Abstract:
A therapeutic device for relieving pain and stress in an extremity, i.e., a hand or a foot, includes a housing defining an enclosure having an opening to insert the extremity into the enclosure. The device also includes a heater and one or more vibrating squeezable member(s). The squeezable member recovers its shape when released. A hand or foot placed in the device rests on the squeezable member, and a gel pack rests against the back of the extremity transmitting heat from a heater to the extremity. A control unit can be operated to set or adjust the heater and vibratory member(s). The device can also be made portable by using batteries.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a therapeutic device for relieving pain and stress in the extremities, i.e., the hands and feet. More particularly, the invention is a portable device providing heat and vibration therapy for a hand or foot, as well as for providing capability for relief of stress and tension using mechanotherapy in the form of a shape-retaining gripping object within the device.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Mechanotherapeutic stress relief devices are relatively well known. These devices are typically referred to as “stress relievers” and are made in a wide variety of shapes and colors. They are typically made by molding a shape-retaining rubber shell and filling the molded shell with a putty-like composition. The rubber shell is shaped into such objects as the heads of caricatures, etc., and can be squeezed with the hand to relieve tension. These objects are often marketed as promotional items.  
           [0005]    Other therapeutic devices are known for providing heat and vibration for the extremities to benefit sufferers of such joint and muscle diseases or conditions as arthritis, rheumatism, tendinitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.  
           [0006]    However, none teach the combination of a mechanotherapeutic device with heat and vibration in the same device, particularly in a portable device.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,566,987, issued to Simmons on Dec. 22, 1925, describes a foot warmer using resistance heaters. U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,874, issued to Runstedler on Sep. 12, 1950, teaches a vibratory foot massage device. U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,357, issued to Redka on Sep. 25, 1962, discloses a foot bath in which the foot rests on a contoured surface.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,127, issued to Clayton et al. on May 9, 1978, shows a portable enclosed unit for massaging a hand, including a pliable fluid-filled bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,736, issued to Thurber on Apr. 30, 1985, describes an enclosed cushioned foot or hand massager capable of both heating and vibrating. U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,502, issued to Hunt on Dec. 25, 1990, teaches a combined vibratory massage and heating device, e.g., a vest.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,807, issued to Cho et al. on Dec. 6, 1994, shows a circulating-fluid heating glove including a thermal gel pack. U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,533, issued to Badilla on Feb. 25, 1997, discloses a foot massage device using a plurality of balls on the bottom portion of the device which are connected to oscillating cranks that move in response to a motor and pulley system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,838, issued to Reilly on Jun. 22, 1999, teaches a battery-operated vibratory shoe insert. U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,208, issued to Reyes et al. on Dec. 26, 2000, describes a sweatband including a battery-operated resistance heater.  
           [0010]    Deformable putties are known in the art, such as the “bouncing” putty described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,851, issued Feb. 13, 1951 (putty obtained by treating dimethyl silicones with a boron compound and heat or a catalyst) and mentioned further in an Inventor of the Week note (undated) on MIT&#39;s Internet site at http://web.mit.edu...-H/sillyputty.html.  
           [0011]    Although various devices are taught that use therapeutic techniques such as heat and vibration, none teach a portable unit having the combination of heat, vibration and mechanotherapeutic massage as taught by the present invention.  
           [0012]    None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a therapeutic device for relieving pain and stress solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    The therapeutic device for relieving pain and stress of the present invention is a portable unit in which heat, vibration and mechanical (grip) massage are integrally provided in the same unit. The device has a housing which includes an upper compartment and a lower compartment, or base. The base houses a power supply unit, which may be an A.C. supply or batteries, and a vibratory mechanism. The upper compartment houses at least one resilient, compressible element connected to the vibratory mechanism by a support member, a gel pack disposed above the compressible element, and a heating element thermally connected to the gel pack so that a body member, e.g., a hand or foot, inserted into the upper compartment is heated while receiving a soothing massage through the vibrating, resilient, compressible element.  
           [0014]    The device may be configured with a single compressible element with the upper compartment, being configured for receiving a hand to provide pain and stress relief for the hand and fingers, or with multiple compressible elements, being configured to provide pain and stress relief to a foot.  
           [0015]    Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a device for providing therapy in the form of heat, vibration and grip.  
           [0016]    It is a further object of the invention to provide the above therapeutic device in a portable unit.  
