Abstract
A thermal therapy compression garment for providing heat or cold therapy to the body of a user wearing the garment is provided. The garment features a garment body formed of elastic material which has a plurality of thermal storage components coupled to the body. With the garment in an as-worn position on the body of a user, heat or cold stored in the thermal storage components is communicated to the body of the user.
Claims
1. A thermal therapy compression garment comprising: a garment body formed of elastic material; a plurality of thermal storage components coupled to said body; said thermal storage components for communicating stored heat or stored cold therefrom, to a body of a user wearing said garment in an as-worn position, whereby an area of a said body of said user may be treated with said heat or said cold by said thermal storage components coupled upon said garment body in a location complementary to said area of said body of said user.
2. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 1 wherein each of said thermal storage components is surrounded by an area of said elastic material; and said elastic material imparting a bias of said thermal storage components in a direct toward the skin of said user wearing said garment in said as-worn position.
3. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 1 wherein said garment body includes a shirt portion having a shape of a shirt with sleeves.
4. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 2 wherein said garment body includes a shirt portion having a shape of a shirt with sleeves.
5. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 1 wherein said garment body includes a pants portion having a shape of a pair of pants.
6. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 2 wherein said garment body includes a pants portion having a shape of a pair of pants.
7. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 3 wherein said garment body includes a pants portion having a shape of a pair of pants.
8. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 4 wherein said garment body includes a pants portion having a shape of a pair of pants.
9. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 2 wherein said thermal storage components have a circular shape.
10. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 2 wherein said thermal storage components have a polygon shape.
11. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 9 wherein said thermal components are formed of a gel.
12. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 9 wherein said thermal components are formed of a gel.
13. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 9 wherein said plurality of thermal components cover substantially an entire area of said garment body.
14. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 10 wherein said plurality of thermal components cover substantially an entire area of said garment body.
15. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 11 wherein said plurality of thermal components cover substantially an entire area of said garment body.
16. The thermal therapy compression garment of claim 12 wherein said plurality of thermal components cover substantially an entire area of said garment body.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES
[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed thermal therapy garment device and method herein. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion.
[0030] In the drawings:
[0031] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a shirt and pants forming a compression garment herein having a plurality of thermal storage components operatively coupled thereon.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows an example of an enlarged view of a shirt type of compression garment formed of a weave, knit, or other textile configuration having an elastic material included therein.
[0033] FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged view of a plurality or round shaped thermal storage components operatively coupled to the fabric forming the compression garment where the fabric as shown surrounds the perimeter of each.
[0034] FIG. 4 is a sectional view through elastic fabric material forming a compression garment herein showing the plurality of individual thermal storage components sandwiched between two layers of the woven, knit, or other textile fabric.
[0035] FIG. 5 depicts a mode of the device wherein the thermal storage components are rectangular.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows a mode of the device herein showing a section of the elastic material forming the compression garment wherein the thermal storage components are polygons such as triangles.
[0037] FIG. 7 depicts a thermal container into which the compression garment herein may be stored once the thermal storage components thereon have reached the desired hot or cold temperature so the device can be prepared in advance.
[0038] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the thermal storage components formed with planar sheets of thermal material on opposing sides of the individual components coupled to the elastic material forming the garment.
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a mode of the device herein wherein the individual thermal components have a planar sheet of thermal material to which they are formed which is coupled to the elastic material.
[0040] FIG. 10 depicts the thermal components positioned within individual pockets formed of and part of the elastic material forming the garment or engaged therewith.
[0041] FIG. 11 shows a configuration similar to that of FIG. 10 wherein each of the thermal components is positioned within a pocket formed by the elastic material forming the garment or engaged therewith.
[0042] FIG. 12 shows a configuration of the garment wherein seams are separable using magnetic coupling or hook and loop fabrics to allow all or portions of the front of the garment and front of the sleeve to be separated and reattached.
[0043] FIG. 13 shows a short sleeve configuration of the garment shirt wherein separable fasteners such as magnetic coupling or hook and loop fabric or other fasteners allow for the separation and re engagement of the front to the rear.
[0044] FIG. 14 shows an exploded view of at thermal housing adapted to generate heat or cold and communicate such to a garment positioned within a recess.
[0045] FIG. 15 shows the thermal housing of FIG. 14 assembled.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0046] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right, first, second, and other such terms refer to the thermal therapy compression garment herein and components thereof as they are oriented and appear in the drawings and all such terms are used for convenience only and such are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the compression garment device and system have to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.
[0047] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-15, there is seen, in FIGS. 1-2 depictions of the thermal therapy compression garment device 10 herein. As shown, the thermal therapy garment device 10 may include a garment body formed of elastic fabric 18 and the garment body may have a shirt portion 12 of the compression garment and/or a pants portion 14 thereof, which is formed of a woven or knitted or other textile fabric which is configured with yarns or other materials which stretch and impart compressive force or bias against the wearer when in an as-worn position. Thermal storage components are shown covering substantially an entire area of the garment body of elastic fabric 18. By substantially an entire areas is meant that the thermal storage components 16 are coupled in locations wherein but for the spacing between them and any perimeter edges, there are thermal storage components 16 covering the rest of the area. This positions elastic fabric 18 surrounding each thereby providing an even biasing force of each thermal storage component 16 in a direction toward the skin and body of the user.
