Combination back scratcher and body massager

• US 5,833,635 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George Moses Sr. Aboud
• Original Assignee: George Moses Sr. Aboud
• Inventors: Aboud, George Moses Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOO, BENJAMIN K
• Application Number:
  US08/893,418
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 601/134, 601/135, 601/136, 601/137, 601/138, 601/144, 601/145, 601/118, 601/119, 601/122, 601/128, 601/129, 132/107, 132/126, 132/129
• US Class Current: 601/136
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/00 Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/003 Hand-held or hand-driven devices

Abstract

A skin stimulator which has a number of handles around the periphery of a generally circular base. Opposite each handle and on an opposing edge of the base member, are teeth or stimulators which are used to stimulate the skin (i.e. back, soles, or legs) of a user. A mounting bracket permits the stimulator to be mounted onto a wall, a door, or a floor stand. The preferred mounting bracket is created by a series of radially extending channels which allow the user to readily adjust the stimulator so that a particular set of unique teeth are accessible. In one embodiment of the floor stand, a vibrator is used to vibrate the stimulator so that the soles of a user'"'"'s feet are massaged and stimulated. In one embodiment of the invention, each handle is provided with a tactile indicia so that the user is able to identify the teeth which will be used by merely grasping the handle portion. Teeth, in this context, include: pointed protrusions, rounded protrusions, rollers, and rolling balls.

Claims

1. An apparatus for stimulating the skin of user comprising:

a) a generally circular base member having at least two handles positioned proximate to a periphery of said generally circular base member; and

,

b) a wall member extending around the periphery of said generally circular base member and substantially perpendicular to said generally circular base member, said wall member having at least two sets of teeth positioned on an exposed edge of said wall member and opposite one of said at least two handles in said generally circular base member, said generally circular base member having a set of interconnected channels extending through said generally circular base member, each of said channels extending substantially perpendicular to one of said sets of teeth.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a floor member having:

a) a stand member adapted to be placed upon a floor; and

,

b) connector means for securing said stand member to said generally circular base member via said means for mounting.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further including means for vibrating said connector member, said means for vibrating attached to said stand member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

a) a roller having teeth thereon and having a generally circular cross section and an interior channel; and

,

b) axle means for supporting said roller in relationship to said wall member via said interior channel such that said roller is adapted to freely rotate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said roller has a series of protrusions extending therefrom.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said roller includes a series of balls.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least two handles include a unique tactile indicia.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said tactile indicia includes a series of bumps positioned to be felt by an index finger of user.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said tactile indicia includes a texturing of the handle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1,

a) wherein said at least two handles are four handles positioned equal distance around the periphery of said generally circular base member;

and,

b) wherein said at least two sets of teeth are four sets of teeth.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said base member has a diameter of approximately sixteen inches.

12. A skin stimulator comprising:

a) a base member having at least two handles positioned proximate to a periphery thereof;

b) at least two sets of teeth extending substantially perpendicular to said base member, each of said sets of teeth associated with one of said at least two handles; and

,

c) a set of interconnected channels radially extending from a center point of said base member and perpendicular to one of said sets of teeth.

13. The skin stimulator according to claim 12, further including a floor member having:

a) a stand member adapted to be placed upon a floor; and

,

b) connector means for securing said stand member to said base member.

14. The skin stimulator according to claim 12, wherein each of said at least two handles include a unique tactile indicia.

15. An back-scratcher comprising:

a) a circular base member having four handles positioned equal distance around a periphery of said base member;

b) four sets of teeth extending substantially perpendicular to said base member, each of said sets of teeth positioned opposite one of said four handles and,

c) means for mounting said back-scratcher to another surface, said means for mounting including a set of interconnected channels through said base member such that each of said channels extends substantially perpendicular to one of said sets of teeth.

16. The back-scratcher according to claim 15, further including a floor member having:

a) a stand member adapted to be placed upon a floor; and

,

b) connector means for securing said stand member to said base member via said means for mounting.

17. The back-scratcher according to claim 16, wherein said stand member is substantially larger than said base member.

18. The back-scratcher according to claim 16 wherein each of said four sets of teeth are unique in shape.