GB2432520A

GB2432520A - Foot massager

Info

Publication number: GB2432520A
Application number: GB0623352A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Hague
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-26
Filing date: 2006-11-23
Publication date: 2007-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-23
Also published as: GB0524130D0; GB0623352D0; GB2432520B; GB2432516B; GB2432516A

Abstract

A massager 403 comprising parallel rollers (fig. 3, 304, 305) and having a first part 408 configured to move with a first foot and a second part 409 configured to move with a second foot, both parts being moveable in opposing directions simultaneously. Also described is a footstool comprising: a footrest portion 402; a massage portion.

Description

Foot Massager

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foot massager.

Brief Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a foot massager which comprises a first part and a second part, each of which has a plurality of rollers, configured such that each roller rotates about its own axis and the set of rollers within each part swivel together about an axis, and said first part and said second part are configured to swivel independently of each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a footstool comprising a footrest portion and a massage portion. A first part of said massage portion is configured to move with a first foot and a second part of said massage portion is configured to move with a second foot and said first part is moveable in a first direction and said second part is moveable in an opposing direction simultaneously.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a footstool according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a footstool according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a foot massager; Figure 4 shows a footstool incorporating a massage portion consisting of a foot massager as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows representations of one of the parts of the massage portion as previously described in Figure 3; and Figure 6 illustrates the movement of first and second parts of a foot massager as previously described in Figure 3.

Written Description of the Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Figure 1 A footstool is shown in Figure 1. A common problem with office workers is that because they sit at their desks for long periods of time, their legs can become stiff and they may experience numbness or "pins and needles". The present invention offers a remedy for this, in the form of a footstool with a massage portion which encourages gentle exercise of the legs and feet. The footstool can also help to combat back pain and general stiffness caused by sitting for long periods of time, whether at a desk, in hospital, or in the home (for example when watching television). Movement of the legs is also good for circulation, and the footstool also stimulates and massages the soles of the feet and is therefore beneficial for aching feet. Whilst the footstool is designed for use for both feet simultaneously, it could also be used for one foot alone, for example to stimulate the movement of one leg of a person who has their other leg in a plaster cast.

Footstool 101 comprises footrest portion 102 and massage portion 103.

Footstool 101 is designed to be positioned so that the user sits with massage portion 103 towards them, side support 104 to their left and side support 105 to their right. The user can therefore either rest their feet in a stationary position on footrest 102, or move them over massage portion 103. In this embodiment footrest portion 102 is flat, but angled slightly upwards at the end furthest from the user, to increase comfort for the user. In this embodiment, massage portion 103 is raised relative to footrest 102. This means that the user's knees are slightly bent when using the massage portion 103, but their legs can rest at a comfortable angle when using the footrest portion 102.

io Massage portion 103, in this embodiment, comprises two sets of rollers, 106 and 107, divided by a central support 108. Rollers 106 are connected to side support 104 and central support 108. Rollers 107 are connected to side support 105 and central support 108. When a user moves their feet over rollers 106 and 107, the rollers turn with the movement of the foot, providing a pleasant massaging sensation. In the present embodiment, rollers 106 and 107 are configured such that they move independently of each other. This allows the user to move their left foot in one direction, for example forwards on rollers 106 at the same time as moving their right foot in an opposing direction, for example backwards, on rollers 107. This action is pleasant for the user and does not place as much strain on the user's back as moving both feet in the same direction at the same time.

In this embodiment, the footstool is made from wood. The side supports 104 and 105 and central support 108 are made from PLY wood, and footrest portion 102 is made from chipboard, and the rollers 106 and 107 are made from doweling. In alternative embodiments, part or all of the footstool is made from metal or a plastics material.

In this embodiment, the footrest portion 102 is approximately the length of an average person's foot. The footstool is therefore not too cumbersome for moving from one location to another as desired.

