Abstract:
A massage glove having a plurality of vibratory motors secured within it on the palm side. The glove employs small vibrator motors located within the glove fingers. The motors are of a size and weight such that ordinary movement of the therapist&#39;s fingers within the glove in traditional massaging movements is not hampered. A heating element may be included in the glove for applying heat in addition to the vibration and the more traditional massage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     A massage glove in accordance with the present invention is provided for the relief of stress-related muscle tension and for other therapeutic massage.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Bulky vibrators that attach to the back of the hand have been known for a long time for vibrating the hand in order to accomplish a vibratory massage. There have also been suggestions in the art of vibrators attached to the backs of the fingers for this purpose. These known units have often employed eccentric-type vibrators whereby a motor drives an off balance armature or rotor. A disadvantage to these is that they are placed on the back of the hand or on the backs of the fingers (rather than the palm side) and vibration must be transmitted through the hand or fingers. The hand and fingers are subject to going numb as a result. In one instance, a glove has been suggested with vibratory elements at the fingertips driven by apparently mechanical connectors running back along the glove to a vibratory element attached at the glove&#39;s cuff at the user&#39;s wrist.  
         [0003]     There is a need for a vibratory massage device attachable to the hand so as to apply vibrations from the device to the massage recipient, but not through the therapist&#39;s fingers or hand and without substantially hampering the use of the fingers of the therapist to apply traditional massaging hand pressure and movements.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In accordance with this invention there is provided a massage glove in which small vibratory elements or motors are affixed within the glove on the palm side thereof rather than the back-of-hand side of the glove. The vibratory motors are sufficiently small and lightweight that they do not interfere with the movement of the user&#39;s fingers and hand in traditional massaging force applications and movement.  
         [0005]     A glove in accordance with this invention is fashioned of a flexible material forming a glove with interior and exterior and with multiple fingers. The multiple fingers may include the thumb of the glove. A plurality of vibratory motors is affixed to the glove interior within the fingers and on the palm side thereof. A first source of electrical power is provided to energize the vibratory motors via electrical leads running along the glove, preferably in the interior thereof. The vibratory motors have when energized a multidirectional vibratory movement, they vibrate in three dimensions.  
         [0006]     In one exemplary preferred embodiment a glove is described that includes a electrically powered heater so that heat as well as vibrations can be applied to the massage recipient. The heater may be supplied electrical power from a dedicated source of electrical power separate from a power source that energizes the vibratory motors.  
         [0007]     The vibratory motors used in the glove of the invention preferably have a height less than about 0.15 inches. Between the motors and the flexible material that forms the exterior of the glove padding can be provided so as to avoid harsh engagement between the glove and the massage recipient where the motors are located. Harmful or unpleasant engagement with the massage recipient is thus avoided.  
         [0008]     Preferably in gloves according to the invention, at least one and preferably two vibratory motors are affixed within each of the fingers of the glove. The gloves are fashioned in both left and right handed models. Both hands of the therapist can thus be used in the massage.  
         [0009]     In one preferred exemplary embodiment a switch or other control for applying electrical power from a power source includes an off position and two on positions. In one of the on positions power is applied via a contact, a switchable conduction path and conductors to apply one level of power to the vibratory motors. Another contact on the switch is coupled with at least one circuit element, preferably a series resistance, that limits the power applied to the vibratory motors. Thus equipped, the glove can be switched to apply stronger or weaker vibrations to the massage recipient. Typically, in one exemplary embodiment the source of power for the vibratory motors is at least one battery and preferably three AAA batteries. These may be carried in a compartment on the glove. Where a heating element is secured within the glove, its power source may be, likewise, at least one battery and preferably three AAA batteries. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic plan view of a glove in accordance with the present invention and shows a preferred location of vibratory motors  10  on fingers of the glove;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a glove like that diagrammatically illustrated in  FIG. 1  and illustrates the location of the motors  10  with an outer glove layer and with padding separating the vibratory motors and the outer layer;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a number of parallel connected motors and a switching power source with high and low energization capability;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of five pairs of vibratory motors for use with a power source like that shown in  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a plurality of parallel connected motors and energizing circuit like that of  FIG. 3  plus a heater to be located in the glove and a power source for the heater. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     As shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 1 , relatively small disc-like vibrating motors  10  that attach to the palm side  11  of a glove  12  at selected locations in accordance with this invention permit vibrations from well distributed locations on the hands to be applied during therapeutic massage while causing little or no interference with normal massaging movement of the therapists&#39; hands and fingers. Each vibratory element is an individual vibratory motor from which runs electrical leads  14  to a light-weight battery operated electrical power source  16 .  
