Improved backscratcher to treat back itching

Abstract

To address such a problem that a "Mago-no-Te" (a backscratcher) becomes an unsuitable instrument in the flow of the times, because it is elucidated that fundamental therapy of itching caused by dry skin is to apply moisturizing cream and massage the area, however, when the itchy area is on the back, the shoulder blades are uneven, which makes it difficult to massage, and to provide a device capable of massaging even recesses on the back.SOLUTION: A solution is to shape and size the tip part of a device to reach the recessed part on the back. The size is about a fist size. The shape is substantially hemispherical without recess and corners. The height difference from a handle is about half of the height of the fist. The surface of the substantially hemispherical body is smooth. Cream can be applied to the recessed area of the back and the massage can be delivered by using the device with this constitution. The cream remaining on the semispherical body can be easily collected with fingers and can be used without waste.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application is an invention of an improved device, the Backscratcher, or Magonote. It is a device for treating back itching, but it does the exact opposite of Magonote. However, as the saying goes, "slow and steady wins the race," this was a shortcut to a fundamental cure. The present application is a "backscratcher improvement device," "device for applying medicine to the back," "back moisturizing care device," and "device for treating back itch." Hereinafter, the article to be applied for in this application will be referred to as the "apparatus of the present application." Additionally, the conventional backscratcher and the apparatus of the present application will be collectively referred to as the "apparatus for treating back itch." [Background technology]

[0002] Surprisingly, the ancient backscratcher was a wrong tool. Not only was it wrong, it was a tool that made the symptoms worse. The following is a chronological explanation of the user's situation and symptoms. A (Feeling itchy on your back) B (scratching his back with a backscratcher) C (itching temporarily subsides) This relief of the itching is only temporary, and after a while the itching returns. After this, steps A to C are repeated. The sensory nerves that cause itching are also called sensory receptors in the skin. These include touch, pressure, pain, and temperature (cold and warm), and itching is thought to occur as a combination of these. As mentioned above, the backscratcher is a device that relieves itching, and has been used since ancient times. However, detailed observations and investigations of the skin and sensory nerves have revealed that it was an inappropriate use. In fact, it was a defective device that led to a vicious cycle. A (Feeling itchy on your back) B (scratching his back with a backscratcher) C (itching temporarily subsides) D (Scratching the skin with a hard tool damages the stratum corneum, causing dry skin.) E (Dry skin becomes more sensitive to itching) F (I have chronic itching on my back) After that, steps A to F are repeated, but the dryness of the skin becomes worse depending on the frequency of use.

[0003] A (Feeling itchy on your back) B (scratching his back with a backscratcher) C (itching temporarily subsides) D (Scratching the skin with a hard tool damages the stratum corneum, causing dry skin.) E (Dry skin becomes more sensitive to itching) F (I have chronic itching on my back) G (Repeated damage to dry skin causes the itching nerves to extend to the surface of the skin, making the skin more sensitive to itching.) From then on, cycles A through G are repeated, and each time the dry skin worsens and the hypersensitive nerves extend to the surface, causing the itching to become more frequent. In this way, the more you use the backscratcher, the worse your skin will become, and you will start to feel chronic itching. As you use the backscratcher for longer, you will want to have one in your living room, one by your bed, one in the bathroom, and one in your car. In this way, backscratchers can easily become a vicious cycle.

[0004] Non-Patent Document 1 explains the fact that scratching the skin with a backscratcher-like tool roughens the stratum corneum, dries the skin, and makes the itching nerves hypersensitive. You can view explanatory articles by searching the internet for "Torisetsu Show" and "itchy back." The article explains that one way to improve the condition is to apply moisturizing cream and rub it 30 times, which will allow the cream to penetrate three times deeper and heal the rough skin faster. It takes several months to cure dry or sensitive skin depending on the severity. However, there is a big difference in the effect of improving skin condition between "applying moisturizing cream once" and "applying it and then kneading it 30 times." The "kneading it 30 times" treatment can improve skin quality in a shorter period of time. This is because there is a difference in the depth to which the cream ingredients penetrate the skin. A similar example would be pouring detergent onto a sponge used to wash dishes in the kitchen. As you pour detergent onto the sponge and rub it five or ten times, the detergent penetrates deeper into the sponge and creates a lather. It's the same when you apply moisturizing cream to your skin. By rubbing, kneading, or massaging, the cream penetrates deeper into the skin.

