U.S. patent application number 10/973532 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-27 for compression garment with integral donning aid.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSN-JOBST, INC.. Invention is credited to Stefan Bodenschatz, Juergen Friederich Heinz Greve, John David Loveless, Simon Myron Yakopson.
Application Number | 20060085894 10/973532 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35697121 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060085894 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yakopson; Simon Myron ; et
al. |
April 27, 2006 |
Compression garment with integral donning aid
Abstract
It has been found that the foregoing objects may be accomplished
in accordance with this invention by providing compression garments
of this invention having a low friction zone made with the addition
of low friction material on the inside surface of a garment in
discrete locations to decrease friction between skin and fabric,
thus providing easier donning of a compression garments.
Inventors: |
Yakopson; Simon Myron;
(Hickory, NC) ; Loveless; John David; (Hickory,
NC) ; Bodenschatz; Stefan; (Buxtehude, DE) ;
Heinz Greve; Juergen Friederich; (Emmerich, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALSTON & BIRD LLP;BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA
101 SOUTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000
CHARLOTTE
NC
28280-4000
US
|
Assignee: |
BSN-JOBST, INC.
|
Family ID: |
35697121 |
Appl. No.: |
10/973532 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/239 ; 2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 13/08 20130101;
D04B 1/265 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/239 ;
002/069 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/00 20060101
A41D013/00; A41B 11/00 20060101 A41B011/00 |
Claims
1. A medical compression garment having an integral donning aid
comprising a knitted or sewn main portion of elastic yarns and
exerting pressure on the corresponding body part and having at
least one integral low resistance donning zone strategically
located on the internal surface of the garment to facilitate
donning of the garment.
2. The medical compression garment according to claim 1, wherein
said garment is a compression stocking and said low resistance
donning zone is located between the ankle and the knee area.
3. The medical compression garment according to claim 1, wherein
said garment is a compression stocking and said low resistance
donning zone is located between the ankle and the knee area, covers
the upper side of the instep.
4. The medical compression garment according to claim 1 wherein at
least one low friction yarn is knit or woven into the fabric.
5. The medical compression garment according to claim 1 wherein
said low resistance zone includes courses of inlay yarn covered
with PTFE yarn.
6. The medical compression garment according to claim 1 wherein
said knitted yarn is made of spandex covered with PTFE.
7. The medical compression garment according to claim 4 wherein
said low resistance zone comprises strips of low friction material
adhered to the inside of side garment.
8. The medical compression garment according to claim 4 wherein
said low resistance zone comprises dots of low friction material
adhered to the inside of said garment.
9. The medical compression garment according to claim 4 wherein
said low friction material is coated to the inside of the
garment.
10. The medical compression garment according to claim 4 wherein
said garment is a knee length stocking.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a medical compression garment
having an integral donning aid. More particularly, this invention
relates to compression stockings having a low friction zone made
with the addition of or completely from low friction yarns or by
coating/laminating of the inside surface of a garment with the low
friction materials.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0002] Therapeutic medical compression garments have been used on a
relatively wide scale to assist in the prevention of venous
diseases and/or embolism in a patient. The purpose of such garments
is to overcome the elevated internal pressures within a human
extremity caused by gravity or disease processes. The pressure
gradient garments, such as stockings and their uses are well
documented in the literature.
[0003] The custom pressure gradient stocking was developed by
Conrad Jobst, a sufferer of venous disease. Mr. Jobst found relief
from his problem while standing in a swimming pool. Mr. Jobst
reasoned that the water pressure in the pool, which increases with
depth, cancelled out the internal pressure in the veins of his leg.
Jobst and others have identified a need to apply a relatively large
compressive force in proximity to the ankle. See, J. Homer, et al.,
Br Med J, pp. zz: 820-821 (1980) wherein it is stated "the greater
the compression gradient between the ankle and calf produced by the
stocking, the lower the ambulatory pressures." Cited in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,823,195.
[0004] Therapeutic medical graduated compression stockings are
designed to provide sufficient external circumferential counter
pressure to maintain the normal venous and lymphatic pressures at a
given level in the extremity, thus assisting the movement of venous
blood and lymph from the extremity. Another important effect of
compression is the reduction of the venous volume. Reduction of
venous volume leads to an increase of the venous flow velocity. H.
J. L. van Gerwen, Pressure gradient tolerance in compression
hosiery. Katholike Universiteit Nijmegen, pp. 103-105 (1994).
