Fluid pressure massage system

• US 5,241,953 A
• Filed: 05/13/1992
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerrold Sykes
• Original Assignee: Jerrold Sykes
• Inventors: Sykes, Jerrold
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENEALY, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/882,619
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 128/66, 128/65, 128/24 R
• US Class Current: 601/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/125 Foot reflex zones
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/00 Devices for locating or stimulating specific reflex points of the body for physical therapy, e.g. acupuncture chiropodists' instruments A61B17/54; for radiation therapy A61N5/0619
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/00 Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0071 by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets

Abstract

Apparatus for applying fluid pressure at spaced, predetermined locations on a foot or hand including a cabinet of multi-wall construction having an interior for accommodating the hand or foot. A plenum formed by the walls of the cabinet is pressurized with a fluid to direct the fluid into contact with the hand or foot. Suitable structure is provided to position the hand or foot at a predetermined location within the interior spaced from the apertures.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying fluid pressure at spaced predetermined locations on at least one human extremity, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

cabinet means defining an interior for receiving said at least one human extremity, said cabinet means being of multi-wall construction with said walls defining a plenum and a plurality of apertures providing fluid-flow communication between said plenum and said interior, said cabinet means including side walls and a divider wall positioned between said side walls, said side walls and said divider wall each including a pair of spaced wall panels defining a plurality of separate plenum chambers spaced from each other, said divider wall dividing said interior into two separate interior portions communicating with different plenum chambers, with each said interior portion sized to accommodate a human extremity, at least one wall panel of each of said side walls and said divider wall having a plurality of apertures providing the communication between said interior portions and said plenum chambers;

pressurized fluid supply means for supplying pressurized fluid to said plenum whereby said pressurized fluid will exit at least some of said apertures and be directed in the form of discrete jets into said interior;

positioning means in operative association with said cabinet means and engageable by said at least one human extremity to position said at least one human extremity at a predetermined location within said interior spaced from said apertures whereby said jets will be directed at said spaced, predetermined locations on said at least one human extremity; and

means operatively associated with said cabinet means and said pressurized fluid supply means to direct said pressurized fluid to preselected separate plenum chambers and through the apertures in said wall panels to said separate interior portions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cabinet means comprises separate first and second cabinet modules, one of said cabinet modules for accommodating at least one human foot and the other of said cabinet modules for accommodating at least one human hand, said apparatus additionally comprising connector means for selectively alternatively operatively connecting said pressurized fluid supply means to said cabinet modules.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said positioning means at least partially comprises a plurality of conduits extending between walls of said cabinet means, said conduits being located and sized for placement between the fingers of a human hand, said conduits defining fluid flow passageways in communication with said plenum chambers, said conduits additionally defining apertures communicating with said fluid flow passageways for directing fluid jets toward said human hand.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fluid is a liquid, said cabinet means defining a drain for removing liquid from said cabinet means, and said apparatus additionally comprising means for recirculating liquid passing through said drain back to said pressurized fluid supply means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein both of the wall panels of said divider wall define apertures for directing fluid jets toward an opposed side wall.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the wall panels of said side walls comprise an inner panel and an outer panel, said outer panels being fluid impermeable and said inner panels defining apertures for directing fluid jets toward said divider wall.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one human extremity is a foot and wherein said cabinet means has a bottom wall, said positioning means including at least one foot support defining an inclined foot engaging surface positioned above said bottom wall.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 additionally comprising toe separator means positionable between the toes of said human foot to maintain separation between said toes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said positioning means further includes a conduit defining a passageway in communication with said plenum, said conduit further defining at least one aperture communicating with said passageway for directing fluid jets toward said foot.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cabinet means defines an opening for the ingress and egress of a human extremity into said interior, said apparatus additionally comprising means forming a seal between said extremity and said cabinet means.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pressurized fluid supply means includes means for selectively supplying either pressurized gas or pressurized liquid to said plenum.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said pressurized fluid supply means includes a module separate from said cabinet means which houses said means for selectively supplying pressurized gas or pressurized liquid and selectively connectable hose means for transporting said pressurized gas and pressurized liquid to said cabinet means.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said positioning means additionally comprises at least one spacer having a contact surface engageable by a human extremity to maintain said human hand out of engagement with the walls of said cabinet means.