Seamless Compression Sleeve

Abstract

An orthotic compression brace includes a tubular sleeve namely knit from elastic yarns, covering at least the arm and the hand, up to the insertion of phalanges on the metacarpal bones of the hand, and a protrusion aimed to, at least partially, cover the thumb over its entire circumference. The tubular sleeve and the thumb are knit into one piece and the thumb is knit at least in part as from the thermobonding at a T1 temperature the sleeve eventually containing thermobonding yarns at a T2 temperature strictly greater than T1.

Claims

1. An orthotic compression brace comprising a tubular sleeve namely knit from elastic yarn, covering at least the arm and the hand, at least up to the insertion of the phalanges on the metacarpal bones of the hand, and a protrusion intended to at least partially cover the thumb over its entire circumference, the tubular sleeve and the thumb being knit into one piece, wherein the thumb is at least knit in part from the thermobonding yarn at a T1 temperature.

2. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the T1 temperature is between 100 C. and 130 C.

3. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve and the projection contain the same mixture of textile fibers with the exception of thermo-bonding yarn at the T1 temperature solely present in the protrusion.

4. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the textile fibers constituting the sleeve and the projection are selected from the group comprising modal, viscose, elastane, and polyamide.

5. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the fusible thread at T1 consists of a copolyamide thread.

6. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the protrusion is cut away.

7. A manufacturing process for producing an orthotic compression brace comprising a tubular sleeve namely knit from elastic yarn, covering at least the arm and the hand, at least up to the insertion of the phalanges on the metacarpal bones of the hand, and a protrusion intended to at least partially cover the thumb over its entire circumference, the tubular sleeve and the thumb being knit into one piece, characterized in so far as the thumb at least knit in part from the thermobonding yarn at a T1 temperature, the method comprising the following stages: Knitting a tubular sleeve namely from elastic thread, on a circular knitting machine; Knitting a protrusion at the distal end of said sleeve, said projection being knit from, at least in part, thermobonding yarns(s) at a T1 temperature and being destined to at least partially cover the thumb over its entire circumference; Heating the orthosis to a temperature above melting point of the thermobonding yarns at a T1 temperature so as to melt and stick together the aforementioned thermobonding yarns; and Cooling the orthotic brace.

8. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, wherein the heating stage consists of a pre-affixing stage at a T1 temperature.

9. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, further comprising a dyeing stage between the pre-affixing stage and the cooling stage.

10. A manufacturing process according to claim 9, wherein the dyeing stage is conducted at a temperature lower than T1.

11. A manufacturing process according to claim 9, wherein the temperature is between 80 C. and 98 C.

12. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, further comprising a cutting stage of the distal end of the thumb.

13. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the sieve eventually contains thermobonding yarn at a T2 temperature strictly higher than T1.

14. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, wherein the sleeve eventually contains thermobonding yarn at a T2 temperature strictly higher than T1.

15. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the T1 temperature is between 105 C. and 115 C.

16. An orthotic compression brace according to claim 1, wherein the T1 temperature is around 110 C.

17. A manufacturing process according to claim 9, wherein the temperature is about 95 C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] Other advantages and characteristics become apparent from the following description of several alternative embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples of the compression brace for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand, as from the attached drawings on which:

[0041] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the compression brace view for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand,

[0042] FIG. 2 is a top view of the compression brace for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand worn by a patient,

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the thumb knitting pattern of the orthotic compression brace for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand,

[0044] FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the breaking force in terms of the circumference of the thumb of several compression orthotic braces for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand,

[0045] FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the breaking force in terms of the circumference of the thumb of several orthotic compression braces of the prior art comprising a sewn-in thumb on the tubular sleeve,

[0046] FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of the average breaking force in terms of the circumference of the thumb of the orthotic compression brace and orthotic compression braces of the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Following the description of the compressive orthotic brace for the treatment of lymphedema of the hand, the same numerical references apply to the same elements. On the other hand, the various views are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the compression brace comprises a tubular sleeve (1) knit from elastic threads covering at least the arm and the hand, at least up to insertion of the phalanges on the metacarpal bones of the hand, and a projection aimed at covering at least partially and over all the whole circumference the thumb (2). The tubular sleeve (1) and the thumb (2) are knit into one piece on a circular knitting machine or any other equivalent machine. Said thumb (2) is knit in the form of an overall truncated item as from at least in part of the thermobonding yarns at a predetermined T1 temperature in such a way that, after heating of the orthotic brace at a temperature equal to T1, the distal end of the thumb can be cut without inadvertent unraveling after cooling. Said heat-bonding yarn consists of a copolyamide thread with a melting point less than 130 C. Said thermobonding yarn can, for example, consist of a yarn marketed by EMS-GRILTECH under the reference GRILON K-110.