[0005] For compression garments to be most effective, higher
pressures are required in the ankle area. The most difficult part
of putting compression garments (stockings) on is to pull the
narrowest part of the garment over the wider end of a limb
(foot-instep-heel for stockings or hand for arm-sleeves). There are
special donning devices made from slick fabric that a patient
should put on a leg before donning compression stocking. Use of
these devices makes putting stocking on more complicated, sometimes
requires help from another person and, also, requires purchase of
such additional devices.
[0006] A variety of therapeutic medical graduated compression
stockings are on the market today. Stockings of various
descriptions have been proposed. Unfortunately, therapeutic
stockings, in order to provide the necessary compression, are often
thick and rather unsightly or have other drawbacks. An example of a
therapeutic stocking is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,929 which
describes a thigh length anti-embolism stocking made with
alternating courses of covered spandex yarn on a circular hosiery
knitting machine. Another example of a therapeutic stocking is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,515 to Swallow, et al., which
discloses a non-slip therapeutic stocking having a covered
elastomeric yarn (spandex core-nylon covering) inlaid into every
other course of the jersey knit stitches made of stretch nylon. In
particular, the Swallow patent describes the foot portion as having
alternating courses of jersey knit stitches of non-elastomeric
yarn.
[0007] Because higher compressive forces are used in compression
stocking U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,007 to Reid, Jr. discloses a
multi-layer compression stocking. One of the problems of a
multi-layer stocking is that it is difficult to coordinate the
compressive pressures applied by each layer to achieve a desired
pressure. Reid proposed to solve this problem by including in the
layers alignment markings to assist a wearer in positioning the
layers on the leg. There is disclosed a stocking comprising a
plurality of layers including an under-layer and at least one
over-layer, each of which have predetermined amounts of compressive
stress at discrete locations. The under-layer may include yarns
with high strength and low coefficient of friction properties
incorporated into the fabric. Areas of the stocking including the
toe, top of the instep and heel may be reinforced in such a manner
to reduce the chance of skin breakdown and to reinforce the
stocking fabric with yarns of high strength and low coefficient of
friction properties. Several individual stockings are necessary to
produce the multi-layered system which increases production costs
and price to the customer. Also it is difficult to provide an exact
match of the different zones especially for dark colored fabrics,
avoid wrinkling and shifting of the underlying stocking, while
pulling the upper stocking over it.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,449 to Duplock discloses a survival
garment made of high stretch elastomer designed to protect the
wearer from the effects of immersion in cold water. The garment has
"skin tight" fittings at the cuffs and sleeves that may be made
from an elastic material that comprises a high stretch elastomer
coated with a material of low friction, such as neoprene, for
allowing easy donning and doffing of the garment.
[0009] A patch of low friction coefficient material placed either
on the skin or on the surface that will be next to the skin in
locations where sheer trauma is likely to occur is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,387 to Carlson et al. Therein is disclosed a
patch of low friction material such as a film of
polytetrafluoroethylene sized to provide an area of low friction
support for a portion of a human body relative to an object such as
a shoe or prosthetic sock. The layer of low friction material is
adhered to the surface of the object that bears on the skin and
faces the skin such as a sock fabric. In a preferred embodiment
PTFE is bonded to a fabric layer of Lycra.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,057 to Gunn discloses an article such as
clothing, footwear and the like which incorporate fabrics or
chemicals having low coefficient of friction. The patent notes that
some material fibers inherently have a low coefficient of friction,
such as TEFLON.RTM., KYNA.RTM. and GORTEX.RTM.. In addition, the
use of chemicals to treat material fibers or finished materials
that do not inherently have a low coefficient of friction is
taught. The articles incorporating fabrics with chemicals with a
low coefficient of friction are intended to minimize the
development of irritations, blisters and calluses including gloves,
shoes and sportswear.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
medical compression garment having an integral donning aid.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
compression garments having a low friction zone made with the
addition of or completely from low friction yams or by
coating/laminating of the inside surface of a garment with the low
friction materials.
[0013] Yet another object of the present invention is the provision
of an easy donning aid embedded in a stocking at discrete locations
that provides more comfort for the patient and increases compliance
and use of medical compression garments.
[0014] It has been found that the foregoing objects may be
accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing
compression garments of this invention having a low friction zone
made with the addition of low friction material on the inside
surface of a garment in discrete locations to decrease friction
between skin and fabric, thus providing easier donning of
compression garments.
