Hand treatment device

• US 6,695,800 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mulgary Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mulgary Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Strong, Bernard, Gary, Barbara, Mullins, Nancy
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US09/751,239
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 601/27-28, 601/154-160, 601/162, 601/166, 601/55, 601/49, 601/22, 601/15, 601/17, 132/74.5, 604/152
• US Class Current: 601/154
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/00 Manicuring or pedicuring implements
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/16 Cuticle sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0228 heated by an electric resistance element
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/102 with aromatherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/00 Baths for specific parts of the body electric circuits therefor A61H33/005; specific components therefor A61H33/60

Abstract

A device for treating a user'"'"'s hand with a treatment fluid is provided. The device includes a housing that defines a basin for holding the treatment fluid. The device includes a hand rest portion for supporting the user'"'"'s hand with the fingers in the basin. The treatment fluid is circulated within the basin to provide therapy to the user'"'"'s hand. The treatment device may also provide a vibratory massage and heat therapy to the user'"'"'s hand.

Claims

1. A device for treating a hand, comprising:

a housing having a basin for retaining a treatment fluid therein, a hand rest positioned within the housing adjacent the basin, the hand rest having a surface configured for supporting the hand in relation to the basin with at least a portion of the hand submerged in the treatment fluid in the basin, further including at least one opening communicating with the basin; and

means submerged in the treatment fluid and disposed within the housing connected with the at least one opening for continuously circulating the treatment fluid in the basin thereby providing therapy to the submerged portion of the hand.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of nodes extending above the surface of the hand rest for supporting the hand above the surface of the hand rest.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the hand rest is semi-spherical.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising means positioned within the housing for applying a vibratory force to the hand rest, wherein the nodes transmit the vibratory force to the hand to provide massage therapy.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a second opening communicating with the basin, the first and second openings submerged in the treatment fluid in the basin, and the means for circulating includes a pump having an outlet connected with the first opening and an inlet connected with the second opening, whereby the pump circulates the treatment fluid in the basin between the first and second openings.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for circulating includes an air compressor having an air outlet connected to the at least one opening, whereby the air compressor circulates the treatment fluid by supplying air into the treatment fluid in the basin.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for circulating includes a pump submerged in the treatment fluid and in communication with the at least one opening, the hand on the hand rest being positioned between the opening and the hand rest.

8. The device of to claim 1, further including a heater in communication with the basin to heat the treatment fluid contained therein.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is submerged in the treatment fluid in the basin.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the hand rest is pivotally supported in the housing.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one opening is moveable relative to the basin to position the at least one opening at any one of a number of positions in the basin corresponding to a level of the treatment fluid in the basin.

12. A device for treating a hand, comprising:

a housing having a basin for retaining a treatment fluid therein, a hand rest positioned within the housing adjacent the basin, the hand rest having a surface configured for supporting the hand in relation to the basin with at least a portion of the hand submerged in the treatment fluid in the basin, the housing further including at least one opening communicating with the basin; and

a pump in the basin submersible in the treatment fluid, the pump being positioned opposite the hand rest to direct treatment fluid directly against the back of the submerged portion of the hand supported by the hand rest, wherein the pump is operable to continuously circulate the treatment fluid in the basin to provide therapy to the submerged portion of the hand.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the surface of the hand rest includes a palm support portion and the housing includes:

an opening having a vertical orientation and sized to receive the hand therethrough; and

a wrist support portion below the opening.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of nodes protruding from the surface of the hand rest.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a hood portion extending over the hand rest.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a power source for the pump in the basin; and

a cord extending from the power source through a hole provided in the housing, wherein the hole is positioned on the housing to drain treatment fluid from the basin when the basin is overfilled with treatment fluid.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the hand rest is semi-spherical in shape.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the housing includes a hand rest support in the form of a raised platform and the hand rest is secured to the hand rest support.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the hand rest is pivotally secured to the housing.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the pump includes an outlet moveable relative to the basin to adjust a position of the outlet in the basin relative to a level of treatment fluid in the basin.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the outlet is pivotally mounted to the pump.

22. A device for treating a hand, comprising:

a housing having a basin for retaining a treatment fluid therein and a hand rest positioned within the housing adjacent the basin, the hand rest having a surface configured for supporting the hand in relation to the basin with at least a portion of the hand submerged in the treatment fluid in the basin;

a pump positioned in the housing, wherein the pump is operable to circulate the treatment fluid in the basin to provide therapy to the submerged portion of the hand with the circulating treatment fluid, wherein the pump includes an outlet submersible in the treatment fluid in the basin, and the pump is operable to continuously circulate treatment fluid in the basin through the submerged outlet to provide therapy to the submerged portion of the hand.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the surface of the hand rest includes a palm support portion and the housing includes:

an opening having a vertical orientation and sized to receive the hand therethrough; and

a wrist support portion below the opening.

24. The device of claim 22, further comprising a plurality of nodes protruding from the surface of the hand rest.

25. The device of claim 22, further comprising a cord extending from a power source through a hole provided in the housing, wherein the hole is positioned on the housing to drain treatment fluid from the basin when the basin is overfilled with treatment fluid.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the submerged portion of the hand is between the hand rest and the outlet.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the outlet is positionable at any one of a number of positions corresponding to a level of the treatment fluid in the basin.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the outlet is pivotally mounted to the pump.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the hand rest includes a spherically-shaped ball pivotally mounted in the housing.