[0001]    This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) from Taiwan patent application Ser. No. 92208910, filed on May 15, 2003 in the Taiwanese Intellectual Property Office.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a floating massage pad structure, more particularly a massage pad having a plurality of massage protrusions which float under normal conditions to give the sense of touching the acupunctural points before the massage process, and to provide a multi-directional massage during the massage process as well as a caressing effect afterward. This invention can also be applied to shoes, providing looser fastening to the shoes for more comfortable wear.  
           [0004]    2. Background of the Invention  
           [0005]    Please refer to FIG. 1 for the prior-art design disclosed in R.O.C. Patent Publication No. 265537, comprising a cylindrical body  20  disposed at the bottom of a sole, the cylindrical body  20  having a massage pillar  10  rotationally coupled to the cylindrical body  20  for vertically adjusting its height in order to adjust the magnitude and evenness of the pressure in contact with the acupunctural points on the sole of the foot.  
           [0006]    Please refer to FIG. 2 for the structure of the prior-art sole-massaging shoes disclosed in R.O.C. Patent Publication No. 271550, comprising an insole  30  with a wooden surface made according to the geometric curvature of the sole of a human body; a meshed sole  40  disposed on the surface of the wooden insole  30 ; a plurality of spherical protrusions disposed on the wooden insole  30  and passing through the meshed sole  40  to provide a massage to the wearer&#39;s sole during walking.  
           [0007]    Please refer to FIG. 3 for the massaging sole disclosed in R.O.C. Patent Publication No. 307791, comprising a sole  60 , a plurality of holes on the surface for letting the massage protrusions  50  pass through, and a filling stuffed inside massage protrusion  50  for support, where the filling could be made of a magnetic or far infrared material, wherein the far infrared material is built-in and the action surface is isolated by the massage protrusions. As a result, this blocks the far infrared and theoretically provides a reduced effect.  
           [0008]    Please refer to FIG. 4 for the massaging sole disclosed in the R.O.C. Patent Publication No. 510219, comprising a thin plate with a plurality of holes; a fixture disposed under the thin plate; and a fixed massage member passing through the holes.  
           [0009]    As shown in the related massaging sole design of the prior art, the massage protrusions constitute a hard structure, and the binding force of the shoe has to be the same as regular shoes to allow the foot to wear the shoe with a binding force.  
           [0010]    Further, the hard massage protrusions will produce a depression on the tissue of the sole after a long time wearing of such shoes.  
           [0011]    Therefore, the present invention provides a floating massage protrusion. The arrangement of a plurality of the floating massage protrusions forms a soft touching pad with even pressure, similar to walking on a soft sponge surface, and gives a very soft and smooth feeling. Currently, enhancement for comparable new shoes generally uses air cushions as buffers. The air-cushioned shoes are used as jogging shoes or sport shoes, and not only provide a better bouncing effect to the human body, but also offer more comfortable wear for walking. The shoes include a binding force suited to the variation of elasticity of the pad of the air-cushion shoes. Therefore, when we lift up our leg and foot, the binding force of the shoe forms an appropriate binding force to wrap the sole by the reaction of the elasticity of the pad of the air-cushion shoes so that the sole and instep will not be bounded too tightly, but will provide a very comfortable wear instead. The present invention will accomplish the same comfortable effect when it is applied to shoes. Furthermore, since the massage protrusion is floating, the massage protrusion will be in contact with the wearer&#39;s skin surface before the massage actually takes place, and the sensation of such contact will be sent to the central nervous system. The central nervous system will inform the acupunctural points of where the massage will be given, and the wearer will be psychologically prepared to take the massage. Such psychological preparation will affect the pain of the massage. When the massage stops, it will provide a caressing effect to the skin surface at the acupunctural points, which can psychologically comfort the wearer.  
           [0012]    Since the massage protrusion is in the floating state, the user receiving the massage will receive the massage from different angles achieved by simulating the rubbing movements.  
           [0013]    Of course, if the present invention is applied to the cushion of a chair, it also can accomplish the aforementioned psychological massaging and caressing effects and the practical functions in the process when a sitter changes his/her sitting position.  
         SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0014]    The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pad having a plurality of massage protrusions in its lining, the massage protrusions forming a structure in a floating state under normal conditions; a plurality of floating chambers being disposed within the surface of the pad for supporting the massage protrusions and limiting the range of their activity; an opposing member disposed under each of the massage protrusion; and a pair of repulsive magnetic members respectively disposed on each of the massage protrusions and its corresponding opposing member for keeping the massage protrusions in the state of floating under normal conditions by means of the repulsive magnetism, and providing the magnetic lines to the blood flowing through the related acupunctural points for magnetic treatment.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0016]    FIGS.  1  to  4  are illustrative diagrams of the structure of massage pads according to the prior art.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of the construction of a massage protrusion and its corresponding opposing member according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a side-view diagram of the assembly of the massage protrusion and its corresponding opposing member according to the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-section diagram of an assembled pad according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is an illustrative diagram of the action of the massage protrusion with respect to the pad according to the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is an illustrative diagram of the floating state related to the massage protrusion and its corresponding opposing member according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional diagram of the massage protrusion and a joint member according to the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional diagram of an elbow joint of the massage protrusion according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is an illustrative diagram of the floating massage pad being applied to shoes according to the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 13 is an illustrative diagram of additional decoration on the surface of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 14 is an illustrative diagram of the floating massage pad being applied to chairs according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    Please refer to FIG. 5 for a detailed illustration of the present invention, which comprises a mushroom-shaped massage protrusion  1 ; an inner circular body  15  formed at a root section  14 ; an upper hemispherical body  12  connected to a neck section  13 ; a magnetic member  11  in the massage protrusion  1  being installed into an inner hole  130  at the neck section  13 ; an opposing member  2  disposed under the corresponding massage protrusion  1 , and the upper end of the opposing member being an outer circular body  22 , similarly having an inner hole  220  in the lining to embed a magnetic member  21 .  
         [0028]    Please refer to FIG. 6. When the massage protrusion  1  is connected with its corresponding opposing member  2 , the two magnetic members  11 ,  21  repel each other. The inner circular body  15  is formed at the root section with its lower end supported by the exterior of the outer circular body  22  disposed on the opposing member  2 . The massage protrusion  1  and the opposing member  2  can be made of a ceramic material. In the manufacturing process, a far infrared converting material such as feldspar, magnesium oxide, or zirconium oxide can be added to achieve sintering and form an integral body. Other materials can be used so that the surface of the upper hemispherical body  12  of the massage protrusion  1  at least forms a far infrared converting layer  120 . The converting layer  120  provides direct body heat absorption during the massage process, and radiates the heat in the opposite direction at the blood capillaries of the acupunctural points and to stimulate the blood. The wavelength can be synchronized to a wavelength acceptable by the human body that produces a resonance with the electrons within the cells. The energy of its vibration will be amplified to stimulate the blood. The magnetic member  11  also will form magnetic field lines that have a magnetic effect for the blood capillaries adjacent to the acupunctural points.  
         [0029]    Please refer to FIG. 7. When the assembled massage protrusion  1  is placed into a floating chamber  35  of the pad  3 , wherein the pad  3  comprises a mat  31 , a middle lining  32 , and a pad plate  33 ; preferably, a slip-resistant layer  34  is added at the bottom of the pad  3 . The pad plate  33  can be made of a harder material, while the mat  31  and the middle lining  32  can be made of a softer material to provide elastic deformation, so that the restoration of such elastic deformation can produce the effect of raising the massage protrusion  1 .  
         [0030]    When the floating massage pad of the present invention is not stepped on, the repulsion between the mutually repelling magnetic members  11 ,  21 , respectively disposed on the massage protrusion  1  and its corresponding opposing member  2 , keeps the massage protrusion in a floating state. Further, the massage protrusion is restricted by the floating chamber  35  to prevent it from being separated from the pad.  
         [0031]    Please refer to FIG. 8. The massage protrusion  1  is movably coupled to a through hole  37  on the pad  3  by the neck section  13 , and is connected to an inner circular body  15  disposed at the root section  14  of the bottom of the massage protrusion  1 , so that the massage protrusion  1  will not fall out, but can move vertically in the floating chamber  35 . When the massage protrusion  1  receives pressure and presses down onto the isolated opposing member  2 , which is disposed under the massage protrusion  1  and is supported on the pad plate  33 , the pressure will be transmitted to the pad plate  33 . The slip-resistant layer  34  can be made of an elastic material to increase the elastic effect, which will provide a softer feel when the user walks on the pad and also makes it easier to bend the pad. As shown in the lower section of the figure, the massage protrusion  1  is moved to a deflection angle θ due to an external force F, and the center of the deflection angle θ resides at the intersection of its axis at the top of the outer circular body  22 . The pivoting connection is formed by the movement of the inner circular body  15  provided in the massage protrusion  1  and the related cylindrical surface of the outer circular body  22 , and which is in contact with an opening  16  to provide a limiting point to limit the movement.  
