Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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O~ULQFACIAL MASSAGER
INTRODUCTION
This invention relates to a facial massager and,
more particularly, to a massager for use on the areas
surrounding the nos~, eyes and temples.
~A~K&ROUND QF THE INVENTION
StresR and tension of everyday activities cause
particular problems in the areas of the eyes, nose and
templ s. This stress and tension is increasing due to the ~:~
widespread usa of computer screens which have not
previously been encount~red until recent years. The
facial muscles of the eye, nose and temple areas tighten
which induce eye fatigue. Eye fatigu~ or eye discomfort
can also be caused by long hours of reading, writing,
driving, and lack of sleep and exercise. Such fatigue
and/or eye ten~ion can result in eye discomfort, headaches
and neck pain.
Nassagers ~re Xnown as relaxing and
therapeutical devices. Previous massagers, however,
utilize vibration generating means with an amplitude that
is not conducive to ~entle stimulation of the sensitive
acial muscles around the eyes, nos~ and temples. Such
units are usually larger and cannot be easily carried
unobtrusively on the person. Such units further have no
means to retain them on the body of the user and, in any
ev~nt, such massagers are not d~signed fvr the purpose of
simultaneous massaging of the facial muscles in th~ areas
of the eyes, no~e and tem~les~
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is
disclosed an oculo-facial massager for simultaneously
massaging th~i facial areas adjacent the eyes and nose
comprising a frame contoured to fit ~aid facial areas,
said frame having an open area around said eyes and noss
to allow vision from ~aid eyes and substantially
unobstructed breathing from said nose~ a vibration
generator connected to the outside of ~aid fxame between
said open areas for said eyes, at least one cushioning pad
connected to the inside of said frame and adapted to
contact said facial areas, and a retainer opOEirable to ~.
maintain said ma~sager in contact with said facial areas.
In accordance with a further a~pect o~ the
invention, there is provided an oculo-facial massager for
simultaneously mas~aging the nose and temple facial areas
and the areas adjacen' the eyes, nose and temples, said
massager comprising frame means having an outer shell and
an inner smooth ciubstantially continuous cushioning
material connected to said outer ~hell, said cushioning
material being contoured so as to simultaneously and ;
- contin~ously contact the nose and temple facial areas and
the areas adjacent the ~yes, nose and temples of a user
when in operation, vibration generating means connected to
said frame means and retaining mean~ for retaining said
frame means adjacent to and in contact with the nose, the
temples and the facial areas adjacent the eyes, nose and
tsmples.
In accordance with yet a further aspect o the
invention, there is provided an oculo-facial massager for
simultaneously mas~aging the ~acial areas adjacent the
eyes and nose co~prising a frame contoured to fit said
facial areas, said frame having an open area around said
nose to allow unobstructed breathing from said nose and a
vibration generator connected to said frame in the area of
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said frame adjacent the eyes of a user, said vibration
generator including two rotating offset weights, each of
said offset weights rotating on opposite sides o~ the
cPntre line axis of said massager.
BRIEF DESCRIP~ION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Specific embodiments of the invention will now
be described, by way of example only, with the use of
drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates the facial massager
according to the invention in operating position on the
face of the user:
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Figure 2 is a rearwardly directed assembly
isometric view of the facial massaging apparatus;
Figure 3 is a side view of the appar~tu~ of
Figure 2;
- Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figure 3 but
illustrating the frame of the massager separated from the
housing of the vibration generator;
Figure 5 is an exploded view o~ the vibration
generator housing;
,:
Figure 6 is a view taken along VI in Figure 5; ~;
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Figure 7 is a side view taken along YII in
Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a sectional vi~w taken along
VIII-VIII of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along IX IX
of Figure 6;
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Figure 10 is a view taken along X of Figure 5; ~:
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Figure 11 illustrates a second embodiment of thevibration generating apparatus in a view similar to that
of Figure 6;
Figure 12 is a view illustrating a third :~
embodiment of the vibration generating apparatus separated
from the housing;
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Figure 13 is a view of the massager taken along
XIII of Figure 5;
Figure 1~ is a side view taken along XIV of
Figure 13; :
Figure 15 is a~full facial view illustrating the
regions of:interest affect~d by the massager;
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; 20 ~igure 16 is a side ~iew illustrating the
massager on~the back of the head of a us~r; and
Figure 17 is a side view illustrating the
mas~ager on~the top of the head of a user.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC~EMBODIMENT
.
