# US 10,307,325 B1 · Cylindrical core exercise and massage roller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,325 B1 - Document ID: US10307325B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/849,438 - Filed: 2015-09-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-08 - Applicants: Ronald B. Johnson - Inventors: Ronald B. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307325B1 ## CPC - A61H 15/00: Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains - A61H 1/00: Apparatus for passive exercising (A61H5/00 takes precedence); Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones - A61H 15/0092: {hand-held (A61H15/0085 takes precedence)} - A61H 2015/0007: {with balls or rollers rotating about their own axis} - A61H 2015/0014: {cylinder-like, i.e. rollers} - A61H 2015/0021: {multiple on the same axis} - A61H 2015/0057: {the axis being resiliently biased} - A61H 2201/0157: portable - A61H 2201/1261: combined with active exercising of the patient - A61H 2201/1623: Back - A61H 2201/164: Feet or leg, e.g. pedal - A61H 2201/1671: rotational - A61H 2201/1695: Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids - A61H 2203/0443: substantially horizontal - A61H 2205/081: Back - A61H 2205/086: Buttocks - A61H 2205/088: Hip - A61H 2205/10: Leg - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract A roller which an individual may use to perform a variety of self-applied exercises for massage, myofascial release and other exercises. The roller is cylindrical having a resilient outer surface on which are a plurality of axially spaced, circumferentially extending bands of similar projections which manipulate the body of the individual when the individual rolls against the surface of the roller. The projections are equally circumferentially spaced in each band extending around the cylindrical body. The material and shape of the projections are selected to provide greater resistance to bending or flexing to forces applied axially than to tangentially applied forces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A massage roller, comprising: a hollow cylindrical body comprising an axis, a hollow space within the hollow cylindrical body, an interior surface, and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, the exterior surface and the interior surface joined by a lip surface at either end of the cylindrical body defining two opposing lips extending inwardly from the cylindrical body towards the axis of the cylindrical body until terminating at the lip surface; a plurality of massage projections extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the cylindrical body, each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections comprising a radiused peripheral edge extending around a base of the massage projection and separated from the base of an adjacent massage projection of the plurality of massage projections by an intermediate space that exposes a portion of the cylindrical body, the plurality of massage projections formed as a plurality of axially-spaced apart bands of the plurality of massage projections, each band of the plurality of bands comprising two or more massage projections of the plurality of massage projections aligned circumferentially about the cylindrical body; and a solid, non-hollow cylindrical core that fills the hollow space within the cylindrical body, the cylindrical core formed of ethylene-vinyl acetate, positioned within the cylindrical body, and engaged between the two opposing lips. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The massage roller of claim 1, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections further comprises an arcuate apex opposite the base, and two opposing side walls sloping closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The massage roller of claim 2, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections comprises a height:width ratio ranging from 1:1 to 1:2.5, and a height:axial length ratio ranging from 1:1.5 to 1:3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The massage roller of claim 3, wherein the plurality of bands are staggered such that the massage projections of one band of the plurality of bands are not axially aligned with the massage projections of an adjacent band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The massage roller of claim 3, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections extends ½ inch from the cylindrical body and comprises an axial cross-section which is rectangular, two opposing end walls that narrow from the base to the arcuate apex, a curved transition between each end wall and the arcuate apex, an axial length between ¾ and 1½ inches, and a base width between ½ and 1¼ inches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The massage roller of claim 5, the two opposing side walls slope closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex at a first angle of 15° and the two opposing end walls narrow from the base to the arcuate apex at a second angle of 60°. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The massage roller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of massage projections each comprise an elastomeric material comprising a blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyolefin and a having a durometer hardness of 44 Asker C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The massage roller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of massage projections each comprise an elastomeric material comprising a blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyolefin and a having a durometer hardness of between 30 Asker C and 50 Asker C. ### Claim 9 A massage roller, comprising: a hollow cylindrical body comprising an axis, a majority of the cylindrical body having a first wall thickness and opposing ends of the cylindrical body having a second wall thickness greater than the first wall thickness to form two opposing lips; a plurality of massage projections extending from the cylindrical body, each of the plurality of massage projections comprising a base, an arcuate apex opposite the base, and two opposing side walls sloping closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex, wherein a height:width ratio of each massage projection ranges from 1:1 to 1:2.5 and a height:axial length ratio of each massage projection ranges from 1:1.5 to 1:3; and a non-hollow cylindrical core that fills a hollow space within the hollow cylindrical body and is entrapped between the two opposing lips. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The massage roller of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of axially-spaced apart bands, each band comprising two or more of the plurality of massage projections aligned circumferentially about the cylindrical body, wherein the base of each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections comprises a radiused peripheral edge extending around the base and is separated from a base of an adjacent massage projection of the plurality of massage projections by an intermediate space that exposes a portion of the cylindrical body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The massage roller of claim 10, wherein the plurality of bands are staggered such that the massage projections of one band of the plurality of bands are not axially aligned with the massage projections of an adjacent band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The massage roller of claim 9, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections extends ½ inch from the cylindrical body and comprises an axial cross-section which is rectangular, two opposing end walls that narrow from the base to the arcuate apex, a curved transition between each end wall and the arcuate apex, an axial length between ¾ and 1½ inches, and a base width between ½ and 1¼ inches. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The massage roller of claim 12, wherein the two opposing side walls slope closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex at a first angle of 15° and the two opposing end walls narrow from the base to the arcuate apex at a second angle of 60°. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The massage roller of claim 9, wherein the plurality of massage projections each comprise an elastomeric material comprising an ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyolefin blend having a durometer hardness of 44 Asker C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The massage roller of claim 9, wherein the plurality of massage projections each comprise an elastomeric material comprising an ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyolefin blend having a durometer hardness of between 30 Asker C and 50 Asker C. ### Claim 16 A massage roller, comprising: a cylindrical and non-hollow high density polyethylene core; a single hollow cylindrical body comprising an axis, an interior surface facing towards the high density polyethylene core, and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, a majority of the cylindrical body having a first wall thickness and opposing ends of the cylindrical body having a second wall thickness greater than the first wall thickness to form two opposing lips positioned to entrap the high density polyethylene core within the cylindrical body, each of the two opposing lips comprising a lip surface that faces towards the axis and joins the interior surface and the exterior surface of the cylindrical body, the hollow cylindrical body comprising a plurality of axially spaced-apart bands each comprising a plurality of massage projections aligned circumferentially around and extending from the cylindrical body, each massage projection comprising a base proximate the cylindrical body and separated from a base of an adjacent massage projection by an intermediate space that exposes a portion of the cylindrical body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The massage roller of claim 16, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections comprises: an ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyolefin blend having a durometer hardness of 40 to 50 Asker C; and an arcuate apex opposite the base and two opposing side walls sloping closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex, wherein a height:width ratio of each massage projection ranges from 1:1 to 1:2.5 and a height:axial length ratio of each massage projection ranges from 1:1.5 to 1:3. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The massage roller of claim 17, wherein each massage projection of the plurality of massage projections extends ½ inch from the cylindrical body and comprises an axial cross-section which is rectangular, two opposing end walls that narrow from the base to the arcuate apex, a curved transition between each end wall and the arcuate apex, an axial length between ¾ and 1½ inches, and a base width between ½ and 1¼ inches. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The massage roller of claim 18, wherein the two opposing side walls slope closer together from the base toward the arcuate apex at a first angle of 15° and the two opposing end walls narrow from the base to the arcuate apex at a second angle of 60°. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The massage roller of claim 16, wherein the plurality of bands are staggered such that the massage projections of one band of the plurality of bands are not axially aligned with the massage projections of an adjacent band of the plurality of bands.