Head massager and package therefor

A head massager including a bundle of malleable rods having a top member within which the top end of the bundle of rods is fixed and the rods are free at the bottom end of the bundle, a handle including a top half and a bottom half articulated together, the bottom half defining a lower recess receiving the top member fixed therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a head massager and a package therefor.

2. Prior Art

Head massagers are known in the art, but their construction and operation is flimsy and unstable. There still exists a need in the art for a head massager that will perform to a high standard and yet be available at a reasonable price.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a head massager that is stable in operation, sturdy in construction and is packaged to be well presented to the buying public. This is accomplished by the invention by providing a novel construction that enables the head massager to function with and without vibration. Further, the head massager provides three different lengths of massaging rods, made of a malleable material such as copper, to be certain to provide coverage of the entire head surface. The novel head massager also is provided with protected ends for the rods that engage the head surface to insure no deleterious effects or injury. The novel head massager is provided with a light that is activated when the massager is turned on for vibration. The handle that is provided for holding the novel massage is a simulation of a head with a wizards cap; the head portion is painted with a wizard's face, and the cap portion is transparent and covered with indicia signifying magic, such as stars and crescents. A switch is provided at the top of the cap portion that when depressed, closes an electrical circuit that operates a vibration motor and lights a lamp to illuminate the transparent cap portion to give an exceptionally pleasing effect. Other and further features, advantages and objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken with the appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the novel head massager will be described. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the novel head massager consists of a head20from which project a plurality of rods22in a bundle. Head20has painted or coated thereon a simulation of a wizard's face on the lower half and a simulation of a cap with stars and crescents on the top half, which is transparent. The halves are articulated as will be explained in detail hereinafter. Rods22are made of a malleable material, preferable copper, so that they can be bent and placed in a variety of configurations for massaging the head, and will hold the set configuration until otherwise changed. There are three lengths of rods22, as best seen inFIG. 3. A short length24, a long length26, and an intermediate length28to enable the rods to be deployed by bending to conform to the various areas of the head. Use of three lengths gives better contact and coverage than was possible with prior art designs for head massagers. Also, the ends of the rods22are covered with a drop or ball of plastic or rubber30that serves as a safety measure to prevent any damage to the head during massage.FIG. 4shows the novel head massager in use on a person's head; it will be noted that the three lengths of rod20enable the head massager to reach and cover the head area most effectively while the safety measure of balls or drops30insure a safe massage.

The head massager is packaged in a tube of cardboard40closed at its bottom by a plastic closure42that is press fitted into the tube end. The bundle of rods22receive an integrally molded top plastic closure44that has a cup shape with a bottom46and an upward extending cylindrical skirt48. An outer flange50projects from the upper portion of skirt48that engages the top edge52of tube40. The skirt48is press fit into the top end of tube40and retained therein by pressure. Upstanding tabs54are located intermittently around the top edge of the skirt48and engage the bottom portion of the head20, as best seen inFIG. 2. The bottom46has an upward recess56at it central portion and a central tube58extends vertically above the bottom46to engage at its top the bottom of the head20and provide a support of it, and extends vertically below the bottom46to contain and control the bundle of rods22. Thus, the head20is securely and stably supported by the top of tube58and the tabs54while the rods22are contained within the tube40in a secure packed fashion with the help of the tube58. A tubular plastic bag60, heat sealed at its top62by heal seal64covers head20with the open bottom of the bag60fitted into tube40between the closure44and tube40and held therein by the press fit.

Referring now toFIGS. 5,6and7the head construction and electrical circuitry will be explained. The head20consists of top transparent half70and bottom opaque half72articulated together by a hinge74that pivotally connects web76integrally formed with the top half70and web78integrally formed with the bottom half72, seeFIG. 6. Web78is one of a plurality of reinforcing webs that are disposed intermittently spaced about the inner surface of the lower half72. The top half70consists of a generally conical shape decorated with stars and crescents that has a top central opening80into which is placed or received a push button82. Button82consists of a main cylindrical hollow body84and has a central tube or push rod86depending from the top of the button82downward terminating spaced above a switch100mounted on the bottom half72. Button82has an integrally formed pair of struts88having hooks90at their lower free ends that constitute the attachment of the button82with the skirt92. Hooks90are pushed through openings in and locked into the floor94that closes the bottom end of a downward skirt92forming the opening80in the top of the top half70. Push button82has a web96spaced above floor94and a spring98is placed against the floor94and urges the push button to a repose position fully upward, as shown inFIG. 6. A battery pressure plate102is fastened to the top half70by fasteners104at a point where the diameter is narrowing. The underneath side of the plate102has resilient curved or bent metal elements106to press against batteries108to hold them in place in their saddles110.

