Massage instrument

Abstract

To provide a massage instrument that can generate smoothness on the surface by bringing liquid such as water into contact with an applicator during use, and also provides excellent using feeling.SOLUTION: A massage instrument 1 contains a water-absorbing resin in elastic polymer as a constituent material of a body part 2, on which an applicator 21 is arranged, and can generate appropriate moisture and smoothness on the surface by bringing liquid such as water into contact with the applicator 21. Thus, because of appropriate moisture and smoothness, a user does not feel discomfort that can be caused by too strong stimulation received at a site of application on the user caused by friction between the applicator 21 and the site of application even when the user presses or rubs the applicator 21 of the massage instrument 1 at the site of application, allowing massaging to be comfortably performed with good using feeling. The massage instrument 1 does not require preparing a separate lubricant in order to give appropriate moisture to the applicator 21 and further can be used repeatedly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a massage device, and more particularly to a massage device for massaging various parts of the body. [Background technology]

[0002] To relax and refresh the mind and body, various parts of the body such as the face, head, arms (hands), shoulders, chest, abdomen, waist, feet (legs) etc. When massaging these parts, hands and fingers may be used to knead and loosen the muscles, but in order to perform the massage more effectively, massage equipment (also called massage tools or massage implements) is often pressed against the body.

[0003] Generally, massage devices for massaging various parts of the body are provided that have a gripping portion (holding portion) for the user to grasp (hold) and a massaging portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-119026 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-4341 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To effectively massage, users often grasp the grip of the massage tool and press or rub the massaging part of the tool against the area to be massaged. The massaging part of a massage tool is generally made of a relatively soft synthetic resin or rubber, and may also have protrusions on its surface to improve contact efficiency and efficiently transmit stimulation.

[0006] As explained above, while the massaging portion of the massage device is pressed or rubbed against the user's application area, friction between the massaging portion of the massage device and the user's application area can cause the user's application area to receive too much stimulation, resulting in a poor feel, an ineffective massage, or a sense of discomfort for the user. To prevent such problems, it would be ideal if the area to be massaged was adequately moisturized and slippery, but to achieve this, it was necessary to apply a separate lubricant or the like.

[0007] The object of the present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and is to provide a massage device that can create a slippery surface by bringing a liquid such as water into contact with the application part during use, and that feels good to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the massage device of the present invention comprises: a main body including an application part that is brought into contact with the area where the user wants to massage; a gripping portion that is gripped in use and is integrated with the main body portion, The main body is characterized in that the material contains a water-absorbent resin in addition to an elastic polymer.

[0009] The massage device according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, the body contains 1 to 100 parts by mass of the water-absorbent resin relative to 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer constituting the body.

[0010] The massage device according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, the body contains 3 to 10 parts by mass of the water-absorbent resin relative to 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer constituting the body.

[0011] The massage device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, the absorbent resin constituting the main body is sodium polyacrylate, and the elastic polymer constituting the main body is a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0012] The massage tool according to the present invention is the massage tool according to the present invention described above, wherein the application part has at least one protrusion.

[0013] The massage device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, the main body portion and the gripping portion are integrated by a portion of the main body portion being inserted into a hole formed in the gripping portion.

[0014] The massage device according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, the hole is a slit-shaped through-hole, and a portion of the main body extends into the through-hole from both sides.

[0015] The massage device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the present invention described above, parts of the main body that extend into the through hole from both sides are joined together and integrated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The massage device according to the present invention contains a water-absorbent resin in an elastic polymer as a constituent material of the main body, on which the application part to be massaged by the user is disposed, and so by bringing water or other liquid into contact with the application part, the surface can be made moderately moist and smooth, etc. As a result, even when the application part of the massage device is pressed or rubbed against the user's application part, the moderate moistness and smoothness prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable due to excessive stimulation received by the application part due to friction between the application part and the user's application part, etc., and the massage can be performed comfortably and with a good feel.

