Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
208~2
STRAP~MVUNTED ~ASSA~ING DEVICE
FIFLD ~F THE INVENTION
Tne p~sen~ inrent~n relates to m~ssaging ~evices
~enerally~ and more part~ularly, ~o ~n improved massa~ing device
havlng rollers oppos~tely-mounted along the edges of ~ strap~
BACKG~OUND OF THE INYENTION
lhere are known massaging devl¢es ~onstru~ted as a set
of ~heels or balls each rotatlng on ~h axls provided between two
pardllel cords, ~ith th~ en~ provided with handles, su~h as
disclos~d by German patent 2,?25,~69. A simple variat~on o~ this
desinn ls disclosed in Germdn patent 2,12h~1b3, whe~e ~he handles
are provld~d as rlngs. ~n ~erman patent 2,21~,878, a ri~ld ~rame
is provide~ havin~ t multlple o~ balls on each transverse a~ls,
and a similar desi~n without the ~rame is disclosed ln ~erman
1~ pa~ent 2,323 7 85t.
In another ~esign, such as th~t dlsclosed by Br~tish
pat~nt 2,100,~04, the balls ar~ ~ounted between two cords
extending parallel to one an~ther and b~ing malntalned apart from
one another by tr~nsYerse axles. Plastic sleeves seated oYer the
~ords are used to keep the ~xles spaced apart from one another a~
fix~d intervals ~lon~ the c~rd length, llke the rungs of a
ladder~ The p~r~llel cords and sleeves form the fra~e, whlch
holds the balls in place, and retalns them on the tr~n~verse
axle5. Rings provided at either frame end serve as handles.
20~832
A dlsadv~nta~ o- thls c~n~ru~lon Is thht ~he
~r~nsvers~ axles pro~ct beyond the frame, so t~at wh~n the
d~vloe ls vlgorously applled to massage tlle ~ody, theso
proJectlons ~ay scrat~h ar In~ure the skLn.
r~ Tll~ prlor ~rt deslgns for masso~ln~ devlc~s based on
tll~ use Or d rrame torm~a hy cords ls d~fflcult to use slnce the
~ntlre length often becomes ent~ngled ~nd must be strdlshten~d
out befo~e usc. Also, these deslgns us0 woodon parts whlch are
non-~a~hable, llmltlng the abillty to cle~n and mdln~a1~ them.
IO lhe use oF many parts co~pllcates and slows produc~ion,
espeeia)l~ ~here the cords must be thre~ed th~ough ea~h p~rt.
In additl~n, thls desl~n cduses noise as ~ result of
frlctlon devcl~ped botween ~he ~ooden p~rts ~nd ~he cord f~dm~,
Tll~s frlctlon 9150 shortQns ~he useful l~fe of ~ne deYlce.
~5 Another varlatlon of ~ maSSdglng devlce- desly~ 1~
pr~vlded ln US Patent 4,210,135 to Deus~r, In which ~ plur~llty
of m~ssaging members sh~pod dS dlscs are held on a flcxlble sh~tt
ln o ~o~ shapeu Slnce thls devlce ls manipulated by one hand,
only 8 llmlted ~mount of farc~ ls developed whlle massagl~g
ag~lnst the ~ody.
In vlew of the llml~lons ~n prior crt mass~lnj
device desl~n, lt would b~ desirable to prov~de a sl~ply
construo~d, s,lf7, Inel(oensl.e ~nd essy-to~us7 ml~ssaglng devic7
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~8~32
~UMMAkY Of THE INY~NrION
Acc~rdlngly, ~t ls a pr~nGlpal obj~ct o~ the pr~sent
lnYention to o~erCom~ ~he aboYe-mentlon~d ~isddvantages 0~ the
prlor art and pro~lde a str~p-~ounted ~assaglng deYice fea~uring
a ~t~ap haYlng sets o~ rollers oppos~t~ly mount~d on l~s cd~es.