[0015] Low friction yarns may be positioned in a specific pattern
or plated together with other yarns, or used in combination with
other yarns, preferably with highly stretchable spandex yarns to
compensate for low elongation of PTFE yarns. Depending on the
manufacturing methods, circular or flat-bed knitted, the low
friction area should be positioned at the inside of the garment. To
provide better contact with the patient's skin it is advantageous
to use covered spandex with low friction yarns, "so called" inlay
yarn in circular knitted products.
[0016] In a first embodiment, the medical compression garments
(stocking, arm sleeve, gauntlet, glove, or other) of this invention
have an integral donning aid that is knitted into the main portion
of the garment that contains elastic yarns and exerts pressure on
the corresponding body part. There is at least one integral donning
area deferring a low friction zone strategically located on the
internal surface of the garment (e.g. at the narrowest and critical
for donning process parts of the garment) to facilitate donning of
the garment and improve patients' compliance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF-THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0017] Having thus described the invention in general terms,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are
not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing courses of low friction yarn
encircling the foot between the heel and the calf in a discrete
area of the instep;
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a
garment of the present invention showing courses of low friction
yarn encircling the foot between the heel and the calf;
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing courses of inlaid yarn covered
with PTFE yard encircling the area from just above the ankle to the
lower calf;
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing courses of knitting yarn made of
spandex covered with PTFE yard encircling the calf area just above
the ankle;
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a
garment of the present invention showing strips of low friction
material attached to the inside surface of the knitted fabric in
specific areas;
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing dots of low friction material
attached to the inside surface of the knitted fabric;
[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing a patch of elastic fabric
containing low friction yarn sewn to the inside of a garment;
[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a garment
of the present invention showing a low friction coating applied to
the inside of a garment, such as a stocking;
[0026] FIG. 9 illustrates the inner side of a flat knitted stocking
before sewing the sides together having a low friction zone in the
ankle, heel and foot areas;
[0027] FIG. 10 illustrates the inner side of a flat knitted
stocking before sewing the sides together showing a low friction
zone in a discrete portion of the ankle area; and
[0028] FIG. 11 illustrates the inner side of a flat knitted
stocking before sewing the sides together showing a low friction
zone surrounding the ankle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The present inventions now will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed,
these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;
rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will
satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout.
[0030] The compression garments of this invention have a low
friction zone made with the addition of or completely from low
friction yarns or by coating/laminating of the inside surface of a
garment with the low friction materials to decrease friction
between skin and fabric, thus providing easier donning of
compression garments. Medical compression garments can be produced
as seamless garments using circular knitting machines, or seamed
knitted garments made using flat-bed knitting machines, or sewn
from elastic fabric using proportional design to provide necessary
compression level at specified positions on the limb or body. The
design of compression garments of this invention needs to combine
two opposite requirements: provide easy donning and at the same
time prevent sliding during wearing. Therefore, it is important to
understand that low friction material can be used only at specified
locations, because using material through the complete garment will
result in sliding of the garment from the limb and losing of its
therapeutic effect.
[0031] In a first embodiment, the medical compression garments
(stocking, arm sleeve, gauntlet, glove, or other) of this invention
have an integral donning aid that is knitted into the main portion
of the garment that contains elastic yarns and exerts pressure on
the corresponding body part. There is at least one integral donning
area deferring a low friction zone strategically located on the
internal surface of the garment (e.g. at the narrowest and critical
for donning process parts of the garment) to facilitate donning of
the garment and improve patients' compliance. FIGS. 1 and 2
illustrates an embodiment of a compression stocking 10 of the
present invention that includes a toe area 12, a foot area 14, a
heel area 16 and calf area 18. The compression stocking 10 includes
courses of low friction yarn forming a zone 20 encircling the foot
and another zone 22 encircling the lower calf. The low friction
zone is extended from just above the heel to approximately the
point where the Achilles tendon joins to the calf muscle. This
point is known as position b1 in compression hosiery terminology.