[0005] To explain it medically, the skin epidermis (stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum granularis, stratum spinosum, stratum basale) has no capillaries, lymphatic vessels, or muscles. In other words, there is no circulatory mechanism that actively penetrates moisturizing cream that has soaked into the skin. Penetration by physical capillary action or Brownian motion of molecular behavior is slow, and it is difficult for it to penetrate deep into the skin. Therefore, when you massage the skin, the skin is repeatedly compressed and released, and shifted up and down and left and right, promoting the penetration of the moisturizing cream ingredients. Here we will explain again why people start to feel itchy on their backs. As the name of the device, "backscratcher," suggests, from around the age of 60, the skin of the entire body tends to become dry as we age. Dry skin makes it easier to feel itchy. If the itchy area was within reach of the fingers, the itch could be relieved by scratching it only as little as necessary with soft fingers. However, since the back cannot be reached with fingers, people began to scratch it with a hard rod-shaped device, and this device became the backscratcher device. However, because the backscratcher is a hard device, it damages the skin cells on the back. This leads to a worsening of the symptoms in the long term. Although it may be an exaggeration, if we were to describe the "itchy back symptoms" as a disease, then "scratching the back" would be a symptomatic treatment that only temporarily alleviates the symptoms, making them worse. To fundamentally treat the condition, "moisturizing care" would be the correct approach. Patients must first clear up this misunderstanding.

[0006] Even after the misunderstanding is cleared up, difficulties still stand in the way. It may seem simple, but when the affected area is the back, the difficulty increases dramatically. There are three factors that make it difficult: Difficulty factor A: Since you cannot visually check your back, it is easy to miss areas. Difficulty factor B: The back has a dull sensation and a rough sense of position coordinates, so even if you rely on feel, it is easy to miss areas. Difficulty factor C: Due to unevenness along the spine and shoulder blades, it is easy to miss areas that have not been painted. The reason why you should not leave any areas unapplied is because you need to moisturize not only the "parts that are itchy right now" but the "entire back". If you leave any areas untreated, the skin in those areas will become dry and will eventually become itchy. Therefore, you need to moisturize all the areas, even those that are not itchy right now. The aforementioned difficult factor C is that when the user puts his / her hands behind his / her back to use the back itch remedy, the shoulder blades become raised and the height difference becomes larger, making it more likely that areas will not be applied.

[0007] There were several prior inventions for devices to treat back itching. Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a brush is attached to the end of a handle. However, the brush is a device that damages the skin more than a backscratcher. In terms of the sensation felt by human nerve transmission, a brush feels a softer stimulation than a backscratcher. However, when "rubbing with enough force to relieve the itch," it damages the stratum corneum of the skin. The brush bristles damage only the stratum corneum, with a force that is not transmitted to the sensory nerves. Because the stratum corneum is insensitive, it does not detect when it is damaged. If you continue to scratch the itch with a brush, the skin will become infected all over. Patent Document 2 has a structure in which a liquid medicine cylinder is held between two wires at the tip of a handle. It is intended to treat back itching with liquid medicine. However, the liquid medicine only temporarily suppresses the itching and does not cure dry skin. If the skin remains dry, the itching continues. Therefore, it is an incomplete solution. Patent Document 3 has a cylindrical roller at the end of the handle, which seems to be suitable for applying cream to the back. However, unlike when applying low-viscosity paint to a flat wall or floor, the cylindrical roller does not work as expected when applying high-viscosity cream to an uneven back. The application is uneven, and the cream tends to accumulate on the sides of the roller. And since the roller cannot move the skin back and forth, the application and massage effect is hardly obtained.

[0008] The other end of the device in Patent Document 1 has a vertically oriented cylindrical rubber, so it is possible to apply cream or massage. However, this is difficult in reality. Even if you try to apply and rub from side to side while applying pressure with the tip of the long handle, it is difficult to apply force. It is even more difficult to do this on your back. It is easy to understand if you imagine it as a "mop with a cleaning tool," where you move the handle while applying pressure, but applying pressure and swinging the handle from side to side is very tiring and cannot be continued. Patent Document 4 has a configuration in which a hemispherical body with projections and recesses is attached to the tip of the handle. With this configuration, a spreading and kneading massage effect can be obtained. However, a new problem occurs. Cream tends to remain on the projections and recesses of the hemispherical body. It is better to collect the cream remaining on the tool with your fingers and apply it to the skin area that you can reach with your fingers. The cream remaining on the tool is wasted. Also, when it is time to put the tool away, the place where it is put away will become dirty, so it is necessary to wipe off the cream remaining on the tool. However, with the hemispherical body with projections and recesses, there is a problem in that it is difficult to wipe off the cream remaining on the tool. Non-patent document 2 uses a flat rubber spatula, so pressure cannot be applied to the skin and it cannot be used for a rub-in massage. Patent documents 3 and 4 use spatulas in the shape of a cat's paw, but they are difficult to apply pressure to the skin, and are thought to have little effect on the massage. They cannot be adapted to the unevenness around the shoulder blades. In addition, the shape of the spatulas makes it difficult to collect the cream remaining on the device with the fingers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Jitsuhira 3-80727 (one end is a brush, the other end is a vertically oriented cylindrical rubber) [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3225223 (Liquid drug cylinder fixed with two wires) [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3214618 (with cylindrical roller at the tip) [Patent Document 4] JP 2014-233587 (hemispherical surface with multiple protrusions) [Non-patent literature]

