Integrated sensory system

An integrated sensory system includes a therapeutic compression vest. The vest has a first layer, a second layer and a third layer. The first layer is a loop material, said second layer is a closed cell material or polyurethane and the third layer is a soft material. The first layer is coextensive with the second layer. The vest serves as a basis for the integrated sensory system which is designed to meet a broad-range of multi-dimensional therapeutic. The integrated sensory system includes accessories such as a cape, balls, fidgets, etc. all having hook material to enable selective attachment and release of said accessories from the outer loop layer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to therapeutic tools and systems. In particular, the present invention relates to therapeutic garments that provide the wearer with pressure and compression. The garment is simultaneously a system for sensory and creative play.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Individuals with sensory processing or sensory integration issues lack the ability to organize sensations coming from the body and the environment and thus can experience some deficits in daily life. These individuals need a way to calm their bodies and center themselves. Children who have difficulties focusing and/or fidget likely have issues with body awareness. Children who exhibit impulsivity may be sensory seekers, who crave sensory stimulation, even at their own risk. Therapeutic tools exist to help children who lack this sense of body awareness. One such tool used by therapists to treat children with sensory issues are vests. A compression and/or weighted vest is a recognized tool used to calm and achieve balance in individuals having sensory processing issues. In fact, soothing pressure provided by compression and/or weighted vests have long been a staple in the therapeutic collection of tools used with hyper-responsive individuals. These vests have been found to increase body awareness, focus, balance, trunk stability and coordination, while decreasing hyperactivity and impulsivity. Occupational therapists use these vests to compress and/or weigh down the child and provide sensory input. These vests have been found to help certain children increase focus/attention in classroom and promote emotional and behavioral self-regulation.

Numerous compression and/or weighted vests currently exist in the market. The biggest complaint by users and parents of users is that the user gets too hot as these traditional vests are made of neoprene or a closed cell foam. To address the heating problem faced by users of these vests, some have turned to making holes in the neoprene vest, using mesh material to replace the neoprene material, or use a mix of fabrics such as neoprene and mesh at different locations in the vest. However, vests with these different materials either do not fully keep the user cool or do not apply sufficient pressure and tension to give the deep compression pressure needed for therapeutic value. These traditional vests are also difficult for the child to put on and take off. Often the child user will require the help of an adult to get in and out of the vest.

The traditional vests are also very limiting with regards to play and creativity. They provide a function but do not allow a wearer to use the vest in creative self-expressive play. According to distinguished scholar Dr. Doris Bergen, as reported in theJournal of Early Childhood Research and Practice: “There is a growing body of evidence supporting the many connections between cognitive competence and high-quality pretend play. If children lack opportunities to experience such play, their long-term capacities related to metacognition, problem solving, and social cognition, as well as to academic areas such as literacy, mathematics, and science, may be diminished. These complex and multidimensional skills involving many areas of the brain are most likely to thrive in an atmosphere rich in high-quality pretend play.” (Bergen, D. (2002). The role of Pretend Play in Children's Cognitive Development. Journal of Early Childhood Research and Practice, 4(1), retrieved Feb. 15, 2018 at http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/bergen.html) In addition, psychologist Lev Vygotsky's ground-breaking work found that interactive, imaginative play is a crucial component of a child's cognitive and behavioral development. “Self-regulation is widely recognized as a critical social-emotional skill underpinning children's abilities to act pro-socially with peers and adults, participate productively in learning activities, and adapt successfully to new or challenging situations.” (Vallotton, C., & Ayoub, C. (2011). Use Your Words: The Role of Language in the Development of Toddlers' Self-Regulation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26(2), 169-181.) According to Vygotsky, during imaginative play, children take on different roles and try out different language uses, all of which help them on the journey from being externally to internally regulated.

