Pet Therapeutic Massager Glove

This invention relates generally to a pet therapeutic glove for use with a power operated massager. More particularly, this invention relates to a thumbless glove with open ended finger extensions that is suitable for therapeutically massaging and/or grooming a pet and that can be adapted for use with a power-operated massager located within a pocket on the back side of the glove.

Grooming a pet is necessary in order to maintain the pet's health. Many pets fear grooming devices such as a metal, wooden, or plastic brush. The brushes are hard and cold with large bristles, often placing the pet in discomfort during the grooming process. The pet squirms and attempts to escape during this frightening experience. Grooming devices lack the warm, soothing contact between the groomer and the pet's skin that is needed to keep the pet relaxed for grooming.

Grooming gloves have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 277,173 and 2,988,049. These devices, however, employ the use of hard, large bristles attached to the surface of the glove and are more adaptable for use on large animals, like horses. Power-driven grooming devices have been described in patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,753,583; 4,779,572; 3,145,691; 3,981,275; and 4,083,327. These devices are quite large, some with metal blades and bristles that create fear and discomfort within the animal upon which it is being used. Some of the grooming devices are connected to power-operated suction devices or hair dryers that can be noisy and painful when used upon the animal. Even manually-operated grooming and/or massaging devices can be frightening and painful to an animal as many of these devices also use hard, elongated blades and bristles as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,958,596 and 3,107,665.

Pets are similar to people in that they have a skeletal and muscular system that is subject to aches and pains, too. Unfortunately, the pet cannot explain where it hurts. As massage therapy is good for people's health by increasing blood flow to injured body areas, massage therapy and grooming can be similarly helpful for pets. However, a large, noisy, power-operated device placed directly on a pet's body would frighten most pets as they do not understand the nature of the device being placed upon them. The sight alone of such a device would likely create immediate tension within the pet.

This invention provides a glove for use with a power-operated massager comprising a thumbless glove for fitting onto either hand of a user. The glove has a palm side, a back side, finger extensions of the sides, and an opening for receiving a thumb.

The palm side of the glove has a surface for therapeutically massaging and/or grooming an animal. The back side of the glove has a pocket for receiving a power-operated massager The finger extensions each have opened ends for receiving finger ends of the user therethrough. These finger ends are in direct contact with the animal to facilitate massaging and/or grooming.

In other subsidiary aspects of the invention, the pocket of the glove has a fastening means for securing the power-operated massager therein. In another subsidiary aspect of the invention, the palm side of the glove has a material surface suitable for collecting hair. In yet another subsidiary aspect of the invention, a foamed or cushioned material is provided on the back side of the glove beneath the pocket to protect the user's hand from the power-operated massager contained in the pocket. The foamed or cushioned backing also smooths or softens the vibrations to achieve a soothing effect on the animal. The glove itself is made of an elastic material to readily conform to the shape of a hand and to fit different hand sizes. The glove has a fastening strap to fit around the palm and the back sides of the glove in the area of the user's wrist for securement on the user's hand. In various embodiments of the invention, the power-operated massager can be powered by electricity or battery.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and others will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of this description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. The preferred embodiment is shown and described simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated as carrying out this invention. Accordingly, the figures and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the back side of the therapeutic massaging and/or grooming glove.

FIG. 1A illustrates a cross sectional view of the back side of the glove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective side view of glove of FIG. 1 placed on a hand and power-operated massager being placed in pocket;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the palm side of the glove of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A illustrates a greatly enlarged perspective view of the palm side material.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of the glove of FIG. 1 in use on an animal by a user.

With reference to FIG. 1, 1A and 2, the glove 10 is thumbless as it has openings 12, 14 on both sides 16, 18 of glove 10. Openings 12, 14 are circular and can receive a thumb 15 therethrough. Since openings 12, 14 are located on both sides 16, 18 of glove 10, glove 10 can be used by a right-handed or left-handed user.