In accordanc~ ~th ~ preferred ~mbo~lment of tho
present InYenllon. there 1~ provlded a strdp-mount~d ~sa~lng
devlce comPr~ln~:
a ~l~xlble strap;
1~ a plurallty o~ axles each extendln~ tr~nsverse to sald
strdp and b~ing retalned thereon; and
a plural~ty of rota~able m~ss3glng elements nrrDnged
in sets mou~ed oYer the ends of each o- ~bld ~xles,
Tn the preferred embodlment, the mbss~lng devl~e ls
1~ ~onstructe~ as ~ set of massa~lng alements comprising disc~shaped
rollers rotstably mount~d on the ends of ~ plurall~y of a~les
spaced ~part a~ong ~he l~n~th of a s~rap. The str~p Is provlded
as a t~o-layered mat~rlal se~n togeth~r wi~h the axles r~tained
~n pocke~s for~ed bet~een the ~aYers. The axles and rollers ~r~
7n deslgned so that the axles a~ flush~mounted with the outer face
~f the ~ollers, and the axles ~o not proJect b~yond the rollers,
~limlnatlng any poss~billty of In~urlns the sktn whlle massqglng~
~ he InY~ntiYe de~lgn oYercomes the dlsadYanta~es o~
prlor ar~ desl~ns by use o~ the strap rOr mountln~ the massaslng
.S ele~e~ts~ The strap Is desi~ned to Insure th~t .the massaglng
~lements do not become ~ntanglcd, wh~le preserV~n~ t~C s~a~ y
and ~lex~blllty o~ the de~lce. Th~ enas of th~ strap ~re provi~ed
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2 ~ 3 2
~ltll ~Id~ handles, p~ovldlng addltlondl comfort durin~ u~e.
In ~ddlll~n, ~he lnyentlvQ design sl~plltles prsductlon
and reduces produc~lon ~osts by reducln~ the n~lmber o~
components. Also, thc roller massa~ing elements dr~ m2nur~c~ured
from plasLIc by InJectlon mold~ng, then muunted on the axles and
~ch~nl~ lock~d thereon. SeYer~l technlques exls~ for
~cc~anlc~lly Jockin~ the rollers on the axles, lncludlng
thermoplastic or mcchanic~l deform~tlon of the aXlQ ends, or Us~
of ~ fa~t~ner c~p, screw or other fastener~
~ he use of p~astlc components ~or the massaglng
elements enables gre~ter ~arlufacturln~ pre~slon an~ reduce~
toler~nces between th~ a~les ~nd ~l~m~nts, docreaslnY the noisc
assoclated w~th us~ ~f the ~eYlce~
ay vlr~ue of ~ts unl~ue deslgn, an Inexpens~ve, llght,
slurd~, sate and easy-to-use massa~in3 devlce can be rnanufactur~d,
O~her features and ddvant~es of the Invcntlon ~111
become apparent from th~ folJo~lng ~rawln~s and descrlptlon.
DRIEF DESCRJPllON OF THE D~A~INGS
For a better understandin~ of th~ InYentloh ~ith regard
2~ to the embodlments t~ereof. ref~renc~ Is made tO the acco~pdnyin~
drawlngs, in whlch Ill~e nlmerals deslgn~te correspondln~ el~ments
or sectlons througnou~ an~ ln which:
Flg, ~ lS a top view of a prlor ar~ massaglng devlGe
construct~d usln~ wooden rollers ln ~ frame forme~ by cords,
2~ Fl9. 2 Is a to~ ~lew of preferred embodl~en~ o~ 3
strap-mounl~rJ massa~ln~ devlco ~onstruole~l In dccordance w~h th~
prlnclples of the lnventlon:
~ ~ 8 (~
Fl~. 3 illustrat~s a sl~e Yiew of an alternatlYe
em~odlment of the str~p of Flg. Z, fea~urino a spr~ng ~amp ~r
reta~nln~ transYers~ly-mDunted ~xles on the str~p; ~nd
Flg. 4 !s a de~led vle~ of a portlon ~f thc m~ssaglng
d~lce o~ Fl~. 2, ~ho~lng ~assagln~ elements mount~d on dn axl~.
DETAILE~ DESCRIPT10~ ~F rHE PREFE~RED k~O~lMEHTS
Refer~ln~ no~ to Fl~, 1, ther0 1s shown a t~p vlew of ~
prior art moss~ng de~lce 10, ~h~ch IS a deslgn representat~Ye
~f sever~l slmllar prlar art devlces~ dS menl1~ned in ~he
IU back~round. ~e~lce 10 Is construoled ~slng ~ooden rollers l2
mounted on dxl~s ~ whlch are seated transverse ~o a palr of
cords 16 formln~ a fram~ 1~. Th~ Indlv~dual ~xles 1~ ~r~
mdint~ned spdced ~pdrt ~ 1n fram~ 17 by ~ sct o~ plas~'c
spacers 18 through whlch eords 16 are threaded. The cord 1~ ~nds
]~, Fcrm ~oops 19, proYld~n~ n~ndles to man~puldtc devlce 10 ln use.