: Refe~ring now:to the drawings, an oculo-facial
muscle massager is ~hown ge~erally at 10 in Figures 1 and
2. The massager 10 comprises a vibration gen~rator or
housi~g generally shown at ll, a support frame generally
shown at 12 and a retaining means or elastic strap portion
generally ~hown at 13 for retaining the support frame 12
a~d vibratior~ generator 11 in operating position on a user
~Figure 1~.
With reference to Figure 2, the housing 11 is
rigidly attached to the support frame 12 by means of
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adhesive using the location recesses 14 (Figure 4) and the
adjustable elastic strap portion 13 is connected to the
support frame 12 by a pin 20 on each side of the frame 12
which extends through the ends 21 of the elastic strap
portion 13.
The housing 11 co~prises inner and outer
sections 2~, 23, (~igure 3) respectively, both made from
an impact resistant and durable plastic such as ABS
(Trademark~. As more clearly seen in Figure 5, the inner
section 22 is illustrated separated from the outer section
23.
Referring to Figure 6, the outer section~23
includes a motor 30 with weights 31 mounted to rotate
eccentrically about axis 32. An on-off switch 33 is
connected within the electrical circuit, which Gircuit
includes the motor 30 connected to the on off switch 33,
. and which motor is also connected to the source of power
throu~h the battery terminals Z6 and 28 (Figures 6 and
9). A jack 40 is posit:ioned to receive a plug (not shown~
which may bring ordinary house voltage through an AC
adapter or converter to the massager 10.
The frame 12, more clearly seen in Figure 2 and
4, is mads from a solid impact resistant plastic such as
ABS ~Trademark) as an outer protective layer 41 (Figure
2). A soft foam rubber layer 42 is desirably mounted to
the frame 12 and estsnds over the innsr sura e which is
adapted to contact the~user. The frame 12 is contoured
together with the foam layer 42 to contact the user at th2
bridge of the nose which is the support position as seen
in Figure 1. The frame 12 is also contoured so as to
simultaneously contact the faeial contours of the user in
the glabella, templQ, supra orbital, infra-orbital, a~d
zygomatic regions 44, 50, 52, 53, 54 respectively as seen
in Flgure 15. These regions also include the paranasal
sinuses (not shown).
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The adjustable elastic strap 13 e~tends around
the head of the user and holds the oculo-facial massager
10 securely in place during operation.
QPERATIpN
}n operation, the user will position the
oculo-facial massager 10 in a comfortable position on the
face as illustrated in Figure 1 and will ~ecure the
massager 10 by properly tensioning and positioning the
elastic strap 13 around the head. The AC adapter or
converter (not shown) is plugged in~o ~he wall outlet.
The power cord (not shown~ from the AC adapter or
cbnverter e~tends to the plug snd ~not shown) and is
inserted into the jack 40 (Figure 6). The knob 34 of
switch 33 is rotated about its a~is 60 one-half turn to
switch the motor 30 to the on-mode, the motor being
operablQ to stop when the knob 34 ;s rotated a further
one-half turn to its off-mode. The shaft 36 will rotate
toyether with the weights 31 at the desired predetermined
speed of revolution. It has been found that the speed o
revolution for a comfortable and effective period of
massage o~ approximately 62$0 r.p~m.'s is ~uitable for a
period of appro~imately 30 seconds to one minute.
Two techniques to use the massager 10 in its
position on the face of the user have been found to he
particularly beneficial. In the first techni~ue, the
massager 10 is worn as one would wear a pair of reading
3~ gIasses with the ad~ust~ble elast~ strap 13 encircling
the head of the user. The user sits erect in a chair in
which he can tilt his head back to contact the rearward or
back portion of the chair. The switch 33 is switched on
a~d the apparatus provides the gentle predeterminted
gyratory and percussive mo~eme~ts. This provides for
appropriate relaxation and stimulation of th~ areas under
and immediately adjacent to the massaged areas.