           [0017]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
           [0018]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a therapeutic device for relieving stress and pain in the hand according to the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, section view of the device of FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a therapeutic device for relieving stress and pain in the foot according to the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal, section view of the device of FIG. 3. 
     
    
       [0023]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    The present invention is directed to a therapeutic device for relieving stress and pain in an extremity, namely a hand or a foot. FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the device, designated generally as  10  in the drawings, which is configured for providing pain and stress relief to the hand and fingers of the user.  
         [0025]    The device  10  has a housing  12  which includes an upper housing enclosure  14  and a lower base unit  16  which are attached to each other by appropriate fasteners (not shown). The base unit  16  has a generally flat, rectangular box shape which defines a lower compartment  18 . A power supply unit  20  and a vibratory mechanism  22 , both shown diagrammatically in the drawings, are disposed in the base unit  16 , the vibratory mechanism  22  being connected to the power supply unit  20  by appropriate wiring  24 . The power supply unit  20  may comprise a dry cell battery supply (alkaline batteries, rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries, rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, etc.), or the power supply unit may comprise an A.C. power supply unit adapted for connection to a wall outlet through cord  25 , depending upon the power requirements of the particular devices used to provide the vibratory mechanism  22  and heating element (discussed below). Both battery and A.C. power supply units are conventional and well known in the art, so that the structure of the power supply unit  20  will not be further described.  
         [0026]    The vibratory mechanism  22  may comprise a piezoelectric transducer, an electromagnet or solenoid configured with a vibrating armature, a motor having a cam attached to its shaft in which a lobe of the cam intermittently causes a spring-biased element to vibrate, or by any other device known in the art for producing vibratory movement.  
         [0027]    Upper housing enclosure  14  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a substantially rectangular, box shaped enclosure having a top wall  26 , a bottom wall  28 , a front wall  30 , a rear wall  32 , and two elongated, opposing side walls  34 . The upper housing enclosure  14  defines an upper compartment  36 . The height of the front wall  30  may be lower than the height of the rear wall  32  and the top wall  26  may have a canted or sloped portion  38  which reduces the volume of the upper compartment  36 . The bottom wall  28  of the upper housing enclosure  14  may defined a partition wall separating the upper compartment  36  from the lower compartment  18 . The rear wall  32  has an opening  40  defined therein having a diameter large enough for a user of the therapeutic device  10  to insert his hand into the upper compartment  36 . It will be understood, however, that the particular shape of the upper housing enclosure  14 , including the canted portion  38  of the top wall  26 , is not an essential feature of the therapeutic device  10 , and any shape of housing capable of enclosing the elements described below and providing an enclosed structure for administering the pain and stress relief therapy to the hand is consistent with the present invention.  
         [0028]    Disposed within the upper compartment is a resilient, compressible element  42  which is attached to the vibratory mechanism  22  by a support member, e.g., a pin  44 , which translates vibratory movement from the vibratory mechanism  22  to the compressible member  42 . Compressible member  42  is shown in the shape of a sphere or ball; however, the compressible member  42  may have any other shape which provides support for the hand and has a surface area large enough to receive the palmar surface of the hands and fingers. The compressible member  42  should have sufficient flexibility so that the compressible member  42  is deformable by the application of flexion of the hand  46  and fingers, and so that the vibratory motion induced by the vibratory mechanism  22  is translated by the support member  44  to the medium of the compressible member  42  to massage the hand and fingers, but is sufficiently resilient to return to its original shape upon removal of the compressive force or vibratory motion. The compressible member  42  may be made, e.g., from a deformable medium, such as an elastomeric, silicone-based, putty-like material (such as Silly Putty®), a vinyl elastomer, or a silicon-based gel, which is encased in a flexible, resilient shell made from, e.g., silicone rubber. Alternatively, the compressible member may be made from foam rubber, or may be made entirely from silicone rubber.  
