PARTNER TOY HAVING MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS

Abstract

An apparatus for sexual stimulation, having a massage body configured to contact the body of a user, the massage body being surrounded at least in part by a silicone casing. The apparatus includes a vibratory drive in the massage body for causing the massage body to vibrate, a control unit for controlling the vibratory drive, and an energy source for providing electrical energy to the vibratory drive and the control unit. The control unit is adapted for receiving signals or determining data representing a distance from a transmitter partner toy. The control unit is further adapted for controlling the vibratory drive as a function of the distance.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising: a massage body configured to contact a body of a user; a silicone casing surrounding at least a portion of the massage body; a vibratory drive in the massage body configured to vibrate the massage body; a controller configured to transmit signals to the vibratory drive to control the vibratory drive; and a power source configured to provide electrical energy to the vibratory drive and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals representing a distance of the massage body from a transmitter device, and is further configured to control the vibratory drive as a function of the distance.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensor in electronic communication with the controller and configured to capture a distance from the transmitter apparatus and to provide signals representing the captured distance to the controller.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a change in the distance over time and to control the vibratory drive as a function of the change in the distance over time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibratory drive further comprises: at least one coil element; and at least one displaceably guided ferromagnetic core disposed coaxial to the coil element, the core having a mass m1 and the apparatus having a mass m2, wherein a mass ratio m1:m2 is in the range from 1:100 to 1:3.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is configured to continuously capture the distance.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to discretely control the vibratory drive as a function of the distance.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to control an intensity of the generated vibration of the vibratory drive based on the distance.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller includes a memory having a plurality of pre-stored vibration profiles.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to select a predetermined vibration profile as a function of the distance and to activate the vibratory drive to output the selected vibration profile.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a Hall-effect sensor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the massage body is U-shaped and includes a first and a second leg, wherein the first leg configured to be inserted into a vagina of a user, and the second leg is configured to press externally in a region of a pubic bone.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the vibratory drive is disposed within the first leg and the sensor is disposed within the second leg.

13. A system, comprising: a transmitter apparatus including a transmitter device; and a receiver apparatus, including: a massage body configured to contact a body of a user; a silicone casing surrounding at least a portion of the massage body; a vibratory drive in the massage body and configured to vibrate the massage body; a controller configured to transmit signals to the vibratory drive to control the vibratory drive; and a power source configured to provide electrical energy to the vibratory drive and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals representing a distance from the receiver apparatus to the transmitter apparatus, and is further configured to control the vibratory drive as a function of the distance.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the transmitter apparatus includes a magnetic core.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the transmitter apparatus includes a transmitter housing with the transmitter device at least partially enclosed in the transmitter housing.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the transmitter housing has an annular shape.

17. A method for controlling an apparatus, comprising: determining a distance between the apparatus and a corresponding transmitter apparatus; and controlling a vibratory drive of the apparatus as a function of the determined distance between the apparatus and the transmitter apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein controlling the vibratory drive includes capturing a distance between the apparatus and the transmitter apparatus with a sensor and transmitting the captured distance to a controller configured to activate the vibratory drive based, at least in part, on the captured distance.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising: determining, via the controller, a change in the distance over time between the apparatus and the transmitter apparatus; and controlling the vibratory drive, via the controller, as a function of the change in the distance over time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention result from the below description of the preferred embodiments and from the drawings, which show:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system comprising a receiver partner toy and a transmitter partner toy;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a transmitter partner toy according to a first embodiment example;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a transmitter partner toy according to a second embodiment example; and

[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a receiver partner toy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 first schematically shows a system 1 having a transmitter partner toy 2 and a receiver partner toy 3. The transmitter partner toy 2 and the receiver partner toy 3 are spaced apart at a variable distance D in the present embodiment example.

[0042] The transmitter partner toy 2 according to the present embodiment example comprises a transmitter device 4 provided for emitting electromagnetic radiation or magnetic radiation 5. The transmitter device 4 is disposed within a housing 6 enclosing the transmitter device 4. The housing 6 can be made of a plastic material or a silicone material or both. Plastic housings at least partially, preferably completely surrounded by a silicone material are preferred, for example.

[0043] In the schematic view shown in FIG. 1, the transmitter partner toy 2 further comprises an energy source 8 and a transmitter partner toy control unit 10. The latter two elements are necessary only if the transmitter device 4 requires electrical energy for operating. The transmitter device 4 can also be made exclusively of magnets (cf. in FIG. 2) requiring no electrical power for operating. In this case, neither the energy source 8 nor the transmitter partner toy controller 10 are necessary.

