US2540792A - Skin stimulating and massaging device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1951 H. w. M CREADY SKIN STIMULATING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1947 w wfi R 9 my.

INVENTOR.

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Patented Feb. 6, 1951 SKIN STIMULATING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Howard W. McCready, New York, N. Y., assignor to Edwin H. Tompkins, New York, N. Y.

Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,133

Claims.

This invention relates to skin stimulating and massaging devices, and particularly to those which may be held in ones hand and moved in any direction while in operation. Such devices are particularly useful for stimulating and massaging the scalp to aid blood circulation therein. This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon U. S. Patent No. 2,465,250 of March 22, 1949.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, light, compact and relatively inexpensive device that may be held in ones hand and moved against and over the skin of a person to impart to such skin, stimulating, beneficial and pleasant impulses.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of a hair brush embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the same taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the base and motor, forming a part of the same and taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the device is shown as a power operated hair brush and includes a hollow housing I having a chamber 2 with an open face 3. The inner periphery of the chamber 2, a short distance inwardly from the open face, is provided with a channel 4 opening into chamber 2 and in which is disposed a strip 5 of soft, resilient, compressible material such as soft elastic rubber or sponge rubber. This strip Shas, on its exposed face, a groove 6 which receives the edge of a plate-like base 1 that extends across and substantially closes said chamber, approximately at itsopen face. This strip 5 thus floatingly and yieldingly mounts the base 1 for limited movement in and relatively to the housing.

The strip 5 projects into the chamber, and the groove 6 is entirely within'the projecting portion, so that the outer wall of thegroove may flex or yield under stress to pass the edge of the base 1 into and out of the groove 6. The innerside wall of the channel 4 extends towards the center of the open face 3 further than the bottom of groove 6, to resist movement of base 1 beyond groove 6. The base i may be formed of two plates secured together face to face, with the inner plate having less crosswise and lengthwise dimens ons than the outer plate, so that the edge of the inner plate will approximately abut the edge of one side wall of the cushion strip 5.

Secured upon the exposed face of the inner plate 'of base 1, such as by screws 8, is one arm 9 of a two piece core ll! of an electromagnet H. The core in is of nearly, but not entirely, aclosed, elongated loop, having two generally parallel arms, oneof which is arm 9 and the other of which is arm [2. Arm I 2 has an angular end terminating in a concave, end face I3, which fits over a corresponding but convex end face is on the upstanding end of arm 9, to form therewith a rocking fulcrum between arms 9 and I2, by which the opposite ends of arms 9 and I2 can move toward and from each other. The arms 8 and 12, at opposite sides of the fulcrum, carry projecting hooks l5 over which are engaged the hooked ends I6 of a spring l1. Spring i1 is preferably a steel spring and when engaged over hooks I5 is under stress so as to hold surfaces l3 and It in contact and to urge the free end of arm [2 in a direction away from the corresponding end of arm 9.

Surrounding the portions of the core between the arms 9 and I2 are electromagnetic coils it that, when energized, set up a magnetic flux through the core that pulls the free end of arm I2 towards the arm 5, stressing spring ll. When the coils l8 are de-energized, or thecurrent therein is decreased or reversed, the spring ll will rock the arm 12 to carry its free end away from the arm 9. The coils l8 are connected in the same-circuit and are both wound to set up a magnetic flux in the same direction through the nearly closed loop path of the core l0. Current is suppliedto coils l8 by a twin wire cord i9 leading therefrom and passing through an aperture 20 in the side wall of housing I (Fig.1). The cord [9 may be secured against endlwise yanks by a clamp block 2| having separable sections between which the cord passes and by which it is clamped.

A generally U-shaped strap 22 is secured to the upper arm l2 adjacent its free end, and its free ends are flanged laterally in directions away from each other as at 23. These lateral flanges are apertured, and studs 24 screwed into base-1 project therefrom atits inner face and extend loosely through said apertures in flanges 23. Collars 24a on studs 24 engage with base i and limit the movement of the studs into the base. Nuts 25 are threaded on each stud at opposite faces of the adjacent flange 23 which that stud passes through. Resilient cushions or washers of base 1 so :as :toextend across, and.,substantia'llyg close, said open" face 3. "Brist1es' or flexible elements 28 extend from the outer face of backing la in generally parallel directions. Spring hook arms e 29 secured to the base i snap over opposite ends,"

base I. Dowel screws or pins at (Fig 1) project from the outer face of base 'i' andge'nter-aligned;

. or edges of backing let to confine it releasably to 7 dowel apertures or recesses in theinner-face of backing la to locate the latter-accurately on base-:

1 and hold it from sidewise movement thereon.

The backing member la, the base i and'the core l0 are all spaced from the housing 1 so that they-may: have free limited movement relatively to the housing; :When a pulsating current is supplied to coils-i8 through twin wire 19; the pulsatingi cur-rent' will produce a variable magnetic fiu'xinicore Hi. This causes an oscillation of the fre'eend of arm !2 :onfulcrum formed of sur;-

faces= l3 andl' L-in'opposition-to spring 5? .andai' washer cushions This imparts impulses or periodic forces to the base :1 in the. directions normal toitsface-which is also endwiseofthe bristles '28? .One' maygrasp the housing I and hold it astightly as desired and press the bristles against the scalp or skin. The impulses passing from base 1 to the-bristles will be transmitted-to the-skin or scalp, and causea pleasant stimula tion or sensation' in= the skin. These impulses alone; or accompanied by: a brushing movement ofthe bristles over the skin, will give a pleasing sensation to the skull much like'a massage with many fingers These impulses appear to stimulate blood circulation through the skin and producea healthful skin condition.

