Percussive Therapy Device
Patent No. US10857064 (titled "Percussive Therapy Device") was filed by Flexir Recovery Llc on May 7, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’064 is related to the field of massage devices, specifically percussive therapy devices that provide a reciprocating motion to deliver massage or therapeutic treatment. These devices aim to provide deeper and more effective massages than traditional methods, addressing the need for automated percussive therapy to overcome ineffective or superficial massage techniques.
The underlying idea behind ’064 is to create a percussive therapy device with a multi-grip handle design that allows users to easily reach different body parts and apply massage from various angles. This is achieved through a housing with three handle portions arranged in a triangular configuration around a central opening, enabling versatile and ergonomic handling. The device also incorporates a push rod assembly driven by a motor to deliver the percussive action.
The claims of ’064 focus on a percussive therapy device featuring a housing with first, second, and third handle portions arranged to form a triangle, allowing a user to grasp any of the handles independently. The claims also cover a brushless motor mounted within a motor mount, where the motor's shaft extends into the motor mount interior to drive the push rod assembly. A method claim covers using the multi-handle device to massage different body parts by reorienting and grasping different handles.
In practice, the device operates by activating the motor, which in turn drives the push rod assembly to reciprocate, delivering percussive massage. The triangular handle design allows the user to easily switch grips and reach various body areas. The brushless motor, mounted within the motor mount, contributes to quieter operation and efficient force transmission to the reciprocating push rod .
The design differentiates itself from prior approaches by offering enhanced ergonomics and reach through its unique handle configuration. The motor mount design, particularly with the brushless motor, aims to reduce vibration and noise, providing a more comfortable and effective massage experience. The ability to easily reorient the device and switch grips allows for a more versatile and personalized massage experience compared to traditional single-handle massage devices.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’064 was filed, percussive massage devices were at a time when embedded systems commonly relied on microcontrollers to manage motor control and user interfaces, when wireless connectivity was typically implemented using Bluetooth for communication with mobile devices, and when rechargeable batteries were commonly used as a portable electrical source.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was subject to a non-final office action where claims were rejected for indefiniteness under 35 U.S.C. 112 and obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103. The drawings and specification were also objected to for informalities. The claims were rejected over prior art references such as Rix, Haas, Marton, Paul, Roberts, Stanbridge, Naughton, Neumeier, and Calvert. The claims were also rejected for nonstatutory double patenting. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
There are 23 claims in total, with independent claims numbered 1, 12, 16, and 23. The independent claims are generally directed to percussive therapy devices and methods of using them, focusing on the device's handle configuration and motor mount. The dependent claims generally add further details and limitations to the features described in the independent claims.
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Date
Description
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US10857064
- Application Number
- US16869402
- Filing Date
- May 7, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Nov 6, 2039
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents