Pet therapeutic massager glove

A pet therapeutic glove for use with or without a power-operated massager is disclosed for grooming and/or massaging a pet. The glove may be used with a power-operated massager which is inserted into a pocket on the back side of the glove. The glove has openings for fingers and thumb to contact the animal and a palm side with bristles for collecting hair and/or further facilitating massaging and/or grooming the animal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a pet therapeutic glove for use both 
with and without a power operated massager. More particularly, this 
invention relates to a thumbless glove with open ended finger extensions 
that is suitable for therapeutically massaging and/or grooming a pet and 
that may be adapted for use with a power-operated massager located within 
a pocket on the back side of the glove. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Grooming a pet is necessary in order to maintain the pet's health. Many 
pets fear grooming devices such as a metal, wooden, or plastic brush. The 
brushes are generally hard and cold with large, hard metal bristles, often 
placing the pet in discomfort during the grooming process. The pet squirms 
and attempts to escape during this frightening experience. Grooming 
devices lack the warm, soothing contact between the groomer and the pet's 
skin that is needed to keep the pet relaxed for grooming. 
Grooming gloves have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 277,173 and 
2,988,049. These devices, however, employ the use of hard, large bristles 
attached to the surface of the glove and are more adaptable for use on 
large animals, like horses. Power-driven grooming devices have been 
described in patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,753,583; 4,779,572; 
3,145,691; 3,981,275; and 4,083,327. These devices are quite large, some 
with metal blades and bristles that create fear and discomfort within the 
animal upon which it is being used. Some of the grooming devices are 
connected to power-operated suction devices or hair dryers that can be 
noisy and painful when used upon the animal. Even manually-operated 
grooming and/or massaging devices also use hard, elongated blades and 
bristles as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,958,596 and 3,107,665. 
Pets are similar to people in that they have a skeletal and muscular system 
that is subject to aches and pains, too. Unfortunately, the pet cannot 
explain where it hurts. As massage therapy is good for people's health by 
increasing blood flow to injured body areas, massage therapy and grooming 
can be similarly helpful for pets. However, a large, noisy, power-operated 
device placed directly on a pet's body would frighten most pets as they do 
not understand the nature of the device being placed upon them. The sight 
alone of such a device would likely create immediate tension within the 
pet. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention provides a glove for use with or without a power-operated 
massager comprising a thumbless glove for fitting onto either hand of a 
user. The glove has a palm side, a back side, finger extensions of the 
sides, and an opening for receiving a thumb. Alternatively, the glove may 
have no finger extensions but just openings for receiving a user's 
fingers. The palm side of the glove has a surface for therapeutically 
massaging and/or grooming an animal. In one form, the back side of the 
glove has a pocket for receiving a power-operated massager. The finger 
extensions if present each have opened ends for receiving finger ends of 
the user therethrough. These finger ends are in direct contact with the 
animal to facilitate massaging and/or grooming. 
In another form, this invention also provides a thumbless and fingerless 
glove for fitting onto either hand of a user. The glove has a palm side, a 
back side and thumb and finger openings for receiving a thumb and fingers 
of a user. The palm side has a surface comprising bristles for 
therapeutically massaging and/or grooming an animal. In this alternative 
embodiment, although this glove is not used with a power-operated 
massager, it is still used for massaging and grooming. 
In other subsidiary aspects of the invention, the pocket of the glove with 
the power-operated massager has a fastening means for securing the 
power-operated massager therein. In yet another subsidiary aspect of the 
glove used with the power-operated massager, a foamed or cushioned 
material is provided on the back side of the glove beneath the pocket to 
protect the user's hand from the power-operated massager contained in the 
pocket. The foamed or cushioned backing also smooths or softens the 
vibrations to achieve a soothing effect on the animal. In various 
embodiments of the invention, the power-operated massager can be powered 
by electricity or battery. In another subsidiary aspect of the invention, 
the palm side of both gloves has a material surface suitable for 
collecting hair. Such material may be comprised of plastic bristles 
similar to those on a hair brush or the material may be comprised of 
softer bristles such as that which is used on a lint brush. The glove 
itself is made of an elastic material to readily conform to the shape of a 
hand and to fit different hand sizes. The glove has a fastening strap to 
fit around the palm and the back sides of the glove in the area of the 
user's wrist for securement on the user's hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A and 2, the glove 10 is thumbless as it has 
openings 12, 14 on both sides 16, 18 of glove 10. Openings 12, 14 are 
circular and can receive a thumb 15 therethrough. Since openings 12, 14 
are located on both sides 16, 18 of glove 10, glove 10 can be used by a 
right-handed or left-handed user. 
The back side 20 of glove 10 has rectangular-shaped foam or a cushion 22 
attached thereto. The foam or cushion 22 protects the back side of a 
user's hand (not shown) from the power-operated massager 50. Furthermore, 
foam or cushion 22 soothes and softens the vibrations to achieve a 
soothing effect on the animal. On top of cushion 22 is attached a 
rectangular-shaped pocket 30. 
Pocket 30 has a fastening means 40. Fastening means 40 is preferably hook 
pile and loop pile material (Velcro), but may be other means such as a 
zipper, a button or a snap. Fastening means 40 permits pocket 30 to be 
opened and closed. A power-operated massager 50 can be inserted into 
pocket 30. Massager 50 is generally rectangular shaped, as is pocket 30. 
Massager 50 is fully concealed in pocket 30 upon insertion, thus further 
reducing any fear in the animal that the massager 50 may cause if seen by 
the animal. 