While any-suitable vibrator motor or electric vibrator may be mounted on the inner face-of base"! in a position-t0 impart impulses to the base 1' in directions normal to its face, the'type of -motor-described and illustrated is an inexpen sive but very efiective-vibrator-motor-that may a beemployed successfully on-base 1. When the bristles need cleaning, the backing 27 may bedetached; cleaned and replaced It 'will'be understood that various changes in the details; materials-and arrangement of parts,

which-have been herein described and illustrated inordertoexplain thenature of the inventionmay be made'bythose skilled in the art within" the 'principle andscope of the invention,- -as'ex-= pressed in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. ,A skin stimulating devicecomprisinga hollowhousing whichmay beheld and manipulated.

and having an opening in a face thereof, a rela-. tive1yrigid membenwithinsaid housing exposed. throughsaid opening and free of direct contact with said housing, soft, resilient cushioning means interposedbetween said member'and'said housing andjresiliently andgfioatingly mounting said member for limited movement relatively, to said housing andforming the-sole and floating sup port for said-member, a mechanically unbalanced, electric cscillatorsecured' on said member within said housing and having an oscillating element fulcrumed at one-end on said member for move merit- 0f its free end'toward and from said member; anda plurality of freely'flexible; resilient elements projecting from said member exterlorly of said housing in the general direction of movement of said oscillating element and side by side relation for contact at their free ends with ones skin and transmitting thereto impulses received from said oscillating element through said memher.

2. A skinistimulating device comprisinga hollow housing which may-be'held and manipulated, and having an opening in a face thereof, a relatively rigid base within said housing, approximately closingzsaid opening, and everywhere spaced from said housing, soft, resilient cushioning means interposed between said base and housing" for-'floatingly' mounting said base for limited movement relatively to said housing, a magnet secured-to said base .within said housing in spaced relationto, and free of contact with, said housing; an armature fulcrumed on said magnet for oscillation thereon towards and from said base, an electromagnet: in 1 flux-.1 inducing 1 relation to said magnet and armaturewfor causing:oscillationsrof said armature when a fluctuating current is passedthrough saidelectromagnet;and a freely base, exteriorly ofthe housing: in the: general direction" of 'movement' of said armature, for con-1..

flexible, resilient: element projecting from said tact at *its'fre'e end' with ones skin .to rtransmit thereto impulses received from said armature through'said base;

3. A skin stimulating'devi'ce comprisinga hollow h'ousingwhichmay belheld and manipulated,

and having anopening in a face thereof, a relatively-rigid base:within Said'hO-Llsing, approximately closing said opening, and everywhere-.2

spaced from said housing; soft, 'resilientcushioning means interposed b'etween'said base and housing 'for floatingly mounting: said base for limited:

movement relatively to said housing, a magnet" lation to said magnetandarmature and responsive to a fluctuating current for causing oscill'a-- tions of said armature, and aflexible, resilient ele'- 'men-t projecting from said base, exteriorly of the housing in the general direction of movement of" said-armature, forcontact with ones-skin to transmit thereto impulsesreceived from said armature through said base.

4. A skinstimulating devicecomprising a hol low housing which may be held and "manipulated, 1 and having'an opening-in a face thereof, a rela-.

tivelyrigid-base within-said housingyapproxi 1 mately" closing: said opening; and everywhere "spaced-from said housing; soft, "resilient, cushion ing:- means interposed between said base and housing '"gforl floatingly mounting said base 'for limited movement relatively to said housing; ;a magnet secured to said base on the'face; thereof within said housing in spacedrelatiomto, and

free of contact 'WithQ'said housing, an armature fulcrumed :at one "end'on said magnet for oscillation' of its free end towards and *fromsaid base;

an electromagnet in flux inducingrelation to 'said 'magnet' and armature for causing oscillations of said armature when a fluctuating current is passed through saidelectromagnet-a post carried -by=said base and extending generally normal thereto soft, resilient-- cushioning means interposed b'etween the free end of said armature and said post for yieldingly and resiliently opposing movement of said armature towards said base, and a freely flexible, resilient element projecting from said base, exteriorly of the housing in the general direction of movement of said armature, for contact at its free end with ones skin to transmit thereto impulses received from said armature through said base.

5. A skin stimulating device comprising a hollow housing which may be held and manipulated, and having an opening in a face thereof, a relatively rigid base within said housing, approximately closing said opening, and everywhere spaced from said housing, soft, resilient cushioning means interposed between said base and housing for floatingly mounting said base for limited movement relatively to said housing, a magnet secured to said base on the face thereof within said housing in spaced relation to, and free of contact with said housing, an armature fulcrumed at one end on said magnet for oscillation of its free end towards and from said base, an electromagnet in flux inducing relation to said magnet and armature for causing oscillations of said armature when a fluctuating current is passed through said electromagnet, a post carried by said base and extending generally normal thereto, soft, resilient cushioning means interposed between the free end of said armature and said post for yieldingly and resiliently opposing movement of said armature towards said base, resilient means yieldingly and resiliently urging the free end of said armature away from said base, and a freely flexible, resilient element projecting from said base, exteriorly of the housing in the general direction of movement of said armature, for contact at its free end with one's skin to transmit thereto impulses received from said armature through said base.

HOWARD W. McCREADY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Oct. 15, 1937 Number Number

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