Massage apparatus having massage rollers mounted to an arm housing which includes improved slider arrangement

A massage apparatus comprising:

• a holding body which reciprocates along a predetermined direction;
• a first drive mechanism configured to reciprocate the holding body;
• a first drive shaft having a pair of eccentric shaft portions at a middle portion thereof, and being provided in the holding body while having an axis substantially perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the holding body;
• a second drive shaft provided in the holding body and having an axis parallel to the first drive shaft;
• a pair of eccentric cum bodies each having an eccentric cum portion which is eccentric to a middle portion of the second drive shaft and which has an axis inclined to the axis of the second drive shaft;
• a pair of arms each having a proximal end portion attached to the eccentric shaft portion of the first drive shaft by a bearing so as to freely oscillate;
• a pair of main massage rollers respectively provided at two locations on top sides of the respective arms proximate the end portions thereof, so as to freely rotate;
• a slider held to freely slide along a predetermined direction between the pair of main massage rollers of the arms, and fitted in the eccentric cum portions so as to be freely rotatable, for sliding relatively to the arms interlocking the eccentric rotation of the eccentric shaft portions of the first drive shaft;
• and
• a second drive mechanism provided in the holding body, for selectively rotating any one of the first and second drive shafts, for assigning pounding movement to the main massage rollers in accordance with the eccentric rotation of the eccentric shaft portions by driving the first drive shaft, and for assigning kneading movement to the main massage rollers in accordance with the eccentric rotation of the eccentric cum bodies by driving the second drive shaft,
• wherein the second drive mechanism comprises:
• a rotating shaft;
• a reversible motor selectively rotating the rotating shaft in any of a normal direction and a reverse direction;
• a first power transmission mechanism for making the first drive shaft interlock one rotary direction of the rotating shaft;
• and
• a second power transmission mechanism for making the second drive shaft interlock the other rotary direction of the rotating shaft;
• wherein the first power transmission mechanism comprises:
• a first worm gear provided on the rotating shaft to interlock the one rotary direction of the rotating shaft via a first one-way clutch;
• and
• a first worm wheel provided at one end portion of the first drive shaft and engaged with the first worm gear;
• and
• the second power transmission mechanism comprises:
• a second worm gear provided on the rotating shaft to interlock the other rotary direction of the rotating shaft via a second one-way clutch;
• and
• a gear train having a second worm wheel engaged with the second worm gear, for transmitting rotation of the second worm wheel to the second drive shaft;
• wherein the gear train comprises:
• a first helical gear coaxially attached with the second worm wheel;
• a second helical gear engaged with the first helical gear;
• and
• an intermediate gear integrally formed with the second helical gear engaged with a terminal gear provided on the second drive shaft;
• wherein a speed reducing member for reducing a speed of rotation of the gear train when the eccentric rotation of the eccentric cum body is to fall from a top dead center due to the rotation of the second drive shaft is provided at the gear train.