[0017] Furthermore, in order to provide the appropriate amount of moisture and slipperiness to the application area, it is sufficient to simply bring water or other liquid into contact with the application area of ​​the main body of the massage tool, and there is no need to prepare a separate lubricant, etc. In addition, the massage tool of the present invention can be used repeatedly because it returns to its pre-use state once it dries after use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a massage device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of a massage device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a bottom view showing one embodiment of the massage device according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a grip portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a front view showing one aspect of the grip portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing one embodiment of the grip portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a view showing a state in which a part of the gripping portion is cut away. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a part of the massage device is cut away. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a part of the massage device is cut away. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a part of the massage device is cut away. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a protective cover is attached to a massage device. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which one of the protective covers has been removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] (I) Basic configuration of massage device 1: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a massage tool 1 according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of a massage tool 1 according to the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing one embodiment of a massage tool 1 according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a gripping portion 3, Fig. 5 is a front view showing one embodiment of a gripping portion 3, Fig. 6 is a bottom view showing one embodiment of a gripping portion 3, and Fig. 7 is a view showing a part of the gripping portion 3 cut away. In Figs. 1 to 7, 1 indicates the massage tool, 2 indicates the main portion, 21 indicates the application portion, 22 indicates the protrusion, 23 indicates the recess, 3 indicates the gripping portion, 31 indicates the grip, 32 indicates the connecting portion, and 33 indicates the hole (through hole). Note that not all of the components are designated by reference numerals.

[0021] The massage device 1 according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes: a main body 2 including an application part 21 that is brought into contact with the area where the user wants to massage; A gripping portion 3 that is gripped during use and integrated with the main body portion 2; The basic configuration includes the following.

[0022] The massage tool 1 according to the present invention can be used by bringing the main body 2, including the portion where the application part 21 is formed, into contact with a liquid such as water to cause slippage during use. The main body 2 and grip part 3 that make up the massage tool 1 will be described below.

[0023] (II) Configuration of main body 2: The main body 2 has a generally circular shape when viewed from the front and a generally dome-shaped or bun-shaped shape when viewed from the side, gently rising toward the center and having a generally rounded shape. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the main body 2 is integrated with the grip portion 3, which will be described later.

[0024] The main body 2 includes an application part 21 that comes into contact with the area to which the user (not shown; same applies below) applies the massage during use (typical examples include the face, head, arms (hands), shoulders, chest, abdomen, waist, feet (legs), buttocks, crotch, etc., but is not limited to these), and in this embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the application part 21 has multiple protrusions 22 formed thereon.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 3 (particularly Figure 3), the main body portion 2 has an approximately bun-shaped or dome-shaped configuration, and the application portion 21 formed within the main body portion 2 has protrusions 22, each of which is approximately circular when viewed from the front, and shows an approximately hexagonal configuration (see Figure 3) with three protrusions 22 per side, for a total of 19 protrusions 22.

[0026] In addition, in this embodiment, the tip of the protrusion 22 is flat and angled diagonally toward the center of the main body 2, but the shape of the tip of the protrusion 22 can be any shape, for example, rounded for safety, cone-shaped with a rounded tip, or semicircular in cross section.

[0027] It is preferable that at least one protrusion 22 is formed on the application part 21, and it is more preferable that multiple protrusions 22 are formed, and it is particularly preferable that, for example, 2 to 30 protrusions 22 are formed, but the number of protrusions 22 is not particularly limited.

[0028] Moreover, the protrusions 22 constituting the application portion 21 are formed inside recesses 23 (depressions) formed in the main body portion 2. Moreover, the periphery of the recesses 23 is configured to be formed in a substantially semicircular shape between each of three protrusions 22 that form each side of a substantially regular hexagon out of the 19 protrusions 22 arranged inside.

