FR2787702A1 - Suction massager designed to create skin fold has inner coaxial core forming annular cavity inside main housing wall - Google Patents

Abstract

The massager consists of a hollow outer housing (1) with a peripheral wall (2, 3) forming a main suction chamber with a lower edge (4) for applying against the skin, and a connector (7) for linking the chamber to a suction source. It has an inner core (8) of smaller dimensions than the outer housing to form an annular cavity inside the main housing wall, the lower edge of the core lying in the same plane as the main chamber wall or slightly above it. The annular cavity is connected to the suction source through holes in the wall of the core, while a hole (6) in the outer housing wall can be covered with the finger.

Description

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  IMPROVED SUCTION TYPE MASSAGE APPARATUS

  INTENDED TO BE APPLIED ON THE SKIN OF A PERSON.

  The invention relates to an improved massage device of the suction type, intended to be applied to the skin of a person, for the purpose of

  form a skin fold by aspiration.

  Such massage devices have been in common use for many years in various fields such as: rehabilitation

  functional, sports, aesthetics and fitness ...

  These suction massage devices mainly comprise a hollow housing delimiting a suction chamber with an open underside, means for connecting this housing to a suction source capable of generating reduced pressure inside the suction chamber, and means for gripping said housing capable of allowing it to be

move on the skin.

  The operating principle of these massage devices is as follows: the depression induced by the suction source sucks the skin inside the suction chamber and leads to the formation of a skin fold which

  is rolled when moving the case on the patient's body.

  In addition, most of these massage devices, as described in patents FR-2,579,100, FR-2,057,514, FR-2,612,395, FR-272,310, have two parallel internal rollers housed inside. of the housing and able to form a fold on the skin, said rollers being either associated with motor means for assisting the displacement of the housing, or mounted free in rotation

  and arranged so that they can roll over the skin.

  Such massage devices, which for the most part provide a relatively effective massage action, however have two

major drawbacks.

  Indeed, and first of all, the massage action requires having to continuously move the massage device on the skin in order to reproduce the classic massage method known to the physiotherapist under the name "palpé-roulé". Therefore, even with the help of motor means

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  roller drive, little used in practice because of the cost and size of the massage equipment thus equipped, the practitioner is required

  to continuously exert an effort tending to obtain this displacement.

  In addition, by design, such massage devices are all faced with sealing problems of the suction chamber which in practice prove almost systematically lead, on the one hand, to the obligation to use a suction source of considerable power and bulk, and on the other hand, difficulties in controlling the

  reduced pressure value inside the suction chamber.

  Another type of suction massage device, described in French patent FR-2 747 035, comprises, in place of the internal rollers, a flat partition wall dividing the suction chamber into two isolated compartments, one on the other, the downstream compartment, considering the direction of movement of the housing, having a volume of the order of twice the volume

upstream compartment.

  Such a massage device is also intended to be moved on the skin and allows, during this movement, to perform a double suction of the area of the human body to which it is applied, supposed to reproduce the action of the "palpé-roulé" . However, it appears to lead to a massage action of relative effectiveness resulting in particular from the fact that, in practice, only a portion of the skin sucked into the upstream compartment is massaged effectively. The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the suction massage devices described above, and has the main objective of providing a massage device making it possible to obtain a very massage action.

  effective without having to be moved over the skin.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a massage device requiring only a low suction rate for obtaining a

  adequate reduced pressure in the suction chamber.

  To this end, the invention relates to a massage device intended to be applied to the skin of a person comprising:

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  - a hollow housing, called external housing, comprising a peripheral wall defining a suction chamber, called the main suction chamber, and having a lower edge delimiting an open face for application on the skin, - means for connecting the housing external to a suction source capable of generating reduced pressure in the main suction chamber. According to the invention, this massage device is characterized in that it comprises an internal core of dimensions smaller than those of the external casing, secured to said external casing so as to extend inside the suction chamber main, said internal core comprising a lower face for application to the skin and delimiting, with the peripheral wall of the external housing, an annular volume inside the main suction chamber. is Such a massage device which results in the formation of an annular skin fold of considerable height in the volume of the main suction chamber delimited by the internal core and the peripheral wall of the external housing, makes it possible, on the one hand, to obtain a hyperemia of the skin portion thus pinched, and on the other hand, to exert on said skin portion a very effective action

  crushing and "crushing" of the cellulite nodules.

