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Massage Therapy Rollers

September 13, 2022 Brush DC Motors
Massage Therapy Rollers

Lymphedema, or swelling resulting from excess fluid in the body’s soft tissue, is an illness that can be treated through lymphatic drainage massage. This gentle massage utilizes handheld devices equipped with independently driven rollers to stimulate lymph drainage and reducing the swelling. Driven by brush DC motors, the rollers come in an assortment of sizes to accommodate the varying body areas requiring massage.

A leading European device manufacturer approached Portescap to develop a selection of motors to power their next generation massage rollers. As with any handheld device, the motors needed to be compact, power dense and efficient. Additionally, the new motor designs required a 1,500 hour lifetime and had to be compatible with previous roller designs for potential retrofits.

The customer required a very quick turnaround for motor development – under 18 months. Portescap was able to meet the provided deadline given its experience with previous medical hand tool applications, and the team leveraged its industry knowledge in the design of the Athlonix™ 17DCT brush DC motor. Seven customized motor versions were created for the massage rollers, with all sharing a majority of components for cost optimization. Portescap’s R&D team also developed a custom planetary gearbox to enhance motor power and achieve the target requirements.

17DCT Brush DC Motor

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Highlights
  • Energy-efficient coreless design
  • Low motor heating
  • 1,500 hour lifetime
  • Custom-made gearbox design