The bottom half72consists of an open-ended cylindrical main body120having a modified spool shape to simulate a face. The lower end is closed by a cap122by heat sealing or adhesively. Cap122defines a cavity124for receiving a member holding the top end of the bundle of rods22. Cap122has four integrally formed posts126that extend upward into the main body120. A plate128, providing an integrally formed mounting cylinder130for a motor134, is connected to the posts126by screws136. Plate128is drawn down to a seat128adefined by a narrowing of the inner diameter of the main body120; this insures a stable construction. The top of the cavity124has three holes140for connecting the member holding the top of the rod bundle. The top of the rod bundle is captured in two inverted metal cups142and144that are press fit together while crushing, due to their malleability, the tops of rods22into the space defined within the cups. The cup142defines a flange154surrounding an opening156through which the bundle of rods22protrudes. The cup144defines three holes matching or registering with the holes in the cap122, and screws (not shown) thread into the holes to hold the inverted cups142and144in the cavity124in the cap122. A space146is defined below plate128and above the connection of the rod bundle in which is located the drive shaft150of the motor134and an eccentrically mounted flywheel magnet152fixed to shaft150. As the motor134drives the eccentric flywheel magnet152via the shaft150, the action causes the bundle of rods22to vibrate.

Integrally formed on plate128are two posts160that extend upwardly to above the motor134. A battery holding plate170has two depending bosses172. Wells174are defined by the plate170and the bosses172. The bosses172register with the posts160and screws176threadedly connect the bosses172and plate170with the two posts160. Battery plate170defines two saddles110for holding batteries, that are aligned vertically with the bent resilient tabs106so that when a battery190is seated in its saddle110, the resilient bent metal tab106will apply pressure to hold the battery190securely in position, while allowing easy replacement as needed. The central portion of the plate170defines an upward cylindrical projection180having a central recess182within which is located a switch100consisting of a plunger184resiliently biases upward by spring186situated in a chamber188. The plunger184is depressed downward against the bias of spring186to close an electrical circuit that supplies power to the motor134, seeFIG. 5. A light192is in circuit serially, to light when switch100is closed. Switch100is closed only when the push button82is depressed to cause the rod86to contact the switch100and close it. This action is conveniently effected usually by the thumb of the user while grasping the handle in one hand. Also, by repeatedly flicking the push button82down and releasing a flashing effect can be generated. As the top half of the handle is transparent, a very pleasing effect is created.

The top half70is articulated to the bottom half72, as explained. Top half70includes a strut210that is integrally formed with the top half70. Strut210depends vertically downward and terminates at its free end in a hook212. When the top half70is closed to the bottom half72, hook212latches beneath the battery plate170and snaps into latching condition to attach the top half70to the bottom half72. However, it is possible to easily detach or unlatch the hook212. This is done by pressing in on the resilient transparent top half70while pulling upward. This action is sufficient to detach the hook212from the battery plate170to enable the top half70to swing upward about the hinge74to expose the interior of the handle.

To unpack and deploy the head massager, the top closure44is removed, the bag60is taken off the head, the top closure is slid off the bundle of rods22, and the rods22are deployed by bending into the pattern shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. All the rods22are daubed with a contrasting paint to show where to make bends, seeFIG. 2, which shows paint at200approximately ¼ down the length of the long rods26and at 202 approximately ¾ down the length of the long rods26. For example, if the rods are copper, the paint can be red. The short rods24, intermediate rods28and the long rods26are daubed at200and the long rods26are daubed at202for a second bend. Initially the rods are deployed at angles from approximately 30 to 60 degrees directly where they emerge from the bottom of the head and distributed circumferentially around 360 degrees so that the long rods26are the most spread, the intermediate rods28are within the profile of the long rods26, and finally the short rods24are within the profile of the intermediate rods28. Next all rods22are bent at the painted area202to depend more downwardly. When finished, the ends of the rods22will contact a person's head all over its upper surface as shown inFIG. 4. The plastic or rubber balls30covering the ends of the rods22will provide suitable protection so that the person's scalp or skin will not be injured. The head massager then can be used with or without vibrations, as the user's chooses.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, nevertheless changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein. Such changes and modifications are deemed to fall within the purview of the invention as claimed.