# US 12,594,218 B1 · Bendable therapeutic device for tissue discomfort relief > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,218 B1 - Document ID: US12594218B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 19/005,687 - Filed: 2024-12-30 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2024-12-30 - Assignees: Plus EV Holdings Inc. - Applicants: Plus EV Holdings Inc. - Inventors: Aaron R. Wilt; Amanda A. Olson; Jinchen Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594218B1 ## CPC - A61H 23/0254: {with rotary motor} - A61H 21/00: Massage devices for cavities of the body {, e.g. nose, ears and anus (for the genitals A61H19/00); Vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00} - A61N 5/0616: {Skin treatment other than tanning} - A61H 2201/0192: Specific means for adjusting dimensions - A61H 2201/0207: heated - A61H 2201/0214: cooled - A61H 2201/10: with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy - A61N 2005/0663: {Coloured light} - 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) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract An apparatus for tissue trigger point therapy is disclosed. The apparatus includes an elongated core that includes a bendable portion, a first end portion forming a first terminal end of the elongated core, and a second end portion forming a second terminal end of the elongated core. The apparatus also includes an outer covering member that at least partially surrounds the elongated core and that is also bendable with the bendable portion of the elongated core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for tissue trigger point therapy, said apparatus comprising: an elongated core comprising a bendable portion, a first end portion forming a first terminal end of the elongated core, and a second end portion forming a second terminal end of the elongated core; and an outer covering member that at least partially surrounds the elongated core and that is also bendable with the bendable portion of the elongated core, wherein: the bendable portion of the elongated core is bendable in response to an applied bending force that at least meets a threshold amount of force being applied to the bendable portion, the bendable portion is comprised of a first gooseneck hose tube member and a second gooseneck hose tube member, the first gooseneck hose tube member having a first bending force threshold and the second gooseneck hose tube member having a second bending force threshold, such that different portions of the bendable portion have different bending force thresholds, application of the applied bending force to the bendable portion causes the apparatus to be bent into a bent shape, the apparatus is structured to retain the bent shape after the applied bending force is no longer applied to the bendable portion, the first end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a first region that is proximate to or overlapping with a first terminal end region of the apparatus, and the second end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a second region that is proximate to or overlapping with a second terminal end region of the apparatus, the first end portion and the second end portions are not bendable, resulting in the first and second regions also not being bendable, when the apparatus is straightened into an unbent shape, a combination of the bendable portion and the outer covering member is asymmetrical along a perpendicular, central axis positioned at a length-wise center point of the apparatus, said combination being asymmetrical as a result of a progressive thickening of a portion of the outer covering member, and when the apparatus is straightened into the unbent shape, said combination has rotational symmetry along a central axis that extends along a length-wise direction of the apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of force needed to bend the bendable portion is at least 1 pound of force. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer covering member is made of silicone, plastic, or rubber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bendable portion of the elongated core is made of a gooseneck hose tube member comprising a spring portion and an outer wire portion compressed between coils of the spring portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the first end portion, which is not bendable and which causes the first region to also not be bendable, is at least 0.5 inches in length. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the second end portion, which is not bendable and which causes the second region to also not be bendable, is at least 0.5 inches in length. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer covering member is formed from at least two silicon members that are coupled together, and wherein a seam between the at least two silicon members is flush and is not raised relative to non-seam portions of the apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the apparatus is divisible into three different segments based on differences in diameter, the three different segments including a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment, the first segment has a first maximum thickness, the third segment has a second maximum thickness that is smaller than the first maximum thickness, and the second segment is a transition segment that progressively transitions from having the first maximum thickness to having the second maximum thickness. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a length of the second segment is at least 1 inch in length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a length of the first segment is at least 4 inches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a length of the third segment is at least 4 inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the apparatus is at least 12 inches. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first terminal end region of the apparatus includes a cone-like end tip that is at least partially flexible and compressible when pressed against an external body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second terminal end region of the apparatus includes a semi-spherical end tip that is substantially not compressible when pressed against an external body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is asymmetrical when bisected in half at a center point along a length of the apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of force needed to bend the bendable portion is a value within a range spanning from 1 pound of force to 5 pounds of force. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the apparatus is divisible into three different segments based on differences in diameter, the three different segments including a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment, the first segment has a first maximum thickness, the third segment has a second maximum thickness that is smaller than the first maximum thickness, the second segment is a transition segment that progressively transitions from having the first maximum thickness to having the second maximum thickness, when bent to a maximum amount, a radius of curvature of the first segment is a first radius of curvature, when bent to a maximum amount, a radius of curvature of the third segment is a second radius of curvature, and the first radius of curvature is larger than the second radius of curvature. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for tissue trigger point therapy, said apparatus comprising: an elongated core comprising a bendable portion, a first end portion forming a first terminal end of the elongated core, and a second end portion forming a second terminal end of the elongated core; and an outer covering member that at least partially surrounds the elongated core and that is also bendable with the bendable portion of the elongated core, wherein: the bendable portion of the elongated core is bendable in response to an applied bending force that at least meets a threshold amount of force being applied to the bendable portion, the bendable portion is comprised of a first gooseneck hose tube member and a second gooseneck hose tube member, the first gooseneck hose tube member having a first bending force threshold and the second gooseneck hose tube member having a second bending force threshold, such that different portions of the bendable portion have different bending force thresholds, application of the applied bending force to the bendable portion causes the apparatus to be bent into a bent shape, the apparatus is structured to retain the bent shape after the applied bending force is no longer applied to the bendable portion, the first end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a first region that is proximate to or overlapping with a first terminal end region of the apparatus, and the second end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a second region that is proximate to or overlapping with a second terminal end region of the apparatus, the first end portion and the second end portions are not bendable, resulting in the first and second regions also not being bendable, the apparatus is divisible into three different segments based on differences in diameter, the three different segments including a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment, the first segment has a first maximum thickness, the third segment has a second maximum thickness that is smaller than the first maximum thickness, the second segment is a transition segment that progressively transitions from having the first maximum thickness to having the second maximum thickness, and when the apparatus is straightened into an unbent shape, a combination of the bendable portion and the outer covering member is asymmetrical along a perpendicular, central axis positioned at a length-wise center point of the apparatus, said combination being asymmetrical as a result of a progressive thickening of a portion of the outer covering member, and when the apparatus is straightened into the unbent shape, said combination has rotational symmetry along a central axis that extends along a length-wise direction of the apparatus. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for tissue trigger point therapy, said apparatus comprising: an elongated core comprising a bendable portion, a first end portion forming a first terminal end of the elongated core, and a second end portion forming a second terminal end of the elongated core; and an outer covering member that at least partially surrounds the elongated core and that is also bendable with the bendable portion of the elongated core, wherein: the bendable portion of the elongated core is bendable in response to an applied bending force that at least meets a threshold amount of force being applied to the bendable portion, the threshold amount of force needed to bend the bendable portion is a value within a range spanning from 1 pound of force to 5 pounds of force, the bendable portion is comprised of a first gooseneck hose tube member and a second gooseneck hose tube member, the first gooseneck hose tube member having a first bending force threshold and the second gooseneck hose tube member having a second bending force threshold, such that different portions of the bendable portion have different bending force thresholds, application of the applied bending force to the bendable portion causes the apparatus to be bent into a bent shape, the apparatus is structured to retain the bent shape after the applied bending force is no longer applied to the bendable portion, the first end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a first region that is proximate to or overlapping with a first terminal end region of the apparatus, and the second end portion is disposed within the apparatus at a second region that is proximate to or overlapping with a second terminal end region of the apparatus, the first end portion and the second end portions are not bendable, resulting in the first and second regions also not being bendable, when the apparatus is straightened into an unbent shape, a combination of the bendable portion and the outer covering member is asymmetrical along a perpendicular, central axis positioned at a length-wise center point of the apparatus, said combination being asymmetrical as a result of a progressive thickening of a portion of the outer covering member, and when the apparatus is straightened into the unbent shape, said combination has rotational symmetry along a central axis that extends along a length-wise direction of the apparatus.