Massage machine

Abstract

The invention provides a massage machine comprising a massage unit which itself can be pushed out relative to a backrest to thereby enable therapeutic fingers to be pushed out by a great amount. The massage machine comprises a backrest ( 12 ) provided on a chair for the person to be massaged to sit in, and a massage unit ( 20 ) reciprocatingly movable upward and downward longitudinally of the backrest ( 12 ) and having a pair of therapeutic fingers ( 30 ), ( 30 ) projecting from the backrest ( 12 ). The machine further comprises a pushing-out mechanism ( 60 ) for moving the massage unit ( 20 ) forward or rearward relative to the backrest ( 12 ).

1 . A massage machine comprising a backrest provided on a chair for the person to be massaged to sit in, and a massage unit reciprocatingly movable upward and downward longitudinally of the backrest and having a pair of therapeutic fingers projecting from the backrest, 
 the massage machine being characterized in that the machine comprises a pushing-out mechanism for moving the massage unit forward or rearward relative to the backrest.    
     
     
         2 . The massage machine according to  claim 1  wherein the pushing-out mechanism tilts the massage unit to thereby tilt the therapeutic fingers.  
     
     
         3 . The massage machine according to  claim 1  wherein the pushing-out mechanism comprises a crank mechanism.  
     
     
         4 . The massage machine according to  claim 3  wherein the backrest is provided inside thereof with guide rails along the backrest, and the massage unit is provided at upper and lower portions thereof with respective rollers fitting in each of the guide rails, one pair of upper or lower rollers being movable forward or rearward by the crank mechanism relative to the massage unit to thereby tilt the massage unit.  
     
     
         5 . The massage machine according to  claim 4  wherein the crank mechanism comprises crankpins rotatably carrying the rollers thereon, and a crankshaft supporting the crankpins in an eccentric position, and the rollers are moved forward or rearward relative to the massage unit by rotating the crankshaft to thereby tilt the massage unit.  
     
     
         6 . The massage machine according to  claim 5  wherein the massage unit comprises a nut movable upward or downward within the massage unit by the thrust of a screw, and the nut is connected to the crankshaft by a link mechanism comprising a link and a link piece for converting the upward or downward movement of the nut to the rotation of the crankshaft to thereby move the rollers forward or rearward relative to the massage unit and tilt the massage unit.  
     
     
         7 . The massage machine according to  claim 5  which comprises pushing-out sensor means for detecting the amount of pushing-out of the massage unit, and the sensor means measures the angle of rotation of the crankshaft to thereby detect the amount of pushing-out of the massage unit.  
     
     
         8 . The massage machine according to  claim 6  which comprises pushing-out sensor means for detecting the amount of pushing-out of the massage unit, and the sensor means measures the angle of rotation of the crankshaft or the link piece to thereby detect the amount of pushing-out of the massage unit.