U.S. patent application number 14/891676 was filed with the patent office on 2016-07-07 for hip protective undergarments.
The applicant listed for this patent is IMPACTWEAR INTERNATIONAL, LLLP. Invention is credited to Natasha Rhea WILLIAMS, Daniel M. WYNER.
Application Number | 20160192714 14/891676 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51581785 |
Filed Date | 2016-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160192714 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WILLIAMS; Natasha Rhea ; et
al. |
July 7, 2016 |
HIP PROTECTIVE UNDERGARMENTS
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an undergarment with a self-orienting,
integrated, conformable hip protection pad.
Inventors: |
WILLIAMS; Natasha Rhea;
(Providence, NZ) ; WYNER; Daniel M.; (North
Scituate, RI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
IMPACTWEAR INTERNATIONAL, LLLP |
Providence |
RI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51581785 |
Appl. No.: |
14/891676 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
March 17, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US14/30849 |
371 Date: |
November 16, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61802598 |
Mar 16, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/455 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 9/12 20130101; A41D
13/0506 20130101; A41D 13/015 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/12 20060101
A41B009/12; A41D 13/05 20060101 A41D013/05; A41D 13/015 20060101
A41D013/015 |
Claims
1. A hip protective garment, comprising: a form-fitted body
portion; and a hip pad disposed on the body portion, the hip pad
comprising a center, such that when the garment is disposed on the
user, the center of the hip pad is disposed adjacent to the upper
trochanter region of the user's hip.
2. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an integrated locator device that allows the user to
verify the position of the center of the hip pad relative to the
upper trochanter region of the user's hip.
3. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises a removable impact sensor adapted to measure the force of
an impact.
4. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein at least a
portion the body portion comprises an absorbent material.
5. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an energy absorbing foam material.
6. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the energy
absorbing foam material is a polyurethane foam.
7. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane
foam has a density of about 10 pcf to about 30 pcf.
8. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane
foam has a density of about 15 pcf to about 25 pcf.
9. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane
foam has a density of about 10 pcf to about 30 pcf.
10. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad has
a central region of uniform thickness extending radially from the
center of the hip pad.
11. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad has
a central region of uniform thickness extending radially from the
center of the hip pad by about 1 cm to about 10 cm.
12. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad has
a central region of uniform thickness extending radially from the
center of the hip pad by about 3 cm to about 8 cm.
13. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad has
a central region of uniform thickness extending radially from the
center of the hip pad by about 5 cm.
14. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the central
region of uniform thickness has a thickness ranging from about 1 mm
to about 30 mm.
15. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the central
region of uniform thickness has a thickness ranging from about 5 mm
to about 25 mm.
16. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the central
region of uniform thickness has a thickness ranging from about 10
mm to about 20 mm.
17. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the central
region of uniform thickness has a thickness of about 15 mm.
18. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an impact-resistance of up to about 10,000 newtons.
19. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an impact-resistance of up to about 7000 newtons.
20. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an impact-resistance of up to about 5000 newtons.
21. The hip protective garment of claim 1, wherein the hip pad
comprises an impact-resistance of up to about 3000 newtons.
22. A hip protective garment, comprising: a hip pad disposed on the
garment, the hip pad comprising a center, such that when the
garment is disposed on the user, the center of the hip pad is
disposed adjacent to the upper trochanter region of the user's hip;
wherein the hip pad comprises a polyurethane foam with a density of
about 20 pcf, a thickness of about 15 mm, and that is capable of
absorbing about 7000 newtons of force.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES
[0001] Priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) is hereby claimed to
commonly-owned and co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No.
61/802,598, which was filed on Mar. 16, 2013, and which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates to undergarments comprising
integrated hip protectors, methods of making and methods of
using.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Elbows, knees, shoulders, ankles, hips and other joints can
be especially susceptible to impact damage and yet are challenging
to protect without restricting the range of motion and movement of
the individual. Hip fractures are serious fall injuries that often
result in long-term functional impairment, nursing home admission
and increased mortality. Some reported statistics show that the
leading cause of hip fractures in the elderly, are falls, with the
majority of hip fractures occurring in those over 65 years of age.
Some report that as much as 20% of those who suffer a hip fracture
die within 12 months of the hip fracture. For survivors, loss of
function and independence is profound, with as much as 40% being
unable to walk, or requiring assistance a year later.
[0004] The CDC reports that in 2007, there were 281,000 hospital
admissions for hip fractures among people age 65 and older, and
that over 90% of hip fractures were caused by falling, most often
by falling sideways onto the hip. However, women sustain
three-quarters of all hip fractures. In 1991, Medicare costs for
hip fractures were estimated to be $2.9 billion.
[0005] In both men and women, hip fracture rates increase
exponentially with age. People 85 and older are 10 to 15 times more
likely to sustain hip fractures than are those at age 60 to 65.
Osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones porous, increases a
person's risk of sustaining a hip fracture. The National
Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that more than 10 million people
over age 50 in the U.S. have osteoporosis and another 34 million
are at risk for the disease.
[0006] A large proportion of fall deaths are due to complications
following a hip fracture. One out of five hip fracture patients
dies within a year of their injury. Treatment typically includes
surgery and hospitalization, usually for about one week, and is
frequently followed by admission to a nursing home and extensive
rehabilitation. Up to one in four adults who lived independently
before their hip fracture remain in a nursing home for at least a
year after their injury.
[0007] As a result, various types of hip protectors have been
commercialized, in an attempt to minimize the number, severity and
debilitation of hip fracture. However, such impact protection can
be heavy, non-breathable or restrictive, or may not accurately
target the hip joint, or if it does so, only inconsistently.
[0008] One type of hip protector is a padded belt that is worn over
the user's clothing, which is bulky and conspicuous. Another type
of hip protector is an undergarment with pockets for receiving a
removable hip shield. Although this type of hip protector is less
conspicuous than the external belts, they still may add
unattractive bulk to the hip region. Although each of the foregoing
are somewhat effective, compliance is often low, because they are
conspicuous and/or uncomfortable. As a result, compliance is low,
reducing their effectiveness.
[0009] A need exists for improved hip protection.
SUMMARY
[0010] The present disclosure is directed to, in one embodiment, a
hip protective garment, comprising a form-fitted body portion and a
hip pad disposed on the body portion. The hip pad comprises a
center, such that when the garment is disposed on the user, the
center of the hip pad is disposed adjacent to the upper trochanter
region of the user's hip.
[0011] In one embodiment, the hip pad can comprise an integrated
locator device that allows the user to verify the position of the
center of the hip pad relative to the upper trochanter region of
the user's hip.
[0012] In one embodiment, the hip pad can comprise a removable
impact sensor adapted to measure the force of an impact.
[0013] In one embodiment, the hip pad can comprise an energy
absorbing foam material, such as an energy absorbing polyurethane
foam.
[0014] In one embodiment, the hip pad can comprise a central region
of uniform thickness extending radially from the center of the hip
pad. The central region of uniform thickness can extend radially
from the center of the hip pad by about 1 cm to about 10 cm. The
central region can comprise a thickness ranging from about 1 mm to
about 30 mm.
[0015] In some embodiments, the hip pad can have an
impact-resistance of up to about 10,000 newtons.
[0016] Another embodiment is directed to a hip protective garment,
comprising a hip pad disposed on the garment, the hip pad
comprising a center, such that when the garment is disposed on the
user, the center of the hip pad is disposed adjacent to the upper
trochanter region of the user's hip. The hip pad can comprises a
polyurethane foam with a density of about 20 pcf, a thickness of
about 15 mm, and that is capable of absorbing about 7000 newtons of
force.
[0017] Another aspect of the disclosure is a hip pad comprising a
center, such that when the garment is disposed on the user, the
center of the hip pad is disposed adjacent to the upper trochanter
region of the user's hip. The hip pad can comprises a polyurethane
foam with a density of about 20 pcf, a thickness of about 15 mm,
and that is capable of absorbing about 7000 newtons of force. The
foregoing hip pad can be placed in a pocket at the hip to provide
hip impact resistance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The foregoing and other features and advantages will be
apparent from the following more particular description of
exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to
the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not
necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon
illustrating the principles of the disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a user wearing an exemplary
padded undergarment according to the present disclosure, in a
standing position;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a front view of the user in FIG. 1, showing the
pad spaced apart from the undergarment, and the disposition of the
pad on the undergarment, relative to the user's hip joint,
specifically, the upper trochanter;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a front view of the user in FIG. 1, showing the
pad disposed on the undergarment in a protective position relative
to the user's hip joint, specifically, the upper trochanter;
[0022] FIG. 4 shows the user of FIG. 1, in a seated position,
showing the relative orientation of the pad relative to the greater
trochanter during movement;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a top view of a portion of the padded undergarment
shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a portion of the hip pad
and body portion shown in FIG. 5, through line 4-4;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the hip pad shown in FIG.
5, without the body portion;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the
hip pad and body portion shown in FIG. 6; and
[0027] FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the hip protector pad
shown in FIG. 6, without the body portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0028] The present disclosure is directed to garments, particularly
undergarments, which comprise improved, self-orienting and
conformable hip protection pads. The garments are lightweight,
soft, flexible and breathable, resulting in improved compliance by
users. The integrated pads are designed to provide sufficient
impact-resistance to prevent a hip fractures. In some embodiments,
the pads can withstand forces in the range of about 7000 newtons
("N"). As such, the present garments provide sufficient
impact-resistance to reduce hip fractures both because they are
designed to withstand the force of a fall that would otherwise
result in a hip fracture and due to increased compliance.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a user wearing a hip
protective undergarment 10 according to the present disclosure.
Undergarment 10 comprises a body portion 20 and a padded hip
protector portion 30 (hereinafter "pad 30") attached to the body
portion 20 at the hip region, adjacent to the greater trochanter of
the femur bone.
[0030] Undergarment 10 is selected to be form-fitted, rather than
loose. The term "form-fitted" or "form-fitting," as used herein,
means that the garment tightly follows the contours of the part of
the body being covered, or that is held to the skin by elastic
tension. Thus, undergarment 10 is selected to closely conform to
the user's body and to minimize the amount of lateral movement,
longitudinal movement and twisting of the undergarment relative to
the user's body, when in use. Suitable materials for the body
portion include knits, woven and nonwoven fabrics, leather, vinyl
or any other suitable material. A variety of natural and/or
synthetic materials can be used for the body portion including, but
are not limited to, knits, woven and nonwoven fabrics, leather,
vinyl or any other suitable materials that include elastane or an
equivalent thereof. Such materials provide a smooth line as well
strength when pulled tightly. Other suitable materials include
functional materials with repellent and/or absorbent
characteristics, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Publication No.
2010/0249736, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety. The garments can also be made from a
wicking fabric that is designed to move moisture away from the skin
layer.
[0031] FIGS. 5-9 show exemplary hip pad 30 according to the present
disclosure in greater detail. Pad 30 has a shape, size and
configuration adapted to the contours of the outer hip section,
including a central oval shape, and "wings" extending from the left
and right sides of the oval. It should be understood that the pad
can comprise any shape, size, thickness or configuration as is
practical or desired to prevent or minimize hip fractures. The hip
pad includes cushioning regions of various shapes, sizes,
configurations and thicknesses. For ease of discussion, the terms
"cushioning region" and "medallion" will be used interchangeably
throughout the description. Various materials can be used for the
medallions, as will be described below. The medallions are spaced
apart by channels of various depths and configurations, which
define the perimeter of the medallions. The upper surface of the
medallions may include grooves of various depths and
configurations, which define, in part, the contours of the
medallions. In some instances, a perimeter flange is provided,
spaced apart from the perimeter of the pad.
