VIBRATING MASSAGE ROLLER

• US 20130281892A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Health E Vibrations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Healthe Company
• Inventors: Godfrey, Brian P., Hill, Theodore B., Deiters, Thomas A., Reboucas, Sandra
• Granted Patent: US 10,285,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/00 Apparatus for passive exercising A61H5/00 takes precedence; Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0078 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0014 cylinder-like, i.e. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0071 with balls or rollers having built-in vibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2023/0272 multiple masses each rotated by an individual motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2023/0281 multiple masses driven by the same motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1207 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive

Abstract

A process of massaging a subject is provided that includes the provision of a vibratory massage roller having a casing with a casing surface extending over a length of the vibratory roller. A motor in included in the housing and is electrically coupled to a power source. The power source is energized to induce a vibratory amplitude to the surface that varies less than 30 amplitude percent across the central 70 percent of the length. The massage roller is contacted with the subject to massage the subject.

Claims

1. A process of massaging a subject comprising:

providing a vibratory massage roller, said massage roller comprising;

a casing having a surface extending over a length of said vibratory roller, a motor in said housing, said motor electrically coupled to a power source;

energizing said power source to induce a vibratory amplitude to the surface that varies less than 30 amplitude percent across the central 70 percent of the length; and

contacting said massage roller with the subject to massage the subject.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said motor is a reciprocating motor and further comprising a rod mechanically coupled to said reciprocating motor and to a piston mounted in a stiff center tube;

and an expandable outer tube surrounding and in fluid communication with the stiff center tube;

such that said piston moves along a longitudinal axis of said massage roller and pushes a fluid from a first region in the stiff center during a forward stroke and inflates a second region encompassed by said expandable outer tube, and in a reverse stroke said piston retracts the fluid is drawn back into the internal stiff tube inducing the second region to constrict.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said expandable outer tube further comprises an outer wall formed with a deformable material.

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising a controller that controls a rate of reciprocation and a length of travel of said piston.

5. The process of claim 2 wherein a pressure differential between the forward stroke and the reverse stroke is between 15-60 pounds per square inch.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein said piston has travel of from 1 to 4 inches along the longitudinal axis.

7. The process of claim 2 wherein the fluid is one of air, a purified gas, water, hydraulic fluid, brake fluid, or a gelled polymer.

8. The process of claim 2 wherein said piston reciprocates at 5 to 200 Hertz.

9. The process of claim 1 further comprising heating or cooling the massage roller.

10. The process of claim 1 further comprising placing a foam or rubber sleeve around said casing.

11. The process of claim 1 further comprising beveled gears that impart counter rotations to a first and a second mass, said beveled gears in mechanical communication with said motor.

12. The process of claim 11 further comprising a controller that changes the vibratory amplitude in up to three orthogonal directions.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein said controller independently controls each of the directions.

14. The process of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of rotating drum rollers supported and arranged along the circumference of two or more rotating bulkheads and mechanically coupled to said motor, said rotating bulkheads rotating about a central axial support, the axial support fixedly attached to end supports, where the end supports have a larger diameter than the rotating bulkheads.

15. The process of claim 1 further comprising a tube enclosing said motor at a first end driving an offset rotating shaft with a mass mounted on said shaft, a a swivel joint connected to said offset shaft positioned on a center line of the tube mounted at a second opposing end of the tube.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the vibration amplitude is determined in part by changing stiffness of said offset shaft.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the stiffness is adjusted at the first end.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the vibratory amplitude is adjusted at a constant frequency for said mass.

19. The process of claim 1 further comprising a shaft extending from said motor within said casing and having a plurality of eccentrically positioned weights and a plurality of supports that are so positioned along said shaft.