MEDICAL DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE REGION OF THE BODY

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical device (20,21) for supporting at least one region of the body comprising at least one textile panel (26,27) having a longitudinal direction (L) and a transversal direction (T) arranged so as to encircle all or part of said region of the body to be supported. Said textile panel (26,27) comprises a woven textile strip, or several woven textile strips (1,28,29) at least partially superposed, said woven strip or said woven strips (28,29) each having a warp direction (C) and a weft direction (t), and comprising weft threads (2), first elastic warp threads (3), second non-elastic warp threads (4), and third warp threads (5), said first warp threads (3) and said second warp threads (4) being woven according to a leno shed the second warp threads forming the doup threads. Furthermore, said textile panel (26,27) is elastic in the longitudinal direction (L) and has a force in the longitudinal direction (L) which is greater than or equal to 500 cN/cm, to achieve an elongation equal to 30%.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A medical device for supporting at least one region of the body, especially knee or ankle orthesis, support belt or support strip, comprising at least one textile panel having a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction arranged so as to encircle all or part of said region of the body to be supported, wherein said textile panel comprises a woven textile strip, or several woven textile strips at least partially superposed, said woven strip or said woven strips each having a warp direction and a weft direction, and comprising weft threads, first elastic warp threads, second non-elastic warp threads, and third warp threads, said first warp threads and said second warp threads are woven according to a leno shed, the second warp threads forming the doup threads, and wherein said textile panel is elastic in the longitudinal direction and has a force in the longitudinal direction which is greater than or equal to 500 cN/cm, to achieve an elongation equal to 30%.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein it comprises a multiplier gripping device of the manual application force of said at least one textile panel.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the multiplier gripping device is a mechanical gripping device by cable and/or by pulley(s).

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein one at least of said first warp threads is covered by at least one first cover thread.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein one at least of said first elastic warp threads has breaking elongation less than or equal to 150%.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the one at least of said first elastic warp threads is covered by at least one first cover thread.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the second warp threads make a turn for one insertion of a weft thread.

19. The device according to claim 12, wherein one at least of said weft threads comprises a thread comprising a number of filaments greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 15.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the thread comprises a number of filaments greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 3.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the thread comprise a number of filaments having a diameter greater than or equal to 0.1 mm.

22. The device according to claim 12, wherein the woven strip or each of said woven strips comprises alternating solid columns and openwork columns, each of said solid and openwork columns having a longitudinal direction corresponding to the warp direction of said woven strip, the solid columns comprising according to each of their longitudinal edges at least one first warp thread and a second warp thread assembled according to a leno shed.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the openwork columns are constituted by weft threads.

24. The device according to claim 12, wherein to achieve elongation equal to 30%, said textile panel has in the longitudinal direction a force which is greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the force is greater than or equal to 1000 cN/cm and less than or equal to 2500 cN/cm.

26. A manufacturing process of a device according to claim 11, wherein it comprises the following steps: a first weaving step of a woven textile strip, or several woven textile strips, each textile strip being woven with first elastic warp threads, second non-elastic warp threads, third warp threads, and weft threads, the first warp threads and the second warp threads being woven according to a leno shed such that the second threads form the doup threads; a tension application step (daN) on one at least of said first elastic warp threads so as to elongate said at least first elastic warp thread during said first step; a shaping step of a textile panel having a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction comprising a woven textile strip, or several superposed woven textile strips, which panel has in the longitudinal direction a force which is greater than or equal to 500 cN/cm to achieve elongation equal to 30%.

27. The manufacturing process according to claim 26, wherein the tensioning step consists of exerting tension on one at least of said first elastic warp threads by means of one or more devices selected in the group constituted by the following devices: one at least of said first elastic warp threads is covered by at least one first cover thread having a number of rpm greater than or equal to 720 rpm, and/or tension exerted on one at least of said first elastic warp threads greater than or equal to 10 cN, and/or a number of turns of the second warp threads equal to one for insertion of a weft thread.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIAGRAMS

[0072] The present invention will be better understood from the following embodiments, cited by way of non-limiting example, illustrated by the following figures annexed to the present, and in which:

[0073] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a first example of a woven strip according to embodiments of the disclosure;

[0074] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the arrangement of the threads of a solid column between two openwork columns of the woven strip shown in FIG. 1;

[0075] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration seen according to its posterior face of a first example of a medical device according to embodiments of the disclosure comprising two textile panels, each textile panel comprising two woven textile strips such as the woven strip shown in FIG. 1, said medical device is in this example specified as a lumbar support belt.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0076] The woven textile strip 1 according to embodiments of the disclosure disclosure shown in FIG. 1 has a warp direction C and a weft direction t. Said woven strip 1 is a fabric comprising weft threads 2, first elastic warp threads 3, second non-elastic warp threads 4, and third warp threads 5, said first warp threads 3 and said second warp threads 4 are woven according to a leno shed the second warp threads 4 forming the doup threads. Said woven strip 1 is elastic in the warp direction C and in the warp direction, in this very example, exhibits elongation greater than or equal to 30% under the effect of a force greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm, in particular measured according to the standard NF EN 14704-1 of June 2005. In this way, to achieve elongation by 30% in the longitudinal direction L, it is required to apply to apply a force greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm to said textile panel in this direction L.

[0077] The woven strip 1 comprises alternating solid columns 6 and openwork columns 7, each of said solid columns 6 and openwork 7 having a longitudinal direction I corresponding to the warp direction C of said woven strip 1. Preferably, each of the solid columns 6 comprises on each of its longitudinal edges 8 at least one first elastic warp thread 3 and a second non-elastic warp thread 4 woven according to a leno shed.

[0078] The openwork columns 7 comprise weft threads 2 extending in the direction weft t, transversally to the warp direction C.

[0079] The woven strip 1 comprises according to each of its longitudinal edges 1a,1b respectively a selvedge 9,10.

[0080] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a solid column 6 comprising on each of its longitudinal edges 8 a first elastic warp thread 3 and a second non-elastic warp thread 4 woven together according to a leno shed. The solid column 6 is displaced between two openwork columns 7 constituted by the weft threads 2. The solid column 6 comprises third warp threads 5 displaced between the first 3 and second 4 warp threads woven according to a leno shed.

[0081] Preferably, and as is evident in FIG. 2, the second warp threads 4 make a turn about the first warp threads 3 for insertion of a weft thread 2. Preferably, one at least of said weft threads 2 is a thread comprising a number of filaments greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 5, preferably comprising a number of filaments greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 3, in this very example equal to 3, preferably each filament having a diameter greater than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0082] In this very example, in the warp direction C said woven strip 1 exhibits elongation greater than or equal to 30% with application of a force greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm. In this way, to achieve elongation of 30% in the longitudinal direction L, it is required to apply a force greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm to said strip 1 in this direction L.

[0083] Preferably, the third warp threads 5 and the second warp threads 4 are not elastic and are for example multifilament threads or threads spun from fibres having a titre greater than or equal to 50 dtex and less than or equal to 500 dtex, for a number of filaments between 10 and 300.

[0084] The first 3, second 4 and third 5 warp threads as well as the weft threads 2 can be transparent or coloured. Also, said threads can be made of polyamide 6, polyamide 6-6, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, cotton, or any other natural or synthetic or artificial non-elastic material.

[0085] FIG. 3 shows a medical device 20 according to the disclosure for supporting at least one region of the body. In this very example, this is a lumbar support belt 21. Said medical device 20 comprises a lateral left part 22 and a lateral right part 23 intended, in operation and therefore when worn, to cover respectively the left flank and at least one left posterior dorsal portion, and the right flank and at least one right posterior dorsal portion of the wearer.

[0086] The medical device 20 comprises a first end 24 and a second end 25 provided respectively with a first fastening element and a second fastening element, said first and second fastening elements being capable of cooperating to allow closing of the lumbar support belt 21 on the torso of the wearer. Said first and second fastening elements are for example respectively fastening hooks and a textile having fastening loops.

[0087] Each lateral part 22,23 of the device 20 comprises respectively a textile panel 26,27 according to the disclosure. Each textile panel 26,27 comprises respectively two woven strips 28, 29 each corresponding to the woven strip 1 shown in FIG. 1. The woven strips 28,29 are superposed and arranged with respect to each other such that the warp direction C1 of the woven strip 28 forms an alpha angle of the order of 45 with the warp direction C2 of the woven strip 29.

[0088] In the longitudinal direction each textile panel 28 and 29 has an elongation greater than or equal to 30% under the application of a force greater than or equal to 700 cN/cm, especially between 1400 cN/cm and 2000 cN/cm. It is therefore necessary to apply force of between 1400 cN/cm and 2000 cN/cm in the longitudinal direction of said textile panels 28,29 to achieve elongation of at least 30% in this direction L.

[0089] The medical device 20 also comprises a mechanical multiplier gripping device of the manual application force 30 displaced between the lateral left 22 and right 23 parts. In this very example, this multiplier gripping device 30 comprises first 31 and second 32 lateral portions each comprising several eyelets 33,34, in particular four eyelets, for the passage of two slender elements 35,36, such as cords. The eyelets 33 and the eyelets 34 respectively lateral first 31 and second 32 portions are opposite so as to form multiple references of the slender elements 35,36 multiplying the placement force. Two prehension members 37,38, especially two handles, are attached via the slender elements 35,36 to said mechanical gripping device 30 and can be actuated by the installer to place the lumbar support belt 21 on his back and grip the latter so as to have said first and second fastening elements cooperate together for closing of said medical device 20.

[0090] During operation, the patient places the lumbar support belt 21 on his torso, actuates the multiplier gripping device 30 by pulling on the handles 37,38 so as to press and clamp the belt 21 on his back, then has the first and second fastening elements cooperate to connect the belt 21. The textile panels 26,27, even though elastic in the longitudinal direction L under considerable stress, cooperate during placing and use with said multiplier gripping device 30, such as rigid textile panels. In this way, the elongation achieved even under the manual force multiplied by said textile panels 26,27 in the longitudinal direction L is minimal, for example of the order of a few percent (2 to 5%) without a considerable clamping stroke.

[0091] Where any standards of national, international, or other standards body are referenced (e.g., ISO, etc.), such references are intended to refer to the standard as defined by the national or international standards body as of the priority date of the present specification. Any subsequent substantive changes to such standards are not intended to modify the scope and/or definitions of the present disclosure and/or claims.

[0092] Even though some features, concepts or aspects of the embodiments may be described herein as being a preferred (more or less) arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated.