Portable roller massager

• US 9,039,640 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Performance Health group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hygenic Intangible Property Holding Co.
• Inventors: Crowell, Jason, Bertram, April
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D
• Application Number:
  US13/274,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 601/23, 601/27, 601/32, 601/112, 601/113, 601/118, 601/119, 601/120, 601/121, 601/122, 601/123, 601/125, 601/128, 601/129, 601/131, 601/134, 601/135, 601/136, 601/137
• US Class Current: 601/120
• 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 2201/0157 portable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0161 Size reducing arrangements when not in use, for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1692 Enhanced rubbing effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1695 Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids

Abstract

The present invention provides in some embodiments, a portable device for massaging and treating a person'"'"'s muscles. The device can include an elongate center shaft and a roller section rotatably positioned about the outer surface of the elongate cylindrical center shaft and extending at least a portion of a distance between the first end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft and the second end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft. The device can also include a first and second handle coupled to the elongate center shaft. The first and second handles can be configured to collapse in order to decrease an overall length of the portable roller massager.

Claims

1. A portable roller massager for exercise, massage, therapy, and rehabilitation comprising:

an elongate cylindrical center shaft having a first end and a second end and having a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a roller section rotatably positioned about an outer surface of the elongate cylindrical center shaft and extending at least a portion of a distance between the first end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft and the second end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft;

a track positioned within an elongate central lumen defined by the elongate cylindrical center shaft;

a first handle movably positioned at the first end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft; and

a second handle movably positioned at the second end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

2. The portable roller massager of claim 1 wherein the first handle and the second handle are configured to slidably move along the track in order to position at least one of the first handle and the second handle in one of a storage position within the center lumen or an extended position adjacent to the first end or second end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

3. The portable roller massager of claim 1 further comprising a locking mechanism to lock at least one of the first handle and the second handle in a collapsed position within the elongate central lumen of the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

4. The portable roller massager of claim 1 further comprising washers positioned at the first end and the second end of the elongate cylindrical center shaft and configured to hold the roller section on the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

5. The portable roller massager of claim 1, wherein the roller section is freely rotatable about the outer surface of the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

6. The portable roller massager of claim 1, wherein the roller section comprises ridges extending along an outer surface of the roller section in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate cylindrical center shaft.

7. The portable roller massager of claim 1, wherein the roller section comprises at least one of foam, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or plastic.

8. A portable roller massager comprising:

an elongate center shaft having a first, end and a second end, having an outer surface defining an elongate central lumen which extends from the first end of the elongate center shaft to the second end of the elongate center shaft, and having a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a roller section having multiple segments, each segment being rotatably positioned about the outer surface of the elongate center shaft and extending at least a portion of a distance between the first end of the elongate center shaft and the second end of the elongate center shaft;

a first handle having a first position at the first end of the elongate center shaft, configured to slide into a second position within the elongate central lumen of the elongate center shaft, and configured to lock into at least one of the first position and the second position; and

a second handle having a first position at the second end of the elongate center shaft, configured to slide into a second position within the elongate central lumen of the elongate center shaft, and configured to lock into at least one of the first position and the second position.

9. The portable roller massager of claim 8 further comprising a track positioned within the elongate central lumen of the elongate center shaft.

10. The portable roller massager of claim 9, wherein the first handle and the second handle are configured to slidably move along the track into the first position and the second position.

11. The portable roller massager of claim 8 further comprising washers positioned at the first end and the second end of the elongate center shaft and configured to hold the roller section on the elongate center shaft.

12. The portable roller massager of claim 8, wherein the roller section is freely rotatable about the outer surface of the elongate center shaft.

13. The portable roller massager of claim 8, wherein the roller section comprises ridges extending along an outer surface of the roller section in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate center shaft.

14. A portable roller massager comprising:

an elongate center shaft having a first end and a second end, having an outer surface defining an elongate central lumen which extends from the first end of the elongate center shaft to the second end of the elongate center shall, and having a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a roller section rotatably positioned about the outer surface of the elongate center shaft and extending at least a portion of a distance between the first end of the elongate center shaft and the second end of the elongate center shaft;

a track positioned within the central lumen of the elongate center shaft;

a first handle slidably positioned on the track having a first position at the first end of the elongate center shaft and configured to slide into a second position within the elongate central lumen of the elongate center shaft; and

a second handle slidably positioned on the track having a first position at the second end of the elongate center shaft and configured to slide into a second position within the elongate central lumen of the elongate center shaft.

15. The portable roller massager of claim 14 further comprising a locking mechanism to lock at least one of the first handle and the second handle in at least one of the first and the second position.

16. The portable roller massager of claim 14 further comprising washers positioned at the first end and the second end of the elongate center shaft and configured to hold the roller section on the elongate center shaft.

17. The portable roller massager of claim 14, wherein the roller section comprises ridges extending along an outer surface of the roller section in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate center shall.

18. The portable roller massager of claim 14, wherein the roller section comprises one of foam, rubber, or low durometer plastic.