Massage Device Having Variable Stroke Length
Patent No. US11857482 (titled "Massage Device Having Variable Stroke Length") was filed by Acp Post Oak Credit I Llc on Feb 25, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’482 is related to the field of medical devices, specifically deep muscle-stimulating devices designed to increase muscle metabolism, improve the lactic acid cycle, and relieve pain. Existing vibrating massage devices often suffer from being bulky, overheating, generating excessive noise, and being difficult to use for extended periods.
The underlying idea behind ’482 is to create a more user-friendly and efficient percussive massager. This is achieved through a combination of features, including a quick-connect system for easily swapping massage heads, a drive mechanism to control the piston's stroke length, and a motor that drives the piston in a reciprocating motion.
The claims of ’482 focus on a percussive massager featuring a housing, a piston with a cylindrical bore at its distal end, a motor to reciprocate the piston, a drive mechanism to control the stroke length, and a quick-connect system that allows massage heads to be attached and detached while the piston is still reciprocating. The method claim focuses on assembling such a massager.
The massager operates by using a motor to drive a piston back and forth. The drive mechanism ensures a controlled stroke length, allowing for targeted massage. The quick-connect system, utilizing a cylindrical bore and potentially magnets, enables users to rapidly change massage heads without interrupting the device's operation. This addresses the need for versatility and ease of use in a massage device.
Unlike prior art devices that may require tools or complex mechanisms to change massage heads, ’482 allows for on-the-fly head swapping. The combination of the quick-connect system and the controlled stroke length provides a more adaptable and efficient massage experience. The design also considers the placement of the motor and handle relative to the piston's longitudinal axis, potentially contributing to improved ergonomics and balance.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’482 was filed, at a time when vibrating massage devices were available, many were bulky, got very hot, were noisy and/or were difficult to use for extended periods of time. At that time, deep muscle-stimulating devices were used to increase muscle metabolism, increase the lactic acid cycle and relieve pain.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art, whether considered individually or in combination, did not fully disclose all the structural and functional aspects described in the claims. Specifically, the prior art did not disclose a percussive massager with a housing, a piston having a proximal and distal end with a substantially cylindrical bore, a motor, a drive mechanism, and a quick-connect system configured to secure a massaging head by sliding it into the bore while the piston reciprocates at a predetermined stroke length. Also, the prior art did not disclose a quick release connector with a bore having a substantially cylindrical structure, configured to secure a first massaging head by sliding the first massaging head into the bore while the piston reciprocates the predetermined stroke length at the first speed. Finally, the prior art did not disclose a quick release connector configured to secure a first massaging head while the piston reciprocates a predetermined stroke length at the first speed, wherein the first massaging head has a substantially cylindrical pocket to receive the quick release connector.
Claims
This patent contains 61 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 32, and 34. The independent claims are directed to a percussive massager and a method of assembling it, focusing on the device's structure, including a motor, piston, drive mechanism, and a quick-connect system for massaging heads. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and add detail to the features described in the independent claims, such as speed control, control panels, data connections, and specific mechanical configurations.
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Date
Description
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US11857482
- Application Number
- US17681367
- Filing Date
- Feb 25, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jun 27, 2034
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents