Abstract:
A therapeutic roller apparatus that includes a rigid plastic roller member and a soft foam material sleeve that is adapted to fittingly mount about the rigid plastic roller member. The rigid plastic roller member preferably also has an inner tubular passage for fittingly receiving a vibration assembly. The vibration assembly includes, inter alia, an energy driven motor, preferably driven from an array of batteries and a weight that is coupled with the motor. The weight and motor together, when operated, provide a vibratory effect that is transferred through to the outer soft foam material sleeve.

Description:
RELATED CASE 
     Priority for this application is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to commonly owned and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/236,915 which was filed on Aug. 26, 2009 and which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates in general to a therapeutic roller apparatus and pertains, more particularly, to an apparatus that provides enhanced therapeutic action for such applications, but not limited to, balance training, self-massage and stretching. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     At the present time, foam rollers exist. These are commonly used for such purposes as balance training, self-myofascial release, self-massage and stretching. Such foam rollers may also be used for golf swing practice, yoga and Pilates. These rollers may be provided in full cylindrical shape as well as a half-round foam roller version. These rollers can also be provided in various diameters and lengths. 
     It is an object of the present invention to improve the application of these rollers by incorporating a vibrating means therein. Thus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a therapeutic roller apparatus that comprises a rigid plastic roller member and a soft foam material sleeve that is adapted to fittingly mount about the rigid plastic roller member. The rigid plastic roller member preferably also has an inner tubular passage for fittingly receiving a vibration assembly. The vibration assembly includes, inter alia, an energy driven motor, preferably driven from an array of batteries and a weight that is coupled with the motor. The weight and motor together, when operated, provide a vibratory effect that is transferred through to the outer soft foam material sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       It should be understood that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the disclosure. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIGS. 1A-B  is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of the therapeutic roller apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A-C  shows alternate views of the rigid plastic roller member of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view through an assemble apparatus illustrating the various components; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the vibration assembly; and 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the end switch mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As indicated previously, rollers have been used for therapeutic purposes such as for balance training, self-myofascial release, self-massage and stretching. These rollers have also been used for golf swing practice, yoga and Pilates. The rollers of this type are sold by, for example, Perform Better of Cranston, R.I. These may be identified as EVA Foam Rollers or PB Elite Molded Foam Rollers. These rollers may be formed in various lengths depending upon the particular application for the roller and may also be formed in different diameters. 
     Now, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved therapeutic roller apparatus and one in which a vibratory action supplements the roller action. The therapeutic roller apparatus of the present invention may also be provided in various diameters and lengths depending upon a particular application thereof. 
     Reference is now made to the drawings for a preferred embodiment of the therapeutic roller apparatus of the present invention. In this regard,  FIGS. 1A-B  is an exploded perspective view showing the main components that comprise the roller apparatus while  FIGS. 2A-C  is an illustration of  30  the main roller member. Thus, in  FIG. 1A  the roller apparatus is shown at  10  in an assembled state.  FIG. 1B  also shows by an exploded view that the apparatus is comprised of a rigid plastic roller member  12 , a soft foam material sleeve  14  and a vibration assembly  16 . The soft foam material sleeve  14  is preferably a neoprene sleeve that is adapted to fittingly engage and mount about the rigid plastic roller member  12 . The vibration assembly  16  is adapted to fittingly be  5  received within the rigid plastic roller member  12 .  FIG. 1B  illustrates these components exploded away from each other while  FIG. 3  is a cross-section illustrating the components in place. The neoprene sleeve  14  is sized so as to snugly fit over the roller member  12 . An adhesive may be applied between the sleeve  14  and the member  12 . 
     The rigid plastic roller member  12  is preferably constructed of a PVC extrusion. For details of the PVC extrusion refer to  FIGS. 2A-C . Thus the PVC extrusion is formed of an outer tubular member  20 , an inner tubular member  22  and a series of spokes  24  that interconnect the inner and outer tubular members. A cross-section of the extrusion is illustrated in  FIG. 2B . The internal diameter of the inner tubular member  22  is dimensioned so as to fittingly receive the plastic vibration assembly  16 . In  FIG. 2B  there are seven spokes  24 . However, the number of spokes can be either greater or less than seven. Each of these spokes  24  extend radially from a center axis of the roller member between the inner and outer tubular members. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 3-5  for further details, in particular, of the vibration assembly  16 .  FIG. 1B  schematically illustrates the plastic vibration assembly  16  as a tubular member. For further details refer to the exploded perspective view of  FIG. 4  which illustrates the tubular member as comprised of main body halves  30 A,  30 B. The plastic vibration assembly is meant to be pressed into the inner tubular member of the PVC extrusion  12 . The vibration assembly includes, in addition to the main body, a series of batteries  32 , a motor  34  and a weight  36 . The motor  34  is coupled to the weight  36  for rotation thereof by means of the shaft  38 . The main tubular body having a length less than the length of the rigid plastic roller member  12  so as to dispose the motor  34  that is within the main tubular body member substantially at a midpoint of the rigid plastic roller member  12 . 
       FIG. 4  also illustrates the bushing holder  40  and a bushing  42  that is for support of the shaft  38 . Again, the shaft  38  connects from an output shaft of the motor  34  to the weight  36 . When the motor  34  is energized, then the shaft  38  rotates with the rotation of the motor and in turn the weight  36  is rotated. It is noted that the weight  36  has an off-center configuration. It is the combination of the motor drive along with the off-center weight that provides the vibration.  FIG. 4  also shows a positive connector  35  which provides one of the electrical connections between the series of batteries  32  and the motor  34 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the main body halves are provided with separate compartments that may be identified with ribs or ridges within the body so as to accommodate the various components. Again,  FIG. 3  illustrates all of these components in place within the plastic vibration assembly. 
     Reference is now made to the exploded perspective view of  FIG. 5  that shows the switch or cap assembly. This includes an end cap  40 ′, button  42 ′, switch  44 , switch holders  46 A,  46 B, contact plate  48  and the battery spring  49 . The switch  44  is preferably a two pole on/off switch. In that way, the user can hit the button once to turn the vibrator on and hit it a second time to turn the vibrator off. The spring  49  biases the switch to a more distal position. 
     Wiring (not shown) is used for connecting the motor with the cap assembly. For this purpose, the vibration assembly may be provided with grooves in which the wire can extend. Electrical contact between the batteries and the motor is also provided by the contact plate  48 . The wiring would include a series circuit through the motor and the switch  44  with the switch  44  simply allowing or interrupting the current flow from the batteries to the motor. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the vibrating mechanism is preferably disposed close to a midpoint along the roller apparatus. The control means for the vibrator, namely the switch  44  is preferably disposed at one end of the roller apparatus. In that way, a user has ready access to the operating switch by way of depressing the button  42 ′. 
     The use of a battery operated vibrator is particularly helpful in that there are no electrical lines that need to be run to the therapeutic roller device. Also of importance is the fact that the control portion of the device, in particular the switch  44 , is disposed at an end of the roller apparatus and at a position where the button  42 ′ is readily accessible for use. 
     In developing the therapeutic roller apparatus of the present invention, it has also been found important to provide a relatively rigid structure such as the PVC extrusion  12 , between the vibration part of the device and the soft foam sleeve  14 . By using a more rigid member  12 , this enhances the vibrations caused by the motor and associated weight. Moreover, the spoke construction illustrated in the drawings has been found to be particularly advantageous in enhancing vibrations. At the same time, any contact with the user is at the sleeve  14  which is of a soft material preferably some type of a foam such as a neoprene sleeve. 
     Having now described a limited number of embodiments of the present invention, it should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous other embodiments and modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.