Such configuration allows reducing friction at the most critical
zones of the highest compression while at the same time providing
correct fixation of the product at the toe and heel and sufficient
grip at the calf to prevent the stocking from sliding. It should be
understood that zone 22, while shown in FIG. 1 as encircling the
calf, may also be limited to partially encircling the calf as will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In FIG. 1 there is
provided a discrete zone of low friction yarn located between the
ankle and the knee area, covering the upper side of the instep in
the zone 24. A smooth transition in construction may be
accomplished, for example, by programming a knitting machine to
include the low friction yarns. While stocking 10 is depicted as
knee length, stocking of other lengths may also be utilized in
accordance with the present invention.
[0032] Low friction yarns made of different materials can be used,
including but not limited to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
homopolymer yarns: Profilen (Lenzing), Tenara and/or Rastex (Gore)
Teflon (DuPont); melt spun fluoropolymeric fibers made of
hexafluoropropylene and of tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoroproplyene
copolymers (DuPont U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,481), polyamide yarns
modified with ultra-high molecular weight silicone and known as
Freelon.TM. fiber, yarns made of physical blends of polyamide or
polyester with PTFE or with meltable fluoropolymers, nylon and
polyester yarns with surface modified with silicone, and other
yarns with the coefficient of friction at least 30% lower than that
of the other yarns used to make a garment, i.e. nylon, polyester,
cotton, or the like. Other materials applicable for the purpose of
this invention include, but are not limited to, low friction tapes,
films and liquids, including PTFE suspensions, capable of creation
of necessary patterns on specified low friction zones of the
garment and made of PTFE, polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE),
poly(vinylidene) fluoride, poly(vinyl) fluoride copolymer,
fluorinated ethylene propylene and other copolymer and blends of
fluoro-containing polymers, and silicone polymers and
copolymers.
[0033] The low friction material is applied in such a way that it
will not affect stretch and compression characteristics of the
garment. In one embodiment, low friction material is integrally
knitted in the garment or woven in the fabric. Low friction yarns
may be positioned in a specific pattern or plated together with
other yarns, or used in combination with other yarns, preferably
with highly stretchable spandex yarns to compensate for low
elongation of PTFE yarns. Depending on the manufacturing methods,
circular or flat-bed knitted the low friction area should be
positioned at the inside of the garment. To provide better contact
with the patient's skin it is advantageous to use low friction
yarns, as knitting or "so called" inlay yarn in circular and
flat-bed knitted products.
[0034] Another embodiment of a stocking 10 of the present invention
is shown in FIG. 3 wherein courses of inlaid yarn covered with low
friction material encircles the calf area in zone 22 just above the
ankle. To provide easier donning, but prevent the stocking from
sliding, the zone is extended from just above the heel to the point
where the Achilles tendon joins to the calf muscle known as
position b1. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present
invention showing a stocking 10 having courses of low resistance
yarn made of spandex covered with PTFE encircling the ankle area in
zone 22 immediately above the heel.
[0035] In another embodiment a low friction permanent finishing on
the inside surface of the fabric, or a narrow strips or dots of low
friction material (tape, film, fabric) is attached to the garment
by coating, laminating, or any other applicable method. An example
of such garment is shown in FIG. 5 wherein strips 30 of low
friction material are attached to the inside surface of a stocking
10. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a garment of the present
invention showing dots 40 of low friction material attached to the
inside surface of a stocking 10.
[0036] Another embodiment of the garments of the present invention
provides sewing a patch 50 of low friction material to the inside
of a garment 10 such as shown in FIG. 7. Further, an embodiment of
the present invention showing a low friction coating applied to the
inside of a garment is shown in FIG. 8 wherein stocking 10 has a
low friction coating applied to the inside of the foot zone 60 and
the zone encircling the lower calf above the ankle 62.
[0037] Although a preferred method of making the garments of the
present invention is on a circular knitting machine, it should be
understood that other methods of manufacturing may be used, such as
flat-bed knitting. Examples of the garments of this invention using
flat-bed knitting are shown in FIGS. 9-11. For example, in another
embodiment, that shown in FIG. 9 illustrates the inner side of a
flat knitted stocking 70 before sewing the sides together having a
low friction zone 72 in the ankle, heel and foot areas.
[0038] In FIG. 10 there is illustrated the inner side of a flat
knitted stocking 70 before sewing the sides together showing a low
friction zone 74 in a discrete portion of the ankle zone. FIG. 11
illustrates the inner side of a flat knitted stocking 70 before
sewing the sides together showing a low friction zone 76
surrounding the ankle.
[0039] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions
set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to
which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings
presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are
not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that
modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included
within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms
are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive
sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
* * * * *