Abstract:
A method and device for protecting a hip bone or limiting a severity of a hip bone injury, which includes at least one pad arranged to protect the hip bone, and a wearable garment to hold the at least one pad with respect to the hip bone, the garment configured to be worn over clothing, the pad configured to wrap around an area of the hip bone in a circumferential manner, the garment including two fastening panels, each configured to face and overlap with the other fastening panel, and fastenable together in a rotatable manner around an axis perpendicular to a fastening plane, a length of the two fastening panels configured to provide a one size fits essentially all wearers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for protecting hips from fracture, and for providing immediate response to hip fracture events. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Hip fractures may cause morbidity and mortality in persons, including, for example, elderly persons. With the progressive increase in the number of elderly persons in the United States, a concurrent surge in hip fractures is occurring. Hip fracture in elderly persons may result from a fall on the hip area. For example, Cummings et al. in “A Hypothesis: The Causes of Hip Fractures”, Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, Vol. 44, No. 4 (1989), state that about 80 to 90% of hip fractures in elderly persons are due to falls, and that fewer than 10% occur before the fall. Consequently, hip protecting devices have been advocated to reduce the risk of sustaining a hip fracture. 
     Hip protective devices should provide both an effective and cost-saving strategy for reducing the risk of hip fractures. To be effective, however, a hip protecting device must be worn. A major issue is patient non-compliance and/or non-adherence with wearing of such hip protecting devices. It is has been found that the non-compliance in community and institutional settings ranges from 37% to 72%. 
     There may be several reasons why persons do not always wear a hip protecting device when instructed to do so. Reasons for non-compliance may include, for example, discomfort (e.g., too tight and/or a poor fit), and the extra effort and time required to put on and adjust the hip protecting device. It is believed that patient compliance would be substantially increased if hip protecting devices were more comfortable and provided a better fit. Patient compliance may be increased if hip protecting devices are presented in a form that those in need of such devices would be less inclined to resist the wearing of the device, due to, for example, vanity concerns or not wanting to admit the time has come to wear such a device. 
     There are hip protecting devices, for example, in which the device is worn underneath clothing because the wearer may not consider the protecting device aesthetically pleasing. However, in the past 10 years or so, it is understood that a very large proportion of the wearers need to be able to take the device off, sometimes urgently, such as in a need to visit the toilet, and this cannot be done with the type of the hip protector that is worn in or as underwear. This even applies if the caregiver has to take off the garment. 
     Wearers of hip protectors may have different capabilities with respect to possible movements of their limbs and agility. Certain existing hip protectors may not accommodate such individual needs and/or capabilities of the wearer, particularly if the wearer cannot move certain body parts in a particular direction, in agile fashion. For example, the wearer may have arthritis or muscular weakness in the hands. It has also been understood that certain existing hip protecting devices are not easily removed or put on by the wearer or the care giver. 
     The material of certain existing hip protecting devices using pads can stretch and therefore allow for undesired movement of the pads with respect to a particular desired area to be protected (e.g., pads that are included in a sweatpants arrangement). For example, if a person falls off a couch, the friction from contact with the couch may cause the padding of the hip protecting device to slide away from the point to be protected. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,128 purports to relate to a garment worn underneath clothing for bone fracture prevention during impact from a fall, in which the undergarment has an horseshoe-shaped pad arrangement for shunting a substantial portion of impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region. However, such a design rests on the faulty notion that only falls with an impact at right angles to the greater trochanter cause hip fractures, which is not accurate. There are many other angles at which persons may fall. At some angles, contact will not be made near the greater trochanter. For example, one may fall flat backwards or half sideways on the buttocks. Accordingly, unless the fall occurs directly on the entire horseshoe-shaped pad, the thixotropy (hardening due to impact on the protective fluid/solid) will not occur fast enough, and the device is likely to do more harm than good. Moreover, the pads, which are about one inch thick, increase the perceived width of the wearer and thus may be esthetically unacceptable to the wearer. Moreover, the horseshoe-shaped design and the direct adherence to the skin is considered an impractical solution. Hence, the device discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,128 is understood to be functionally deficient, uncomfortable, or impractical for certain wearers, such as, for example, older persons. 
