GB2605541A

GB2605541A - Compression hosiery garment

Info

Publication number: GB2605541A
Application number: GB2209055.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jolly Mark; Pearce Oliver
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-09-26
Filing date: 2018-09-26
Publication date: 2022-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2038-09-26
Also published as: GB202209055D0; GB2605541B

Abstract

A gradient compression hosiery garment 110 comprising; a leg covering 112 formed from an elastic material and having gradient compression characteristics; an elongate slit 118 along at least part of the leg covering 112, the elongate slit 118 having first and second material edge portions 122, 124; a fastening means attached to the first and second material edge portions for releasably closing the elongate slit, such that, in a closed condition, the first and second material edge portions abuttably engage one another along the extent of the elongate slit 118 to apply a compression to a wearer’s leg, the fastening means comprises at least one first fastening element 132 on the first material edge portion 122, at least one second fastening element 132 on the second material edge portion 124, a fastening connector 128 which connects the or each first fastening element 132 and the or each second fastening element 132; wherein at least one of the or each first fastening element 132, the or each second fastening element 132, and the fastening connector 128 includes a low-friction contact surface; and further comprising a secondary fastening means for securing the fastening connector.

Description

Compression Hosiery Garment The present invention relates to a compression hosiery garment, particularly but not necessarily a thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking. A method of making such a garment is al so provided.

Thrombo-embolic deterrent stockings are medical garments designed to apply pressure to the foot, ankle, calf, and sometimes thigh, of a wearer. The purpose is to reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism, that is, blood clot formation in the veins of the leg where flow is stagnant, by aiding blood flow through graduated pressure. The stocking is designed to apply different pressure at different levels of the leg in order to promote blood flow; the further from the heart, the greater the pressure which needs to be applied.

The stockings are particularly suitable for low-mobility hospital patients who will otherwise be bed-bound, and therefore are at high risk of embolism due to immobility. However, since the stocking is designed to compress the leg, it can be extremely difficult to put the stocking on This is equally true for the wearer or for a nurse or similar carer attempting to apply the stocking.

The need for the compression effect to be maintained hampers the ability to solve this problem. The graduated pressure gradient needs to be maintained in order for the stocking to be suitable for medical purposes; this is outlined by the National Institute of Clinical Health and Excellence in the United Kingdom. Traditional fasteners will tend to tauten the compression stocking, making it medically ineffectual.

The present invention seeks to provide a product which is able to obviate the above-referenced problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a compression hosiery garment comprising: a leg covering formed from an elastic material and having an elongate slit along at least part of the leg covering, the elongate slit having first and second material edge portions; and fastening means attached to the first and second material edge portions for releasably closing the elongate slit, such that, in a closed condition, the gusset folds and the first and second material edge portions abuttably engage one another along the extent of the elongate slit to apply a compression to a wearer's leg, the fastening means comprising at least one first fastening element on the first material edge portion, at least one second fastening element on the second material edge portion, and a fastening connector which connects the or each first fastening element and the or each second fastening element; wherein at least one of the or each first fastening element, the or each second fastening element, and the fastening connector includes a low-friction contact surface; and further comprising a secondary fastening means for securing the fastening connector.

The difficulty with existing thrombo-embolic deterrent stockings is that they are difficult to put on, either as the wearer, or as another person who is attempting to put the stocking onto the wearer, for instance a nurse or carer. The present invention overcomes this issue by providing the fastening means which is able to tighten the leg covering such that the compression characteristics remain unaffected by the presence of the slit. In other words, a compression hosiery garment can be readily created having the same medical benefits of existing garments, whilst being significantly more straightforward to apply. The low-friction contact surfaces of the fastening means ensure that an even and expected compression is applied along the length of the elongate slit, preventing parts of the slit from having greater or lesser compression characteristics than intended, since the fastening means is smoothly engagable into the closed condition. A secondary fastening means may assist with holding, for example, a monofilament lace in place, to make sure that the natural movements of the patient do no accidentally loosen the fastening connector.

