EP4616771A1

EP4616771A1 - Sock aid

Info

Publication number: EP4616771A1
Application number: EP25161435.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jaroslav Kucera
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2024-03-13
Filing date: 2025-03-03
Publication date: 2025-09-17
Also published as: CZ37821U1; US20250288138A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a sock aid as a compensatory tool for individuals with limited mobility to facilitate putting on socks or stockings, particularly compression stockings. It consists of a U-shaped body (1) connected to a support pad (3) via a base (2), where the body (1)of the sock aid is surrounded by at least one closed or open profile (6) narrowing or expanding the width of the sock aid body, thereby defining a new width of the sock aid body. This profile is equipped with symmetrically designed stops in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated.

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the design of a sock aid as a compensatory tool for individuals with physical disabilities.

Background of the Invention

Compensatory aids serve individuals with limited mobility by facilitating the dressing of various parts of clothing for both the upper and lower body. A sock aid for putting on and pulling up socks and stockings, especially those made of thicker knit fabrics, by individuals with limited mobility and reduced ability to bend forward also belongs to compensatory aids. These compensatory aids share a common feature - they consist of a body for securing the stocking, which most often has a circular or semicircular shape. The sock or stocking is slipped onto and attached to this body, and during application, the foot is inserted into the sock held by the aid. The sock is then released from the compensatory aid. Individual solutions differ in the shape of the donning part of the compensatory aid, the method of securing the sock, and the way the aid is handled. In most cases, the aids are relatively complex, bulky, and expensive to manufacture. The method of using known compensatory aids is complicated and requires at least partial bending forward and the assistance of at least one hand.
Some devices, such as those described in patent documents FR 2712162 or US 6056171 , are based on a traditional shoehorn, which combines the function of the body of the compensatory aid with its handle. The aid, in the form of a shoehorn, widens into an oval shape at the bottom, onto which the sock is secured. The shoehorn is held manually, and the sock is pulled onto the foot. Even though a milder forward bend is required, the user still cannot avoid it.
In other cases, such as patent documents JP 2004105292 , US 5626269 , US 6598769 , WO 9514414 , and US 5706988 , the body of the aid consists of a hoop adapted for securing the sock, to which a long handle or string is attached. Various body designs equipped with a string are also described in other documents, such as US 5894970 and US 5799844 . The actual donning of the sock or stocking is performed by pulling with at least one hand. Although the length of the string or handle may ensure that no forward bending is required to put on the socks, a considerable amount of skill and coordination is still necessary to successfully don the sock or stocking.
For putting on long stockings, variously sized devices are used that can stand independently and do not require a handle or string, as described in patent documents US 5630534 , US 2004104254 , and GB 2338172 .
Another design of a compensatory aid is presented in the Czech utility model CZ 15345 (PUV 2005-16241). The compensatory aid according to this design has the form of a trough, which is equipped with a retaining element for securing the stocking to the body of the aid, a non-slip element that stabilizes the position of the compensatory aid while inserting the foot into the stocking, and a rotating handle for holding the aid.
The compensatory aid according to the technical solution of utility model UV 21284 describes a sock aid body with a U-shaped profile and a heel opening, anchored to a support pad with the ability to tilt the body relative to the support pad for easier donning, without the need for bending forward or using hands.
However, when using the compensatory aid according to utility model UV 21284, a problem arose with donning compression socks and stockings, which are made of very strong material to provide high compression on the limbs for medical reasons. This requires the application of force and pressure on the profile of the sock aid body, which has limited strength.
Another problem is that the difference between men's and women's foot sizes requires a change in the width of the sock aid body profile according to the specified numerical parameters of the foot. The "U" profile of the sock aid body always had to be adjusted manually by heating and reshaping the plastic material of the "U" profile to either a wider or narrower women's size, which was labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Disclosure of the Invention

The above-mentioned shortcomings are addressed by a sock aid with a U-shaped body profile, equipped with a profile defining the width of the sock aid body, which simultaneously reinforces it and allows for easy donning of both compression socks and compression knee-high stockings.
The subject of the invention is a sock aid consisting of a body shaped into a U-shaped profile, where one end of the sock aid body is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, while its other end is beveled at an angle of 45° to 80° relative to the longitudinal axis of the profile, sloping towards the opposite end. The sock aid body is connected to a support pad via a base, with the body inclined relative to the support pad at an angle α < 90°, where the perpendicular end of the sock aid body is closer to the support pad when inclined. The sock aid body may be provided with a longitudinal opening near the beveled end. The inclination of the sock aid body relative to the support pad is advantageously adjustable using a joint connection between the sock aid body and the base.
The support pad is provided on its upper surface with at least one hook or another means for securing the sock aid to a fixed object, and its bottom surface is equipped with a non-slip surface. The sock aid body is surrounded by at least one closed or open profile that defines the width of the sock aid body, connected to the sock aid body or the base by a connecting element. The profile defining the width of the sock aid body is equipped with symmetrical stops, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated.
In one advantageous embodiment, the profile defining the width of the sock aid body is closed, with stops formed on the inner side of the profile, into which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated. The inner diameter of the profile may be larger above the stops than the inner diameter of the profile below the stops.
In another advantageous embodiment, the sock aid has a closed profile defining the width of the sock aid body, which surrounds the outer surface of the sock aid body and overlaps its longitudinal edges, pressing against them. The longitudinal edges are seated in the inner corners of the profile defining the width of the sock aid body.
In another advantageous embodiment, the sock aid has an open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, which surrounds the outer surface of the sock aid body and is equipped with stops at both ends, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated.
In yet another advantageous embodiment, the sock aid has an open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, which surrounds the inner surface of the sock aid body and is equipped with stops at both ends, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated.
In one embodiment of the invention, the profile defining the width of the sock aid body may be open, connecting the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body from above using stops at both ends of the profile defining the width of the sock aid body, and is connected to the sock aid body by a connecting element.
The stops of the profile defining the width of the sock aid body may form grooves, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body are seated.
The profiles defining the width of the sock aid body may have various diameters and widths. The profile defining the width of the sock aid body may be closed in the form of a ring or open, of any shape, where in one part, it preferably follows the shape of the sock aid body profile, and in the other part, if closed, it may be oval, circular, square, rectangular, triangular, or another polygonal shape, or any other decorative shape, with varying heights above the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body profile.
Manipulation with the profile defining the width of the sock aid body is simple. The lower part is slid onto the "U" profile of the sock aid body from the beveled end, onto which the sock will be placed, and is secured using a connecting element to the sock aid body or the base. The sock aid body may optionally be pivotally attached to the base using a joint. The joint allows the angle of inclination of the sock aid body to be adjusted according to the user's needs.
When in use, the base with the compensatory aid, onto which the stocking is slipped, is placed with the non-slip surface on the floor, preferably on a carpet, while sitting. Compression socks are rigid, the material is poorly flexible, and the pressure on the support pad with the non-slip surface is enormous. The support pad often shifts, and it needs to be secured, for example, by stepping on it, which, however, can be difficult for the user themselves. The hook or another means on the support pad serves to secure the sock aid to a fixed object, preventing the sock aid from shifting during the donning of the sock and ensuring that the non-slip layer on the support pad does not bunch up under the pressure of the sock aid on the floor. The longitudinal opening in the profile of the sock aid body facilitates the donning and handling of the compression sock, as the heel fits into the opening, thereby easing the overcoming of the pressure from the tight stocking (sock) during donning, both at the front and instep areas. The stocking is slipped onto the sock aid body from the side of the raised beveled end of the sock aid body so that the entire shin section of the stocking is placed onto its body by pulling the outer side of the sock over the end of the sock aid body profile. If the stocking or compression sock is longer, its length must first be reduced by gathering it, and then it should be slipped onto the sock aid body so that only the foot section of the stocking remains loose. The donning process is comfortably performed while seated, without the need for the user to bend forward. The sock aid is placed on the ground, the tip of the foot is inserted into the sock, and the heel can be positioned in the longitudinal opening if necessary. By moving the foot in the direction of the sock aid body, the sock or stocking is pulled onto the foot, and with a slight upward movement of the foot, it is removed from the sock aid and can be adjusted on the shin if needed.
The sock aid body, along with the profile defining its width, must have sufficient clearance to accommodate the passage of both narrow and wide feet, as well as feet that are broader in the ankle area or swollen. The profile defining the width of the sock aid body adjusts its width for different foot sizes, and its use depends on the stretchability of men's or women's socks.
The profile defining the width of the sock aid body has multiple functions; it also reinforces the entire circumference of the sock aid body during its widening or narrowing and facilitates handling of compression socks. If the profile were not fitted onto the sock aid body, the compression sock would break and deform the heel section due to its pressure on the "U" profile of the sock aid body.
A single sock aid body profile can accommodate multiple different profiles defining the width of the sock aid body, depending on the initial size and width of the sock aid body profile. This is within the material's flexibility limits and according to the user's requirement for narrowing or widening a specific size of the sock aid body profile.
The advantage of this solution is primarily the physically effortless use of this type of sock aid, which enables independent donning of stockings even for elderly individuals and those with musculoskeletal limitations that prevent them from bending forward. Donning with the use of this aid is easy, does not require special coordination skills, hand assistance, or physical effort, and also allows for the effortless donning of compression socks.

Explanation of the figures:

Fig. 1: A perspective view of the sock aid with the sock aid body seated in the stops of the closed profile defining the width of the sock aid body.
Fig. 2: A top view of the sock aid with the closed profile fitted onto it, showing the visible opening in the sock aid body.
Fig. 3: A front view of the lower part of the sock aid, showing the connection of the sock aid body with the profile defining the width of the sock aid body using a screw on the base.
Fig. 4a: A front view of the sock aid in a position where the sock aid body is parallel to the support pad and seated in the stops of the open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, with the open profile surrounding the sock aid body from the outside.
Fig. 4b: A front view of the sock aid in a position where the sock aid body is parallel to the support pad and seated in the stops of the open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, with the open profile surrounding the sock aid body from the inside.
Fig. 5a-d: Possible shape designs of closed profiles defining the width of the sock aid body.
Fig. 6: A front view of the sock aid in a position where the sock aid body is parallel to the support pad and seated in the stops of the open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, with the open profile connecting the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body from above.

Examples of implementation of the invention

Example 1

The widening of the sock aid body with a closed profile defining the width of the sock aid body, placed on the outer side of the sock aid body, for a men's compression stocking.
The sock aid consists of a body 1, which is made of flat plastic shaped into a "U" profile with a length of 222 mm and a semi-arched profile with a diameter of 110 mm. The sock aid body 1 is mounted on a support pad 3 using a base 2 (Fig. 1). The profile of the sock aid body 1 is beveled at one end relative to the longitudinal axis at an angle of 60°, sloping towards the other end. At this beveled end, the lower part of the profile is provided with a longitudinal opening 9, with a diameter of 25 mm at one end of the opening 9 and 50 mm at the other end of the opening 9. The length of the opening is 90 mm (Fig. 2). The sock aid body 1 is inserted into the lower part of the closed profile 6 (Fig. 5a), which defines the width of the sock aid in the shape of an oval ring. The sock aid body 1 is connected to it on its outer side using a connecting element 7 in the form of a groove in the sock aid body 1, into which the profile 6 defining the width of the sock aid fits. The profile 6 is provided on its inner circumference with oppositely positioned stops 8 in the form of protrusions creating a groove, wherein the body 1 fits into the grooves of the profile 6 with its longitudinal edges. By positioning the longitudinal edges of the body 1 into the grooves in the profile 6, the diameter of the semi-arched profile of the body 1 expands from 110 mm to 114 mm. The body 1 is pivotally connected to the support pad 3 via a joint on the base 2, allowing the longitudinal axis of the sock aid body 1 to be tilted relative to the support pad 3 up to an angle of α = 60°. The support pad 3 is provided on its upper surface with a securing means 5 in the form of a hook for attachment to a fixed object using a string. On its bottom side, it is equipped with a non-slip surface 4 made of ribbed rubber.

Example 2

The widening of the sock aid body with a closed profile defining the width of the sock aid body, featuring an increased inner diameter of the ring above the grooves, designed for a compression sock for a person with a larger ankle circumference.
The diameter of the closed profile 6 from Example 1 is widened above the oppositely positioned stops 8 in the form of protrusions creating a groove, wherein the body 1 fits into the grooves of the means 6 defining the width of the sock aid body 1 with its longitudinal edges. The diameter of the semi-arched profile of the sock aid body 1 expands from 110 mm to 114 mm, wherein the inner diameter of the profile 6 defining the width of the sock aid body 1 above the stops 8 is 116 mm (Fig. 5b). After inserting the foot into the compression sock without using their hands, the user moves the foot in the direction of the profile of the sock aid body 1, slightly lifts it upwards, and slides the foot with the donned sock out through the opening of the profile 6 above the stops 8.