What is needed is a vest that provides therapeutic values for sensory integration. What is needed is a vest that provides compression such as deep compression and can also be a weighted vest. What is needed is a vest that is breathable and does not make the wearer or user hot and uncomfortable, so that use can be extended. What is needed is a vest that can be donned and removed by a child without the assistance or strength needed by an adult. What is needed is a vest that would facilitate creativity while also meeting the therapeutic need. What is needed is a vest that provides encourages choice-making, interactive and child-led creative play. What is needed is a vest which meets equally valuable therapeutic and educational goals.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An integrated sensory system comprises a vest having a breathable front panel and back panel. Each said front and back panel are dimensioned and configured to the wearer's anterior and posterior torso, respectively. Fasteners are employed on the vest at the shoulder regions, side-waist regions and abdomen region. The fasteners enable a user to manipulate tension or compression applied by the vest to the wearer. Each panel is breathable having a first layer or outer layer, a second layer or middle layer and a third layer or inner layer. The first or outer layer is a loop material and is coextensive with the second or middle layer. The second or middle layer is an open cell material or polyurethane. The inner or third layer is a smooth material. Each of the panels offers pockets located at the top of the child's hips to allow for proper placement of therapeutic weights, if needed, and which may be easily removed, so that the child can wear the vest continuously (weighted garments may only be worn for short periods of time safely).

The vest serves as a basis for the integrated sensory system which is designed to meet a broad-range of multi-dimensional therapeutic needs. Accessories may include a cape, balls, fidgets, etc. all having hook material to enable selective attachment to and release of said accessories from the outer loop layer. This integrated sensory system thus facilitates choice-making and is instrumental in encouraging child-led and interactive, imaginative play, which is, a valuable part of the therapeutic process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 5shows a front view of a therapy compression garment in the form of a compression vest100of the integrated sensory system1000. The vest100is dimensioned and configured to the anterior and posterior torso of a wearer. The vest100includes a front panel comprising a right panel110and a left panel130and a back panel120.FIG. 2shows the rear view of the vest100.

FIGS. 3A and 3B, show an exploded inside view and an exploded outside view of the vest100, respectively. Looking atFIGS. 3A and 3B, the right panel110is shown having a right shoulder portion112, a right-central waist portion114, a right-side waist portion116and arm opening118. Similarly, the left panel130has a left shoulder portion132, a left-central waist portion134, left-side waist portion136and arm opening138. Fastener440may be disposed on right panel110as shown. Alternatively, fastener440may be disposed on left panel130. The back panel120has right shoulder flap122, left shoulder flap122a, arm openings128, right waist flap126and left waist flap126a. Fasteners450,450a,460,460aare disposed on the surface of the inside of the back panel120.

Each said right-central waist portion114and said left-central waist portion134have curved edges. The curved edge allows a child-user to readily grasp and manipulate the right-central waist portion114and the left-central waist portion134of the vest100. For instance, looking atFIG. 1, a user would place their hand along the edge of right-central waist portion114and pull the right panel110up or down to release fastener440from the surface of left panel130.

FIG. 3Ashows two pockets510,530provided on the inside of the vest100.FIGS. 2 and 3Bshow two outside pockets500which are provided on the back of the vest100. The pockets510,530sit just above the hips. The pockets may be used to allow the wearer to retain weights to add pressure to the wearer. In one embodiment, the pockets510,530and500are designed to fit 4″×4″ weights. The pockets are also suited to retain emergency contact information and personal items such as toys, buttons, medals, dolls, bottles, small instruments and so on. Though the vest100is shown with pockets each510,530and500, other number, size or placement of pockets are feasible.

The vest100provides a five-way fit enabled by the fasteners440,450,450a,460,460aat each the central waist region, shoulder regions and side waist areas, respectively. The user is allowed to customize the vest100to the wearers' body shape and comfort by adjusting the position of any or all of the fasteners. The five-way fit also allows the user to control the degree of pressure or tension imparted by the vest100to the wearer.

All five or fewer points on the vest100can be selectively adjusted to the wearer's body shape and to fine-tune the amount of compression provided to the torso of the wearer. It can be easily adjusted for different days or even over the course of a single day. The significance of the selectively adjustable five-way fit is great as the vest100can accommodate prosthetic, orthotic or other unique needs of the user. For instance, this range of adjustments can be necessary for users with medports, or any unique accommodations required.