     Furthermore, another pad arrangement, in which the pads are fixed in a tight undergarment with straps around the legs and waist so that the pads can be held precisely over the greater trochanter, is not likely to be usable by an older person with arthritic fingers. 
     Certain hip protecting devices, which are designed to be worn underneath clothing, may include plastic shields or foam pads that may be held in place at the hips with specially designed underwear. However, such pads may provide only limited protection. For example, such pads do not protect from a rearward fall. In the human pelvis there are two large hip bones, each consisting of three fused bones, the illium, ischium, and pubis. The hip bones form a ring around a central cavity. The fused terminal segments of the spine, known as the sacrum and coccyx, connect the hip bones at the back of the central cavity; a fibrous band connects them at the front. A backward fall may cause injury or fracture of sacrum and/or coccyx. Moreover, with the internal force transmission occurring from bone to bone, falling backwards can not only hurt the sacrum and coccyx but hard impact on them can be passed onto other bones. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a device for protecting a hip bone or limiting a severity of a hip bone injury. In this regard, the device may include, for example, at least one pad arranged to protect the hip bone, and a wearable garment to hold the at least one pad with respect to the hip bone, in which the garment is configured to be worn over clothing and the pad configured to wrap around an area of the hip bone in a circumferential manner. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, the hip protecting device is configured to be more easily removed as compared to other existing hip protecting devices. This may be particularly important when the wearer encounters an urgent need to remove the device, such as a toilet visit. It is essential for many older people who require incontinence pads, because the device may be used in conjunction with them. In particular, the wrap-around aspect of the hip protecting device of the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of wearing both a hip protecting device and incontinence pads. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, the hip protecting device is put on by laying the device flat on a bedside, and the wearer sits or slides on to the device, which may then be wrapped around and fastened. If the wearer has the capability, the device may also be donned in a standing position. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, a hip protecting device includes a wrap-around pad on each side so that protection may be provided for a rearward or partially rearward fall, in addition to a sideways fall. In this regard, a hip protecting device according to the present invention may provide protection against injury or fracture to certain hip bones, or other bones in the vicinity of the hip, including, for example, the sacrum and coccyx bones. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, a hip protecting device is easily adapted to the specific protections of a variety of wearers. In particular, the hip protecting device provides a fastening device that can accommodate multiple sized and shaped wearers. Accordingly, the hip protecting device may be provided in a one-size-fits all, or essentially a one-size-fits all, configuration. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, a hip protecting device may be worn over clothing, including, for example, all types of clothing, to provide improved comfort and/or convenience. The hip protecting device of the present invention may also be provided in a one-size fits all mode, which allows the user to personally adjust the device to improve the fit that may be obtained therewith. The hip protecting device may also include a pocket to hold a variety of fall/injury avoidance electronic devices, and help summoning devices, such as, for example, a postural sensor, personal emergency response system, etc. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, the hip protecting device includes at least one pad of about 7/16′ in thickness, which includes a closed cell material, such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-nitrile. The hip protecting device may also include two extended panels, which are configured to be self-fastening to each other so as to provide an one size fits essentially all wearers of the device. In this regard, the two panels may be fastened in various positions so as to accommodate a range of circumference of about 32 to 49 inches. Here, it is noted that to manufacture extremely large sizes, adjustments may also be made in the back of the garment in the area between the pads. The hip protecting device may further include an impact detector configured to signal for help upon detecting a fall or sudden impact. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, the hip-protecting device may be fastened by rotating two panels of the hip-protecting device around of an axis perpendicular to a fastening plane, overlapping the two panels, and pressing the two panels together. Here, the rotation is important because is makes the fastener adaptable to slight variations in an individual&#39;s anatomy. Moreover, the facing panels may be brought together at various angles with respect to the fastening plane 
     According to an exemplary embodiment and/or exemplary method of the present invention, the hip protecting device includes an impact detector to detect a fall. In this regard, the impact detector may include, for example, an accelerometer to detect a deceleration change, and a first processing arrangement to determine if the deceleration change is within a range in which a fracture may occur. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG.  1 AA shows an exemplary method to protect a hip bone from fracture. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a front view of an exemplary device for protecting the hip area in a human. 