         [0029]    Also disposed in the upper compartment  36  is a heater block  48  having resistive heater elements  50 , or other heating means, contained therein electrically connected to the power supply unit  20  by appropriate wiring  51 ,. The upper compartment  36  also contains one or more gel packs  52  which are attached to the top wall  26  and/or the heater block  48 , so that heat generated by the heater block  48  is transported to the gel pack  52 , preferably by conduction. The gel pack  52  may be suspended from the top wall  26  by a resilient foam cushion (not shown) so that when the user inserts his or her hand  46  into the upper compartment, the gel pack  52  is resiliently urged into contact with the dorsal surface of the hand  46 , or the gel pack  52  may be adhesively attached directly to the top wall  26 . The media in the gel pack  52  evenly distributes heat generated by the heater block  48  and provides a cushioned interface for applying heat to the hand  46  for the relief of pain and stress. Gel packs  52  for retaining and distributing heat are well known. An exemplary gel pack suitable for use in the present invention is the NEXCARE line of reusable hot/cold packs for the relief of pain made by  3 M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) of St. Paul, Minn.  
         [0030]    The therapeutic device  10  may include a control unit  54  either built in to the housing  12 , or as an external unit connected to the power supply unit  20  and to the vibratory mechanism  22  and/or the heater block  48  by appropriate wiring  56 . The control unit  54  includes suitable electrical switches  58  for controlling the amount of vibratory movement produced by the vibratory mechanism  22 , and for controlling the amount of heat produced by the heater block  48 , including turning the vibratory mechanism and/or heater block  48  on and off.  
         [0031]    In use, the user inserts his or her hand  46  through the opening  40  in the rear wall  32  and places the palm of the hand and fingers on the compressible element  42  and grips the element  42  for comfort. Control unit  54  may be used to apply vibration produced by vibratory mechanism  22  to the compressible member  42  to massage the hand  46 . Gel pack  52  closely approximates the dorsal aspect of the hand. Control unit  54  may be used to apply heat produced by heater block  48  to the gel pack  52  and thence to the hand  46  to that the hand  46  may be both heated and massaged while squeezing compressible element  42  for the relief of stress and pain in the hand  46 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the therapeutic device, designated generally as  60  in the drawings, which is adapted for relieving stress and pain in the foot. The device  60  is similar to the therapeutic device  10  for the hand, and includes a housing  62  having a base unit  64  defining a lower compartment  66  housing a power supply unit  68  and one or more vibratory mechanism(s)  70 . Upper housing enclosure  72  is attached to the base unit  64  and defines an upper compartment  74  which houses one or more compressible elements  76  connected to vibratory mechanism(s)  70  by support member(s) (pins)  78 , a heater block  80 , and a gel pack  82  attached to the top wall  84  of upper housing enclosure  72 . Power supply unit  68 , vibratory mechanism(s)  70 , compressible element(s)  76 , heater block  80 , and gel pack  82  are identical in construction to power supply unit  20 , vibratory mechanism  22 , compressible member  42 , heater block  48 , and gel pack  52 , respectively, and will not be described further. The therapeutic device  60  for the foot differs from the therapeutic device  10  for the hand primarily because upper compartment  74  is dimensioned and configured for receiving the user&#39;s foot  86 , so that upper housing enclosure  72  may lack a rear wall in order to provide an opening large enough to receive the foot  86 , and because the device  60  may include a plurality of compressible elements  76  aligned longitudinally for application to the sole of the foot  86 , and may have a plurality of vibratory mechanisms  70  for imparting vibratory motion to compressible elements  76 . As with the therapeutic device  10  for the hand, therapeutic device  60  the power supply unit  68  may be battery powered, or may be connected to an A.C. outlet by cord  88 , and control unit  90 , attached to the device  60  by wiring  92 , may be used to adjust the degree of vibration and the amount of heat supplied in the same manner as control unit  54 .  
         [0033]    In use, the user inserts his or her foot  86  through the opening defined in the rear of the housing  62  and into the upper compartment  74 , resting the plantar surface of the foot  86  on the plurality of compressible elements  76 . The dorsal surface of the foot  86  is in contact with gel pack  82 . The user may activate and adjust vibration of the compressible elements  76  through control unit  90 , which is electrically connected to the vibratory mechanisms  70 , in order to massage the sole of the foot  86 , and may also activate and adjust heater block  80  through the control unit  90  to apply heat to the dorsal surface of the foot  86  as desired.  
         [0034]    The therapeutic devices  10  and  60  are portable, and may therefore be used in any setting for the relief of stress and pain. The device may be used by the casual user for the relief of stress from such leisure activities as driving, or for sports injuries, as well as for the relief of stress and pain after work activities, by typists, data entry personnel, manicurists, etc., and may also be used by medical professionals for physical therapy and the like.  
         [0035]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.