Massager
Patent No. US12178773 (titled "Massager") was filed by Dongguan Mimao Electronic Technology Co Ltd on Apr 24, 2024.
What is this patent about?
’773 is related to the field of sex aids, specifically massagers designed to provide stimulation and massage. Existing massagers can be prone to falling off during use, leading to a less than satisfactory user experience. The patent aims to address this issue by incorporating a positioning feature to keep the device in place.
The underlying idea behind ’773 is to create a massager with a clamping action achieved through flexible engagement portions driven by a swing arm mechanism, combined with a positioning element to prevent slippage. The clamping action simulates a mouth, while the positioning element ensures continuous stimulation.
The claims of ’773 focus on a massager that includes a clamping part with flexible engagement portions forming a cavity, a driving mechanism with at least one swing arm to move the engagement portions, and a positioning portion consisting of at least one ring or an elongated stick. Claim 1 further specifies that the engagement portions are connected at their ends, enclosing the cavity. Claim 20 specifies that the driving mechanism includes an eccentric wheel that drives the swing arm.
In practice, the massager uses a motor-driven eccentric wheel to oscillate swing arms. These arms are connected to flexible 'lips' that clamp and release. The positioning ring(s) can be placed around the penis and testicles, or the elongated stick can be inserted into the vagina or rectum, depending on the desired stimulation. The device may also incorporate a vibrating element for enhanced stimulation.
This design differentiates itself from prior art by combining the clamping massage action with a secure positioning mechanism. The flexible material of the clamping part and the various positioning options (rings or stick) allow for versatile use and prevent the device from falling off, addressing a key problem with existing massagers. The eccentric wheel and swing arm mechanism provides a simple and effective way to achieve the desired clamping motion.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2020s when ’773 was filed, at a time when massagers were typically implemented using various shapes, sizes, and functions to provide massage and/or stimulation to various parts of the human body. At this time, systems commonly relied on mechanical components and electrical motors to provide the desired massage action, when hardware or software constraints made precise control and customization of massage patterns non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims 1, 3-14 and 17 were rejected. Claims 2, 15-16, and 18-20 were objected to. Claims 5-8 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite. Claims 5-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form. Claims 1 and 5-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious. Claims 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent has 20 claims, with independent claims 1 and 20. The independent claims are directed to a massager comprising a clamping part, a driving mechanism with at least one swing arm, and a positioning portion. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and configurations of the massager described in the independent claims, such as the shape of the connection portions, the inclusion of a protrusion, the type of positioning portion (ring or stick), and the details of the driving mechanism.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US12178773
- Application Number
- US18644172
- Filing Date
- Apr 24, 2024
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Apr 24, 2044
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents