Patent Application
20160296414
The present general inventive concept relates generally to a therapeutic device, and more particularly, to a variable compression roller apparatus that provides variable compressive pressure to a target area of a user.
Conventional rollers include a basic cylindrical foam rollers that put even pressure on a user's body as the user rolls back and forth against the roller. The main innovations to date for these rollers are textural knobs on the surface of the roller for deeper penetration and rollers which vibrate. The textural knobs increase specific pressure and allow for oxygen and blood to flow through the muscle while being used, however, they are typically designed to be placed on an even surface and can only be used by direct downward pressure and not from a side wall. In addition, conventional rollers are unable to provide varying amounts of compression or pressure directly or laterally, which is desirable.
The variable compression roller apparatus according to the present general inventive concept provides a release pattern of decreasing to increasing pressure and multiple pressure zones applied from multiple angles with respect to a target area.
The variable compression roller apparatus according to the present general inventive concept further provides a direct pressure bar to apply direct pressure.
The variable compression roller apparatus according to the present general inventive concept also provides a product (i.e., tool) for soft tissue myofascial release that has the ability to target multiple parts of the body with both direct and compressive pressure from the sides of the muscle (i.e., target area).
The variable compression roller apparatus further provides an increasing amount of sheer force by rolling the variable compression foam roller on a user's restricted/tight muscle or trigger point.
This variable compression roller apparatus also allows for the application of pressure in a way that mimics different types of therapeutic massage and soft tissue manipulations such as squeezing and releasing techniques and rolling and kneading techniques. Increasing compression on a muscle has been shown to improve blood flow and oxygen transportation and is an important part of rehabilitation and achieving peak athletic performance.
Additional features and embodiments of the present general inventive concept will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.
The following example embodiments are representative of example techniques and structures designed to carry out the objects of the present general inventive concept, but the present general inventive concept is not limited to these example embodiments. In the accompanying drawings and illustrations, the sizes and relative sizes, shapes, and qualities of lines, entities, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. A wide variety of additional embodiments will be more readily understood and appreciated through the following detailed description of the example embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made to the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.
The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modification, and equivalents of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of fabrication operations described are merely examples, however, and the sequence type of operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, description of well-known functions and constructions may be simplified and/or omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.
Numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For example, regardless of the content of any portion of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim herein or of any application claiming priority hereto of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated.
It is noted that the simplified diagrams and drawings included in the present application do not illustrate all the various connections and assemblies of the various components, however, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement such connections and assemblies, based on the illustrated components, figures, and descriptions provided herein. Numerous variations, modification, and additional embodiments are possible, and, accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept.
The present general inventive concept provides a therapeutic tool that concurrently provides both direct and variable compressive pressure to a user's body by rolling the tool (i.e., variable compression roller) on the user's restricted or tight muscles or trigger points (i.e., target areas). In addition, the therapeutic tool may also provide multiple types of pressure to the user's target areas in a way that mimics various different types of therapeutic massage and/or soft tissue manipulations such as squeezing and releasing techniques and/or rolling and kneading techniques. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
Providing increasing and/or decreasing amounts of compression (i.e., compressive force) on a user's restricted muscles or other target areas has been shown to improve blood flow and oxygen transportation and is therefore an important part of rehabilitation and achieving peak athletic performance. In addition, the therapeutic tool according to the present general inventive concept provides for soft tissue myofascial release and has an ability to simultaneously target multiple target areas with both direct and compressive pressure from all sides of the muscle group or targeted area.
Referring to
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the support members 120a, 120b may be formed in various shapes (e.g., cylindrical, parabolic, conical) from all types of materials. In addition, the support members 120a, 120b may be constructed from a single resilient material having a single density or may be constructed from a plurality of different materials having varying densities. In exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 may be formed in various other shapes including a cylindrical shape, an elliptical shape, and a circular shape. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
The recessed portion 116 disposed between the first and second ends 112, 114 of the compression member 110 may include one or more force application regions 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d configured to receive a target area 10 of a user's body and to gradually apply a force to the received target area 10 when the compression member 110 is rotated about the rotational axis A1. As the variable compression apparatus 100 is rotated, the received target area 10 is introduced to the one or more force application regions 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d of the compression member 110.