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The second teshni~ue has been to lie on ones
back on a cushion of thickness of about three inches such
that the hea~ may be tilted back to touch the floor. The
oculo-facial massager 10 is then turned on for
appro~imately one-half to one minute. It has been found
that this posture may provide improved breathing,
particularly when the sinus cavities are partially blocked
as may be the case when a head cold is present. Such
relief, however, is most certainly not promised nor is it
the intent of the massager to provide such relief.
The massager 10 can be worn, alternatively, at
the back of the users head with the strap 13 holding the
massager 10 in place by going around the user's forehead
as illustrated in Figure 16. This position of the
massager has been found beneficial in inducing relaxation
not only the brain and head and neck muscles but also to
the eyes particularly if the user is s~nsitive to the
direct application of the massager 10 in the forward
position.
A further po~ition of the ma~sager 10 is
illustrated in Figure 17. In this position, the massager
10 is worn on the top vf the head so that the strap 13
goes under the chin of the user. This application of the
massager 10 in this position has been found beneficial in
inducing a feeling of rela~atio~ which is transmitted
throughout the body.
Many other embodiments vf the apparatus are
envisioned. The dual weights which are offset the same
amount on the same side of the a~is 32 as illustratad in
Figure 6 can be replaced with a single offset weight 61 as
illustrated in Figure 11 in which case the motor 30 is
shifted in the outer section Z3 r01ative to the axis 25 in
order to produce a balancQd vibratory action.
Alternatively, a pair of offset weights 62 and ~3 (Figure
123 positioned on opposite sid~s of the a$is 64 can be
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utilized as illustrated in Figure 6. Such different
weight configurations simply determine the most
satisfactory combination of gyratory and percussive
movements created by the motor operation. The embsdiment
S specifically described utilizes house voltage applied to
an AC adapter or converter and a motor designed to run
from such adapter. Alternatively, a battery source 27
could used if desired by the user. Such a battery is
shown in phantom in Figures 6 and 7 which battery is
self-contained within the unit and which could be
rechargeable if desired either from its location within
the housing ll where a plug can be inserted into jack 40
or at a remote location. ~ battery cover 35 (Figures 13
and 14) may be used to e~pose a battery (not shown) and to
allow for its removal either for replacement or for
recharging.
The frame l~ with its attached foam layer 42
(Figure 2~ is adapted to contact the facial muscles in the
eyes, nose and templ~ regions simultaneously. Because of
the shapes~of various user faces, however it may be
desirable to have a pliable frame which rould be contoured
by the user to fit more closely to the desired regions.
Likewise, while the vibration generator housing ll is
shown as being attached to the frame 12 at that location Q
closest to the br;dgé of the nose, the vibration
generating means could be mounted at any other convenient
location or, indeed, the vibration generating means could
be located remote from the frame and the vibration would
be transmitted to the frame such as would be the case, for
example, in a water pulse apparatus. The only requirement
is that the vibration be transmitted uniformly to the
frame 12 and, thence, to the user.
A rubber pad 70 is illustrated in ghost in
Figure 5 and in its entirety in Figure lO. Such a pad 70
is removeable from the outer section 23 of the housing ll
by using appropriate resilient clips 71 ~Figure 10) which
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are received by complementary plugs 72 (Figure 5? on the
outer housing 23. The use of the cushioning pad 70 allows
the apparatus to be used as a hand held massager and such
use makes the unit more versatile. The cushioning pad 70
is contoured as illustrated.
While a revolution rate of the shaft 36 of the
motor 30 of 6250 r.pOm.'s has been found satisfying, a
user may well desire a revolution rate greater or less
than this figure. Such a revolution rate may be obtained
either by the use of a rheostat or the motor may ~e
designed to operate at the dif~erent rate with the use of
tha on-off switch.
Many other modfications to the invention may
readily be contemplated in addition to the specific
embodiment describad and such embodimants should be
cvnsidered illustrative only and not as limiting the scope
of the invention as:defined in accordance with the
accompanying~ciaims~ :
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