GB2353417A

GB2353417A - Connectors and strap clips of muscle toner pads

Info

Publication number: GB2353417A
Application number: GB0020018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Desmond Bryan Leon Mills; Stephen Colin Brown; Malcolm Bradley Mills
Original assignee: Dezac Group Ltd
Current assignee: Dezac Group Ltd
Priority date: 1999-08-19
Filing date: 2000-08-16
Publication date: 2001-02-21
Also published as: GB0020018D0; GB9919682D0

Abstract

A pad, which may be formed from interlocked parts 8 and 9, has an electrical connection socket 12 to receive the head 7 and pin 4 of the connection member. The enlarged head 7 is designed to fit into a socket 12 of a cylindrical shape, so that the pin can be pushed home as a friction fit into the socket. The reduced area of friction to the outside of the ball reduces the force needed to remove the pin from the socket in the pad. A clip member 14 can be folded back over the outer face of part 8 and clipped in to place releasably on a connection part 15 which receives an edge 16 of the clip member 14. This enables a locating strap to be trapped between the clip member 14 and the moulding 8.

Description

2353417 ImDrovements Relatinq to Muscle Toner Pads Muscle toner pads are

applied to parts of the body and then have electricity passed to the pad, in a known manner, so as to create a toning effect. There are problems in ensuring a secure connection of the electrical supply source to the pad and in holding the pad in place on the body.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a toner pad and electrical lead combination, in which the pad incorporates an electrical connection socket f or receipt of a pin on the lead, the pin having an enlarged head for receipt as a friction fit in the socket in the pad.

The enlarged head on the pin slightly distorts the side wall of the socket and provides a good friction fit in the socket over a small contact area. In a preferred is arrangement the head of the pin is ball-shaped. The socket is most easily formed as parallel sided, which is relatively easy to create.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a toner pad and retaining strap combination, the pad having an extending flexible clip portion which can be laid across the body of the pad to trap the strap and the free end of the clip portion and an edge of the pad having mutually releasable connection means.

With such an arrangement the pad is securely but slidably attached to the retaining strap and thus can be held readily in a desired position on the body of the user.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a 2 preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical lead 5 connector for a toner pad of this invention; Figure 2 is a cross section through the connection member of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an exploded view of parts of a toner pad of this invention.

The connection member shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings has an electrical lead 1, with a wire 2 soldered at 3 to a pin 4. These parts are moulded in to a head 5 of plastics material providing a flexible lead-in sleeve 6. The pin 4 has an enlarged ball-shaped head 7. The pin 4 is with its enlarged head 7 is designed to fit in to a socket of a cylindrical shape, but with a diameter slightly less than that of the head 7, so that the pin can be pushed home into the socket as a friction fit. The socket will be formed in a toner pad, with the portion defining the socket being flexibly resilient and defining an electrical connection for the pin 4. The ball-end 7 increases the deformation of the material of the pad when the pin 4 is pressed home, thus increasing the strength of the friction fit. However the reduced area of friction to the outside of the ball reduces the force needed to remove the pin from the socket in the pad - With a conventional parallel-sided terminal pin the area of friction is along the whole length of the metal terminal. The interconnection can then either 3 be unusably loose, or so tight that removal could damage the connection of the lead to the pin.

Figure 3 illustrates a toner pad, to which the connection member of Figures 1 and 2 can be attached. The toner pad is in two halves, namely an external support moulding 8 and an internal moulding 9 formed from a conductive material. The moulding 9 has a connector part 10 which fits on to a connecting head 11 in the moulding part 8. At the other side a boss 12 fits in to a recess 13 in the moulding 8. The boss 12 incorporates the electrical connection socket to receive the head 7 of the pin 4 of the connection member. Provided on the moulding 8 is a clip member 14. This can be f olded back over the outer face of the outer moulding 8 and clipped in to place releasably on a connec- tion part 15 which receives an edge 16 of the clip member 14. This enables a strap (by which the toner pad is held on to part of a body of a user) to be trapped between the clip member 14 and the moulding 8. The toner pad cannot then fall off the strap but can be slid along it to a desired position.

4

Claims

1 A toner pad and electrical lead combination, in which the pad incorporates an electrical connection socket for receipt of a pin on the lead, the pin having an enlarged head for receipt as a friction fit in the socket in the pad.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the head of the pin is ball-shaped.

3. A combination according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the portion of the pad defining the socket is flexibly resilient.

4. A combination according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the socket is of parallel-sided form.

5. A toner pad and retaining strap combination, the pad having an extending flexible clip portion which can be laid 15 across the body of the pad to trap the strap, the free end of the clip portion and an edge of the pad having mutually releasable connection means.

6. A toner pad construction substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.