Abstract:
A therapy table/chair device having integrated therewith a head rest support and body supports and wherein the head rest support provides face exposure to a sensory generating housing through an opening in the head rest support. The sensory generating housing has at least one or a combination of facial applied therapies including lumino therapy, audio therapy, aroma therapy, ozone, steam and oxygen injectors with or without scented essences. The body supports are part of a massage table and are provided with at least one or a combination of vibration, magnetic field and heat therapy. A controller controls all of these therapies and an interface permits the selective operation thereof. The therapy table/chair is also integratable in a personalized therapeutic treatment home spa which is interfaced with a commercially operated spa offering therapeutic services to the household spa. Communication between the commercially operated spa and the household spa is effected through an internet link and computers.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to therapy devices adapted to provide to a user person facial/mentally applied therapies as well as body applied therapies. The massage therapy devices are also integratable in a personalized therapeutic treatment system which is comprised of a commercially operated spa offering therapeutic services and a household spa having one or more therapeutic devices. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    It is known in the prior art to provide massage therapy tables and chairs and incorporating therein devices to provide to the user person various forms of therapy such as virtual reality experiences, aroma therapy, ozone or oxygen therapy, heat therapy and other such therapies that may be incorporated in such massage devices. With reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,865 and 7,080,420, examples of such devices are therein described. However, such devices all have limited use and in most cases are limited to massage therapy, thus requiring the presence of a masseur person. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is a feature of the present invention to provide therapy devices which are an improvement over the devices known in the art and which are provided with selectable sensory generating means to transmit to the face, brain and various parts of the body of the user person therapies. 
         [0004]    Another feature is to provide a massage table having integrated therewith various therapeutic means and providing for a massage by a masseur person. 
         [0005]    Another feature is to provide a transportable massage table which is adapted for support on a free standing bathtub and wherein therapeutic means are secured on the underside of the massage table to provide one or more therapeutic treatment to a person lying in the bathtub under the massage table. 
         [0006]    Another feature of the present invention is to provide a personalized therapeutic treatment system which is comprised of a commercially operated spa offering therapeutic services and a household spa having one or more therapeutic treatment devices with both the commercial and household spas communicating through an internet link whereby the household spa may benefit from a full line of therapeutic services at home. 
         [0007]    Another feature of the present invention is to provide a personalized therapeutic treatment system comprising a commercially operated spa offering therapeutic services, and a household spa having one or more therapy table/chair constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0008]    According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a therapy device adapted to support the body or part of the body of a user person. The device comprises body supports secured to a main frame and positioned for supporting at least portions of the body of the user person. A head rest support is adapted to support a peripheral portion about the face of the user person while permitting face exposure to a sensory generating housing. The sensory generating housing has at least one of or a combination of facial applied therapies including a lumino therapeutic means, an audio therapy device, an aroma therapeutic means, an ozone or oxygen injector, and scented essences. The body supports have at least one of or a combination of body applied therapies including a vibration generating means, a controllable magnetic field generator and heating means. A controller device has an interface with inputting means for selectively actuating each or all or a combination of the facial and body applied therapies. The controller has a computer and memory for storing executable programs actuable by instructions generated by the inputting means. 
         [0009]    According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a therapy device adapted to support the body or part of the body of a user person. The device comprises body supports secured to a support frame and positioned for supporting at least portions of the body of the user person. The body supports have at least one of or a combination of body applied therapies including a vibration generating means, a controllable magnetic field generator and heating means. A controller device has an interface with inputting means for selectively actuating one or all or a combination of the body applied therapies. The controller has a computer and memory for storing executable programs actuable by instructions generated by the inputting means. The body supports are constituted by a seat or a seat portion of a transport vehicle. 
         [0010]    According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a therapy device adapted to support a facial part of the body of a user person. The device comprises a head rest support adapted to support a peripheral portion about the face of the user person while permitting exposure to a sensory generating housing having at least one or a combination of facial applied therapies including lumino-therapeutic means, an audio therapy device, an aroma therapeutic means; an ozone, oxygen or water vapor injector, and scented essences. A controller device has an interface with inputting means for selectively actuating one or all or a combination of the facial applied therapies. The controller has a computer and memory for storing executable programs actuable by instructions generated by the inputting means. The head rest support is secured to support means disposed forwardly of a seat of a transport vehicle. 
