MASSAGE ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for massaging the back side of one's own body. A massaging body (6) is arranged rotatably around shaft means (8). Guiding means (7) are arranged at at least one end of said shaft means (8) for selective setting the position and direction of said shaft means (8) in relation to one's back plane (2). With the aid of said guiding means (7) said massage body (6) is positioned between one's back plane (2) and a wall and is directed for rotation in a desired direction, whereafter said back plane (2) under pressure is moved in the tangential plane of said massaging body (6). Said massaging body (6), which preferably interchangeable, is suitably a rotational body comprising a harder core and a softer surface layer.

Description: Massage arrangement The invention relates to a method for guiding at least one rotatable body into a desired position behind the back and keeping it there, in order to thereby suitably accomplish massage, as well as an apparatus for massaging a person' s own back. In massage it is of essential importance, that those muscles which are to be massaged may remain completely relaxed. In massage with the aid of an independent masseur this consti¬ tutes no problem because the person to be massaged may assume a relaxed position during the actual massage procedure. When massaging the own body there may, however, occur difficulties, and until now it has been extremely difficult to accomplish a satisfyingly effective massage of i. e. the own back in such a way, that the back musculature remains relaxed during the massage procedure, because the use of one' s hands and arms always implies the use of the back musculature too. In the art there are known a few apparatuses designed for massaging the own back. Thus e. g. Finnish patent application 871296 shows a device comprising a framework having a handle, and a massaging body arranged in said framework, said massaging body being pressed against the back by pulling said handle. Like other known devices for massaging the back said device has the disadvantage that the massage motion itself is accomplished with aid of the own arms, which results in that the back musculature cannot simultaneously be relaxed. The massage itself will thereby be insufficient and may in certain conditions lead to direct injury. Except in the above mentioned arrangements there are known supplemental arrangements for the back of a chair, said arrangements having an abacus-like structure comprising close¬ ly arranged small balls more or less loosely arranged on, for example, vertically extending wires. The purpose of such a device is, that the movements of the back against the seat back in e. g. a car simultaneously provides a massaging impact. No effective massage of specifically chosen points can be achieved with said device. There is also known a motorized device to be placed on the back of a chair or the like, but this device is very complicated and demands external energy to be supplied. The best known method until now for effectively massaging one' s own back has actually been to place a ball or sphere of a suitably size and hardness between one' s back and a suitable vertical wall, whereafter one has moved one' s back against the ball by standing against the wall and stretching and bending the knees, so that the ball has rolled along the wall and simultaneously massaged one' s back. In this case one' s back may remain totally relaxed, because one does not need the use of the hand muscles for the massage, but the motion is accomplished by bending the knees, and the necessary force has been be achieved by moving the feet further away from the wall so that the support force has changed. Principally the arrangement gives a good massage of the back, but because the ball is kept in place between the back and the wall only by the pressing impact of the massage itself the ball will easily fall down. It is also difficult to place the ball exactly on the spot where massage is desired. A condition for the method to be successful is further, that the ball is totally spherically round and even, and this makes it impossible to use such massage means, which have a structure better fitted for the technical structure of the back. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a massage arrangement giving, in an easy manner, effective self massage of selectively chosen portions of the back. This purpose is achieved with the method and the apparatus for the realization of said method, which are evident from the enclosed claims. For the method according to the invention it is characte¬ ristic, that a person by actively moving his back plane pres- singly in the tangential plane of at least one freely sup¬ ported body causes said body to press against said back plane under an essentially rolling rotation, whereby the position of said body, at least initially, is determined with the aid of guiding means arranged at holding means, said guiding means preferably moving freely at least in planes parallel with said tangential plane. Preferably individual guiding means are used for this purpose, with the aid of which the position and direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable body is controlled in such a way, that said rotatable body, at a tangential motion under simultaneous pressure from the back plane, may be brought to rotate essentially freely from a desired starting point in a desired direction. For the accomplishment of said method the invention further includes an apparatus characterized in that at least one massaging body is arranged rotatingly at holding means, said means being fastened in guiding means, for the individual positioning of the massaging body. According to a preferred embodiment said holding means comprise special shaft means around which said massaging