Abstract:
A therapeutic massage device, specifically a manual scalp massager that can both provide a soothing sensation to the user and also stimulate the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of a person&#39;s scalp, resulting in a healthier scalp and better looking hair. The device should efficiently, and without harm or discomfort to the user, be able to pinch the tightly drawn scalp of the user, thereby squeezing the sebaceous glands and improving oil production. The device should also be easy to use and should not require an inordinate amount of effort by the operator. In operation, the device can massage one&#39;s scalp by alternating between constricting and releasing the skin.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The following application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/070,059, filed Mar. 20, 2008, the complete contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of therapeutic massage devices, specifically a handheld device for massaging a person&#39;s head. 
     2. Background 
     The art of massage has been used to relieve stress and physical ailments for thousands of years. Although massage often focuses on the muscles and tendons of a person&#39;s back and neck, just about every part of the human body can benefit from some form of massage. In particular, regular physical stimulation of the head and scalp can provide not only psychological therapy, but also increased productivity of sebaceous glands and hair follicles, resulting in a healthier scalp and improved hair quality and appearance. However, it can be tiresome and difficult to massage one&#39;s own scalp, especially for people who have arthritis or other conditions that prevent prolonged use of the hands. Moreover, excess oils and dirt can be transferred from a person&#39;s hands to their own scalp or that of another person. In addition, since the skin on a person&#39;s head is tightly drawn, in contrast with most other parts of the body, it can be difficult to stimulate and squeeze the sebaceous glands with conventional massage methods and devices. 
     Currently, there are several products on the market intended to eliminate the need for direct hand-to-scalp contact when performing massage. However, these devices only glide over the scalp or apply light pressure at certain points, and are thus useful only when a calming effect is desired. For example, the Head Trip Therapeutic Massager from The Happy Company has multiple long metal prongs, the tips of which a user places on her head and lowers and raises to rub against the scalp. While this device may provide an enjoyable sensation for some, it can also be bothersome or inadequate for people looking for more of a rubbing and/or pinching massage. This type of device can also be difficult to use; since its handle is a great distance away from the prong tips, a user must reach high above her head in order to operate the device. Moreover, the prong tips have very little surface area, resulting in little contact with the scalp and inadequate stimulation of the sebaceous glands and/or hair follicles. 
     What is needed is a hand-held device that can be used on one&#39;s own scalp or that of another person, which can both provide mental relaxation and promote healthy oil production from the sebaceous glands of one&#39;s scalp through gentle squeezing of the skin. The device should be designed to gently tug at or pinch the tightly drawn skin on a person&#39;s head without causing pain or discomfort. The device should also be easy to use and clean, lightweight, and portable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A hand-held massage device can comprise two frame elements. Each frame element can comprise a pivotal link member, a support member coupled with the distal end of the pivotal link member, and a set of a plurality of massage members coupled with the support member. Frame elements can be pivotally coupled, such that when the proximal ends of the pivotal link members have a first distance between them, the support members have a second distance between them; and when the proximal ends of the pivotal link members have a third distance between them that is greater than the first distance, the support members have a fourth distance between them that is less than the second distance. In some embodiments, a frame element can further comprise a handle member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an isometric view of one embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG. 2  depicts an isometric view of a frame element of the present device. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a side view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  depicts an underside view of one embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG. 5  depicts an underside view of another embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG. 6  depicts several embodiments of a massage member of the present device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of the present device  100 . A device  100  can comprise at least two frame elements  102   a  and  102   b  that can be pivotally coupled via a hinge mechanism  112 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a frame element  102  can comprise a pivotal link member  104  that can have a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of a pivotal link member  104  can be coupled with a support member  108 , which in turn can be coupled with a set of a plurality of massage members  110 . In some embodiments and as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the proximal end of a pivotal link member  104  can also be coupled with a handle member  106 . 
     A pivotal link member  104  can be made of plastic, wood, polymer, metal, or any other known and/or convenient material or combination of materials. The type of material used to form a pivotal link member  104  can be determined based on desired properties, such as preventing hair from damage when the device  100  is in use. A pivotal link member  104  can also have a smooth surface, bumps or protrusions, grooves or indentations, or any other known and/or convenient surface characteristic. By way of non-limiting example, a portion of a pivotal link member  104  can have a rough texture so as to increase the friction between the surface and a user&#39;s hand, thus preventing slippage. The surface of a pivotal link member  104  can also have a coating that can prevent slippage, provide anti-bacterial properties, condition a user&#39;s hair, or serve any other known and/or convenient purpose. A pivotal link member  104  can be any known and/or convenient color or combination of colors. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a pivotal link member  104  can have an A-shaped portion and can have both planar and curved surfaces. In alternate embodiments, a pivotal link member  104  can have any other known and/or convenient geometry. A pivotal link member  104  can be formed by injection molding or any other known and/or convenient method of manufacturing. 
     A support member  108  can provide support for and be coupled with a set of a plurality of massage members  110 . A support member  108  can be made of plastic, wood, silicone, rubber, metal, ceramic, glass or any other known and/or convenient material. The material used to form a support member  108  can be rigid or semi-rigid. A support member  108  can be made of the same material as a pivotal link member  104  and/or a plurality of massage members  110 , or can be comprised of a material different from other components of a device  100 . The type of material used to form a support member  108  can be determined based on desired properties, such as preventing damage to hair while in use. The surface of a support member  108  can be smooth, rough, or have any other known and/or convenient surface characteristic. By way of non-limiting example, a support member  108  can be made of polystyrene and can have a smooth surface so as to allow hair to glide along the surface without catching and without being damaged. The surface of a support member  108  can also have anti-bacterial or conditioning properties, or any other known and/or convenient properties. A support member  108  can be any known and/or convenient color or combination of colors, and can be the same as or different than the color of other components of a device  100 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  depict a plurality of massage members  110 . A set of massage members  110  can be coupled with a support member  108  of a frame element  102 . A plurality of massage members  110  can be coupled with a support member  108  via adhesive, ultrasonic bonding, pins, nails, or any other known and/or convenient method of bonding. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first set of massage members  110  coupled with a first support member  108  of a frame element  102   a  can have a different number of massage members  110  than a second set of massage members  110  coupled with a support member  108  of a frame element  102   b . In other embodiments, each set of massage members  110  on two or more frame elements  102  can have the same number of massage members  110 . As depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a first set of massage members  110  of a frame element  102   a  can have seven (7) massage members  110 , and a second set of massage members  110  of a frame element  102   b  can have six (6) massage members  110 . Each set of massage members  110  can be positioned such that when their respective support members  108  are brought together, each massage member  110  on a first support member  108  can be staggered with respect to each massage member  110  on a second support member  108 . 
     In some embodiments, a plurality of massage members  110  can comprise polymer, wood, metal, ceramic or any other known and/or convenient rigid material or combination of rigid materials that will not deform upon the application of pressure in normal use of a device  100 . In alternate embodiments, a plurality of massage members  110  coupled with a support member  108  can comprise flexible or semi-flexible material so as to deform to a desired degree when pressed against a user&#39;s scalp  118 , as depicted in  FIG. 6D . A flexible or semi-flexible massage member  110  can be made entirely of one material, such as silicone. In other embodiments, a flexible material, such as but not limited to microfiber, velvet, nylon, silk, or natural fabric, can encapsulate another flexible material or combination of materials, such as but not limited to gel, small beads, or silicone. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in  FIG. 6C , a massage member  110  can comprise a plurality of small rigid beads  116  partially bounded by Neoprene. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6B , the surface of a massage member  110  can have small protrusions  114  that can provide a different type of sensation and/or sebaceous gland stimulation as compared with a smooth or rough surface. In other embodiments, the surface of a massage member  110  can have ridges or any other known and/or convenient surface characteristic. The coefficients of friction of the surfaces of massage members  110  are determined by the surface material, which in turn can affect how massage members  110  can glide against a person&#39;s scalp. By way of non-limiting example, a rough rubber surface on a massage member  110  can slightly tug at the scalp when a device  100  is in use, while a smooth plastic surface can easily slide over the scalp and hair. 
     A massage member  110  can also have anti-bacterial or conditioning properties, either embedded or as a coating, or can have any other known and/or convenient properties. Massage members  110  can be any known and/or convenient color or combination of colors, and at least one massage member  110  can be a different color than another massage member  110 . 
