Patent Publication Number: US-2010121235-A1

Title: Massage lever

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     This disclosure relates to a portable apparatus for massaging one&#39;s shoulders. 
     2. General Background 
     Various exercising and massaging devices are known in the art. For example, there are hand held acupressure devices, and massage devices, appliances, instruments, and exercisers, including sliding and rolling devices and multidirectional devices. The prior art also teaches devices for treating muscular ailments. These devices are specifically designed for the back but may, as well, be applied to other portions of the body. However, the prior art does not teach a portable shoulder massage and exercising device for applying massage contact to one&#39;s shoulder wherein one can sit on a chair while massaging one&#39;s shoulders. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of this disclosure to provide a portable shoulder-massaging device which can be quickly and easily mounted on, or be adapted to be used with, a conventional chair having a seat and back. 
     It is a further object of this disclosure to carry out the foregoing object by providing a device that has a base that mounts on top of the seat of the chair and the user can apply a massager to his or her shoulders. 
     It is still further an object of this disclosure to provide such a massaging device which can either be physically secured to the seat of a chair, or be secured to the back of the chair, while massaging is carried out. 
     These and other objects are accomplished by providing a massage lever having a pair of upstanding posts with a massaging rod pivotally mounted therebetween. The rod is located at a height such that the rod is extended over the top of the user&#39;s shoulders. The user then pivots the rod against his or her shoulder to massage the same. 
     The height of the rod may be adjusted and the rod may have a ridged surface thereon for increasing the massaging action. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the massage lever of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the massage lever of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a view taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the massage lever of  FIGS. 1 to 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevational view of the massage lever of  FIGS. 1 to 5  having a resilient ball mounted thereon; and 
         FIG. 7  is a modification of the massage lever of  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawing, a massage lever  10  is shown having a planar base  11  (see  FIG. 3 ). Massage lever  10  ( FIG. 1 ) has a pair of spaced upstanding posts  12 ,  13 , which may be square-shaped in cross-section, having a throughbolt  14  at top extending through aligned holes  15 ,  16  in posts  12 ,  13 . Throughbolt  14  is threaded at end  15 ′ for receiving a locking nut  17  thereon. The head  18  of throughbolt  14  abuts against the outside of the post  12 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of aligned spaced holes  19  may be provided on posts  12 ,  13  for varying the height of throughbolt  14  with respect to base  11 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a pair of cavities  20 ,  21  are provided in the base  11  for receiving the lower ends of posts  12 ,  13  therein. These lower ends may be pivotally held in cavities  20 ,  21  by resilient members  22 ,  23 , respectfully, which extend through hole  24 ,  25 , respectively, in the lower ends of posts  12 ,  13  and are secured, by having their ends tied together, on the underside of base  11  as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In this manner, posts  12 ,  13  can pivot within cavities  20 ,  21  and are resiliently retained to base  11 . 
     Like aligned spaced holes  26 ,  27  are provided in posts  12 ,  13 , above hole  24 ,  25 , for varying the degree of resiliency or accommodating resilient members of differing lengths and resiliency. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a plate  28  may be secured to posts  12 ,  13 , as by screws  29 , for providing support to massage lever  10 . 
     As particularly contemplated in the present disclosure, the portion of throughbolt  14  between posts  12 ,  13  is smooth on the exterior and passes through a hole  31  in an elongated massage lever or rod  30 . Rod  30  may be circular in cross-section and hole  31  in rod  30  may be slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of throughbolt  14  to provide for a certain degree of pivotal movement of rod  30  with respect to throughbolt  14 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , rod  30  may have an elongated smooth ridged shoulder-massaging device  32  mounted to the underside of rod and secured to rod  30  by one or more threaded bolts  33 ,  34  extending through aligned holes  35 ,  36  and  37 ,  38 , in device  32  and rod  30 , respectively. These bolts are retained to rod  30  by wing nuts  39 ,  40 , respectively. 
     Device  32  has a plurality of smooth spaced ridges  41 ,  42  on the underside for reasons to be discussed. 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of spaced holes  43  extended through base  11  for securing the same to the seat of a chair or the like for added support, if desired, by passing resilient members (not shown) through holes  43  and under the chair seat. 
     The operation of massage lever  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The base  11  is placed on the seat  44  of a chair with posts  12 ,  13  abutting against the back  45  of the chair. The user sits on top of base  11  ( FIG. 5 ) with his or her back against posts  12 ,  13  and grasps the end  46  of rod  30 , with massaging device  32  on top of one&#39;s shoulders. The rod  30  then is pivoted up and down thereby massaging one&#39;s shoulders. The rod  30  can be shifted along throughbolt  14  to massage the other shoulder. 
     Instead of a separate massaging device  32 , the rod  30  itself may be ridged. Also, other massaging devices may be used such as a resilient ball  47  ( FIG. 6 ) having a throughbore  48  with a bolt  49  extending through aligned holes  19 ,  48  in rod  30  and ball  47 , respectively. The rod  30  is used exactly as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , ball  47  doing the shoulder massaging instead of device  32 . 
     Although a base  11  is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , base  11  may be eliminated and the posts  12 ,  13  may be secured directly to the back of a chair as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Thus, massage lever  50 , otherwise identical to massage lever  10 , does not have a base but has the posts  12 ,  13  which are directly secured to the back  53  of a chair with the lower ends of the posts  12 ,  13  abutting against the top of seat  51 . 
     Massage lever  50  is used exactly the same as massage lever  10  with the user sitting on seat  51  with his or her back against posts  12 ,  13 . Rod  30  is used exactly as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     The foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Obvious variations will occur to those skilled in the art. The disclosure is intended to encompass all such variations and be limited only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims. 
     While the apparatus and method have been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and all embodiments of the following claims.