CA1152398A - Foot massager - Google Patents

Foot massager

Info

Publication number
CA1152398A
CA1152398A CA000349311A CA349311A CA1152398A CA 1152398 A CA1152398 A CA 1152398A CA 000349311 A CA000349311 A CA 000349311A CA 349311 A CA349311 A CA 349311A CA 1152398 A CA1152398 A CA 1152398A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
fingers
plate member
foot
density polyethylene
feet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000349311A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Louis H. Landers
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA000349311A priority Critical patent/CA1152398A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1152398A publication Critical patent/CA1152398A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61HPHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H7/00Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for
    • A61H7/001Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for without substantial movement between the skin and the device
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61HPHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H7/00Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for
    • A61H7/002Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for by rubbing or brushing
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61HPHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H2201/00Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes
    • A61H2201/12Driving means
    • A61H2201/1253Driving means driven by a human being, e.g. hand driven
    • A61H2201/1261Driving means driven by a human being, e.g. hand driven combined with active exercising of the patient
    • A61H2201/1284Driving means driven by a human being, e.g. hand driven combined with active exercising of the patient using own weight
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61HPHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H2201/00Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes
    • A61H2201/16Physical interface with patient
    • A61H2201/1683Surface of interface
    • A61H2201/169Physical characteristics of the surface, e.g. material, relief, texture or indicia
    • A61H2201/1695Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61HPHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H2205/00Devices for specific parts of the body
    • A61H2205/12Feet

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Dermatology (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Pain & Pain Management (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Rehabilitation Therapy (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Finger-Pressure Massage (AREA)
  • Massaging Devices (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
There is provided a foot massager including a plate member big enough to place the soles of the feet there-on, the plate member having a multiplicity of resilient, blunt-ended fingers projecting upwardly. The upper ends of the fingers lie in a single plane. The plate member can be flexible so that it can conform to the surface of a bathtub.

Description

~5Z3~

FOOT MASSAGER
This invention relates generally to massage devices, and has to do particularly with a massager adapted to massage the soles of the feet of the user, while the user is stand-ing thereon. In a particular embodiment, the massager disclosed herein is adapted to be used in the bathtub, so i that the user can employ it while ta~ing a shower, thereby saving himself time by having the massage and a shower simultaneously.
BACKGROUND OF THIS INVENTION
There are currently a large number of "healing"
` techniques being studied and developed in Europe and North America, which do not fall directly within the traditional ; medical approach practised by most doctors. Among these newer techniques is one called reflexology, which rests upon a theory that certain specific locations in the soles of the foot are somehow connected to various ma~or organs of the body by way of nervous or other passageways.
Practitioners of reflexology find that massage and manipula-tion of the soles of the feet tends in many cases to have a marked beneficial effect on various organs and parts of the body. In reflexology, the manipulation and massage is normally done manually, and thus in order to obtain the benefits of reflexology the patient must use the services of the reflexologis~.
GENERA~ DESCRIPTION OF THIS IMVENTION
I have discovered that it is not essential for the massage to be carried out by the hands of the masseur or the reflexologist. The foot massager which I have devised , :!

.
'`
'' ~,,. ', ~ "

~S23~

is capable o~ carrying out massage-like manipulations upon the soles of the feet by having the user simply stand upon it. The surface of the foot massager which I have devised is specially designed to be able to apply an optimum pressure at separated points against the foot, using resilient, upright fingers which are blunt-ended and which are fixed with respect to a base or plate member.

More specificall~7, this invention provides a foot massager comprising: a plate member large enou.gh for a user to place at least one ~oot -thereon with contact over substantially the full sole of the foot, the plate member having a multiplicity of resillent, blunt-ended, frusto-conical fingers with their bases at the plate member, the fingers projecting perpendicularly from the plate member and having their outer ends lying in a substantially flat theoretical plane parallel with the plate member, the fingers being between about 1/4" and about 1/2" long, and in which spacings between adjacent fingers are between about 3/32" and about 3/8".

