More particularly the invention relates to a one-man heated massage cabin for enhancing fat burning and detoxification and purification of the body while assuring physical and mental relaxation. Such a device can be used, for example, in beauty saloons, cosmetics, fitness studios or thermal baths.

The combined effect of heat and massage is well known from the state of the art. The massage enhances the blood circulation while the heat expands the blood vessels this initiates fat burning and quickens the natural detoxification procedures of the body. Applying an aromatherapy at the same has a purifying effect on the skin by helping toxic materials escape through the pores of the skin.

The massage also allows the tired and overworked muscles to relax.

Heat cabins known from the art are often used for loosing weight. These cabins are often made of wood and may be adapted for one-man use or they can be designed to accommodate more people at the same time. The disadvantage of this type of cabins is that the head of the person is also inside the heated space of the cabin, which makes breathing difficult and thus the lungs and airways can become overcharged. Some one-man cabins are relatively small, which can be uncomfortable for people having a considerable overweight or for those having a tendency for claustrophobia.

The massage cabins described in US patents 4,565, 188 (Hardie), 4,884, 574 (Hardie et. al.) and 5,101, 809 are designed to accommodate the body of the treated person leaving the head free. All three cabins have a lying surface

arranged in the inner space of the cabin. When the treated person is lying on said surface his or her head is sticking out of the cabin and by means of a ventilator air is directed on the head at about the level of the ears. This however is not too advantageous since the ears might easily catch a cold. Another disadvantage of these inventions is that heating is assured by using ventilators to blow hot air inside the cabin. Consequently both producing costs and operating costs are relatively high. Moreover the hot air current has negative physiological effects in comparison with radiating heat as the air current has a side effect of reducing heats sensation felt by the person and thereby making the treatment less efficient.

Furthermore the air current dries up the sweat whereby the transuded toxins can re-infiltrate into the skin.

Certain types of known heated cabins are equipped with heat radiating means, however these radiating means are localised and do not provide an even heating within the whole of the cabin, which leads to unwanted cooler zones. The known heat radiating means are moreover expensive and their installation and use is complicated.

The aim of the invention is to provide a heated massage cabin for overcoming the above-mentioned problems. To achieve this, the massage cabin according to the invention is equipped with an infra radiating heating foil and the efficiency can be further enhanced by using built-in heat refracting and heat insulating layers.

The object of the invention is therefore a heated massage cabin having a bottom part and an upper part and a cavity between said two parts adapted for receiving a person, and having shaking means arranged in said cavity for massaging said person, wherein a radiating foil heating element is affixed to the bottom part and/or to the upper part of the massage cabin.

The massage cabin according to the invention can be used comfortably even by large persons due to the spacious design of the cavity.

The cabin is designed in such a way so as to assure stability even in an open position.

Advantageously a bed portion is arranged inside the cavity and a bed sponge is arranged on the bed portion, and the foil heating element is arranged between the sponge and the bed portion and on the inside of the upper part. This

allows the person lying on the bed portion to receive heat from all sides unlike the cabins known from the state of the art.

The foil heating element is preferably a dense heating fabric with capacitive heating portions equipped with heat sensors. The foil heating element is arranged so as to irradiate the entire cavity which means that the person lying inside the cavity receives the heat radiation from an angle of 360 degrees. The temperature control of the massage cabin can be effectuated by means of the heat sensors provided on the capacitive heating portions and also by heat sensors arranged in the inner space of the cavity. The heat sensors are monitored by a built in computer or microcontroller or similar, which controls the heating avoiding overheating or temperature decrease within the cavity.

The shaking means of a preferred embodiment consists of a motor adjoined to an eccentric disk via a V-belt for shaking said bed portion. The motor drives the eccentric disk via the V-belt so as to protect the axial bearing of the motor. The tightness of the V-belt is assured by means of a roll-headed straining arm.

Advantageously the bed portion is supported by resilient elements, preferably silicone springs, for creating a wave like motion of the bed portion. A part of the bed portion is shaken periodically, which motion is transmitted by the silicone springs and thus a massaging effect is achieved. Using many resilient elements has the advantage that the weight of the person is evenly distributed along the bed portion even when the person is sitting in an upright position (for example when getting ready to lie down or to get up again after the treatment has finished) and thus the resilient elements do not cause any uncomfortable pressing.