[0032] As shown in cross-section in FIGS. 6 and 7, pad 30 comprises
a cushioning layer 15 disposed between optional outer and inner
layers 16,17, which together define a front surface 10, a back
surface 12 and a perimeter 14. Suitable materials for the
cushioning layer 15, and optional outer and inner layers 16,17 are
disclosed in co-pending and commonly owned U.S. Publication No.
2012/0084896 and U.S. Publication No. 2013/0061377, both of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0033] Pad 30 comprises one or more channels 38, which define
spaced apart medallions regions 50, 60a,b and wing medallions
70a,b. As shown, channels 38 have a width "W.sub.1" defined by the
spacing between the perimeter of adjacent medallions, a depth
"D.sub.1" defined by the spacing between the upper surface of the
medallions and the upper surface of the pad 30, and a thickness
"T.sub.1" defined by the combined thicknesses of the inner and
outer layers 16,17 and the cushioning material 15 disposed between
the layers. For ease of discussion, the "channels" will be referred
to hereinafter as hinges throughout the description, without
intending to limit the fact that the grooves also function as
hinging elements.
[0034] The width W.sub.1 of the hinges can be varied as desired or
needed, and can range from as narrow as about 1 mil to about 1000
mils, or more. The hinges 38 may be linear or curved, and the depth
of the hinges between the medallions may be the same or different,
and may vary along the hinge. Both curved and linear hinges may be
used in combination in the pads, as in the present embodiment, and
may include a combination of curved and linear hinged areas. In the
present embodiment, the hinges function as locators ensuring that
the pad is lined up properly with the intersection of the X and Y
axes of the user's hip joint and/or with the user's greater
trochanter, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0035] An optional perimeter flange 40 (hereinafter "flange") may
be defined in the upper surface 10 to maintain the medallions in
spaced apart relation from the perimeter of the pad. In the present
embodiment, the optional perimeter flange 40 has a width "W.sub.2"
defined by the spacing between the perimeter of the outermost
medallions and the perimeter 14 of the pad 30. The width W.sub.2 of
the perimeter flange 40 may vary, as desired. As will be described
in greater detail below, the perimeter flange 40 is thinner than
the medallions, allowing the pad to be attached to items such as
clothing along the flange area using a variety of techniques, such
as by sewing, gluing, bonding, and the like. When integrated with
the body portion, the pad can be sewn, glued or otherwise attached
to the outside of the sleeve fabric, or it can be sewn or attached
to the interior surface of the sleeve, and exposed through a
corresponding opening in the sleeve.
[0036] In some embodiments, center medallion 50 can comprise a
central region "R" extending radially from center point P, with a
substantially uniform thickness, and the thickness of the remaining
medallions can decrease radially from R toward the perimeter of the
pad 30. Alternatively, the upper surface of a medallion may
comprise a surface that is defined by a thickness that generally
decreases radially toward the perimeter of the medallion, or toward
the perimeter of the pad.
[0037] Optionally, one or more grooves 42 may be formed in the
upper surface of the medallions. Like the hinges 38, the grooves 42
increase the flexibility of the pad, and as the thickness of the
cushioning layer 15 in the grooves 42 is decreased, the flexibility
of the grooves 42, and pad 100, increases. The width, depth,
orientation and position of the grooves 42 in the upper surfaces of
the medallions may be varied, depending on a number of factors
including, but not limited to, the desired direction and amount of
flexibility, and the like.
[0038] Like hinges 38, the grooves 42 may be curved grooves, or
linear grooves that are disposed along parallel and/or intersecting
axes. Both curved and linear grooves may be used in combination,
and the grooves may include both curved and linear regions.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the hip pad 30 comprises a center point
P disposed at the intersection of horizontal and vertical axes X
and Y. Similarly, the greater trochanter of the user corresponds to
P' at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical axes X' and
Y' on the user. As shown, the pad 30 is attached to the body
portion 20, such that in use, the position P of the center
medallion 50 corresponds to the user's greater trochanter,
corresponding to P'. As a result, the center of the hip pad 30 is
maintained in the same position relative to the greater trochanter
during movement, such as when the user is in a seated position, as
shown in FIG. 4.