body rotates, whereby said guiding means are arranged at least at one end of said shaft means, for selective control of the position and direction of said respective shaft means with respect to the person' s back plane. Preferably guiding means for the individual positioning of said massaging body in relation to a person' s back plane are flexibly arranged, respectively at holding means, whereby said guiding means, extending in their operative position generally downwards, are arranged to move freely in relation to the person' s hands, as a result of the rolling motion of the massaging body along the person' s back plane. Because the rotatable body according to the invention may be guided to its position as well as to its direction of rotation said rotatable body, according to one embodiment of the in¬ vention, is especially designed so that it comprises a hard inner core, said core being coated with a softer outer layer at least at those portions bearing against the person' s back. The massaging effect of said embodiment is especially favorable since said hard core even at a relatively weak general pressure with the person' s back gives a proportionate¬ ly strong reactive pressure, which due to said softer coating will be evenly distributed on the back surface without causing discomfort. Hereafter the invention is more closely described with reference to the enclosed figures, wherein Fig. 1 discloses the general principles for massage according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 discloses the arrangement in Fig 1, seen from the front, Fig. 3 discloses, from the front and partly in section, a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the holding means comprising special shaft means for determining also the rotational direction of said massaging body. Fig. 4 discloses, in a side view, the apparatus according to Fig 3, whereby supplemental details are indicated in phantom, Fig. 5 discloses, in axial section, an embodiment of the massaging body according to the invention, Figs. 6A and 6B disclose a principal sketch of the guiding means in brought-together-position at vertical and horizontal massaging direction, respectively, Fig. 7 shows handle means for said guiding means in accordance with a special embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 8 as an alternative discloses a special embodiment of the invention, where said holding means admit a free move¬ ment of said massaging body in all directions. Fig. 1 shows the general working principle of the apparatus according to the invention. The person 1 massaging his back which is identified below as the back plane 2, stands with his feet 3 on a base ground 4. Now a rotational massaging body 6 is inserted between said back plane 2 and a wall 5. Said massaging body 6 is supported freely and independently, i. e. it is not supported against the hands 9 or the like of the person 1, but is supported directly or indirectly against the structure 5 extending behind. By bending the knees and, res¬ pectively, straightening them said person 1 may bring his back plane 2 to move (as indicated by the arrow) upwards and down¬ wards along the wall 5, whereby said massaging body will roll between his back plane 2 and said wall 5. By moving his feet 3 closer to or farther away from said wall 5 the person 1 can control the force with which his back is pressed against said wall. According to the invention at least one massaging body 6 is introduced between said back plane 2 and said solid wall 5 or the like solid structure, said massaging body 6 being rotatably fitted in holding means and suitably around a shaft or corresponding shaft means 8. Said massaging body 6 is suitably an essentially somewhat yielding rotatable body having generally circular sections when seen in the direction of said shaft 8. As an example may be mentioned essentially ball or barrel shaped bodies, but within the invention other structures are possible too. In certain cases said massaging body or it' s inner core may also comprise beads, protrusions or recesses diverging from the geometrical surface of a rotatable body. Said massaging body 6 comprises guiding means 1 , with the aid of which the massaging body' s position, and in the embodiment shown in Fig 3 also the direction of the massaging body' s shaft 8 may be, using the hands, adjusted prior to the start of the massaging operation. The starting position and the essential direction of rotation for said massaging body 6 is hereby determined by guiding the position of said shaft means 8 using guiding means 7 arranged flexibly suitably at each end 11 of said shaft 8, as is more clearly evident from Fig. 3. In the shown embodiment said massaging body 6 is located in its position by bringing, with aid of the hands 9, said essentially rod like guiding means 7 individual¬ ly at a suitable level position where said rotation shaft 8 attached at the ends of said guiding means 7 defines the positions and essential direction of rotation for said mas¬ saging body 6. Examples of possibilities for the positioning are further evident from Figs. 6A and 6B. In the embodiment according to Fig 8 said guiding means define only the position, whereafter said massaging body may roll in an arbitrary direction. The person' s back plane 2 may now be pressed against said massaging body 6 which is rotatably supported directly or indirectly against said wall 5 located behind said body 6. During the actual massage procedure the musculature of the person' s back 2 must be kept relaxed, and therefore the lower part 10 of said guiding means 7 are, according to the in¬ vention, allowed to move essentially freely between the fingers of the person' s hand 9. Once the person' s back plane 2 has been pressed against said massaging body 6 the hand grip of said guiding means 7 is opened up so that the