         FIG. 1B  shows an exemplary fastening device for securing the exemplary device of  FIG. 1A  to the hip area of the human. 
         FIG. 1C  shows exemplary double seams of the exemplary fastening device of  FIG. 1B , at which a length of the fastening device may be removed using scissors to better accommodate a particular sized individual wearer. 
         FIG. 1D  shows a rear view of the exemplary device of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  shows an exemplary electronic device that may be provided with the exemplary device of  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  AA shows an exemplary method to protect a hip bone from fracture or to limit a severity of a hip bone injury. In step S 101 , at least one pad is provided to protect the hip bone. For example, two pads may be provided, each pad approximately rectangular in shape with rounded edges and constructed to absorb a shock. 
     In step S 102 , the at least one pad is configured to wrap around an area of the hip bone. In particular, the at least one pad is configured to wrap around the area of the hip bone in a circumferential manner so as to conform to the particular wearer&#39;s shape. 
     In step S 103 , a one size fits all device is provided, which includes at least one pad to protect the hip bone, and which is configured to be worn over clothing. Here, the one size fits all aspect of the device may accommodate, for example, 95% of adult wearers, which may be important, for example, in terms of the application of the device in health institutions, such as nursing homes, because without such a one size fits all feature the device may be unnecessarily expensive with respect to storage and providing different sizes of the device to persons having differing sizes. Additionally, the configuration of the device so as to be worn over clothing provides certain benefits with respect to convenience and ease of use of the device. For instance, if a wearer decides to sit in once place for a particular time period, the device may be easily unfastened during this time and fastened again before rising. 
     In step S 102 , a pocket is provided on the device to hold an arrangement to notify a non-wearer of a fall occurrence. Here, the non-wearer may be, for example, a caregiver, who may assist the wearer of the device should he or she need assistance after a fall. The pocket may be configured to accommodate a wide variety of devices so that a customized solution may be provided to each wearer, if required. 
     In step S 103 , the arrangement to notify a non-wearer is provided so that both the device and the notification arrangement can be provided in one commercially available package so as to reap further economies of scale with respect to mass production of the device. Indeed, having a device that both protects hips from fracture and notifies a caregiver when the wearer falls or experiences a sudden impact to the hip area should be desirable in the context of elderly and/or injury-prone individuals who would otherwise not have access to such features with other existing hip protecting devices. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1D  show a front and rear view of a human from slightly above the waistline to slightly below the buttocks, and a device  100  for protecting the hip area of a human. The protection may include, for example, protection against fracture, contusions, injuries to the skin and tissues lying below, which may occur, for example, from a fall. The device  100  includes a garment piece  106 , an electronic device  101 , a fastening device  103 , at least one pad  105 , and a slot/pocket  105   a  to hold the pad  105 . 
     The garment  106  surrounds the human torso over the hip area to hold the device  100  in a suitable position. The garment  106  may be worn, for example, over clothing. In this regard, the garment  106  may be easily secured and/or removed. The garment  106  may be provided in a “one-size-fits-all” configuration, and may be made of an elastic spandex material, which may include a woven material from section to section as well, or any other suitably appropriate material. 
     The garment  106  may be provided in a color or pattern that is suitable for wearing over clothing. In particular, the garment  106  may be provided in a dark gray and/or brown color pattern. It is believed that the dark gray and/or brown color may be a desirable color since those who may wear the garment  106 , including elderly persons, may tend to dress in darker shades and thus the dark gray and/or brown color may not contrast so greatly. Moreover, a dark gray and/or brown color may not show dirt or stains or other discolorations as noticeably. Moreover still, a dark gray and/or brown color may improve compliance—that is, the tendency of the wearer to accept the recommendation by a physician and a caregiver, to wear the device. Any color may, however, be used. 
