초록 ▼

A massaging system for equipment such as a vehicle includes a pad; a heater element, and motorized vibrators in respective regions of the pad; a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat; a controller for selectively activating the transducers. Each of the

A massaging system for equipment such as a vehicle includes a pad; a heater element, and motorized vibrators in respective regions of the pad; a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat; a controller for selectively activating the transducers. Each of the vibrators is in a cavity of a main cushion member, the cavity being closed by an outer cushion member that supports an occupant, a soft isolation member being interposed between the transducer and the main cushion member. The isolation member can completely enclose the transducer; alternatively, the transducer can be bonded to the outer cushion member or a reinforcing sheet that is laminated thereto, the isolation member only partially enclosing the transducer. The isolation of the vibrators from the main cushion member provides improved selectivity of particular regions of a user's body to be massaged. Also, in multiple seating installations, unwanted vibration of one seat is suppressed during activation of vibrators in an adjacent seat. Also disclosed is a method for converting a padded support to produce isolated massaging.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A massaging apparatus comprising:(a) a vibrator unit including a housing, a motor supported within the housing, means for connecting the motor to a source of electrical power, the motor being coupled to a mass element for producing vibratory motion of the housing;(b) a ma

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A massaging apparatus comprising:(a) a vibrator unit including a housing, a motor supported within the housing, means for connecting the motor to a source of electrical power, the motor being coupled to a mass element for producing vibratory motion of the housing;(b) a main cushion member having a main supporting surface and being formed of a resilient material having a first volumetric stiffness, a cavity being formed therein and interrupting the supporting surface for receiving the vibrator unit, the cavity being sufficiently large to provide clearance space on all sides of the vibrator unit;(c) a isolation member having a second volumetric stiffness being less than the first volumetric stiffness, the isolation member covering at least a portion of the vibrator unit and being interposed between the vibrator unit and the main cushion member; and(d) an outer cushion member having a third volumetric stiffness being greater than the second volumetric stiffness, the outer cushion member being bonded to the main supporting surface and covering the cavity, the outer cushion member forming an outer supporting surface being spaced from the main supporting surface.