Abstract:
A handheld massage device that may be employed to provide therapeutic massage to a user&#39;s backside includes a user-grippable, generally hook-shaped handle and a massage tool mounted at one end thereof. The massage tool has a plurality of body-contacting work elements that may be selectively moved into operative position and locked in place. A releasable, spring-loaded locking mechanism is provided between the handle and the massage tool so that the tool is locked in position when engaged and unlocked and rotatable when disengaged. The handle may be formed as an integral piece or in segments that can be assembled in end-to-end relation or disassembled and compactly folded for storage. In segmented form, a resilient line may extend internally within tubular segments between the respective end segments to securely hold the handle segments together and cooperating parts axially and rotationally align the separable segments when assembled.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of and is a continuation-in-part of my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/432,715, filed on Sep. 19, 2012, currently pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention pertains to a massage device and, more particularly, to a handheld massage device with an indexable therapeutic tool locatable and lockable in a plurality of usable configurations. 
     2. Background Art 
     Massage therapists apply various techniques when treating an individual, dependent upon the condition of the individual. Some therapists have made use of various tools designed to more effectively and/or more easily apply various therapeutic techniques. Different tools, including the commonly used T-bar, have had varying degrees of success. Some tools may improve some aspects related to applying a particular therapy, while sometimes making other aspects worse. Other tools may fall short of the desired effect, or may be the victim of ever increasing demands that they were never intended to meet and/or address. Consequently, there is an ever-increasing demand to develop more effective techniques, some of which may only be possible with an appropriate tool. Furthermore, there is a demand to increase the effectiveness of existing tools. 
     Several techniques require the targeted application of pressure and/or force. At least a couple of examples include muscle stripping, trigger point, friction, and effleurage. Furthermore, the addition of force to other types of therapies can sometimes improve their effectiveness. However, the persistent application of force can, in some instances, be taxing on a therapist or on a self-administering user. Consequently, techniques and/or tools, which can assist in the application of force or can more effectively apply an existing force can serve to relieve some of the strain. 
     Furthermore, tools which help combine the effective application of force with other therapies may also be beneficial. Still further, techniques or tools that help to eliminate other impediments to the application of an effective treatment, either to the recipient of the treatment, or the person applying the treatment, would additionally be beneficial. 
     Examples of massage tools that may be employed in such therapy are described in my patents, U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,706, issued Oct. 7, 2008, entitled “Generally Triangular-Shaped Tool with Three Different Contact Elements,” and U.S. Pat. No. D542,926, issued May 15, 2007, entitled “Massage Tool.” Usually, one cannot provide suitable therapeutic massage to one&#39;s self, particularly in the area of the back or side. A therapist is required to administer such therapy. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, multifunctional tool that emulates the human hand while performing massage therapy thereby reducing fatigue and increasing the sensation and effect on the recipient. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a handheld massage device that can easily be used on all parts of the user&#39;s body by the user working alone, has multiple tool elements for varying types of therapy, and yet has a minimum number of components, has few manufacturing complexities, and is relatively inexpensive. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a therapeutic massage tool having a plurality of user-selectable body-engaging contact elements is carried on one end portion of a handle and the other end portion is grippable by a user. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the massage tool is rotatably mounted on the handle and may be turned to multiple positions to orient any of contact elements relative to the handle. 
     One feature of the present invention is that a releasable locking mechanism is provided so that when the locking mechanism is engaged, the massage tool is locked in fixed position relative to the handle, and when the locking mechanism is disengaged, the massage tool is unlocked and may be moved to a different position. 
     Another feature of the invention is that the locking mechanism is manually-operated and rotation of the massage tool relative to the handle and unlocking and locking thereof can be easily accomplished manually by using one hand in one motion without the use of tools. 
     A further feature of the invention is that the locking mechanism is spring-loaded so that during use the massage tool is automatically locked in position relative to the handle. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the handle is integrally formed as a single rigid piece with the massage tool at one end and a user grip at the other end. 
     In a second embodiment of the invention, the handle is formed from a plurality of separate rigid pieces that may be assembled in end-to-end relation and disassembled as desired. 
     A feature of the second embodiment is that the separate pieces are interconnected by a resilient line that biases the pieces together but allows the pieces to be manually pulled apart and compactly folded for transport or storage. 
     A further feature of the second embodiment is that the adjoining pieces have axial and radial aligners so that when the pieces are unfolded, the pieces are automatically pulled together in end-to-end relation by the resilient line and are located in proper position by the cooperating aligners. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The details of construction and operation of the invention are more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a top, front, right side perspective view of an embodiment of a therapy device constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a left side elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a back elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a right side elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1  with the massage tool rotated 120° clockwise to an alternative position; 
         FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1  with the massage tool rotated 120° counterclockwise to an alternative position; 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevational view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 1  as it might be employed by a user; 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of a therapy device constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a front elevational view partially broken away of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 11  disassembled and folded; 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged, exploded, partial perspective view of the therapy device shown in  FIG. 11  showing the massage tool mount and a handle tube joint; 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged, perspective view of the back of the massage tool shown in  FIG. 13 ; and, 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 11  showing the configuration of the massage tool mount. 
     
    
    
     All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to the drawings, a handheld massage device, generally designated  20 , is seen to include a rigid, wrap-around handle, generally designated  21 , and a therapeutic massage tool, generally designated  22 , rotatably mounted to one end of the handle. 
     The handle  21  has first and second end portions  24  and  25  joined by an intermediate arcuate bend portion  26 . The first and second end portions  24  and  25  each have inner ends that connect with the opposite ends of the bend portion  26  and diverge from one another with their outer ends terminating in respective handle ends  28  and  29  that define a relatively large gap (not numbered) therebetween. The handle first end portion  24  provides an offset allowing for the mounting of the massage tool  22  and as seen in  FIG. 10  has a length sufficient to reach the lower back, while the handle second end portion  25  has a length sufficient to permit it to be gripped by the user  32  forward of the torso or waist. The handle  21  wraps around or encircles the user  32  when it is be placed on or over the user&#39;s body, shoulder, torso, neck, or other body part. 
     In one use of the massage device  20  as seen in  FIG. 10 , the handle  21  is positioned over the user&#39;s shoulder with the rearward first end portion  24  mounting the massage tool  22  extending downwardly generally along user&#39;s back and the forward second end portion  25  positioned so that it extends angularly forward of the user&#39;s chest and can be gripped appropriately. The handle  21  may be gripped by a user along any portion thereof. 
     The handle  21  can be integrally formed from a single piece of round tube or rod made of steel, aluminum, or other suitable metals, or high-strength plastic. The handle  21  is generally hook-shaped, but it can be suitably sized or configured with arcuate curves, partial loops, or angular bends or folds to form a J-shape, U-shape, V-shape, C-shape, or similar shape that defines a gap opening into an internal throat (not numbered) that allows it to at least partially wrap around a user&#39;s body or torso. 
     The massage tool  22  shown herein includes a central body portion or hub  35  with opposed side surfaces  35   a  and  35   b  on either side of the hub and three different circumferentially-spaced, body-contacting work elements  36   a ,  36   b , and  36   c  extending radially outward from the hub edge surfaces  35   c , which merge into the side surfaces  35   a  and  35   b . The massage tool has as body contact elements: a wedge  36   a , a cross-wedge  36   b , and a blunt or broad point  36   c . The massage tool  22  may be made of metal, plastic, plastic-coated metal, or any other suitable material. It is understood that other configurations and arrangements for working contact elements may be employed herein and that their number may be modified as desired. 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the first end portion  24  of the generally J-shaped handle  21  is shorter than the second end portion  25 . The handle bend portion  26  has a radius of approximately 5 inches and subtends an angle of about 135° so that the first and second handle end portions  24  and  25  initially diverge away from one another at an angle of 45° as indicated at a in  FIG. 5 . 
     The handle end portion  25  and bend portion  26  are aligned along the plane indicated by line  38  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The handle first end portion  24  has a transverse section, or tool mount  40 , that is fixed to the end of offset section  41  of the handle first portion  24 . The massage tool  22  is rotatably mounted at one end of the tool mount  40  with the work elements  36  aligned with the handle plane  38 . The offset section  41  is laterally spaced from the plane  38 , allowing the massage tool  22  to be rotated without interference of the handle  21 . 
     The handle second end portion  25  includes a first straight section  43 , a second straight section  44 , and an intermediate bend or angled third section  45  joining the first and second straight sections  43  and  44 . The first straight section  43  joins the angled section  45  and the handle bend portion  26 . The second straight section  44  is joined with the angled section  45  and terminates in the handle free end  29 . 
