Massage device with flexible fingers

• US 6,450,980 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jorli Mclain, Wendy Robbins
• Original Assignee: Jorli Mclain, Wendy Robbins
• Inventors: McLain, Jorli, Robbins, Wendy
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koo, Benjamin K.
• Application Number:
  US09/621,952
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 601/134, 601/135, 601/136, 601/137, 601/107, 601/111, 601/133
• US Class Current: 601/137
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/021 Scalp
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/003 Hand-held or hand-driven devices

Abstract

A massage device for the head or scalp has flexible, metallic prongs or fingers. The massage device includes a handle and a plurality of flexible, elongated members protruding from the handle. Each of the plurality of flexible, elongated members are bendable. In one embodiment, the handle includes a hollow body, end caps, and a solid insert member. The plurality of flexible, elongated members are attached to the handle by compression fitting between the end caps and the insert member. In another embodiment, the handle includes a hollow body, end caps, and a solid resilient filler material. The plurality of flexible, elongated members are attached to the handle by the solid resilient filler material, which may be solidified around the plurality of flexible, elongated members. In a further embodiment, the plurality of flexible, elongated members are made of nitinol material, which is a shape memory alloy. This permits the user to restore the plurality of flexible, elongated members to their original shape by heating of the nitinol wires. In another embodiment, each of the plurality of flexible, elongated members has a portion which is bendable and the bending thereof is electrically controllable. The bending may be accomplished by use of a plurality of strips composed of electro-responsive material. Such materials can change in length, for example, under application of electrical current or by heating thereof using electrical current.

Claims

1. A massage device for the head or scalp, comprising:

a handle portion; and

a plurality of flexible fingers extending from the handle portion, and each having a free end;

said handle portion comprising a tubular hollow body, a second end cap secured to and closing one end of said tubular hollow body, said second end cap having an aperture therethrough, said plurality of flexible fingers extending through said aperture, each flexible finger of said plurality of flexible fingers including an end portion secured in said tubular hollow body;

said handle portion further comprising means cooperating with said tubular hollow body for securing each flexible finger end portion within said tubular hollow body.

2. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each said flexible finger is resiliently deform able.

3. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible fingers are deformably bendable under a force greater than a minimum bending force.

4. The massage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible fingers are resiliently deformable, and wherein the plurality of flexible fingers are deformably bendable under a force greater than a minimum bending force.

5. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each flexible finger comprises a covering disposed on the tip of each free end.

6. A massage device in accordance with claim 5, wherein;

each said covering comprises a soft, resilient plastic coating.

7. The massage device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of flexible fingers is yieldingly deformable so as to retain its position once it is bend under a force exceeding a bending force.

8. The massage device of claim 1, further comprising a solid resilient filler material disposed in said hollow body, for retaining each of the plurality of flexible fingers therein.

9. The massage device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of flexible, elongated members are made of nitinol material, which is a shape memory alloy, to permit the plurality of flexible fingers to regain their original shape when heated.

10. The massage device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of flexible, fingers includes an electrically-controlled bendable portion.

11. The massage device of claim 10, wherein said electrically-controlled bendable includes a plurality of strips composed of electro-responsive material which can change in length under application of electrical current.

12. The massage device of claim 10, wherein said electrically-controlled bendable includes a plurality of strips composed of electro-responsive material which can change in length under application of heat, the heat being generated by said electrical current.

13. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each flexible finger comprises metal.

14. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each flexible finger comprises copper.

15. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said handle portion comprises a first end cap secured to the other end of said tubular hollow body, first end cap comprises an integrally formed solid end face and a peripheral tubular wall, said peripheral tubular wall engaging said tubular hollow body.

16. A massage device in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

said second end cap comprises an integrally formed apertured end face and a peripheral tubular wall, said second end cap peripheral tubular wall engaging said tubular hollow body.

17. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said second end cap comprises an integrally formed apertured end face and a peripheral tubular wall, said second end cap peripheral tubular wall engaging said tubular hollow body.

18. A massage device in accordance with claim 1, comprising;

a first end cap secured to and closing the other end of said tubular hollow body.

19. A massage device for the head or scalp, comprising:

a handle portion; and

a plurality of flexible fingers extending from the handle portion, and each having a free end;

said handle portion comprising a tubular hollow body, a second end cap secured to and closing one end of said tubular hollow body, said second end cap having an aperture therethrough, said plurality of flexible fingers extending through said aperture, each flexible finger of said plurality of flexible fingers including an end portion secured in said tubular hollow body;

said handle portion further comprising means cooperating with said tubular hollow body for securing each flexible finger end portion within said tubular hollow body;

said means comprises an insert member disposed in said tubular hollow body, for retaining each said flexible finger end portion therein.