In the present embodiment, rollers 106 and 107 are placed to give a slight downward slope towards front end 109 of footstool 101. This allows the user to massage the insteps of their feet comfortably.

Figure 2 An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2.

In this embodiment, footstool 201 has footrest portion 202 and massage portion 203. Side supports are also provided at 204 and 205.

Footrest portion 202 is attached to side supports 204 and 205, both at the front and rear of footstool 201.

In this embodiment, massage portion 203 comprises a series of beads such as bead 206. The beads are threaded onto rods such as rod 207, and secured to side supports 204 and 205 by fixings such as fixing 208. In the present embodiment fixing 208 is a nut, screwed onto rod 207. In the present embodiment at least the ends of rod 207 have a screw thread, which allows a nut to be screwed onto each end. In a first alternative embodiment rods such as rod 207 are unthreaded and are fixed by an alternative fixing mechanism. In a further alternative embodiment wires are used in place of rods such as rod 207, and appropriate fixings are used at the ends, to secure the wires to side supports 204 and 205.

Beads such as bead 206 are all free to independently rotate about rod 207. This means that when a user moves their feet over massage portion 203, the beads move with the movement of the feet and produce a pleasant massaging sensation.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the user is able to move io their left foot in one direction, for example forwards, on a first part of massage portion 203 at the same time as moving their right foot in an opposing direction, for example backwards, on a second part of massage portion 203.

In the present embodiment footrest portion 202 is positioned below massage portion 203. Footrest portion 202 is also set at an angle such that the end nearest the user is lower than the end furthest from the user. This increases the user's comfort when using the footrest.

In the present embodiment, massage portion 203 is configured to give a slight downward slope towards the front end of footstool 201. This allows the user to massage the insteps of their feet comfortably.

The beads such as bead 206 are, in this embodiment, made from wood. In an alternative embodiment they are made from a plastics material.

Similarly, footrest portion 202 is made from wood, but in alternative embodiments it is constructed from metal or a plastics material.

Figure 3 A foot massager is shown in Figure 3. Foot massager 301 comprises first part 302 and second part 303. Each part comprises a plurality of rollers.

For example first part 302 includes rollers 304 and 305. In this embodiment, each roller comprises a series of beads on a rod. In this embodiment, the beads are made of wood and the rods are made from doweling. The rollers are held in place at each end by mounting plates. For example, second part 303 has rollers such as 306 and 307 held in place by mounting plates 308 and 315. Each mounting plate comprises a series of holes into which the rods at the centre of the rollers are received. The rods are glued in position in the holes if required.

Foot massager 301 comprises a further two side supports 309 and 310 and a central support 311. Supports 309, 310 and 311 are all fixed, in this embodiment, to base portion 312. Side supports 309 and 310, central support 311 and base portion 3l2formaframe.

A pivot pin is provided at each end. In Figure 3 only one of these is visible, at 313. The rotation of each roller about its own axis and the swivelling of each set of rollers about the pivot pin is further described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The axis about which swivelling of each set of rollers occurs is shown at 314 by a dotted line.

Figure 4 A footstool incorporating a massage portion which consists of a foot massager as shown in Figure 3 is shown in Figure 4. Footstool 401 comprises footrest portion 402 and massage portion 403. In this embodiment, footrest portion 402 is flat and angled slightly upwards at the back as shown at 404.

Massage portion 403 is positioned relatively higher than footrest portion 402.

This enables a user to comfortably use massage portion 403 with their knees slightly bent and then extend their legs straighter to rest them on footrest portion 402. In addition to the independent forward and backwards movement described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 provided by the rollers, the embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 allow swivelling of each part of the massage portion, thus giving a greater range of movement to a user's legs and feet.

Central support 405 is attached to footrest portion 402. Side supports 406 and 407 are also fixed to footrest portion 402. Footrest portion 402, central support 405, and side supports 406 and 407 remain stationary when in use and first part 408 of massage portion 403 and second part 409 of massage portion 403 move relative to the rest of footstool 401. First massage portion 408 swivels independently from second massage portion 409. In this embodiment, the axis about which first part 408 and second part 409 swivel is substantially central, as further described with reference to Figure 5.

