Apparatus and method for massaging a user's back

A method of massaging a user's back while a user's back is in contact with a forward-facing surface of a back engaging member, the back engaging member further having a rearward-facing surface opposite the forward-facing surface, the method comprising:

• providing a massage apparatus having an elongate support structure extending in a longitudinal direction, and a plurality of massaging fingers operatively connected to the support structure, each massaging finger being adapted to impart a massaging force to a user, the massaging fingers being arranged as two side-by-side finger rows, one of the finger rows constituting a left finger row and the other finger row constituting a right finger row, the left finger row constituting a first plurality of the massaging fingers and the right finger row constituting a second plurality of the massaging fingers, each massaging finger being moveable relative to the support structure between a rearward position and a forward position;
• positioning the massage apparatus relative to the back engaging member in a manner so that the massaging fingers are generally adjacent the rearward facing surface of the back engaging member;
• moving the massaging fingers of the left finger row between their rearward and forward positions in a sequential manner so that each of the massaging fingers of the left finger row moves along an arcuate path from its rearward position to its forward position at a time different than when the other massaging fingers of the left finger row are moved from their rearward positions to their forward positions, the massaging fingers of the left finger row imparting a massaging force against the user's back when the user's back is in contact with the forward-facing surface of the back engaging member as the massaging fingers of the left finger row move to their forward positions;
• moving the massaging fingers of the right finger row between their rearward and forward positions in a sequential manner so that each of the massaging fingers of the right finger row moves along an arcuate path from its rearward position to its forward position at a time different than when the other massaging fingers of the right finger row are moved from their rearward positions to their forward positions, the massaging fingers of the right finger row imparting a massaging force against the user's back when the user's back is in contact with the forward-facing surface of the back engaging member as the massaging fingers of the right finger row move to their forward positions, the step of moving the massaging fingers of the right finger row occurring concurrently with the step of moving the massaging fingers of the left finger row.

An article of furniture having a back-engageable surface adapted to engage a user's back, the article of furniture further comprising a massage apparatus adjacent the back-engageable surface, the massage apparatus comprising:

• a support structure;
• a plurality of massaging fingers operatively connected to the support structure, each massaging finger being adapted to impart a massaging force to a user, each massaging finger being moveable relative to the support structure between a rearward position and a forward position, the massaging fingers being arranged as two side-by-side finger rows, one of the finger rows constituting a left finger row and the other finger row constituting a right finger row, the left finger row comprising a first plurality of the massaging fingers and the right finger row comprising a second plurality of the massaging fingers;
• and
• an actuating mechanism adapted to sequentially move the massaging fingers of the left finger row between their rearward and forward positions, and simultaneously to sequentially move the massaging fingers of the right finger row between their rearward and forward positions;
• the massage apparatus being operable to massage the user's back when the user's back is in engagement with the back-engaging surface and when the actuating mechanism is operated to move the massaging fingers between their rearward and forward positions:
• the article of furniture further comprises a furniture frame member, the support structure of the massage apparatus being operatively connected to the furniture frame member, the article of furniture further comprising a hinge mechanism for moving the support structure relative to the furniture frame member.

A massage apparatus comprising:

• a support structure;
• a plurality of massaging fingers operatively connected to the support structure, each massaging finger being adapted to impart a massaging force to a user, each massaging finger being moveable relative to the support structure between a rearward position and a forward position, the massaging fingers being arranged as two side-by-side finger rows, one of the finger rows constituting a left finger row and the other finger row constituting a right finger row, the left finger row comprising a first plurality of the massaging fingers and the right finger row comprising a second plurality of the massaging fingers;
• and
• an actuating mechanism adapted to sequentially move the massaging fingers of the left finger row between their rearward and forward positions, the actuating mechanism comprising a moveable member moveable between raised and lowered positions, the actuating mechanism being configured and adapted to move the moveable member along a curved path from its raised position to its lowered position, the actuating mechanism being adapted and configured such that moving the moveable member along the curved path causes the massaging fingers of the left finger row to sequentially move between their rearward and forward positions and causes the massaging fingers of the right finger row to sequentially move between their rearward and forward positions.

A massage apparatus comprising:

• a support structure;
• a plurality of massaging arms operatively connected to the support structure, each massaging arm being moveable relative to the support structure between a forward position and a rearward position, each massaging arm being adapted to impart a massaging force to a user as the massaging arm is moved from its rearward position to its forward position, the plurality of massaging arms being arranged as a longitudinal row;
• an actuating mechanism comprising an arm engaging member and a drive mechanism for longitudinally moving the arm engaging member relative to the massaging arms between a lower position and an upper position;
• the arm engaging member and the massaging arms being adapted and arranged such that longitudinal movement of the arm engaging member relative to the massaging arms causes the arm engaging member to sequentially engage the massaging arms in a manner to sequentially move the massaging arms between their forward and rearward positions;
• the massaging apparatus being configured and adapted such that the arm engaging member moves along a curve as it moves between its upper and lower positions.