# US 6,832,991 B1 · Massaging apparatus having pivotally supported supporting arm with therapeutic member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,832,991 B1 - Document ID: US6832991B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/830,560 - Filed: 2001-05-07 - Granted: 2004-12-21 - Earliest claimed: 1999-09-09 - Assignees: Family Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Nichimu Inada; Hideshi Kondo; Yasuo Fujii; Koji Goto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6832991B1 ## CPC - A61H 39/04: Devices for pressing such points, e.g. Shiatsu {or Acupressure}(Massage or pressure on general areas A61H9/00 - A61H23/00) - A61H 7/007: {Kneading} - A61H 15/0078: {power-driven} - A61H 15/00: Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains - A61H 39/00: Devices for locating or stimulating specific reflex points of the body for physical therapy, e.g. acupuncture (chiropodists' instruments A61B17/54; {for radiation therapy A61N5/0619}) - A61H 2015/0028: {disc-like, i.e. diameter substantially greater than width} - A61H 2201/0138: incorporated in furniture - A61H 2201/0149: Seat or chair - A61H 2201/1427: Wobbling plate - A61H 2201/1623: Back - A61H 2201/1654: Layer between the skin and massage elements, e.g. fluid or ball - A61H 2201/1669: moving along the body in a reciprocating manner - A61H 2201/5066: Limit switches - A61H 2205/062: Shoulders - A61H 2205/081: Back - A61H 2205/10: Leg - A61H 2230/00: Measuring physical parameters of the user - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract A massaging apparatus in which a position of a specific portion such as a user's shoulder with respect to the massaging apparatus can be determined automatically and accurately in a simple construction. The massaging apparatus includes a supporting arm having a therapeutic member pivotally supported thereon and freely movable along the user's body. The position of the specific portion of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus is determined from the relation between the vertical position of the supporting arm and the pivotal position of the supporting arm. A pivotal movement detecting system detects that the supporting arm reaches a prescribed range of pivotal movement is provided. The position of the specific portion of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus is determined from the position of the supporting arm at the moment when the pivotal movement of the supporting arm reaches the prescribed range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A massaging apparatus comprising: a supporting arm directly connected to a therapeutic member by a supporting shaft, the supporting arm being pivotally supported on the massaging apparatus and the supporting arm being movable along a body of a user; and a pivotal-position-detecting sensor configured to detect that the supporting arm has reached a prescribed range of pivotal positions; and a control element configured to determine a position of a specific portion of the body of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus from a vertical position of the supporting arm at a moment when a pivotal position of the supporting arm has reached the prescribed range of pivotal positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor comprises an optical sensor having a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and whether or not the supporting arm has reached the prescribed range of pivotal positions is detected by determining if light from the light emitting element has been received by the light receiving element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor comprises a limit switch, and the supporting arm reached the prescribed range of pivotal positions is detected by switching of the limit switch between ON and OFF. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor comprises a lead switch, and the lead switch is switched between ON and OFF by a change of a magnetic field at the moment when the supporting arm has reached the prescribed range of pivotal positions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the position of the specific portion of the body of the user to be determined is a position of a shoulder of the body of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second supporting arm and a second pivotal-position-detecting sensor, wherein the supporting arm and the second supporting arm constitute a pair of left and right supporting arms, and wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor is associated with the supporting arm and the second pivotal-position-detecting sensor is associated with the second supporting arm. ### Claim 7 A massaging apparatus comprising: a supporting arm directly connected to a therapeutic member by a supporting shaft, the supporting arm being pivotally supported on the massaging apparatus and the supporting arm being movable along a body of a user; a pivotal-position-detecting sensor means for detecting a prescribed range of pivotal positions of the supporting arm; and a control element configured to determine a position of a specific portion of the body of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus from a vertical position of the supporting arm at a moment when a pivotal position of the supporting arm has reached the prescribed range of pivotal positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor comprises a variable resistor or an encoder of which an output varies according to the pivotal position of the supporting arm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor comprises a magnetoelectric converting element, and an output of the magnetoelectric converting element varies with a variation in magnetic field due to the pivotal position of the supporting arm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the position of the specific portion of the body of the user to be determined is a position of a shoulder of the body of the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a second supporting arm and a second pivotal-position-detecting sensor, wherein the supporting arm and the second supporting arm constitute a pair of left and right supporting arms, and wherein the pivotal-position-detecting sensor is associated with the supporting arm and the second pivotal-position-detecting sensor is associated with the second supporting arm.