         [0011]    According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a personalized therapeutic treatment system which comprises a commercially operated spa offering therapeutic services, and a household spa having one or more therapeutic treatment devices. An internet link is provided for communicating information between the commercially operated spa and the household spa and relating to one or more therapy treatment programs assigned to one or more domestic user persons of the household spa using the treatment devices. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic view of a massage therapy table incorporating therein a plurality of facial applied therapies as well as body applied therapies; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic side view of a massage therapy chair constructed in accordance with the present invention and providing a plurality of facial applied as well as body applied therapies; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a front view of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view showing the basic construction of the head rest support pad and its relation to the sensory generating housing; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the massage table herein adapted or mounting over a bathtub; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are perspective views showing the massage table deposed on a bathtub; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a fragmented view showing the position of a flexible heating membrane held captive between a foam layer and covering material of the massage table; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a simplified cross-section view showing a user person lying in a bathtub, under the massage table, and undergoing therapeutic treatments; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a simplified block diagram illustrating a personalized therapeutic treatment system comprised of a domestic spa interfaced with a commercial spa through an internet link. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown generally at  10  an example of a massage therapy table constructed in accordance with the present invention and adapted to support the body  11  of a user person  12 . The massage therapy table  10  comprises a main frame  13  having a framework suitable for supporting the table platform with body support pads  14  along a horizontal top plane  15  thereof. As hereinshown there is provided an upper body portion support pad  14 ′ and a lower body portion support pad  14 ″. These support pads may be interconnected by hinges to articulate them. 
         [0023]    Each of the body portion support pads  14 ′ and  14 ″ are provided with body therapy devices, operated independently from one another, to generate a therapeutic treatment to the user person  12  lying on the body support pads. The upper body portion support pad  14 ′ is provided with a head rest section  16  at a free end thereof. A sensory generating housing  17  is secured under the upper body portion support pad  14 ′ and aligned with an opening  18  of the head rest section  16  to permit face exposure thereto as herein shown and wherein the face  19  of the user person is disposed within the opening  18  with the head being supported by a peripheral pad portion about the opening. 
         [0024]    With additional reference now to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the sensory generating housing  17  is secured to a frame member  13 ′ in a manner to be removably connected thereto and disposed in closed space proximity to the face  19  of the user person  12 . It may also be telescopically supported for ease of adjustment. The sensory generating housing  17  has a closed bottom end  20 , surrounding side walls  21  and an open top end  22 . In one embodiment the closed bottom end  20  may have an image generating screen device secured therein to provide visual therapy to the eyes of the user person. A skin contact virtual visual and sound experience can also be provided through the screen as well as light therapy. Ozone, oxygen, vapor and/or scented essence injectors  24  are also secured to the side wall  21  or bottom end wall  20  of the housing  17  to generate ozone and oxygen, whether scented or not, to the face of the user person as indicated by arrows  25 . Such could provide, for example, the sensory experience of a forest or ocean waves transporting the sensory experience of the user person to a relaxed environment. 