The back side 20 of glove 10 has rectangular-shaped foam or a cushion 22 attached thereto. The foam or cushion 22 protects the back side of a user's hand (not shown) from the power-operated massager 50. Furthermore, foam or cushion 22 soothes and softens the vibrations to achieve a soothing effect on the animal. On top of cushion 22 is attached a rectangular-shaped pocket 30.

Pocket 30 has a fastening means 40. Fastening means 40 is preferably hook pile and loop pile material VELCRO but may be other means such as a zipper, a button or a snap. Fastening means 40 permits pocket 30 to be opened and closed. A power-operated massager 50 can be inserted into pocket 30. Massager 50 is generally rectangular shaped, as is pocket 30. Massager 50 is fully concealed in pocket 30 upon insertion, thus further reducing any fear in the animal that the massager 50 may cause if seen by the animal.

Massager 50 can be secured and enclosed in pocket 30 by fastening means 40 and closing pocket 30. Massager 50 can be powered by battery or electricity. Massager 50 vibrates, thus creating a vibrating movement that is transferred throughout glove 10, and to hand 51. Vibration from massager 50 is transferred to animal when hand 51 is placed on animal. Massager 50 makes a humming noise which is soothing especially to a cat. The direct contact between user and animal, as well as the soothing humming noise of massager 50 makes the device particularly suitable for cats.

Pocket 30, which can be adorned with an animal picture (not shown) uniformly sits upon and attaches to cushion 22 which is preferably a foam material. Cushion 22 protects user's hand 51 from massager 50 contained within pocket 30, and softens the vibrations to achieve a soothing effect on the animal. Cushion 22 is shaped similar to pocket 30, preferably rectangular since massager 50 is preferably rectangular.

Four finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 extend from back side 20 of glove 10. Finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 have open ends 62, 64, 66, 68 so that the finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 can be inserted therethrough. Like the thumb 15 finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 can constantly be in direct contact with the animal. This contact helps create a bond between the user of glove 10 and the animal. This bond relaxes the animal during grooming and/or massaging.

A wrist fastening strap 70 wraps circumferentially around back side 20 of glove 10 to palm side (see FIG. 3) of glove 10. Fastening strap 70 is preferably comprised of hook pile and loop pile material VELCRO. Two retainers 72, 74 located on sides 16, 18 of glove 10 secure fastening strap 70 as fastening strap 70 is inserted through retainers 72, 74.

With reference to FIG. 3 glove 10 has a palm side 80 to which a material 82 for collecting hair 84 is attached. Material 82 covering palm side 80 of glove 10 collects animal hair 84 that an animal sheds while glove 10 is used upon it. As shown in FIG. 3A, palm side material 82 is comprised of bundles 86 of short, soft bristles 88. Bundles 86 are closely arranged. Bristles 88 collect any hair 84 that is shed. The material 82 is preferably similar to that used on a lint brush, but can be any material with soft bristles suitable for collecting hair. Hair 84 can easily be removed from material 82 by rubbing material 80 to loosen hair 84. Material 82 is fairly smooth unlike the hard bristles of a brush or metal blade of other grooming devices, thus not placing the animal in any discomfort while being groomed and/or massaged.

Four finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 extend from palm side 80 of glove 10 and have open ends 62, 64, 66, 68, as on back side 20 of glove 10 (see FIG. 1 ). Fastening strap 70 wraps circumferentially around palm side 80 of glove 10 to back side 20 (see FIG. 1 ).

FIG. 4 illustrates the massaging and/or grooming glove in use on an animal. Glove 10 is placed on a hand 51. Fastening strap 70 secures glove 10. Thumb 15 extends through opening 14 and is free to move. Finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 extend through finger extensions 52, 54, 56, 58 and out through open ends 62, 64, 66, 68 such that finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 are free to move. Thumb 15 and finger ends 92, 94, 96, 98 are not contained within glove 10 so as to permit the user to directly touch the animal 100 during the grooming and/or massaging process. Direct contact with animal 100 helps maintain calmness within animal 100 during grooming and massaging.

By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided a therapeutic pet massager and/or grooming device for use on a pet, preferably a cat. While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspect is, therefore, not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.