Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-15
2001-04-10
Yu, Mickey (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C601S155000, C601S125000, C601S123000, C601S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213964
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to body massaging devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hydromechanical massaging device which combines a hydraulic massager component and a mechanical massager component that are detachable one from the other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many massaging devices, for home or physiotherapeutic use, are well known in the art. These devices could be roughly classified in one of three groups: mechanical, hydraulic, and the combination of mechanical and hydraulic, or hydromechanical.
Mechanical massaging devices effect massage by the use of mechanical elements coming into contact with the body. Mechanical massagers are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,007, French Patents Nos. 2 480 118, 2 596 983, 2 598 726, and Great Britain Patent Specification No. 1 534 013. Generally, mechanical massaging devices have wheels, rollers or spheres, the outer circumferential surface of which is provided with a wide variety of relief shapes and protrusions. Mechanical massagers effect stimulation of the body part by mechanical “rolling” against the part of the body to be massaged. Specifically, the massager is pressed against the body and maneuvered or rolled over the portion of the body to be massaged. The shape and location of the protrusions on the outer surface of the device function to stimulate the skin and muscles of the body, thereby serving to relieve tension. A vibratory component may also be provided to further stimulate the body.
Hydraulic massaging devices in the prior art use water as the working medium to stimulate the body. Prior art hydraulic massagers are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,530,852, 3,528,411 and 4,441,488. Hydraulic massagers generally have more intricate structure and components than do mechanical massagers and incorporate pulsating jet streams. Hydraulic massagers are essentially shower head devices that attach directly to a shower hose, usually by screwing the massager directly to a nut on the end of the hose.
Hydromechanical massaging devices are a combination of both the mechanical/vibrating massagers and the hydraulic massagers. Hydromechanical devices are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,239,409 and 4,139,001, German Patent No. 2 238 563 and French Patent No. 2 501 503. These prior art hydromechanical massaging devices are generally constructed as shower attachments having massaging components, such as a brush or fingers. Heretofore, however, these devices have failed to combine a solid massaging surface providing a rolling action over the body with a hydraulic massaging component centrally located with respect to the mechanical component or components so that the body part being massaged is treated to the mechanical rolling action and the hydraulic action simultaneously. Further, in the prior art hydromechanical devices, the mechanical element of the massaging device is inseparable from the hydraulic element of the massaging device. Consequently, the user cannot independently use either the hydraulic element or the mechanical element without the other being present. In addition, the entire hydromechanical massager must be replaced when either the mechanical portion or the hydraulic portion needs replacing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In contrast, the present invention is a hand-held hydromechanical massaging device which has two integrated components formed primarily from molded plastic that are detachable from one another. The first component is a hydraulic component that effects massage with water. The hydraulic component can be hooked up with an existing home water supply, such as a shower hose or the like. The hydraulic component has an arm which carries the water to a spray chamber in the form of a transverse cylinder having a series of openings forming spray nozzles. In the preferred embodiments, a turbine having a rotor and blades is mounted within the cylinder to provide a pulsating water stream. The incoming water strikes the rotor, causing the turbine and blades to alternately close and open the nozzle openings, thus providing the pulsating water jets.
The second component of the massager of the present invention is a mechanical component that is used for rolling mechanical massaging. The mechanical portion includes a plastic body having a pair of front rollers on a common front axle, a centrally mounted rear roller, and a handle at the front end of the body extending outwardly and backwardly. Each front roller is preferably mounted on the ends of the front axle by a universal joint connection, such as a ball joint. The ball joint fastened to the ends of the front axle movably supports corresponding semi-spherical shells positioned on the inside of each front roller. The arrangement of the front and rear rollers provides for easy movement of the massager over the curved parts of the body.
A plurality of rounded protrusions or knobs, preferably in the shape of truncated or semi-spherical studs, are located on annular elements mounted about the circumference of each of the rollers. Preferably, the annular elements are interchangeable and can have any desired surface configuration and body feel. For instance, the annular elements may have surfaces which are coarse or fine, hard or soft, or in the form of a brush or the like, depending on the feel to be imparted to the body being massaged.
The hydraulic component removably attaches to the mechanical component at a position preferably between the front and rear rollers in the middle of the massager body. As such, the hydraulic component emits its pulsating water jets between the front and rear rollers to hydraulically massage the body. At the same time, the rollers are mechanically pressed against the skin and the subcutaneous tissue to provide mechanical massaging of the body simultaneously to the same body part receiving the hydraulic action. It is believed that the positioning of the hydraulic pulsating water jets longitudinally between the front and rear massaging rollers permits the user to focus pulsating warm water jets between mechanical rollers and thereby enhance the hydraulic and mechanical massaging action of the combined components.
The hydraulic component is fastened to the mechanical component preferably by tooth-like members provided on the body of the massager. The handle extends over the attached hydraulic component and is used to control the movement of the massager. The massager is easy to handle, well-shaped and capable of stimulating circulation, removing toxins, breaking-up layers of fat, relieving stress and the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a massager having both a mechanical component and a hydraulic component which together function to massage the body part with a rolling mechanical massaging action and a hydraulic massaging action.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hydromechanical massaging device in which the hydraulic massaging action is centrally located between two mechanical massaging components so that the body part being massaged feels simultaneous mechanical and hydraulic massaging action.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydromechanical massaging device in which the mechanical massaging action is provided by rolling surfaces that can be easily pressed against the body and rolled over the portion of the body to be massaged, while at the same time providing hydraulic massaging action to the same body part.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hydromechanical massager having a hydraulic component that is easily separable from the mechanical component for separate use or replacement.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a hydromechanical massaging device capable of operating effectively in any position even when the device is held in a vertical position or upside down.
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide a structure in which different mechanical massaging
Pesovic Predrag P.
Pesovic Vojin
Jacobson Price Holman & Stern PLLC
Koo Benjamin
Yu Mickey
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