HIP PROTECTORS

A hip protector in accordance with at least one of the present inventions includes right and left pad assemblies, which each include a plurality of elongate pads that define respective anterior and posterior ends, extend in anterior-posterior directions, and are spaced from one another in a superior-inferior direction such that there is a gap between the anterior ends of adjacent elongate pads, and a garment on which the right and left pad assemblies are carried such that portions of the right and left pad assemblies respectively cover the right and left greater trochanters, the garment being configured to permit the size of the gap between the anterior ends of at least some of the adjacent elongate pads of the right and left pad assemblies to decrease as the wearer moves from a standing position to a sitting position.

BACKGROUND

The present inventions relate generally to hip protectors.

2. Related Art

Hip fractures are a well-known problem, especially within elderly populations, that are frequently the result of falls and the associated impacts to the greater trochanter of the femur. Some conventional hip protectors include a wearable garment on which compressible foam pads are mounted. The garment positions the foam pads in the hip regions, and each pad is sufficiently sized to cover an entire hip region. The level of impact protection provided by the foam pads is a function of foam density. The relatively dense foams that are necessary to provide adequate protection (i.e., foam that will not “bottom out”) tend to be stiff. Alternatively, hard shell covers (which are very stiff) may be laminated onto more compressible foam pads. Turning to the pad supporting garments, the garments tend to be tight, much like bicycle pants, in an effort to maintain the pads in the intended location over the greater trochanter.

The present inventors have determined that conventional garment-based hip protectors are susceptible to improvement. For example, the present inventors have determined that conventional garment-based hip protectors are uncomfortable and, accordingly, are less likely to be worn. The combination of tight garments and stiff pads can make conventional hip protectors difficult to get on and off, especially for elderly persons. The relatively stiff foam pads also tend to buckle outwardly, as a whole and into a somewhat arcuate shape, when the wearer moves from a standing position to a sitting position, which makes sitting uncomfortable. Additionally, pads with hard shell covers do not breathe and can trap heat between the hard shell cover and the skin, which can cause the wearer to sweat. An improperly placed pad with a hard shell cover can also actually increase the likelihood of injury from a fall.

SUMMARY

A hip protector in accordance with at least one of the present inventions includes right and left pad assemblies, which each include a plurality of elongate pads that define respective anterior and posterior ends, extend in anterior-posterior directions, and are spaced from one another in a superior-inferior direction such that there is a gap between the anterior ends of adjacent elongate pads, and a garment on which the right and left pad assemblies are carried such that portions of the right and left pad assemblies respectively cover the right and left greater trochanters, the garment being configured to permit the size of the gap between the anterior ends of at least some of the adjacent elongate pads of the right and left pad assemblies to decrease as the wearer moves from a standing position to a sitting position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following is a detailed description of the best presently known modes of carrying out the inventions. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the inventions.

A hip protector in accordance with one embodiment of one of the present inventions is generally represented by reference numeral10inFIGS. 1-3. The hip protector10includes a wearable garment100and first and second pad assemblies200. The wearable garment100and pad assemblies200are respectively configured and positioned relative to one another such that the pad assemblies200will be located over, and centered relative to, the greater trochanters (whose locations are represented by the circled GT) in the manner illustrated inFIGS. 1-3when the hip protector is worn. The pad assemblies200are also formed from material (discussed below) that is flexible enough to comfortably wrap around the hip area when the hip protector10is worn.

The exemplary wearable garment100includes a pelvic portion102, with hip regions104and106and a crotch region108, and a pair of leg portions110and112that extend from the pelvic portion. A waist band114is connected to the top (or “superior”) end of the pelvic portion102, and leg apertures116and118are located at the bottom (or “inferior”) ends of the leg portions110and112. The leg portions110and112may be lengthened, shortened or omitted in other implementations. The wearable garment100also defines a front (or “anterior”) side120and a rear (or “posterior”) side122, and the pelvic portion102, leg portions110and112, and waist band114have anterior and posterior sides. It should also be noted here that the wearable garment100is a loose fitting garment that is intended to be worn under clothing.

The exemplary pad assemblies200, which are identical in the illustrated implementation, each include a plurality of elongate pads202that define respective anterior and posterior ends204and206. Although the present inventions are not so limited, there are five elongate pads202-1to202-5(FIG. 4A) in the illustrated implementation. The elongate pads202extend generally in the anterior-posterior direction, i.e., the pads need not be parallel to one another and may be offset from the horizontal anterior-posterior direction by up to 12°. The elongate pads202are also spaced apart from one another in the superior-inferior direction such that there is a gap208between the anterior ends of adjacent elongate pads. There may also be gaps210between the posterior ends206. As used herein in the context of the elongate pads202, two elongate pads are both “adjacent” to one another and separated by a gap when the two elongate pads face one another with no other elongate pad (or resiliently pad material other than the optional thin border218that occupies a portion of the gap) between the two pads. In those instances where the magnitudes of the gaps208vary in the anterior-posterior direction, the distance between the anterior ends204of adjacent pads202will be greater that the distance between the posterior ends206.

The exemplary pad assemblies200also each include a connector pad212that extends in the inferior-superior direction. The connector pad212provides additional coverage for the greater trochanter and simplifies the manufacturing process (as compared to a pad assembly without the connector pad). The connector pads212include portions of the associated elongate pads202. In other implementations, the connector pads212may be omitted, as is discussed below with reference toFIGS. 10 and 11.

As noted above, the exemplary pad assemblies200comfortably curve around the hip areas. To that end, and referring toFIGS. 4A and 5A, the elongate pads202may include regions of increased flexibility (relative to the remainder of the elongate pads)214that, in the illustrated implementation, are located in the middle regions of the pads. The regions of increased flexibility214create hinge points where the elongate pads can more easily bend. When the hip protector10is worn in its intended manner, the regions of increased flexibility214will be immediately anterior of the greater trochanter. The increased flexibility is created by reducing the thickness of the resilient material which forms the elongate pads202. Alternatively, the increased flexibility may be accomplished by, for example, forming the pads from two or more pieces that are connected to one another with a thin piece of material. It should also be noted that the regions of increased flexibility214extend in a direction that is transverse to, and not perpendicular to, the longitudinal axis LA of the elongate pads202, which helps the elongate pads fold and wrap around the thigh when the wearer is in both the standing position and the sitting position. The regions of increased flexibility214may also be omitted in other implementations.

Additionally, as discussed in greater detail below with references toFIGS. 7 and 8, the exemplary hip protector10is configured in such a manner that elongate pads202will move relative to one another (i.e., bend, twist, bunch up or otherwise articulate relative to one another) so that the pad assemblies200can compress, without substantial bulging, as the wearer moves from a standing position to a sitting position. The aforementioned regions of increased flexibility214are one aspect of the pad assemblies200that augment this functionality. Referring toFIG. 4A, relative movement of the elongate pads202may be further augment by regions of increased flexibility216located in portions of the connector pad212that are between the elongate pads202. Here too, the regions of increased flexibility216may be created by reducing the thickness of the resilient material which forms the connector pads212or by, for example, forming the pads from two or more pieces that are connected to one another with a thin piece of material.

Each exemplary pad assembly200also includes a thin border218that extends around the perimeter of the pad assembly, including inwardly and outwardly between adjacent elongate pads202. The border218occupies portions of the gaps208and all of the gaps210. The border facilitates attachment of the pad assemblies200to the garment100by way of techniques such as heat sealing and sewing.

Referring toFIGS. 4A-6, the anterior and posterior ends204and206and the sides220and222of the pads202may be slanted (as shown), rounded or otherwise contoured in order to reduce the visibility of the pad assemblies200through an outer garment that is worn over the hip protector10. The portions of the connector pad212that are between the elongate pads202may be similarly contoured.

With respect to materials, the garment100may be formed from materials that are commonly used in loose fitting garments such as, for example, cotton, polyester, and cotton and spandex blend (less than 10% spandex), polyester and spandex blend (less than 10% spandex) and cotton, polyester and spandex blends (less than 10% spandex). The pad assemblies200may be formed from any material that provides the desired level of impact protection. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, foams and elastomers, including smart foams that harden on impact such as those sold under the tradename D3O®. Bladders filled with air and viscoelastic fluids may also be employed. In the illustrated implementation, a thin layer of low friction material224(FIG. 5B), such as polyester fabric with an outermost layer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that acts as a bonding agent, is secured to the top surfaces of the pads202and218and the border218. The low friction material224allows the wearer's pants or other outer garment to move freely relative to the pad assemblies.

The pad assemblies200may be secured to, or otherwise carried by, the garment100in a variety of ways. The pad assemblies200may be permanently affixed to the garment100through techniques such as gluing, bonding, heat sealing, and sewing. Alternatively the pads may be removable from the garment100and, for example, carried within pockets on the garment. In those embodiments where the connector pads212have been omitted (e.g.,FIGS. 10 and 11), the elongate pads may affixed to a substrate, such as a fabric sheet or plastic sheet, so that the pads may be placed into the garment (and removed from the garment) as a single unit. In either case, the pad assemblies200may be located on the exterior surface of the garment (as shown), which faces away from the wearer, or the interior surface.

Turning to the dimensions of the exemplary pad assembly200, and referring toFIG. 4B, the overall size of the pad assembly (less the border218) is about 6.25 inches in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction and is about 8.5 inched in the superior-inferior (SI) direction. With respect to the elongate pads202(from the anterior end204to posterior end206), the lengths L1to L5of the elongate pads202-1to202-5are respectively about 3.8 inches, about 5.3 inches, about 6.1 inches, about 6.1 inches and about 4.5 inches. The widths W1to W5of the elongate pads202-1to202-5, measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis LA (FIG. 4A) are respectively about 1.0 inch, 1.25 inches, 1.25 inches, 1.25 inches, and 1.0 inch. The gaps208are large enough to permit relative movement of adjacent elongate pads202, but small enough to ensure that impact forces are spread across the top of the pad assemblies200during a fall. To that end, the distances D1to D4between adjacent elongate pads202are about 1.1 inches, 1.25 inches, 1.25 inches and 1.25 inches, respectively. Turning toFIG. 4A, the angles Θ1to Θ1are between adjacent elongate pads202are about 10°, 10°, 9° and 10°, respectively. It should also be noted that, as used herein, the term “about” means±10%, and that the pad assemblies in accordance with the present inventions are not limited to the exemplary dimensions.

As illustrated for example inFIGS. 7 and 8, both the pad assemblies200of the hip protector10are compressed in a manner that is more comfortable for the wearer (as compared to conventional hip protectors) when the wearer moves to a sitting position with the hip protector worn under an outer garment (e.g., pants). For example, the distance between the anterior ends204of the elongate pads202decreases and the anterior ends of adjacent pads are pushed into the gaps208toward one another. The loose fitting garment material within the gaps208between adjacent pads202simply folds. Portions of the elongate pads202may also twist about, for example, their longitudinal axis LA (FIG. 4A). The connector pads212also bend to accommodate movement into the sitting position. As a result, the pad assemblies200compress, i.e., the size of the outer perimeter decreases, instead of bulging when the wearer moves to the sitting position. Put other way, the pad assemblies200compress in a manner similar to a typical pair of pants when the wearer moves from the standing to sitting position.

It should be noted here that, due to the loose fitting properties of the garment100and the relative stiffness of the pad assemblies200, the pad assemblies will not compress in the manner illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8(or will only compress slightly) unless the hip protector10is worn under an outer garment that holds the pad assemblies200against the wearers body. To that end, and referring toFIG. 8A, the looseness of the garment pelvic and leg portions102,110and112allows the pad assemblies200to move slightly relative to the wearer and relative to the tight waistband114.

Another advantage of the present hip protector10is associated with the shape of the pad assemblies200. To that end, and referring toFIG. 9, the present pad assemblies200cover more area in the superior-inferior direction than a circularly-shaped pad (represented by dashed line CSP) that is the same size in the anterior-posterior direction. As a result, the present pad assemblies200can better accommodate movement of the pads during use and wearers with the same waist size and differences in other anatomical aspects, such as waist to crotch distance.

Another exemplary pad assembly, which is generally represented by reference numeral200ainFIGS. 10 and 11, is substantially similar to pad assembly200and similar elements are represented by similar reference numerals. To that end, pad assembly200aincludes a plurality of elongate pads202a, having anterior and posterior ends204aand206a, gaps208abetween the anterior ends, and gaps210abetween the posterior ends. A thin border218aextends around the perimeter of the pad assembly and between adjacent elongate pads202a. A pair of the pad assembly200amay be incorporated into a garment, such as the garment100, to form a hip protector. In contrast to the pad assemblies200, the pad assemblies200ado not include a connector pad that extends in the inferior-superior direction. The elongate pads202aalso have an oval shape, as opposed to the more rectangular shape of the pads202, and there are four elongate pads in the pad assembly200a, as opposed to five in the pad assembly200.

Although the present inventions have been described in terms of the preferred embodiments above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above-described preferred embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. By way of example, but not limitation, hip protectors may include pad assemblies that are not identical to one another. It is intended that the scope of the present inventions extends to all such modifications and/or additions.