Preferably, the elastic material may be formed to provide a gradient compression along the leg covering.

Since the compression hosiery garment can be constructed in such a way that the fastening means does not alter an elastic or compressive characteristic of the leg covering, the compression capabilities can be upscaled for use in a traditional gradient compression garment, such as an anti-embolism stocking, thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking, or graduated compression stocking.

The or each first fastening element and/or the or each second fastening element may preferably be an eyelet, the fastening connector comprising a lace engagable with the eyelets. Optionally, the lace may be formed as a monofilament having a low-friction outer surface, and/or the eyelets may be formed from a low-friction material.

A lace which is able to close the elongate slit is an elegant means by which tightening can be achieved, since it just requires the user to pull on the ends of the lace, and does not require the user to bend down to the lower portions of the compression hosiery garment. This makes application much simpler, and the movement of a monofilament over metal eyelets is smooth and unlikely to snag.

In one preferred arrangement, a spacing between adjacent eyelets may be in a range of 15mm to 80mm.

The spacing between eyelets may be important for maintaining the compression characteristics of the leg covering to correspond with that without an elongate slit. A small spacing may serve to maintain a good compression.

In alternative embodiments, the fastening means may comprise a zip fastener, a hookand-loop fastener, and/or a press-fit fastener.

Alternative fastening means other than lacing may be considered which may have different benefits, for example, with regards to ease of use or manufacture.

In a preferred embodiment, the fastening means may be closeable without altering an 20 elastic deformation of the leg covering.

In the ideal scenario, the compression hosiery garment applies the exact pressure to the user's leg that would otherwise be provided without the presence of the elongate slit.

The compression hosiery garment may be provided in the form of a compression stocking; compression tights; compression leggings; or a compression sock. A preferred 25 embodiment may be in the form of a thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking The present invention is advantageously not merely applicable to compression stockings. The slit and fastening means can be readily applied to other compression garments, and therefore the present invention can be utilised for a wide variety of severities of ailments The first and second material edge portions may optionally be formed from a nonelastic material.

Preventing the first and second material edge portions from stretching ensures that abutment thereof does not result in an increased compression factor when compared with a slit-less version.

In one embodiment, there may be provided a gusset attached to the inside of the leg covering at or adjacent to the elongate slit.

The gusset protects the wearer's leg from being caught in the fastening means, preventing pinching of the skin without losing any of the compression capabilities Preferably, the gusset may be triangular or trapezoidal, tapering along the extent of the elongate slit.

A tapered gusset allows the leg covering to open wide when the user is intending to put 15 on the compression hosiery garment, without the garment completely losing its structural integrity and shape.

Optionally, the gusset may be attached to each of the first and second material edge portions so as to extend therebetween.

A neat connection between the gusset and the first and second material edge portions 20 reduces abrasion or discomfort on the user's legs, since there is less material which would otherwise be pressed into the user's skin by the elastic material.

The gusset may be formed from a non-elastic material.

A non-stretch gusset further reduces the potential for deformation of the compression hosiery garment as it is pulled onto the user's legs, and may therefore reduce the 25 likelihood of laddering of the leg covering.

The elongate slit may be positioned at a side of the leg covering, or alternatively may be positioned at a rear or front of the leg covering Many different positions of the elongate slit could be considered, based on comfort and or ease of use considerations.

Preferably, the leg covering may comprise a calf covering portion, the elongate slit extending along the calf covering portion. Additionally, or alternatively, the leg covering may comprise a thigh covering portion, the elongate slit extending along the thigh covering portion. Furthermore, the leg covering may comprise a foot covering portion, the elongate slit terminating prior to the foot covering portion.