         [0025]    The injectors  24  may also be pulsating injectors and these may be operated in a sequential mode as programmed in a controller  35  which will be described later. A plurality of light emitting diodes  26  are secured to the side walls  21  of the housing  17  to provide chromo therapy. One or more speakers  29  may also be connected to the side walls  21  of the sensory generating housing  17  to generate sound or music appropriate to a therapy. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the body support pads  14 ′ and  14 ″ have at least one or a combination of body applied therapies which include a vibration generating means in the form of vibrating elements, herein frequency operated cones  30 , disposed to impart vibrations to the pads  14 ′ and  14 ″ or frame elements  31  supporting the pads. Controllable magnetic field generators  32  equipped with coils or other form of conductors, as will be described later, are also secured within the foam inside pads  14 ′ and  14 ″ to generate an oriented magnetic field  33  within the immediate surface area of the pads to provide electromagnetic therapy to the user person&#39;s body or parts of the body, such as the legs or arms of the user person. The intensity modulation and frequency of the magnetic field is controlled by an executable program which is stored in the memory  34  of a controller device  35 . The controller device has an interface module  36 , or integrated therein, and provided with touch switches  37  to select desired ones of the various facial or body applied therapies. Several executable programs are stored in the memory  34  of the controller  35 . Electrical heating wires  49  and  49 ′ are also incorporated in the upper body support pad  14  and lower body support pad  14 ″. Solid membrane infrared panels may also be secured to ports of the pads to generate heat to the body or parts thereof. The therapy devices of the present invention can be used by the user person without assistance, if a masseur is not required. Well known massaging devices may also be incorporated in the pads to effect different type of massages and accordingly a masseur person is not required. 
         [0027]    With reference now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , there is shown a massage therapy chair  10 ′ also constructed in accordance with the present invention. The massage therapy chair  10  is provided with a seat support pad  36 , and abdominal support pad  37  and a head rest support pad  38 . The seat support pad  36  is secured to a horizontal seat frame portion  39  of the main frame  40  which is provided with legs  41 . An inclined abdominal frame member  42  extends angularly upwards and outwards from an edge section  43  of the horizontal seat frame portion  39  with the abdominal pad  37  secured thereto and spaced from the seat pad  36  and the head rest support pad  38 . The head rest support pad  38  is secured to a free end of the inclined abdominal frame member  42  and spaced from a top end of the abdominal frame. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , the abdominal frame member  42  is provided with telescopic sections  42 ′ and  42 ″ in both the areas of the frame below and above the abdominal support pad  37  whereby to adjust the chair to user persons of different stature. A connecting knob  43  provides quick and easy adjustment and interconnection of the telescopic frame members  42 ′ and  42 ″. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , the seat support pad  36  and abdominal support pad  37  are also provided with electromagnetic field generators  33 . They are also provided with vibration devices  30  as previously described. Similarly, the head rest support pad is provided with the housing  17  as previously described to selectively provide all of the therapies associated therewith, as shown in  FIG. 3  and described above. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the head support pad is an annular pad having an opening  38 ′ therein for receiving the face  19  of the user person. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , there is shown a further embodiment of the therapy table. As hereinshown, the therapy table  10 ″ is provided by three rigid foam pad panels  60 ,  61  and  62  interconnected together by hinges  63  and  64 . An adjustable frame  65 , see  FIG. 5B , is secured under the panels or provided separately to mount the pads onto an existing bathtub  66 , herein a free standing bathtub. It could also be mounted on a recessed bathtub if a masseur person is not required, such as when massaging devices are integrated in the panels and automatically operated by the controller  35 . The hinges provide for the panels to be articulated and an adjustable backrest support  67  maintains the panel  60  at an angle when required. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a flexible heating membrane  59  is held captive between the foam sheet  58  and the covering material  57 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 5B , one of the panels, herein panel  62 , may be provided with a face receiving opening  18 ′ under which is detachably secured the sensory generating housing  17 . The bathtub  66  thus provides the support for the massage table  10 ″. It also provides an enclosure  70  thereunder formed by the bathtub. This enclosure  70  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0032]    The enclosure  70  forms a therapeutic chamber in which a person can receive some of the sensory therapies described previously. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the undersides of the pads are fitted with infrared radiating panels  71  to provide a heat sensation to the body of the user person  72  lying in the bathtub  66 . The sensory generating housing  17 , which is detachably securable, may also be reversibly attached to generate the sensory therapies previously described. The bathtub  66  may also be a therapeutic bathtub equipped with massaging jet  73  and water may also be provided at a safe level to provide further therapeutic treatment. Accordingly, the massage table  10 ″ provides for further therapeutic use in a house spa where the bathtub can be used as a support and treatment chamber. 