[0049] It is obvious that the thermobonding yarn may well be made up of any other thermobonding yarn well known in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

[0050] Moreover, those skilled in the art will easily adapt the thermobonding yarn diameter depending on the desired texture of the thumb in particular.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the thumb (2) includes two non-symmetrical parts (2a, 2b) knit into one piece, a first part known as palmar (2a) extending on the palmar fascia of the thumb when the orthotic brace is worn, and a second part known as dorsal (2b) extending onto the dorsal side of the thumb when the brace is worn. The second dorsal part (2b) has a width of the upper base to the width of the base of the palmar portion (2a) and a height greater than the height of the palmar part (2a). The ratio between the width of the base of the palmar part (2a) of the thumb (2) and the width of the brace is preferably between 0.25 and 0.35. The base of the palmar part (2a) of the thumb (2) comprises between 80 and 90 meshes and the base of the dorsal part (2b) of the thumb (2) comprises between 82 and 92 meshes, with reference to FIG. 3, the tubular sleeve (1) having approximately 290 meshes. Furthermore, the distal end of the dorsal part (2b) and the palmar part (2a) of the thumb comprise between 26 and 36 meshes. In addition, the height of the dorsal part (2b) is greater than the height of the palmar part (2a) of the thumb (2), the dorsal part (2b) preferably has a height of between 140 and 160 rows of mesh and the palmar part (2a) preferably a height of between 110 and 120 mesh rows.

[0052] Incidentally, the palmar part (2a) and/or the dorsal part (2b) may include transverse lines, printed or made by means of colored yarns, forming one or several markers for a patient to cut, and ultimately open, the distal end of the thumb (2).

[0053] It will be observed that the distal end of the thumb (2) may also be precut without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. In reality, the cutting of the thumb can be performed either directly by the manufacturer of the orthosis, or by the patient, under its doctor's direction. The advantage of the latter is that the patient may accurately adjust the thumb size.

[0054] According to the disclosed embodiments, the remainder of the orthosis, namely the sleeve and the remainder of the thumb, is knit from a mixture of modal, elastane, and fusible polyamide at a T2 temperature strictly speaking higher than T1. Consequently, there is no risk of bonding the threads together at the time of heat sealing of the constituent thumb threads that is to say at the pre-affixing stage.

[0055] It will be noted that in view of the absence of sewing between the thumb (2) and the tubular sleeve (1), the patient wearing the orthosis will not be particularly hindered by the increased thickness of the seam. Moreover with reference to FIGS. 4-6, it is clearly apparent that the breaking force of the orthotic braces, which have no seam, is greater than the breaking force of the orthotic braces of the prior art which have a seam. Indeed, it can be ascertained, with reference to FIG. 6, that the breaking force of braces is greater by around 16% than the breaking force of the orthotic braces of the prior art. The measurements of the breaking force were carried out using a dynamometer, the breaking force being the force at which is measured a fall of more than 20% in relation to the value of the force previously measured.

[0056] The following will describe the manufacturing process of the compression brace. Said method comprises at least the following steps of knitting a tubular sleeve (1) namely from elastic threads, on a circular knitting machine, knitting an overall truncated protrusion at the distal end of said sleeve (1), said protrusion forming the thumb (2) of the brace, as from at least one heat sealing thread at a T1 temperature, and heating the brace to a temperature above melting point of the heat sealing threads at a T1 temperature so as to melt and stick together the aforementioned heat sealing yarns.

[0057] Out of preference, the heating stage of the orthotic compression brace to make the heat sealing yarn melt is made up of a pre-affixing stage at a T1 temperature. In this particular embodiment, the thermobonding yarn at a T1 temperature consists of a copolyamide thread whose melting point is around 125 C., marketed by EMS-GRILTECH under the reference GRILON (TMK) K-110; it is, however, obvious that the thermobonding yarn may be included in any heat sealing yarn known to the skilled person in the art and whose melting point is preferably less than or equal to 130 C.

[0058] The knitting stage of the protrusion shaping the thumb consists of knitting two non-symmetrical parts into one piece, a first part known as palmar (2a) extending on the palmar fascia of the thumb when the brace is worn and a second part known as dorsal (2b) extending onto the dorsal side of the thumb when the brace is worn, introducing a width of the upper base to the width of the base of the palmar part (2a) and a height greater than the height of the palmar part (2a). The ratio between the width of the base of the palmar part of the thumb and the width of the brace is between 0.25 and 0.35. The base of the palmar part (2a) of the thumb (2) is knit on 80 to 90 needles, and preferably on 85 needles, and the base of the dorsal part (2b) of the thumb (2) is knit on 82-92 needles and, preferably, on 87 needles. The proximal end of the dorsal part (2b) and the palmar part (2a) of the thumb (2) is knit on 26-36 needles and, preferably, on 31 needles.

[0059] Finally, it is obvious that the examples that have just been given are only specific illustrations and are, in no case, restrictive as to the scope of the claims.