Patent Application
20170014304
The present invention relates to a facial finger-pressure tool, and more specifically to a facial finger-pressure tool which is capable of accurately applying pressing stimulation to a facial pressure point, and is effective, particularly, in reducing asthenopia.
It is commonly and widely known that a prolonged period of detailed-oriented manual work, personal computer work, automobile driving or TV viewing causes asthenopia and then headache, shoulder stiffness, etc.
Meanwhile there are several acupuncture points (pressure points) around a human eye, and stimulation of the acupuncture point (pressure point) improves particularly blood circulation around the eye, thereby making it possible to accelerate alleviation of asthenopia.
With a focus on this point, JP 08-304743A discloses an invention concerning an eyeglass designed to magnetize an inner surface of an eyeglass frame, i.e., a surface of an eyeglass frame facing a face of a user of the eyeglass.
In the device disclosed in the above Patent Document, a magnetic source is disposed on an inner surface of a conventional eyeglass frame. However, as a way to improve blood circulation around an eye, it is also effective to apply finger-pressure to an acupuncture point (pressure point) around the eye, as well as the technique of applying a magnetic field thereto. A magnetic therapy needs to be continued for a certain period of time, because it does not have an immediate effect. The magnetic means is desirable as prophylactic use. However, in view of accelerating alleviation of asthenopia, it is most effective to directly stimulate an acupuncture point (pressure point) around an eye.
The conventional device is not provided with any member for stimulating the acupuncture point (pressure point), i.e., adapted to be brought into direct and press contact with a face. Thus, there is a problem that such a finger-pressure effect cannot be expected.
Moreover, the conventional device is intended to offer improvement based on an eyeglass frame, so that it is an uninteresting article to non-eyeglass wearers.
The present invention has been made with a focus on the above problem of the conventional technique, and proposed with a view to providing a facial finger-pressure tool capable of accelerating the alleviation of asthenopia.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a facial finger-pressure tool which comprises: a goggles frame; and a finger-pressure protrusion provided on an inner surface of a front portion and a temple portion of the goggles frame, at a position corresponding to at least one acupuncture point around an eye, wherein the goggles frame is made of a flexible material.
The present invention also provides a facial finger-pressure tool which comprises: a goggles frame; and a finger-pressure protrusion provided on an inner surface of a front portion and a temple portion of the goggles frame, at a position corresponding to at least one acupuncture point around an eye, wherein the goggles frame is made of a flexible material, and the temple portion has two free ends provided with tightening means adapted to forcibly bring the goggles frame into close contact with face and head regions.
The present invention also provides a facial finger-pressure tool which consists of a front frame adapted to cover an eye region and provided with a finger-pressure protrusion on an inner surface thereof, at a position corresponding to at least one acupuncture point around an eye, wherein the front frame is made of a flexible material.
The present invention also provides a facial finger-pressure tool which consists of an eye mask-like body adapted to cover an eye region, and provided with a finger-pressure protrusion on an inner surface thereof, at a position corresponding to an acupuncture point around an eye.
In each of the above facial finger-pressure tools of the present invention, the finger-pressure protrusion is attached adjustably and movably in conformity to a position of the acupuncture point.
In each of the above facial finger-pressure tools of the present invention, the finger-pressure protrusion is detachably attached.
In each of the above facial finger-pressure tools of the present invention, the goggles frame is made of a flexible material which is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, soft synthetic resin, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber including chloroprene rubber, silicon rubber, acrylic rubber and urethane rubber.
In each of the above facial finger-pressure tools of the present invention, the finger-pressure protrusion is comprised of a metal tablet or a magnet.
In the facial finger-pressure tool in accordance with the present invention, the finger-pressure protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the front portion and the temple portion of the goggles frame, at a position corresponding to at least one acupuncture point around an eye, and the goggles frame is made of a flexible material, so that the finger-pressure protrusion can be pressed against the acupuncture point to apply adequate stimulation to the acupuncture point, which is significantly effective in curing asthenopia. In addition, when a user feels that the stimulation is insufficient in a normal usage state, he/she can press the goggles frame from an outside thereof toward the face by the palm. This provides stronger stimulation and an enhanced finger-pressure effect.
