A DEVICE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF HYDRAULIC MASSAGES

Abstract: A device for hydraulic massage comprising: (A) a spray enclosure consisting of a drainage hood (5) and a sump (8) and (B) at least one spray nozzle (9) controlled by coordinate guide (13). A patient is placed upon the readily deformable impact area (1) and is separated from direct contact with the working fluid. The patient support may consist of a flexible screen (2) in the form of a tensioned cable grid supported by a frame (3) on supports (4). The sump (8) may be bounded by a perforated draining partition (7) splitting off an additional compartment or reservoir (12) of the sump (8). Fluid drained into the sump (8) and the reservoir (12), if any, may be reused.

Description: -f - A DEVICE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF HYDRAULIC MASSAGES The invention is based on a device for the performance of hydraulic massages, which consists of the combination of a spray enclosure, containing a readily deforraable impact area which keeps the working fluid separate from the body to be massaged and which faces this body directly or indirectly with its surface NOT in touch with the fluid, and at least one spray-nozzle. The present application recognises prior art as follows: (1) DE-0S-2641469 (2) DE-0S-2601506 (3) DE-PS 213041 The procedure and device according to DE-0S-2641469 may help to economize on water and energy. They cause, however, a pollution of the working fluid, a risk of infection in spite of cleaning after each application, indefinite strain energy due to varying OMPI - WIPO directions of the jet in the impacted areas, a nuisance from splashing water to the patient and physiotherapist, if any. Respectively, the jet massaging device according to DE-0S-2601506 allows to economize more on water and energy; moreover the risk of infection would generally be smaller due to the impact area forming a partition. - However, it bears the disadvantage that - because of the rather small distance between the nozzle and the impact area and the decelerating effect of the stored water that must be passed by the jet - lower pressures are available at the impact area for equal pump power. - Especially disadvantageous is, however, that relative movements between the elastic membrane of the device and the connective tissue are necessary during the treatment which - at time-constant mean pressure - may cause disadvantageous tangential strain of the tissue and even lesions, if therapeutically efficient pressures are applied. Finally a precise guide of the pistol-grip handle would require extraordinary ability of the physiotherapist. ■ An arrangement of the nozzle according to DE-PS 213041 allows considerable energy and water economies without incurring mechanical or infectious risks for the patient. Here, however, the following disadvantages hold: __ • 1. The bag making up the spray enclosure does not allow sufficient straight movement of the nozle. - Access to the interior for service is difficult. 2. The inclination of the impact vectors changes from one point to the next. 3. From a practical point of view it appears to be impossible to achieve specified directions of the jet as accurately as required for steady massaging without making use of sophisticated three- dimensional control devices, the more so as an optical control by'means of the patient's body is ruled out by deflection of light by spray water drops, even if the bag is assumed to be transparent. 4. Variable aberrations in inclination of the nozzle's axis initiate different consequences as distances between the nozzle and the area impacted change. 5. The total, weight of the membrane forming the impact area counteracts the transmitting jet; consequently, relatively small THIN impact areas are demanded. On the other hand, limitation of maximal strain permissible requires relatively small THICK membranes during operation. It is the aim of the invention to provide a device according to the subject of the DE-PS 213041 allowing easy access and a steadier hydraulic massaging suitable for automatic control and larger working areas - which correspond to larger areas of the body - the inclination of the jet stream being held constant throughout the total working area, if required. I suggest a device, characterized by a spray enclosure which consists of a drainage hood (5) housing the impact area (1), of a sump (8) and furthermore of a spray nozzle (9) the position of which is controllable by means of a co-ordinate guide. I furthermore suggest a preferred device, characterized by an impact area (1 ) , simultaneously forming a support for the body to be massaged and a flexible screen (2), which serves as a support for that part of the hood (5) forming the impact area and which carries most of the body-weight. I furthermore suggest a preferred device, characterized by a screen (2) being formed by a tensioned cable grid supported by a frame. The invention is illustrated by means of the subsequent example relating to the scheme of the drawing attached. The figures of the schematic CROSS-Section" represent: 1. A conical impact area, 2. A screen, preferably a cable grid, 3. A frame for the screen (2), 4. A support for the frame (3), 5. A hood, e.g. a hood of silicone sheet gathered up around the opening, 6. An (inner) chamber, 7. A perforated partition, # 8. A sump, 9. A spray nozzle, 10. A locking means, e.g. a safety bolt for part (5), 11. An (outer) chamber, 12. A reservoir, 13. Two wheels, 14. A plane of symmetry of the spray enclosure, perpendicular to the drawing plane, 15. A support for the wheels, 16. A flexible support, e.g. a sheet of polythene or PVC for two surfaces of