In exemplary embodiments, referring to
The plurality of pressure zones 118a, 118b, 118c (e.g., force application zones) are configured to apply different amounts of force and/or pressure to various muscle groups or target areas 10 from various different angles. For instance, the recessed portion 116 includes a first pressure zone 118a configured to apply a first amount of force and/or pressure to a desired target areas, a second pressure zone 118b configured to apply a second amount of force and/or pressure to the desired target area 10, and a third pressure zone 118c configured to apply a third amount of force and/or pressure to the desired target area 10.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the third force may be greater in magnitude than the first and second forces, and the second force may be greater than the first force. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. In exemplary embodiments, the first, second, and third forces applied to the target area 10 may include variable compressive forces that vary (e.g., gradually) when the compression member 110 is rotated from the first force application zone 118a to the second and third force application zones 118b, 118c.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the recessed portion 116 may be configured to apply varying amounts of force to the received target area 10 when the compression member 110 is rotated. The recessed portion 116 may include a circumferential groove or path which extends around the compression member 110 and is configured to receive a target area 10 of a user's body.
The recessed portion 116 may be formed in various shapes (e.g., u-shaped, v-shaped, c-shaped, or variations thereof) in order to accommodate and/or receive various target areas 10 of a user's body. The user may simply rotate the compression member 110, while the desired target area 10 is received within the recessed portion 116, to change between the first amount of force applied from the first pressure zone 118a, the second amount of force applied from the second pressure zone 118b, and the third amount of force applied from the third pressure zone 118c.
That is, in exemplary embodiments, as the compression member 110 rotates from the first pressure zone 118 to the second and third pressure zones 118b, 118c, the force applied to the target area 10 gradually increases from the first amount of force to the second and third amounts.
Referring to
Referring now to
In the present exemplary embodiment, the sidewalls 116a, 116b are able to provide a gradually increasing amount of force to the target area 10 by gradually reducing a dimension D1 between opposing sidewalls 116a and 116b, when the compression member 120 is rotated.
The compression member 110 may further include one or more lateral pressure strips 130 disposed along a circumference of the recessed portion 116 which are configured to apply a lateral compressive force (i.e., a second compressive force F2) to the target area 10 placed or received within the recessed portion 116, when the compression member 120 is rotated. In exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 includes a first lateral pressure strip 130a disposed toward the first end 112 of the compression member 110 and a second lateral pressure strip 130b disposed toward the second end 114 of the compression member 110.
In exemplary embodiments, the first and second lateral pressure strips 130a, 130b are configured or designed to gradually apply an increasing amount of lateral force F2 to the target area 10 placed within the recessed portion 116, when the compression member 110 is being rotated. That is, the first and second lateral pressure strips 130a, 130b are able to provide a gradually increasing amount of force by gradually reducing a dimension D2 between the first and second lateral pressure strips 130a, 130b.
In exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 may further include one or more variable pressure strips 140 disposed along a circumference of the recessed portion 116 which are configured to apply a compressive force (i.e., a variable compressive force F3) to the target area 10 placed within the recessed portion 116, when the compression member 110 is rotated. In exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 includes a first variable pressure strip 140a disposed toward the first end 112 of the compression member 110 and a second variable pressure strip 140b disposed toward the second end 114 of the compression member 110.
