EP3299005B1 - Remote control massage device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a remotely controllable massage device for the massage of body parts, in particular the genitals.

Massage devices of the type mentioned are commonly known as vibrators, which are available in different shapes and sizes. These include battery-operated vibrators with direct control or control by cable and vibrators with remote control, e.g. B. via the Bluetooth protocol, which are designed as love balls. Such love balls are in the EP 3 042 643 A1 disclosed. Furthermore, vibrators with direct control are known, onto which additional external elements can be attached to reinforce the vibration effect.

The disadvantage of the majority of the vibrators mentioned above is that they only have a single shape on the outside that was defined during manufacture and therefore offer no flexibility at all. Users who want a different form of vibrator cannot avoid purchasing other vibrators of the same type, which incurs additional costs.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a remotely controllable massage device that is inexpensive to manufacture, reliable, liquid-proof function, a flexibly adaptable outer shape of the components transmitting the vibration, simple charging of the energy store and enables flexible control using current wireless data transmission technologies.

This object is achieved by the subject matter with the features of claim 1.

According to the invention there is provided a remotely controllable massage device according to claim 1.

This creates the possibility of producing a modular massage device very inexpensively because the modularity means that no components specially adapted to the geometry of the vibration generating part need to be designed. For different purposes of the massage device, a common technical platform can now be used for vibration generation, control, power supply and data communication. Furthermore, there is the advantage for the end customer that he can use a large number of vibration receiving parts or attachments for a vibration generating part and thus significantly lower acquisition costs. Almost all shapes of sex toys are conceivable as shapes for the vibration receiving part, each individual shape of the vibration receiving part being compatible with the vibration generating part. The possibility is also created of arranging more than one vibration receiving part on a vibration generating part, so that there are hardly any limits to the imagination when using the massage device according to the invention. The flexible remote control makes operation much more convenient, which significantly increases customer benefits.

The plug-in element is particularly advantageously flat and the charging electrodes are designed as USB compatible. With the USB technology, a very widespread method can be used to charge the energy storage device or to transfer data. The flat plug-in element has a configuration similar to that of a USB-A plug, which can be inserted into a corresponding USB socket in the manner of a USB stick. Such connection sockets are available on a large number of devices, for example on PCs, laptops, notebooks, tablet computers, power supply units (for 12/110/120/220 V) and the like, and provide a sufficient charging current in accordance with the USB standard (e.g. up to 500 mA at 5V according to USB 2.0).

The charging electrodes and the circuit board antenna are preferably arranged on a circuit board. It is advantageous if the charging electrodes are arranged on one side and the circuit board antenna on the other side of the circuit board. The circuit board antenna, also called a printed antenna, is designed, for example, in such a way that it can be applied inexpensively in any form as a copper layer on a conventional circuit board. As a result, a compact component can be achieved, whereby space and thus costs can be saved. Alternatively, the charging electrodes and the circuit board antenna can be arranged on the same side of the circuit board. This results in an even simpler construction of the plug element. It is also possible to arrange the charging electrodes on both sides of the circuit board so that the plug-in element can be plugged into a USB socket or other corresponding charging socket in a user-friendly manner in all (both) orientations. This requires a logic that recognizes the positive and negative poles accordingly.

The circuit board antenna is also suitable for sending and receiving radio signals according to Bluetooth (according to IEEE 802.15.1), NFC (Near Field Communication), WLAN (according to IEEE 802.11), GSM, UMTS, LTE or another mobile data transmission standard.

The vibration generating part, the cable, the transition between the vibration generating part and the cable and the plug-in element are advantageously designed to be liquid-proof. Thus, not only the vibration generating part, which is inserted into a body opening, for example together with the vibration receiving part, but also the retrieval cord or the cable as well as the plug element satisfy the hygiene regulations that apply to such devices, e.g. IP67 (DIN EN 60528). The vibration generating part, cable and plug-in element can thus be cleaned with simple means and do not offer any openings into which liquid could penetrate in such a way that the function of the massage device is impaired.