[0010] [Non-Patent Document 1] Internet "NHK Tomorrow's Changing Instruction Show: Back Itching" [Non-Patent Document 2] Internet "ROUNS Back Cream Sprayer" (flat rubber spatula) [Non-Patent Document 3] Internet "Painting on your back kitty nurse" (cat paw rubber spatula) [Non-Patent Document 4] Internet "Kyozen Smooth and Shiny Cat Back" (Cat Paw Rubber Spatula) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] To provide a device for applying moisturizing cream to the back, massaging the back, and easily removing any remaining cream with the fingers. Task 1: Apply moisturizing cream to your back thoroughly. Task 2: Apply cream and massage to the back. Challenge 3: Make it easier to collect any remaining cream on the device using fingers. The residual cream on the device side refers to the cream that remains on the tip of the device even after the cream has been refilled on the tip of the device, spread on the back, and massaged in. To use a familiar analogy, it is equivalent to butter remaining on a butter knife or toothpaste remaining on a toothbrush. The finger collection here means wiping off any cream remaining on the tip of the device with a finger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve this problem, the solution is to change the shape of the tip of a conventional backscratcher to be suitable for (massaging the application of moisturizing cream) and (collecting remaining cream from the fingers). To explain the specific configuration of the solution, a handle is formed that is about the length of an arm, and a roughly hemispherical body about the size of a clenched fist is attached to the end of this handle in a direction perpendicular to the handle, the difference in height between this roughly hemispherical body and the handle is about half the height of a clenched fist, and the surface of this roughly hemispherical body is formed to be a smooth surface. Furthermore, it is preferable that the roughly hemispherical body is formed into a hollow structure and a stack structure (STACK) that can be stacked. The handle referred to here is the same as the traditional backscratcher handle. The arm length referred to here is the arm length of an adult who is the intended user. Of course, it is not exactly the same length. Since it is a measure of length, it includes an increase or decrease within a range that is easy to use. If Westerners are assumed, it is converted to Western arm length. The term "attached perpendicular to the handle" used here means that the perpendicular line from the apex of the convex part of the hemisphere is attached perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The size of a clenched fist here is the same as the arm length method, and refers to a size that includes a slight range of increase or decrease based on the size of the clenched fist of an adult, who is the assumed user. The term "approximately hemispherical" as used here includes not only a shape of a sphere cut in half, but also a spherical shape such as a rugby ball or a rice bale cut vertically into an ellipsoid, and a non-rotating shape. In other words, a shape without any dents or corners.

[0013] The smooth surface referred to here is one that is smooth enough to wipe off cream adhering to the surface with a finger. The constituent element (roughly a hemispherical body about the size of a fist) has the function of smoothing out an uneven surface. As explained in difficult factor C, there are height differences along the spine and shoulder blades on the back skin. Unless an instrument has a shape and dimensions that fit into these recesses and a height difference, it is impossible to paint the recesses on the back. Because the instrument in this application is (an instrument about the size of a fist), it can reach and paint the recesses on the back. For example, an instrument for painting cream on corrugated galvanized iron sheeting needs a height difference equal to or greater than the depth of the galvanized iron sheeting. The constituent element (roughly hemispherical body) also has an effect of smoothing application. When applying cream with the device of the present application, the cream is placed on the roughly hemispherical body and rubbed against the back. During this action, excess cream accumulates on the front of the roughly hemispherical body, and when the cream at the apex of the roughly hemispherical body runs out, it replenishes it. Depending on how hard the device of the present application is pressed against the skin, the skin wrinkles come to be positioned on the front of the roughly hemispherical body. The excess cream on the front of the roughly hemispherical body comes into contact with the skin wrinkles and is applied. To give a familiar example, it is like spreading cream on the back of your hand with your fingers. You spread the cream on your fingers, then spread it on the back of your hand. The excess cream pools on the front of your fingers, and is spread evenly on the back of your hand. The constituent element (roughly hemispherical body about the size of a fist) also has a (spread-and-knead massage effect). The unevenness of the back has a curvature and height difference about the size of a fist, so the roughly hemispherical body can be pressed against the concave part of the back. By pressing the roughly hemispherical body and moving it back and forth, a spread-and-knead massage can be performed. As described in the Background Art section, the configurations in the prior art documents do not have the above effect. Effect of the Invention