person' s arms 12 may hang loosely with only gliding contact to said guiding means 7. If, during the massage movement, it feels as if the massaging body 6 is diverting out of its position, or if the person would like to turn the rotational axis or move the massaging body to another location on his back plane 2 he takes a new grip of said guiding means 7 and moves the rotational shaft 8 of said massaging body 6 with aid of said guiding means 7 to a suitable position. Since the rotational axis, according to the invention, is free or controllable said moving does not cause any friction against the skin. In the shown embodiment the apparatus comprises one massaging body 6 only, which to its appearance has the form of a sphere made of an essentially somewhat yielding material. In other embodiments some massaging bodies may be arranged above each other and/or side by side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the person' s back. For the desired function, i. e. so that the person can obtain the intended exactly directed massage impact with the apparatus, the number of such parallel massaging bodies should be three at the most, since a higher number of such bodies would spread the massaging impact over such a large area, that the massage procedure itself would be insufficient. One embodiment of the invention comprises for instance two spherical massaging bodies adjacent to each other which arrangement allows one to suitably massage the muscula¬ ture on both sides of the spine. In the freely rotational embodiment according to Fig. 8 a preferred variant comprises three massaging bodies 6 arranged in a triangle, whereby the complete arrangement automatically will be stable in relation to said wall plane 5. In addition to spherical massaging bodies 6 also other rotatable bodies may be possible within the invention in the embodiments having a defined rotational axis 8. This is a marked advantage in comparison to a freely located massaging ball, since the spherical form is the only shape of a massaging body which at free rotation in accordance with the prior art will reasonably stay in place between the person' s back and the wall. In an apparatus according to the invention and the Figures 1 to 7 the form of the massaging body 6 may be rather freely adapted for the desired form of massage, because there is no risk for said body falling down. Thus the massaging body 6 may suitably be barrel shaped for giving massage over a larger area. In another embodiment the massaging body 6 has the general form of a thread bobbin having a thinner central portion and thicker side portions. This single massaging body suitably replaces the two adjacent located discussed above. The massaging body according to the invention should essentially be at the same time both hard and soft, so that effective massage can be obtained without damages or dis¬ comfort. According to an especially preferred embodiment the respective massaging body 6 is a rotatable body with an inner core 13 of harder material and at least one on this core arranged softer filling layer 14 which simultaneously forms the surface layer of said massaging body 6. The thickness of said surface layer is suitably in the order of 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres. A person pressing his back lightly against said massaging body thus achieves a light surface massage, while a harder pressure gives an indirect contact to said harder core 13. Said core 13 and/or said filling layer 14 preferably com¬ prises, in an axial section extending along the rotational axis, a radially protruding central area 15 and in relation to said portion outwardly it located portions having radially recessed side areas 16. An example of this embodiment appears in Fig. 5, where the specifically designed massaging body permits the massaging body 6 to reach especially well in to back musculature located for instance between rib bones and/or adjacent to the spine. In addition to the above mentioned massaging bodies acting essentially passively by pressure and rolling, it may in some cases be appropriate for the respective massaging body 6 further to comprise special vibrator means for a vibrating massage. In order to achieve, with the one and same apparatus, massage impact of different types, effects and direction it is of advantage, that the respective massaging body 6 is arranged to be interchangeable on said shaft 8 or generally in said holding means in accordance with Fig. 8. Said last-mentioned holding means suitably comprises a band-like structure having the general character of a spherical surface segment 30, the edges of which keep said massaging body 6 freely rotationally in place. Here said holding means suitably are manufactured of an essentially resilient material, said edges 31 then being, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment, slotted for allowing an easy interchanging of massaging bodies, said body being spherical in this embodiment. In connection with inter¬ changeable massaging bodies 6 of different hardness and/or axial design of the core and/or having other individual pro¬ perties, it is appropriate to give the surface of different massaging bodies different coloring so that the properties of each respective massaging body easily may be identified. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention said guiding means 7 are flexibly and suitably removably arranged at the ends of said respective shaft means 8. One example of said removable design is generally evident from Fig. 3, where a flexible intermediate piece 17 is inserted in the tube constituting the rotational shaft 8 for said massaging body 6 in the embodiment disclosed. On each side of said massaging body there is further advantageously arranged holding collars 19 threaded upon said shaft tube and keeping said massaging body 6 in position. According to said Figure said respective guiding means 7 are formed from a tubular material. Said intermediate piece 17 is suitably made from an elastomeric material allowing a bending in all directions, whereby each end of said intermediate piece 17 suitably comprises a number of ring shaped holding portions 18, the purpose of which is to removably attach said intermediate piece to each respective tube. An alternative embodiment comprises a suitably somewhat stiff ball and socket joint between said shaft means 8 and the respective guiding means 7. The flexible attachment of the guiding means 7 to said shaft means 8 allows said guiding means 7 to be brought into a position where the arms 12 of the person 1 and thus his back musculature too may be relaxed, and this disregarding the individual body constitution of said person 1. In the embodiments disclosed said guiding means 7 are designed as essentially rod like means, which at the massaging procedure may be arranged to run freely in relation to the person' s hands 9. In order to make it possible to bring said guiding means 7 together into a parallel position, as is dis¬ closed later, said guiding means suitably comprise, at the ends directed towards said massaging body 6, bends or the like curved portions 20 as is indicated more closely in Fig 3. From Fig 3 it is further evident, that said guiding means 7 and said flexible intermediate piece 17 are suitably lockable, with the aid of locking means 21, for preventing any mutual torsional movement. This is important for the handling of said guiding means 7 for guiding said rotational axis 8 of said massaging body 6. The above description indicates a massaging movement of the back mostly in an essentially vertical direction. In contrast to known arrangements the present invention, however, also permits a movement in a sideward direction, which gives essentially better possibilities for an effective personal back massage than until now has been possible. This is accomplished by the fact, that said massaging body is either essentially freely rotational in accordance with the embodi¬ ment in Fig. 8, or in that it' s axis of rotation is positioned more or less transversely with aid of said guiding means 7. In practice the transverse positioning is achieved by altering the mutual position with respect to the elevation. If, for example, the one rod-like guiding means 7 is pulled down parallel to the other said respective flexible intermediate pieces 17 will bend, whereby said shaft tube will assume a more or less vertical position. Here it is important, that said massaging body 6 may still run freely, which is made possible by the fact, that the curved portion 20 of at least that guiding means 7 which is higher up brings said guiding means 7 to run free from said massaging body 6. In this asymmetric position, which is generally indicated in Fig. 6B, the rotational axis 8 of said massaging body 6 extends more or less vertically, and said massaging body 6 may thus be brought sideward with corresponding movements. In this position too, said guiding means 7 run essentially free during the actual massaging procedure, so that the person' s arms 12 may hang loose. In certain cases it may be desirable that the device has an essentially "one-armed" design. In the apparatus according to the invention this may easily be achieved by bringing said guiding means 7 to move through a guiding handle means 22 in accordance with Figs. 6A and 7. Said guiding means 7 are then bent towards each other and run suitably through a respective opening or recess 23 in said handle means 22, which in the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 7 preferably comprises a handle 24. Here said curved portions 20 suitably constitute an Y-structure at the upper end of said guiding means 7, see Fig. 6A, said flexible intermediate pieces 17 being attached to the legs of said Y-structure. Said recesses 23 in said handle means 22 may preferably be opened and comprise suitably frictional means 25 so that a certain resistance against said gliding arises and said guiding means 7 are kept in position. The gliding resistance should suitably be so low, that the frictional forces against said handle 24 do not give any essential tension in the person' s hands 9 if he uses them to keep said handle means 22 and thereby the massage apparatus in a proper position. The alternative embodiment according to Fig. 8 indicates one single guiding means 7, which suitably is designed as a somewhat curved rod which freely may run between the fingers in one hand. According to a special embodiment of the invention said guiding means 7 further comprise support means 26 arranged behind said massaging body 6 for stationary supporting against any firm structure located behind said means. Said support means 26 suitably comprise a frictional back surface 27 which may press against said structure located behind said means, for example said wall 5 disclosed in Fig. 4. The advantage with said embodiment is, that the risk for the massaging body to tend to fall down is reduced. Further the risk for making said structure dirty is reduced, and said structure need not comprise more than one relatively stationary point, while the freely moving embodiment needs a certain wall area for a satisfactory function. The embodiment mentioned here gives, however, a slightly lower massaging effect, and it is there¬ fore appropriate for said support means 26 to be removable, which in Fig 4 is indicated in phantom. To facilitate an easy identification of the central position for two guiding means 7 it is suitable, that the lower ends 10 of said guiding means 7 are designed as curving 28 inwards, whereby magnetic means 29 further suitably are located at said ends in order to keep said guiding means 7 together when the apparatus is stored. In certain cases it is further appropriate that said guiding means 7 are easy to take apart pieces, which facilitates use during trips.