It is preferred that the cable has two strands. In particular, it is advantageous that at least one cable harness is designed as a coaxial cable. This ensures that the high-frequency antenna signal is exposed to as few interference signals as possible and can be transmitted to the wireless data communication device in the interior of the housing of the vibration generating part in a sufficiently shielded manner. The influencing through the current flow due to the USB charging voltage source (direct voltage) is as low as possible.

With a further advantage, the vibration generating part is received in the opening of the vibration receiving part by means of a press fit. This ensures a sufficient holding function which is essentially hardly impaired by the vibrations of the vibration generating part. The massage device thus acts as a fixed unit during operation, but has a modular structure for cleaning or replacing the vibration receiving part.

The vibration receiving part is preferably made of silicone, TPE or another suitable thermoplastic material. These materials are not critical from a hygienic point of view and have a feel that is pleasant and therefore particularly suitable for use on or in the body.

The energy store and the vibration generating device are particularly advantageously arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the housing. This results in a space saving and at the same time the possibility of using inexpensive components. In a similar way, a circuit board which comprises the control device and the wireless data communication device can be arranged parallel to the energy store in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

Also according to the invention is a massage arrangement with a remote operating device and at least one massage device as described above, the remote operating device being suitable for controlling each of the at least one massage device (s) separately from one another or at least partially jointly. This means that more than one massage device according to the invention can be controlled with a remote operating device, which is preferably designed as a smartphone, and this optionally with different processes. For example, the application or app of a smartphone can control three massage devices, two of them with the same vibration program and one with a different vibration program.

The plug element preferably has a grip area on its surface. The grip area is formed in the vicinity of the end of the plug element on which the cable or the strand ends are connected to the plug element. This enables simple insertion and removal in and out of the charging socket. The grip area can be formed by corrugation or also a bulge on the surface of the plug element. Other useful configurations that do not affect the function of the plug-in element and the antenna element are also possible.

Plug element and / or cable can at least partially have a biocompatible plastic sheath. This protects the components such as the circuit board, antenna and the connection points to the cable harnesses, e.g. B. from corrosion. It is particularly preferred to apply the biocompatible plastic casing by means of injection molding. This creates an integrally formed plug-in element that offers as little surface area as possible for interference or machining from the outside.

The material for the plastic sheath and also the vibration generating part with the transition to the cable is preferably a thermoplastic material such as. B. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) or a comparable plastic with similar properties. These thermoplastic plastics are insensitive to commercially available lubricants and cleaning agents and are tasteless and odorless.

The material of the massage device is preferably UV-resistant, odorless and tasteless, it also being possible to use different colors.

The charging contacts of the plug element advantageously have a coating with a metal or a metal alloy, e.g. B. in the form of gilding with gold or a gold alloy or in the form of a refinement with another metal or a metal alloy.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer ersten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung der ersten bevorzugten Ausführungsform ohne das Vibrationsaufnahmeteil;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung ähnlich Fig. 2 ohne Gehäuse des Vibrationserzeugungsteils;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Steckelements mit daran angebrachtem Kabel der bevorzugten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung;

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf die Oberseite einer Leiterplatte des Steckelements einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung;

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf die Unterseite der Leiterplatte des Steckelements der bevorzugten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung;

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung; und

Fig. 8

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer dritten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Massagevorrichtung.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the massage device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a further perspective view of the first preferred embodiment without the vibration receiving part;

Fig. 3

a perspective view similar Fig. 2 without the housing of the vibration generating part;

Fig. 4

a perspective view of a plug element with attached cable of the preferred embodiment of the massage device according to the invention;

Fig. 5

a plan view of the top of a circuit board of the plug element of a preferred embodiment of the massage device according to the invention;

Fig. 6

a plan view of the underside of the circuit board of the plug element of the preferred embodiment of the massage device according to the invention;

Fig. 7

a perspective view of a second embodiment of the massage device according to the invention; and

Fig. 8

a perspective view of a third embodiment of the massage device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the massage device according to the invention. The massage device 1 has a substantially cylindrical vibration generating part which is shown in FIG Fig. 1 completely received in the vibration receiving part 10 and therefore not visible. At one end, the vibration generating part is connected to a plug-in element 9 via a cable 7, which in the embodiment shown is formed by two strands or wires.

