Electric massager

Claim 2

An electrically operated massager comprising a housing having an end on which a massaging element is secured and an opposite end adapted for supporting said massager, motor means positioned within said housing for vibrating said massaging element, battery means disposed within said housing for supplying electrical power to said motor means, and switch means within said housing and in electrical connection with said motor means and said battery means, said switch means being actuatable when said housing is impacted at one of said ends for starting said motor means and being actuatable when said housing is impacted at the other of said ends for stopping said motor.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is separable between said ends for providing access therein and said housing being electrically nonconductive.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein said housing is formed with integral means for releasably securing said massaging element thereto.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said switch means includes an electrically conducting pendulum member pivotally mounted for swinging between a stable position causing said switch means to be open and another stable position causing said switch means to be closed, wherein the impacting of said housing ends can cause said member to change stable positions.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 2 including means disposed between said housing ends for sealing said housing against the ingressing of moisture.

Claim 7

In an electric massager comprising a housing having a massaging element on its exterior and enclosing motor means for vibrating said element, battery means within said housing for supplying power to said motor means, an inertia switch in said housing electrically connected to said battery means and motor means for controlling the power supplied to said motor means, said inertia switch being actuatable to permit power to be supplied to said motor means when said housing is struck from one direction and actuatable to prevent power from being supplied to said motor means when said housing is struck from the opposite direction.

Claim 8

In an electric massager comprising a housing having a massaging element on its exterior and enclosing motor means for vibrating said element, battery means within said housing for supplying power to said motor means, an inertia switch in said housing electrically connected to said battery means and motor means for controlling the power supplied to said motor means, said inertia switch being actuatable to permit power to be supplied to said motor means when said housing is struck from one direction and actuatable to prevent power from being supplied to said motor means when said housing is struck from the opposite direction.

Claim 9

In the massager of claim 6, wherein said inertia switch comprises a nonconducting frame on which is pivotally mounted an electrically conductable pendulum member, said frame provided with spaced abutment means for limiting the arc through which said member can pivot, a pair of spaced electrically conductable contact leaf springs biasing toward said member and spaced so that both springs are in engagement with said member when said member is in a stable position contiguous to one of said abutment means, and only one spring is in engagement with said member when said member is in the other stable position contiguous to the other of said abutment means.

Claim 10

In the massager of claim 7, wherein said springs are each formed with a detent portion, said member having recess means, one of said spring detent portions engaging said member recess means when said member is in one stable position and the other spring detent portion engaging said member recess means when said member is in the other stable position, the engagement between said spring detent portions and said member recess means being sufficiently strong to prevent movement of said member when said motor means is vibrating said element but the engagement being sufficiently weak to permit the movement of said member when said housing is properly struck.

Claim 11

In the electric massager of claim 6, wherein said housing being formed with an internal wall portion, said frame formed with integral projection means extending from one side thereof, said projection means supporting said member and said springs, said frame positioned in said housing with said projection means extending toward said wall portion, housing means maintaining said frame contiguous to said wall portion whereby said member and said springs are maintained on said projection means.

Claim 12

An electric massager comprising a housing having a massagIng element on its exterior and enclosing motor means for vibrating said element, at least two batteries positioned in said housing for supplying power to said motor means, a switch in said housing for electrically connecting said batteries and said motor means, said housing including separable portions with a first portion receiving said batteries and a second portion supporting an electrically conducting plate adapted to make electrical contact with the ends of said batteries facing said plate, said plate being movable in the direction toward said batteries and biased towards said batteries, said housing portions being in threaded engagement whereby said portions are rotated with respect to each other for locking engagement, said plate being secured to said second portion in such a manner as to prevent relative rotational displacement.

