The present disclosure relates to self-operated body massaging devices and more particularly to devices adapted for the treatment of an individual limbs, such as legs and arms as well as other muscles and tendons in the body.
In the field of physical therapy self-operated body massaging devices have been known to be adapted for the treatment of wrists and arms affected by carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and repetitive strain and overuse injuries and for the treatment of muscular anomalies of the elbows, thighs, calves, feet, neck, fingers, and shoulders.
However, most self-operated massaging devices are hand-held massagers that do not provide for any stabilizing support and therefore cannot apply any substantial amount of controllable therapeutic pressure on the ailing muscle or tendon. Other automatic massaging devices driven by electric motors are not capable of reacting to a sudden pain felt by the user, and, therefore can inflict a great deal of unnecessary suffering before the user can turn off the device as the massaging heads reach a particular sensitive spot. Other manual massage devices are set at specific points and do not have the capability for the user to adjust pressure in real time immediacy.
There is therefore a need for a simple and inexpensive, yet effective self-operated (or hand-operated) body massaging apparatus which can be firmly stabilized and applied under the user's own motions without risk of inflicting undue pain or discomfort and offers unlimited control of all vectors, angles and pressure in order for the user to be in constant and immediate control for the user to change any variables easily.
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more implementations in order to provide a basic understanding of some implementations. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated implementations, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all implementations nor delineate the scope of any or all implementations. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more implementations in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
According to one feature, a body massaging apparatus is provided. The message apparatus includes a first arm, having a first arm upper end and a first arm lower end, the first arm lower end having a pair of elongated members extending outward therefrom and separated by a channel, each of the elongated members in the pair of elongated members having a slotted guideway; a second arm having a second arm upper end and a second arm lower end, the second arm lower end having a securing member adapted to be received in a pair of depressions formed in the slotted guideway of the each of the elongated members in the pair of elongated members, where the second arm is rotatable in relation to the first arm; a first massaging member secured within a medial section of the first arm; a second massaging member secured within a medial section of the second arm; and a latching mechanism having a rotatable member with a cavity and a tab extending outwardly from the rotatable member, the latching member operable between an open position and a closed position; wherein when in the open position, a shaft of the second massaging member is removable from the second arm.
According to an aspect, the body massaging apparatus further comprises a first handle integrally connected to, and extending perpendicularly outward from, the first arm upper end; and a second handle integrally connected to, and extending perpendicularly outward from, the second arm upper end.
According to another aspect, the body massaging apparatus further comprising an extension handle adapted for securing to the first and/or second longitudinal handles.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the extension handle comprises: an elongated member; a body member, the body member integrally connected to the elongated member; a longitudinal first leg extending perpendicularly outward from the body member; a longitudinal second leg extending perpendicularly outward from the body member, the longitudinal first leg is parallel to the longitudinal second leg; and wherein each of the of the longitudinal first and second legs comprises a plurality of openings adapted to fit over the first and/or second handles.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the slotted guideway includes a lower surface, having a plurality of depressions, and an upper surface where the upper and lower surfaces are separated by a distance.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the distance is adapted to receive the securing member.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the securing member is hollow.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the slotted guideway a last opening in the slotted gateway is oval shaped and larger than the remaining openings in the slotted gateway.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the oval shaped opening allows the second arm to be rotated downward and slid out of the slotted gateway.
According to yet another aspect, the body massaging apparatus further comprises a stopper adapted to be received into the hollow securing member for securing the second arm in the body massaging apparatus.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the second arm comprises: an outer surface; an inner surface having separated by and integrally connected to an inner wall, the inner surface having a second massaging member cavity adapted to receive the second massaging member.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the outer surface has a continuous arcuate shape; and wherein the inner surface includes an upper portion, a medial portion and a lower portion where the medial portion is integrally connected between the upper portion and the lower portion.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the medial portion is connected to the upper portion by the latching mechanism.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the second massaging member includes an elongated shaft extending through the second massaging apparatus, the shaft having an upper end and an opposing lower end.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the lower end of the shaft is adapted to be received in a shaft opening located in a lower portion of the second arm.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the upper end of the shaft is adapted to be received in the cavity of the latching mechanism.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the tab on the latching mechanism is rotated covering the cavity and locking the upper end of the shaft in the latching mechanism.
According to yet another aspect, wherein the tab extends outwardly from the latching mechanism.
According to yet another aspect, wherein rotating the tab to expose the cavity allows the second massaging member to be replaced with a different massaging member.
The features, nature, and advantages of the present aspects may become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout.
In the following description, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.
Overview
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a body massaging apparatus. The body massager apparatus is a hand-operated, body-massaging apparatus for the preventive or remedial treatment of muscular disorders and more specifically for the treatment of muscles and tendons in the wrists, arms, legs as well as other parts of the body. The apparatus is in the form of a simple, yet efficient device that allows for stable and easily controllable application of rolling pressure to the affected area.