     The angled section  45  bends inwardly toward the handle first end portion  24  at about a 45° angle as indicated at b in  FIG. 5  and then outwardly away from the handle first end portion at about a 22.5° angle as indicated at c in  FIG. 5 . This overall configuration allows the handle  21  to wrap around the user&#39;s shoulder with the handle  21  extending downwardly and forwardly from the chest of the user  32  when the massage tool  22  is placed along the back allowing the user to easily grip the second end portion  25  and vertically raise and lower the tool  22  and adjust the angle of the tool  22  on the back. Typically, the tool  22  will be rotated so that the contact element being used is substantially perpendicular to the body. 
     Adjusting the position of the handle  21  forward of the body changes the vertical and horizontal position or angle of the massage tool  22 . Pushing the handle  21  away from the body increases the force applied. Small motions of the handle  21  can effect rubbing or change the pressure imparted to the user&#39;s body. The angular bends in the second end portion  25  allow a user  32  to leverage the handle  21  to adjust the relative angle of the device  20  and its lateral position and height. 
     Mounting of the massage tool  22  to the handle  21  is best described with reference to  FIGS. 11-15 , wherein a second embodiment is shown, the massage tool  22  being mounted on handle  81 . The releasable locking mechanism, generally designated  50 , operates in a fashion similar to a spring-loaded, dog-type clutch. The locking mechanism  50  is a positive coupling mechanism provided between the handle  81  and massage tool  22  and allows the user  32  when it is uncoupled to reposition a body-contacting element  36  of the tool  22  and lock the tool in place when it is recoupled. Engagement of the locking mechanism  50  locks the massage tool  22  in position relative to the handle  81  while disengagement allows the tool  22  to be rotated or indexed so as to locate the body-contacting elements  36  in a position that will be substantially perpendicular to the user. 
     The releasable locking mechanism  50  includes cooperating parts on the handle  81  and the massage tool  22 . The locking mechanism part on the massage tool includes a circular depression  52  centrally formed in the side surface  35   b  and a triangularly-shaped cavity  53  formed in the bottom of the depression  52  defining an upright, triangularly-shaped, internal shoulder  54 . A counterbore  56  extends from the bottom of the cavity  53  to a shoulder  57  spaced inward from the side surface  35   a  of the tool  22 . A throughhole  58  extends axially through the massage tool  22  from the tool side surface  35   a  into the counterbore  56 . 
     The locking mechanism part on the handle is formed as part of tubular tool mount  40  fixed transversely to the offset section  41 . One end portion  60  of the tool mount  40  has a circular cross-section insertable within the tool circular depression  52  sized to receive it. The end of the tool mount  40  facing the massage tool  22  includes a tall spindle  61  extending axially outward from a triangularly-shaped key  62  projecting from a closing end wall  63  defining an upright, triangularly-shaped, external shoulder  64 . The spindle  61  is slidable within the tool counterbore  56  and guides axial movement of the tool  22 . When the tool  22  is slid onto the spindle  61 , the projecting key  62  can be inserted into the tool cavity  53  with the respective shoulders  54  and  64  abutting so as to lock the massage tool  22  against rotation relative to the handle. 
     The opposite end portion  66  of the tool mount  40  includes a counterbore  67  in which a compression load spring  68  is positioned. A throughhole  69  extends axially from one end of the spindle  61  and through the raised projection  62  and end wall  63 . A threaded fastener  70  extends axially within the massage tool throughhole  58 , the tool mount throughhole  69 , and the compression spring  68 . The fastener head  70   a  abuts the side surface  35   a  of the massage tool  22  and a washer  71  and threaded nut  72  are placed onto the end of the fastener  70  to hold the compression spring  68  within the counterbore  67  between the end wall  63  of the counterbore  67  and washer  71  and thereby hold the tool  22  on the spindle  61 . 
     To rotate the massage tool  22  and orient a working element in desired radial position, the tool  22  is manually pulled axially outward from the tool mount  40  against the bias of the spring  68  to uncouple the tool from the handle, angularly turned 120° to another index position, and released. Spring force biases the tool  22  back to recouple and engage the cooperating triangular shoulders  54  and  64  and lock the tool  22  in selected position. 