[0029] Next, we will explain the constituent materials (such as the resin material that constitutes the main body 2) of the main body 2. The material that constitutes the main body 2 is elastically deformable (a deformation that occurs when a force is applied to an object, and when that force is removed, the object can deform (elastically deform) freely (as desired) to return to its original shape), and it is preferable to use a material that has appropriate elasticity, stretchability, and flexibility, and it is preferable to use an elastic polymer (also called a soft resin).

[0030] Examples of such elastic polymers that can be used include thermoplastic elastomers, elastomers, gel rubbers, silicone resins, polystyrene resins, urethane resins, soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins, soft polyolefin resins, etc. These elastic polymers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0031] As the elastic polymer, a thermoplastic elastomer is preferably used in terms of moldability, cost, and good usability when used as a molded article. As the thermoplastic elastomer, it is particularly preferable to use a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer such as styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer (SIS), styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS), (hydrogenated) styrene-ethylene-propylene block copolymer (SEP), (hydrogenated) styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), (hydrogenated) styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymer (SEPS), (hydrogenated) styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymer (SEEPS), styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBR), (hydrogenated) styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SEB), styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SIR), (hydrogenated) styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SEP), or styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer (SIS). (Note that the term "(hydrogenated)" indicates that the subsequently described compound may be hydrogenated.) These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0032] Further examples include core-shell type particulate elastomers such as natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, neoprene, polysulfide rubber, thiokol rubber, acrylic rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene-core-shell rubber (ABS), methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene-core-shell rubber (MBS), methyl methacrylate-butyl acrylate-styrene-core-shell rubber (MAS), octyl acrylate-butadiene-styrene-core-shell rubber (MABS), alkyl acrylate-butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene core-shell rubber (AABS), butadiene-styrene-core-shell rubber (SBR), and siloxane-containing core-shell rubbers such as methyl methacrylate-butyl acrylate-siloxane, as well as modified rubbers thereof. These may also be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0033] Furthermore, in the present invention, a water-absorbing resin (also called a water-absorbing polymer) is contained in addition to the elastic polymer as a constituent material of the main body 2. By using a combination of an elastic polymer and a water-absorbing resin as a constituent material of the main body 2, the water-absorbing resin is dispersed in the elastic polymer that serves as the base material when molded into the main body 2, and water absorption can be imparted to the main body 2. Furthermore, by bringing the main body 2 into contact with a liquid such as water (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "water, etc."), slippage can be generated on the surface of the main body 2, including the application portion 21.

[0034] The water-absorbing resin is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include polyacrylic acid salts such as sodium polyacrylate (including crosslinked polyacrylic acid salts), polyacrylamide, hydrolyzates of starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymers, crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylic acid (salt)-vinyl alcohol copolymers, crosslinked polyoxyethylene, and thermoplastic resins containing polyalkylene oxide units.

[0035] Generally, acrylic acid polymers have many carboxyl groups and are therefore highly hydrophilic. Therefore, it is preferable for the water-absorbent resin to contain a polyacrylic acid salt. Furthermore, if necessary, crosslinking the polymer into a network structure and converting it into the sodium salt form results in a highly water-absorbent gel, exhibiting excellent properties. Therefore, it is particularly preferable to use sodium polyacrylate. Sodium polyacrylate may be used in a crosslinked form (sodium polyacrylate crosslinked form). Sodium polyacrylate is also known as a highly water-absorbent resin (highly water-absorbent polymer), and since it can absorb a large amount of water with a small amount added, it is suitable for the purpose of the present invention.

[0036] The water-absorbent resin can be in a liquid or powder form (including powder and granules), and it is preferable to use a powder form. By making it into a powder form, the surface area is increased, the water absorption capacity is further improved, and it is well dispersed in the elastic polymer that is the base material. There is no particular limitation on the average particle size, but it is preferably 1 to 1000 μm, for example, and the shape can be any known shape such as a sphere, plate, fluid-forming shape, or irregular shape.

[0037] The content of the water-absorbent resin relative to the elastic polymer as a constituent material of the main body 2 can be appropriately determined depending on the type of elastic polymer used, the type of water-absorbent resin, the required properties (such as the degree of slipperiness), etc. It can be thought that a higher content of water-absorbent resin will result in slipperiness with a smaller amount of water, but generally, it is preferable to have a content of 1 part by mass or more relative to 100 parts by mass of elastic polymer, and more preferably 1 to 100 parts by mass. If the content of water-absorbent resin is less than 1 part by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of elastic polymer, slipperiness may not occur even when contacted with water, etc., while if it is more than 100 parts by mass, it may exceed the content of the elastic polymer, affect elastic deformation, and may result in a slightly higher cost.

[0038] Increasing the content of the water-absorbent resin increases the cost of the water-absorbent resin slightly, but has the advantage of increasing the number of times it can be gelled and allowing for more frequent use. The content of the water-absorbent resin relative to the elastic polymer is more preferably 3 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer, which is low-cost and provides a good feeling of use. In order to achieve this, the content of the water-absorbent resin relative to the elastic polymer is even more preferably 3 to 10 parts by mass, particularly preferably 5 to 10 parts by mass, and most preferably 5 to 8 parts by mass.

[0039] The main body 2 may be colored. To color the main body 2, a conventionally known colorant may be added to the constituent material of the main body 2, or the outer surface of the main body 2 may be colored by painting or the like. Considering the simplification of the manufacture of the main body 2, it is preferable to add a pigment or colorant, such as an organic pigment or inorganic pigment, to the constituent material of the main body 2 when coloring the main body 2.

[0040] In addition to the materials mentioned above, various additives may be added as necessary to the constituent materials of the main body 2, such as pigments, colorants, stabilizers such as inorganic stabilizers, lubricants, impact modifiers, processing aids, nucleating agents, reinforcing agents, flame retardants, crosslinking agents, crosslinkable monomers, weather resistance modifiers, ultraviolet absorbers, antioxidants, hydrolysis resistance improvers, mildew inhibitors, antibacterial agents, light stabilizers, antistatic agents, oil components such as softening oils, antiblocking agents, release agents, fragrances, conventionally known cosmetic ingredients, fillers, coupling agents, crosslinking agents, foaming agents, etc., within the scope of the purpose and effect of the present invention.

[0041] Of the above additives, it is preferable that softening oil be contained as a constituent material of the main body 2. Softening oil has the function of softening the thermoplastic elastomer (especially styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, etc.) that serves as the base material, and by including it, it is possible to impart appropriate flexibility to the main body 2, and by adjusting the content, it is possible to adjust the softness (flexibility) of the main body 2 (the higher the content, the softer the main body 2 can be imparted).

[0042] As the softening oil, any conventionally known softening oil capable of softening thermoplastic elastomers and the like can be used, including, for example, liquid paraffin and paraffin oil (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as "paraffin-based softeners"), which are known as hydrocarbon oils, naphthenic oils (naphthenic softeners), and aromatic oils (aromatic softeners). Of these, it is preferable to use paraffin-based softeners such as liquid paraffin and paraffin oil, because they have good affinity with thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers and are less likely to bleed.

[0043] When a softening oil is used, the content relative to the elastic polymer is not particularly limited, and may be determined appropriately depending on the required softness as well as the type and content of the elastic polymer and water-absorbing resin described above. However, taking into consideration the degree of elastic deformation and flexibility of the elastic polymer that is the molded body, it is preferable to use 300 to 1100 parts by mass of softening oil, and particularly preferably 500 to 900 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer.

[0044] (III) Configuration of gripping portion 3: Next, the grip portion 3 that constitutes the massage device 1 by being fixed integrally with the main body portion 2 will be described.

