Patent Publication Number: US-2002007131-A1

Title: Healthy body ball

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] This invention relates to the field of massage therapy, specifically, to topical manipulation to determine the location of irritated trigger-points and with point-of-pressure applications to reduce the attendant pain.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] There have been many massage therapy devices presented over the time of U.S. patent processing. There have been a limited number of these devices that have functional relationship to locating and applying trigger-point therapy. This is probably due to the relatively brief period of time that the trigger-point therapy protocol has been granted acceptance to the physical therapy field.  
       [0005] One example of a limited function massage ball device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D. 419,681 issued to Chen. This design configuration device has an array of nodules affixed to the common plane of a hand-held platform. By design this device does not have a capability to locate and treat specific irritated trigger-points. As a hand-held device, it is also limited to a user&#39;s reachable personal body areas or would require second person assistance.  
       [0006] Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,839 issued to Wincek. This device has an array of massage balls positioned and attached to a contoured base board. The fixed-position ball array limits the potential for locating and treating irritated trigger-points. Desirable manipulation is further limited with the user lying in a relatively fixed supine position on the device with the fixed-ball contact positions to the back and neck.  
       [0007] A limited example is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D. 403,076 issued to York. This hand-held massage ball design configuration is limited by the fact that it is a hand-held device. As such, it is limited to reachable personal body areas or would require second person assistance. The relative size and hardness of the roller-ball configuration offers limited potential to locate and treat specific irritated trigger-points.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0008] Disadvantages inherent to known devices have been outlined. The need for this multipurpose device has been pronounced. The present invention has been developed with diligent consideration in engineering design and testing to satisfy these major function conditions:  
       [0009] 1) Assist the process of trigger-point therapy with a spherically shaped ball having between 4 and 14 pliable, radius end nodes projecting axially from the outside diameter; 2) provide a device that can be self administered or second person administered over the known trigger-point areas of the body; 3) provide a spherically shaped device that is rotationally manipulated in a step-function manner to investigate and locate irritated trigger-points; 4) reduce trigger point pain with axially applied pressure through the pliable, radius end projections and into a subject trigger-point. The preferred embodiment is baseball or softball sized with from 12 to 14 pliable, radius-end nodes projecting axially from the outside diameter. It can be molded with a medium durometer rubberized material or fabricated with a plastic ball with axially positioned rubberized nodes.  
     
    
    
     DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS  
     [0010] Drawing FIG. 1. This elevation view of the Healthy Body Ball provides the relationship of the basic ball ( 1 ) to the pliable, radius-end nodes ( 2 ) that project axially ( 3 ) from the centerline to the outside diameter of the ball. The nodes ( 2 ) are positioned along rotated latitudinal ( 4 ) and longitudinal ( 5 ) lines on the outside diameter surface. A fabricated structure option is displayed in the node at the top of FIG. 1. In this embodiment a pin ( 6 ) is press-fit to the ball at a node position. The node surface ( 7 ) has a radius ( 8 ) to allow pressure deflection of the internal rubberized material ( 9 ). A slip-fit hole ( 10 ) with countersink ( 11 ) is located on the centerline at the distal end of the node.