WO2004058132A1

WO2004058132A1 - Device for muscle desinflamation and relaxation

Info

Publication number: WO2004058132A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/005660
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Elias
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-30
Filing date: 2002-12-30
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2005-06-30
Also published as: AU2002348692A1

Abstract

A device (1) to relax and desinflame of the muscles comprises a central body (10) to be rolled along the sole of the foot, calf or forearm of a user. The central body (10) comprises a hollow core having a thermal material inside which has the objective of keeping cold or warm the external surface of the central body (10), provoking the reduction of inflammation and relax of the muscles.

Description

DEVICE FOR MUSCLE DESINFLAMATION AND RELAXATION

Background

The following invention is described as a device to relax muscles, and specifically foot muscles, and even more specifically to relax and to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the feet .

The feet, the muscles of the forearm and the calf tend to swell by excess activity. Specifically women and even more so pregnant women, present problems of swelling of the feet by doing activities such as walking, and in general any activity that requires any effort .

On the same token, athletes also suffer a certain degree of swelling after doing exercise. This problem is evident in the case of runners, football players and in general athletes that do exercise in tracks or fields.

Moreover, workers and farmers and in general workers that do physical labor throughout the day, at the end of their shifts, also present swelling on their feet and tension in their arms, legs, neck and back. The objective of the present invention consists of providing a device to relax tension on the feet, forearm and calves .

Another objective of the invention consists of providing a device to help lower inflammation on swollen feet.

Description of the Drawings.

In Fig. 1 the device of the invention is shown.

In Fig. 2 the wheel assembly is shown.

In Fig. 3 the device of the invention and the adjusting assembly is shown.

In Fig. 4 the use of the device of the invention is illustrated.

Fig. 5 Shows a modality of the device of the invention

Fig. 6 Shows an insulating wrapping of the device of the invention. Figs. 7a and 7b illustrate a sports case for the device of the invention.

Figs. 8a and 8b illustrate a portfolio style case.

Detailed description of the invention.

The invention is described in reference to the figures. Even though when the application of the invention for device for desinflamation or relaxation of feet is described, it would be evident for a skilled in the art that the device described can also be used to reduce for desinflammation or relaxing other muscles such as those on the forearm, calf or the like.

The device 1 to relax muscles according to the first modality of the invention comprises a thermal central body 10, wheels 20 and an assembly 30 to adjust the position of the wheels. The thermal central body, consists of a cylindrical body that is able to store heat to remain hot or cold for a certain period of time, in other words, once the central thermal body 10 has been heated or cooled, said body 10 will maintain its temperature for an extended period of time with the objective that the thermal central body 10 can maintain its temperature for a considerable amount of time, said body 10 contains in its interior a nucleus that holds a fluid with high thermal capacity, so that said thermal fluid is able to maintain itself hot or cold for a considerable amount of time.

The thermal fluid is comprised of water, propylenglicol, or a coolant gel that can be stored permanently in the interior of body 10, or it can be interchanged by way of a lid 40.

With the objective of cooling central body 10, said body 10 must be placed in the refrigerator for more that an hour. Once the thermal body contained in the nucleus of body 10 is frozen said will absorb heat and will maintain cool the surface of body 10 as it is placed in contact with the feet .

However, if one wishes to heat body 10, the device must be placed preferably in hot or boiling water for approximately for half an hour. Once the nucleus for body 10 that contains the thermal fluid is heated, the heat maintained will be transferred to the surface of body 10 maintaining it hot for a period of time. With the objective of reducing the swelling of the feet it is preferred that the central body 10 is cooled. However, the heated central body 10 is preferred to give massage and relax the muscles or when it is desired to heat the feet.

The device 1 to relax muscles is particularly useful for giving massages and the deinflamation of swollen and fatigued feet .

Once the fatigued feet are put in contact with the cold surface of the thermal central body 10, previously cooled, the body 10 begins to cool the feet, causing^' the reduction of inflammation of the swollen muscles.

To improve contact and the massage of the feet, the device is made to rotate, the device of the invention can be rotated due to its cylindrical shape and/or the wheels 20.

The massage operation is illustrated in Fig. 4. The foot is extended forward and backwards causing device 1 to rotate and to move in the opposite direction. As it is illustrated in Fig. 4 it is preferred to place a device 1 on each foot.

Thermal fluid 11 is placed in the interior of body 10 which possesses a nucleus which is defined by body 10 and the end lids 40. It is useful to use a packing 41 between body 10 and the lid 40, with the objective of preventing the thermal fluid 11 contained in the nucleus from escaping.

The screw lid 40 has a screwed section to be screwed into the corresponding screwed section in the interior of body 10.

The body is designed to adapt itself preferably to the sole of the foot. To that end it is comprised of a pair of wide end sections 16 and 17 and one intermediate section 18 that has a lesser diameter to the ends 16 and 17.

