Claims
- 1. A hydraulic massage method which comprises the steps of:
- (a) supporting the body of an individual above a water-collecting receptacle on a support structure having openings;
- (b) interposing between said support structure and said body a sheet of support structure and forming a flexible surface above said support structure upon which the body of the individual can repose;
- (c) training water upwardly toward said surface from a nozzle mounted in said receptable for directing a jet of water against said surface whereby said individual is massaged through said surface with said jet and water falling from said surface is collected in said receptacle; and
- (d) displacing said nozzle in at least two directions of a coordinate system to sweep said jet against said surface, said nozzle being rotated about an axis and being displaced horizontally so that said jet describes at least one cycloidal pattern against the underside of said surface.
Priority Claims (1)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
| 3147798 |
Dec 1981 |
DEX |
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a division of Ser. No. 06/556,708 filed 25 Nov. 1983 as a national phase application corresponding to PCT/AU82/00164 filed 7 Oct. 1982 and based in turn upon a German national application P31 47 798.4 of 3 Dec. 1981 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,562 issued 16 July 1988.
The present invention relates to a hydraulic massage method using a device which comprises a spray enclosure, containing a readily deformable impact area which keeps the working fluid separate from the body to be massaged and which faces this body directly or indirectly with its surface n in touch with the fluid, and at least one spray nozzle.
I have found the following prior art to be relevant:
The process and device according to DE-OS 2641469 may help to economize on water and energy. They cause, however, a pollution of the working fluid, a risk of infection in spite of cleaning after each application, indefinite strain energy due to varying directions of the jet on the impacted areas, and a nuisance from splashing water to the patient and physiotherapist.
The jet massaging device according to DE-OS 2601506 economizes on water and energy; moreover the risk of infection is generally smaller because the impact area is a partition.
However, the device has the disadvantage that, because of the rather small distance between the nozzle and the impact area and the decelerating effect of the stored water that must be passed by jet, lower pressures are available at the impact area for a given pump power.
Especially disadvantageous is, however, the fact that relative movements between the elastic membrane of the device and the connective tissue are necessary during the treatment which may cause disadvantageous tangential strain upon the tissue and even the formation of lesions. Finally a precise guide of the pistol-grip handle requires extraordinary ability of the physiotherapist.
The arrangement of the nozzle according to DE-PS 213041 alloWs considerable energy and water economies without incurring mechanical or infectious risks for the patient. Here, however, the following disadvantages are found:
1. The bag making up the spray enclosure does not allow sufficient straight movement of the nozzle. Access to the interior for service is difficult.
2. The inclination of the impact vectors changes from one point to the next.
3. From a practical point of view, it appears to be impossible to achieve specified directions of the jet as accurately as required for steady massaging without making use of sophisticated three-dimensional control devices, the more so as an optical control by means of the patient's body is ruled out be deflection of light by spray water drops, even if the bag is assumed to be transparent.
4. Variable aberrations in inclination of the nozzle's axis initiate different consequences as distances between the nozzle and the area impacted change.
5. The total weight of the membrane forming the impact area counteracts the transmitting jet; consequently, relatively small thin impact areas are demanded. On the other hand, the limitation of the maximal strain which is permissible requires relatively thick membranes during operation.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method or process which is an improvement over that of DE-PS 213041, allowing easy access and a steadier hydraulic massaging suitable for automatic control and larger working areas, which correspond to larger areas of the body, the inclination of the jet stream being held constant throughout the total working area, if required.
The massager of the invention comprises a spray enclosure which consists of a drainage hood enclosing an impact area, of a sump and of a spray nozzle, the position of which is controllable by means of a coordinate guide.
Advantageously the impact area, simultaneously forms a support for the body to be massaged and a flexible screen serves as a support for that part of the hood forming the impact area and which carries most of the body weight.
The screen can be formed by a tensioned cable grid supported by a frame.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (8)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 0081068 |
Oct 1982 |
EPX |
| 0107661 |
Oct 1982 |
EPX |
| 213041 |
May 1968 |
DEX |
| 2601506 |
Jul 1977 |
DEX |
| 2641469 |
Oct 1978 |
DEX |
| 3147798 |
Oct 1983 |
DEX |
| 3212319 |
Oct 1983 |
DEX |
| 8200164 |
Jan 1982 |
WOX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
| Entry |
| "der Deutsche badebetrieb," 11 Nov. 1982, Von Dr. Med. Willy Zimmermann. |
| Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 1982 pp. 545-548. |
| Big Advance in Massage, Enterprise vol. 2, No. 5, Published 1984 by the Tasmanian Development Authority. |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
556708 |
Nov 1983 |
|
Patent Grant
4937898