         [0032]    Further, during any movement, pressure from the neck section  13  is exerted on the surface of the inner circular surface of the through hole  37  in the mat  31 , such that the through hole  37  deforms. When such force is exerted in an aslant direction, the action will push the massage protrusion to produce a movement, with the horizontal component force F 1  acting to push for the horizontal movement and the vertical component force F 2  acting to move the massage protrusion on the opposing member  2 . After the massage protrusion recovers from the deformation movement produced by the action F, it is erected in an upright position.  
         [0033]    Please refer to FIG. 9. As an alternative to the repulsion generated by the magnetic members between the massage protrusion  1  and the opposing member  2 , an elastic tension component  4  disposed in the inner hole  130  of the neck section  13  and on the upper end of the outer circular body  22  of the corresponding opposing member  2  can also keep the massage protrusion in the floating state. Further, a magnetic member  110  having the effect of physical treatment can be installed at the upper hemisphere of the massage protrusion  1 .  
         [0034]    Please refer to FIG. 10 for another embodiment the present invention. To further facilitate the assembling and assure the mechanical strength of the massage protrusion, a joint  5  can be installed in an opposite direction in the floating chamber  35  of the pad  3 . The joint  5  also has an inner circular body  51  and a magnetic member  21  to provide the joint connection with the corresponding outer circular body  18 . A magnetic member  11  is also disposed in the corresponding outer circular body  18  of the massage protrusion  1 , such that the massage protrusion  1  is kept in the floating state by the magnetic repulsion.  
         [0035]    Please refer to FIG. 11 for the present invention, where the whole massage protrusion  1  is kept in the floating state. By means of an elastic pad, a magnetic member  110  with the effect of physical treatment can be installed at the upper section of the massage protrusion  1 , and a joint socket  62  is disposed at the lower section, such that the joint socket  62  is movably disposed in the joint head  61  of the opposing member  2 . An elastic pad  6  is installed at the bottom of the opposing member  2  and integrally installed in the floating chamber  35 , and the range of activity for the massage protrusion  1  is also limited by the through hole  37  on the pad  3 .  
         [0036]    Please refer to FIG. 12 for the present invention being applied to a shoe  7 . If the present invention is applied on the sole, then its surface has a set of massage protrusions  1  corresponding to the acupunctural points of the human body. The size of the massage protrusions can be varied according to the area of the acupunctural point. A vamp  71  is placed in front of the shoe body  7 , and the vamp  71  includes an inner vamp  73  and an outer vamp  72  mutually connected by a buckle  74 ,  75  to adjust the size of the vamp to wrap around the sole of the foot.  
         [0037]    Please refer to FIG. 13 for the present invention. After the massage protrusion  1  is assembled onto the upper surface of the pad  3 , an isolating layer  36  is used to isolate and prevent water vapor and dust, or even provide a disinfecting effect. The implementation of such isolating layer requires an appropriately reserved space for the range of movement of the massage protrusion  1  in order to provide the space for the movement of the massage protrusion  1 .  
         [0038]    Further, an attachment interface  8  of a buckle can be installed under the pad  3 . The attachment interface  8  can be applied to the cushion or the surface of the back of a chair  6  as shown in FIG. 14 to attach the pad  3  onto the surface of the cushion or the back of the chair  6 . Such attachment interface  8  can be attached by means of an adhesive layer or a gluing layer.
The present invention discloses a floating massage pad structure having several messaging protrusions which normally float under to facilitate the rubbing and message made by the massage pad structure, comprising a flexible pad, a plurality of floating chambers in some portions within the surface that provide a plurality of mushroom-shaped massage protrusions; an opposing member disposed below the massage protrusion; a pair of repulsive magnetic members respectively disposed on the massage protrusion and the corresponding opposing member, such that the repulsion of the magnetic members makes the massage protrusions float under normal conditions, giving a sense of touching our skin before the massage, providing a multi-directional massage during the massage, and having a caressing effect after the massage.