Compression garment
View Patent ↗A closable compression garment comprises a first end, a second end, and a main body. The first end contains an opening sized and shaped to receive a lower extremity such as a foot, ankle, or leg within an interior portion. The main body contains a closure system which allows for the compression garment to traverse between a first insertion/removal position and a second closed position.
1. A compression garment for applying compressive forces to a human body part comprising:
a flexible body configured for placement on a human body having a first open end configured to receive at least a portion of a human body part, a second closed end having material configured to conform to a contour or shape of a human foot or ankle when said human foot or ankle is inserted therein, and made of a material that applies a compressive force to said human body when placed thereupon, said flexible body comprising a longitudinal opening extending away from said first open end towards said second closed end and terminating at said second closed end, said longitudinal opening forming a first flexible body longitudinal end and a second flexible body longitudinal end linked together by an expandable cloth;
a closure assembly configured to secure at least a first portion of said flexible body towards at least a second portion of said flexible body comprising at least one lacing member;
a control unit for manipulating and controlling said at least one lacing member; and at least one guide member sized and shaped to receive and support said at least one lacing member and to maintain said at least one lacing member in a predetermined orientation and position as said control unit is manipulated, said at least one guide member comprising a curved body having a first opening orientated along said longitudinal opening, a second opening orientated along said longitudinal opening, and an inner channel formed by two side walls, a bottom surface, and a top wall, said inner channel resting above said flexible body and sized and shaped to receive and hold said at least one lacing member and maintain said at least one lacing member in a position along an upper surface of said flexible body and said flexible body expandable cloth, said inner channel having a length which extends from said first opening of said curved body to said second opening of said curved body.
2. The compression garment according to claim 1 wherein said closure assembly comprises multiple guide members.
3. The compression garment according to claim 2 wherein said control unit is configured to place tension on said at least one lacing member, wherein tension applied to said at least one lacing member draws said first flexible body longitudinal end and said second flexible body longitudinal end together.
4. The compression garment according to claim 2 wherein said flexible body is configured to apply compression therapy to said human body part, said compression therapy comprising a pressure applied along a length of said flexible body.
5. The compression garment according to claim 2 wherein said flexible body second closed end is configured to be shaped to mirror a contour or shape of a human foot or ankle.
6. The compression garment according to claim 2 wherein said control unit for manipulating and controlling said at least one lacing comprises a ratcheting mechanism operatively connected to said at least one lacing.
7. The compression garment according to claim 2 wherein said flexible body comprises:
a first row of multiple curve shaped guide members; and
a second row of multiple curve shaped guide members,
wherein at least one end of one member of said first row curve shaped guide members is oriented to align with at least one end of one member of said second row curve shaped guide members, wherein said at least one lacing member is directed from or to said first row of multiple curve shaped guide members to or from said second row of multiple curve shaped guide members.
8. The compression garment according to claim 1 wherein said curved body of said at least one guide member comprises one or more cutouts in said top wall.
9. The compression garment according to claim 1 wherein said lacing is made of a material that does not create a restricted movement or has minimal frictional force with one or more portions of said flexible body so that when a force is applied, said first flexible body longitudinal end and said second flexible body longitudinal end move together as a single unit.
10. The compression garment according to claim 1 wherein said flexible body contains anti-odor or anti-fungal material.
11. The compression garment according to claim 10 wherein said anti-odor or anti-fungal material contains silver ions.
12. A medical stocking configured for applying compressive forces to a human body part comprising:
a compression material configured for placement on a human body having a first open end configured to receive at least a portion of a human body part, a second closed end having material configured to conform to a contour or shape of a human foot or ankle when said human foot or ankle is inserted therein, and a longitudinal opening extending from said first open end and terminating at said second closed end and forming separable a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, said first longitudinal end linked to said second longitudinal end by an expandable material;
a closure assembly configured to secure at least a first portion of said flexible body towards at least a second portion of said flexible body and comprising lacing, a control unit, and a guide member sized and shaped to receive and support said lacing and to maintain said lacing in a predetermined orientation and position above an upper surface of said compression surface and said expandable material as said control unit is manipulated, said guide member comprising a curved body comprising a first opening, a second opening, and an inner channel formed by two side walls, a bottom surface, and a top wall, said inner channel sized and shaped to receive and hold said lacing, said inner channel having a length which extends from said first opening of said guide member curved body to said second opening of said guide member curved body.
13. The medical stocking configured for applying compressive forces to a human body part according to claim 12 wherein said control unit is configured to place tension on said lacing, wherein tension applied to said lacing draws said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end together.
14. The medical stocking configured for applying compressive forces to a human body part according to claim 12 wherein said lacing is made of a material that does not create a restricted movement or has minimal frictional force with one or more portions of said flexible body so that when a force is applied, said first flexible body longitudinal end and said second flexible body longitudinal end move together as a single unit.
15. The medical stocking configured for applying compressive forces to a human body part according to claim 12 wherein said control unit for manipulating and controlling said closure system comprises a ratcheting mechanism operatively connected to said lacing.
16. The compression garment according to claim 12 wherein said compression material comprises:
a first row of multiple curve shaped guide members; and
a second row of multiple curve shaped guide members,
wherein at least one end of one member of said first row curve shaped guide members is oriented to align with at least one end of one member of said second row curve shaped guide members, wherein said lacing is directed from or to said first row of multiple curve shaped guide members to or from said second row of multiple curve shaped guide members.