Abstract:
A removably mounted massager device that is capable of attaching to objects of varying sizes in a secure, yet easily disengaging, manner. A protrusion is located on the massager device in a removable manner such that variously shaped protrusions may be attached thereto. An adjustable attaching member allows engagement of the massager device to objects of varying size.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to skin stimulators in general and, more particularly, to the art of a massager that can easily be securely mounted to a portion of a door to allow manipulation of a back of a user, yet is removable, adjustable and transportable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Numerous massagers are known in the art, the most common of which are the hand held massagers for massaging a person&#39;s back. However, hand held massagers do not allow a sufficient application of force to be applied to the back of a user because the body must be contorted in order to reach the back. Numerous attempts have been made to provide substitutes for the hand held massagers. 
         [0003]    For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,635 to Aboud discloses a massager having a mounting bracket that permits the stimulator to be mounted onto a wall, a door, or a floor stand. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,282 to Bleggi discloses a massager that is suspended from a door frame by a resilient cord. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,842 to Wilkerson discloses a complex mounting structure for mounting a massager onto a door frame. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,347,327 to London discloses a mounting structure that fixes a massager to a door. 
         [0007]    U.S. Patent Application No. 20020133104 to Bedgood discloses a massager that can be mounted onto a flat surface of a door or a wall by means of an adhesive. The adhesive may be detrimental to the surface to which the massager is affixed. 
         [0008]    The prior art does not address the need for a massager that is adapted to easily and securely mount onto a door frame, yet be removable and transportable. Other disadvantages of the prior art will become apparent from the reading of the following specification and claims. Therefore, there remains a long standing and continuing need for an advance in the art of massagers, which shortcomings are addressed by the instant invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In keeping with the principles of the present invention, a unique massager device is disclosed wherein the device is capable of use by a variety of users having a varying height range. 
         [0010]    In addition, by providing a substantially rigid body, the device is durable and cost efficient to manufacture. 
         [0011]    Furthermore, because of its compact size, the massager is easily transportable and removably mountable to a door, fence or post at varying adjustable heights. 
         [0012]    One aspect of a preferred embodiment of the massager is that it is substantially “U” shaped and it can be mounted directly to a door. An inner surface defined of the “U” shape can frictionally engage an object therein. A protrusion, that has a preferably smooth surface, is attached to the outer surface of a second region of the massager which may also be the elongated region of the “U” shape. 
         [0013]    Another aspect of an alternate preferred embodiment is to provide a number of interchangeable protrusions such that the protrusions may be used as deep tissue massagers or, through the use of an alternately shaped protrusion, may be used to scratch the back of a user. 
         [0014]    Another aspect of the invention is to provide an attaching member that is adjustable such that objects of varying widths can be maintained between the opposing first region and the second region. Attaching member has a threaded region that is adjustably received in the first region and has an engaging region that forces the object towards an inner surface of second region to maintain the massager in a secure manner to the object. 
         [0015]    Such stated summary of preferred embodiments of the invention are only examples and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention herein will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the claims that follow. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    It is to be understood that the drawings are to be used for the purposes of setting forth preferred embodiments of the invention via illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a massager. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the massager taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to the  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of a removably mountable massager generally designated by reference numeral  10  is illustrated. In one preferred embodiment, massager  10  is made of plastic and is preferably injection molded in one piece, however, it is to be understood that other manufacturing methods known in the art may also be employed. For purposes of illustration, but not limitation, massager  10  may be formed of several separate pieces of plastic that are sonic welded or adhered to one another by either an adhesive substance or a threaded attaching member, such as a screws. Furthermore, massager  10  may be made of metal, wood, fiberglass or any other rigid material that is capable of being removably mounted. 
         [0020]    Massager  10  has a first region  12  that is substantially planar. First region  12  has a first end  14  and a second end  16 , whereby second end  16  is attached to a left end  20  of middle region  18 . A right end  22  is defined on middle region  18  distal to left end  20 . A second region  24  has a leading end  26  and a distal trailing end  28 , whereby leading end  26  is attached to right end  22 . In such arrangement, first region  12  and second region  24  are in a substantially parallel arrangement such that a substantially “U” shaped massager  10  is formed. First  12 , second  24  and middle  18  regions have an outer surface  30  and an inner surface  32 , the inner surface  32  being defined on the inner portion of the “U” shape. 
         [0021]    In one preferred embodiment, a protrusion  34  extends from outer surface  30  of second region  24  in an opposing direction to inner surface  32 . Although protrusion  34  is illustrated as an ellipsoid in a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that protrusion  34  may take alternate preferred spherical or non-symmetrical shapes, such as egg-shapes. Protrusion  34  may be directly connected to outer surface  30  of second region  24  or, in an alternate preferred embodiment, protrusion  34  may be attached to second region  24  via a stem  36 . 
         [0022]    Protrusion  34  and stem  36  may be injection molded as part of the first  12 , middle  18 , and second  24  regions and be of one unitary piece. However, in an alternate embodiment, protrusion  34  has a threaded region and protrusion  34  has a threaded portion that mates with the treaded region, such that protrusion  34  may be replaced by varying massaging protrusion  34  shapes as desired by the user. 
         [0023]    Now also referring to  FIG. 2 , inner surface  32  of first  12 , middle  18 , and second  24  regions may be textured to allow inner surface  32  to frictionally engage an object  38  in a secure yet removable manner. Alternatively, a non-slip material, such as rubber or adhesive, may be applied to inner surface  32  to further enhance the engagement of object  38 . Object  38  may be a door panel, a fence post, a backrest of a chair or any other stable item to which massager  10  can attach. 
         [0024]    In an alternate preferred embodiment, an attaching member  40  is provided on first region  12  to adjustably mount massager  12  onto object  38  of varying widths. Attaching member  40  has an engaging region  42  that is substantially planar and extends inwardly from inner surface  32  and contacts object  38 . A threaded member  44  attaches to engaging region  42  on a side opposite to the side of attachment between engaging region  42  and object  38 . Threaded member  44  is received within and travels through an opening  46  defined through first region  12  in a threaded manner to correspond with threaded member  44 . A handle  48  is provided on threaded member  44  at an end distal to the engaging region such that the attaching member  40  can be turned until object  38  is maintained in a secure manner between second region  24  and engaging region  42 . 
         [0025]    While massager  10  is securely fastened to an object  38 , a body part  50  of a user can be rubbed on protrusion  34  to achieve a massage. In one preferred embodiment, body part  50  is the lower back of a user. However, because of the adjustable nature of massager  10 , it can be secured at varying heights of object  38  to allow manipulation of a different body part  50 . For example, if massager  10  is attached at a higher region of object  38 , it allows the massage of the upper back of a user. 
         [0026]    In one preferred embodiment, first  12 , middle  18 , and second region  24  have a height of one inch and a thickness of ¼ inch. First region  12  has a length approximately four inches, middle region  18  has a length of approximately three inches, and second region  24  has a length of approximately six inches. Attaching member  40  is situated approximately one inch from first end  14  and stem  36  is situated approximately one inch from trailing end  28 . These exact measurements are provided to illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention and it is to be understood that variations in the size of massager  10  can be instituted that do not vary from the teachings hereof. 
         [0027]    While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification the preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible without departing from the essential spirit of this invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.