         [0033]    The therapy table  10  and chair  10 ′ have also been conceived for domestic use and these therapeutic treatment devices can be incorporated in a personalized therapeutic treatment system as shown in  FIG. 8 . The system as shown in  FIG. 8  integrates a commercially operated spa  50 , offering therapeutic services, to a household spa  51  having one or more therapeutic treatment devices such as the therapeutic table  10 ,  10 ″ and chair  10 ′ of the present invention or other therapeutic treatment devices. Through the internet  52 , a computer link  53  is established between the household spa  51  and the commercially operated spa  50 . This link provides for communication of information, through the use of PCs  55 , relating to one or more therapy treatment programs assigned to one or more domestic user person of the household spas  51 , only one hereinshown. The one or more therapy treatment programs include massage therapy programs which are assigned by a coach person of the commercially operated spa in communication with the person of the household spa through the internet. A masseur person may visit the household spa  51  on a periodic basis, as required, depending on the treatment program, and this is represented by the link  54  between the commercially operated spa  50  and the household spa  51 . Accordingly, all forms of therapeutic treatments and services can be offered to a person at home, having its own custom spa, without having to visit a commercially-operated spa  50  on a regular basis. Accordingly, this method offers health improving services for the well being of a person desirable of having all of the services at home. Through the internet link  53  the domestic user person would also provide information pertaining to its regular customized treatment programs to a masseur person or other coach person at the commercially operated spa  50  to effect a follow-up and/or the coach to monitoring of results. The controller  35  may have a program to store data pertaining to the treatment program and which data is made available to the commercial spa via the internet link. 
         [0034]    The household spa  51  may be a bathroom of the household or a room dedicated to contain various therapeutic appliances such as sauna or steam shower enclosures, hydromassaging bathtubs and visual and other virtual therapy generating devices incorporated in the special room. See our co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/185,163, filed on Aug. 4, 2008 and entitled “Wall Integrated Multisensory Therapy Device”, the contents of which are incorporated herein with the embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
         [0035]    The commercial generating spa  50  would also offer through the internet link, therapeutic products personalized to the domestic user persons of all household spa clients connected to the commercial spa through the internet. Internet accessible program forms are also communicated to the user persons at the household spas via the internet and provide a means of communicating information on ongoing treatment programs of each home spa user whereby a coach or an assigned qualified person, at the commercial spa, can evaluate the performance of the user persons and modify the treatment program if necessary. Through the internet, general exercising and nutritional information can also be provided for the benefit of all domestic user person clients of the commercial spa. The therapeutic service of the commercial spa includes visits to the home spas to provide therapeutic products, nutritional information, and exercising classes personalized to the domestic user person as well as courses and techniques relating to the therapeutic treatments and products. 
         [0036]    It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any other obvious modifications of the preferred embodiments described herein provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the sensory generating housing  17  may be connected directly to the head rest section  16  of the pad  14 ′ of the table  10  or the head rest support pad  38  of the chair  10 ′ by such detachable means as Velcro, etc. Also the vibration imparting means or diaphragms  30  may be substituted by pizocrystal frequency generators. Further, in order to humidify the face  19  of the user person  12 , small jets of steam may also be connected to the sensory generating housing  17 . Negative ions can also be injected into the sensory generating housing  17 . The personalized therapeutic treatment system as above-described is a means to transform a bathroom or dedicated room in a household where therapeutic treatments can be given and a follow-up on the treatments provided, such as with a coach at a gym, without the domestic user person having to visit a commercial spa. 
         [0037]    The therapeutic treatment devices as above-described may also be incorporated in the seats of transport vehicles such as cars, buses, trains, ships, etc., whereby to provide relaxing and beneficial therapies to traveling persons, particularly for long voyages, such as long flights. Accordingly, the table therapeutic devices can be integrated in seat and backrest cushions. The sensory generating housing  17  could be secured to the rear of a backrest whereby the traveler person can receive these therapeutic treatments as well or optionally. Such would greatly reduce the effects of jetlag, stress, fatigue and other discomforts associated with travel.