A dissdYentage Of thls construction 1s ~that the
transYerse qxles 14 proJ~t beyond the cord fram~ 17, so th~t
when the devlc~ 10 ls ~Igorously applled ~o ~assage the body.
these pro~oCt5ng ~xles 14 may sc~tch or InJure ~hc skln.
2n The prlor art desl~ns Por massaglng d~vlc~ based on
the us~ or a frame f~rmed 4y cords Is dlf~lcu1t to use slnce the
entlre length o~ten ~co~es en~3ngled and must be strdight~nod
out before use. ~Iso, these deslgns use w~o~en parts wlllch ~re
non-w~shable, limltlng the ability to clean and malntain them.
.5 ~h~ use of many parts complio~tes and slows productlon,
especlally ~here cords 16 must be threaded through ea~h part.
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~8~32
RY~rrl1Iy no~ ~o Fl~ here ~s shown d t~p Yiew 0~ a
preferred embodiment of a st~ap-mounted massaglng devlce 20
constructed itl arrcurddnce ~ltlI llle prlnclples of the present
lnYention. DeYIce 2~ ~omprises a strap 22 w1th a deslred len~th,
.~ ~Ith eaCh of It ends fol~ed oYer ltself as a loop ~o prov~de
h~ndles ~4. ~3s~aglng e1ements 25 are f~rmed wlLh a cenlrdl hote.
are sh~ped as dlsc-shaped rol1ers and aro rolala~ly moun~ed in
pairs on ~ plur~llty of axl~s 2~ spaced ~par~ perpendlcular ~o
~he len~th of str3p 2Z~ The s~nap 2~ ~ornprlses t~o layers of
~a~rlal ~ewll toga~ller ~y stltches 2~, ~ormlng d pl~allty of
~ock~s ~ ~or reta~nlng each ax~e 26 between straP 22 l~yers.
Each axle 26 Is prov1ded with a len~th equ1valcnl to
tll~ s~rap 22 wldth plus tlle thlckness o~ a p~ir of ~a~sagin~
elements 25. M2ssl~1ng ele~ents ~S ~ deslgned to b~ loc~cd on
. axles 26 such that the end uf each axle 26 is ~lush-moun~ed wltll
the outer face o~ each ~lement 25, ~ormln~ a substantl~lly
contlnuous surtDce such th~t ~xl~ 26 does not pro~e~t ~eyond It,
nor Ss axl~ 26 r~ccsse~ ln thc hole or massagln~ elemen~ 25.
It wlll be ~ppreclatQd tnat In an ~lternatlvc dcslgn,
2~ massa~ln~ elements 25 may be b~ shaped, ~heel-shaped or
gear-shape~ elements~ or elements haYin~ smooth ed~es, or they
can be shap~d to achleve a deslred physiotherapy ef~eet.
In ti~. 3, therQ is shown i s~de vlew of an alterna~ive
embodlment o~ the strap 22 of Flg. 2. ~ea~ur~ng a sprlng clamp 30
~or ret~lnlng axles 26 transversely-mounte~ on strap 2~ ln
thls Qmbodlrnen~, strap ~Z Is pr~ ded ~s a sinale l~yer of
mat~rial. Sprln~ clamp 30 Is typloally made of mctal and is
form~fl wlth ~ clr~ul~r proflle ~Ith In~drd~y faclng e~ges
8 3 ~
32. In thls emb~dlment. axles 26 a~ for~d wlth ~ palr o~
parallel ~ro~ves 34. To att~ch strap Z2 to each ~xl~ 267 dxle 26
ls pl~ed into the cldmp 3~ such that straP 2~ 15 p~assed between
them, ~nd cla~p 30 edg~s 32 en~a~o grooYes 34, and ret~ s~r~p
2~ ~heretn. Other clan~ps or b~ckles mæy b~ used for ~hl9 punp~se.