In the Figs. 2 and 3 each part of the massage device according to the invention is shown, the vibration receiving part 10 being omitted. This is in Fig. 2 the vibration generating part 3 is visible, the housing 2 of which is essentially cylindrical and has a hemispherical end at one end. Exemplary dimensions for the housing 2 of the vibration generating part 3 are a length of approximately 50 mm to approximately 100 mm, in the embodiment shown here a length of 67 mm, and a thickness of approximately 10 mm to 20 mm in diameter, preferably 17 mm. The rounded tip is designed in such a way that the vibration generating part 3 can be easily introduced into the receptacle or opening of the vibration receiving part 10. The cables 7 and the plug-in element 9 are described below with reference to FIG Fig. 4 described in detail.

Fig. 3 shows similar to Fig. 2 the massage device according to the invention, the vibration receiving part 10 and the housing 3 being omitted. The vibration generating part 3 has in the (not in Fig. 3 shown) housing 2 on a receptacle or a housing frame 5, a vibration generating device 4, an energy store 6 and a circuit board or printed circuit board 8 with a control device and a wireless data communication device. These electrical components known to the person skilled in the art are correspondingly functionally coupled or electrically connected in the interior of the housing 2, as is generally known to the person skilled in the art. In the Fig. 3 visible components are usually from the in Fig. 3 Covered housing 2, not shown, which thus protects the internal components and is sealed liquid-tight at one end with a seal or an O-ring 14 to a cover. The housing 2 is usually slipped onto the end of the cover provided with the seal and glued to it. However, locking connections, threaded connections or other comparable connections are also conceivable. Normally, the connection is designed in such a way that it is not possible to simply detach the housing 2 from the cover with the cable passage. The passage of the cable 7 through the cover is also liquid-proof.

During operation, the vibration generating device 4 supplied by the energy store 6, for example an electric motor with an unbalance eccentrically seated on a shaft, ensures that the vibration generating part 3 is set into vibrations in response to signals from the control device. The control device on the circuit board 8 receives its control commands via the wireless data communication device also arranged on the circuit board 8, which is also supplied with power from the energy store 6 and from a remote operating device, for example a smartphone, a PC or a similar mobile operating platform with suitable radio signals Control is supplied. The control device can also have a data storage device for storing program sequences, which makes it possible to use the massage device to program and control with internally or externally created vibration sequences. In this case, the control signals are supplied from the data storage device. Direct control via the remote operating device is also possible.

The receptacle 5 is formed over the entire length of the vibration generating part 3, for example from a thermoplastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and has web-like projections on which the components, for. B. are attached by gluing, latching or clamping. In the embodiment shown, the elongated energy store 6 is arranged starting from the end near the cover. The vibration generating device 4 adjoins the end remote from the cover in the longitudinal direction. In the longitudinal direction parallel to the energy store 6, the circuit board 8 is arranged with a control device and wireless data communication device and optionally with a data storage device. This results in a particularly compact design of the vibration generating part, the geometry making it possible to use commercially available standard components produced in large numbers and to keep the adaptation to the structure of the receptacle or the housing frame 5 as low as possible.

So that the components inside the vibration generating part 3 are supplied with power or an antenna signal and can also send a signal to the outside, the vibration generating part is via a cable 7 which, in the embodiment shown, is formed by two strands or wires that are fed through pass through the housing cover sealed with the seal 14 in a liquid-tight manner, connected to a plug-in element 9.

With reference to Fig. 4 the plug element 9 is designed as a flat plug and has two charging electrodes 11 arranged parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction on its upper side, which are designed to be compatible with a USB-A connection. Except for the exposed charging electrodes 11, the plug-in element 9 is encapsulated with a sheath 15 made of a thermoplastic material, for example acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). The sheath 15 has on the top 13 on the side facing the cable 7 a grip area 17 which is formed as a bulge in the embodiment shown. The grip area 17 serves to be able to handle the plug-in element 9 better when it is inserted into a corresponding USB socket or when it is removed from it. Approximately in the middle of the top 13 of the plug element 9 is a elongated recess 16 visible, which stems from the fact that in the present embodiment the plug-in element 9 is manufactured by injection molding and the component must be held accordingly by a tool. The elongated recess 16 is not important for the vibration function, for loading or for controlling the massage device, but only for production.

The Figures 5 and 6 show a plan view of the top and bottom of the circuit board 21 with the two charging electrodes 11 and the circuit board antenna 23, which form the core of the plug element 9. Note that after applying the material for the charging electrodes 11 and the circuit board antenna 23 and after connecting the cable strands, the circuit board 21 is encapsulated by an injection molding process with a plastic sleeve and only then is the complete plug-in element 9 formed.

In Fig. 5 the top of the circuit board is shown, on which two charging electrodes are applied parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction. The dimensions, ie in particular the distance and the length of the two charging electrodes 11, are dimensioned so that the plug element 9 can be plugged into a corresponding USB socket for charging. The charging electrodes 11 are contacted with the connections of the two cable strands in the first recess 22 and the second recess 25. In the preferred embodiment, the cable 7 is formed in two strands, the first strand being a simple cable with a stranded wire is connected to the plus charging electrode, in Fig. 6 of the upper charging electrode 11. The second strand of the cable 7 is designed as a coaxial cable, the outer conductor in the second recess 25 being connected to the charging electrode 11 defined as a ground pole. The white dots in the left section of the ground electrode indicate the vias on the underside of the circuit board, as described below with reference to FIG Fig. 6 described.

Fig. 6 shows the underside of the circuit board 21, on which the circuit board antenna 23 is applied as a conductive layer in a known technique. Such a circuit board antenna is characterized by a compact design. In the invention, it is advantageous that the circuit board antenna 23 in the plug-in element 9 is located away from the printed circuit and the components of the wireless data communication device in the vibration generating part 3, because secondary excitations and thus disturbances due to the high-frequency properties of the circuit board antenna are considerably reduced.

The shape of the printed antenna tracks is optimized for good radiation characteristics, a high level of efficiency in receiving and transmitting, and a sufficient bandwidth. The circuit board antenna 23 is connected in the second recess 25 to a strand of the cable 7, specifically to the coaxial strand. The inner conductor of the coaxial cable, also called the core, is electrically connected, ie soldered, to the end face of the second recess 25 with the contact area 24 of the circuit board antenna 23. The outer conductor of the coaxial cable is electrically connected, ie soldered, to contact areas 26 of the antenna element 23 on the longitudinal sides of the second recess 25. It is also possible to establish the connection by gluing or by another suitable contacting technique. As in Fig. 6 it can be seen that in the first recess 22 of the circuit board 21 there is no connection between the stranded wire of the cable 7 and a conductor track printed on the underside.

With the aid of the coaxial cable, for example, the received or to be transmitted Bluetooth signal in the 2.4 GHz band can be transported to or away from the wireless data communication device. The wave resistance of the coaxial cable is dimensioned in such a way that optimal transmission and reception properties are guaranteed.

Instead of a printed circuit board antenna, other types and shapes of antenna can also be used, such as a linear antenna, a loop antenna or a slot antenna.

The Fig. 8 9 and 9 each show a perspective illustration of a second and third embodiment of the massage device according to the invention. Only the vibration receiving part 10 is designed differently in each case. The vibration generating part 3 is modularly formed as referring to FIG Figs. 2 and 3 described, ie the same vibration generating part 3 can be used for very different vibration receiving parts 10.

