Patent No. US8317733 (titled "Electromagnetic massage head and human-like massager composed by electromagnetic massage heads") on Apr 21, 2009. The application was issued on Nov 27, 2012.
’733 is related to the field of automated massage devices, specifically those utilizing electromagnetic actuation to simulate manual therapy. Traditional massagers often rely on simple eccentric motors that produce superficial vibration, which can irritate the skin without reaching deeper muscle tissue or nerve points. This invention seeks to bridge the gap between mechanical vibration and the nuanced pressure of a human touch by integrating magnetotherapy with complex physical movements.
The underlying idea behind ’733 is the conversion of linear electromagnetic pulses into a combined thrusting and twisting motion through a helical screw mechanism. By using an electromagnetic coil to drive an iron core through a fixed guide with spiral grooves, the device transforms a simple electrical signal into a 180-degree rotation. This allows a single actuator to perform multiple functions—such as kneading, knocking, or vibrating—depending entirely on the waveform of the electrical pulse sent to the coil.
The claims of ’733 focus on an electromagnetic massage head assembly featuring a rotating head coupled to an electromagnetic screw. The head contains several spring-loaded magnetic beads that protrude through restricted openings in a shell, allowing them to retract and rotate to follow the contours of the body. The core of the claim is the specific interaction between the rotating iron core’s helical grooves and the internal salients of the housing, which forces the head to rotate as it extends axially.
In practice, the system operates by energizing a loop spool to pull or push the iron core. As the core moves, the helical interface ensures that every vertical stroke is accompanied by a precise angular shift. A restoring spring returns the core to its original position when the power is cut, creating a reciprocating action. The magnetic beads are not fixed; they sit on individual salvers and springs, ensuring they maintain constant contact with the user's skin regardless of the surface's irregularity.
This approach differentiates itself from prior art by replacing simple vibration with a sophisticated multi-axis movement controlled by a central processor. By varying the input signal—using square, sawtooth, or sine waves—the massager can transition from sharp tapping to gentle rolling. Furthermore, the independent control of multiple staggered heads allows the device to simulate complex manual techniques like revolving massage or directional jostling that standard vibrating motors cannot replicate.
In the late 2000s when ’733 was filed, personal massage devices were typically implemented using off-center motors to generate high-frequency surface vibrations. At a time when systems commonly relied on simple mechanical oscillation, achieving deep-tissue stimulation was non-trivial because standard motor-driven architectures primarily affected the skin and subcutaneous fat rather than underlying muscular or nervous tissue. Furthermore, when hardware constraints limited the integration of therapeutic modalities, magnetic therapy was often restricted to static components that lacked the mechanical complexity required to simulate manual massage techniques like kneading or knocking.
The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement through the integration of an electromagnetic screw drive with a multi-bead magnetic rotating head to simulate human-like massage motions. By utilizing a rotating iron core with helical grooves and corresponding salients, the architecture converts electromagnetic force into simultaneous axial and rotational movement, overcoming the limitations of simple vibratory motors. This structural shift enables a dual-action therapeutic effect where elastic-supported magnetic beads provide both localized magnetic field application and deep-tissue mechanical stimulation, achieving a complex range of motion that includes kneading, nipping, and knocking within a single compact assembly.
The patent contains a total of 10 claims, with claims 1, 7, and 9 serving as the independent claims. These independent claims focus on the mechanical and electromagnetic construction of a massage head featuring a rotating magnetic assembly driven by an electromagnetic screw, as well as the integration of multiple such heads into a massager system managed by central control equipment. The dependent claims serve to provide additional technical specifications regarding the helical groove geometry, the inclusion of restoring springs and cushioning mats, and the specific components of the electromagnetic loop and spool assembly.
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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