In addition to the swivelling motion the rollers which make up the first part 408 and second part 409 each rotate about their own axis. in this embodiment, each roller comprises a rod threaded with a number of beads.

The rods remain stationary whilst the beads rotate around them. In this embodiment, the axes about which each roller rotates are substantially parallel with the axis about which the first and second massage swivel. A pivot pin 410 is provided about which first massage part 408 swivels. A similar pivot pin is provided at central support 405 for each of first part 408 and second part 409 to pivot about and a further pivot pin is also provided in side support 407 for second part 409 to pivot about.

Figure 5 Three diagrams representing one of the parts of the massage portion as previously described are shown in Figure 5. A massage portion such as 302, 303, 408 and 409 is shown and a cross 501 represents axis 314 about which the parts swivel. Circles such as 502 and 503 represent the ends of rods io which are threaded with beads to form massage portions. Footrest portion 402 or base portion 312 is also shown. In Figure 5a, the massage portion (302, 303, 408, 409) is shown relatively horizontal. Arrows 504 and 505 illustrate the range of movement available.

In Figure 5b, massage portion (302, 303, 408, 409) is shown at a first extremity of its range of movement. A first end 506 is shown in contact with base or footrest portion 402 or 312. Massage part 302, 303, 408, 409 is rotating about the axis represented by the cross at 501.

In Figure 5c, massage part 302, 303, 408, 409 is shown at a second extremity of movement it has rotated about axis 501 such that a second end 507 is in contact with base plate or footrest portion 312 of 402.

Figure 6 A diagram illustrating the movement of first and second parts of a foot massager is shown in Figure 6. A first part 601 (which corresponds to 302 in Figure 3 or 408 in Figure 4) has swivelled in a first direction and a second part 602 (equivalent to 303 in Figure 3 or 409 in Figure 4) has swivelled in a second direction. Part 601 and part 602 swivel independently of each other arfd may at any one time be in line with each other or may each be at any position within their range.

Claims

Claims 1. A foot massager which comprises a first part and a second

part, each of which has a plurality of rollers, configured such that each roller rotates about its own axis and the set of rollers within each part swivel together about an axis, and said first part and said second part are configured to swivel independently of each other.

2. A foot massager according to claim 1, wherein each of said io rollers comprises a series of beads on a rod.

3. A foot massager according to claim 1 or claim 2, made substantially from wood.

4. A foot massager according to any preceding Claim, wherein said axes within each part are substantially parallel to each other.

5. A foot massager according to any preceding claim, further comprising a frame relative to which said first and second part swivel.

6.. A foot massager according to any preceding claim, further comprising a central support situated between said first part and said second part.

7. A foot massager according to any preceding claim, wherein the axis about which each part swivels is located substantially centrally on each of said parts.

8. A footstool comprising: a footrest portion; and a massage portion, wherein said massage portion comprises a foot massager according to claim 1.

9. A footstool according to claim 8, wherein said massage portion is positioned relatively higher than said footrest portion.

10. A footstool according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein said footrest portion is substantially flat.

11. A footstool according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein said first and second part of said foot massager swivel relative to said footrest portion.

12. A footstool comprising: a footrest portion; and a massage portion, wherein said massage portion comprises a foot massager according to claim 4.

13. A footstool comprising: a footrest portion; and a massage portion, wherein said massage portion comprises a foot massager according to claim 6.

14. A footstool comprising: a footrest portion; and a massage portion, wherein a first part of said massage portion is configured to move with a first foot and a second part of said massage portion is configured to move with a second foot; and said first part is moveable in a first direction and said second part is moveable in an opposing direction simultaneously.

15. A foot massager substantially as herein described, with reference to Figure 3.

16. A footstool substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.