part (5) facing each other. The longitudinal axis of the human body should preferably be imagined perpendicular to the drawing plane, the nozzle (9) rotating along the line of intersection formed by the plane of symmetry (14) and the drawing plane and gliding perpendicularly to the drawing plane. If there are simultaneously, rotation of the nozzle (9) around the line of intersection and displacement of the nozzle perpendicular to the drawing plane, the nozzle (9) or more accurately its corresponding jet will describe a cycloid on the impact area (1 ) . If the spray enclosure is shifted in the drawing plane by means of the wheels (13) along the support (15) the nozzle (9) while carried along with it will describe a second cycloidal curve parallel to the first and precisely corresponding to the rate of movement taken place. The cable grid (2) carries most of the body-weight lying upon the hood (5) in the treated and impacted areas. It thus counteracts deflection of the hood £5) , permitting an exceptionally light-weight design thereof, readily deforraable in the impact area (1), improved flexibility of the lateral areas, hence indirectly an improved moveability of the spray enclosure as a whole along the support (15) in the drawing plane. The said moveability is also improved by the design of the hood itself, furthermore by making the outer chamber (11) a storage for folds: if a preferentially flexible support (16), e.g. a sheet, is tied to the sump (8) serving as an outer limit for the hood (5) at the lateral areas, a self-regulating storage for folds - will be created if the said support (16) is turned around beneath the support (4) and stretched at its perpendicular portion by means of a weight; thus maximal storage is achieved whenever maximal opening angles occur, i.e. whenever the need for storage arises, making storage easier and safer. In order to avoid potential energy produced by elevation of the said weight, an analogous, counteracting opposite storage for folds is suggested. For the sake of clarity a symmetric sketch has been omitte . The elevated, perforated partition (7) may simultaneously serve- to drain reflected water into the reservoir (12), guide the folds by means of its upper part and as a fixing medium, e.g. clamp, in its lower part. The device according to this invention is especially suitable for applications in combination with known co-ordinate control systems. (Cf. e.g. the scheme of the standard DIN 40719, page 6). The invention bears the following advantages: The new device is easy to manufacture, prefabricate and service. The components required are either generally available in the trade or are readily made of low-priced, common materials. Depending on the inclination of the nozzle, precisely dosed massages may be applied to the .muscles or, alternatively, to the connective tissue. On the other hand, precise doses of strain energy are an indispensable condition for any linked precise heat transfer. The installation of a screen forming a spring support for the hood moreover allows the installation of a thin hood showing a large working surface combined with low strain, even if extremely heavy patients are placed upon the hood. Furthermore pipes instead of hoses may easily be used for water supply and drainage; the risk of such a pipe bursting does not exceed that associated with pipes commonly used in home installations; hence the new combination may equally well be used in normal workrooms hitherto reserved for manual, i.e. 'dry' massages. The installation of a co-ordinate guide, known as such, improves the accuracy of treatment, furthermore it increases comfort considerably. The new device will release physiotherapists to such an extent from heavy, injurious labour and stooping, that even the partially disabled may regularly massage with the aid of the invention. Risks of infection which do exist in tubs for underwater-physiotherapy are entirely eliminated for cleaners. Time for filling and emptying the reservoir and occasional cleaning is spread over a large number of patients. A big tub requiring a legally prescribed volume of at least 400-600 litres per single underwater-treatment is superfluous, since about forty litres of recycled water will now be sufficient. Hence, water consumption per treatment drops to below one litre, i.e. to thousandths of the usual quantity. Furthermore, the new device allows outstanding energy savings.

Claims: — - A DEVICE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF HYDRAULIC MASSAGES What I claim is: 1. A device or the performance of hydraulic massages, which consists of the combination of a spray enclosure, containing a readily deforraable impact area which keeps the working fluid separate from the body to be massaged and which faces this body directly or indirectly with its surface NOT in touch with the fluid, and at least one spray-nozzle, characterized by a spray enclosure which consists ofa drainage hood (5) housing the impact area (1), of a sump (8) and furthermore of a spray nozzle (9) the position of which is controllable by means of a co-ordinate guide, 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized by an impact area (1 ) , simultaneously orming a support for the body to be massaged and a flexible screen (2), which serves as a support for that part of the hood (5) forming the impact area and which carries most of the body-weight. 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized by a screen (2) being formed by a tensioned cable grid supported by a frame.

Inventors: MUTZELL THEODOR, MUTZELL, THEODOR
Applicants: MUTZELL THEODOR, MUTZELL, THEODOR
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A61H9
IPC codes: A61H23