[0045] In this embodiment, the gripping portion 3 is integrally formed by two gripping pieces 31 that spread symmetrically on both sides like wings (or two leaves) and a connecting portion 32 that is connected to the main body portion 2 and fixed integrally. The gripping pieces 31 are formed to spread symmetrically on both sides (left and right), but are given a moderate R (radius) to make them bent so that they are easy to grip. The tip of the gripping piece 31 is rounded without any corners, making it easy to grip and safe.

[0046] In this embodiment, the connecting portion 32 is pedestal-shaped and has a substantially circular shape in a front view, similar to the main body portion 2 described above. In addition, the connecting portion 32 has a plurality of slit-shaped through holes 33 formed linearly so as to penetrate the connecting portion 32 (gripping portion 3), and in this embodiment, seven through holes 33 are formed. In this embodiment, the main body portion 2 and the gripping portion 3 of the massage tool 1 are fixed and integrated together by a portion of the main body portion 2 (the constituent material of the main body portion 2) entering the inside of the through holes 33.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 4 etc., the slit-shaped through-hole 33 is formed with both ends being inclined obliquely. By forming it in this manner, a part of the main body 2 (the constituent material of the main body 2) can easily enter the inside of the through-hole 33 from both sides of the through-hole 33, which helps to integrate the main body 2 and the gripping portion 3. In this embodiment, the through-hole 33 is formed so as to be parallel to the top surface of the gripping portion 3 (see Fig. 5).

[0048] Furthermore, Figure 7 (a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in Figure 5) shows a state in which a part of the gripping portion 3 has been cut away. Since the through-hole 33 is linearly connected from both sides, parts of the main body 2 can easily enter from both sides of the through-hole 33. In particular, when such parts are made of a molten constituent material, they can easily be bonded and integrated (bonded and integrated) inside the through-hole 33.

[0049] The gripping portion 3 is preferably made of a hard material, since it is grasped (held) by the user with a predetermined force, and can be easily manufactured by a known manufacturing method using, for example, thermoplastic synthetic resins (plastics) such as ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin), polypropylene resin, and polycarbonate resin, metal materials such as rust-resistant aluminum and stainless steel, and inorganic materials such as ceramics and silicone. Among these, synthetic resins are preferable in consideration of moldability, processability, strength, weight (lightweight), etc.

[0050] (IV) Manufacturing method of massage device 1: The massage device 1 is constructed by fixing the main body portion 2 and grip portion 3 together, and in this embodiment, it is preferable that the main body portion 2 and grip portion 3 are fixed together (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "integrated") by a part of the main body portion 2 (the constituent material of the main body portion 2) entering inside the through hole 33 formed in the grip portion 3.

[0051] In addition, the massage device 1 can be easily obtained by first attaching the grip portion 3 to an injection molding die (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a "die") not shown in the figures, molding the shape of the main body portion 2 by so-called insert molding, and then inserting a part of the main body portion 2 (the constituent material of the main body portion 2) into the hole 33 (slit-shaped through hole 33) formed in the grip portion 3, thereby integrating the main body portion 2 and the grip portion 3.

[0052] That is, the gripping portion 3 is attached to an injection molding die (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "die") not shown, and the molten material for the main body portion 2 is injected from the side of the die where the material injection port is formed, and the material is cooled and solidified.

[0053] The mold may be a split mold, with the gripping portion 3 attached to one split mold (mold) not shown and closed with the other split mold not shown. In this state, when the molten constituent material is injected into the mold through a resin injection port not shown, the molten constituent material of the main body 2 flows into the mold from both sides of the through-hole 33 on the slit of the gripping portion 3 attached to the mold.

[0054] Figures 8 to 10 are views showing a state in which a part of the massage device has been cut away. Here, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2, and is cut along the same cross-section as Figure 7, and it can be seen that a part of the main body part 2 is joined and integrated inside the through-hole 33 of the grip part 3. Also, Figures 9 and 10 are a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 3 (Figure 9) and a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Figure 3 (Figure 10), and it can be seen that a part of the main body part 2 has entered inside the through-hole 33 of the grip part 3.

