such button elements are moved by the compressed air coming from the abovementioned compression and distribution system (not shown in the attached figures), relating it in an alternate manner to the different groups, according to a preset sequence; this shall be provided for by a distributor member part of the same supply and distribution system.
In order to meet this requirement, each group of button elements - like the ones indicated with 4a, 4b and 4c in
As a matter of fact, such channel 83 develops following a path involving all the button elements of one of the abovementioned groups and communicates at the lower part with the passage holes 71 passing through the intermediate disk 7 and arranged at a translation axis of the corresponding button elements 4.
In such manner, during the thrust step, the compressed air shall operate on all the button elements of a single group and then, upon depression, it shall allow the return springs 64 to move the same elements back to the idle position.
The electronic control of the apparatus with which the massaging head conceived is associated establishes the sequence through which the compressed air is delivered to the single button element groups.
Said portable massaging head may be of different shapes and sizes depending on the part of the human body on which it is required to operate.
Furthermore, the same portable massaging head may advantageously be of the type interchangeable on said moveable container, in such a manner to be able to use a single supply and control system for the various types of massaging heads employed.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.