Flexible fabric fastener

A flexible fabric fastener comprising a flexible and stretchable polyester and rubber material onto which Velcro.RTM.-type nylon loops or hooks are woven therethrough. The Velcro.RTM.-type hooks or loops are woven into patterned portions of the elastic base of the flexible fabric fastener. The Velcro.RTM.-type hooks and loops pattern are secured in place by a composity polyester and rubber locking thread. When applied to a compression garment or other stretch fabric, the flexible fabric fastener would be able to stretch along with the garment thereby reducing the difficulty of applying garments to a patient or any garment or product needing a closing device that self sizes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention is directed to a flexible fabric fastener used, for
 example, as a closure device for a pre or post-surgical compression
 garment. This fastener would allow a patient to more easily don and remove
 the garment.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Various surgical procedures such as liposuction, reconstructive surgery,
 cancer surgery or emergency triage would tend to produce pre or
 post-operative swelling or heavy bleeding in one or more areas of the
 patient. The patient would find it difficult to utilize his or her bed
 garments, such as pajamas or nightgowns or other street clothes
 immediately after a surgical procedure or accidental wounding event. The
 patient would have one or more areas of bleeding or swelling preventing
 the patient's own garment from holding medically placed absorbent pads in
 the correct location and being sanitary. Additionally, these garments
 might also irritate, infect or contaminate any sutures used to close
 incisions or wounds of the patient after the surgery or accident. Further,
 conventional bed garments or street clothes are not produced of a material
 that is capable of compressing the skin to subcutaneous body parts.
 Additionally, the patient's conventional bed garments would make it
 difficult to open and close the garment for various reasons, such as the
 evacuation of bodily functions or changing the dressings and absorbent
 pads required after surgery.
 A number of garments have been produced which try to address this
 particular problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,716, issued to Baum
 is directed to pants for recreational use and for physically infirmed or
 handicapped persons allowing the pants to be easily donned and removed. A
 releasable seam along the outside of each leg of these pants provided with
 separate hook and loop fastener segments would assist in allowing
 handicapped or infirmed persons to open and close the pants.
 Unfortunately, these side openings would cause the patient to twist and
 bend the body in order to open and close these releasable seams. The Baum
 closure places hooks and eyes below the Velcro.RTM. fastener corresponding
 to areas in which surgical sutures would be placed, thereby causing pain
 to the patient and difficulty applying and removing the garment.
 Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,914, issued to Hesch illustrates an invalid
 garment having opening and closing slits placed in the back of the trouser
 leg. This slits are opened and closed utilizing Velcro.RTM. fasteners. The
 position of this opening would make it difficult for the patient to easily
 remove the garment without assistance from other individuals. The stiff
 Velcro.RTM. fastener utilized by Hesch would also make it difficult for a
 patient or health care provided, to apply and remove the garment as well
 as potentially cause pain when the patient physically moves. Furthermore,
 once the patient's swelling or bleeding begins to decrease, the garments
 described in the Baum and Hesch patents would cause the garment to become
 ill-fitting. This would result in the patient having to purchase a second,
 smaller garment.
 U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,803, issued to Hyman describes a surgical chest
 dressing provided with two non-elastic and non-stretchable strips 30, 32
 used as Velcro.RTM. fastening elements. However, as is true with respect
 to the Hesch invalid garment, the non-elastic nature of the strips would
 make it difficult for the patient to easily move in or size the garment,
 particularly immediately after surgery.
 The E-Z-ON Medical Surgical Supply Company produces a number of compression
 garments. These garments, while including two side openings, utilize thick
 stiff zippers that force the patient to twist and turn to open and close
 the garment. The ends of the zippers include a sharp nylon construction
 scratching the skin of the patient. The patient needs to bend from the
 waist to the knee in order to fit the zipper parts together after bending
 and hooking hooks in order to reapply the garment. This operation must be
 done for both sides of the garment and is quite painful to swollen limbs.
 When the zipper is re-applied, it becomes stiff and thick and difficult to
 bend the body against it, thereby causing unnecessary pain to the healing
 sites. Sets of market produced hook-and-eyes are sewn onto the garment
 underneath the zipper. Hooks-and-eyes press against the skin at the
 surgical incision sites causing the patient undue pressure and pain. The
 thickness of the closure prevents rolling over in bed during recovery.