[0048] Where the front and rear portions of the garment body of the garment device 10 are separable and re engageable, it may also be configured as a shirt portion 12, or a pants portion 14 or it may be formed as a onesie where the shirt portion 12 and pants portions 14 are formed in a single unit. Such elastic fabric preferably includes elastic thread or yarn such as spandex or Clima Cool fabric or other woven or knitted or formed textile fabric which will impart compression and biasing toward the skin of the body of the user.
[0049] Other smaller garment portions configured to engage a particular part or portion of the body of a user, while not shown, are considered within the scope of this application such as booties, gloves, collars and the like which have the individual thermal storage components upon elastic fabric 18 forming a body of the garment.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a plurality of thermal storage components 16 are operatively coupled to the elastic fabric 18 forming the a body of the garment device 10. The area of the garment portions covered by the thermal storage components 16 may be complementary to the area of the body of the user which is to be treated when the shirt portion 12 and/or pants portion 14 or other garment portion being worn by the user in an as-worn position. By as-worn position herein is meant the shirt portion 12 is situated on the body of the user with the arms and torso of the shirt covering the arms and torso of the user and/or the pants portion 14 is situated on the legs of the user and top end of the pants portion 14 covering below the torso. As noted, the garment device 10 herein, may be simply the shirt portion 12 or the pants portion 14 or both, or the garment may be provided as a single unit or onesie formed of the shirt portion 12 and pants portion 14. Of note, the sleeves on the shirt portion 12 and legs on the pants portion 14 may be full length or short.
[0051] As noted above the thermal storage components 16 are formed of a material which will provide a heat sink reservoir or a cold reservoir for use for the thermal therapy session as desired.
[0052] All portions of the body of the garment device 10 which have the thermal storage components 16 thereon, are preferably formed of elastic fabric 18 whether woven, knitted, or otherwise formed. In this fashion the elastic fabric 18 will first elongate and then will compress upon each individual thermal storage component 16 and bias or urge them in a direction toward or against the body of the user thereby providing better thermal transmission.
[0053] As noted, by surrounding each of the thermal storage components 16 with a perimeter of the elastic fabric 18, gaps are preferably formed between each thermo storage component 16 and each is thereby individually biased toward the skin of the user or wearer and the garment device 10 better forms to the contours of the body of the user. The biased positioning of the thermal storage components as noted better communicates heat or cold to portions of the body of the user, such as in those contours.
[0054] Shown in FIG. 3, is an enlarged area of the elastic fabric 18 forming a body of a garment device 10 showing the individual thermal storage components 16 operatively coupled to positions upon the elastic fabric 18. As noted, by operatively coupled herein is means that such engagement may be by adhesive, sonic welding, sewing, connectors, pockets or sleeves or openings in the fabric, or fabric surrounding both sides of the thermal storage components 16 or any manner where each of the thermal storage components 16 is secured to a substantially fixed position on or with the elastic fabric 18. Such engagement may also include forming multiple layers of the elastic fabric 18 such as in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 and placing the thermal storage components 16 therebetween where they may be held by adhesive or sewing or other means as would occur to those skilled in the art. Other modes of engagement are shown in FIGS. 9-11.
[0055] As noted, the number and shape of each of the thermal storage components 16 may vary to allow more or less communication of heat or cold therefrom to the body of the user. As shown in FIG. 5, polygons such as those with rectangular shapes of the thermal storage components 16 allows for a tighter grouping upon the elastic fabric 18 and increased number of thermal components 16 as opposed to the round in FIG. 3. This may provide for increased communication of heat or cold therefrom to the body of the wearer when they are biased toward or against the body of the user.
[0056] FIG. 6 shows another mode of polygons for the thermal storage components 16. As shown they are formed in a triangular shape and coupled to the elastic fabric 18 of the garment device 10. This triangular shape has been shown in experimentation to allow for extra bending in along both angular and parallel sides of the thermal storage components 16 and to provide for an easier conforming of the areas of the garment device 10 herein which must conform to body contours and would be preferred for such. Additionally, the triangular shape may allow for a higher number of the thermal storage components 16 on a given garment device 10 and thereby allow for longer durations of heat or cold therapy.
[0057] Because the garment device 10 herein can be preheated or pre refrigerated, to impart heat or cold to the reservoirs for such provided by the thermal storage components 16, the garment device 10 allows it to be prepared for each user in advance. For athletes desiring cold therapy after a game or event, the garment device 10 may be held in a freezer or other cold storage to thereby chill the plurality of thermal storage components 16.
[0058] Where the user desires heat therapy to all or a portion of their body to be covered by a garment device 10 or portion thereof, the garment device 10 may be heated such as by a microwave oven, or within a heated storage locker. Once removed and worn by the user heat is communicated to the portions of the body of the user where thermal storage components 16 are located on a complementary area of the garment device 10. In either fashion, once pre prepared with heat or cold, the garment device 10 may be stored in an insulated container 20. When use is desired the user will simply remove it from the container 20 and place it upon their body to form the compressive engagement of the plurality of thermal storage components 16 for the therapy desired. In one mode of the garment device 10 a thermal housing may be provided which is capable of generating heat or cold using electric powered thermoelectric chips which may be operated to heat or cool the holding area of the thermal housing.
[0059] FIG. 7 depicts an example of a thermal container 20 into which the compression garment device 10 herein may be stored once the thermal storage components 16 thereon have reached the desired hot or cold temperature so the device can be prepared in advance. The thermal container 20 preferably has a storage recess 22 surrounded by insulated sidewalls to maintain the temperature of the thermal storage components 16.
[0060] Shown in FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the thermal storage components 16 having planar sheets of thermal material 17 on opposing sides of the individual thermal components 16. Such may be formed in individual sections of thermal material 17 and individual thermal components 16 or as a unitary structure such as in a mold. The thermal storage components 16 and planar sheets of thermal material 17 are coupled to the elastic fabric 18 forming the garment device 10 and will be automatically positioned with spaces of both elastic fabric 18 surrounding the perimeter of each thermal storage component 16 along with a portion of the planar thermal material.
[0061] Another sectional view is shown in FIG. 9 the individual thermal storage components 16 have a planar sheet of thermal material 17 to which they are coupled or preferably formed in a unitary structure. As shown, the planar thermal material 17 on one side of each of the thermal storage components 16 is coupled to the elastic material 18. The planar thermal material 17 and the thermal storage components 16 are both formed of elastic or stretchable material such as a gel.
[0062] FIG. 10 depicts the thermal storage components 16 coupled to the elastic fabric 18 by the employment of individual pockets 21 formed as part of the elastic material 18 forming the garment device 10 or engaged therewith. Each pocket 21 holds an individual thermal storage component 16 in the spaced relationship noted above wherein it is surrounded by elastic material 18 to impart the bias of the thermal storage component 16 toward the skin of the user. Each of the pockets 21 as shown has separated sidewalls between the next pocket 21.
[0063] Depicted in FIG. 11 is a configuration similar to that of FIG. 10 wherein each of the thermal storage components 16 is positioned within a pocket 21. The pockets 21 may be formed by the elastic material 18 forming the garment or engaged therewith. In this configuration the pockets 21 have common sidewalls 23 between each adjacent pocket 21. This configuration and that of FIG. 10 may be formed during weaving or knitting of the elastic fabric 18 by insertion of a thermal storage component 16 into each pocket 21 thereby yielding sheets of the elastic fabric 18 with the thermal storage components 16 therein and properly spaced. The garment device 10 can then be cut from sheets of the formed fabric which may be sewn, fused, RF welded, or otherwise engaged along seams.
[0064] FIG. 12 shows a configuration of the shirt portions of the garment device 10 herein. As shown seams 24 which engage portions of the garment device 10 to each other such as a front half to a rear half, are separable and reattachable. This is accomplished using separable fasteners to hold the seams 24 together. Such separable fasteners may include for example magnetic coupling 26 where a strip of magnetic material on one half of the seam 24 is removably coupled with magnetically attractive material on the other side. While not shown, the same separable fastening of the seams forming the front and rear of the pants portion 14 may be used to allow users to separate and engage the seams when placing the garment device 10 upon their body.
[0065] Another configuration of the garment device 10 formed of separable portions is shown in FIG. 13 which shows a short sleeve configuration of the shirt portion 12 wherein separable fasteners such as hook and loop fabric 28 are positioned on opposing sides of the same 24 engaging the front of the shirt to the rear thereof. As noted in the description above, while not shown, the same separable fastening of the seams 24 forming the front and rear of the pants portion 14 may be used to allow users to separate and engage the seams 24 when placing the pants portion of the garment device 10 upon their body.
[0066] Shown in FIGS. 14-14 are a thermal container 20 which may be employed in combination with the garment device 10 herein. As shown, a base 32 has an electric connection 34 which may be engaged with an electric power source to energize thermoelectric chips 36 to either cool, or heat the storage recess 22 located in a secondary portion 38 of the thermal container 20. A lid 40 is employable to cover the storage recess 22. While shown as multiple components the thermal container 20 may be a unitary structure or single unit.
[0067] In a method of employment of the garment such as in FIGS. 1-2 and herein, in a first step area of the body of the wearer needing thermal treatment will be ascertained. In a next step for the area of the body of the wearer determined, a use of heat or cold therapy for that area will be ascertained. In another step a garment having thermal storage components coupled to the area of the garment, which will be positioned adjacent to the area of the body determined as needing treatment will be chosen. The garment chosen may have a shirt portion 12 and/or a pants portion 14.
[0068] Next, the chosen garment may be taken from a heated or cold storage housing if they are pre heated or cooled, or may be heated or cooled as necessary for the treatment. In a next step the chosen garment or components thereof will be placed in a compressive fit upon the body of the user for a duration of time determined to be appropriate for the treatment. In a final step the chosen garments so placed on the body off the user are removed.
[0069] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the disclosed compression garment for thermal therapy herein have been shown herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure. It will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the thermal therapy garment may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth.
[0070] It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art, upon viewing this disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
