Students Gilron Tsabkevich COS, 2021 Justice Dixon MAE, 2020 Luqman Issah CBE, 2020 Project Description Our device was built from a jigsaw that we disassembled. The massage gun has a…
Gilron Tsabkevich
COS, 2021
Project Description
Our device was built from a jigsaw that we disassembled. The massage gun has a variable speed trigger that allows you to control the speed of the device. You can also detach and exchange the tips of the massage gun to achieve different types of muscle penetration and massage various muscles properly. Our device is more quiet compared to other more expensive models because we surrounded the motor and gears with an insulator to prevent sound from leaking out of the device. Finally, we used Creo 5.0 to create a smaller, more ergonomic, and aesthetically pleasing casing for the gears and motor of the massage gun.
Everyday, our bodies use the oxygen that we circulate throughout our bloodstream to generate energy through aerobic processes. However, during heavy and strenuous physical exercise, muscle cells require more energy than normal. As a result, muscle cells generate energy through anaerobic process. This can lead to the formation of a metabolic byproduct, lactic acid, in the muscle cells. The accumulation of lactic acid during exercise can bring about a burning sensation in the body and cause muscle soreness. Vigorous physical exercise can also cause microscopic damage to muscles, which can again lead to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle stiffness. In order to relieve muscle stiffness and accelerate recovery from DOMS, people have been developing massage techniques and devices for centuries. Massage therapies, such as deep tissue massages and the shiatsu massage, usually rely on applying pressure to certain points on the body or layers of muscle and tissues underneath the skin. Massage devices usually rely on vibrations to relax stiff or sore muscles that develop from overly contracted or tense muscles. However, getting a massage can take time and some massage devices are very expensive and bulky. Our project, on the other had, is relatively inexpensive compared to other massage devices. It also effectively relaxes muscle through vibrations and provides pressure to muscles deep underneath the skin like most massage therapies.
Jason Brummitt, “The Role of Massage in Sports Performance and Rehabilitation: Current Evidence and Future Direction”, 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953308/
Our first task was fabricating percussion heads for the massage gun. For our first tip, we drilled a hole into a lacrosse ball and attached a removable drill bit into it. This allowed us to attach this tip to our massage gun. Then, after conducting research on optimal tip shape and design for various therapeutic methods, we used Creo 5.0 to model the shapes of three other tips. We also consulted an athletic trainer and tweaked a few aspects of the tip design before we printed them using a 3D printer. The dimensions and shapes of our tips are given in the part schematic. Once the tip were printed we drilled holes into one of the surfaces of the tip and epoxied a detachable drill bit to the tips so that we could attach them to our device.
With the percussion heads completed, we moved on to designing a new casing for the gun. We began by process by completely disassembling a jigsaw. We then inspected it to understand how it works, which components were necessary, and how it can safely and effectively be modified. We deduced that the circuit can operate without the LED and the fan, so those were removed from the mechanism. From there we used calipers to precisely measure the dimensions of the motor, gear, trigger, and battery. These parts (minus the battery) were then converted into 3D models using Creo 5.0. Since the battery doesn’t experience any external forces like the other components do, it was could be idealized as a box.
Using these dimensions, a new casing for the massage gun was drafted using Creo. To prevent any assembly issues, we gave a – 0.1” tolerance to most dimensions. This process took most of the semester, since we had to ensure that all the designs had enough room for both the electrical components and the insulation foam. If there was too much room, the parts would rattle; causing more noise and potentially damaging the 3D plastic. If there was too little room, the components wouldn’t fit inside the print. To expedite the printing process, the casing was cut into a left and right half, and then top and bottom parts for a total for four parts. Since the battery has to be removed for charging, a separate battery box was designed to snugly fit below the handle. As evident in the CAD file, we chose not to include the final screw holes in the print to save time.
Once the CAD files were printed, the 0.25’ holes were drilled in the appropriate spots. Before installing any of the electrical components, the soundproofing foam was added for better noise insulation. After installing the remaining components, the device was assembled and tested to ensure that it met our goals.
The final product was more compact and lighter that the original design (2.9 lbs vs 4.6 lbs). Although the prints did fail in a few areas (as evident by frizzy strands of plastic where a smooth surface should be), it did not affect the structural integrity of the device. To prevent the device from falling apart due to the intense vibrations from the motor, lock-nuts were chosen over regular nuts. The device is also slightly quieter than the original design. This is most likely due to the insulation and the thicker casing used in our design. There was some wiggle room in the trigger during original testing, but it didn’t cause any operational issues. This concern was nevertheless addressed by adding extra insulation behind the trigger. Any tolerance issues were addressed by filing down a few areas of the casing.
After testing the device and heads, we can confirm that we met the goals we set out to accomplish. The new massage tips offer a more versatile therapy experience, while the new device offers a quieter, lighter experience.