[0055] When the molten constituent material of the main body 2 is injected into the mold, the constituent material flows in from both sides of the through-hole 33 and bonds and becomes one inside the through-hole 33, as shown in FIG. 8 and other figures. Furthermore, when the constituent material flows in from both sides of the through-hole 33 and is cooled in this state, the constituent material of the main body 2 solidifies. In this embodiment, since the through-hole 33 is connected linearly from both sides, parts of the main body 2 (the constituent material of the main body 2) can easily flow in from both sides of the through-hole 33, and parts of the main body 2 can easily be bonded and integrated (bonded and integrated).

[0056] Once the constituent materials have solidified, the mold is opened and the molded body is removed, whereby the main body 2 is attached to the grip portion 3, and the massage tool 1 in which the main body 2 and grip portion 3 are integrated can be obtained.

[0057] The above-described manufacturing method is merely an example, and there is no problem in manufacturing the massage device 1 using other means.

[0058] (V) How to use massage device 1: An example of how to use the massage device 1 according to this embodiment will be described below. First, an appropriate amount of water is brought into contact with the portion of the main body 2 of the massage device 1 that includes the application portion 21. By bringing water into contact with the portion of the main body 2 that includes the application portion 21, the surface of the main body 2 that includes the application portion 21 becomes appropriately slippery.

[0059] Next, a user (not shown in the figure) (a third party who is not the user) grasps the grip 31 of the gripping portion 3 and presses or rubs the application portion 21 (particularly the protrusion 22) of the main body portion 2 of the massage device 1 against the area where the user wants to apply the massage (application area), thereby performing the massage.

[0060] Here, the application part 21 of the massage tool 1 is formed with a plurality of protrusions 22, but because it has a moderate amount of moisture and slipperiness, even when the application part of the massage tool 1 is pressed or rubbed against the user's application area, the user does not feel uncomfortable due to excessive stimulation of the application area caused by friction between the application part 21 and the user's application area, and the massage tool 1 provides a comfortable massage with a good feel when used.

[0061] When the massage tool 1 is not in use, a protective cover 5 may be attached to prevent the main body 2 from drying out. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the massage tool 1 with the protective cover 5 attached.

[0062] In this embodiment, the protective cover 5 is attached to the massage tool 1 by combining two separate protective covers 51 and 52 into one unit. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the state in which one of the protective covers 5 (protective cover 51) has been removed (for ease of identification, the massage tool 1 is shown in a cut state). The protective cover 5 can be made of, for example, the same material as the material constituting the gripping portion 3 described above.

[0063] (VI) Effects of the present invention: The massage device 1 according to the present invention described above uses an elastic polymer containing a water-absorbent resin as a constituent material of the main body 2, on which the application portion 21, to which the user's massage is applied, is disposed. Therefore, by contacting the application portion 21 with a liquid such as water, the surface can be provided with a moderate amount of moisture and slipperiness. This provides a moderate amount of moisture and slipperiness, even when the application portion 21 of the massage device 1 is pressed or rubbed against the user's application site. This prevents the user from feeling uncomfortable due to excessive stimulation of the application site caused by friction between the application portion 21 and the user's application site, and allows for a comfortable massage. Furthermore, providing a moderate amount of moisture and slipperiness to the application portion 21 is achieved by simply contacting the application site of the massage device's main body 2 with a liquid such as water; no additional lubricant is required.

[0064] Furthermore, even if the main body 2 of the massage device 1 according to the present invention comes into contact with a liquid such as water during use, causing the application portion 21 to become moderately slippery, the device will return to its original state (pre-use state) once it dries after use, allowing for repeated use. In contrast, the massage device disclosed in JP 2022-124164 A has a main body made of a gel such as agar, which uses water as a dispersion medium, and therefore requires the evaporation of water from the main body to be suppressed. Therefore, the device is sealed in a tightly sealed packaging container, which limits its use to a single use after opening. In contrast, the massage device 1 according to the present invention does not have such problems and can be used repeatedly as described above, which is another advantage of the present invention.

[0065] (VII) Variations of the embodiment: The above-described embodiment shows one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented by any of the above-described embodiments. It goes without saying that any modifications or improvements within the scope of the present invention are included in the content of the present invention. Furthermore, the specific structure and shape when implementing the present invention may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Other structures and shapes may also be used within the scope of feasibility. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are permitted. This is included in the invention.

[0066] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the shapes of the main body portion 2 and the gripping portion 3 that constitute the massage tool 1 (and the shape of the massage tool 1, etc.) were explained using Figure 1, etc., but the shapes of the massage tool 1 (main body portion 2 and gripping portion 3) are not limited to these, and the massage tool 1 may be one in which the main body portion 2 and gripping portion 3 of any shape are fixed and integrated, as long as they meet the requirements of the basic configuration described above.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a means for fixing the main body portion 2 and the gripping portion 3 together is described as forming a slit-shaped through hole 33 at the joint of the gripping portion 3, and using so-called insert molding, in which the gripping portion 3 is attached to an injection molding die in advance and injection molded, so that a part of the main body portion 2 (the constituent material of the main body portion 2) enters the interior from both sides of the slit-shaped through hole 33, thereby attaching the main body portion 2 to the gripping portion 3 and fixing them together. However, the means for fixing the main body portion 2 and the gripping portion 3 together is not limited to this mode, and the main body portion 2 and the gripping portion 3 may also be integrated by conventionally known means, such as by gluing the two together. In addition, the specific structure and shape when implementing the present invention are within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention. Other structures may be used in the surrounding area. [Example]

[0068] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Examples and Reference Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0069] [Examples 1 to 10, Reference Example 1] Following the content described above in "(IV) Manufacturing method of massage device 1:", massage devices (Examples 1 to 10) having the shapes shown in Figures 1 to 12 were manufactured using the manufacturing method below (insert injection molding).

[0070] As a reference (blank), a massage device having the same shape as in Example 1, etc., but without adding powdered sodium polyacrylate (highly water-absorbent resin) as a constituent material of the main body, was also manufactured as Reference Example 1.

[0071] (Manufacturing method of massage device) A gripping portion made of ABS resin and having the shape shown in Figure 4 was attached to a split mold (metal mold) not shown, and closed with the other split mold not shown. Molten material for the main body (such as the resin material for the main body) was injected from the side of the mold where the material injection port was formed.

[0072] The molten constituent material that would become part of the main body penetrated into the grip from both sides of the holes (slit-shaped through holes) and the constituent material bonded and integrated inside. The mold was cooled to cool and solidify the constituent material, and then the split mold was opened and the molded body was removed from the mold, thereby obtaining the massage devices of Examples 1 to 10 (and Reference Example 1) in which the main body was attached to the grip and the main body and grip were fixed and integrated as shown in Figure 1.

[0073] The constituent material of the main body is a material having a composition in which the content of powdered sodium polyacrylate (water-absorbent resin) is as shown in Table 1 relative to 100 parts by mass of thermoplastic elastomer (hydrogenated styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (SEBS)), which is an elastic polymer, is as shown in Table 1, and no water-absorbent resin was added to Reference Example 1.

[0074] In addition, softening oil (liquid paraffin) was added to the constituent material of the main body (as shown in Table 1, the softening oil was 700 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of elastic polymer (thermoplastic elastomer)), and the molding temperature was adjusted appropriately between 180 and 200°C.

[0075] The main body was colored white by adding 0.4 parts by mass of colorant (organic pigment) to 100 parts by mass of elastic polymer (thermoplastic elastomer). The main body materials are shown in Table 1.

[0076] (Main body material) [Table 1]

[0077] [Test Example 1] (Evaluation of slipperiness and usability) For the obtained massage devices of Examples 1 to 10 and Reference Example 1, an appropriate amount of water was brought into contact with the application area on the main body where multiple protrusions were formed. The smoothness of the main body of the massage device and the feel when the protrusions on the main body were lightly rubbed against the area to be massaged by the user with the appropriate amount of water in contact were then compared and evaluated using the following evaluation criteria.

[0078] The test was evaluated on a 5-point scale, with 5 to 2 being a pass (5 being the best, followed by 4, then 2), and 1 being a fail. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0079] (Evaluation criteria) Evaluation Contents 5: The surface of the application area is very smooth, allowing the protrusions to optimally stimulate the user's massage area. 4: The surface of the application area is smooth, and the protrusions transmit a moderate amount of stimulation to the user's massage area. 3: The surface of the application area is slippery, and the protrusions transmit a moderate amount of stimulation to the user's massage area (slightly more slippery than 4). 2: The surface of the application area is slippery, and the protrusions transmit a moderate amount of stimulation to the user's massage area (slightly less slippery than 4). 1: The surface of the application area was not slippery at all (a separate lubricant would likely be needed to make it slippery), and the user sometimes felt a slight discomfort from the protrusions stimulating the massage area.

[0080] (result) [Table 2]

[0081] As shown in Table 2, in Examples 1 to 10, in which sodium polyacrylate was added to the thermoplastic elastomer as the constituent material of the main body, all became slippery when brought into contact with water, and the results of Examples 3 to 5 were particularly good.

[0082] The feel in use was also in accordance with the results of smoothness shown in Table 2. On the other hand, in the case of Reference Example 1, which had no smoothness, the stimulation of the protrusions on the massage area of ​​the user was slightly uncomfortable when left as is.

[0083] In the massage devices of Examples 1 to 10 and Reference Example 1, the main body and grip portions are integrated by having portions of the main body portion (the constituent material of the main body portion) enter the holes (slit-shaped through-holes) in the grip portion. Specifically, portions of the main body portion (the constituent material of the main body portion) enter the interior from both sides of the slit-shaped through-holes, and portions of the main body portion are joined and integrated (joined and integrated). As a result, the main body and grip portions are firmly fixed and integrated, and do not separate even when gently pulled in opposite directions to separate them, not to mention during use. Furthermore, the degree of elastic deformation of the main body portions of the massage devices of Examples 1 to 10 (and Reference Example 1) was confirmed to be freely elastically deformable. [Industrial Applicability]

[0084] The present invention provides a massage device that can relax and refresh the mind and body by massaging various parts of the body, and has extremely high industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1... Massage equipment 2 …… Main body 21...Applicable part 22 …… Protrusion 23 …… recess 3 …… Grip part 31 …… Grab 32 …… joint part 33 …… Hole (through hole) 5 …… Protective cover 51,52 …… Protective cover

Claims

1. a main body including an application part that is brought into contact with the area where the user wants to massage; a gripping portion that is gripped in use and is integrated with the main body portion, A massage device characterized in that the constituent material of the main body contains a water-absorbent resin in addition to an elastic polymer.

2. 2. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is contained in an amount of 1 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer constituting the main body.

3. 3. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is contained in an amount of 3 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the elastic polymer constituting the main body.

4. the water-absorbent resin constituting the main body is sodium polyacrylate, 3. The massage tool according to claim 1, wherein the elastic polymer constituting the main body is a thermoplastic elastomer.

5. 3. The massage tool according to claim 1, wherein the application portion has at least one protrusion.

6. 3. The massage device according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the gripping portion are integrated by inserting a portion of the main body into a hole formed in the gripping portion.

7. The hole is a slit-shaped through hole, The massage tool according to claim 6, wherein a portion of the main body extends into the through hole from both sides of the through hole.

8. The massage tool according to claim 7, wherein the portions of the main body that extend into the through hole from both sides are joined together to be integrated.

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