In Flg. 4, d deta~led vlew Is s~l~wn vr A port~on of the
massagln~ dev~ce of Fl~. 2, shu~n~ mass3~1n~ ments ~ moullted
on axle 26 in locklng fashlon~ For thls purpose, a clrcular
depresslon 36 Is ~ormed in ~he oute~ face of massagln~ ele~en~
IO 2~, wlth a ~ eter 51 Ightly lar~er than ~hat of hole 3~/ ~ormad
In each massaylny element 25. ~he ends of eoC~ axle 26 are shaped
~ith a lacklng shoulder 38 ~hicll ~atches the contour o~ clrcul~r
d~prcsslon 3fi, and ~hlch retains moss~in~ element 25 on ~xle ~6.
Ther~ are sevqral methods of ~or~lng locklng shoulder
~S ~ on 8~1e 26, an~ among these are ther~pl~st~c o~ mechanlcal
defvrmat~on of the end~ of oxles ~6, In addltlon, all ~nl~rged
end p~Ce can be yluoa or otherw~se ~t~cl~ed ~o the a~le. A
~astener Cldmp ~r scre~ c~n also ba used. Thus, the ~nds of axles
26 are flush-mounted ~Ith th~ outer ~ace of massaglng elements 2S
2u }~ the thermoplosttc de~ormatlon ~ethod is us~d, flrst
the ~x1~5 Z~ are pl~ced in Pockets Z8 Dn slrap Z2. Mass~ln~
ele~ents z5 3rc then mounted on axles 26. Then, each axle ~6 15
orlented Yertlcally and mechanl~al pressur~ Is ~pplled comblned
~ith heatlng a~o~e and below axle 26, for a penlod as requlred ln
Accordance ~Ith the type o~ materlal~ Baf~r~ pr~ssure Is applled,
mass~glng element 25 Is moved away from the end of axle 2E so as
to ~old ~elng d~m~ed by the hoc~. ~hls c~n be don~ by squee~ing
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2 ~ 3 ~
slrdp 22 to n~rro~ It stlghtly, ~nd then releosln~ It one~ th~
de~ormatiorl ~)as ~een ~o~pleted. Thls m~thod results tn wld~nln~
the ends of axl~s 2~, whll~ shortenlng thelr lengt11 sl1~htlyO
In uso. strap-m~unted m~ssagln~ ~evl~e 20 Is h~ld b~
it~ handles ~4 so that massd9lng ~lements 25 contact the ~ody.
~cv~ce- 2~ 15 then drawn over the hodY ared ~hlch ~s to ~e
massag~ with a deslred force bnd speed, M~ss~ln~ clements 2$
rot~te freely and provlde st~mu~ation to the skln ~nd musc1ss In
lcccrdanee with ~l1e ~orce applied.
IO In summary, the flush mounted deslgn of ~xles Z6 wlth
the outer ~ace of ~ssd~lng el~cnts 25 ln~ures ~ha~ ~xles 26 do
not pro~ecS beyond the dlscs, e1im~natlng any possiblll~y of
In~urlng the skln whlle ~assa~lng.
The lnventlv~ de~lgn o~ercom~s the dlsadYanta~es o~
~rlor ar~ deslgns by use of strap ~ ~or ~ountlng the mass~lng
elerents. The st~p 22 lS designed to lns~re that hl~ssaging
elements 25 do not become entangled, whlle pr~servlng st~blllty
and flexlblllty uf the device. The ends of strap 27 ~re provlded
~Ith ~ide handles 24, p~ovldln~ ~ddlt~onal com~ort durlng use.
2n In a~dltlon, ~he Invertlve des~gn slmp~lfles production
~nd reduces productlon costs slnce mass~ing elements 2S c~n be
manufacture~5 from plastic by in~otlon moldlng, then mounted on
axl~s 26 ~nC me~hanlcally locked the~e~n~
The use of plastlc comp~nents f~r massa~in~ elements 25
~5 enables greater ~Dn~fdcturin~ pre~lsion, allo~lng for reduced
tolerances ln the flt betwe~n the axles 26 and e~emgnts 25, and
d~creasln~ the n~lse ~ssoclat~d wlth use of the devlce 20.
Havlng descrlbed the in~entlon wlth re~a~d to certal
:
2 ~ 3 2
speclflc embo~l~ments thereof, It Is to ~o llndel~sl.~d that the
descl~ipt1on 1~ no~ meant as ~ limltatlon, sln~e fl~rther
mo~llflcatlons may now become apparent to tho~e skllled in th~ ~rt
and it Is Intended tO co~er such modlflcdtlons as fbll wlthln ~he
5 scope of the ~ppcndcd cla~ms.
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