Massage roller

• US 9,005,146 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Implus Footcare LLC (Denergy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Implus Footcare LLC (Denergy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Cassidy
• Primary Examiner(s): MEDWAY, SCOTT J
• Application Number:
  US12/657,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.6, 297/149, 297/217.3, 601/57, 601/58, 601/49, 601/633, 601/89, 601/90, 601/46, 601/91, 601/92, 601/93, 601 98-104, 601/136, D21/684, D24211-215
• US Class Current: 601/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/00 Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0092 hand-held A61H15/0085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0014 cylinder-like, i.e. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0161 Size reducing arrangements when not in use, for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1261 combined with active exercising of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1284 using own weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1695 Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0425 Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0443 substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0222 moving torso and lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A massage roller includes a generally resilient roller body and a plurality of massage zones having various densities provided on the roller body.

Claims

1. A massage roller comprising:

a single, generally elongated, cylindrical roller core having;

a first axial end, a second axial end, and a core length extending between the first and second axial ends;

a hollow core interior extending the core length and forming an inner core surface having an inner core radius and an inner core diameter twice the inner core radius;

an exterior core surface having an exterior core radius; and

a core thickness extending radially between the inner core surface and the exterior core surface; and

a roller body provided on the roller core comprising a plurality of curvilinear massage zones distributed substantially continuously, both radially and axially, on the exterior core surface, each massage zone having;

a selected one of a first softness and a second softness;

a substantially continuous, both radially and axially, massage surface having an exterior zone radius and an exterior zone diameter twice the exterior zone radius; and

a zone thickness extending radially between the exterior core surface and the massage surface;

wherein;

the sum of the core thickness and the zone thickness is less than the inner core radius; and

the core length is greater than the exterior zone diameter.

2. The massage roller of claim 1 wherein:

a first one of the massage zones has the first softness; and

a second one of the massage zones has the second softness.

3. The massage roller of claim 1 wherein:

the first softness is of predetermined softness; and

the second softness is softer than the first softness.

4. The massage roller of claim 1 wherein the roller body is further characterized as having:

a selected one of the first softness, the second softness and a third softness;

wherein;

a first one of the massage zones has the first softness;

a second one of the massage zones has the second softness; and

a third one of the massage zones has the third softness.

5. The massage roller of claim 4 wherein:

the first softness is of predetermined softness;

the second softness is softer than the first softness; and

the third softness is softer than the second softness.

6. The massage roller of claim 1 wherein:

a first one of the massage zones comprises a single generally rectilinear first structure curvilinearly conformant with the exterior core surface; and

a second one of the massage zones comprises a plurality of generally rectilinear second structures curvilinearly conformant with the exterior core surface, each of which is smaller in at least one curvilinear dimension that the first structure.

7. The massage roller of claim 4 wherein:

a first one of the massage zones comprises a single generally rectilinear first structure curvilinearly conformant with the exterior core surface;

a second one of the massage zones comprises a plurality of generally rectilinear second structures curvilinearly conformant with the exterior core surface, each of which is smaller in at least one curvilinear dimension that the first structure; and

a third one of the massage zones comprises a plurality of generally rectilinear third structures curvilinearly conformant with the exterior core surface, each of which is smaller in two curvilinear dimensions that the first structure.

8. The massage roller of claim 1 wherein the core length is on the order of about 12 inches.