Patent Publication Number: US-10327981-B1

Title: Massaging device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of medical or veterinary science, more specifically, a kneading device configured for use in physical therapy. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The massaging device is adapted for use with a body of a person. The massaging device is adapted for use in physical therapy. The massaging device is a device that allows the person to massage portions of the body that are otherwise difficult to reach. The massaging device comprises a telescopic handle, a threaded connection, and a plurality of heads. The threaded connection attaches a head selected from the plurality of heads to the telescopic handle. Each of the plurality of heads further comprises a massaging surface. The differences between each of the plurality of heads is defined by differences in the massaging surface. The person places the massaging surface on the portion of the body that requires therapeutic pressure or kneading. The plurality of heads of massaging device pivots allowing the angle of the massaging surface to be changed relative to the body of the person. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the massaging device will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the massaging device in detail, it is to be understood that the massaging device is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the massaging device. 
     It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the massaging device. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. They are meant to be exemplary illustrations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an in use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Detailed reference will now be made to one or more potential embodiments of the disclosure, which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
     The massaging device  100  (hereinafter invention) comprises a telescopic handle  101 , a threaded connection  102 , and a plurality of heads  103 . The threaded connection  102  attaches a head selected from the plurality of heads  103  to the telescopic handle  101 . The invention  100  is adapted for use with a body  171  of a person. The invention  100  is adapted for use in physical therapy. The invention  100  is a device that allows the person to massage portions of the body  171  that are otherwise difficult to reach. Each of the plurality of heads  103  further comprises a massaging surface  164 . The differences between each of the plurality of heads  103  is defined by differences in the massaging surface  164 . The person places the massaging surface  164  on the portion of the body  171  that requires therapeutic pressure or kneading. Each of the plurality of heads  103  of invention  100  pivots allowing the angle of the massaging surface  164  to be changed relative to the body  171  of the person. Each of the plurality of heads  103  is interchangeable. 
     The threaded connection  102  comprises an interior screw thread  121  and an exterior screw thread  122 . The interior screw thread  121  is formed into each head selected from the plurality of heads  103 . The exterior screw thread  122  is formed on the telescopic handle  101 . The exterior screw thread  122  and the interior screw thread  121  are designed to work with each other. To join the telescopic handle  101  to the selected head, the exterior screw thread  122  screws into the interior screw thread  121 . 
     The telescopic handle  101  comprises a first shaft  111 , a second shaft  112 , and a detent  113 . The first shaft  111  is further defined with a first end  151  and a second end  152 . The second shaft  112  is further defined with a third end  153  and a fourth end  154 . The detent  113  attaches the first shaft  111  to the second shaft  112 . The telescopic handle  101  is further defined with an ergonomic handle  177  that is adjacent to the first end  151 . The ergonomic handle  177  is adapted to be manually grasped via a hand  178 . 
     The first shaft  111  is a readily and commercially available pipe. The second shaft  112  is a readily and commercially available pipe. As shown most clearly in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer diameter of the first shaft  111  is lesser than the inner diameter of the second shaft  112  such that the second end  152  of the first shaft  111  will slide into the third end  153  of the second shaft  112  in a telescopic fashion. To adjust the span from the first end  151  of the first shaft  111  to the fourth end  154  of the second shaft  112 , the relative position of the second end  152  of the first shaft  111  within the second shaft  112  is changed. The relative position of the second end  152  of the first shaft  111  within the second shaft  112  is locked into position using the detent  113 . The detent  113  is a commercially available device that is designed to lock telescopic structures in a fixed relative position. These devices are well known in the mechanical arts. Suitable locking devices for use as the detent  113  include, but are not limited to, a threaded clutch, a split collar, a G snap collar, or a set knob. 
     As shown most clearly in  FIG. 2 , the exterior screw thread  122  is formed on the fourth end  154  of the second shaft  112 . Each of the plurality of heads  103  comprises a locking pivot  161 , a Y base  162 , an axle  163  and the massaging surface  164 . The axle  163  attaches the massaging surface  164  to the Y base  162 . The locking pivot  161  attaches the Y base  162  to the telescopic handle  101 . The axle  163  is further defined with a ninth end  159  and a tenth end  160 . 
     The Y base  162  comprises a first arm  141 , a second arm  142 , a leg  143 , and a hood  144 . The leg  143  is further defined with a seventh end  157  and an eighth end  158 . As shown most clearly in  FIG. 2 , the first arm  141  and the second arm  142  both project away from the eighth end  158  of leg  143  to form the characteristic Y shape of a slingshot. The hood  144  comprises a first plate  145  and a second plate  146  that are attached to the leg  143  and project beyond the seventh end  157  of the leg  143  towards the stub  133 . The use of the hood  144  is described elsewhere in this disclosure. 
     The locking pivot  161  comprises a pivot shaft  131 , a locking mechanism  132 , and a stub  133 . The stub  133  is further defined with a fifth end  155  and a sixth end  156 . The stub  133  attaches to the telescopic handle  101 . The pivot shaft  131  attaches the stub  133  to the hood  144 . The locking mechanism  132  is a device that prevents the rotation of the hood  144  relative to the stub  133 . In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the locking mechanism  132  is a set screw  134 . The interior screw thread  121  is formed in the fifth end  155  of the stub  133 . In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, as shown most clearly in  FIG. 7 , the hood  144  is placed around the sixth end  156  of the stub  133  and is attached to the sixth end  156  of the stub  133  using the pivot shaft  131 . Methods to attach hoods to shafts using a pivot shaft  131  are well known and documented in the mechanical arts. The locking mechanism  132  is a set screw  134  that is inserted through the side of the first plate  145  into the face of the stub  133 . 