Different sizes of leg covering may be appropriate for treating different symptoms which may be alleviated by compression.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making a compression hosiery garment, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a leg covering formed from an elastic material and having an elongate slit along at least part of the leg covering; b] providing first and second material edge portions at opposed sides of the elongate slit; and c] attaching a fastening means to the first and second material edge portions for releasably closing the elongate slit, such that, in a closed condition, the gusset folds and the first and second material edge portions abuttably engage one another along the extent of the elongate slit to apply a compression to a wearer's leg, the fastening means comprising at least one first fastening element on the first material edge portion, at least one second fastening element on the second material edge portion, and a fastening connector which connects the or each first fastening element and the or each second fastening element; and wherein at least one of the or each first fastening element, the or each second fastening element, and the fastening connector includes a low-friction contact surface.

Preferably, during step b], the first and second material edge portions may be formed from non-elastic material which is sewn to the leg covering.

There may further comprise a step between steps b] and c] of, sewing a gusset to each of the first arid second material edge portions so as to extend therebetween at or adjacent to the elongate slit.

The present compression hosiery garment may be readily sewn together, reducing the 5 manufacturing complexity, and may also potentially allow for retro-adaptation of existing compression hosiery garments.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of a compression hosiery 10 garment in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows a rear perspective view of a wearer's leg wearing a second embodiment of a compression hosiery garment, the fastening means being in an open condition, and Figure 3 shows the leg and compression hosiery garment shown in Figure 2, the 15 fastening means being in a closed condition.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a compression hosiery garment, indicated globally at 10, in the form of a single compression stocking, preferably a thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking.

The compression hosiery garment 10 comprises a leg covering 12, which may include a foot covering portion 14 for covering at least part of a user's foot, a call covering portion 16 for covering at least part of a user's calf, and a thigh covering portion for covering at least part of a user's thigh. The illustrated compression hosiery garment 10 is a knee-length garment, and therefore has foot and calf covering portions 14, 16 only.

The leg covering 12 has an elongate slit 18 which preferably extends along the majority of the extent of the leg covering 12, and which is here positioned at a front, that is, foot-facing, portion thereof The elongate slit 18 here extends to the foot covering portion 14, but could extend only part-way down the leg covering 12 instead, for example, only as far as a mid-portion of a wearer's calf.

The elongate slit 18 is therefore formed so that it can be opened from an upper opening 20 of the leg covering 12 without completely splitting the leg covering 12 In other words, the elongate slit 18 can be opened so as to be wide at the upper opening 20 for a wearer to insert their leg, whilst the lower portion, for example the foot covering portion 16 remains unmodified, retaining its shape.

The elongate slit 18 therefore has opposed edges, which are here provided as reinforced first and second material edge portions 22, 24. It is preferred that the first and second material edge portions 22, 24 are formed from a non-elastic material so that they can be readily pulled towards one another without deforming; a slightly elastic material may also work acceptably, however. Preferably, the first and second material edge portions 22, 24 are formed having a thickness in the range of 5mm to 15mm, and a length in the range of 350mm to 450mm, which therefore extends along the majority of the user's calf at least.

Inside the leg covering 12 is preferably provided a gusset 26 which prevents the elongate slit 18 from being completely opcncd. The gusset 26 is attached to thc leg covering 12 at or adjacent to the elongate slit 18, and preferably at an inside of each of the first and second material edge portions 22, 24. The gusset 26 is intended to have no effect on the compression characteristics of the compression hosiery garment 10, and is therefore preferably formed from a non-elastic material, though an elastic material could be considered depending on how the gusset 26 is sewn to the leg covering 12.

A fastening means is then provided for closing the elongate slit 18 is provided. This is provided as a fastening connector 28, such as the monofilament lace shown in Figure 1, which is stitched into the first and second material edge portions 22, 24, being secured in position at the lower end of the elongate slit 18 by a rigid anchor 30 to which the monofilament lace 28 can be tied. The anchor 30 may also be of use in removing the compression hosiery garment 10 from the user's leg. The monofilament lace 28 is connected to both of the first and second material edge portions 22, 24, such that when the loose ends of the monofilament lace 28 are pulled, the first and second material edge portions 22, 24 are drawn towards one another. The stitching therefore forms first and second fastening elements on the first and second material edge portions 22, 24 respectively.