  By this design, this massage device makes it possible to obtain a very effective massage action of a relatively large area of skin, without having to be moved over said skin. In addition, the external housing guarantees perfect sealing of the main suction chamber when it is applied to the skin, so that the suction flow rate necessary for obtaining the reduced pressure can be relatively low and is perfectly located. mastered. According to another characteristic of the invention, the lower face of the internal core and the lower edge of the external housing extend in substantially parallel planes. In addition, the underside of the inner core preferably extends slightly behind the lower edge of the outer housing, so as to obtain perfect application of said lower edge on the

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  skin, and therefore, to guarantee the tightness of the main suction chamber. According to another characteristic of the invention, the internal core is arranged inside the external casing so that the underside of said internal core and the face for application to the skin of the suction chamber

main are concentric.

  This internal core can also be arranged so that the underside of said internal core is slightly eccentric relative to the

  application side on the skin of the main suction chamber.

  In this case, the portion of skin sucked into the main suction chamber is subjected to an uneven pinching effect, due to the variable width of the annular volume delimited by the internal core inside the

external housing.

  This feature can in particular be advantageously used when the massage device is moved over the skin in order to obtain a

  progressive increase in the pinching effect.

  In addition, the external housing is preferably in the form of a bell with a cylindrical lateral peripheral wall, the

  internal core also having a cylindrical shape.

  According to a first preferred embodiment - the internal core consists of a hollow casing comprising a peripheral wall delimiting a suction chamber, called the secondary suction chamber, and having a lower edge delimiting an open face for application on the skin, - means of communication of the internal core with a suction source are adapted to generate reduced pressure in the

secondary suction chamber.

  According to this embodiment, the massage device therefore comprises a secondary suction chamber inside which the area of skin sucked undergoes a physical massage action leading to a

hyperemia of said skin area.

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  Furthermore, the reduced pressure in the main and secondary suction chambers is then obtained by preferentially producing a massage device of which: - the means for connecting the external casing to a suction source comprise a connection end opening at the interior of said external housing, the internal core comprises at least one opening formed in the peripheral wall of said internal core, in order to make the secondary suction chamber communicate with the suction chamber

1o principal of the external box.

  According to a second preferred embodiment, the underside of application to the skin of the internal core consists of a wall

  lower able to slide on the skin.

  According to this embodiment, the internal core has a lower face designed to slide on the skin so as to facilitate possible

  movements of the massage device.

  The massage device according to the invention can moreover be designed so as to be presented at the option of the user and interchangeably, according to one or the other of the two embodiments described above. To this end, and according to another characteristic of the invention: - the internal core consists of two longitudinal sections provided with complementary nesting structures capable of allowing them to be assembled in a removable manner in the extension of one another : 25. a hollow upper section secured to the external housing, associated with means of communication with a suction source adapted to generate reduced pressure inside said upper section, an interchangeable lower section, In addition, the apparatus for massage then includes a set of two interchangeable lower sections: a tubular lower section with an open lower surface for application to the skin, and a lower section

  has a bottom wall capable of sliding on the skin.

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  In addition, the upper section of the internal core then preferably comprises a peripheral wall pierced with at least one opening.

  communication with the main suction chamber.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the peripheral wall of the external housing is pierced with at least one section orifice

  adapted to be able to be closed with a human finger.

  Such an orifice makes it possible, very simply, to obtain a rhythmic vacuum inside the main suction chamber so as to obtain a massage action resembling a "palpate-roll" of the skin area located

in the outer case.

  Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the detailed description which follows with reference to the appended drawings

  which represent, by way of nonlimiting example, a preferred embodiment. In these drawings: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a massage device according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a plane A of this massage device applied to the skin of a patient , whose inner core has a first type of lower section, - and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through a plane A of this massage device applied to the skin of a patient, whose inner core

  has a second type of lower section.

  The massage device shown in Figure 1 is intended to be applied to a part of the human body to be treated in order to achieve a

  massage action of this part of the body.

  This massage device comprises, firstly, an external hollow housing 1 made of a translucent material defining a main suction chamber, and having the shape of a bell with a wall

  lateral cylindrical 2 surmounted by a hemispherical dome 3.

  In addition, the lower edge 4 of the outer casing 1, delimiting the underside of application on the skin of said outer casing, forms a bead.

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  This lower edge 4 also forms a corrugated contour defining two concave notches such as 4a giving the application face on the skin of the external housing 1, a concave shape parallel to one of the planes of symmetry of said external housing, suitable for marry the parts to be massaged in generally convex shapes. The external housing 1 is also pierced with an orifice 6 formed at the level of the dome 3, so that it can be naturally obstructed by

  one of the fingers of a user handling the massage device.

  This external housing 1 finally comprises an axial external nozzle 7 for the connection of the suction chamber to a suction source

  (not shown) such as an adjustable vacuum pump.

  The massage device according to the invention also comprises a cylindrical internal core 8 extending axially inside the

  external housing 1 and having the shape of a cylindrical tube.

  This internal core 8 has, in the first place, a length adapted so that its lower face extends slightly behind the top of the notches 4a of the lower edge 4 of the external housing 1, so as to obtain perfect application of said lower edge on the skin guaranteeing

  the sealing of the main suction chamber.

  This internal core 8 has, in addition, a diameter adapted so that the main suction chamber of the external housing 1 has the form of an annular duct, adapted to lead to the formation of a pinched skin fold

  between said inner core and the side wall 2 of said outer housing.

  As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inner core 8 is also made up of two longitudinal sections provided with interlocking structures 9, 10, of any type known per se, capable of allowing them to be assembled removably in the extension one from the other: - a fixed upper section 1 1 secured to the external housing 1, and of a length adapted to extend substantially to the base of the dome 3 of said external housing. In addition, this upper section 1 1 has two radially opposite radial holes 12, 13 formed in its peripheral wall, of

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  communication of the internal volume of said upper section with the main suction chamber, - an interchangeable lower section 14, 15 in the form: 5. either of a tube 14 provided with a lower face open for application to the skin (Figure 2), and forming, with the upper section 1 1, a secondary suction chamber subjected to the same reduced pressure as the main suction chamber, or a tube 15 with a bottom face closed 10 by a front wall 16 adapted to come into contact with the skin, said tube preferably being made of a material with a low coefficient of friction such as "Teflon" (registered trademark). It should be noted that, in order to facilitate possible movements of the massage device on the skin, the external housing 1 can also be made of such a material with a low coefficient of

friction.

  The massage device according to the invention therefore mainly allows, when applied to the skin of a person, to create an annular skin fold between the inner core 8 and the lateral peripheral wall 2 of the outer housing 1, which leads to a very effective massage action, on the one hand, by crushing the cellulite nodules and "crushing" of the latter, and on the other

  part, by obtaining a hyperemia of the portion of skin thus pinched.

  In addition, the vacuum inside the suction chamber can be "rhythmically" very easily by successively closing and releasing the orifice 6 of the external housing 1. This rhythmic vacuum can also be obtained, in a conventional manner , using a suitable generator. In this case, the external housing 1 is, of course, devoid of orifice 6, and there may be provided, for this purpose, two

  models of external boxes 1, with or without opening 6.

  This massage device can also be used as desired - either with a lower section 14 leading to the creation of a secondary suction chamber making it possible to obtain hyperemia of the

  portion of skin sucked into said secondary suction chamber.