 Additionally, each of these garments would incorporate only a single size,
 thereby requiring the patient to purchase additional, smaller garments as
 the swelling subsides.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention
 which is directed to a flexible fabric fastener and a compression garment
 employing a flexible fabric fastener. The flexible fabric fastener uses a
 variation of the hook/loop Velcro.RTM.-type fastening device. The flexible
 fabric fastener is attached to the post-operative garment in such a manner
 to allow the patient to easily move in the garment as well as to apply and
 remove the garment independently of health care workers. Two parallel
 strips of material such as Velcro.RTM.-type hooks are provided on one
 portion of the garment. A single strip of Velcro.RTM.-type loop material
 would be provided on a second portion of the garment cooperating with
 either the first or second strips of Velcro.RTM.-type hook material to act
 as a fastener. Obviously, the two parallel strips of material could just
 as easily be the Velcro.RTM.-type loop material and the single strip of
 material on the cooperating second portion of the garment could be
 Velcro.RTM.- type hook material. As the patient heals surgical swelling is
 reduced or bleeding is held internally, the three strips of cooperating
 elastic Velcro.RTM.-type material acting as a flexible fabric fastener
 would allow a single garment to be used instead of two or more compression
 garments. Multi-sizing the compression garments allows for pre operative
 triage at the scene of an accident.
 The flexible fabric fastener includes a strip of flexible, stretchable
 material composed of a percentage of polyester material and a percentage
 of rubber material. The Velcro.RTM.-type hook and loop material would be
 woven into a portion or portions of the surface of the flexible,
 stretchable backing material in an alternating pattern with an elastic
 locking thread pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 FIG. 1 illustrates one strip 10 of the flexible fabric fastener. The strip
 10 includes a polyester rubber elastic strip 14 provided with a plurality
 of horizontal threads 16 as well as a plurality of vertical threads 18.
 The strip 10 shows a magnified version of the flexible fabric fastener
 showing the threads 16 and 18 in a manner to better illustrate the present
 invention. In practice, the polyester rubber elastic strip 14 would
 include a mesh having a much larger number of horizontal threads 16 and
 vertical threads 18. The strip 10 shows a plurality of Velcro.RTM.-type
 sections of hook material 26. This Velcro.RTM.-type hook material is
 directly woven into the elastic material 14. FIG. 1A better illustrates
 the manner in which the Velcro.RTM.-type hook material 26 is woven into
 the polyester elastic strip 14. This pattern of alternate hook material 26
 consisting of hooks 27 is woven into the elastic strip 14 by the
 utilization of a computerized program of weaving along with a polyester
 and rubber locking threads 25 woven through the elastic strip 14. This
 particular structure would securely and with great stability hold the hook
 material into place in the elastic strip 14. This structure would allow
 the ability of the closure to embody multiple-sizing along with soft
 stretchable comfort. Alternatively, the Velcro.RTM.-type hook material 26
 can be woven into the entire surface of the elastic strip 14 in an
 alternating pattern for unlimited length of the elastic base.
 FIG. 2 illustrates a second opposing strip 16 of the fastener including a
 stretchable elastic strip base 20 having a plurality of horizontal threads
 22 as well as a plurality of vertical threads 24. In this instance,
 various sections of Velcro.RTM.-type loop material 28 are directly woven
 onto the elastic strip material 20 in a manner similar to the strip shown
 in FIGS. 1 and 1A. More particularly, FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of
 FIG. 2 including a plurality of loops 29 woven into the strip 20 using the
 same type of polyester and rubber locking thread 25 shown with respect to
 FIGS. 1 and 1A. Similar to the strip shown in FIG. 1, the entire surface
 of the strip 12 can have the loop material woven within the base strip 20
 in a similar alternating pattern. In this manner, a number of sections of
 loop material 28 would cover the strip 20. However, similar to the strip
 shown in FIG. 1, the entire surface of the strip 20 can have the loop
 material woven therein.
 Elastic strips 14 and 20 as well as the threads 25 and 32 are constructed
 from a material consisting of 75% polyester and 25% rubber. The
 Velcro.RTM.-type loop segment is held in place by the polyester and rubber
 locking thread 32 in a stable and secure pattern. However, it is noted
 that this exact combination of materials is not crucial to the present
 invention as long as these strips exhibit elasticity when they are
 attached along the closing slits of the garment to better fit the patient.
 Additionally, these strips of material 14 and 20 would return to their
 original shape when they are no longer stretched. This feature is of great
 importance since this elastic fastener would be used with a number of
 types of garments producing a comfortable post or pre operative fit of the
 garment or other applications not specifically medical.
