GB1582577A

GB1582577A - Vibration generator

Info

Publication number: GB1582577A
Application number: GB3820777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-01-21
Filing date: 1977-09-13
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: FR2377851A1; MX4212E; IT1090154B; BR5701248U; FR2377851B1; DE2745002A1

Description

(54) VIBRATION GENERATOR (71) I, RYOTARO NOHMURA, a Japanese Citizen of No. 19-19, 3-chome, Senriyama-nishi, Suita-shi, Osaka-Fu, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement-: The invention relates to a vibration generator having a vibrator and a driver incorporated therein.

There have heretofore been known chairs and the like which impart vibrations to the occupant by means of a vibrator incorporated therein, whereby improving blood circulation or dissipating fatigue.

Because most of them could produce only regular, monotonous vibrations, it was dull and unpleasant to use such a chair.

The present invention consists in a vibration generator comprising a hollow housing having top and bottom walls and enclosing, a vibrator element which is secured to the top wall of said housing for linear vibratory movement and drive means which is mounted on the bottom wall so as to cause linear vibratory movement of said vibrator element.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a cross-section of one embodiment of vibration generator con struted in accordance with the invention, Figures 2 to 5 show several ways in which the vibration generator of Figure 1 is used, ancl Figures 6 to 9 are cross-sections of other enobodinients.

Referring to Figure 1, the vibration generator A comprises a hollow housing 1 fornied by an upper casing 2 and a lower casing 3 secured together at their flanges 4 by means of screw and nut assemblies 5.

The housing 1 may be formed by a onepiece casing having its open bottom closed by a bottom plate.

The housing can be manufactured by pressing into a required shape a sheet of steel, resin or other material showing a good vibration transmissivity. In the preferred embodiment, it is formed with two annular grooves or corrugations 6 in its top and bottom surfaces to make it more transmissive to vibrations.

The housing 1 encloses a driver means 7 mounted on the lower casing 3 and a tubular vibrator element 8 is secured to the upper casing 2 through its flange 15 to be vertically movable (i.e. for linear vibratory movement). The vibrator element 8 is caused to vibrate by the drive means 7 and transmit the vibrations to the housing 1. The drive means 7 is connected through a cord 9 to an external audio amplifier which in turn is connected to a record player, tape deck or radio receiver.

The drive means 7 and the vibrator element 8 may be conventional ones used in an ordinary loudspeaker.

Figure 2 shows the vibration generator A mounted under a chair B.

Figure 3 shows the vibration generator A mounted under a cushion D through a plate-like member C made of foamed polystyrene.

Figure 4 shows the vibration generator A mounted under the seat E of a chair and Figure 5 shows the same mounted under the mattress F of a bed.

In any of these arrangements, when the drive means 7 is actuated, vibrations are transmitted therefrom to the occupant through the vibrator 8, the top wall of the housing 1 and the chair, cushion or mattress.

In the embodiments of Figures 6-8, the hollow housing 1 includes a casing 10 having its open end closed by a plate 11. The plate 11 constitutes a bottom wall in Figures 6 and 8 and a top wall in Figure 7. The vibrator element 8 is mounted under the top wall with its flange 15 bolted thereof to. The drive means 7 is bolted to the bottom wall to be disposed thereover (in Figures 6 and 8) or thereunder (in Figure 7) so as to transmit vibrations to the vibrator element 8.

A molded member 12 made from foamed polystyrene, for example, is bonded to the top wall. It may be formed with a flat upper surface as in Figures 6 and 7 or into a chair-like shape as in Figure 8. Instead of bonding, the molded member 12 may be fitted in a recess formed in the top wall of the housing 1.

The molded member 12 may be made to have a flexibility so as to be more comfortable to sit on by increasing the particle size and/or decreasing the particle density of foamed polystyrene.

Also, the foamed polystyrene used can transmit the vibrations from the vibration generating mechanism without damping it because of its small effective mass (specific gravity: 0.015-0.021 gr/cm3), high inertia control efficiency and a small Young's modulus.

Figure 9 shows another embodiment in which a casing 10 of a trapezoidal crosssection is closed by a bottom plate 11 to form a hollow housing 1. The housing is formed with a recessed seat portion 13 and a back portion 14. In this embodiment, vibrations are transmitted to the human body directly through the top wall of the housing.

The vibration generators described can be manufactured at moderate cost because they are of simple construction and require no design considerations for improving the quality of sound. Another advantage is that the vibration frequency can be selected by changing the corrugation pattern when corrugations are provided and the external dimensions of the vibration system.

Because of their irregularity, the vibrations transmitted to the human body are not boring or dull to the user, the vibrations having a massaging effect on the body and may improve blood circulation and health.

While preferred embodimens of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A vibration generator comprising a hollow housing having top and bottom walls enclosing, a vibrator element which is secured to the top wall of said housing for linear vibratory movement and drive means which is mounted on the bottom wall so as to cause linear vibratory movement of said vibrator element.

2. A vibration generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator element is of tubular form.

3. A vibration generator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said housing is formed by two casings secured together.

4. A vibration generator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said housing is formed with corrugations in at least one wall thereof to improve its vibration transmissivity.

5. A vibration generator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the top wall of said housing includes a seat portion and a back portion.

6. A vibration generator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a moulded member mounted on the top wall of said housing so that vibrations are transmitted to the moulded member from said vibrator element through said top wall.

7. A vibration generator as claimed in claim 6, wherein said moulded member is of chair-like shape.

8. A vibration generator as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein said moulded member is made from foamed polystyrene.

9. A vibration generator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A vibration generator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A vibration generator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A vibration generator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A vibration generator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Articles for supporting the human body or parts thereof, incorporating one or more vibration generators as claimed in any preceding claim.

15. An article for supporting the human body or parts thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any oen of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. element 8. A molded member 12 made from foamed polystyrene, for example, is bonded to the top wall. It may be formed with a flat upper surface as in Figures 6 and 7 or into a chair-like shape as in Figure 8. Instead of bonding, the molded member 12 may be fitted in a recess formed in the top wall of the housing 1. The molded member 12 may be made to have a flexibility so as to be more comfortable to sit on by increasing the particle size and/or decreasing the particle density of foamed polystyrene. Also, the foamed polystyrene used can transmit the vibrations from the vibration generating mechanism without damping it because of its small effective mass (specific gravity: 0.015-0.021 gr/cm3), high inertia control efficiency and a small Young's modulus. Figure 9 shows another embodiment in which a casing 10 of a trapezoidal crosssection is closed by a bottom plate 11 to form a hollow housing 1. The housing is formed with a recessed seat portion 13 and a back portion 14. In this embodiment, vibrations are transmitted to the human body directly through the top wall of the housing. The vibration generators described can be manufactured at moderate cost because they are of simple construction and require no design considerations for improving the quality of sound. Another advantage is that the vibration frequency can be selected by changing the corrugation pattern when corrugations are provided and the external dimensions of the vibration system. Because of their irregularity, the vibrations transmitted to the human body are not boring or dull to the user, the vibrations having a massaging effect on the body and may improve blood circulation and health. While preferred embodimens of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A vibration generator comprising a hollow housing having top and bottom walls enclosing, a vibrator element which is secured to the top wall of said housing for linear vibratory movement and drive means which is mounted on the bottom wall so as to cause linear vibratory movement of said vibrator element.