Small rubber balls have been used for similar purposes however those were likely to move away from their intended position. To avoid unwanted displacement, the resilient elements of the present invention are silicone springs abutting the bed portion and having large base surfaces.

According to a preferred embodiment a dispensing roll and a collecting roll is arranged at the opposite ends of said bed portion and a sanitary foil can be wound from the dispensing roll to the collecting roll over at least part of bed portion. This sanitary foil covering at leas part of the bed portion provides better hygiene than the conventional disinfecting products, which are sprayed on the

lying surfaces of similar devices for cleaning it with a towel or sponge.

Advantageously the clean portion of the sanitary foil is pulled automatically across the bed portion after each treatment. Both rolls have a bearing support so as to allow smooth and silent rotational operation. At the end of each day the collecting roll can be removed for disposing of the used-up sanitary foil. The dispensing roll can be replaced when empty. The collecting roll is preferably covered by a roll cover so as to hide the used foil.

Another preferred embodiment has means for spraying aromatic products, especially essential oils and ottar, into the cavity from one or more aroma bottles.

Preferably the spraying means consists of a motor-driven piston cooperating with a nozzle of said aroma bottle. The invention offers an environmental friendly solution by spraying the aromatic product into the cavity via a pump-design without propellants. The motion of the pistons is brought about by electromagnets and the amount to be sprayed into the cavity can be determined by a central control system.

Preferably an opening is provided in the massage cabin for the head of the person to be accommodated in said cavity and a ventilator and air guiding means are also provided to direct air towards the forehead of the person. Cooling the forehead is advantageous because this is the part of the head sweating most intensively. Preferably the guiding means consists of a ventilator cover and one or more air channel (s).

According to a preferred embodiment the massage cabin is equipped with a music playing device and light emitting means. The music and light effects help the treated person to relax. The music playing device can be for example an MP3 player or it can be a device for playing any other music files in a computer readable format. A built-in computer or microcontroller can store the music files, which can be viewed and selected via an operating board having display means, for example a liquid-crystal display. The walls supporting the loudspeakers are designed to assure an optimal acoustic effect.

An operating board, display board and switches are provided on the massage cabin for controlling the operation of the treatment (temperature, time, <BR> <BR> type of aromatic product, music, ventilation intensity, etc. ). These controlling means may be handled by a trained assistant or by the person to be treated.

Further details of the invention will be illustrated by means of figures and exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the heated massage cabin according to the invention in a closed position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the massage cabin in an open position and without a bed portion.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the switches of the massage cabin.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the massage cabin in an open position and with a bed portion.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the massage motor of the massage cabin.

Fig 6 shows a front view of a part of the inside of the massage cabin.

Fig. 7 is a view of a part of the upper part of the massage cabin.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view from the back of the massage cabin in a closed position.

Fig. 9 is another cross-sectional view of the massage cabin.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of one of the silicone springs of the massage cabin.

Fig. 11 is a back plan view of the massage cabin with a broken section showing the hinges and the air springs.

Fig. 12 is a side plan view of the massage cabin in a closed position.

Fig. 13 is a front plan view of the massage cabin in a closed position.

Fig. 14 is a back plan view of the massage cabin in a closed position.

Fig. 1 shows the cross-sectional view of a possible embodiment of the heated massage cabin 1 according to the invention in a closed position. The massage cabin consists of a bottom part 2 and an upper part 3 and a cavity 4 is formed between said two parts 2,3, which is adapted for receiving a person. In this cavity 4 a bed portion 6 is arranged on the bottom part 2 and is supported by elastic means, such as silicone springs 5. The lower side of the bed portion 6 is in connection with suitable shaking means 7, while the upper side is covered by a bed sponge 8. A foil heating element 9 is provided between the bed portion 6 and the bed sponge 8 and also on the inner side of the upper part 3 as can be seen from Fig. 1. This foil heating element 9 is a dense heating fabric with capacitive

heating portions equipped with heat sensors. The inner side of the 3 upper part is covered by a heat refracting and heat insulating layer 10 underneath the foil heating element 9 the later being separated from the cavity 4 by a heating covering 11.