 The Velcro.RTM.-type hook material and the Velcro.RTM.-type loop material
 shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, 2, 2A are woven into the respective strips using a
 computer programmed weaving pattern using an elastic type locking thread.
 FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the elastic strips 14 and 20 in a more magnified
 view when these strips are in the relaxed state. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the
 same view when the strips 14 and 20 are under tension and being stretched.
 When the strip 14 is being stretched, the distance d.sub.1 between
 horizontal threads 34 and 36 would be less than the distance d.sub.2
 between these threads 34 and 36 when the strip 14 is stretched as
 illustrated with respect to FIG. 5. Similarly, the distance d.sub.3
 between horizontal threads 38 and 40 in FIG. 4 would be less than the
 distance d.sub.4 between these same horizontal threads 38 and 40 when the
 strip 20 is stretched. It is this stretchable nature that allows the
 flexible fabric fastener to allow it to be utilized in the various
 compression garments employed by patients who are convalescing with a pre
 or post-surgical swelling or bleeding.
 FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the flexible fabric fastener of the present
 invention embodied in a compressible garments used by both men and women.
 This garment 50 is provided with sections 52 and 54 which are attached to
 one another utilizing the flexible fabric fastener. A cotton cloth type
 stretchable band cuff 62 is provided on the bottom of section 52 and 54.
 Appropriate arm holes 60 are used to allow the patient to wear this
 garment above their midriff or can be produced to reach the waist.
 Mechanical hook portions 58 are directly affixed to the top portion 54 and
 are also used as added security to the flexible fabric fasteners using eye
 portions 72 as shown in FIG. 8. Although not shown in FIG. 7, one strip of
 fastener material is provided underneath the strip section 56. As shown in
 FIG. 8, the portion 54 of the garment 50 is provided with two
 substantially parallel strips of Velcro.RTM.-type hook material 60, 68.
 Each of these strips 60 and 68 is sewn onto the top surface of fabric
 portion 54 utilizing elasticized thread. Additionally, hooks 58 and 64 are
 attached to the portion 54 for use with the eyes 72 provided on top
 section 52 to bind the two sections 52 and 54 together thereby securing
 the Velcro.RTM.-type loops provided on strip 70 included on the reverse
 side of section 52.
 Similar to the strips 60, 68, the Velcro.RTM.-type loop section 70 is sewn
 into the material on the reverse side of section 52 with elasticized
 thread. Reference numeral 76 represents a one of many comfort support
 panels inserted woven or sewn into the reverse side of section 52 (as
 shown) and into other positions on the reverse side of sections 52 and 54.
 Although strips 60, 68 and 70 illustrate the flexible fabric fastener
 having its own respective outside surfaces completely covered with either
 Velcro.RTM.-type hook or Velcro.RTM.-type loop material, it is noted that
 these strips can contain a plurality of distinct Velcro.RTM.-type hook or
 Velcro.RTM.-type loop sections as shown with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. As
 illustrated with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the garment 50 is
 initially applied to the patient, the Velcro.RTM.-type loop section 70
 would cooperate with Velcro.RTM.-type loop section 68 to secure the
 garment in place. As the patient's physical size or swelling changes, the
 strip 70 would then cooperate with strip 60 to secure the garment in place
 for resizing. It is noted that the inclusion of the hooks 72 and the eyes
 58 and 64 are optional, since the present invention could operate without
 their inclusion. It is noted that the exact type of eye 58, 64 is not
 crucial to the present invention.
 Commercially produced hooks and straight eyes sewn on the edge of the
 outside frontal opening could be employed. This hardware would be evenly
 spaced, only as a security benefit to the closure. They are used on the
 outside of the garment to prevent painful puncture of the skin in various
 surgical procedures or pressure at the site of surgical entry points in
 liposuction. Another row of straight eyes is sewn on the outside of the
 garment to the second side of the garment. Only one set of hooks are
 needed.
 Similarly, flexible fabric fasteners in the form of a Velcro.RTM.-type loop
 section 78 would cooperate with a Velcro.RTM.-type hook section 79 as
 illustrated in FIG. 7. These fasteners can be used to multi-size and
 stretch for comfort for the shoulder closure on both front sides of the
 garment. Furthermore, Velcro.RTM.-type loop sections 80 as well as
 Velcro.RTM.-type hook sections 81 on the lower portion of the garments
 shown in FIG. 8 would be used to secure cotton stretch cuff 62 at the base
 of the garment together. No hooks and eyes are needed in this situation.
