Portable body massager

1 . A body massager comprising:

a longitudinal housing having an external contact surface for receiving a portion of a body of a user;

a longitudinal guide mounted in the housing;

a carriage oriented in the housing and cooperating with the guide for limited longitudinal translation in the housing along the guide;

a motor supported upon the carriage, the motor having a motor output shaft driven thereby, the motor output shaft being operably coupled to the housing to translate the carriage along the guide; and

at least a pair of transversely spaced massage members, each being supported by the carriage for rotation about an axis, the massage member axes being transversely spaced apart for providing a kneading massage effect.

2 . The body massager of claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation of each of the at least a pair of massage members is generally perpendicular to the housing contact surface.

3 . The body massager of claim 1 wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis and the axis of rotation of each of the at least a pair of massage members is generally perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the housing and a transverse axis of the housing.

4 . The body massager of claim 1 wherein the at least a pair of massage members are each operably driven by the motor output shaft for rotation relative to the carriage to impart a rotary kneading massage effect to the user.

5 . The body massager of claim 1 wherein each of the at least a pair of massage members further comprises at least three massage nodes that are not coaxial with the axis of rotation of the corresponding massage member.

6 . The body massager of claim 5 wherein the at least three massage nodes of each of the at least a pair of massage members, extend from the carriage at varying distances.

7 . The body massager of claim 5 wherein at least two of the at least three massage nodes of the at least a pair of massage members, are axially translatable relative to the carriage between an extended position and a retracted position.

8 . The body massager of claim 7 wherein each of the at least two axially translatable massage nodes of each of the at least a pair of massage members further comprise a spring for biasing the at least two axially translatable massage nodes towards the extended position.

9 . A body massager comprising:

a housing:

a carriage oriented within the housing for linear translation within the housing;

a motor mounted to the carriage and operably connected to the housing for translating the carriage within the housing; and

a pair of transversely spaced massage members mounted to the carriage for extending from the housing, the massage members being operably driven by the motor for imparting a kneading massage effect to a user as the massage members and carriage translate relative to the housing.

10 . A portable body massager sized to be received and supported by a conventional chair, the massager comprising:

a portable housing sized to be received and supported by a backrest of the conventional chair, the housing having a longitudinal axis and an external contact surface for receiving a portion of a body of a user;

a longitudinal guide mounted in the housing;

a carriage oriented in the housing and cooperating with the guide for limited longitudinal translation in the housing along the guide;

a motor supported upon the carriage, the motor having a motor output shaft driven thereby, the motor output shaft being operably coupled to the housing to translate the carriage along the guide;

at least a pair of massage members transversely spaced about the longitudinal axis, each of the at least a pair of massage members being supported by the carriage for rotation relative to the carriage, the at least a pair of massage members extending out of the housing through an aperture formed through the body contacting surface for imparting a massage effect upon the portion of the user's body as the carriage is translated relative to the housing;

a gear mounted to and driven by the motor output shaft;

at least a pair of pinion gears rotatably mounted to the carriage and operably driven by the output gear; and

a pair of longitudinal gear racks affixed to the housing, each engaged with one of the at least a pair of pinion gears such that rotation of the at least a pair of pinion gears translates the carriage along the guide.

11 . The body massager of claim 10 further comprising a pair of rollers rotatably connected to the carriage, each in operable engagement with a bearing surface of one of the pair of gear racks for providing bearing support to the carriage.

12 . The body massager of claim 10 wherein the carriage includes a pair of longitudinal keyways formed therethrough with one of the pair of gear racks disposed through each keyway for providing lateral support to the carriage.

13 . The body massager of claim 10 further comprising:

at least a pair of limit switches oriented within the housing to be actuated by the carriage at positions along the guide for providing a signal indicative of carriage orientation; and

a controller in communication with the at least a pair of limit switches for reversing rotation of the motor in response to a signal from one of the at least a pair of limit switches for consequently reversing translation of the carriage along the guide, wherein the controller returns the carriage to a start position upon completion of a massage operation.

14 . The body massager of claim 10 wherein each massage member is operably connected to and driven by the motor output shaft for providing a rotary massage effect to the user.

15 . The body massager of claim 10 wherein the output gear further comprises a worm, and the body massager further comprises at least a pair of worm gears engaged to the worm.

16 . The body massager of claim 15 wherein the at least a pair of worm gears are each coupled to one of the at least a pair of massage members for imparting rotation from the motor output shaft to the at least a pair of massage members.

17 . The body massager of claim 15 wherein at least one of the at least a pair of worm gears operably drives the at least a pair of pinion gears.

18 . The body massager of claim 15 further comprising a spur gear coupled to one of the at least a pair of worm gears for rotation therewith.

19 . The body massager of claim 18 further comprising:

a first reduction gear engaged with and driven by the spur gear;

a second spur gear coupled to the first reduction gear for rotation with the first reduction gear;

a second reduction gear engaged with and driven by the second spur gear; and

a third spur gear coupled to the second reduction gear for rotation with the second reduction gear, wherein one of the at least a pair pinion gears is engaged to and driven by the third spur gear.

20 . The body massager of claim 19 further comprising a fourth spur gear engaged to and driven by the third spur gear, wherein another of the at least a pair of pinion gears is engaged to and driven by the fourth spur gear.