These and other valuable objects are achieved by a self-operated apparatus body massaging apparatus comprising two arms (for example clamping arms) joined about a base, which can be placed on any surface and positioned to any desired orientation. The arms are adjustable relative to each other, providing for use with varying sized body parts. Support and/or massage members installed in a face-to-face arrangement in medial sections of the arms can be brought to work against body parts while the free upper ends of the arms are held together with the free hand of a user. The apparatus may be adapted for massaging body parts of a user affected by repetitive strain injuries, including but not limited to tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Flexible massaging members may be mounted on or secured within opposite medial sections of the arms. One or more of the arms may include a latching mechanism operable between an open position and a closed position. When in the open position, the user can remove the massaging member and when in the closed position, the massaging member is secured in place.
A body part may be placed between the two arms of the device to be acted upon by the massaging members, whereby the body part is adjustably clamped between the pair of massaging members and massaged by translating and rotating movements of the body part along an axis perpendicular to the mounting axes of the massaging members.
Alternatively, the free upper ends of the arms may be held in close proximity to each other, for example by the free hand of the user. The apparatus may compress the body part from opposite sides to enhance blood and lymph circulation through muscle tissue. An extension handle may be utilized in connection with a handle of one of the arms to allow the arms to create a larger opening while still allowing user to hold the handles of both arms together with one hand.
Body Massaging Apparatus
As shown, the body massaging apparatus 100 may include a first arm 102, having a first arm upper end 102a and a first arm lower end 102b, and a second arm 104, having a second arm upper end 104a and a second arm lower end 104b. The first and second arms 102, 104 may be maintained in an adjustable relationship to each other. That is, the first and second arms 102, 104 may be set by the user at various discrete distances from each other to create a desired gap or space 101 between the first and second arms 102, 104 by moving or rotating one or both of the arms along an axis perpendicular to mounting axes of the massaging member. The size of the gap 101 is adjustable so that the gap can be adapted to receive and accommodate a body part to which the body massaging apparatus 100 is being used on. (See
A first handle 116 may be integrally connected to, and extend perpendicularly outward from, the first arm upper end 102a and a second handle 118 may be integrally connected to, and extend perpendicularly outward from, the second arm upper end 104a. Although the first and second handles 116, 118 are shown as having elongated tubular configurations, this is by way of example only and the first and second handles 116, 118 may utilize any configuration known in the art and may be solid instead of tubular.
The first arm lower end 102b may include a first elongated member 106 (See
Each of the first and second elongated members 106, 108 may have a generally rectangular configuration and include a slotted guideway 112 and 114, respectively, (See
The securing (or massaging) member 120 may be integrally connected to the second arm lower end 104b and adapted to be received within the slotted guideways 112, 114 each having a plurality of depressions on the lower surface. For example, the securing (or massaging) member 120 may be inserted into the slotted guideway 112, 114 of the first arm 102 and then aligned with one of the pairs of depressions (that is a depression from each of the slotted guideways 112, 114) to achieve a desired relative positioning of the first and second arms 102, 104. Next, the second arm 104 may be pivoted into a substantially parallel orientation to the first arm 102, causing the securing member 120 to engage with a pair of depressions and maintain the spacing of the arms 102, 104 as desired. As described above, a user may place a body part, such as a limb, between the two arms of the apparatus (See
According to one aspect, a base 122 may be integrally connected to the bottom surfaces of the slotted guideways 112 and 114 at the first arm lower end 102b. The base 122 may have an arcuate shape according to one example. The base 122 may be made of, or covered with, a high-stick, non-skid material, so that the body massaging apparatus 100, when placed on a surface, remains substantially in place during use. The base 122 of the body massaging apparatus 100 may also be used as a handle to support the position and movement of the body massaging apparatus 100, for example, when the body massaging apparatus 100 is used on a leg (rather than moving the leg through a stationary device, the body massaging apparatus 100 is moved over the stationary leg). In this example, the user's other hand grasps the first and second handles 116, 118 to regulate pressure being applied to the leg.
The first arm 102 may have an outer surface 102c and an inner surface 102d separated by and integrally connected, to an inner wall 102e of the first arm 102. According to one aspect, the thickness of the inner wall 102e may be smaller than the widths of the outer and inner surfaces 102c, 102d forming a ridge or lip 103 allowing for a user to easily grasp the first arm 102. The inner surface 102d may have a first opening or cavity 124 adapted or configured to receive a first securing (or massaging member) 126a. According to one example, the outer surface 102c of the first arm 102 may have a generally continuous arcuate shape while the inner surface 102d may include an upper portion 102d1, a medial portion 102d2 and a lower portion 102d3 where the medial portion 102d2 is integrally connected between the upper portion 102d1 and the lower portion 102d3. The medial portion 102d2 may be connected to the upper portion 102d1 by an upper edge portion 102d4 and the lower portion 102d3 by a lower edge portion. According to one example, the upper edge portion 102d4 and the lower edge portion 102d5 may extend substantially perpendicularly outward from the upper and lower ends of the medial portion 102d2 creating or forming the first cavity 124 in the first arm 102. Although all portions 102d1-102d3 are shown having an arcuate shape, this is by way of example only. The upper portion 102d1 and the lower portion 102d3 are located within a first vertical plane and the medial portion 102d2 is located within a second vertical plane where the first vertical plane is different than the second vertical plane.
According to one aspect, the upper edge portion 102d4 of the inner surface 102d of the first arm 102 may include a first aperture 128a and the lower edge portion 102d5 of the inner surface 102d of the first arm 102 may include a second aperture 128b. The first massaging member 126a may include a roller, for example, secured or mounted to a substantially rigid shaft 130 adapted or configured to be received within the first and second apertures 128a, 128b securing the first massaging member 126a to the first arm 102. Alternatively, the shaft 130 may be made from any flexible material known in the art. The first massaging member 126a may be rotatable by the roller rotating around the shaft 130 or the shaft 130 being rotatable when secured within the first and second apertures 128a, 128b. The roller may be formed of any type of material known in the art such as foam, rubber or plastic.
The second arm 104 may have an outer surface 104c and an inner surface 104d separated by and integrally connected to an inner wall 104e. According to one aspect, the thickness of the inner wall 104e may be smaller than the widths of the outer and inner surfaces 104c, 104d forming a ridge or lip 105 allowing for a user to easily grasp the second arm 104. The inner surface 104d of the second arm may have a second opening or cavity 132 adapted or configured to receive a second massaging member 126b. According to one example, the outer surface 104c may have a generally continuous arcuate shape while the inner surface 104d may include an upper portion 104d1, a medial portion 104d2 and a lower portion 104d3 where the medial portion 104d2 is integrally connected between the upper portion 104d1 and the lower portion 104d3. The medial portion 104d2 may be connected to the upper portion 104d1 by a latching mechanism 107. The latching mechanism 107 may include a rotatable member having a cavity 107a adapted to removable receive a first end of a shaft 131 of a second massaging apparatus 126b, the second end of the shaft 131 may be removable received in and opening 135 in a lower edge portion 104d5 of the second arm 104 as described in more detail below. The latching mechanism 107 may further include a tab 107b extending outwardly from the rotatable member. The tab 107b allows for a user to easily rotate the rotatable member to expose the cavity 107a so the user can pull out the shaft 131 of the second massaging member 126 and replace with a different type of massaging member, such as massaging member 126c in
According to one example, an upper edge portion 104d4 and the lower edge portion 104d5 may extend substantially perpendicularly outward from the medial portion 104d2 creating or forming the second cavity 130 in the second arm 104. Although all portions 104d1-104d3 are shown having an arcuate shape, this is by way of example only and may have any other shape. The upper portion 104d1 and the lower portion 104d3 are located within a first vertical plane and the medial portion 104d2 is located within a second vertical plane where the first vertical plane is different than the second vertical plane. The latching mechanism 107 may be integrally connected to and located above the upper edge portion 104d4.
According to one aspect, the inner surface 104d of the second arm 104 may include a an aperture 136 adapted to receive the second end of the shaft 131 while the first end of the shaft 131 may be received within the cavity 107a of the latching mechanism 107 as described above. The rotatable member of the latching member 107 may further be rotated using the tab 107b providing the latching member 107 to be operable between an open position and a closed position. When in the open position, the cavity 107b is exposed allowing the first end of the shaft 131 to be pulled outwardly and the second end of the shaft to be pulled upwardly out of the aperture 136 allowing the second massing member to be removed and replaced. Although the latching member 107 is illustrated on the second arm 104, this is by way of example only and the latching member 107 may be located on the first arm 102 or the first and second arm may include latching members allowing for both massaging members to be removed and replaced or exchanged. When the first and second arms 102, 104 of the body massaging apparatus 100 are used together, a user may place or insert a body part between them allowing the user to perform various different desired therapy techniques known in the art. (See
Turning to
Second Arm Removable
Massaging Apparatus—Extension Handle
An extension handle may be utilized to allow the user to easily grab the first and second handle 116 and 118 with a single hand (See
As can be seen in
The extension handle 140 may comprise an elongated member 142 connected to a body member 144. A longitudinal first leg 146 and a longitudinal second leg 148 extend perpendicularly outward from the body member. The longitudinal first leg 146 is separate from and parallel to the longitudinal second leg 148. Each of the longitudinal first leg 146 and the longitudinal second leg 148 includes a plurality of openings or recesses 150 for attaching to the first and/or second handles 116, 118. The shape of the openings 150 are configured to fit over the first and/or second handles 116, 118 and the size of the openings is adapted to fit over a handle and be held in place. Although four (4) openings are shown in each of the longitudinal first leg 146 and the longitudinal second leg 148, this is by way of example only and the first and second leg 146, 148 may include more than four (4) openings 150 or less than four (4) openings 150. The plurality of openings 150 allow the user to place the handle into the appropriate opening to allow for the user to grab both handles despite the size of the limb placed between the two arms.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention is not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
This application claims priority to a provisional application, U.S. Ser. No. 62/641,428, filed Mar. 12, 2018, entitled Body Massaging Device, by Terry Cross, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This application further claims priority to a provisional application, U.S. Ser. No. 62/804,765, filed Feb. 13, 2019, entitled Body Massaging Device, by Terry Cross, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
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