At least one of the first and second fastening elements and the fastening connector 28 are formed so as to having a low-friction contact surface. For example, the monofilament lace may be formed from nylon or a nylon composite, allowing the monofilament lace to readily slide through the first and second fastening elements.

The term low-friction here is intended to describe anything which is capable of sliding against another component smoothly without snagging, for example, a synthetic plastic element or a metal element. A flexible fastening connector 28 having a smooth synthetic plastic surface will nicely slide against a metal eyelet or ferrule without snagging, whereas a braided or woven lace is much more likely to catch, resulting in an uneven application of compression.

This arrangement allows for the user to insert their leg into the leg covering 12 whilst the elongate slit 18 is open, with the fastening connector 28 providing a mechanism for quickly securing the leg covering 12 in position. Significantly, the drawing of the first and second material edge portions 22, 24 towards one another tightens the leg covering 12 to thc requisite compression for thc leg, and therefore the compression hosiery garment 10 can be manufactured without altering the compression characteristics in a worn condition.

A secondary fastening means is provided, which could be formed as a hook-and-loop fastener, press-fit button fastener, or zip fastener for instance, which, when engaged, 20 holds the fastening connector 28 in its secured condition, such that the compression characteristics are not affected during movement of the patient.

This is illustrated in more detail in Figures 2 and 3. A second embodiment of a compression hosiery garment is illustrated globally at 110, in which the elongate slit 118 is provided at a rear of the leg covering 112. Identical or similar reference numerals will be used to refer to identical or similar components as in the first embodiment described above, and further detailed description will be omitted for brevity.

Figure 2 shows the compression hosiery garment 110 on a user's leg, in an open condition. In contrast to the first embodiment, the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 each include a plurality of first and second fastening elements 132, formed as eyelets, preferably metal eyelets, through which the fastening connector 128 is threaded. Plastic or similarly low-friction material could also be used for the eyelets. It will be appreciated that, given the first and second fastening elements 132 are relatively large compared with the thickness of the monofilament lace 128, and therefore a thicker lace could conceivably be used in this arrangement. A spacing between each of the first fastening elements 132 and each of the second fastening elements 132 is preferably less than 100mm, and more preferably in a range of 15mm to 80mm.

The gusset 126 is formed so as to be sewn between the first and second material edge 10 portions 122, 124, and has a triangular or trapezoidal shape, tapering outwardly as it extends up the user's leg. The gusset 126 can therefore be folded to bring the first and second material edge portions 122, U4 towards one another.

The stitching of the compression hosiery garment 110 may preferably be such that the material of the leg covering 112 adjacent the elongate slit 118 is neatly sewn to one edge of either of the first or second material edge portion 122, 124, with an edge of the gusset 126 being sewn to the opposite, that is slit-inward, elongate edges of first and second material edge portions 122, 124. This reduces the amount of overlapping material which is required, and may improve the feel of the compression hosiery garment 110 on the user's leg The closing of the elongate slit 118 is shown in Figure 3. The fastening connector 128 has been drawn up to bring the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 into abutment with one another, preferably along the entire extent of their slit-inward edges. The gusset 126 folds or niches in such a manner so as to prevent pinching of the user's skin when the fastening connector 128 is drawn. Some of the gusset 126 may be able to extend between the abutting edges of the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 without altering an elastic deformation and therefore the compression characteristics of the compression hosiery garment 110.

Of the criteria affecting the compression characteristics of the leg covering 112, it has been found that the spacing between the fastening elements 132 has the most marked 30 effect on the compression, followed by the thickness of the first and second material edge portions 122, 124, and then the length of the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 In one optimised arrangement, a length of the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 is provided as between 300 and 350mm, more preferably 335 cm, a thickness 5 of the length of the first and second material edge portions 122, 124 is provided as 25mm, a position of the elongate slit 118 being either at the front or side of the leg covering 112, and the distance between each of the first or second fastening elements 132 is 20 mm. This may produce a target compression output of 6.4N, which is the traditional TEDs compression mean, based on test data. Using these parameters, there is 10 no statistically significant difference between the compression provided by a standard leg covering, and that of the present invention, which is significantly more straightforward to apply.