[0014] The device of the present application has a roughly hemispherical body attached to the tip of the handle, which has the effect of smoothing the application to uneven surfaces and massaging the application, allowing moisturizing cream to penetrate deep into the skin, improving (dry skin that feels itchy) to (moisturized skin that does not feel itchy). I will add a bit more detail here, but the first time you use this device, it only weakens the itching to a tolerable level, but it does not disappear. It takes 2-6 weeks for the skin to return to a healthy state without itching. Therefore, in the early stages of treatment, you will literally feel frustrated, as if you are scratching an itch through a shoe. However, if you continue the treatment, you will achieve moisturized skin without itching. This device truly embodies the proverb "slow and steady wins the race." I will be ashamed to admit that as the inventor, I made a prototype brush-type backscratcher and tried it myself, only to have the misfortune of having my entire back infected. However, with the device, I was able to restore my skin to its original health. The specific treatment method of the device of the present application will be explained in the section on examples. However, the treatment involves a moisturizing cream application process and an application and massage process. The roughly hemispherical body of the device of the present application has a curvature and height difference of about the size of a clenched fist, so it has the effect of applying cream to the concave parts of the back without leaving any uncoated areas. The area around the shoulder blades is particularly uneven, but the device of the present application has a height difference, so it can be applied. The shape of the roughly hemispherical body also has the effect of spreading the cream evenly. If there is an excess of cream on the skin, the cream is smoothed out by the front surface of the roughly hemispherical body. If it comes into contact with skin that has not yet been applied with cream, the cream that has accumulated on the front surface of the roughly hemispherical body is spread onto the skin. Due to these actions, the device of the present application can apply cream to the entire uneven back. The roller configuration of Patent Document 3 is effective for applying low-viscosity paint to a wall surface, but it cannot smooth out high-viscosity cream. The spatula configuration of Non-Patent Document 2 also cannot smooth out the cream.

[0015] The roughly hemispherical body of the device of the present application is a hemispherical body with no corners and a smooth surface, so even if it is rubbed while being pressed, it does not damage the skin. Also, the roughly hemispherical body can concentrate the pressing force on one part, so it can massage steadily. With a flat structure or a structure with multiple convex parts as in Non-Patent Documents 2 to 4, it is not possible to massage because it cannot reach the concave parts. As described above, the device of the present invention has the effect of smoothing the application on uneven surfaces and massaging the application and kneading, so that it can be used to apply moisturizing cream and improve the skin quality. In addition, since the surface of the roughly hemispherical body of the device of the present application is smooth, any cream remaining on the surface of the roughly hemispherical body after application and massaging can be easily wiped and collected with fingers. The collected cream is spread to areas that can be reached with the fingers. In other words, it is spread on the upper back (behind the shoulders) and the lower back (behind the waist). In this way, the cream can be used without waste. Furthermore, cleaning is not required when storing the device of the present application. With devices with fine irregularities such as those in Patent Document 4 and Non-Patent Documents 3 and 4, it is difficult to collect the cream with fingers. Furthermore, it is time-consuming to clean the device with tissues and brushes. The ladle portion of the device of the present invention has a stackable structure and can be stacked, which has the effect of enabling space-efficient manufacturing, transportation, storage, sales and display. This is an effect limited to Example 2, but since the ladle part is oblong, it has the effect of efficiently spreading and massaging. If we use a writing instrument as an example, it is the same as how a thick pen can fill a paper faster than a fine pen. Moreover, since the same skin area is to be moved back and forth 30 times, the width of the treatment width has a large impact. If the treatment width is doubled, the effort and time required for treatment are halved. The present device, which has a ladle part oblong, has the effect of simplifying the effort and shortening the time.

