Massage Device

Abstract

A massage device permitting the user to massage his own back; it is constituted by a kind of bobbin having a narrowed central portion and, symmetrically on each side of said portion, two bodies of revolution the surface of each of which is a quadric, the application of the self-massaging device being effected by the user himself who interposes it between his back and a flat surface, the user moving his back parallel to the flat surface in such manner as to cause the device to roll on itself while being maintained against the said surface.

Description

The massage device enables the user to massage his back himself, and especially the para-vertebral muscles known as gutter muscles, from the base of the occiput to the sacrum.

Massage devices are already known which comprise supports of various shapes and sizes, rigid or flexible, in which the surface employed for massaging the body is constituted by freely-rotatable portions, most frequently of spherical shape.

These devices are mainly actuated by hand and by the user himself, but in certain cases, for massaging the back for example, it is necessary to obtain the help of another person in order to achieve this.

The massage device according to the invention enables the user to massage his back himself, and especially the para-vertebral muscles known as gutter muscles, from the base of the occiput to the sacrum.

The device according to the invention is a kind of bobbin having a reduced central portion and, symmetrically on each side of this latter, two bodies of revolution, the surface of each of which is a quadric.

According to one form of embodiment, the surface of each body of revolution is a half-sphere.

The application of the self-massage device is effected by the user himself who interposes the device between his back and a flat surface, and then displaces his back parallel to the flat surface in such manner as to cause the device to roll on itself, while maintaining it in contact with the said surface.

Other characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will be brought out in the description which follows below, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the device during the massage of a person, looking on the back, (in the standing position in FIG. 2 and with the legs bent in FIG. 3).

In the form of embodiment shown, the massaging device according to the invention has a reduced central portion C and, symmetrically on each side of this central portion, two identical half-spheres, A and B.

The central portion C is advantageously formed by two truncated cones C.sub.1 and C.sub.2, fixed together by their small bases, and a coupling zone z substantially cylindrical, may be provided between each large base of the truncated cones and the corresponding half-sphere.

The device according to the invention is preferably made of an elastic material, of rubber for example, and is produced in a single piece by moulding, injection or any other method. It may be solid or hollow.

The device according to the invention is applied in the following manner:

The user places the device between a certain place on his back and a flat surface (which must be imagined to be transparent in FIGS. 2 and 3, in order to be able to see the user's back).

By bending his knees (arrows f.sub.1), the user passes from the standing position shown in FIG. 2 to the knees bent position of FIG. 3. During this bending movement, the self-massaging device according to the invention (held by the user's back against the flat surface) rotates on itself in the direction f.sub.2. By this means, it passes in a direction D over a certain part of the back which it massages at the same time in a satisfactory manner.

The return to the standing position (arrow f.sub.3) causes the self-massaging device to roll in the opposite direction d, the device rotating on itself in the direction of the arrow f.sub.4. A fresh massage of the same region of the back is thus obtained. A succession of bendings (arrow f.sub.1) and extensions (arrow f.sub.3) results in a complete massage of the region of the back considered, which may be that of the para-vertebral muscles know as gutter muscles, from the base of the occiput to the sacrum. During the massage of this region, the spiky excrescences of the vertebrae are not likely to be injured by the massage device. In fact, the thinner portion C of the device forms a clearance which does not touch the projecting portions of the spinal column.

The flat surface considered can obviously be a vertical wall or a floor.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has only been described and illustrated by way of preferred example and that equivalents may be introduced into its constituent elements without thereby departing from the scope of the said invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. A massage device permitting a user to massage his own back by placing said device between his back and a flat surface, said device comprising:

a body,

a central narrowed portion in said body,

two bodies of revolution, the surface of each of which is a quadric, said bodies being disposed symmetrically on each side of said narrowed portion,

characterized in that said central narrowed portion is formed by two truncated cones coupled together by the smaller bases thereof and a substantially cylindrical coupling zone is provided between each large base of said truncated cones and the corresponding body of revolution,

whereby:

said body rolls on itself by the action of the user's back and thus effects a massaging of the back without injuring the spinal column.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said bodies of revolution is a half-sphere.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said body is made of an elastic material.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said body is made in a single piece by moulding, injection and the like.