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for massaging the back side of one' s own body, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in individually setting the position of at least one rotatably arranged massaging body (6), with respect to one's back plane (2), said setting being performed with the aid of guiding means (7) arranged at said massaging body (6), which is independently supported during the massage procedure, after which one's back plane (2) is pressed against said massaging body (6) whereafter the grip on said guiding means (7) is opened so that one's arms (12) may hang essentially freely with only a gliding contact to said guiding means (7), and bringing, by a tangential motion under simultaneous pressing of one's back plane (2) said massaging body (6) to an essentially rolling motion between on one hand one's back plane (2) and on the other hand a firm structure located behind said massaging body (6). 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in introducing at least one massaging body (6) rotatable around respective shaft means (8) between one's back plane (2) and a firm wall (5), that the starting position and the es¬ sential direction of rotation for said massaging body (6) is set by guiding the position of said shaft means (8) with the aid of guiding means (7) flexibly arranged at both ends of said shaft means (8), that one's back plane (2) is pressed against said massaging body (6), said body being rotatably supported directly or indirectly against said wall (5) located behind said massaging body, and that one's back plane (2) is brought to move essentially parallel to the plane of said wall (5) for bringing said massaging body (6) to massage one' s back plane (2). 3. A method according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in locating said massaging body (6) in position by bringing, with the aid of one's hands (9), essentially rod-like guiding means (7) individually in a respective elevated position where said rotational shaft (8) attached to said guiding means (7) defines the position and essential direction of rotation for said massaging body (6). 4. A method according to any of claims l to 3 c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in letting, during the massage procedure, said guiding means (7) run essentially freely between one's fingers in accordance with the movements of said massaging body (6) along one's back plane (2). 5. An apparatus for the personal massage of the back plane (2) of one' s own body, said apparatus comprising at least one massaging body (6) arranged rotatably in holding means (8, 30), said holding means being attached to guiding means (7), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said respective guiding means (7) for the individually controlled positioning of said massaging body (6) in relation to one's back plane (2) is flexibly arranged at said holding means (8, 30), whereby said guiding means (7) due to their extending generally downwards in the use situation are arranged to move freely with respect to one's hands (9), in response to the rotating movement of said massaging body (6) along one's back plane (2). 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e in said guiding means (7) being essentially rod like means suitably having curved portions (20) and/or locking means (21) at those ends which are located against said respective holding means (8, 30). 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in said guiding means (7) being arranged to slidingly run through special holding means (22). 8. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 7, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in said holding means comprising shaft means (8), said shaft means (8) being selectively settable as to its position and suitably as to the shaft direction in relation to said back plane (2), said setting being performed with the aid of two guiding means (7). 9. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 8, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in said massaging body (6) being a rotational body suitably comprising a harder core (13) and at least one softer surface and/or filling layer arranged thereon, whereby said respective massaging body (6) preferably is interchangeably arranged, and massage bodies (6) of dif¬ ferent hardness and/or axial core (13) design suitably com¬ prise differently colored surface layers. 10. An apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in said core (13) and/or filling layer (14) com¬ prising, preferably in a section along a defined rotational axis (8), a radially protruding central portion (15) and in relation thereto and/or outwardly located portions comprising radially recessed side portions (16). 11. An apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 10, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in said respective massaging body (6) comprising special vibrator means for a vibrating massage. 12. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 11, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in said guiding means (7) comprising support means (26) arranged behind said massaging body (6), for stationary supporting against a fixed structure located behind said apparatus. 13. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 12, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in said apparatus comprising at least two, suitably three rotatable massaging bodies (6) located above and/or adjacent to one another.

Inventors: SERLACHIUS JARL-FREDRIK, SERLACHIUS, JARL-FREDRIK
Applicants: SERLACHIUS JARL FREDRIK, SERLACHIUS, JARL-FREDRIK
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61H15
IPC codes: A61H15