[0016] Since the application massage is the most important step, it will be explained in detail here. First, apply moisturizing cream to the entire area that is difficult to reach. Next, perform the application massage process. Place a hemisphere on the back. Then, move the hemisphere up and down while applying pressure. If the hemisphere is moved up, the skin in contact with it also moves up together with the hemisphere, and if it exceeds its limit of movement, it will shift relative to the hemisphere and return to its original position. If the hemisphere is moved down, the skin will move in the opposite direction in the same way and then shift back. Also, because the hemisphere is applying pressure, the skin will also elastically deform. This back and forth movement of the hemisphere is repeated about 30 times to massage the skin in that area. The hemisphere is moved in sequence to massage the entire back area. Let us assume that there is a mole on the back and the area around the mole is massaged. When the hemispherical body of the device of the present application is pressed against the mole, the skin around the mole is depressed. When the hemispherical body is moved back and forth, the position coordinates of the mole also shift. When the hemispherical body and the mole shift relatively, the mole returns to its normal skin position. In this way, the mole performs a "reciprocating lateral shifting motion" and a "returning depression motion." When the skin is depressed and returned, or moves back and forth sideways during the massage, the moisturizing cream can easily penetrate deep into the skin. Only the device of the present application can provide this effect to the recessed area of ​​the back, and prior art cannot. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention (Example 1). [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the device of the present invention (Example 2). [Diagram 3]This is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2. However, this shows the entire length of the device of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view showing a stack state in which three devices of the present invention are stacked on top of each other. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The shape of the device of the present application is roughly the same as that of a spoon or ladle. The size of the device of the present application is the same length as a conventional backscratcher. The tip is described as the ladle part, and the handle is described as the handle part. As an example that is easy to illustrate, the ladle part is made hemispherical and explained in Example 1. As an example that is more convenient, a configuration in which the ladle part is made elliptical is explained in Example 2. EXAMPLES

[0019] Example 1 will be described with reference to Figure 1. A hollow sphere cut in half and about the size of a clenched fist is used as the ladle part 1. A rod-shaped handle part 2 is connected to this ladle part 1 to form the device 3 of the present invention. To apply cream to the back, apply the cream to the ladle 1. Hold the handle 2, place the ladle 1 on the back, and spread the cream over the skin on the back. Massage is done in the same way. EXAMPLES

[0020] Example 2 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 2, a ladle member 4 is formed in a horizontally long oval shape about the size of a clenched fist, and is connected to the left end of a rod-shaped handle member 5. A handle 6 is attached to the right end of the handle member 5 to form the present device 7. In order to express the curved shape of the ladle member 4, only the area of ​​the ladle member 4 is shown with a dot-dash contour line. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of line AA in Figure 2. This is also a view of three present devices 7 stacked on top of each other. To make the figure easier to see, the diagonal lines in the cross section of the handle 6 have been omitted. The ladle member 4 is oval-shaped, so spreading and massaging can be done more efficiently. The contact area between the ladle member 4 and the skin is elongated, so the treatment area by pushing and pulling the handle member 4 is expanded. It is the same as how a thick pen can fill a piece of paper faster than a fine pen. The height difference of the present invention's device 7 is indicated by H in Fig. 3. The height difference H of the device is equal to or larger than the back recess, so that both cream application and massage are possible. After the massage, the cream remaining on the scoop member 4 is scooped up with the fingers and applied to the back of the shoulders and back of the waist. The scoop member 4 has a spherical shape and a smooth surface, so that the cream can be easily scooped up. Furthermore, the device 7 of the present invention can be stacked, which has the advantage that it can be manufactured, transported, stored, sold, and exhibited in a space-efficient manner. Finally, I deliberately exaggerated the statement that "the backscratcher is the wrong tool." As time passed, better ways of dealing with the problem were discovered. This is an expression to expedite the process of understanding the misunderstanding. In the past, the backscratcher was a useful tool. [Explanation of symbols]

[0021] 1...Scoop part 2...Handle part 3...Apparatus of the present invention (Example 1) 4...Scoop member 5: Handle member 6: Handle 7: Apparatus of the present invention (Example 2) H: Height difference of the instrument

Claims

1. The device of the present invention is characterized in that a handle is formed about the length of an arm, a roughly hemispherical body about the size of a clenched fist is attached to the tip of the handle in a direction perpendicular to the handle, the height difference between the roughly hemispherical body and the handle is about half the height of a clenched fist, and the surface of the roughly hemispherical body is formed to be smooth.

2. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the roughly hemispherical body has a horizontally elongated elliptical shape and is attached in such a direction that the axis of the major axis of the ellipse is perpendicular to the handle.

3. The present device according to claim 2 has a shape that allows the present device to be stacked on top of another present device.

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