Example 3

The narrowing of the sock aid body width with an open profile defining the width of the sock aid body, placed on the outer side of the sock aid body, for a women's sock.
The sock aid consists of a body 1, which is made of flat material shaped into a "U" profile with a length of 200 mm and a semi-arched profile with a diameter of 90 mm. The sock aid body 1 is connected to the support pad 3 via a base 2, with the longitudinal axis of the sock aid body 1 inclined relative to the support pad 3 at an angle of α = 50°. The support pad 3 is provided on its bottom side with a non-slip surface 4 made of ribbed rubber. The profile of the sock aid body 1 is beveled at one end relative to the longitudinal axis at an angle of 45° towards the other end and at this end. The sock aid body 1 is inserted into the open profile 6 defining the width of the sock aid body 1, with this profile 6 surrounding the outer surface of the sock aid body 1. It is equipped with stops 8 at both ends, formed by bending the ends of the profile 6 toward its inner surface, creating grooves in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body 1 are seated. (Fig. 4a). The profile 6 is connected to the base 2 using a connecting element 7 in the form of a screw (Fig. 3). By positioning the longitudinal edges of the body 1 into the grooves in the profile 6, the diameter of the semi-arched profile of the body 1 is reduced from 90 mm to 87 mm. The support pad 3 is provided on its upper side with a means 5 for securing the sock aid to a fixed object in the form of a hook and on its bottom side with a non-slip surface 4 made of ribbed rubber.

Example 4

The narrowing of the sock aid body width with a profile defining the width of the sock aid body, placed on the inner part of the sock aid body, for a women's compression stocking.
The profile 6 defining the width of the sock aid body 1, according to Example 3, is open, adhering to the inner surface of the sock aid body 1. It is equipped with stops 8 at both ends, formed by bending the ends of the profile 6 toward its outer surface, creating grooves in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body 1 are seated (Fig. 4b). By positioning the longitudinal edges of the body 1 into the grooves in the profile 6, the diameter of the semi-arched profile of the body is reduced from 100 mm to 96 mm.

Industrial Applicability

The invention is applicable for individuals with limited mobility to facilitate the donning of socks or stockings, particularly compression stockings. The advantage of this solution is primarily the physically effortless use of this type of sock aid, which enables independent donning of stockings even for elderly individuals and those with musculoskeletal limitations that prevent them from bending forward. The design according to the invention is structurally simple and low-cost to manufacture.

Reference Signs List

1 - sock aid body
2 - base
3 - support pad
4 - non-slip surface
5 - means for securing the sock aid to a fixed object
6 - profile defining the width of the sock aid body
7 - connecting element
8 - stop
9 - longitudinal opening

Claims

A sock aid consisting of a body (1) in the shape of a "U" profile, where the body (1) is connected to a support pad (3) via a base (2), with the body (1) inclined relative to the support pad (3) at an angle of α < 90°, where, when inclined, the end of the sock aid body (1) profile closer to the support pad is perpendicular, and the other end of the body (1) is beveled towards the opposite end at an angle of 45° to 80° relative to the longitudinal axis of the body (1), it is characterized in that the sock aid body (1) is surrounded by at least one closed or open profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1), connected by a connecting element (7) to the sock aid body (1) or the base (2), where the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1) is provided with symmetrically formed stops (8), in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body (1) are seated and the support pad (3) is provided on its upper surface with a means (5) for securing the sock aid to a fixed object.
The sock aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1) is closed, surrounding the outer surface of the sock aid body (1) and provided with symmetrically formed stops (8) on the inner side of the profile (6), into which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body (1) are seated.
The sock aid according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner diameter of the profile (6) above the stops (8) is larger than the inner diameter of the profile (6) below the stops (8).
The sock aid according to claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1) is closed, surrounding the outer surface of the sock aid body (1) and overlapping its longitudinal edges, which are seated in the inner corners of the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body, forming stops (8).
The sock aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1) is open, surrounding either the outer or inner surface of the sock aid body (1) and provided with stops (8) at both ends, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body (1) are seated.
The sock aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body (1) is open, connecting the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body (1) from above using stops (8) formed at both ends of the profile (6) defining the width of the sock aid body.
The sock aid according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the stops (8) form grooves, in which the longitudinal edges of the sock aid body (1) are seated.
The sock aid according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sock aid body (1) is provided with a longitudinal opening (9) near its beveled end.
The sock aid according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sock aid body (1) is connected to the support pad (3) via a joint in the base (2).
The sock aid according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the support pad (3) is provided with a non-slip surface (4) on its bottom side.