Massager 50 can be secured and enclosed in pocket 30 by fastening means 40 
and closing pocket 30. Massager 50 can be powered by battery or 
electricity. Massager 50 vibrates, thus creating a vibrating movement that 
is transferred throughout glove 10, and to hand 51. Vibration from 
massager 50 is transferred to animal when hand 51 is placed on animal. 
Massager 50 makes a humming noise which is soothing especially to a cat. 
The direct contact between user and animal, as well as the soothing 
humming noise of massager 50 makes the device particularly suitable for 
cats. 
Pocket 30, which can be adorned with an animal picture (not shown) 
uniformly sits upon and attaches to cushion 22 which is preferably a foam 
material. Cushion 22 protects user's hand 51 from massager 50 contained 
within pocket 30, and softens the vibrations to achieve a soothing effect 
on the animal. Cushion 22 is shaped similar to pocket 30, preferably 
rectangular since massager 50 is preferably rectangular. 
Four finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 extend from back side 20 of glove 10. 
Finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 have open ends 62, 64, 66, 68 so that the 
finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 can be inserted therethrough. Like the thumb 
15, finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 can constantly be in direct contact with 
the animal. This contact helps create a bond between the user of glove 10 
and the animal. This bond relaxes the animal during grooming and/or 
massaging. Alternatively, glove 10 may have no finger extensions 52, 54, 
56, 58, but just openings for receiving a user's fingers. 
A wrist fastening strap 70 wraps circumferentially around back side 20 of 
glove 10 to palm side (see FIG. 3) of glove 10. Fastening strap 70 is 
preferably comprised of hook pile and loop pile material (Velcro). Two 
retainers 72, 74 located on sides 16, 18 of glove 10 secure fastening 
strap 70 as fastening strap 70 is inserted through retainers 72, 74. 
With reference to FIG. 3 glove 10 has a palm side 80 to which a material 82 
for collecting hair is attached. Material 82 covering palm side 80 of 
glove 10 collects animal hair 84 that an animal sheds while glove 10 is 
used upon it. As shown in FIG. 3A, palm side material 82 may be comprised 
of bundles 86 of short, soft bristles 88. Bundles 86 are closely arranged. 
Bristles 88 collect any hair 84 that is shed. The material 82 is 
preferably similar to that used on a lint brush, but can be any material 
with soft bristles suitable for collecting hair. Alternatively, material 
82 may be comprised of more firm bristles such as soft plastic bristles to 
provide a rougher palm side surface, particularly when no power-operated 
massager 50 is being used in conjunction with glove 10, as shown in FIG. 
5. Hair 84 can easily be removed from material 82 by rubbing material 80 
to loosen hair 84. Material 82 therefore, may be fairly smooth or 
comprised of firmer bristles depending on the individual needs of the 
animal being groomed and/or massaged. 
Four finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 extend from palm side 80 of glove 10 
and have open ends 62, 64, 66, 68 as on back side 20 of glove 10 (see FIG. 
1). Fastening strap 70 wraps circumferentially around palm side 80 of 
glove 10 to back side 20 (see FIG. 1). 
FIG. 4 illustrates the massaging and/or grooming glove in use on an animal. 
Glove 10 is placed on a hand 51. Fastening strap 70 secures glove 10. 
Thumb 15 extends through opening 14 and is free to move. Finger ends 92, 
94, 96, 98 extend through finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 and out through 
open ends 62, 64, 66, 68 such that finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 are not 
contained within glove 10 so as to permit the user to directly touch the 
animal 100 during the grooming and/or massaging process. Direct contact 
with animal 100 helps maintain calmness within animal 100 during grooming 
and massaging. 
FIG. 5 illustrates the use of a fingerless and thumbless glove 110 for use 
without a power-operated massager. In this form, no pocket is needed. 
Glove 110 is provided with thumb openings 112, 114 on both sides 116, 118 
of glove 110. Since openings 112, 114 are located on both sides 116, 118 
of glove 110, glove 110 can be used by a right-handed or left-handed user. 
Glove 110 also has finger openings 120, 122, 124, 126 for receiving 
respective fingers (not shown) of a user. 
Palm side 128 of glove 110 is provided with a plastic pad 130 of massaging 
elements attached thereto for collecting hair 132 and for further 
facilitating massaging and/or grooming of the animal. Since no pocket is 
needed on the backside of the glove, another pad or other massaging 
elements may be provided for use on the backside of the glove as shown in 
FIG. 6. Plastic pad 130 is comprised of a flat base and a multitude (about 
200 to 400) of formed plastic bristles 134 therein of about 1/4 to 1/2 
inch in length and about 1/16 to 1/32 inch in diameter uniformly spaced 
apart by about 1/16 inch on palm side 128 of glove 110. Plastic bristles 
134 of polyethylene or polypropylene provide a more invigorating massage 
as compared to the bristles contained on a lint brush, which may be 
desirable especially when a power-operated massager is not being used in 
conjunction with glove 110. Plastic pad 130 is hinged as at 136 to provide 
flexibility to the glove thereby facilitating the quality of the massaging 
and/or grooming. Like glove 10 with power operated massager 50, glove 110 
permits the user's thumb and fingers (not shown) to be in direct contact 
with the animal during the massaging and/or grooming process. 
By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided a therapeutic pet 
massager and/or grooming device for use on a pet, preferably a cat or dog. 
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of 
embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in 
considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict 
or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims. Additional 
advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the 
art. The invention in its broader aspect is, therefore, not limited to the 
specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Departures 
may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope 
of applicant's general inventive concept.