In the facial finger-pressure tool, the tightening means can be provided at the two free ends of the temple portion, so that a level of tightness can be adjusted to adjust a level of press contact (force) of the finger-pressure protrusion against the facial acupuncture point. That is, when the tightening means is tightly fastened (tied), the goggles frame made of a flexible material is more strongly brought into close contact with face and head regions to increase the press contact force of the finger-pressure protrusion against the facial acupuncture point, thereby providing a further enhanced stimulation (finger-pressure) effect. Further, the adjustment of the tightness makes it possible to obtain any level of finger-pressure effect according to user's preference.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the facial finger-pressure tool can include a front frame which is adapted to cover an eye region and provided with a finger-pressure protrusion on an inner surface of the front portion, at a position corresponding to at least one acupuncture point around an eye, wherein the front frame is made of a flexible material.
Thus, for example, a cord or a tensile member such as a rubber band may be attached to the front frame to allow the front frame to be brought into press contact with the face. Alternatively, the front frame may be used in a state in which it is interposed between the face and existing swimming goggles, 3D TV glasses or the like. Further, it may be used in various other manners. For example, a user may place only this facial finger-pressure tool on the eye region, and then move the palm in a direction for pressing the front portion and in a direction away from the front portion.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the facial finger-pressure tool can be formed as an eye mask-like, i.e., wide-width body. Thus, a large number of finger-pressure protrusions may be provided thereon. In this case, the finger-pressure protrusions can be brought into contact with points other than acupuncture points, so that beauty and health effects of facial massage can be expected in addition to stimulation of acupuncture points.
In the facial finger-pressure tool, the finger-pressure protrusion can be attached in a positionally changeable manner. Thus, the position of the finger-pressure protrusion can be finely adjusted to adequately conform to a position of the acupuncture point. This makes it possible to obtain a further adequate finger-pressure effect.
In the facial finger-pressure tool as set forth in the appended claim 6, the finger-pressure protrusion is detachably attached. Thus, a size, such as contact area and/or height dimension, of the finger-pressure protrusion can be freely changed to obtain an adequate finger-pressure effect.
In the facial finger-pressure tool, the front portion and the temple portion of the goggles frame can be made of a flexible material which is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, soft synthetic resin, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber including chloroprene rubber, silicon rubber, acrylic rubber and urethane rubber, so that the goggles frame can be brought into close contact with the face to obtain an adequate finger-pressure effect.
In the facial finger-pressure tool, the finger-pressure protrusion can be comprised of a magnet, or a NOIROKORUN brand metal tablet which is a trade name of Ryodoraku Research Institute, Ltd., so that it becomes possible to apply stimulation to an acupuncture point in a close contact state with the face, thereby obtaining an adequate finger-pressure effect. This metal tablet is a metal tablet-shaped body, and used in physical therapy as an applied technique of principles of acupuncture and finger-pressure.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described based on the drawings.
The temple portions 17 are integrally connected, respectively, to opposite ends of the front portion 11. The front portion 11 and the pair of the temple portions 17 may be integrally molded in a single piece, or may be molded separately and subsequently connected together. In the case where they are molded separately, it is desirable to connect them together by means of hinge connection or the like.
A pair of tightening members 6 such as rubber belts or straps are attached, respectively, to ear-side ends, i.e., free ends, of the temple portions 17. When the right and left tightening members 6 are integrally fastened (locked) on a rear side of a head, the goggles frame is brought into close contact with face and temporal regions. As the tightening members are tightly fastened (tied), a level of press contact of an aftermentioned finger-pressure protrusion 8 becomes higher, and a level of stimulation becomes stronger in proportion thereto. Thus, a user can adjustably increase and reduce a level of the tightness according to his/her preference.
The front portion 11 and the temple portions 17 of the goggles frame are made of a flexible material which is at least one selected from the group consisting of: soft synthetic resin such as polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride or acrylonitrile; and natural or synthetic rubber such as silicon rubber or chloroprene rubber.
A protrusion 8 for a finger-pressure effect (finger-pressure protrusion 8) is attached to the inner surface of the front portion 11 and the temple portions 17. The attachment position of the finger-pressure protrusion 8 corresponds to: an acupuncture point (pressure point), such as “seimei” (a depressed region located slightly away from inner corners of right and left eyes toward a nose), “gyoyou” (a position just below a center of an eyebrow), “taiyou” (a position close to a tail of the eye with respect to a temple), or “shihaku” (a position just below a center of a pupil); or an acupuncture point (pressure point) around the eye, such as “shichikuku”, “doushiryou”, “joumei”, “gaimei”, “kyugo”, “shoukyu” or “sanchiku” (see
An inlet portion 111 of the hole 110 is formed to have a reduced diameter, thereby fastenably holding the bridge portion 85 of the finger-pressure protrusion 8. This prevents the finger-pressure protrusion 8 from being easily unfastened or disengaged from the inner surface of the front portion 11 and the temple portion 17. Alternatively, the finger-pressure protrusion 8 may be adhesively attached, for example, using an adhesive seal.
A plurality of types of the finger-pressure protrusions 8 each different in size, such as contact area and/or height dimension, of the pressing portion 81 to be brought into contact with the facial acupuncture point, may be prepared in advance. In this case, a level of finger-pressure can be freely adjusted according to user's preference.
Further, the hole 110 (111) formed in the front portion 11 and the temple portions 17 may be formed in a shape extending in a right-left or front-rear direction and/or an up-down direction, e.g., a cross shape as shown in
The finger-pressure protrusion 8 should be provided in a number equal to that of the acupuncture points as a minimum requirement. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the finger-pressure protrusion 8 may be provided at a position other than the positions of the acupuncture points. In this case, beauty and health effects as effects of massaging the entire eye region can be expected.
The finger-pressure protrusion 8 desirably made of, but is not particularly limited to, a metal material, preferably, a NOIROKORUN brand metal tablet which is a trade name of Ryodoraku Research Institute, Ltd. which is a magnetized metal material. That is, in cases where it is desired to obtain only a finger-pressure effect without any need for magnetic therapy, a substitute material such as a hard plastic may be used.
The above tightening members 6 are not provided in the facial finger-pressure tool 1 in claim 1. In this case, a user may press the front portion 11 and/or the temple portions 17 by his/her palms, to obtain a finger-pressure effect. As an example of the tightening member, it is possible to use a rubber band, a strap or a cord.
While any object, such as a lens, is not installed inside each of the rims 13 of the front portion 11 of the facial finger-pressure tool, a lens for visual correction, a lens for 3D glasses or the like may be installed. In this case, it is necessary to additionally take measure to provide conventional lens fixing/holding means to the rims.
As with the first embodiment, a finger-pressure protrusion 8 is installed to an inner surface of the front frame 31. As with the first embodiment, the finger-pressure protrusion 8 may be fastenably attached, or may be detachably attached, or may be configured to be displaceable along the inner surface in conformity to a position of the acupuncture point. The front frame 31 may have a hole provided at each of opposite ends thereof to allow a rubber belt, a strap or the like to be attached thereto.
In the facial finger-pressure tool illustrated in
In the case of using swimming goggles, it is necessary to take measures to allow the facial finger-pressure tool 3 to be reliably received in the swimming goggles, while preventing intrusion of water through the swimming goggles. Such water-tightness can be ensured by forming them using substantially the same material.
The reference numeral 55 indicates each of a pair of strap mounts, and the reference numeral 57 indicates each of a pair of straps to be fastened together on a rear side of a head so as to maintain the facial finger-pressure tool 5 in a contact state with the face. In the case where the facial finger-pressure tool 5 is not held by the head, the straps 57 may be omitted, and the facial finger-pressure tool 5 may be used for massage in such a manner that it is placed on a face and pressed by a palm. It is to be understood that, even in the case where the facial finger-pressure tool 5 is kept in close contact with the face by the straps, it may be pressed by a palm when it is desired to apply a stronger pressing force.
A finger-pressure protrusion 8 is provided on an inner surface of the facial finger-pressure tool 5. The finger-pressure protrusion 8 is provided at a position corresponding to that of the acupuncture point as with the above embodiments. Differently from the facial finger-pressure tool illustrated in
As with the above embodiments, the facial finger-pressure tool 5 is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, soft synthetic resin, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber such as chloroprene rubber, silicon rubber, acrylic rubber and urethane rubber. As means for attachment of the finger-pressure protrusion 8, the configuration as illustrated in
This embodiment is not limited to the eye mask-like body, but may be a Noh mask-like body adapted to cover the entire face. In this case, a massage effect for the entire face can be obtained, which is advantageous to beauty and health. The massage may be performed in such a manner that the facial finger-pressure tool is pressed by a palm, or lightly touched by a vibrator type electric massaging device.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-238437 | Oct 2010 | JP | national |
| PCT/JP2010/071209 | Nov 2010 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/881,046 filed on Apr. 23, 2013, which was based upon and claimed the benefit of priority from the prior PCT/JP2010/071209 filed on Nov. 29, 2010; and Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2010-238437 filed on Oct. 25, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13881046 | Apr 2013 | US |
| Child | 15278104 | US |
