Patent Application
20070255187
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached figures. In
Although the device depicted in the figures contains a plurality of pouches, one skilled in the art would recognize that cold or heat packs as well as vibrating apparatuses may be affixed to the device in a plurality of ways, such as with straps, adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or pressure.
The device preferably has openings, pockets, pouches, or couplings to contain or affix one or more cold or heat packs so that when the packs are no longer the proper temperature to provide the user with the desired therapy, they may be removed from the device and replaced with replacement cold or heat packs without having to remove the device from the user. This will be particularly useful in instances of moderate to severe muscle sprains when the device comprises a brace adapted to apply pressure to an injured area and hold it in place.
In embodiments where the device may accommodate more than one cold or heat pack, the user may choose to add both cold and heat packs to different areas of the device. For example, in an embodiment where the device surrounds the shoulder, the user may employ a heat pack on the front of the device and an ice pack on the back of the device to ease a sore shoulder and a stiff neck with different temperature therapies.
Similarly, the vibrating apparatus is adapted to be easily added and removed from a pocket or pouch in the device. This allows the user to remove the vibrator when it is no longer desired such as when it requires recharging for a new battery or power pack or to wash the device.
In one embodiment, the device may be used without any cold or heat packs to provide only convenient, hands-free vibrating massage therapy.
In embodiments where multiple vibrators are used, the pouches for the vibrators are preferably located around a joint or affected area in such a way as to maximize vibration of the area without the multiple vibrators conflicting in any way. For example, if the device is a wrap surrounding a knee, a vibrator will likely be included on either side of the knee joint and one may also be included under the kneecap. The various vibrators emit vibrations from multiple directions in order to be extremely effective and not emit conflicting vibrations.
Although not all embodiments of the invention have pouches or pockets, one advantage of the pouches adapted to receive cold or heat packs is that various different cold or heat packs may be used with the present invention. This is advantageous to the user in that the user may utilize the device with cold or heat packs that he or she already owns. Reusable cold or heat packs as known in the art may be inserted into the pouches as well as chemically-activated ice or heat packs. In some embodiments, a device according to the present invention includes cold or heat packs that are battery-operated using standard batteries, camera batteries, or laptop batteries as known in the art. The device may also be adapted to be plugged into a standard A/C socket in order to maintain a desired temperature for long periods of time. In another embodiment, a user may simply add bags of ice or hot water to the pouches of the device.
The device is similarly flexible with regards to the vibrator to be used. The vibrator may be battery-operated or adapted to be plugged into a standard A/C socket. The vibrator may be adjustable so that the user may adjust the frequency of the vibrations and may allow a user to vary the frequency from 10 Hz to 110 Hz. The device may accommodate a plurality of vibrators that the user may purchase from other sources.
The vibrator may be adapted to emit a pattern of vibration such as a wave vibration which will emit vibration which increases and decreases power and frequency of vibrations over a predetermined time. The vibrator may also be adapted to emit pulses of vibration of a given power and frequency at timed intervals.
The device may also include a single pouch or a plurality of pouches for receiving one or more vibrators. Where a plurality of vibrators are used, the vibrators may all be coupled so that they can be set to the same frequency and adjusted simultaneously. Alternatively, one or more of the vibrators may be set in a different frequency or independently adjustable. A plurality of vibrators may be advantageous where the area to be massaged is large or where a more intense massage is desired.
In one embodiment, the device comprises a single neoprene wrap with Velcro™ closures, numerous pockets for cold or heat packs, numerous pockets for vibrators, and a central control unit so that the user can adjust the temperature and vibration of the device. The central control device is connected to the various heating/cooling elements as well as the various vibrators in order to control all aspects of the device. In one embodiment, the central control device has a plurality of levers or knobs to control the intensity of vibration. In a further embodiment, one central controller on the device is adapted to control multiple devices located on different areas of a person. For example, the user may be wearing a knee brace and an ankle brace, with the central controller on the knee brace. The central controller will be able to control the temperature and vibration of both the knee brace and the ankle brace.
In another embodiment, the device comprises a wrap adapted to fit a certain part of the body, such as a shoulder wrap, with a plurality of pockets for receiving cold or heat packs and two vibrators. Either the temperature or the vibration of the shoulder wrap, or both, can be controlled using a remote control. This provides ease of control with minimal movement which is especially useful in the case of severely injured users.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a device comprising a plurality of cold or heat packs that are permanently affixed to the device as well as a plurality of vibrators that are permanently affixed to the device. The device preferably has a central controller that controls the cold or heat packs as well as the vibrators. This embodiment of the device is convenient in that the user need not add or remove any vibrators or heat packs; the single device contains all of the necessary tools to provide temperature and massage therapy as soon as it is activated.
A device according to the present invention may also be powered by a rechargeable battery, such as a laptop battery. Such a device would preferably be connected to an A/C outlet as a power source when convenient for the user but may switch to battery power when the A/C power source is disconnected. For example, if a user is in a hospital bed and has the device on his knee to help recover from surgery, the device may be connected to an A/C power supply in the hospital room. If the user is moved to a different room, the device may be unplugged and still function normally utilizing battery power until the device can be reconnected to an A/C outlet.
The bandage or wrap portion of the device is preferably constructed from neoprene material but one skilled in the art would recognize that a plurality of materials may be used, such as cotton, wool, spandex, polyester, other synthetic or natural fibers, or any combination thereof.
Although a wrap is described above, one skilled in the art would recognize that the present invention may also be a bandage, body support, or other type of garment with pouches to receive cold or heat packs and vibrating apparatuses. In one embodiment, the present invention is a wrap with straps, such as straps having hook and loop fastener attachment means, for attachment of cold or heat packs on the side facing the user's body or away from the user's body.
In one embodiment, the invention comprises a wrap with a side adapted to contact a user's skin and an opposite side adapted to receive cold or heat packs. The opposite side is preferably covered in a series of loops typically used in a hook and loop fastener system, such as Velcro™. This embodiment preferably further includes at least one pouch for holding cold or heat packs and at least one pouch for holding a vibrator. The pouches are preferably separate from the wrap but are coated in a series of hooks so that they may be easily attached to any location on the opposite side of the wrap. In this embodiment, a user may secure the wrap to an area of their body, place cold or heat packs in at least one pouch, place a vibrator in at least one pouch, and then attach the pouches to the wrap in the desired location. The wrap may have colored areas to suggest to the user where heat or vibration therapy would be most effective, providing a recommendation as to where the user should locate the pouches.
In some embodiments, a device according to the present invention may have pockets or areas of gel or liquid which may help to transmit vibration from one or more vibrators to the user.
The present invention may also take the form of an adhesive patch which becomes hot or cold when activated but has an opening or other means for attaching a vibrating apparatus thereto in order to provide vibrating massage as well as hot/cold therapy at the same time or different times.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application 60/794,922 filed Apr. 26, 2006 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60794922 | Apr 2006 | US |
