Abstract:
A massage tool is provided, which allows the more effective application of force, by providing a handle, which when gripped by a hand results in an axis along which force is applied that is more closely in line with the arm of the person applying the force. This allows a greater number of muscle groupings to produce and/or more effectively contribute to the generation and application of localized pressure to the intended recipient of the therapy.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention pertains to a massage tool, and more specifically a massage tool for applying a localized force and/or pressure to the person receiving treatment.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Therapists apply various techniques when treating an individual, dependant upon the condition of the individual. Some techniques can require persistant application, which can be quite taxing on a therapist, especially therapists who provide treatment generally unassisted.  
           [0003]    Some therapists have made use of various tools designed to more effectively and/or more easily apply various therapeutic techniques. Different tools have had varying degrees of success. Some tools may improve some aspects related to applying a particular therapy, while sometimes making other aspects worse. Other tools may fall short of the desired effect, or may be the victim of ever increasing demands that they were never intended to meet and/or address. Consequently, there is an ever increasing demand to develop more effective techniques, some of which may only be possible with an appropriate tool. Furthermore, there is a demand to increase the effectiveness of existing tools.  
           [0004]    Several techniques require the targeted application of pressure and/or force. At least a couple of examples include muscle stripping, trigger point, friction, and effleurage. Furthermore, the addition of force to other types of therapies can sometimes improve their effectiveness. However, the persistent application of force can, in some instances, be taxing on a therapist. Consequently, techniques and/or tools, which can assist in the application of force or can more effectively apply an existing force can serve to relieve some of the strain on a therapist, when applying a particular technique.  
           [0005]    Furthermore, tools which help combine the effective application of force with other therapies may also be beneficial. Still further, techniques or tools that help to eliminate other impediments to the application of an effective treatment, either to the recipient of the treatment, or the person applying the treatment, would additionally be beneficial.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    A massage tool is provided which includes a contact element having a first end, which is adapted for engaging a recipient of therapy and a second end at the other end of a length, which extends along a contact axis. The massage tool further includes a leg having a first end, coupled to the second end of the contact element, and having a length which extends away from the contact element and contact axis, and terminates in a second end, which is not in line with the contact axis. The massage tool still further includes a handle having a first end coupled to the second end of the leg, and having a length which terminates in a second end and which extends back toward the contact axis at an angle that is transverse to the contact axis, wherein, when the handle extends back toward the contact axis, the length of the handle extends through the contact axis resulting in a portion of the handle, being located on the opposite side of the contact axis.  
           [0007]    In at least one embodiment of the invention, the massage tool further includes a second leg having a first end coupled to the second end of the handle, and having a length which extends back toward the contact axis in a direction away from the contact element and terminates in a second end. The massage tool additionally includes a second contact element having a first end adapted for engaging the recipient of therapy, and a second end coupled to the second end of the second leg at the other end of a length, wherein the length extends along a second contact axis.  
           [0008]    In at least a further embodiment of the invention, the massage tool is weighted to increase the overall mass of the massage tool.  
           [0009]    In yet a still further embodiment of the invention, the portion of the handle on the opposite side of the contact axis, relative to the position of the leg, has a mass, which counterbalances the mass of the other portion of the handle and the leg, thereby biasing the center of the mass of the massage tool toward the contact axis.  
           [0010]    Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of a massage tool for applying a localized force and/or pressure, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a side view of a further embodiment of a massage tool having multiple contact elements for applying a localized force and/or pressure;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the wedge type contact element, illustrated in FIG. 2; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the point type contact element, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a side view of the massage tool illustrated in FIG. 2, shown being gripped by the hand of a user. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.  
         [0017]    Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a side view of a massage tool  10  for applying a localized force and/or pressure, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. The massage tool  10  includes a contact element  12 , which in the illustrated embodiment takes the form of a point  14 . While a point  14  is illustrated, the contact element  12  could alternatively be shaped to take other forms. For example, the contact element  12  could be alternatively shaped as a wedge, an example of which is illustrated in connection with later described embodiments. The contact element  12  defines a contact axis  16 , which extends through the proximate center of the contact element  12 .  
         [0018]    The contact element  12  is coupled to one end of a leg  18 , which extends in a direction that diverges away from the contact axis  16 . The other end of the leg  18  is coupled to a handle  20 , which extends in a direction that travels back toward the contact axis  16  along an axis  22  that transverses the contact axis  16 , and includes a portion  24  that extends beyond the contact axis. The portion  24  of the handle  20  has a mass that helps to counter the biasing effects of the mass of the leg  18  relative to the center of mass, which if left unopposed would cause the center of mass to drift away from the proximity of the contact axis  16 .  
         [0019]    In at least the illustrated embodiment, a substantial portion of the mass is largely comprised of one or more base materials used to form the various elements of the massage tool. In at least one embodiment the base material is comprised of iron. However one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other materials could be used. Alternatively hooks or inserts could be used to attach supplemental mass in the form of weights. In the illustrated embodiment, the overall mass of the tool is approximately 1.5 pounds, but can vary. One possible weight range includes an overall weight as low as twelve ounces, and an overall weight as high as six pounds or more.  
         [0020]    In at least one embodiment, the one or more base materials are coated with a layer of plastic, or other smooth non-abrasive material, such as a plastic sold under the trade name Plastisol by Vynaflex Co. In addition to providing a smooth surface, the coating can provide insulative characteristics, that reduces the conduction of heat. Additionally, the coating can act as a barrier against rust in the materials forming at least a part of the base materials. Still further, the plastic when applied can readily adapt to shapes and sizes, which might vary.  
         [0021]    In the illustrated embodiment, the surface of the handle facing toward the contact element includes a plurality of ridges  26  and valleys  28 . The ridges  26  and valleys  28  provide a contoured surface, which can more readily accommodate receipt of the user&#39;s fingers. Between the surface of the handle facing toward the contact element  12  and the leg  18  is a space  30 , which is open at one end  32 . The space  30  is sized and spaced to receive the hand and/or fingers of a user. The open end  32  of the space  30  serves to accommodate hands of varying sizes.  
         [0022]    The orientation of the handle relative to the contact axis, enables the massage tool to be gripped in a fashion, where the contact axis proximately extends along the arm of the user. This allows any force supplied and/or supported by the user to come from the arm of the user, as opposed to needing to be largely generated and/or supported by the user&#39;s wrist.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a further embodiment of a massage tool  40  for applying a localized force and/or pressure. Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the massage tool  40  includes a first contact element  42 , which is coupled to a handle  44 , via a first arm  46 . However, instead of terminating at the portion  48  of the handle  44 , which extends through the contact axis  50 , the handle  44  is coupled to a second contact element  52 , via a second arm  54 .  
         [0024]    In this instance the mass of the first arm  46  can be counterbalanced by the mass of the second arm  54 , thereby making maintaining a center of mass proximate the contact axis  50  a little more straight forward, as the size and shape of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 is a little more symmetrical. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 has a weight of approximately two and a half pounds. However, similar to the first embodiment, the desired weight can be tailored to more readily accommodate other forms of therapies. In some instances the weight of the massage tool will be sufficient to produce the desired pressure, thereby enabling the user to more readily focus on placement and positioning. Alternatively, the pressure produced by the tool can be supplemented with an exerted force. Even where the weight of the tool is deemed insufficient for producing the desired pressure, the weight of the tool can have the effect of providing at least a portion of the desired pressure, thereby reducing the amount of force that needs to be applied by the user.  
         [0025]    The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 continues to feature a handle  44 , that extends in a direction  56  that is transverse to the contact axis  50 . However in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a second surface  58  of the handle  44 , in addition to a first surface  60  of the handle  44 , is provided with a plurality of ridges  62  and valleys  64  for accommodating the receipt of the user&#39;s fingers, when the tool is oriented for using the second contact element.  
         [0026]    At least one aspect, where the massage tool  40  is not symmetrical, includes the use of two different types of contact elements. In the illustrated embodiment, the first contact element is in the shape of a point  66 , while the second contact element is in the shape of a wedge  68 . The presence of two types of contact elements in the same tool enables the tool  40  to be used for a wider variety of therapeutic techniques. Generally, the point  66  is meant to mimic a human thumb, and is well suited for providing trigger point therapy, and the wedge  68  is in the shape of a paddle, which tends to be flatter and wider, and which is well suited for providing cross fiber friction, muscle stripping, as well as other therapeutic techniques. At least one exemplary wedge  68  type contact element is further illustrated in FIG. 3, as well as being further described in Louis, U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,738, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. At least one exemplary point  66  type contact element is further illustrated in FIG. 4, as well as being further described in Louis, &#39;738.  
         [0027]    One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the contact element can take other possible forms and/or different combinations could be combined in each of the pair of respective ends.  
         [0028]    In embodiments having multiple contact elements, the corresponding contact axes can be arranged so as to be parallel to one another. In the illustrated embodiment, both of the contact elements  42  and  52  share the same contact axis  50  and/or are co-located.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 is a side view of the massage tool  40  illustrated in FIG. 2, shown being gripped by the hand  70  of a user. As shown, even when one of the ends is not being applied to a recipient of therapy, depending on how the tool is held, the unused end can be used as a brace against the wrist of the user, thereby providing further support. Furthermore, as can be more readily seen in FIG. 5, by orienting the axis through which the handle extends, so as to be transverse with respect to the contact axis, the contact axis can be more closely aligned with the user&#39;s arm. This allows the force generated through the user&#39;s arm to be more directly received by the massage tool, and applied to the recipient of the therapy.  
         [0030]    From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.