A BODY TREATMENT APPARATUS

THIS INVENTION relates to a body treatment apparatus.

It is known to perform a massaging operation on a body portion of a person by the manipulation of a body treatment device whereby a compressed air stream, possibly with a treatment liquid such an aromatherapy oil entrained therein, is impinged on the body portion. It has been found also that with the use of a suitable body treatment device, a hammer-type vibratory action on the body portion being massaged can be generated, which can serve to enhance significantly the massaging effect and, as such, the therapeutic benefits that are intended to be achieved, e.g. improved blood circulation, the breakdown of fat cells, the reparation of physical injuries, and the like.

The Applicant's Patent Cooperation Treaty patent applications PCT/I BOO/00921 and PCT/IB2004/001739 disclose body treatment devices that are suitable for performing a massaging operation as above envisaged and that provide for a hammer-type vibratory action on the body portion being massaged to be generated.

The body treatment device disclosed in the latter application is considered particularly effective, this device including a first body part of a rigid material that includes an elongate handle formation and a head formation at one end of the handle formation that defines an outer face portion that faces away from the handle formation. A second body

part of a resiliently flexible rubber-like material fits tightly on the head formation of the first body part, the second body part defining a wall segment that is spaced from the said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part to define an enclosed "thin" space between them. A passage formation leads through the first body part from the free end of the handle formation thereof, where it is connectable to a compressed fluid supply, to the said enclosed space, while the said wall segment of the second body part defines a plurality of outlet jet formations leading from the said enclosed space, permitting massaging of a person's body as envisaged by a pressurized fluid passing through the passage formation, the enclosed space and the outlet jet formations, impinging on the person's body.

Although the above described body treatment device is considered particularly effective in relation to a massaging operation performed therewith, it suffers from a major disadvantage insofar as its use is associated with excessive noise being generated by the compressed fluid passing through the device and by the vibratory action that is generated, this noise causing discomfort to persons being treated. It is thus an object of this invention to at least alleviate the above problem in relation to a body treatment device of the particular type.

According to the invention there is provided a body treatment device including

a first body part of a substantially rigid material that includes an elongate handle formation and a head formation at one end of the handle formation, the head formation defining an outer face portion that faces away from the handle formation and the first body part defining a passage formation therethrough that leads from the free end of the handle formation, where it is connectable to a compressed air supply line, to the said outer face portion defined by the head formation; and

a second body part that is formed of a resiliently flexible rubber-like material and that fits tightly on the head formation of the first body part, the second body part

including a wall segment that is spaced from at least a segment of the said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part to define a thin enclosed space between the wall segment and the said segment of the outer face portion of the head formation, that is in communication with the passage formation defined through the first body part, the wall segment having at least one foam body located therein and defining a plurality of outlet jet formations that lead from the said enclosed space and through both the wall segment and the foam body located therein.

According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the first body part of the body treatment device defines a shallow recess formation therein which is located within the perimeter of the said outer face portion of the head formation thereof and the said wall segment of the second body part stretches across the open end of the said recess formation to define the enclosed space between the said outer face portion of the head formation and the said wall segment of the second body part.

The said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part may be a circular, substantially planar, face portion of the head formation. Alternatively, the said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part may be an elongate convex portion of the head formation, or any other profile face portion as determined by the massaging operation to be performed.

The outlet jet formations defined through the said wall segment of the second body part may be disposed substantially perpendicularly to the general plane of the said wall segment where the enclosed space between the said wall segment and the said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part is defined.

The said wall segment of the second body part typically defines between three and fifty outlet jet formations therethrough.

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The at least one foam body located in the said wall segment of the second body part may be of a high density polyurethane foam material, or any like material. The foam body particularly may define a thickness in the order of one third of the thickness of the wall segment and with the second body part typically being formed by a moulding operation, may be located within the said wall segment as part of the moulding operation by its location within the mould within which the second body part is formed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the said wall segment of the second body part to have two similar foam bodies located therein in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the general plane of the wall segment and spaced from one another. Where two such foam bodies are provided, the total thickness of the wall segment typically is in the order of 15mm and the thickness of each foam body typically is between 1 and 5 mm, the foam bodies being suitably spaced from one another and the outer face of the wall segment. The exact configuration of the second body part in the above regard is greatly variable with optimum thicknesses being determinable by trial and experiment, the objective being to still generate the required hammer-type vibratory action during massaging of the body portion of a person, while effectively muffling the noise generated as a result of the passage of a pressurized fluid through the body treatment device and particularly the outlet jet formations thereof.

The body treatment device of the invention also may include a connector formation that is located on the first body part at the free end of the handle thereof and that permits connection of a compressed fluid supply line in communication with the passage formation defined through the first body part.

The first body part of the body treatment device particularly is formed of a substantially rigid material such as aluminium, stainless steel, a synthetic plastics material, or the like.

The second body part typically is formed of one of a natural or synthetic rubber material and a silicone material, that is skin compatible so as not to cause skin irritation or damage resulting from skin contact thereby.

It will be understood that the exact features of the body treatment device of the invention, particularly in relation to the configuration of the said outer face portion of the head formation of the first body part thereof and in relation to the configuration of the said wall segment of the second body part thereof, are greatly variable and that the invention also extends to all such different configurations body treatment devices which still include the essential principles of the device as herein defined.

A body treatment device, including the mode of use thereof, are described hereafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic sectional side view of a body treatment device, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic end view of the body treatment device of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 illustrates schematically the layout of a body treatment apparatus with which the body treatment device, as shown in Figure 1 , can be associated.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a body treatment device, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The body treatment device generally includes a first body part 12 and a second body part 24. The first body part 12 is formed of a substantially rigid material such as aluminium and includes a handle formation 14 and a head formation 16 at one end of the handle

formation 14. The head formation 16 defines a substantially circular, planar outer face portion 18 that faces away from the handle formation 14 of the body part 12.

The first body part 12 defines a shallow recess 19 therein which is also circular in profile and which is located within the perimeter of the outer face portion 18 defined by the head formation 16 of the first body part 12. A passage formation further is defined through the first body part that leads from the free end 22 of the handle formation 16 thereof to the said outer face portion defined by the head formation 16, particularly in the region of the shallow recess 19, as shown.

The second body part 24 of the body treatment device 10 is formed of a resiliently flexible rubber-like material and fits tightly on the head formation 16 of the first body part 12, the second body part including a wall segment 26 that stretches across the open end of the recess 19. A thin, circular, enclosed space 28 is thus defined, essentially by the recess 19, between the head formation 16 of the first body part 12 and the wall segment 26 of the second body part 24. A plurality of outlet jet formations 30 are defined within this wall segment 26 of the second body part 24 and it will be understood in this regard that these outlet jet formations 30 effectively will be in communication with the passage formation 20 defined through the first body part 12 via the enclosed space 28 referred to above.

As is clear from Figure 1 of the drawings, the outlet jet formations 30 also pass through two disc-like foam bodies 36, typically of high density polyurethane foam, the foam bodies 36 being pre-formed and located as part of a moulding process whereby the second body part 24 is formed, thus effectively forming a part of the wall segment 26. It will be understood in this regard that the mould whereby the second body part is formed will have needle formations that provide for the formation of the outlet jet formations 30 in the wall segment 26, these needle formations, in the moulding process, also passing through the foam bodies 36 and serving to hold these bodies in place.

It is particularly envisaged that between three and 50 outlet jet formations can be defined within the wall segment 26 of the second body part 24 and that the total thickness of this wall segment can be between 10mm and 15mm, with the thickness of the foam bodies being between 2mm and 3mm. The second body part is formed of any suitable resiliently flexible material and particularly will be formed of a natural or a synthetic rubber material, a silicone material, or the like, which is compatible with the skin of a person to ensure that skin irritation or damage cannot occur as a result of contact between this body part 24 and the skin of the body of a person, during use of the body treatment device 10, as is described in more detail hereafter.

The body treatment device 10 includes also a connector formation 32 that is engaged with the handle formation 14 of the first body part 12 via complementary screw thread formations as shown, the connector formation 32 providing for the connection of a compressed air supply line 34 to the body treatment device 10, with the compressed air supply line being in communication with the passage formation 20 defined through the first body part 12.

Referring also to Figure 3 of the drawings, the body treatment device 10, in practice, is used in conjunction with body treatment apparatus, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 40 in Figure 3. The body treatment apparatus includes generally a compressor 42, that can provide for a supply of compressed air through a compressed air supply line 44 to the body treatment device 10. The supply line includes in line therewith a particle filter 48 and a water filter 50, the filters 48 and 50 providing for compressed air displaced from the compressor 42 to be effectively purified, thereby ensuring that compressed air cannot cause any injury to a person on whom a massaging operation is performed with the aid of the apparatus 40 and, particularly, the body treatment device 10.

The apparatus 40 includes further a liquid feed arrangement including a venturi formation 52 which communicates with a liquid supply conduit 54 connected to a liquid

container 56 via a control valve 58. The configuration of this liquid feed arrangement is such that air flow through the venturi formation will induce liquid from the container 56 to be drawn into the flow line, when the valve 58 is in an open position. The valve clearly can serve also to control the rate of liquid feed into the flow line.

At least the compressed air supply line segment 44.1 leading from the liquid feed arrangement is flexible, permitting manipulation of the body treatment device 10 to which it is connected in the manner as described hereafter, for performing a body massaging operation on the body of a person. The supply line 44, including the segment 44.1 , has high pressure qualities, accommodating an air pressure therein of at least five bar. In this regard, it is envisaged that the operating air pressure at which a massaging operation can be performed, with the aid of the apparatus, will vary between 0,5 bar and 3 bar, a particular pressure being determined by the requirements of the massaging operation to be performed. This is referred to in more detail hereafter.

It will further be appreciated that the intensity of compressed air impinging on the body of a person when performing a massaging operation as hereafter described will be determined on the pressure referred to above, as well as the size of the outlet jet formations 30 defined through the wall segment 26 of the second body part 24 of the body treatment device 10, the size of these outlet jet formations typically being between 0,1 mm ² and 12mm ² . The smaller these formations, the higher the intensity of air impinging on the body of a person.

In order to perform a massaging operation on a body portion of a person with the aid of the apparatus 40, and particularly the body treatment device 10, an aromatherapy oil, or the like, is charged into the liquid supply container 56, the choice of aromatherapy oil, or other liquid medium to be utilized in conjunction with a particular massaging operation, being determined by the nature of the massaging operation to be performed, as well as the particular body region to be treated. In this regard, the choice of liquid medium is

greatly variable. Depending also on the particular massaging operation to be performed, a body treatment device having the most suitable features will be selected.

The compressor 42 is then activated and compressed air is displaced along the supply line 44 through the filters 48 and 50 and the venturi formation 52 towards the body treatment device 10. By opening the valve 58, a controlled volume of aromatherapy oil contained in the container 56 can be drawn into the passage through the venturi formation 52, thus providing for compressed air having the aromatherapy oil entrained therein to be emitted from the body treatment device 10 via the outlet jet formations 30.

A particular massaging operation is carried out by manually displacing the body treatment device 10, while holding it by the handle formation 14, in defined strokes across the body portion of a person to be massaged, particularly with the wall segment 26 being urged against the body portion. It will be understood in this regard that the compressed airwill impinge on the body portion, causing a massaging action. Also, as a result of the natural uneven surface of the body portion being massaged, individual outlet jet formations 30 will be temporarily blocked from time to time. Each time a number of outlet jet formations are so blocked, a pressure build-up will occur within the enclosed space 28, causing the wall segment 26 of the second body part 24 to bulge outwardly against the body part being massaged, the increased intensity of air passing through the remaining holes simultaneously causing the device to be forced away from the body portion on which the massaging operation is being performed. As a result, the blocked passages will be unblocked, allowing the wall segment to return to its normal position, while the manual force acting on the device will again displace the massaging face, as defined by the wall segment 26, into contact with the body of the person. This will again result in at least some outlet jet formations being blocked and the above process repeating itself, this process naturally repeating itself at very short intervals and resulting in a hammer-type vibratory action to act on the body of the person. It has been found that this vibratory action significantly enhances the massaging action on the body of the person. Particularly as a result of the displacement of the wall segment as

described above, this vibratory action is relatively intense, the intensity thereof clearly being controllable by the air pressure within the compressed air supply line and the manual pressure with which the device is urged against the body of a person, which in turn will be determined by the required massaging operation being carried out.

The air displacement through the body treatment device 10, associated also with the vibratory action that is generated, ordinarily results in high noise levels being generated during massaging. These noise levels are effectively muffled by the foam bodies 36, through which the air also passes. The reduced noise levels renders body treatment significantly more comfortable.

It is submitted that the body treatment device as described can provide for effective massaging operations to be carried out on the body of a person having different therapeutic benefits, typically in relation to blood circulation, the breakdown of fat cells, the reparation of physical injuries, and the like. Also, with the second body part of the device being formed of a resiliently flexible rubber-like material, the possibility of physical injury resulting from contact between the device and the body of a person is largely eliminated, possible excessive body contact also being prevented as a result of the displacement of compressed air through the outlet jet formations, which will act against the manual force acting on the device towards the body of a person.