US3037500A - Foot massager - Google Patents

Description

June 5', 1962 J. D. DAUGHERTY FOOT MASSAGER Filed July 13. 1960 Robe/f J/ a/ch Arm 3,037,500 FOOT MASSAGER Jack D. Daugherty, 850 N. Gary Ave., Tulsa, Okla. Filed July 13, 1960, Ser. No. 42,620 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-57) The present invention relates to foot massagers, more particularly for home use and for operation by movement of the foot of the user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide foot massagers adapted to conform to the shape of the foot without collapsing.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of foot massagers that will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention Will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a foot massager according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the device of FIGURE 1, taken on the axis thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the device in use; and

FIGURE 4 is a reduced view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing a modified form of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown a foot massager comprising a body 1 of integral molded construction and of an elastic deformable material such as rubber or the like. Body 1 has a circular end portion 3 at each end thereof, the end portions 3 being cut off flat in planes perpendicular to the axis of the device and having cylindrical outer contours 5 coaxial with the device.

Body 1 includes a reduced intermediate portion 7 of an external diameter less than the diameter of either end portion 3. Intermediate portion 7 is joined to end portion 3 by integral tapered portions 9 and 11 one adjacent and integral with each end portion 3. Intermediate portion 7 has a cylindrical outer contour and tapered portions 9 and 11 have conical outer contours, the tapered portion being inclined to the axis of body 1 at a lesser angle than is the outer contour of tapered portion 11. For example, the angles of inclination to the axis of body 1 of portions 9 and 11 may be, say, 30 and 45, respectively. This different angulation of tapered portions 9 and 11 is for the purpose of accommodating the arch or instep adjacent portion 1 1, as distinguished from the outer side of thefoot adjacent tapered portion 9.

A very important feature of the present invention is the provision of rigid circular members secured to each end portion 3 and having an outer circular contour adja cent and coaxial with cylindrical outer contours of end portions 3. In the illustrated embodiment, these members are provided by circular rings 13 embedded in the elastic deformable material of body 1 in the position shown in FIGURE 2, that is, a little in from the ends of end portions 3 and a little in from outer contours 5 and molded in the material of end portions 3 with no portions of rings 13 exposed. Rings 13 are of a rigid material, preferably metal such as steel or the like.

An axial bore 15 extends entirely through body 1 States Patent 0 from end to end thereof. In the embodiment of FIG- URES 2 and 3, bore 15 has cylindrical side walls 17, so that the radial thickness of 'body 1 is greatest adjacent end portions 3 and least adjacent intermediate portion 7. In the embodiment of FIGURE 4, however, the bore has a configuration similar to the outer contour of the body of the massager. In FIGURE 4, the bore includes enlarged end portions 19 and a reduced intermediate portion 21. In FIGURE 4, the radial thickness of body 1 is approximately the same throughout.

The outer surfaces of intermediate portions 7 and tapered portions 9 and 11 of both embodiments of the present invention are provided with a multiplicity of projections 23 molded integrally in the material of body 1 and extending outwardly therefrom. Projections 23 are preferably rounded for comfort. The purpose of these projections is to give an intensive local massaging action to the foot in a manner well known in the massaging art, and also in a device such as the present invention which is propelled by the foot of the user, to increase the frictional contact between the device and the foot of the user.

The operation of the device will now be apparent.

The massager of the present invention is placed on a firm horizontal support such as a floor and the user places his foot, with shoe removed, on the device in the position shown in FIGURE 3. The user then rolls the device back and forth along the support by movement of his foot while pressing down firmly on the device. It is in the course of this movement that the device massages the foot of the user.

It will now be apparent that the combination of the rigid circular members such as rings 13 and the construction of the device from an elastic deformable material coact to produce a result never before obtainable in this art; for the elastic deformable nature of the device enables the device to conform to the shape of the foot and massage the foot in a desirably complete manner, while at the same time the rigid circular members retain the shape of the end portions of the device and prevent the device from collapsing in use but permit the device to conform to the shape of the foot. Moreover, the central bore through the device also coacts with this unique combination in that it renders the device more flexible yet does not impair the eflicacy of the rigid circular members. For a more rigid device, the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 3 is preferable; while for a more flexible device, the embodiment of FIGURE 4 is preferable. In either case, however, regardless of the degree of flexibility imparted to the device by the bore, the end portions 3 remain circular thanks to the rigid circular members such as rings 13, with the result that the device rolls freely and easily on the floor despite the fact that it is relatively quite flexible at regions where that flexibility is desirable.

vAccordingly, it will be obvious that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

It is to be understood that the present invention is to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance over the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A foot massager comprising a unitary body of elastic deformable material having a pair of circular end portions 3 freely rollable on a supporting surface and an intermediate portion of a diameter less than the diameter of the end portions and an axial bore therethrough concentric with the end portions, and a rigid ring embedded in the material of each end portion concentric therewith and surrounding an end of the bore.

2. A massager as claimed in claim 1, the bore being cylindrical through its length.

3. A massager as claimed in claim 1, the bore having end portions of relatively large diameter and an inter- 10 mediate portion of relatively small diameter.

4. A massager as claimed in claim 1, the intermediate portion being joined to the end portions by a pair of oppositely tapered portions, and a plurality of elastic deformable fingers on and extending outward of the inter- 5 mediate and tapered portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,038 Stephenson Ian. 15, 1924 1,962,971 Schipper June 12, 1934 2,369,544 Dolan Feb. 13, 1945

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