The following examples in conjunction withFIGS. 1 and 3A, explain how an individual wearing vest100adjusts the vest for compression and comfort. For instance, if the wearer wanted to add pressure at the light shoulder region, right shoulder flap122would be peeled up or down, or in a north and south direction, away from the right shoulder portion112of the right panel110to release fastener450from the surface of right panel110. Then fastener450of right shoulder flap122would then be stretched down over the right shoulder portion112of the right panel110and releasably attached further down the front surface of right shoulder portion112. Similar action would occur to tighten the vest100over the left shoulder region. Opposite action would be taken to release pressure applied by the vest100at either shoulder region. Regardless of which shoulder flap122,122ais being used to increase or decrease tension, the shoulder flap122,122athat is being moved can be stretched in a straight vertical direction or in a non-straight or off-center skewed direction, to place fastener450slightly to the left or the right of the vertical plane. This allows the vest100to accommodate the unique needs of the user.

If the wearer wanted to increase tension or pressure at the right-side waist region, the edge of right waist flap126would be peeled up or down, or in a north-south direction, away from the right-side waist portion116of the right panel110to release fastener460from the surface of right panel110. The right waist flap126would be stretched over the front of right panel110, specifically over right-side waist portion116, in the direction headed to right central waist portion114. Fastener460would then be releaseably attached anywhere between the right-side waist portion116and the right-central waist portion114. Similar action would occur to tighten the vest100over the left-side waist region. Opposite action would be taken at each the right-side or left-side regions to decrease tension from the vest100as applied to the user. Regardless of which waist region is in need of increased or decreased tension, the side-waist flap126or126athat is being moved can be stretched in a straight horizontal direction or in a non-straight or off-center skewed direction, to place fastener460slightly above or below the horizontal plane. This allows the vest100to accommodate the unique needs of the user.

If the user chooses to increase tension imparted by the vest100at the abdominal region, the user would take right-central waist portion114and release fastener440from the surface of left panel130. To release fastener440from the surface of left panel130, the user must peel the fastener440up or down, or in a north-south direction. Then right-central waist portion114would be stretched further over left panel130, at a distance away from left-central waist portion134and a distance closer to left-side waist edge136. To decrease tension at the abdomen region, the user would release fastener440, as noted above, and move right-central waist portion114and fastener440from its position on the surface of left panel130and move the fastener440in a direction closer to left-central waist portion134and away from left-side waist edge136. Regardless of which panel110,130is being used to increase or decrease tension, the waist portion114or134that is being moved can be stretched in a straight horizontal direction or in a non-straight or off-center skewed direction, to place fastener440slightly above or below the horizontal plane. This allows the vest100to accommodate the unique needs of the user.

The vest100is made of breathable material which allows the user to stay cool by preventing the accumulation or retention of heat when worn.FIG. 4shows the layers of the breathable material in vest100as taken along line4-4inFIG. 1. The breathable material comprises a first layer or outer layer410, a second layer or middle layer420and a third layer or inner layer430. In some embodiments the breathable material comprises, all three layers. In other embodiments, the breathable material is the first layer or outer layer410and the second layer or middle layer420.

The third or inner layer430is adjacent the skin of the wearer and thus must be a comfortable and smooth material. In one embodiment, the inner layer is nylon. The inner nylon layer130is has an open nylon stitch for comfort. Fasteners450,450a,460,460a,440disposed at the shoulder region, side-waist regions and central-waist or abdomen region, respectively, are disposed on the inner nylon layer430.

In one embodiment, fasteners440,450,450a,460,460aare selectively releasable. In one embodiment, fasteners440,450,450a,460,460ainclude but are not limited to hook material of hook and loop mating material such as Velcro®. Fasteners450,450aare disposed at the right and left shoulder flaps122and122a, respectively, fasteners460,460aare disposed at the right-side and left-side waist flaps126and126a, respectively, and fastener440is disposed at the right-central waist portion114. In some embodiments, the fastener440is on left-central waist portion134, in other embodiments the fastener440may be disposed on both right-central waist portion114and left-central waist portion134.

As described in the examples above, in one embodiment, the fasteners440,450,450a,460,460ahave a strong tensile strength and a weak sheer strength. In one embodiment, fasteners440,450,450a,460,460aare hook of mating hook and loop material such as Velcro®. For instance, the fasteners440,450,450a,460,460aor hook material, is turned or pulled away from the front panels110,130by pulling the hook material down in a vertical (up and down) direction so that the wearer can open the vest100. Alternatively, the wearer can pull the fasteners up in a vertical (up and down) direction. The weak sheer strength facilitates the release of the fasteners440,450,450a,460,460afrom the front panels110,130in this up/down or vertical direction. This also means the vest100does not pull open with side to side pressure due to the strong tensile strength.