A sanitary foil dispensing roll 12 and a collecting roll 13 is arranged at the opposite ends of the bed portion 6 and a sanitary foil is spread over at least part of bed portion 6, which sanitary foil can be wound from the dispensing roll 12 to the collecting roll 13. The rolls 12,13 are arranged on rollers 14 and the collecting roll 13 is driven by a foil winding motor (not shown). The collecting roll 13 is covered by a roll cover 15.

According to this embodiment means for spraying aromatic products, especially essential oils or ottar, into the cavity 4 are arranged on the inside wall of the upper part 3. The essential oils are stored in suitable bottles 16, which are affixed to a mounting wall 17. The spraying means of this embodiment is a pump like device consisting of the aroma bottles 16 and motor driven pistons 17 arranged above them. A motor cover 19 facing the cavity 4 protects the pistons 18.

A ventilator cover 20 can be seen on the outer side of the upper part 3, which is designed to guide the airflow created by a ventilator 21 across one or more air channels 22 towards a side opening 23 of the upper part 3. The head of the person lying inside the cabin 1 can stick out through this opening 23, leaving the head of the person free. Advantageously the side walls of the opening 23 are designed in such a way as to provide an acoustic space the two sides thereof being equipped with loudspeakers 24.

The ventilator cover can furthermore contain the operating board 25 of the massage cabin 1.

An electric box 27 having a protecting lid 28 and containing a central electric panel 26 is arranged in the bottom part 2.

One or more hinges 29 are provided at one end of the bottom part 2 in order to allow opening of the massage cabin 1 by lifting up the upper part 3 and tilting it around said hinges 29.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the massage cabin 1 without the bed portion 6 and in an open position, which means that the upper part 3 is in a tilted position relative to the bottom part 2. The silicone springs 5 can be well observed

on the inner side of the bottom part 2, arranged around the electric box 27. The sanitary foil winding motor 30 (winding the foil from the dispensing roll 12 onto the collecting roll 13) can be seen as well, which can be activated by a sanitary foil winding button 31 situated on the inner wall of the bottom part 2.

The bottom part 2 is furthermore provided with one or more elastic bellows 32 underneath the bed portion 6 and one or more elastic cones 33 near the hinges 29.

Operating switches 34 are provided on the inside of the side wall of the bottom part 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The switches 34 can be seen in more detail in Fig. 3. The operating switches 34 can include switches for controlling the ventilation provided by the ventilator 21 and the vibration of the bed portion 6 caused by the underlying shaking means 7 and/or it may include buttons and switches for operating a music playing device.

Fig. 4 is also a perspective side view of the massage cabin 1 in an open position but with the bed portion 6 in it's place.

Fig. 5 shows a side view of the shaking means 7 of the bed portion 6 of the massage cabin 1. The shaking means 7 comprises a massage motor 35, a V- belt pulley 36 coaxially rotating with the motor 35 and having a ribbed V-belt. The shaking means 7 also comprises an eccentric disk 38 driven by the V-belt, which provides for the vibrating or shaking motion of the bed portion 6. The V-belt is in connection with a roll headed straining arm 39. The shaking means 7 is mounted on a base plane 40, which is arranged within the bottom part 2 underneath the bed portion 6.

Fig 6 is a front view of a mounting wall 17 inside the massage cabin 1 and shows the position of the aroma bottles 16 and the motor driven pistons 18 mounted thereupon. The bottles 16 have nozzles 41 at their heads, which are periodically pressed down by the pistons 18 mounted above them so as to activate the nozzles 41 and allow the aromatic product contained in the bottles 16 to be sprayed into the cavity 4 of the massage cabin 1.

Fig. 7 shows a view of the operating board 25 of the massage cabin 1.

The operating board 25 according to this embodiment is arranged on the ventilator cover 20 of the upper part 3, above the air channels 21. The operating board 25 contains among other features a music board 43 for choosing the music to be

played by the music device and a display 42 (possibly a liquid crystal display). The music device of the massage cabin 1 can be advantageously suitable for playing MP3 format.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view from the back of the massage cabin 1 in a closed position, while Fig. 9 is another cross-sectional view taken at another position of the massage cabin 1. It can be observed in both figures that a rubber seal is provided between the bottom part 2 and the upper part 3 for thermally insulating the heated cavity 4. It can be clearly seen from Fig. 9 that the heat radiation coming from the foil heating elements 9 arranged on the inside of the upper part 3 and underneath the bed sponge 8 provides a complete heat surround, that is, a 360 degree heat surround for the person lying inside the massage cabin 1. This is particularly important for assuring an even heating and thereby causing an even sweating of the person.

Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of one of the silicone springs 5 of the massage cabin 1. The silicone springs 5 are found in appropriate nests 2 of the bottom part 2.

Fig. 11 is a back plan view of the massage cabin 1 with a broken section showing the hinges 29 and air springs 46 allowing the lifting up of the upper part 3 so as to open the massage cabin 1.

Fig. 12,13 and 14 are different plan views of the massage cabin 1 in a closed position showing it from the side, from the front and from the back. The only new element shown in these figures is a display board 47 above the head opening 23 for the displaying the present operational state of the massage cabin 1.

When using the massage cabin 1 of the invention first the different options like the required temperature, the shaking intensity of the bed portion 6, and the music to be played during the treatment is set using the operating board 25 and/or by means of the switches 34. In the open state of the massage cabin 1 (the upper part 3 being lifted up) the person to be treated can lie down on the bed portion 6 inside the massage cabin 1 after which the upper part 3 is closed down covering the body of the person while his or her head stays free sticking out of the head opening 23. As the treatment starts the foil heating elements 9 heat up the cavity 4 of the massage cabin 1. Advantageously the foil heating elements 9 emit infra

radiation for heating up the cavity 4, this effect is further more enhanced by the heat refracting and insulating layer 10 covering the inside of the upper part 3.

The shaking or vibrating motion of the bed portion 6 is caused by the shaking means 7. The V-belt pulley 36 is axially rotated by the motor 35 of the shaking means 7. This rotational motion is transferred to the eccentric disk 38 via the V-belt, which, due to its eccentric design, causes a periodical up-down motion of the part of the bed portion 6 in connection with the eccentric disk 38, the momentarily deflection corresponding to the distance of the circumferential edge of the eccentric disk 38 from its fixed rotational axis. The shaking motion of the part of the bed portion 6 oscillated by the eccentric disk 38 is spread out and transmitted to the whole of the bed portion 6 by the silicone springs 5 and due to the mechanical damping this produces the required wave like motion leading to a massage-effect.

To insure further efficiency and comfort the treatment is combined with aromatherapy and relaxing music-therapy. After closing down the upper part 3 the loudspeakers 24 arranged on the side walls of the head opening 23 become level with the ears of the person lying in the massage cabin 1, and during the treatment the person can listen to a pre-chosen music via the loudspeakers 24. The walls of the opening 24 are designed so as to assure an optimal acoustical effect.

Essential oils are sprayed periodically into the cavity 4 of the massage cabin 1 from the bottles 16 by means of the nozzles 41 which are periodically pressed down and thereby activated by the motor driven pistons 18.

After the treatment is finished and the person has left the massage cabin 1 the sanitary foil winding motor 30 is activated via the foil winding button 31. The motor brings the collecting roll 13 arranged on the rollers 14 into motion and thus the collecting roll 13 starts rotating along its axis thereby pulling the used sanitary foil across the bed sponge 8 and unwinding and spreading out a clean foil portion from the dispensing roll 12. After having pulled across the bed sponge 8 a sufficient length of the sanitary foil so as to leave only unused, clean foil over the bed sponge 8, the foil winding motor 30 stops and the foil loosens somewhat between the two rolls 12,13. Following this operation a new treatment can be started. It is understood that this way of changing the sanitary foil is only possible while there are still sufficient length of sanitary foil left on the dispensing roll 12,

after that the dispensing roll 12 must be replaced by a new one and the used-up sanitary foil on the collecting roll 13 can be disposed of.

The foil heating element 9 according to the present invention has several advantages: it is easy to incorporate in the massage cabin 1 and assures a more even heating effect than the known air blowing heaters.

The above-described embodiment is intended only as an illustrating example and is not to be considered as limiting the invention. Various modifications will be apparent to a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection determined by the attached claims.