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
. _ _ . One embodiment of this invention is illustrated : in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the.device of this invention in use;
Figure 2 is a diametric, vertical sectional view of the foot massager of this invention; and Figure 3 is a sectional view taken at the line 3-3 in Figure 2.
. PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In Figure 1, the foot massager of this invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10, and is shown .: in its normal orientation while in use, with a user standing . upon it with both feet 12 squarely placed on its surface, so that the soles are in contact.
. .

~S23~8 2a Attention is directed to Figure 2, which shows the foot massager 10 in diametral section. The foot massager 10 includes a plate member 14 which functions as a base, and which is larye enough for a user to place at least one foot thereon with contact over substantially the full sole of the foot. As seen in Figure 1, the preferable configuration is one which is large enough for both feet to be placed squarely upon the massager. The plate member 14 has a multiplicity of resilient, blunt-;~ :
~'' 523~

ended fingers projecting perpendicularly from it, theouter ends of the blunt-ended fingers lying in a substan-tially flat theoretical plane parallel with -the plate member. In the preferred em~odiment~ the plate member and the fingers are integral with each other, and are of resilient material such that the plate member can distort to some extent in order to accommodate itself to a curved under surface, such as the curved surface within a bathtub.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that the fingers 16 are frusto-conical, with the base of the conical frustum at the plate member 14. Again in a preferred embodiment, the fingers are between about ~" and ~" long, and are arranged in straight lines or rows which are separated from each other by a spacing between about 3/32" and about 3/8". Preferably, the fingers of each line are evenly spaced along the line, and the spacing - between fingers is substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent rows.
The sectional view of Figure 2 is one which cuts through the plate member 14, but the plane of the section lies between two adjacent rows, which is why the fingers 16 are not shown in section.
Figure 3 is a section through the fingers of three adjacent rows, and is to a larger scale than the section of Figure 2. It can be seen that the tops of -the fingers ; all lie substantially in the same plane, which is identified in both Figures 2 and 3 by the numeral 19.
In the preferred embodiment, the plate member is substantiall~ circular in plan, although this is certainly no-t considered -to be an essential or limiting feature. It is preferred, though again not essential, that the plate member have some form of suction means on its side opposite the fingers, by which the plate member can be temporarily stuck or adhered to a smooth surface, such as a bathtub surface.
In this way, there need be no ~anger of injury to the user, due to slipping between the pla-te member and the wet bathtub surface while the user takes a shower.
One form of such suction means is illustrated in ~0 Figure 2, and includes a rim portion 20 for th~ plate member, ~L~523~1~

the rim portion 2Q defining a downwardly open annular channel surrounding the main body of the massager. As can be seen in Figure 2, the plate rim portion 20 extends upwardly ; a smaller distance from the upper surface of the plate member 14 than do the fingers 16 themselves.
Centrally located in the plate member, and visible ~ in Figure 2 (though not in Figure 1), is a portion 21 : which does not have any fingers on it, and which has around its periphery a plurality of drainage holes 23. The drain-age holes 23 are certainly not essential, and would only ; be provided in the case where suction means did not com-pletely encircle and seal off the space under the foot massager. For example, the provision of discreet circumferen-tial suction-like sections in the rim portion, separated by ~ccess locations through which drainage water could exit from underneath the foot massager, would make it reasonable to provide drainage holes 23. However, the drainage holes 23 are not viewed as essential, even in the case where drainage ; is possible. There is no reason why water falling upon the foot massager, in the case where the user is taking a ~ shower simultaneously, cannot simply fill up the region of ; the fingers 16, and then overflow at the edge. In any event, by using a resilient plate member 14 in a bathtub environment, ' the plate member 14 will be curved, and will have a lowermost `~ 25 point at which any collected water can overflow the rim 20.
' It is important that the fingers 16 be able to yield at least slightly to foot pressure, so that the sole of the foot is presented with a surface which to some extent conforms to the sole contour, while at the same time having the fingers press individually into the sole with reasonabl~
pressure. For this reason, it has been found that a particularly satisfactory arrangement is one in which the fingers are about 3/8" long, frusto-conical, convex at the free (upper) ends, measure about 0.1 inch diameter at the free ends, and measure about 3/32" maximum at the base ends.
With these dimensions a durometer hardness of a~out 85 to 90 for the finger material will give a finger which can support a columnar load and yet will yield resiliently to some extent ~, 3~

to conform partially to the contour o~ the sole of a foot.
Fingers with the foregoing characteris-tics should be placed approximately 3/16" apart (center-to-center) in order to support the weight of the user.
A satisfactory material for molding the fingers and the plate member as an integral structure, is a mixture of ~0% to 40% low density polyethylene, and the balance of high density polyethylene. More specifically, such a mixture which includes 30% low density polyethylene has been found to work quite well.
In the use of this device, in addition to simply standing upon the device, it has been found that shifting one's weight from foot to foot, and rubbing the sole across the fingers, both tend to increase stimulation and enhance the benefits to be derived from this device.
I have discovered that use of my foot massager tends to improve body circulation, prevent scaling on the feet, ; and help to relleve itching or burning feet.

'

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:
1. A foot massager comprising:
a plate member large enough for a user to place at least one foot thereon with contact over substantially the full sole of the foot.
the plate member having a multiplicity of resilient, blunt-ended, frusto-conical fingers with their bases at the plate member, the fingers projecting perpendicularly from the plate member and having their outer ends lying in a substantially flat theoretical plane parallel with the plate member, the fingers being between about 1/4" and about 1/2" long, and in which spacings between adjacent fingers are between about 3/32" and about 3/8".
2. The invention claimed in claim 1, in which the durometer of the fingers is between about 85 and about 90, and in which the fingers have a convex configuration at their free ends.
3. The invention claimed in claim 2, in which the finger diameter at the free ends is about 0.1", in which the fingers are substantially 3/8" long, and in which the base diameter of the fingers is about 3/32".
4. The invention claimed in claim 5, in which the fingers and the plate member are integral.
5. The invention claimed in claim 4, in which the fingers are of a resilient plastic material consisting of from 20% to 40% low density polyethylene, and the remainder of high density polyethylene.
6. The invention claimed in claim 5, in which the said plastic material consists of about 30% low density polyethylene.
7. The invention claimed in claim 1, claim 3 or claim 6, in which the plate member is substantially circular in plan, and is large enough to allow an adult human to place both feet squarely upon it.
8. The invention claimed in claim 1, in which the plate member is circular in plan and is large enough to allow an adult human to place both feet squarely upon it, the plate member having suction means on its side opposite the fingers, by which the plate member can be temporarily stuck to a bathtub surface.
9. The invention claimed in claim 8, in which the plate member has central drainage holes therethrough.
10. The invention claimed in claim 8, in which the suction means comprises a plate rim portion which defines a downwardly open annular channel, the plate rim portion extending a smaller distance from the finger side of the plate member than do the fingers themselves.
CA000349311A 1980-04-08 1980-04-08 Foot massager Expired CA1152398A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000349311A CA1152398A (en) 1980-04-08 1980-04-08 Foot massager

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000349311A CA1152398A (en) 1980-04-08 1980-04-08 Foot massager

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1152398A true CA1152398A (en) 1983-08-23

Family

ID=4116651

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000349311A Expired CA1152398A (en) 1980-04-08 1980-04-08 Foot massager

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1152398A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0769287A1 (en) * 1995-10-18 1997-04-23 Gebrüder Obermaier oHG Foot massage device
US5830163A (en) * 1995-10-18 1998-11-03 Gebruder Obermaier Ohg Foot massage apparatus
IT201700121684A1 (en) * 2017-10-26 2019-04-26 C S A S R L Foot massage system.

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0769287A1 (en) * 1995-10-18 1997-04-23 Gebrüder Obermaier oHG Foot massage device
US5830163A (en) * 1995-10-18 1998-11-03 Gebruder Obermaier Ohg Foot massage apparatus
IT201700121684A1 (en) * 2017-10-26 2019-04-26 C S A S R L Foot massage system.

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Legal Events

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