MASSAGE ROLLER WITH TENSION STRAP AND METHODS FOR THE SAME

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved massage device which allows a user to apply increased pressure to his or her body via the massage device without assistance from a wall, floor, a second person, or the like, and methods of using the same. The massage device may comprise a massaging roller, an axle, a tension strap, and an axial handle. The tension strap may have first and second ends with connectors attached to the axle on opposite sides of the massaging roller, and the tension strap may be operable to wrap around to an opposite side of the user's body, allowing the user to apply tension to the strap by pushing or pulling thereon, thus increasing the pressure of the massaging roller against the user's body.

Claims

1. A massage device comprising a massaging roller, an axle, a tension strap, and an axial handle.

2. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said axle comprises a first end and a second end, and said tension strap comprises a first connector operable to connect to said first end and a second connector operable to connect to said second end.

3. The massage device of claim 2, wherein said massaging roller is mounted about said axle, said first end protruding from a first side of said massaging roller and said second end protruding from a second side of said massaging roller.

4. The massage device of claim 3, wherein said axial handle is coaxially mounted to said first end, and said second end comprises a stop for preventing said tension strap from sliding off of said second end.

5. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said massaging roller is rotatably mounted to said axle.

6. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said stop is removably mounted to said second end.

7. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said axial handle is rotatably mounted to said first end.

8. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said axial handle provides a grip for a user to adjust a position of the massaging roller against a desired area of said user's body, said massaging roller providing pressure against said desired area due to tension applied to said tension strap.

9. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said tension strap is operable to wrap around to an opposite side of a user's body from said massage roller, such that said user is able to apply tension to said tension strap by pushing or pulling on said tension strap, thereby increasing pressure of the massaging roller against a part of said user's body.

10. The massage device of claim 9, wherein said part of said user's body comprises a trapezius muscle of said user, and wherein a midpoint of said tension strap is adjacent to a hip of said user.

11. The massage device of claim 4, wherein said axle comprises a flexible and resilient material operable to bend from a default shape into a curved shape complementary to a shape of said user's body when tension is applied to said tension strap, and to resume said default shape when said tension is released.

12. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said massaging roller comprises a substantially cylindrical body.

13. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said massaging roller comprises a pattern of grooves on an outer surface thereof.

14. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said massaging roller comprises at least one raised member on an outer surface thereof.

15. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said massaging roller comprises at least one expansion.

16. The massage device of claim 1, wherein said massaging roller comprises a plurality of massaging rollers arranged in series along said axle.

17. The massage device of claim 16, wherein said plurality of massaging rollers each comprise a substantially spherical shape.

18. A method of using a massage device, comprising the steps of: a. providing a massage device having a massaging roller mounted about an axle, and a tension strap, said axle comprising a first end having an axial handle and a second end having a stop, and said tension strap being operable to connect to said axle at said first end and at said second end; b. putting said massaging roller in contact with a body part of a user; c. wrapping said tension strap around a portion of said user's body; and d. applying tension to said tension strap.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of: a. adjusting a position of said massaging roller via said axial handle.

20. The Method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: a. connecting an end of said tension strap to said axle; and b. adjusting a length of said tension strap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIGS. 1A and 1B each provide a side view of a massage device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 2A provides a front view of a method of using a massage device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 2B provides a rear view of a method of using a massage device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIGS. 3A and 3B each provide a perspective view of a massage device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIGS. 4A and 4B each provide a side view of a massage device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

[0046] Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring to FIGS. 1-4, it is seen that the present invention includes various embodiments of an improved massage device including a tension strap, allowing a user to increase the pressure of a massage roller without the need for a wall, floor, or second person. An exemplary device may include a massaging roller, an axle, an axial handle, and a tension strap.

[0047] As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the present invention provides a system and method for using a massage device 100, the massage device 100 comprising a massaging roller 110, an axle 120, an axial handle 130, and a tension strap 140. The massaging roller 110 may comprise a substantially cylindrical shape and may be mounted to the axle 120, wherein the axle 120 protrudes from each side of the massaging roller 110 along a central axis of the massaging roller 110. The massaging roller 110 may be statically mounted to the axle 120 such that it is not able to freely rotate about the axle 120 and causing the axle 120 to rotate by manually twisting the axial handle 130 also rotates the massaging roller 110.

[0048] The massaging roller 110 may comprise a pliable, resilient material, wherein an outer surface 111 of the massaging roller 110 may form a shape complementary to a shape of a user's body underneath the massaging roller 110 when the massaging roller 110 is under pressure due to tension from the tension strap 140, and resume a substantially cylindrical shape when not under pressure from the tension strap 140. The outer surface 111 may comprise a plurality of raised members 112 extending radially therefrom in order to provide an acute pressure point against the user's body. The plurality of raised members 112 may each comprise a substantially square protuberance shape, and may comprise the same material as the remainder of the outer surface 111 of the massaging roller 110. The plurality of raised members 112 may be arranged on the outer surface 111 in any pattern useful for massaging a user's body, such as in rows.

[0049] The axle 120 may comprise a solid bar made from a rigid material (e.g., a metal) operable to resist bending when directional forces A, B (see FIG. 1B) from the tension strap 140 at each end of the axle 120 are applied in combination with a resistant force C from contact with the user's body. The axle 120 may comprise a first end 121 and a second end 122, each of the first end 121 and second end 122 extending out past an end of the massaging roller 110. The axial handle 130 may be attached to the first end 121 and the second end 122 may comprise a stop 125 for preventing a second connector 152 the tension strap 140 from sliding off of the second end 122. The stop 125 may comprise a disc shape having a greater outer diameter than the outer diameter of the remainder of the second end 122, such that the second connector 152 may be free to rotate about a central axis of the axle 120 and slide longitudinally along a portion of the second end 120, between the massaging roller 110 and the stop 125, but the second connector 152 is prevented from sliding off of the second end 122 by the stop 125. The stop 125 may be permanently attached to and integral with the second end 122 of the axle 120.