You can see that in Fig. 8 the vibration generating part 3 is completely received in the receptacle of the vibration receiving part 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the vibration generating part 3 is received in the receptacle of the vibration receiving part 10 in such a way that it is only partially surrounded by it. Usually the recording designed such that there is an interference fit in the receptacle. The outer diameter of the vibration generating part 3 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the receptacle of the vibration receiving part 10.

Since the vibration generating part 3 vibrates with the entire housing 2 when the function is switched on, the vibration is also essentially completely transmitted to the vibration receiving part 10.

The shape of the vibration receiving part 10 can, as shown in FIGS Fig. 8 9 and 9 can be designed very differently in order to be able to respond as diverse as possible to the wishes of customers for sex toys. Examples of such shapes are conventional female vibrator shapes in different lengths and thicknesses, with or without a clitoral stimulator attached to the side, smaller vibrator attachments that only surround about half or two thirds of the length of the vibration generating part 3, ring-like attachments, couple vibrators, male vibrators, penis ring attachments, Anal attachments and the like.

With the subject matter according to the invention, a remotely controllable massage device is provided which enables inexpensive production, a reliable liquid-proof function, a flexibly adaptable outer shape of the components transmitting the vibration, simple charging of the energy storage device and flexible control using current wireless data transmission technologies.

Claims (14)

1. Remote control massage device (1) suitable for massaging parts of the body with a vibration generating part (3) which comprises a housing (2), and a vibration generating device (4), an energy accumulator (6), a control device and a wireless data communications device all in the housing (2), wherein the vibration generating part (3) is connected to one end of a cable (7) and provided at its other end with a plug element (9) with two charging electrodes (11) for connecting to a charging device and to a conductor plate antenna (23) for transmitting and receiving radio signals from the wireless data communications device, characterised by a vibration receiving part (10) which has an opening for receiving the vibration generating part (3), wherein the vibration generating part (3) can be inserted into the opening of the vibration receiving part (10) and is enclosed in the received position at least in part by the vibration receiving part (10), wherein the vibration generating part (3) is configured as a modular element which is suitable for being detachably connected to the vibration receiving part (10) in order to form the remote control massage device (1).
2. Massage device (1) according to claim 1 characterised in that the plug element (9) is flat and that the charging electrodes (11) are designed as USB-compatible.
3. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the charging electrodes (11) and the conductor plate antenna (23) are arranged on a conductor plate (21).
4. Massage device (1) according to claim 3 characterised in that the charging electrodes (11) are arranged on one side of the conductor plate (21) and the conductor plate antenna (23) is arranged on the other side of the conductor plate (21) or alternatively on the same side of the conductor plate (21).
5. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the conductor plate antenna (23) is suitable for transmitting and receiving radio signals according to Bluetooth (according to IEEE 802.15.1), NFC (near field communication), WLAN (according to IEEE 802.11), GSM, UMTS, LTE or another mobile data transmission standard.
6. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the vibration generating part (3), the cable (7), the transmission between the vibration generating part (3) and the cable (7), as well as the plug element (9) have a watertight construction.
7. Massage device (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the cable (7) has two strands.
8. Massage device () according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the vibration generating part (3) is received in the opening of the vibration receiving part (10) through a press-fitting connection.
9. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the vibration receiving part (10) is made from silicon, TPE or another thermoplastic material.
10. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the energy accumulator (6) and the vibration generating device (4) are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the housing (2).
11. Massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a circuit board is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the housing (2) parallel to the energy accumulator (6) and encompasses the control device and the wireless data communications device.
12. Massage arrangement with a remote operating device and a massage device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the remote operating device is suitable for controlling the at least one massage device (1).
13. Massage arrangement with a remote operating device and a plurality of massage devices (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11 characterised in that the remote operating device is suitable for controlling each of the plurality of massage devices (1) separately from one another or at least partly jointly with one another.
14. Massage arrangement according to claim 12 or 13 characterised in that the remote operating device is a smartphone.

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