US1994781A

US1994781A - Massage device

Info

Publication number: US1994781A
Application number: US641176A
Authority: US
Inventors: George A Mutch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-11-04
Filing date: 1932-11-04
Publication date: 1935-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1952-03-19

Description

March '19, 1935." G, A, MUTCH 1,994,781

MAS SAGE DEVI CE Filed NOV. 4, 1932 INVENTOR 620 865.45; A. Marc/K fl l'ORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1935 stares This invention relates to massage devices, and more particularly it pertains to a relatively small hand operated massage device of the so called suction cup type.

' I am aware that the employment of such in massage devices is not new, but in all such devices with which I am familiar, the degree of vacuum produced is constant and thereis no provision for varying the same.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a massage device of the vacuum type in which the degree of vacuum employed may be varied as desired.

feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel form of hOllOtVlllSIIlbfil having a closed end and an open end, the hollow member,

being formed of suitable material which permits of distortion of the hollow member in such a manner that when the open end of the memher is placed into engagement with the surface to be operated upon, and the hollow member permitted to assume its normal position, a'differ-1 ential in pressures between the surface to be treated and the interior of the hollow member,-

and the consequent so-called suction will result.

Afurther feature of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the extent to which the hollow member may be distorted'may be varied, thus varying the degree of vacuum and,

of the so-called suction produced by the hollow 'member.

Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed .out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention in its'preferre'd forms and the follow ing detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure and;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

'In its present embodiment, the device comprises a hollow member 10 of cylindrical form having aclosed end 12 and an open end 14. This hollow member may be formed of any suitable pliable material which will permit of distortion thereof to expel the air from its interior for the purpose of producing so-called suction at the open end 14 thereof. I have in actual prac tice found rubber to be an ideal material from which to form the hollow member 10.

The closed end'12 of the hollow member 10, may be thickened as shown at 16, andextending inwardly of the hollow member from the closed end 12 thereof, there is av projection 18 preferably in the form of an integral lug, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Fora portion of their length intermediate .of the ends of the hollow member, the side walls are of slightly thicker construction as designated by thejreference character 20, than those portions 22 and 24 upon opposite sides of this thickened portion 20. A bead 26 extends around the outer portion of the hollow member and the open endof the hollow member is defined by a bead or similar thickened portion 28.

The thickened portion is provided upon its inner surface with a plurality oi projecting annular ribs 30 which are spaced from one another by means of channels 32.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that if the side walls of the hollow member are .compressed as indicated by ,dashlines in Figure 4, the air will be to some extent expelled from the interior of the; hollow body. With the hollow body thus distorted, if the open end be placed in contact with the skin and the body released, it will return to its normal position and the differential in pressure between the interior and exterior of the hollow body will produce a so called suction at the open end 14 of the hollow member. The device may now be moved about over the skin without breaking the partial vacuum within the hollow body, thus efiectively massaging the skin. In some instances it is desirable to use a cold cream upon the surface being treated but this is not necessary as the device will function without the use of said cold cream.

Means is provided to vary the degree of vacuum produced and consequently the degree of suction. This effect is produced by a means limiting the extent to which the hollow member may be distorted and thereby controlling the volume of air expelled from the hollow member by such distortion thereof.

In the present embodiment of the invention this means for limiting the distortion of the hollow member consists of a disk like member 40 which is mounted inside of the hollow member and is held therein by the projections 30 heretofore described, the disk like member 40 having a tapered edge 42 which is received in the spaces 32 between the projections 30. Extending from the disk like member 4.0 in the direction of the open end of the hollow member there is a rigid arm or the like 4.4., and upon the free end of this arm there is mounted a rectangular member 46, which will be positioned by said arm, adjacent the open end of the hollow member.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that if the member 46 be adjusted to the position in which it is shown in Figure 4, the side walls of the hollow member can only be distorted to the extent illustrated in dash lines in said figure. However, if said member 46 be moved inwardly of the hollow member further than the position in which it is illustrated, say to position behind the uppermost projection 30 in said Figure 4, the side walls of the hollow member can be distorted to a much greater extent and thus a greater expulsion of air from the interior of the hollow member may be had thus creating a greater vacuum and a greater suction than when the member 46 is in that position in which it is shown in Figure 4.

Thus by adjusting the member 46 relative to the open end of the hollow member the degree of vacuum and the consequent suction may be increased or decreased at will. In adjusting the member 46 it is only necessary to insert the thumb or finger into the open end of the hollow body and exert a slight pressure thereon, which will be sufficient to move the member 46 inwardly of the hollow body. When it is desired to move the member, 46 in the direction of the open end of the hollow body it is only necessary 7 to exert a pressure upon the thickened portion 16 of the closed end of the hollow body, the thinner portion 22 of the hollow body permitting of distortion of the hollow body sufiicient to permit the projection 18 engaging the disk like member 40 to move the same toward the open end of the hollow body.

In Figure 8 I have illustrated a slightly different form of the invention. In this form of the invention a rigid armfiO-extends from the disk like member 40 through the closed end 12 of the hollow member and said arm 50 is provided with an operating member or knob 52.

By grasping the knob 52 and moving themem ber 50 through the closed end of the hollow member, the disk like member lo may be adjusted with relation to the open end of the hollow member. In this form of the invention the disk like member 40 serves to limit the extent to which the hollow member may be distorted and thus limits the degree of vacuum and consequent suction produced. at the open end of trated in its preferred forms, it is to be under-' stood that it is not to be limited to the specific construction herein illustrated andthat it may be practiced in such other forms as':.rightfully fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new and what it is desired tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States,is:

1. A massage device comprising a hollow distortable member'having'a-closed end and an open end, aplurality'of projections arranged in teriorlyof the hollow member adjacent the closed end thereof, a rigid disk likemember adjustable interiorly of said member and held in position bysaid projections, and rigid means projecting from said disk like member in the direction of the open end'of the hollow member to determine the extent of distortion of the hollow member.

2. A massage device comprising ahollow distortable member having a closed end and an open end, a disk like member mounted within the hollow member,'meai1s carried by the disk like member for determining the extent-of dis-; tortion of the hollow member, and'means'can ried by the closed end of the hollow member for engagement with the disk like member for ad-f justing' the disk likepmember interiorly of the hollow member.

3. A massage'device comprising a hollowdistortable member having a closed end and an open end, a disk like member mounted within the hollow member, means carried by the disk like member for determining the extent of distortion of the hollow member, and means carried by the closed end of the hollow member for engagement with the disk like member interiorly of the hollow member, said last mentioned means" comprisingan integral projection extending inwardly of the hollow member. I

GEORGE A. MUTCH.