[0044] In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 1, the controller can be implemented as an RFID chip, as a Bluetooth transmitter, or the like, for example.

[0045] The receiver partner toy 3 also comprises a housing 12, potentially also made of silicone material or surrounded by the same. The housing then forms the massage body. A silicone casing 14 completely enclosing the housing 12 is shown in FIG. 1. It can also be provided that the silicone casing 14 does not completely enclose the housing, particularly exposing in the region of the charging points 16a, 16b. It can thus be provided that the receiver partner toy 3 is provided only for being partially inserted in the vagina, or placed on the body, but not entirely. In this case, the segment inserted into the vagina is preferably surrounded by the silicone casing 14, while another segment for handling is exposed.

[0046] The silicone material of the silicone casing 14 is preferably a medical silicone. Said material preferably has a SHORE A hardness in the range of 20-60. It can also be provided that the silicone casing 14 itself comprises various segments having various silicone materials or has various wall thicknesses. It is preferable, for example, that a tendentially lower SHORE hardness and a greater wall thickness is used for a receiver partner toy for inserting, while for receiver partner toys 3 intended only for placing on the body, for example in the region of the clitoris, a higher SHORE hardness and a lower wall thickness are preferred.

[0047] The receiver partner toy 3 further comprises a vibratory drive 18 in the massage body 12 for causing the massage body 12 to vibrate, A control unit 20 for controlling the vibratory drive 18 is further provided. The control unit 20 is connected to the vibratory drive 18 by means of an electrical line 21 in order to transmit corresponding signals to the vibratory drive 18. The receiver partner toy 3 further comprises an energy source 22 implemented in the present embodiment example as a rechargeable battery. The energy source is particularly implemented as a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The energy source 22 is connected to the charging points 16a, 16b for charging the energy source 22. The energy source 22 is connected to the vibratory drive 18 by means of an electrical line 23 and the energy source is connected to the control unit 20 by means of an electrical line 24.

[0048] In the present embodiment example, the receiver partner toy 3 further comprises a sensor unit 26. The sensor unit 26 can comprise a plurality of sensors, such as a Hall-effect sensor, a receiver for radio-frequency radiation of an RFID chip, a Bluetooth receiver, an acceleration sensor, a temperature sensor, an infrared sensor, a gyroscope, a 3D magnetic field sensor, a WiFi receiver, a near-field chip, or the like.

[0049] The control unit 20 is connected to the sensor unit 26 by means of a signal line 27. The sensor unit 26 is further optionally connected to the energy source 22 by means of an electrical line 28.

[0050] The sensor unit 26 is provided for capturing the electromagnetic or magnetic waves 5 and for determining the distance D on the basis of the captured waves 5. The sensor unit 26 then provides corresponding signals by means of the line 27 to a control unit 20 controlling the vibratory drive 18 as a function of the distance D.

[0051] In alternative embodiments, it is also possible that the transmitter partner toy 2 determines the distance D and then wirelessly transmits the same directly to the control unit 20 of the receiver partner toy 3, for example. For this case, the sensor unit 26 is not necessary. The transmitter partner toy control unit 10 would determine the distance D for the present case.

[0052] The control unit 20 can be provided for controlling the vibratory drive 18 at a small distance D such that a high intensity, that is, a high amplitude and/or high frequency, is achieved. The control unit 20 preferably comprises a memory in which one or more functions are stored, representing a relationship between the distance D and a vibration to be controlled by means of the vibratory drive 18. Said functions need not necessarily be linear, but can also be second, third, or fourth degree or exponential functions. Said functions can comprise various maxima. It is also possible to discretely select a fixed vibration as a function of a distance, comprising a fixed amplitude and a fixed frequency.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a particularly simple embodiment of a transmitter partner toy 2. The transmitter partner toy 2 comprises a housing 6 and a transmitter device 4 made of a plurality of neodymium magnets 30 in the present embodiment example. The housing 6 corresponds to a penis ring and is made of a silicone material. The silicone material is preferably medical silicone material having a SHORE A hardness in the range of 20-60. The neodymium magnets 30 are completely incorporated in the silicone material of the housing 6 and have a diameter DN in the range of 3-8 mm and a length LN in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm. In the present embodiment example, five neodymium magnets 30 are shown, even though a total of more can be provided. At least four are preferably provided, approximately equally distributed about the circumference of the housing 6. The neodymium magnets 30 in the present embodiment example have a concrete diameter of 6 mm and a length of 10 mm.