     The device  100  includes a fastening device  103 , which may be easily manipulated to adjust the device  100  to suit the particular needs of the wearer. In this regard, the device is configured for a wearer in a sitting position to be able to unfasten and refasten the device without rearrangement of the device with respect to the hips. Of course, the device may be unfastened and refastened in other positions as well, including the standing or lying down position. 
     The fastening device  103  may be provided in the form of two facing velcro panels  103   a  and  103   b . In this regard, the overlap of the velcro panels  103   a / 103   b  is such that the garment  106  may be opened widely or less widely to accommodate wearers of multiple sizes. Instead of being fastened with both panels in an aligning axial position they may also be fastened in a manner where the longitudinal axis of one pad is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the other panel, which may provide a more snug fit to accommodate the wearer&#39;s unique shape. In this regard, the width of the two panels may be configured to increase an overlapping area of the panels when the panels are fastened in a non-parallel manner. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the velcro panels  103   a / 103   b  may be configured to accommodate nearly all potential wearers of the device. For example, certain potential wearers of the device may have a circumference at the hip area that is relatively large or, alternatively, relatively small as compared with the general population. Accordingly, providing a device that accommodates a wide variety of circumferences is believed to be desirable. In this regard, it is found that the potential wearers of the device include individuals whose circumference is as small as 32 inches or possibly even less, or as a large as 49 inches. Here, it is noted that the number of individuals whose circumference is less than 32 inches is expected to be quite small. It is also noted that most elderly people tend to lose weight as they age so that it is expected that most elderly wearers tend not to have a circumference that is nearly as large as 49 inches. Indeed, it is believed that most of the potential wearers who are elderly required a device that accommodates a much lesser circumference than 49 inches. Therefore, according to one exemplary embodiment, the velcro panels  103   a / 103   b  may be configured to include a section  103   d  that is easily removed or detached such that the potential wearer or caretaker may eliminate that portion of the panels that is not required to accommodate his circumference. For example, the velcro panels 103   a / 103   b  may include a double seam  103   c  to subdivide the velcro panel in such a way that a section  103   d  of the velcro panels may be cut off using a pair of scissors, for example. (Note the double seam  103   c  allows the end the velcro panels that remains after cutting to have an appearance of being quite reasonably neatly finished). Hence, potential wearers of the device can more easily customize the fit. This is what enables the “one-size-fits-all” feature. 
     The “one-size-fits-all” configuration may also provide certain benefits with respect to cost, distribution and/or stocking of the device. For example, nursing homes or other similar care facilities may more easily maintain an adequate stock of the devices for expected and unexpected needs of the residents since a supply of only one type of device is needed to accommodate all or nearly all its residents. 
     The body of the device  100  includes materials that are expandable and non-expandable. The expanding materials in conjunction with the velcro closure serve to adjust the device  100  to the form of the body of the wearer, both for comfort and retension of the protective pads in their operative location. Expanding material is provided particularly between the pads  105  and around the front areas where the pads  105  are held fastened. 
     The device  100  includes at least one pad  105 , which is constructed of a protective material within certain industry standards. In sports safety, automotive and other safety fields, a measure of protection that has become widely established is “G-max”, which describes the maximum number of multiples of the force of gravity that result from a reversal of momentum caused by an object hitting the protective material. For protection against human bone fracture, a G-max value of 200 or less is believed to be desirable so as to prevent the most fractures and yet not be too thick. In this regard, a 7/16″ thickness of, for example, the AMC material made by Armacell, is a closed cell polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-nitrile material that tests at this range.(Materials that absorb more force of impact are still being developed). In particular, the AMC material performs adequately when subjected to the ASTM F-355 prop Test, in which a steel cylinder is dropped on a sample of the material, which is situated on a steel surface connected to equipment which measures the impact over a period of time. 
     The at least one pad  105  may be constructed of a closed cell material that does not absorb body fluids such as urine and cleaning water when the pad is sponged or immersed in water. 