[0050] The axial handle 130 may comprise a substantially cylindrical body having a grip 131 on an outer surface thereof, the axial handle being adapted to be moved or adjusted manually. The outer surface of the axial handle 130 may comprise a semi-rigid material operable to provide friction between the outer surface and a user's hand, and the grip 131 may comprise a shape complementary to a shape of the user's hand (e.g., a wavy shape complementary to a shape of a user's fingers). The axial handle 130 may be permanently and statically attached to the first end 121 of the axle 120, such that twisting the axial handle back and forth 130 rotates the axle 120, thereby rotating the massaging roller 110 back and forth (see F; FIGS. 2A and 2B) over a targeted part 161 of the user's body 160.

[0051] The tension strap 140 may be operable to wrap around a user's body 160 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) or a portion thereof, and may have a first end 141 comprising a first connector 151 and a second end 142 comprising a second connector 152 operable to attach to the first end 121 and second end 122 of the axle 120, respectively. The first connector 151 may be operable to attach to the first end 121 of the axle 120 between the axial handle 130 and the massaging roller 110, and the second connector 122 may be operable to attach to the second end 122 end of the axle 120 between the massaging roller 110 and the stop 125. The first connector 151 and second connector 152 may each comprise a clip 153, allowing the first connector 151 and second connector 152 to be removably attached to the axle 120, and a twistable member 155 (e.g., a ball joint) allowing the first end 141 of the tension strap 140 to twist freely (see D) while attached to the first end 121 of the axle 120, and the second end 142 of the tension strap 140 to twist freely (see E) while attached to the second end 122 of the axle 120.

[0052] The tension strap 140 may comprise a length suitable for wrapping around the user's body 160 or a portion thereof and allowing the user to comfortably push against a handle 143 of the tension strap 140 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) in order to increase a pressure of the massaging roller 110 on a targeted part 161 (e.g., a trapezius muscle) of the user's body 160. The tension handle 143 may be operable to provide improved grip or comfort to a user's hand 162 while pushing against or pulling on the tension strap 140. The tension handle 143 may comprise a pad slidably secured to the tension strap 140 such that the position of the pad along a length of the tension strap 140 may be adjusted. The tension strap may further comprise a length adjuster 144 (e.g., a ladder lock buckle) for adjusting a length of the tension strap 140 to fit different users and different parts of a user's body 160.

[0053] As seen in FIG. 3A, in an alternative embodiment of the massage device 200, the outer surface 211 of the massaging roller 210 may comprise a substantially cylindrical shape, without any raised members. The massage device 200 also comprises a tension strap 140, which is omitted in FIG. 3A for the purpose of clarity. The massaging roller 210 may comprise an outer layer 215 of pliable and resilient material, and an inner layer 216 comprising a rigid or semi-rigid material. The massaging roller 210 may thus provide an initial soft or supple contact against the targeted part 161 of the user's body (e.g., due to compression of the outer layer 215) when the pressure between massaging roller 210 and the targeted part 161 of the user's body is low (e.g., in a range from initial contacte.g., 0 PSIup to about to about 1 PSI, or up to about 2 PSI, or up to about 5 PSI, or up to about 10 PSI or any pressure or range of pressures therebetween), and a more rigid contact against the targeted part 161 of the user's body (e.g., due to pressure from the inner layer 216 after the outer layer 215 has been substantially fully compressed) when the pressure between the massaging roller 210 and the targeted part 161 of the user's body is high (e.g., equal to or greater than about 1 PSI, or about 2 PSI, or about 5 PSI, or about 10 PSI, or any pressure or range of pressures therebetween).

[0054] FIG. 3B shows another alternative embodiment of the massage device 300 wherein the outer layer 315and thus the outer surface 311of the massaging roller 210 comprises a plurality of expansions 314, the plurality of expansions 314 each providing a raised pressure point against the targeted part 161 of the user's body 160. The plurality of expansions may each comprise an area or section of the massaging roller 210 which has a substantially increased diameter as compared to the remainder of the outer surface 311 of the massaging roller 310. The massage device 300 again comprises a tension strap 140, which has been omitted from FIG. 3B for the purpose of clarity.

[0055] FIG. 4A shows a massage device 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The massaging roller 410 may comprise a plurality of massaging rollers 410a, 410b, 410c aligned in series along an axle 420 made from a semi-rigid and resilient material. The axle 420 may thus be operable to bend (see FIG. 4B) upon experiencing the forces A, B applied by the tension strap 440 and force C applied by the user's body, in order to fit a shape of the user's body. For example, the user may place the massaging roller 410 against the user's trapezius muscle, wrap the tension strap 440 around the user's torso such that a midpoint of the strap is adjacent to the user's hip on the opposite side of the user's torso from the massaging roller 410, and push against the tension strap 440 via the tension handle 442, applying substantially downward forces A, B on the first 421 and second 422 ends of the axle 420, and a substantially upward force C against a midpoint (e.g., the lower surface of 410b) of the massaging roller 410 due to contact with the user's body, causing the axle 420 to bend into a curved shape complementary to a curved shape of the user's targeted trapezius muscle. Upon the user releasing tension from the tension strap 440, the resilient axle 420 may be operable to resume a default, substantially straight alignment (as depicted in FIG. 4A).

[0056] It should be understood that the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.