     It is understood that other constructions for the locking mechanism may be employed to effecting a dog-type clutch. Such constructions might include the use of an upright pin aligning with circumferentially-spaced holes, the use of spaced keys and keyways, or the use of radially-extending ridges and grooves. 
     The handle offset  41  permits the tool  22  to be centered relative to the overall plane of the massage device and be rotated without interference from the supporting handle. The tool shown herein rotates about an axis that extends transversely through the hub side surfaces  35   a  and  35   b  and is traverse to the handle non-linear centerline  47 . The tool body contact elements  36  are aligned along the handle plane  38  and rotate through the handle centerline  47 . It is understood that the tool may be mounted in many different orientations. For example, the tool may be mounted so that it rotates about an axis common to the centerline so that the contacting elements rotate about the handle centerline. 
     In  FIGS. 11-15 , an alternative construction of the handheld massage device, generally designated  80 , is shown and includes a segmented handle, generally designated  81 , and indexable therapeutic massage tool  22 . The handle  81  is comprised of a plurality of rigid, tubular segments  83 - 87  that may be connected together in end-to-end abutting relation or disconnected and separated. The handle segments  83 - 87  are releasably held together by a resilient line  88 , which may also be a cable, shock cord, bungee, or the like. The ends of the line  88  are secured to respective end segments  83  and  87  by anchors  89   a  and  89   e  fixed therewithin as seen in  FIG. 12 . 
     The handle  81  has one end portion, generally designated  91 , that is comprised of first angled end segment  83  having a handle-terminating end  83   a , straight segment  85 , and second angled intermediate segment  84  having one end connectable to the end of the first angled segment  83  opposite the handle-terminating end  83   a  and its other end connectable to one end of the straight segment  85 . The other handle end portion, generally designated  92 , is comprised of offset segment  87  having an end terminating in tool mount  40 . Arcuate bend segment  86  is located intermediate the handle end portions  91  and  92  and has one end connectable to the straight segment  85  and its opposite end connectable to the offset segment  87 . 
     The massage device  80  may be manually pulled apart, disassembled and folded for storage or transport as shown in  FIG. 12 . When the user unfolds the massage device  80 , the biasing force of the resilient line  88  automatically pulls on the segments  83 - 87  and tightly holds them in end-to-end assembled relation. When assembled, the massage device  80  has the same configuration and functionality as the massage device  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-10 . 
     Connectable segments  83 - 87  are held in axially end-to-end alignment by cooperating male/female parts on the ends of each pair of adjacent segments. As best shown in  FIG. 13  illustrating the connection between segments  86  and  87 , one of the abutting segment pair includes an internal guide tube  94  securely fixed within the tubular segment or otherwise formed at the tube end. The guide tube  94  extends axially outward from segment  87 . The other of the segment pair has an inner surface  95  formed so that it may slide axially over and cooperatively engage the internal guide tube  94  until the end edges  96   a  and  96   b  are in abutting relation. The outer diameter of internal guide tube  94  of segment  87  and the inner diameter at the end of segment  86  are matched so that their size and shape so that they mate and provide a relatively snug interference fit. The external surface of the guide tube end and the internal surface of the segment  86  together function as axial aligners. 
     To maintain adjacent segments in rotational alignment, cooperating tabs  97  and slots  98  are provided and together function as rotational aligners. As seen in  FIG. 11-13 , one of each segment pair includes a tapering tab  97  extending axially outward from its end edge while the other of each abutting segment pair includes a tapering slot  98  of corresponding size and shape cut into end edge  96   a . When the segments are joined together the tapering male tab and female slot edge surfaces cooperatively engage and mate fixing the segments against relative rotation. The tapering edges facilitate final rotational alignment if the segments are initially rotationally misaligned during connection. 
     It is understood that the handle  81  may be formed with any number of intermediate segments, or none at all. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     It should be apparent that the massage device described herein is simple, inexpensive and easily constructed and yet is functional and efficient providing an effective construction for delivering massage therapy. 
     Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. 
     It should be apparent that the pump described herein is simple and functional, but yet is effective and be easily manufactured. It should also be understood that the terms “top,” “bottom,” “forward,” “rearward,” “inner,” “outer,” “end,” “side,” “first,” “second,” and similar terms as used herein, have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention. The terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. While specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that one can modify the dimensions and particulars of the embodiments without straying from the inventive concept.