     A plurality of massage members  110  can be spherical, elliptical, or can have any known and/or convenient geometry. The geometry of massage members  110  can affect the massaging effect that is produced by use of a device  100 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , massage members  110  can have a teardrop-like geometry such that in use a large portion of the surface area of a massage member  110  can be in constant contact with a user&#39;s scalp and/or hair. Moreover, a teardrop geometry, as shown in  FIG. 3 , can provide a tugging or pinching effect on the scalp, thereby imparting a different sensation and/or gland stimulating effect when compared with a massage member  110  having less surface area contact with a user&#39;s scalp. As shown in  FIG. 6A , in one embodiment a cross-section of a massage member  110  can be circular. In other embodiments, a massage member  110  can have any other known and/or convenient cross-section. Although  FIG. 1  depicts a plurality of massage members  110  having the same geometry, in other embodiments at least one massage member  110  can have a different geometry than another massage member  110 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a frame element  102  can further comprise a handle member  106  coupled with the proximal end of a pivotal link member  104 . A handle member  106  can be made of wood, polymer, metal, or any other known and/or convenient rigid or semi-rigid material suitable for accommodating a user&#39;s grip. A pivotal link member  104  and a handle member  106  can be comprised on the same material or combination of materials. In other embodiments, the materials can be different. A handle member  106  can have a circular, square, or elliptical latitudinal cross-section, or can have any other known and/or convenient cross-section geometry. A handle member  106  can be formed from the same piece of material as a pivotal link member  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In other embodiments, a handle member  106  can be manufactured as a separate element that is subsequently bonded with a pivotal link member  104  via adhesive, ultrasonic bonding, nails, screws, or any other known and/or convenient method of bonding. A handle member  106  can also have anti-bacterial properties and/or can be coated with a material that can prevent hand slippage when in use. 
     A pivotal link member  104 , handle member  106 , support member  108 , and massage members  110  can be formed from a single piece of material. In other embodiments, the aforementioned elements can be formed as separate parts and subsequently permanently or temporarily bonded via adhesive, ultrasonic bonding, nails, screws, staples, pins, or any other known and/or convenient method of bonding. A frame element  102  or elements thereof can be made by injection molding or any other known and/or convenient method of manufacturing. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 , frame elements  102   a  and  102   b  can be pivotally coupled at any convenient point on each pivotal link member  104  via a hinge mechanism  112 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pivot points of frame elements  102   a  and  102   b  can be proximate to the vertex of an angled segment of each pivotal link member  104 . In  FIG. 4 , a hinge mechanism  112  is a rod extending through each pivot point of framing elements  102   a  and  102   b . In an alternate embodiment, and as shown in  FIG. 5 , a hinge mechanism  112  can comprise pins that extend only through the portions of the pivot points of framing elements  102   a  and  102   b  that are in direct contact with each other. In yet alternate embodiments, a hinge mechanism  112  can be any other known and/or convenient mechanism that can pivotally couple at least two framing elements  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , frame elements  102   a  and  102   b  can be pivotally coupled with each other such that when the proximal ends of pivotal link members  104  have a first distance  301  between them, support members  108  can have a second distance  302  between them; and when the proximal ends of pivotal link members  104  have a third distance  303  between them that is greater than a first distance  301 , support members  108  can have a fourth distance  304  between them that is less than a second distance  302 . 
     In use, the operator of a device  100  can be either the person whose scalp is to be massaged or another person. The operator of a device  100 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , can grip handle members  106  of framing elements  102   a  and  102   b . Massage members  110  can then be placed in contact with the scalp of either the operator or another person. The proximal ends of pivotal link members  104  can begin with a close distance  301  between them, and support members  108  can begin with a distance  302  between them. The proximal ends of pivotal link members  104  can then be separated to a distance  303  between them by pivoting frame elements  102   a  and  102   b  via a hinge mechanism  112 . This action can cause support members  108  to move closer together to a distance  304  between them, gently squeezing the scalp. An operator can then repeat the aforementioned actions at any desired speed and while applying a desired amount of pressure on a device  100 . These actions can cause massage members  110  to move about a person&#39;s scalp, alternating between squeezing and releasing the skin, resulting in a calming sensation. Additionally, the teardrop geometry of massage members  110 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , can allow a large surface area of massage members  110  to be in constant contact with a person&#39;s scalp, thereby facilitating a tugging or pinching effect. 
     Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention as described and hereinafter claimed is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.