In accordance with the first modality of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the body 10 has grooves 12 set longitudinally along the body 10. .The grooves 12 and the frozen surface of body 10 provide a cool, soft massage to the foot, stimulating the nerves on the sole of the foot thus providing its relaxation and the lowering of inflammation. Said grooves also improve the contact between the sole of the foot and the central body 10.

The body 10 can be produced of any material, preferably metal, plastic or rubber. Additionally the body 10 can contain a covering made of plastic or rubber to improve the contact with the surface of the foot or muscle to reduce the inflammation.

The wheels 20 are found joined to the central cooling body 10 by means of an axle. The wheels can be made from any material, but it is preferred that they are made from rubber. Rubber absorbs the irregularities of the floor and helps to have a more uniform movement of the device 1. In both axles an adjusting assembly 30 is found, which has the objective of getting the wheels closer or further away from the body 10 to prevent contact of the sole of the foot with the wheels 20.

The adjusting mechanism 30 is comprised of an axle 32, that in conformity with the illustrated modality in Fig. 2 which possesses a square transversal section and plurality bolts 34 placed along its radius . The rim 22 of the wheel

20 possesses an orifice so that it may be coupled in the axle 32. The bolts 34 placed on each side of rim 32 limit the movement of the wheel 20 in a radial direction. To change position, the bolts are sunk in the body of the axle, allowing the movement of the wheel in an axial direction and they come out again from the axle, confining rim 22 of the wheel 20 in the desired position. To change the position of the wheels for a wide foot, both wheels are pulled until they reach the adequate position to the dimensions of the foot. To adjust to a narrow foot, the wheels are pushed up until the ends of body 10.

In a second modality of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the device 10 possesses sufficient dimensions to accommodate the width of any standard foot without the means of adjusting 30.

As can be seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the grooves 12 are arranged vertically, so that said grooves form a plurality of rings throughout all the body 10.

In the modality illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the screwed lids 40 possess a protuberance 42 that has the objective of providing for wheels 20. The diameter of the grooves can be equal or greater that the diameter of the protuberance 42 of the lids 40, so that the grooves roll along the floor. However, it is preferred that the exterior diameter of the protuberance 42 is greater than the grooves 12. The previously mentioned has the objective that the grooves do not roll across the floor and transfer dust to the sole of the foot. As it is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the protuberances 42 of the lids can alternatively possess wheels 20. Said wheels consist of bands of a transversal circular section, similar to an O'ring and are made from rubber preferably and have the same function that the rubber wheels according to the first modality of the device.

To prevent the wheels 20 from detaching themselves from the protuberance 42, there is a canal 43 over the circumference of the protuberance 42. The wheels 20 are placed in said canals and that limits the movement of wheels 20 to the sides .

One or more wheels 20 can be placed in each protuberance 42 of each lid 40. However as it would be evident to a technician of the subject, the wheels 20 can consist of wide band with the same technical effect that the bands of transversal circular section.

In concordance with the modality illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, each lid 40 can be screwed and introduced into a corresponding screwed section of the body 10, or one of the lids can remain fixed while the second lid can be removable . To improve the manipulation of the lids 40, said lids are provided with a handle 48 molded over the protuberance 42.

For use at home or office, the device of the invention is covered with an insulating wrapping 50 as illustrated in Fig. 6, that has the objective of preventing the transference of heat from or towards central body 10. Said insulating wrapping 50 possesses means of coupling attachments 51 and 52 to prevent the wrapping from coming loose. Brooches of mechanical attachment are illustrated, as well as buckles and curls, zippers or even plastic adhesive tapes that are placed over plastic reinforcements.

To transport the device of the invention, a case is needed. The case includes in its interior, molded foam with the form of the device 1, with the objective of providing insulation to maintain the device frozen.

The case can adopt different styles and sizes. For example; the sports style case is illustrated in Figs. 7a and 7b has soft laterals with a double compartment for two devices 1 with a zippered bag.

While the portfolio style case has a compartment for four, this is illustrated in Figs. 8a and 8b.

Claims

Claims .

1. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles comprising a central body, to be rotated along the sole of the foot, calf, forearm, or similar, characterized in that the central body contains a hollow nucleus, said nucleus contains in its interior a thermal fluid, in order to maintain the surface of body 10 hot or cold when put in contact with the muscles of the sole of the foot, calf, forearm or the like.

2. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, characterized in that the external surface of the cooling body contains grooves .

3. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, characterized in that one of the lids is fixed to the central body and the other end lid can be removed from the central body.

4. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, characterized in that the cooling central body 10 additionally contains wheels .

5. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, characterized in that it additionally contains an adjusting assembly for the wheels.

6. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 5, characterized in that the adjusting assembly has an axle with bolts which are placed along its radius, so that it limits the axial movement of the wheels.

7. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, characterized in that the end lids contain a protuberance.

8. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 7, characterized in that the wheels are placed over the protuberance by means of placing bands over the respective canals in said protuberances. A device to relax and for the desinflamation of the muscles in conformity with claim 1, in which the frozen material consists of water, ice, or gel.