A compression hosiery garment in the form of a thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking is shown in the Figures. However, it will be appreciated that a compression sock, or a pair 15 of comprcssion tights or leggings could bc formcd according to thc above invention.

The compression hosiery garment has been hereto described as having a lacing means for fastening the first and second material edge portions to one another. However, it will be appreciated that other fastening means could be considered, provided that there is no adverse effect to the compression characteristics. For example, a hook-and-loop fastener, press-fit button fastener, or zip fastener could be considered instead of a laced equivalent, by way of example only. In any event, it is preferred that the fastening means includes components having a relatively low co-efficient of friction to improve the each of the fastening elements and/or connector.

The gusset is herebefore described as being attached to both of the first and second material edge portions. However, since the gusset is primarily used to protect the user from the fastening means, it may be possible to provide instead a material portion which is only attached to one or other material edge portion at or adjacent to the fastening means, to thereby prevent snags. This could be in the form of a fabric flap which is interior to the leg covering with respect to the fastening means, and may be particularly

II

applicable where a zip fastener or lace is used, given the greater likelihood of snagging on the user's skin or hair.

It is therefore possible to provide a compression hosiery garment which can be readily put on by a user or carer of the user without undue force or stretching of either the garment or the user's skin. The requisite compression characteristics can then be achieved once the garment has been put on by the use of an appropriate fastening means. This even allows for the creation of a gradient compression garment, which must meet specific compression regulations in order to be medically effective.

The words comprises/comprising' and the words 'having/including' when used herein 10 with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing 20 from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Claims

Claims A gradient compression hosiery garment comprising: a leg covering formed from an elastic material haying gradient compression characteristics; an elongate slit along at least part of the leg covering, the elongate slit having first and second material edge portions, and fastening means attached to the first and second material edge portions for releasably closing the elongate slit, such that, in a closed condition, the first and second material edge portions abuttably engage one another along the extent of the elongate slit to apply a compression to a wearer's leg, the fastening means comprising at least one first fastening element on the first material edge portion, at least one second fastening element on the second material edge portion, and a fastening connector which connects the or each first fastening element and the or each second fastening element; wherein at least one of the or each first fastening element, the or each second fastening element, and the fastening connector includes a low-friction contact surface, and further comprising a secondary fastening means for securing the fastening connector.
2 A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each first fastening element and/or the or each second fastening element is an eyelet, the fastening connector comprising a lace engagable with the eyelets.
3 A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lace is formed as a monofilament having a low-friction outer surface.
4 A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the eyelets are formed from a low-friction material In
5. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a spacing between adjacent eyelets is in a range of 15mm to 80mm
6. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims provided in the form of: a compression stocking; compression tights; 5 compression leggings; or a compression sock.
7. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 6, in the form of a thrombo-embolic deterrent stocking.
8. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second material edge portions are formed from a non-10 elastic material.
9. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a gusset attached to the inside of the leg covering at or adjacent to the elongate slit.
A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the gusset is triangular or trapezoidal, tapering along the extent of the elongate slit.
11. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the gusset is attached to each of the first and second material edge portions so as to extend therebetween.
12. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the gusset is formed from a non-elastic material.
13. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongate slit is positioned at a side of the leg covering.
14. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the elongate slit is positioned at a rear of the leg covering
15. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the elongate slit is positioned at a front of the leg covering.
16. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the leg covering comprises at least one of: a calf covering portion, the elongate slit extending along the calf covering portion; a thigh covering portion, the elongate slit extending along the thigh covering portion; and a foot covering portion, the elongate slit terminating prior to the foot covering portion.
17. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the secondary fastening means comprises a hook-and-loop fastener, press-fit button fastener, or zip fastener.
18. A gradient compression hosiery garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a material portion which is only attached to the first second other material edge portion at or adjacent to the fastening means, to thereby prevent snags.