U.S. patent application number 10/902193 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-02 for undergarment for traction patients.
Invention is credited to Tracy L. Stanley.
Application Number | 20060021115 10/902193 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35730461 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060021115 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stanley; Tracy L. |
February 2, 2006 |
Undergarment for traction patients
Abstract
An undergarment having releasable and reattachable side seams
for use by immobile or bedridden patients. The edges of the side
seams are reinforced by twill tape and are released and reattached
by a series of spaced apart snaps secured along the twill tape.
Inventors: |
Stanley; Tracy L.; (Lenexa,
KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHASE LAW FIRM L.C
4400 COLLEGE BOULEVARD, SUITE 130
OVERLAND PARK
KS
66211
US
|
Family ID: |
35730461 |
Appl. No.: |
10/902193 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 9/008 20130101;
A41D 13/1254 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/400 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/00 20060101
A41B009/00 |
Claims
1. Underwear for immobilized patients, comprising: front and rear
waist panels; side seams extending longitudinally along side edges
of said front and rear waist panels; and resecuring means for
selectively securing, separating or resecuring said side seams
extending along said side seams.
2. Underwear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resecuring means
includes snaps spaced apart along said side seams.
3. Underwear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resecuring means
includes Velcro secured along said side seams.
4. Underwear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resecuring means
includes a zipper secured along said side seams.
5. Underwear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resecuring means
includes cloth adhesive tape secured along said side seams.
6. Underwear as claimed in claim 1 further comprising reinforcing
means secured along said side seams, said resecuring means being
secured to said reinforcers means.
7. Underwear as claimed in claim 6 wherein said reinforcing means
includes twill tape.
8. Underwear as claimed in claim 6 wherein said reinforcing means
includes hem facing.
9. Underwear as claimed in claim 6 wherein said reinforcing means
includes fabric tape.
10. Underwear as claimed in claim 6 wherein said reinforcing means
includes a second fabric layer.
11. Underwear as claimed in claim 6 wherein said resecuring means
includes snaps spaced apart along said side seams.
12. Underwear for immobilized patients, comprising: front and rear
waist panels; side seams extending longitudinally along side edges
of said front and rear waist panels; reinforcing members secured
along said side seams; and a resecuring member extending along each
said reinforcing member, for selectively securing separating or
resecuring said side seams.
13. Underwear as claimed in claim 12 wherein said reinforcing
members include twill tape and said resecuring members include
snaps.
14. Underwear for immobilized patients comprising: front and rear
waist panels; side seams extending longitudinally along side edges
of said front and rear waist panels; and snaps spaced apart along
said side seams for selectively securing, separating or resecuring
said side seams.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to underwear to be worn by an
immobile or bedridden patient, and more specifically to reusable
underwear for traction patients.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Typically, traction patients are immobilized in unflattering
positions and may be allowed to wear only a conventional hospital
gown. Conventional underwear cannot generally be worn. These
patients must remain immobile and in certain positions which makes
putting underwear on and off virtually impossible. Diapers are also
undesirable. They are undignified, especially for older children
and teenagers and adults. Furthermore, except for cloth diapers,
they are not reusable and are environmentally unfriendly. An
alternative type of underwear for traction patients or other
immobilized patients is desirable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is an environmental view showing a traction patient
wearing underwear in accordance with the present invention;
[0004] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the underwear of FIG.
1 showing the snappable side seams;
[0005] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the underwear of FIG.
1 with the right side seam snapped closed and showing the left
snappable side seam;
[0006] FIG. 4 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the
underwear in accordance with the present invention, showing the
side seams unsnapped;
[0007] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the underwear of FIG.
4, with the side seams snapped closed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, the traction underwear 10 of the
present invention are shown in place on a traction patient 12. The
traction underwear 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 are conventional
boys or mens underwear commonly referred to as "boxer" shorts, and
the traction underwear 10a illustrated in FIGS. 4-5 are
conventional girls or womens underwear. However, traction underwear
10 and 10a are improved for use by traction patients or other
children and adults that are immobile or bedridden for any
reason.
[0009] The boxer shorts 10 of FIGS. 1-3 have two sections, the
front and rear bodies or waist panels 20 and 22, joined together to
define a waist opening 24 and a pair of leg openings 26. At the
waist opening 24 elastic waist band 28 is provided which is secured
in an elastically contracted condition.
[0010] The front and rear waist panels 20 and 22 are each divided
into first and second waist regions 32 and 34 along a longitudinal
center seam line 36 extending in the longitudinal direction to
bisect a transverse dimension of the underwear 10. The first and
second waist regions 32 and 34 are secured together along the seam
line 36 by stitching.
[0011] The underwear 10a of FIGS. 4-5 are very similar to those of
FIGS. 1-3. Therefore, only the differences will be discussed in
detail. The front and rear waist panels 20 and 22 are unitary and
do not include first and second waist regions 32 and 34.
Accordingly, the underwear 10a also does not have a center seam
line 36.
[0012] In addition to the front and rear waist panels 20 and 22,
underwear 10a includes a crotch panel 30 secured to the front and
rear waist panels 20 and 22 between the leg openings 26 along
transverse seam lines 38 and 40. The front and rear waist panels 20
and 22 and the crotch panel 30 are secured together along the seam
lines 38 and 40 by stitching.
[0013] Underwear 10 and 10a both include side seam lines 50 which
extend in the longitudinal direction along the side edges 52 and 54
of the front and rear waist panels 20 and 22. The side seam lines
50 are reinforced with twill tape 58 that is secured by stitching
along the inner surface at the side edge 52 of the front waist
panel 20 and along the outer surface at the side edge 54 of the
rear waist panel 22. The seam lines 50 may also be reinforced by
stitching a second layer of the underwear fabric along the seam
lines 50. Specifically, the fabric along the edges of the waist
panels 20 and 22 can be folded over and stitched to the
corresponding waist panel 20 or 22 to reinforce the seam lines 50.
At side seam lines 50, the front and rear waist panels 20 and 22
are joined together by spaced apart snaps 60 extending the length
of the twill tape 58, to present snappable side seams.
[0014] The snaps 60 are conventional. They each have a disc shaped
snap member 62 which snaps into its corresponding disc shaped snap
fastener 64. A series of snap members 62 are secured along the
reinforced outer-surface of the side edges of the front waist panel
20 with the corresponding snap fasteners 64 aligned opposite
therefrom along the inner surface of the rear waist panel's side
edge 54. The twill tape 58 and snaps 60 are thereby hidden from
view when the snap members 62 and snap fasteners 64 are secured
together.
[0015] Instead of snaps, seam lines 50 could alternatively be
secured by Velcro.RTM. (hook and loop fasteners), zippers, cloth
adhesive tape or other suitable reusable adhesive. Also, other
types of seam line reinforcement may be used, such as hem facing,
seam binding, hem tape or biasing tape.
[0016] Seam lines 50 thereby present seams that can be separated or
ripped apart for quick and easy removal of the underwear 10 and 10a
from the traction patient 12. The underwear 10 and 10a, however, is
durable, washable and reusable. Seam lines 50 can easily be
resecured for reuse by the patient 12. Furthermore, the underwear
10 and 10a are comfortable and help immobilized patients maintain
their dignity when forced to lay still in unflattering positions.
The underwear 10 and 10a are also very durable and can withstand
heavy laundering.
[0017] It is to be understood that while certain forms of this
invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited
thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the
following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.
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