     Accordingly, the at least one pad  105  may provide certain benefits with respect to maintaining its cleanliness. 
     The at least one pad  105  may be shaped and/or adapted to the human torso in a wrap-around manner so as to protect certain bones of the human pelvis, including, for example, the greater trochanter or the two large hip-related bones, each consisting of three fused bones, the illium and ischium, which partially form a ring around a central cavity. The wrap-around construction additionally protects the fused terminal segments of the pelvis, known as the sacrum and coccyx. Accordingly, the at least one pad  105  may protect the wearer in the event of a backward or partially backward fall, which might otherwise cause injury or fracture of sacrum and coccyx, for example. 
     The at least one pad  105  may have an additional section that folds underneath the buttocks when the wearer assumes a sitting position. Accordingly, the at least one pad  105  is constructed to provide flexibility and protection at the same time. 
     The body device  100  includes an electronic device  101  to warn of risky movement and immediately alert the wearer, and also to detect a possible impending fall. In this regard, an alert may also be directed to a caregiver, such as, for example, a nurse at a nursing station, etc. If a person falls and fractures a hip, help cannot arrive too soon. Even if there is no hip fracture, help may nonetheless be needed and/or desired to provide prompt attention and aid to the patient, who may be distressed by the fall and/or may not be able to get up or even press a pendant button, such as has been provided in certain devices for various medial alerts, including those not connected with hip protecting features. 
     The electronic device  101  may include an inertial component  101   a  to detect a change in position. In this regard, the detected change in position may indicate, for example, that the wearer has experienced a fall. The electronic device  101  may also include a transmitter  101   b  to transmit a signal to a receiver (e.g., monitoring station, a nursing station, a home care giver, etc.), a receiver  101   c  to receive a signal from a transmitter (e.g., a broadcast station, etc.) and a speaker  101   d  to provide an audible alarm to the wearer of the device  100 . 
     The electronic device  101  may also include a haptic component  101   e  to provide a vibration sensation to the wearer of the device  100  to indicate, for example, an impending fall or dangerous condition. In this regard, the haptic component  101   e  may provide a desired feature for those individuals whose hearing is impaired, or where an audible signal may be disturbing to the wearer or others in the vicinity of the wearer. 
     The electronic device  101  may be fixedly arranged in the device  100 , or may be inserted or held in a pocket  107  of the garment  106 . In this regard, the electronic device  101  may be easily removed when desired; for example, when the garment  106  is to be washed. The pocket  107  may be located, for example, where it is least exposed to outside impact. For example, the pocket  107  may be located above the hip and slightly anterior with respect to the torso. 
     The electronic device  101  may also be arranged in a slot  105   a  of the pad  105 . In particular, the electronic device  101  may be arranged, for example, in an upper outermost corner of the pad  105 . For this purpose, the garment need not require additional sewing operations. Moreover, the pad  105  may better protect the electronic device  101 . 
     The electronic device  101  may also include a power source to provide power. Here, the power source may be, for example, a battery. 
     The electronic device  101  may also include a manual alert mechanism  101   f  so the wearer may manually activate an alarm condition to a nursing-station or a telephone line. In this regard, the telephone line may be, for example, a wireless connection, such as, for example, a cellular or mobile phone connection. The manual alert mechanism  101   f  may be, for example, in the form of a button, a dial, switch, microphone, or any other suitable form for enabling manual activation by the wearer or any other nearby person. In this regard, the microphone may be used, for example, to provide a voice-activated manual alert. 
     The manual alert mechanism  101   f  may be used to alert the nursing station to a fall, a fear of a fall, or any other condition that may require attention. In this regard, the wearer may alert, for example, that he or she may be experiencing a discomforting and/or life-threatening condition, such as, for example, a heat attack. 
     The manual alert mechanism  101   f  may include an element to deactivate it so that wearers or others may prevent unintended alerts and alerts from patients or wearers that occur with excessive frequency because the wearer is regarded to have not the capacity to properly judge when an activation is required and/or necessary.