The second or middle layer420is disposed over the inner layer430. In one embodiment, the middle layer is coextensive with the inner layer430. In another embodiment the inner layer430is laminated to the middle layer420. In one embodiment, the middle layer420is a breathable material that does not trap air or body heat. In a preferred embodiment, the middle layer is an open cell material such as open cell foam or polyurethane. Open cell foam has tiny cells of the foam that are not completely closed. They are broken, and air fills the “open” space inside the material. The open cell foam is weaker or softer feeling than closed-cell foam.

Middle layer420is breathable, unlike neoprene. The middle layer420however has the same stretch and compression properties as neoprene as shown in Table I, Open Cell Technical Specifications:

In one embodiment, the middle layer has a low intrinsic clothing insulation value, clo value (ICLvalue). Clo value is a measure of the thermal resistance value of clothing as it relates to human comfort when wearing the clothing. It indicates the insulation provided by the clothing alone. In some cases, the vest100, through middle layer420, has a do value of less than about 0.30, in other embodiments the vest100, through middle layer420, has a clo value of between about 0.08 and about 0.30.

The first or outer layer410is disposed over the middle layer420. In one embodiment the outer layer410is coextensive with the middle layer420. In another embodiment the outer layer410is laminated to the middle layer420. In one embodiment, the outer layer410is a loop material. In a preferred embodiment, the loop material is an unbroken loop material. The outer layer410enables the user to selectively adjust the fasteners440,450,450a,460,460ain numerous ways about the outside of the vest100while donned by the wearer.

The outer layer410can be laminated, heat laminated, adhesively bonded, molded, sewn or otherwise attached onto the middle layer420. Alternatively, the inner layer410may also be bonded as an integral part of the middle layer420. Other methods of securing to or forming with the inner layer410, or unbroken loop fabric layer, onto the middle layer420can be used as well. Unbroken loop provides high pile, high strength and is a surface compatible with hook material/fasteners of hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro®. Thus, the outer layer410enables a user to allow other devices to be instantly connected using hook material/fasteners. For instance, the wearer may add play tools with hook material to the outside of the vest100which provides a sense of comfort and a platform to serve as a creative play experience system. Such play tools include patches, pockets, pouches, fidgets, wound Velcro® balls600, etc., so long as each item has hook material disposed thereon.

Other play tools that can be used with the vest100include a tear-away cape650,FIG. 5. The cape650would have hook material at points on the cape600to releasably fasten the cape650to the outer layer410on the surface of the vest100. Additional accessories include sensory packs that are tools to permit a user, such as a child, with choice making, executive functioning, gross and fine motor skills, and self-esteem practice. All accessories enable a user to create their own design (child-led creative play) to reflect their own personality. Owing to the use of the loop material at the outer layer410, the above-mentioned accessories can be placed anywhere on the vest100when the accessories employ hook material.

Looking atFIG. 5, in one embodiment, the vest100of the integrated sensory system1000is part of a play scheme. Vests100are donned by two users, User A and User B and balls600that are fully covered with hook material are provided to each user. In some embodiments, the ball600is a Velcro® strip wound into a ball shape displaying the hook portion on the surface of the ball600. The users of the vest100each have their own colored set of balls600that are fully covered with hook material and a ball-toss game or paintball-type game materializes. For instance, User A tosses the hook covered balls600to the vest100worn by User B and tries to stick such ball sticks to the vest100and vice versa. Using the paint ball game as an example, the vest100becomes a tool for motor planning, planes of movement, eye-hand coordination, social interaction, catch and release, etc., as well as providing all of the therapeutic value of deep compression vest (optionally weighted). Thus, as shown and described the vest100is the base of the integrated sensory system designed to meet a broad-range of multi-dimensional therapeutic goals. Thus, the vest100is designed to meet multiple goals simultaneously.

While certain embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein described. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except as is necessary by the prior art.