         [0016]     The glove  12  is preferably fashioned of a flexible material of preferably pleasant tactile qualities. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the glove  12  may be a multi-layer glove having an inner liner  18 , a light layer of padding  20  isolating the vibratory elements  10  from the patient somewhat, and an outer glove shell  22  of the tactically pleasant thermoplastic or rubber-like preferably hypoallergenic material. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , two of the vibratory elements  10  are located on each of the fingers  23  of the glove  12  including the thumb. In accordance with one aspect of this invention both left and right-handed gloves are provided so that the practitioner&#39;s two hands can be used to massage the patient.  
         [0017]     Shown in  FIG. 3 , three AAA batteries  24  provide the DC power of the supply  16  in one exemplary preferred arrangement. A single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch  26  switches the vibratory motors  10  “on” and “off.” A “low, on” contact  27  of the switch applies electrical power to the motors  10  at a voltage reduced by a drop across a resistor  28 . A “high, on” contact  29  applies the full voltage of the three series-connected AAA batteries across five parallel-connected motors  10  for stronger, more intense vibrations from the motors  10 . This embodiment contemplates a single motor  10  in each glove finger  23 .  
         [0018]     Shown in  FIG. 4 , five pairs  30  of parallel connected motors  10  are connected, again in parallel, to a DC power source such as the three AAA batteries  24  of  FIG. 3 . Each pair of motors is located in one of the five glove fingers as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]     In an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a glove like that of  FIGS. 1 and 2  has, not only the vibratory motors  10  with connected operating circuitry as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 , but also a heater  32  in the form of a commercially available heat tape. The location of the tape is indicated, as well, in  FIG. 1  in phantom outline. The tape is of the kind that has a resistive heating element  34 . It may be glued in place, held by VELCRO® or any other suitable connection. Tapes of this kind are commercially available and are used in heated gloves and socks. It protects against overheating by an imbedded thermister  36  and is connected via an on-off switch  38  to a further DC power source such as a further set of three AAA batteries  40 . Thus equipped, gloves according to this invention can provide soothing, relaxing heat to sore muscles as well as the therapeutic vibratory massage and the conventional massaging pressure and movement of the therapist&#39;s fingers and hands.  
         [0020]     The small disc-shaped, commercially available vibratory motors  10  of the present invention are particularly attractive for this application by virtue of their small size and low profile. A further attractive feature is that they vibrate in all directions, up, down and sideways. The disc-like motors  10  are commercially available. The motors are typically used in cell phones and pagers, not in massage devices. Vibratory motors of this kind are available from Sanko Electric, part no. 1E120. They are 0.55 inches in diameter, 0.135 inches thick and operate on 3 volts DC.  
         [0021]     The motors  10  can be retained in place on the inner glove liner  18  by any of a number of commercially available glues applied between the motors and the inner liner. In a preferred embodiment the glue sold commercially as SUPER GLUE® successfully retained the motors  10  in place. Other connections such as VELCRO® can be used and can permit relocation of the motors  10  within the glove as desired.  
         [0022]     While preferred, exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims. For example, although a DC power source in the form of three AAA batteries has been shown and described, a common AC to DC converter with low voltage output may provide energization of the motors  10 . Also, a rechargeable, battery-operated DC supply such as is used in cell phones and pagers may be employed in therapeutic gloves of the kind envisioned here. Gloves in accordance with the invention can be for self use as well as assisted therapy. The SPDT switch  26  can be of the rotary kind actuated by a thumb wheel or of the toggle type. The DC power source(s) can be mounted on the glove or remotely located and connected by a cord. The power source(s) may be detachable through known separable electrical connectors. The gloves may be typical surgical gloves or other flexible, comfortable material and preferably having pleasing tactile qualities. Although the preferred embodiment described places the vibratory motors  10  in the fingers of the glove, it may be desired in some cases to locate one or more vibratory motors in the palm of the glove, again on the palm side. This may be done in addition to the placement of the motors in the glove fingers or to the exclusion thereof.