Claim 13

An electric massager comprising a housing having a massagIng element on its exterior and enclosing motor means for vibrating said element, at least two batteries positioned in said housing for supplying power to said motor means, a switch in said housing for electrically connecting said batteries and said motor means, said housing including separable portions with a first portion receiving said batteries and a second portion supporting an electrically conducting plate adapted to make electrical contact with the ends of said batteries facing said plate, said plate being movable in the direction toward said batteries and biased towards said batteries, said housing portions being in threaded engagement whereby said portions are rotated with respect to each other for locking engagement, said plate being secured to said second portion in such a manner as to prevent relative rotational displacement.

Claim 14

The electrical massager of claim 10, wherein said plate is formed with protuberances extending toward said batteries, the threaded engagement between said housing portions being in such a manner that one of said protuberances is in alignment with the center of each battery. 12 . The electric massager of claim 11, wherein said plate is secured to said second portion so that said plate can pivot towards and away from said batteries.

Claim 15

An electric massager comprising a hollow housing having a wall at one end on which a massager element is mountable, an electric motor positioned in said housing and in driving relationship with an eccentric rotatably mounted on a shaft lying along the center line of said housing and of said wall, said shaft having one end anchored to said wall whereby the rotation of said eccentric by said motor causes vibratory forces to be transmitted to said element on said wall, battery means in said housing for supplying power to said motor, and switch means totally enclosed by said housing and electrically connecting said motor and said battery means for controlling the energization of said motor.

Claim 16

An electric massager comprising a hollow housing having a wall at one end on which a massager element is mountable, an electric motor positioned in said housing and in driving relationship with an eccentric rotatably mounted on a shaft lying along the center line of said housing and of said wall, said shaft having one end anchored to said wall whereby the rotation of said eccentric by said motor causes vibratory forces to be transmitted to said element on said wall, battery means in said housing for supplying power to said motor, and switch means totally enclosed by said housing and electrically connecting said motor and said battery means for controlling the energization of said motor.

Claim 17

The electric massager of claim 13, wherein said shaft other end is supported by said motor, gearing means disposed between said motor and said eccentric for transmitting power from said motor to said eccentric.

Claim 18

The electric massager of claim 13, wherein said housing includes first and second portions which are separable to provide access to said battery means, said first housing portion including said wall and defining means for receiving and supporting said motor, said switch means and said battery means, and spring means resiliently locking said motor within said first housing portion means.

Claim 19

The electric massager of claim 15, wherein said second housing portion being provided with a contact plate for making electrical contact with said battery means, means biasing said plate against said battery means for making a good electrical contact therebetween and biasing said battery means into said first housing portion means.

Claim 20

The electric massager of claim 15, wherein said housing is formed of electrically insulating material, seal means disposed between said housing portions to prevent the entrance of moisture within said housing whereby said massager is adapted for use in a wet environment.

Claim 21

An electric massager comprising a hollow housing having a first end on which a massaging element is releasably mounted, motor means in said housing for vibrating said massaging element, battery means for supplying power to said motor means, an inertia switch totally enclosed by said housing and electrically connecting said motor means and said battery means, said housing having a second end including a somewhat mushroom-shaped member extending away from said first end, said inertia switch being disposed so that the striking of either housing end can actuate said switch.

Claim 22

An electric massager comprising a hollow housing having a first end on which a massaging element is releasably mounted, motor means in said housing for vibrating said massaging element, battery means for supplying power to said motor means, an inertia switch totally enclosed by said housing and electrically connecting said motor means and said battery means, said housing having a second end including a somewhat mushroom-shaped member extending away from said first end, said inertia switch being disposed so that the striking of either housing end can actuate said switch.

Claim 23

The electric massager of claim 18, wherein said mushroom-shaped member includes a stem portion and outer enlarged pedestal portion, said portions arranged to facilitate the grasping of said massager wherein the user''S finger can extend by each side of said stem portion and under said pedestal portion while holding said second end.

Claim 24

The electric massager of claim 19, wherein the outer surface of said pedestal portion is flat and said massager is adapted to be in a stable upright storage position when said outer surface rests on a horizontal surface, and said second end having a somewhat spherical portion adjacent said stem portion so that the user''s fingers can easily grasp said spherical portion.