GB1597166A - Garments which also serve as hernia appliances - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO GARMENTS WHICH ALSO SERVE AS HERNIA APPLIANCES (71) We, NEALBOURNE LIMITED, a British Company of P.O. Box 10, Ebor Mills, Dubb Lane, Bingley, W. Yorks BD16 2BT, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to garments which also serve as hernia appliances.

A number of hernia appliances are already known and are commercially available, one of which is the hernia truss which is a body fitting embodying a means for applying pressure to the abdomen region which requires to be relieved. In another form of hernia appliance, a pair of briefs is provided with pressure applying straps externally thereof whereby the pressure can be applied to the region of the abdomen to be relieved.

Each of these appliances is designed to be worn under conventional clothing.

Because of the need to wear a special medical device under a conventional garment, hernia sufferers invariably are self conscious about taking part in activities such as swimming, requiring exposure of the body to the public.

The present invention seeks to provide a garment which also serves as a hernia appliance to improve the recreational possibil+ies of hernia sufferers.

According to the present invention there is provided a garment which, in addition to its function as a garment, also serves as a hernia appliance but visually conceals the fact that the garment is also a hernia appliance, said garment having a portion for covering the abdomen which is provided internally of the such portion with a front panel having a means adapted for supporting, or supporting, one or more hernia pads in the or each region of the abdomen requiring support, said panel having integral releasable strap means for extending around the user's back.

When such a garment is a swimming garment, it appears as a normal swimming costume or trunks, the hernia pad or pads being hidden from direct view. The said means supporting or adapted for supporting said one or more pads may comprise one part of a touch and close fastener arrangement, the or each pad being provided with the other part of such fastener.

The garment when swimwear, is preferably of conventional swimwear fabric such as stretch fabric. The garment may be underwear.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a garment according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the garment shown in Fig. 1 with the front half of the covering fabric removed; and Fig. 3 is a rear view of a portion of the garment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the garment in accordance with the illustrated embodiment comprises a swimwear garment in the form of a pair of briefs 10 of conventional external appearance, constructed of conventional swimwear fabric, and provided with waist tie strings 12.

Internally of the briefs, as shown in Fig. 2 (in which figure the front half of the fabric of the briefs 10 is removed), there is provided a means 14 for supporting a pair of pressure applying pads 16 and 18. The pads 16 and 18 are of expanded foam material which although having slight resiliency are in fact of a rigid form, and the means 14 for supporting the pads comprises a strip forming one part of a touch and close fastener. As shown in Fig. 3, the pads 16 and 18 are respectively provided with strips 20 and 22 each of which is of a second part of said touch and close fastener, so that the pads 16 and 18 can be positioned and attached to suit the user's requirements.

The strip 14 is carried on a front panel 24 having integral belt means in the form of a belt 26. The lower edge 28 of the panel 26 is attached to the lower edge of the front half of the garment 10, whilst the edges of panel 24 taper into waist band strips 30 and 32 which form the belt 26 and which overlap in use, and the respective ends of which are provided with the respective parts of a touch and close fastener arrangement that can be joined at the user's back.

In use of the garment, the waist band portions 30 and 32 are positioned round the back of the user, and when the appliance is in position, it appears as conventional swimtrunks.

It is possible to provide a garment as shown in Fig. 1, with the hernia pads built in so as to be permanently fixed to the inside of the garment, and it is also possible to apply the invention to one-piece swimsuits and underwear.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides a means whereby hernia sufferers can participate in swimming without it being obvious that they are hernia sufferers, and will be of considerable value to such sufferers.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A garment which, in addition to its function as a garment, also serves as a hernia appliance but visually conceals the fact that the garment is also a hernia appliance, said garment having a portion for covering the abdomen which is provided internally of the such portion with a front panel having a means adapted for supporting, or supporting, one or more hernia pads in the or each region of the abdomen requiring support, said panel having integral releasable strap means for extending around the user's back.

2. A garment according to Claim 1, wherein the said means adapted for supporting, or supporting, said one or more pads comprises one part of a touch and close fastener arrangement, the or each pad being provided with the other part of such fastener.

3. A garment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said strap means comprises two strap portions extending from said front panel and connectable together by a touch and close fastener arrangement at the user's back.

4. A garment according to any preceding claim, wherein the garment is designed to be used as a pair of swimming trunks.

5. A garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. a belt 26. The lower edge 28 of the panel 26 is attached to the lower edge of the front half of the garment 10, whilst the edges of panel 24 taper into waist band strips 30 and 32 which form the belt 26 and which overlap in use, and the respective ends of which are provided with the respective parts of a touch and close fastener arrangement that can be joined at the user's back. In use of the garment, the waist band portions 30 and 32 are positioned round the back of the user, and when the appliance is in position, it appears as conventional swimtrunks. It is possible to provide a garment as shown in Fig. 1, with the hernia pads built in so as to be permanently fixed to the inside of the garment, and it is also possible to apply the invention to one-piece swimsuits and underwear. It will be appreciated that the invention provides a means whereby hernia sufferers can participate in swimming without it being obvious that they are hernia sufferers, and will be of considerable value to such sufferers. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A garment which, in addition to its function as a garment, also serves as a hernia appliance but visually conceals the fact that the garment is also a hernia appliance, said garment having a portion for covering the abdomen which is provided internally of the such portion with a front panel having a means adapted for supporting, or supporting, one or more hernia pads in the or each region of the abdomen requiring support, said panel having integral releasable strap means for extending around the user's back.

2. A garment according to Claim 1, wherein the said means adapted for supporting, or supporting, said one or more pads comprises one part of a touch and close fastener arrangement, the or each pad being provided with the other part of such fastener.

3. A garment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said strap means comprises two strap portions extending from said front panel and connectable together by a touch and close fastener arrangement at the user's back.

4. A garment according to any preceding claim, wherein the garment is designed to be used as a pair of swimming trunks.

5. A garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.