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  - Either with a lower section 15 preferably used when the user wishes to move the massage device on the skin, and adapted

to slide on the skin.

  Furthermore, such a massage device can be used as is, for example by an individual. On the other hand, for the purposes of use by professionals such as physiotherapists, it is preferable to produce a "multi-massage head" device consisting of several massage devices as described above, supplied from the same generator designed to establish a rhythmic vacuum. In this case, in addition, the external boxes 1 are

io without hole 6.

  Finally, it should be noted that the shapes and dimensions of the massage device according to the invention may be different from those described above, and in particular adapted to the profile and the size of the body part that

you hear massaging.

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Claims (11)

  1 / - Massage device intended to be applied to the skin of a person, comprising: - a hollow housing (1), called the external housing, comprising a peripheral wall (2, 3) delimiting a suction chamber, called the chamber main suction, and having a lower edge (4) defining an open face for application on the skin, - connection means (7) of the external housing (1) to a suction source capable of generating reduced pressure in the main suction chamber, said massage device being characterized in that it comprises an internal core (8) of dimensions smaller than those of the external housing (1), secured to said external housing so as to extend to the inside the main suction chamber, said internal core comprising a lower face for application to the skin and delimiting, with the peripheral wall (2, 3) of the external housing (1), a   annular volume inside the main suction chamber.   2 / - Massage device according to claim 1, characterized in that the underside of the inner core (8) and the bottom edge   (4) of the external housing (1) extend in substantially parallel planes.   3 / - Massage device according to claim 2, characterized in that the underside of the inner core (8) extends slightly   removal from the lower edge (4) of the outer housing (1).   4 / - Massage device according to one of claims   above, characterized in that the inner core (8) is arranged inside the outer casing (1) so that the underside of said inner core (8) and the application face on the skin of the chamber main suction are concentric.   / - Massage device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that the external housing (1) is in the form of a bell with a cylindrical lateral peripheral wall (2), the core   internal (8) also having a cylindrical shape. l l 2787702   6 / - Massage device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that the lower edge (4) of the suction chamber main forms a bead.   7 / - Massage device according to one of claims   above, characterized in that: - the internal core (8) consists of a hollow housing comprising a peripheral wall delimiting a suction chamber, called secondary suction chamber, and having a lower edge delimiting an open face of application to the skin, means of communication (7, 12, 13) of the internal core (8) with a suction source are adapted to generate pressure   reduced in the secondary suction chamber.   8 / - massage device according to claim 7, characterized in that: - the means for connecting the external housing (1) to a suction source comprise a connection end piece (7) opening out inside said external housing, - the internal core (8) comprises at least one opening (12, 13) formed in the peripheral wall of said internal core, in order to make the secondary suction chamber communicate with the suction chamber main of the external housing (1).   9 / - Massage device according to one of claims 1 to   6, characterized in that the underside of application to the skin of the core   internal (8) consists of a bottom wall (16) capable of sliding on the skin.   10 / - Massage device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that: - the internal core (8) consists of two longitudinal sections provided with complementary nesting structures (9, 10) able to allow them to be assembled in a removable manner in the extension of one of the other: a hollow upper section (11) integral with the external housing (1), associated with means of communication (7, 12, 13) with a source 12 2787702   suction adapted to generate a reduced pressure inside said upper section, an interchangeable lower section (14, 15), said massage device comprising a set of two interchangeable lower sections: a tubular lower section (14) provided with an open lower face for application to the skin, and a lower section (15) provided with a wall   lower (16) able to slide on the skin.   11 / - A massage device according to claim 10, characterized in that the upper section (11) of the internal core (8) has a peripheral wall o0 pierced with at least one communication opening (12, 13)   with the main suction chamber.   12 / - Massage device according to one of claims   above, characterized in that the peripheral wall (2, 3) of the external housing (1) is pierced with at least one orifice (6) of section adapted to be able to be closed with a human finger.