[0054] FIG. 3 illustrates a somewhat more complex embodiment of a transmitter partner toy 2. The transmitter partner toy 2 according to the present second embodiment example (FIG. 3) comprises a transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32. The transmitter partner toy 2 is thereby also able to generate vibrations. The transmitter partner toy 2 according to the second embodiment example is suitable for inserting, for example. In this manner, particularly for same-sex sexual activity, stimulation is possible in a particular manner.

[0055] This is a substantial difference form the first embodiment example (FIG. 2). The transmitter partner toy in turn comprises a housing 6 substantially completely surrounded by a silicone casing 34 in the present embodiment example. An energy source 8, a transmitter partner toy control unit 10, and a transmitter device 4 are disposed within the housing 6 (as already known from FIG. 1). The transmitter partner toy control unit 10 is further set up for controlling the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32 in the present embodiment example (FIG. 3). The transmitter partner toy control unit 10 is preferably set up for controlling the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32 as a function of the distance D. To this end, the transmitter partner toy control unit 10 can have a transmitter partner toy sensor unit implemented for matching with the sensor unit 26 of the receiver partner toy. Alternatively, it can also be provided that the receiver partner toy 3 wirelessly transmits the determined distance D to the transmitter partner toy 2, so that the transmitter partner toy control unit 10 can control the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32 as a function of the distance D. It is also possible that the control unit 20 of the receiver partner toy 3 wirelessly transmits control signals to the transmitter partner toy control unit 10, said unit then controlling the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32 accordingly.

[0056] The transmitter partner toy 2 shown in FIG. 3 can also be used as a receiver partner toy. One single resulting design difference is that instead of the transmitter device 4, a sensor unit 26 is provided. Otherwise there are no design differences.

[0057] The receiver partner toy 3 according to the second embodiment example (FIG. 3) is substantially crescent-shaped or eggplant-shaped and tapers down in the region of the housing 6. The segment of the silicone casing 34 in which the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32 is present serves for inserting into a bodily orifice, such as the vagina or other bodily orifice. The housing 6 achieves reinforcement, such that the region in the housing 6 can be used particularly suitably as a handle. It should be understood that control elements such as control buttons and the like can also be provided on the housing 6. Such control buttons particularly comprise an on/off button and program selection buttons and various programs for controlling the transmitter partner toy vibratory drive 32.

[0058] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment example of a receiver partner toy 3. The receiver partner toy 3 shown therein comprises a substantially U-shaped configuration having a first leg 40 and a second leg 42 connected to each other by means of a connecting segment 44. The connecting segment 44 is flexible, while the first and second legs 40 and 42 can be fixed in shape. The first leg 40 is provided for being inserted into a vagina and the second leg 42 is provided for pressing in the region of the clitoris or in the region of the pubic bone.

[0059] A housing 46 is provided in the second leg 42 and encloses part of the electronic components of the receiver partner toy 3. The housing 46 is implemented as a plastic housing made of two housing half shells. The control unit 20, the energy source 22, and the sensor unit 26 are present within the housing 46. Said three elements can be provided together on one circuit board.

[0060] The sensor unit 26 in the present embodiment example comprises both a Hall-effect sensor 48 and a receiver for RFID chips or near-field chips 50, in case the transmitter partner toy 2 comprises an RFID chip or a near-field chip instead of the neodymium magnets 30. The receiver partner toy 3 can thus be operated in various transmitter partner toys 2.

[0061] The vibratory drive 18 in the present embodiment example (cf. FIG. 4) is not implemented as a simple vibratory drive, but rather as what is known as a pulsator drive. Said drive comprises a coil element 52 and a displaceably guided ferromagnetic core 54 disposed parallel or coaxial to the coil element 52. The core 54 is displaceable along the axis A. To this end, the vibratory drive 18 comprises a sleeve or tube 56 provided with stop magnets or the like at the ends thereof in order to prevent the magnetic core 54 from coming out or striking. The ferro magnetic core 54 comprises a mass m1, the mass ratio m1 to m2 thereof to the overall mass m2 of the receiver partner toy 3 being in a range from 1:100 to 1:3. The concrete ratio in the present embodiment example according to FIG. 4 is in the range of 1:5 to 1:10.

[0062] As previously described with respect to FIG. 1, a signal line 23 is provided for transmitting control signals from the control unit 20 to the vibratory drive 18.

[0063] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

[0064] These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.