 Similarly, hooks and eyes are also not needed at the shoulder closure. The
 angled or slanted opening 82 allows for a secure ease of opening and
 closing of the garment. It is noted that this design is universal to both
 genders of patients.
 FIG. 9 illustrates a compression garment 80 which can be utilized by both
 genders. This garment as well as the garment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8
 is created from a cotton and Lycra.RTM. stretch material designed to allow
 body fluids to evaporate. The garment 80 is provided with two leg portions
 82 and 84 which are affixed to the back of leg portions 86 and 88
 respectively. The flexible fabric fastener according to the present
 invention would secure the leg portions 82 to 86 as well as leg portions
 84 to 88. Hooks 90 and 92 are applied along the length of the legs from
 the waist to the cuff of the garment to assist in securing portion 82 to
 portion 86 as well as portion 88 to 84. These hooks would be used with
 cooperative eye portions provided on opposing parts 86, 88 of the garment.
 A thin elastic waistband 96 surrounds the outer portion of the garment
 that does not bind the body when bent or moving. Cotton cloth stretchable
 cuffs 98 and 100 surround the base of each part of each pant leg. A crotch
 portion 94 provided with snaps is included. Similar to the embodiment
 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the hooks and eyes are not a requirement.
 FIG. 10 illustrates the present invention with portions of the flexible
 fabric fasteners open to view. Leg portions 86 provided with two
 substantially parallel at the center elastic Velcro.RTM.-type hook
 fasteners 102, 104 are similar in nature to the elastic fasteners shown in
 FIG. 1. Similarly, the center leg portion 88 is provided with two
 substantially parallel Velcro.RTM.-type hook fastener members 106, 108.
 All four of the elastic Velcro.RTM.-type hook fasteners 102, 104, 106 and
 108 run continuously from the top waist portion 96 of the garment to the
 bottom cuff sections 98, 100 of the garment as shown in FIG. 9.
 While two types of compression garments have been described, it can be
 appreciated that a number of types of these garments can be utilized with
 the flexible fabric fasteners as described herein. These garments are
 designed to be as comfortable to the patient as possible and would be
 manufactured in a number of colors and designs to provide a pleasing
 appearance.
 Once the surgical procedure is completed and a particular pre or
 post-surgical garment is chosen, such as the garment illustrated in FIGS.
 7 and 8, a health practitioner would place the front flap portion 52 over
 the rear flap portion 54 attaching the Velcro.RTM.-type loop strip 70 to
 either of the Velcro.RTM.-type hook strips 60 or 68. The midriff waistband
 of the chest garment is also affixed by pressing the elastic
 Velcro.RTM.-type strip loop 80 and elastic Velcro.RTM.-type strip hook 81
 portions together. The shoulder portions are attached in the same manner.
 Although not necessary, the hooks and eyes as shown in FIG. 8 can also be
 joined together for added security. The flexible fabric fastener has two
 strips for comfortable sizing for the patient and will accommodate any
 medically applied bandages or pads placed directly on the body and hold
 them securely in place. When healthcare professionals are needed to
 inspect dressings or an incision, the market produced hooks are opened and
 the flexible fabric fastener can be gently drawn apart by one person.
 The lower body garment as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are applied in the same
 manner except for the loose front flaps. These flaps are brought together
 from the flattened back piece through the legs. One side leg portion is
 attached to its adjacent portion and the other side leg portion is
 attached to its adjacent leg portion at the center front of leg. The waist
 portions are secured to one another as are the bottom cuff portions with
 the flexible fabric fastener. Similar to the top portion, the bottom
 portion has two sizes built-in due to the double strip of the elastic
 Velcro.RTM.-type strip hook and loop combinations. Sizing can be done at
 the point of the surgical procedure or triage and to accommodate
 surgically placed pads or other medical coverings or devices.
 While the present invention has been described particularly with use on
 upper or lower torsos, other compression garments can incorporate the
 flexible fabric fasteners. Other garments can be used to cover specific
 portions of the body, such as a single arm or leg or the head. The
 Flexible Fabric Fastener can provide multi-sizing in any or all
 compression type garments or any mundane stretchable fabric garment and
 has many generic uses.
 Furthermore, it is believed that many additional modifications can be made
 which would be in the purview of one possessing ordinary skill in the art.