In exemplary embodiments, the variable pressure strips 140a, 140b are designed to gradually apply an increasing amount of compressive force F3 to the target area 10 placed within the recessed portion 116, while the compression member 110 is being rotated. That is, the first and second variable pressure strips 140a, 140b are configured to provide a gradually increasing amount of force by gradually reducing a dimension D3 between the first and second variable pressure strips 140a, 140b.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the first and second variable pressure strips 140a, 140b each include a plurality of pressure application members 142 which are sized, shaped, and/or positioned on the sidewall 116a, 116b of the compression member 110 so as to achieve various types of therapeutic massages and/or soft tissue manipulations. For instance, adjacent pressure application members 142 may be spaced apart a predetermined distance or width W1 so as to provide a desired squeezing and/or releasing technique on a target area. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. That is, in alternative exemplary embodiments, the first and the second variable pressure strips 140a, 140b may be formed with varying widths W1 between adjacent pressure application members 142 or may be formed as a single continuous strip.
In exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 may further include one or more direct pressure strips 150 disposed along a circumference of the recessed portion 116 which are configured to apply a constant direct force (i.e., direct force F4) to the target area when placed within the recessed portion 116 and also when the compression member 110 is rotated. In the present exemplary embodiment, the direct pressure strip 140 is disposed along a circumference of the recessed portion 116 at a center between the first end 112 and the second end 114 of the compression member 110.
The variable compression roller apparatus 100 according to the present general inventive concept is designed so that the side walls 116a, the lateral pressure strips 120 and the variable pressure strips 130 each gradually apply an increasing amount of force to the target area placed within the recessed portion 116, while the compression member 110 is rotated. In addition, the direct pressure strip 140 applies a constant direct pressure force F4 to the target area concurrently or simultaneously with the side walls 116a, the lateral pressure strips 120 and the variable pressure strips 130 applying variable compressive forces to the target area, while the compression member 110 is rotated.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the compression member 110 is constructed of a single resilient or non-resilient material having a single density. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. That is, in alternative exemplary embodiments, the compression member 110 may be constructed from a plurality of materials having varying densities. For instance, the sidewalls 116a may be constructed from a first material having a first density and the lateral pressure strips 120, the variable pressure strips 130, and/or the direct pressure strip 140 formed on the sidewalls 116a of the compression member 110 may be constructed from a second material having a second density which is different than the first density.
Referring to
Similarly, the dimension D2 between the first lateral pressure strip 130a adjacent to the first end 112 and the second lateral pressure strip 130b adjacent to the second end 114 may gradually decrease from D2′ to D2″ as the compression member 110 rotates, thereby gradually increasing an amount of force or pressure that the first and second lateral pressure strips 130a, 130b apply to a target area 10 received within the recessed portion 116.
Likewise, the dimension D3 between the first variable pressure strip 140a adjacent to the first end 112 and the second variable pressure strip 140b adjacent to the second end 114 may gradually decrease from D3′ to D3″ as the compression member 110 rotates, thereby gradually increasing an amount of force or pressure that the first and second variable pressure strips 140a, 140b apply to a target area 10 received within the recessed portion 116.
In exemplary embodiments, the first pressure zone 118a may have a width of between 3 and 30 inches and the second pressure zone 118b may have a width of between 3 and 20 inches. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the compression member 110 has a first pressure zone 118a having a width of about 9 inches and a third pressure zone 118c having a width of about 4.5 inches. As illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
In use, a user places a variable compression roller apparatus on the floor or against a wall and presses his or her target area 10 against the variable compression roller apparatus 100. The user then moves the target area 10 back and forth against the variable compression roller apparatus such that the roller apparatus 100 applies a variable compressive force to the target area when the roller apparatus is rotated by the back and forth motion.
In an exemplary embodiment, a user places the variable compression roller apparatus 100 on the floor or against a wall and then presses his or her target area 10 (e.g., legs, arms, back, shoulders, etc.) against a compression member of the therapeutic tool. The user may then move the target area 10 back and forth against the therapeutic tool such that the tool simultaneously applies both a variable compressive force and a constant direct force to the target area 10, while the variable compression roller apparatus is rotated. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
Referring to
While the present general inventive concept has been illustrated by description of several example embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the general inventive concept to such descriptions and illustrations. Instead, the descriptions, drawings, and claims herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and additional embodiments will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description and drawings. Additional modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/145,295, filed on Apr. 9, 2015, the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62145295 | Apr 2015 | US |
