Portable foot and wrist massager

• US 7,297,126 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald L. Grose
• Original Assignee: Ronald L. Grose
• Inventors: Kries, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US11/081,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20060211960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 601/15, 601/27, 601/30, 601/31, 601/46, 601/49, 601/53, 601/56, 601/57, 601/58, 601/59, 601/61, 601/66, 601/69, 601/70, 569/4, 591/5
• US Class Current: 601/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/12 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/915 with vibrating means

Abstract

A portable massager adaptable for foot and wrist applications. An elongated resonator plate is formed from a plurality of contiguous hollow flutes oriented in a longitudinal direction. One or more vibrator cutouts are provided in the resonator plate, passing from its upper side to its lower side. A vibrator, preferably capable of operating from low voltage DC, nests within each cutout. A lower sheet covers the lower side of the resonator plate and lower face of the vibrator. An upper sheet accommodates the upper face of the vibrator and covers at least a portion of the upper side of the resonator plate. Top and bottom vinyl covers encase the massager construction. A vibrator control switch may be included in the power line extending from an external electrical connector to the vibrator. The massager may be powered by a wall transformer or by alternative mobile power sources.

Claims

1. A portable massager comprising:

a. an elongated resonator plate, said plate including a plurality of contiguous hollow flutes oriented in a longitudinal direction, said plate further including at least one vibrator cutout passing from an upper side to a lower side thereof;

b. an electric vibrator, said vibrator being sized and configured to fit within said cutout of said resonator plate;

c. a lower sheet of resilient material, said lower sheet covering said lower side of said resonator plate and supporting a lower face of said vibrator; and

,

d. an upper sheet of resilient material, said upper sheet covering an upper face of said vibrator and at least a portion of said upper side of said resonator plate.

2. A massager as in claim 1 further including a top cover co-extensive with and covering said upper sheet and said upper side of said resonator plate, and a bottom cover co-extensive with and covering said lower sheet, said top cover and said bottom cover including peripheral edges connected to form a peripheral seam.

3. A massager as in claim 1 in which said resonator plate is formed from a substantially rigid plastic material.

4. A massager as in claim 3 in which said flutes have a uniform diameter within the range of 1/16″

to ½

″

.

5. A massager as in claim 1 in which a power line extends from said vibrator to a power supply external to the massager.

6. A massager as in claim 5 in which said vibrator is powered by a DC voltage in the range of approximately 3 to 24 volts, and in which said power supply is a wall transformer.

7. A massager as in claim 5 in which a vibrator control switch is provided in said power line, and in which a detachable electrical connector is provided at an end of said power line external to said massager.

8. A massager as in claim 7 in which one end of a power extension cord is connected to said electrical connector and the other end of said power extension cord includes an automobile cigarette lighter plug.

9. A massager as in claim 1 having an elongated dimension and a transverse dimension so as to accommodate two feet resting thereon.

10. A massager as in claim 1 having an elongated dimension and a transverse dimension so as to accommodate two wrists resting thereon.

11. A portable massager comprising:

a. an elongated resonator plate, said plate including a plurality of contiguous hollow flutes oriented in a longitudinal direction, said plate further including a pair of vibrator cutouts passing from an upper side to a lower side thereof;

b. a pair of electric vibrators, said vibrators being sized and configured to fit within said cutouts of said resonator plate, each of said vibrators having a lower face and an upper face;

c. a lower sheet of resilient material, said lower sheet covering said lower side of said resonator plate and supporting said lower faces of said vibrators;

d. an upper sheet of resilient material, said upper sheet covering said upper faces of said vibrators and at least a portion of said upper side of said resonator plate; and

,

e. a top cover co-extensive with and covering said upper sheet and said upper side of said resonator plate, and a bottom cover co-extensive with and covering said lower sheet, said top cover and said bottom cover including peripheral edges connected to form a peripheral seam.

12. A massager as in claim 11 in which said resonator plate is formed from a substantially rigid plastic material.

13. A massager as in claim 12 in which said flutes have a uniform diameter within the range of 1/16″

to ½

″

.

14. A massager as in claim 11 in which a power line extends from said vibrators to a power supply external to the massager.

15. A portable massager comprising:

a. an elongated resonator plate, said plate being substantially rigid and including a plurality of contiguous hollow flutes oriented in a longitudinal direction, said plate further including a pair of vibrator cutouts passing from an upper side to a lower side thereof;

b. a pair of electric vibrators, said vibrators being sized and configured to fit within said cutouts of said resonator plate, each of said vibrators having a lower face and an upper face;

c. a lower sheet of foam, said lower sheet covering said lower side of said resonator plate and supporting said lower faces of said vibrators;

d. an upper sheet of foam, said upper sheet covering said upper faces of said vibrators and at least a portion of said upper side of said resonator plate; and

,

e. a top cover co-extensive with and covering said upper sheet and said upper side of said resonator plate, and a bottom cover co-extensive with and covering said lower sheet, said top cover and said bottom cover including peripheral edges connected to form a peripheral seam.

16. A massager as in claim 15 in which said resonator plate is formed from a plastic material.

17. A massager as in claim 16 in which said flutes have a uniform diameter within the range of 1/16″

to ½

″

.

18. A massager as in claim 15 in which a power line extends from said vibrators to a power supply external to the massager and in which a vibrator control switch is provided in said power line, said vibrator control switch being located on said lower sheet and having a switch control element extending through said top cover so as to be user accessible.

19. A massager as in claim 15 having an elongated dimension and a transverse dimension so as to accommodate two feet resting thereon.

20. A massager as in claim 15 having an elongated dimension and a transverse dimension so as to accommodate two wrists resting thereon.