     Each massaging surface  164  is a structure that is designed to provide therapeutic pressure to or therapeutic kneading on the body  171 . Each massaging surface  164  is formed with an axle hole  165 . The purpose of the axle hole  165  is to receive the axle  163  such that the axle  163  will attach the massaging surface  164  to the Y base  162 . The axle hole  165  is sized such that the massaging surface  164  will rotate such that the axle  163  forms the axis of rotation of the massaging surface  164 . To attach the massaging surface  164  to the Y base  162 , the axle  163  is inserted through the axle hole  165 . The ninth end  159  of the axle  163  is attached to the first arm  141 . The tenth end  160  of the axle  163  is attached to the second arm  142 . 
     Any head selected from the plurality of heads  103  is differentiated from the heads remaining within the plurality of heads  103  by the structure of the massaging surface  164 . In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, as shown most clearly in  FIG. 7 , the plurality of heads  103  comprises three heads which are differentiated by: 1) the use of a smooth ball  181  as a first massaging surface, 2) the use of a knobbed  182  surface as a second massaging surface; and, 3) the use of a pinwheel  183  surface as a third massaging surface. The knobbed  182  surface is a spherical surface that further comprises a plurality of knobs. The pinwheel  183  surface comprises a plurality of blades that rotate around the axis. 
     To use the invention  100 , a head is selected from the plurality of heads  103  and is attached to the telescopic handle  101  using the threaded connection  102  as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The length of the telescopic handle  101  is adjusted by adjusting the relative position of the second end  152  within the second shaft  112  as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The relative angle of the Y base  162  to the telescopic handle  101  is adjusted as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The person then uses the telescopic handle  101  to press the massaging surface  164  of the selected head in a therapeutic fashion against the body  171 . 
     In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the massaging surfaces  164  are formed from polyurethane. However, it shall be noted that the massaging surface  164  may be a tennis ball. The balance of the invention  100  is formed from molded plastic. Suitable plastics include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, or polycarbonate. A second potential embodiment of the disclosure is identical to the first potential embodiment of the disclosure except that the balance of the invention  100  is formed from aluminum. 
     The following definitions were used in this disclosure: 
     Axle: As used in this disclosure, an axle is a cylindrical shaft that is inserted through the center of an object such that the object can rotate using the axle as an axis of rotation. 
     Ball: As used in this disclosure, a ball refers to an object with a spherical or nearly spherical shape. 
     Center of Rotation: As used in this disclosure, the center of rotation is the point of a rotating plane that does not move with the rotation of the plane. A line within a rotating three dimensional object that does not move with the rotation of the object is referred to as an axis of rotation. 
     Detent: As used in this disclosure, a detent is a device for positioning and holding one mechanical part in relation to another in a manner such that the device can be released by force applied to one or more of the parts. Exterior Screw Thread: An exterior screw thread is a ridge wrapped around the outer surface of a tube in the form of a helical structure that is used to convert rotational movement into linear movement. 
     Handle: As used in this disclosure, a handle is an object by which a tool, object, or door is held or manipulated with the hand. 
     Inner Diameter: As used in this disclosure, the term inner diameter is used in the same way that a plumber would refer to the inner diameter of a pipe. 
     Interior Screw Thread: An interior screw thread is a groove that is formed around the inner surface of a tube in the form of a helical structure that is used to convert rotational movement into linear movement. 
     Outer Diameter: As used in this disclosure, the term outer diameter is used in the same way that a plumber would refer to the outer diameter of a pipe. 
     Pipe: As used in this disclosure, the term pipe is used to describe a rigid hollow cylinder. While pipes that are suitable for use in this disclosure are often used to transport or conveys fluids or gasses, the purpose of the pipes in this disclosure are structural. In this disclosure, the terms inner diameter of a pipe and outer diameter are used as they would be used by those skilled in the plumbing arts. 
     Pivot: As used in this disclosure, a pivot is a rod or shaft around which an object rotates or swings. 
     Shaft: As used in this disclosure, the term shaft is used to describe a rigid cylinder that is often used as the handle of a tool or implement. The terms inner diameter of the shaft and outer diameter of the shaft are used as they would be used by those skilled in the plumbing arts. The definition of shaft explicitly includes solid shafts or shafts that are formed more like pipes with a hollow passage through the shaft that runs along the center axis of the shaft cylinder. 
     Telescopic: As used in this disclosure, telescopic is an adjective that describes an object made of sections that fit or slide into each other such that the object can be made longer or shorter by adjusting the relative positions of the sections. 
     Threaded Connection: As used in this disclosure, a threaded connection is a type of fastener that is used to join a first tube shaped and a second tube shaped object together. The first tube shaped object is fitted with fitted with a first fitting selected from an interior screw thread or an exterior screw thread. The second tube shaped object is fitted with the remaining screw thread. The tube shaped object fitted with the exterior screw thread is placed into the remaining tube shaped object such that: 1) the interior screw thread and the exterior screw thread interconnect; and, 2) when the tube shaped object fitted with the exterior screw thread is rotated the rotational motion is converted into linear motion that moves the tube shaped object fitted with the exterior screw thread either into or out of the remaining tube shaped object. The direction of linear motion is determined by the direction of rotation. 
     With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention described above and in  FIGS. 1 through 7  include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention. 
     It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.