[0040] As shown, pad 30 is attached to the body portion 20 by
stitching the perimeter flange 40 to the body portion 20, such that
the center of the hip pad corresponds to the greater trochanter of
the femur. In use, the combination of the flexible hinges 38 and
grooves 42 allow the pad 30 to conform to the user's body,
particularly the hip region, thereby maintaining the pad 30 in
close proximity to the user's body and maximizing the
impact-absorption capability of the pad 30 when the user falls.
[0041] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrates another embodiment of an exemplary
cushioning pad 30' according to the present disclosure. Pad 30' has
a similar structure to pad 30, other than that the thickness of the
cushioning layer 15 disposed between the upper and lower layers
16,17 in hinges 38,50 is maximized during the manufacturing
process, to provide greater impact resistance.
[0042] The size, shape, configuration, and dimensions of the pad,
medallions, medallion contours, hinges, grooves and flange; and the
thickness, density and type of material; may be varied as desired
in order to achieve the desired functional characteristics for the
hip pad, that is, to prevent or minimize hip fractures by
maximizing the impact resistance to the force that a user would
cause a hip fracture from a fall, which has been estimated to be in
the 7000 newton range. All of the foregoing features, alone or in
combination, are designed to facilitate the flexibility of the pad
either inwardly or outwardly to conform to a user's body during
movement. However, it should be understood that in each of the
foregoing embodiments, and in any pad according to the present
disclosure, all of the foregoing measurements can vary depending on
the desired characteristics and design of the pad. For example, the
pads are designed to provide a variety of characteristics such as,
but not limited to, cushioning, vibration dampening and/or impact
absorption, and the like. The characteristics of the pad may be
varied by changing the thickness and/or material type of cushioning
layer 15 in the medallions, changing the spacing between the
medallions (i.e., the width of the hinges), and/or changing the
contours of the medallions, and the like. For example, using a gel
for cushioning layer 15 provides a pad with cushioning and
vibration dampening characteristics; using a foam decreases the
weight of the pad; using a rate dependent or impact absorbing foam
increases the impact absorption of the pad; etc. In general,
increasing the thickness of the cushioning layer 15 in the
medallions generally increases the foregoing characteristics; and
using a combination of materials for cushioning layer 15 may
provide a combination of characteristics.
[0043] The cushioning material 15 may comprise a foam material,
such as a low-density foam material. Examples of suitable
low-density foams include polyester and polyether polyurethane
foams. Various types of impact absorbing materials have been found
suitable for the cushioning material, particularly energy absorbing
materials, which are those that are soft to the touch, and
temporarily harden on impact as they absorb the energy of the
impact (rather than transmitting the energy, in this instance, to
the body), after which they revert to their initial state. One
suitable rate dependent foam is available from Rogers Corporation
under the brand names PORON.RTM. and PORON XRD.RTM., which is a
microcellular polyurethane foam. Desirable densities for such foams
can range from about 5 to about 35 pounds per cubic foot (pcf),
more particularly from about 10 to about 30 pcf, and more
particularly still from about 15 to about 25 pcf. Desirable
thicknesses for such foams can range from about 3 mm to about 20
mm, more particularly about 6 mm to about 17 mm, more particularly
still about 10-15 mm.
[0044] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the
like herein do not denote any order or importance, but rather are
used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms "a" and
"an" herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather
denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.
Similarly, it is noted that the terms "bottom" and "top" are used
herein, unless otherwise noted, merely for convenience of
description, and are not limited to any one position or spatial
orientation. In addition, the modifier "about" used in connection
with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the
meaning dictated by the context (e.g., includes the degree of error
associated with measurement of the particular quantity). Unless
defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used herein have
the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the
art to which this disclosure belongs.
[0045] While the disclosure has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the
particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for
carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include
all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *