FR3023713A3 - WATER PURPOSE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS AND WATER RECIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR HUMAN BODY MASSAGE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a therapeutic apparatus comprising a water bag (1), at least one massage finger, a water recirculation system and a thermoelectric device. The massage finger has a vibrator disposed on the water bag (1) for stimulating liquid in the water bag (1) so as to massage a portion of the body to be massaged. The water recirculation system has a container and a conduit (5) connecting the container and the water bag (1) so that the liquid is allowed to circulate between the container and the water bag (1). In addition, the thermoelectric device is disposed in the container of the water recirculation system to heat or cool the liquid.

Description

The present invention relates to a therapeutic apparatus and, more particularly, to a therapeutic apparatus having a water recirculation system for applying hot or cold liquid to a water bag for massaging a human body. Therapeutic massage devices of human body parts are well known, such as those disclosed in US Patent No. 4,574,787. This patent discloses an acupressure apparatus for uniformly applying vibratory pressure to a plurality of pre-selected points on a portion of the body. profiled of a living body.

The apparatus comprises a rigid housing and a flexible membrane fixedly attached to said housing so as to form a closed chamber between said housing and said flexible membrane to contain a liquid disposed within said chamber. In addition, the apparatus further comprises means for heating said liquid and the apparatus can therefore simultaneously deliver heat and pressure. The heating means is illustrated in the form of a heater mounted directly on the mask. The heater is electrically connected to a step-down transformer and includes a heating element disposed in the liquid and a thermostat disposed similarly in the liquid. The heating device serves to obtain a preselected temperature of the liquid. However, a danger or annoyance (including psychological) could be caused to the user, because the heater is directly on the mask and very close to the body to be massaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safer therapeutic apparatus which utilizes a water recirculation system to apply hot or cold liquid to a water bag for massage. In particular, a thermoelectric device is used in a container of the water recirculation system, remote from the water bag to ensure the safety of the human body. The present invention therefore relates to a therapeutic apparatus, characterized in that it comprises: a water bag for containing a liquid; at least one massage finger having a vibrator disposed on the water bag for stimulating the liquid in the water bag so as to massage a body portion to be massaged; a water recirculation system having a container and a conduit connecting the container and the water bag so that the liquid is allowed to flow between the container and the water bag; and a thermoelectric device disposed in the container of the water recirculation system for heating or cooling the liquid. The water bag may have a side intended to be in contact with the body portion to be massaged, and an opposite side on which the vibrator (s) are mounted. The therapeutic apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise a rigid cover placed on the water bag as well as the massage finger (s). The cover may be shaped to form, for the or each vibrator, a receptacle for receiving the respective vibrator, the or each massage finger further comprising a spring interposed between the receptacle and the vibrator. The or each massage finger may further comprise a damping base and a plurality of flexible ribs each having an end extending from one periphery of the damping base and another end attached to an inner wall surface of the water bag, so that the ribs are arranged in a shape conforming to a contour of the vibrator.

The container of the water recirculation system may define: a first compartment in communication with a chamber of the water bag via the conduit and in which the liquid is stored; and a second compartment in which the water bag and the massage finger (s) are stored when not in use. The container of the water recirculation system may further define a third compartment in which the duct is partly disposed, and the water recirculation system may further comprise at least one cooling fan disposed in the third compartment and oriented to the duct for heat dissipation.

The water recirculation system may further include a pump disposed in the third compartment for forcing liquid to flow through the conduit and between the container and the water bag. Several vents may be defined in a wall of the third compartment. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mask of a therapeutic apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mask of the therapeutic apparatus shown in Figure 1; - Figure 3 illustrates the mask of the therapeutic apparatus applied to the face of the user for a facial treatment; - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the therapeutic apparatus, with the mask stored in its carrying case; Figure 5 is another perspective view of the therapeutic apparatus, with the carrying case closed; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the therapeutic apparatus taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 5; Figure 7 illustrates a state of the therapeutic apparatus in use; FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, except that the massage finger of the mask is modified; - Figure 9 illustrates a modified water bag, shaped to be applied on the back of the user; and - Figure 10 illustrates another modified water jacket, shaped to be applied to a knee of the user. Referring to Figures 1-7, it can be seen that there is shown a therapeutic apparatus 100 (see Figure 4) embodying the present invention and generally including a hot and cold eye mask (See Figure 1), a water recirculation system 3 (see Figure 5 or 6) detachably connected to the eye mask, and a thermoelectric device 4 (see Figure 4). The eye mask generally comprises a water bag 1, a rigid cover 10 placed on the water bag 1, and several massage fingers 21, 22 of different dimensions. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that the water bag 1 has a cavity 11 for containing a liquid. Each of the massage fingers 21 or 22 has a vibrator 210, 220, a damping base 212, 222 and a plurality of flexible ribs 211, 221. The vibrators 210, 220 are arranged on the water bag 1 to stimulate the liquid 25 in the water bag 1 so as to massage a part of the body to be massaged. In particular, the water bag 1 has a first side 12 to be in contact with the body part and the opposite side 13 on which the vibrators 210, 220 of the massage fingers 21, 22 are mounted. Each of the flexible ribs 211 , 221 has one end extending from one periphery of the damping base 212, 222 and the other end attached to an inner wall surface of the water bag 1, so that the ribs 211, 221 are arranged in a shape generally conforming to a contour of the vibrator 210, 220. With the damping base 212, 222 and the flexible ribs 211, 221, each of the massage fingers 21, 22 can perform a relatively gentle massage. low, but comfortable, on the user using the therapeutic apparatus 100. Preferably, a rigid cover 10 may be used to be placed for protection on the water bag 1 and the massage fingers 21, 22 The 10 hard cover 10 is said placed opposite the side intended to come into contact with the body part to be massaged. More preferably, the cover 10 may be shaped to form a plurality of receptacles 101 which receive the respective vibrators 210. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, it can be seen that the water recirculation system 3 has a container 30, a conduit 5 connecting the container 30 and the water bag 1, and at least one cooling fan 6. The container 30 is divided into a first compartment 31, in which the liquid is stored, a second compartment 34, wherein the eye mask can be stored when not in use (see Figure 4 or 6), and a third compartment 32, in which the conduit 5 is partly disposed. The first compartment 31 is in communication with the chamber 11 of the water bag 1 via the conduit 5. The thermoelectric device 4 is disposed in the first compartment 31 of the container 30 of the water recirculation system 3 to heat or cool the liquid flowing between the water bag 1 and the container 30. In other words, the thermoelectric device 4 serves to obtain a preselected temperature of the liquid in the water bag 1. In addition, a pump 7 is used in the third compartment 32 to force the liquid to flow through the conduit 5 and between the first compartment 31 of the container and the cavity 11 of the water bag 1, so that the liquid is allowed to flow between the container 30 and the water bag 1. Thus, the heating or cooling of the liquid is obtained by heating or cooling the liquid outside the eye mask and dispensing the heated or cooled liquid. The safety of the user of the therapeutic apparatus 100 is thus improved by the positioning of the thermoelectric device 4 in the container 30, sufficiently isolated from the eye mask. The cooling fan 6 is disposed in the third compartment 32 and is directed towards the duct 5 for heat dissipation. Preferably, several vents 33 are defined in a wall of the third compartment 32 for air circulation. For ease of transport, the container 30 of the water recirculating system 3 may be in the form of a box-type carrying case, as shown in FIGS. 4 or 5. Flexibility for the user of the Therapeutic apparatus 100 is improved by the removable connection of the water recirculation system 3 to the eye mask. Referring now to Figure 8, it can be seen that there is shown another embodiment of the eye mask, which is similar to that of Figure 3, except that in each finger relatively smaller massage 25, a spring 252 is disposed in place of the damping base 212 and the flexible ribs 211 of each massage finger 21. The spring 252 is interposed between the associated receptacle 101 of the coating 10 and the vibrator associated 251 of the massage finger 25. Similarly, the massage fingers 25 can perform a comfortable massage on the body part.

It is understood that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is for facial treatment in which the water bag 1 of the therapeutic apparatus 100 is placed on the face of the user. Alternatively, in other embodiments, such a technique may also be used if the devices, for parts other than the user's face, are constructed in accordance with the present invention. For example, a device that is attached to the user's back, as shown in Figure 9, or to the user's knee, as shown in Figure 10, may be used. It is understood that the particular embodiments which have just been described have been given for information only and not limiting and that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS1 - Therapeutic apparatus (100), characterized in that it comprises: a water bag (1) for containing a liquid; at least one massage finger (21, 22, 25) having a vibrator (210, 220, 251) disposed on the water bag (1) for stimulating the liquid in the water bag (1) so as to massage a portion body to be massaged; - a water recirculation system (3) having a container (30) and a conduit (5) connecting the container (30) and the water bag (1) so that the liquid is allowed to circulate between the container (30) and the water bag (1); and a thermoelectric device (4) disposed in the container (30) of the water recirculation system (3) for heating or cooling the liquid. 2 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the water bag (1) has a side (12) intended to be in contact with the body part to be massaged, and an opposite side (13). ) on which the vibrator (s) are mounted. 3 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a rigid cover (10) placed on the water bag (1) and the massage finger or fingers (21, 22, 25). 4 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover (10) is shaped to form, for the or each vibrator (225), a receptacle (101) for receiving the respective vibrator (225) the or each massage finger (25) further comprising a spring (252) interposed between the receptacle (101) and the vibrator (251). 5 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the or each massage finger (21, 22) further comprises a damping base (212, 222) and a plurality of flexible ribs (211, 221) having each one end extending from one periphery of the damping base (212, 222) and another end attached to an inner wall surface of the water bag (1), so that the ribs ( 211, 221) are arranged in a shape conforming to a contour of the vibrator (210, 220). 6 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises a rigid cover (10) placed on the water bag (1) and the massage finger or fingers (21, 22) . 7 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the container (30) of the water recirculation system (3) defines: - a first compartment (31) in communication with a chamber (11) of the water bag (1) via the conduit (5) and wherein the liquid is stored; and a second compartment (34) in which the water bag (1) and the massage finger (s) (21, 22, 25) are stored when not in use. 8 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the container (30) of the water recirculation system (3) further defines a third compartment (32) in which the conduit (5) is in disposed portion, and that the water recirculation system (3) further comprises at least one cooling fan (6) disposed in the third compartment (32) and directed towards the duct (5) for heat dissipation. 9 - therapeutic apparatus (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the water recirculation system (3) further comprises a pump (7) disposed in the third compartment (32) to force the liquid to s' flow through the conduit (5) and between the container (30) and the water bag (1). - Therapeutic apparatus (100) according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that several vents (33) are defined in a wall of the third compartment (32).