Patent Publication Number: US-2007095866-A1

Title: Dressing aids

Description:
The invention refers to dressing aids according to one of the preambles of the independent claims.  
      People who are unable to bend down, e.g. due to troubles with their backs, have great difficulties putting on or taking off pieces of clothing such as e.g. socks and therefore need a dressing aid to assist them or possibly actually allow them to dress independently.  
      A dressing aid for putting on a sock is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,453. The dressing aid comprises two posts that are each provided with a loop and connected to each other by means of a hinge. To put on a sock, the latter is slipped on the two loops and subsequently stretched by spreading apart the two posts such that the foot may be slipped into the opening of the sock.  
      A drawback of this dressing aid is that the procedure requires a substantial effort for spreading the two posts and therefore donning a sock turns out to be difficult. Another drawback is that when the sock has been put on, the bows and the hinge are on the side of the fibula and therefore the foot needs to step over the hinge to bring the two rods to the front. Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a dressing aid that eliminates these drawbacks at least partly and that facilitates changing articles of clothing.  
      This object is attained by a dressing aid as indicated in independent claim  1 . Besides another dressing aid, the remaining claims indicate preferred embodiments as well as a set of dressing aids.  
      The dressing aid of the invention offers the advantage that changing clothes is facilitated and in particular that the effort required for taking off resp. putting on an article of clothing is relatively small. Further advantages will be apparent from the following description. 
    
    
      Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings, where:  
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of a first embodiment of a dressing aid for putting on articles of clothing having at least one opening,  
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the dressing aid of  FIG. 1  while putting on a sock,  
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of a second embodiment of a dressing aid for putting on articles of clothing having one or two openings,  
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of a dressing aid for taking off hosiery, and  
       FIG. 5  shows a front view of the dressing aid of  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
     1ST EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a dressing aid in the form of a donning aid  10  that is particularly suitable for putting on hosiery such as e.g. socks.  
      The donning aid comprises two legs  11   a  and  11   b  that are hinged to each other by a connecting member  14 . Connecting member  14  is cuboidal and comprises a recess through which the respective ends of legs  11   a  and  11   b  are passed. The ends of legs  11   a  and  11   b  are provided with respective sleeves  12   a  resp.  12   b  through which a screw extends which is fastened to connecting member  14 . This support of the two legs  11   a  and  11   b  allows to open and close legs  11   a  and  11   b , thereby forming an expanding mechanism.  
      Connecting member  14  further comprises two angled plastic parts  15   a  and  15   b  that are squeezed between the ends of legs  11   a  and  11   b  and the interior of connecting member  14 . In this manner, the moving of legs  11   a  and  11   b  is cushioned such that they cannot loosely move back and forth when donning aid  10  is e.g. being carried about or stowed away.  
      Legs  11   a  and  11   b  comprise respective bows  17   a  and  17   b  having a circular cross-section to minimize the risk of injuries while putting on an article of clothing. Bows  17   a  and  17   b  together form the mounting portion, on which the article of clothing is slipped that is to be donned.  
      Legs  11   a  and  11   b  are each provided with two recesses  18   a ,  19   a  and  18   b ,  19   b , respectively, in each of which a respective end of bows  17   a ,  17   b  is inserted. Bows  17   a  and  17   b  are removable, thereby facilitating storage of donning aid  10 . Also it is possible to insert bows of different shapes and sizes, e.g. for a better adaptation to the shape and size of a foot or of a garment that is to be donned.  
      Bows  17   a  and  17   b  are essentially U-shaped as seen laterally. The height of bows  17   a  and  17   b  approximately corresponds to the ankle level. The respective front ends  20   a  and  20   b  of bows  17   a ,  17   b  are bent at right angles approximately, so that the two bow center portions  21   a  and  21   b , as seen from above, converge in the closed position of legs  11   a  and  11   b  and are approximately parallel in the half-open position of legs  11   a  and  11   b.    
      As appears in  FIG. 1 , legs  11   a  and  11   b  have a slightly angled shape so that leg center portions  13   a  and  13   b , to which bows  17   a  and  17   b  are attached, are approximately parallel to each other in the closed position of legs  11   a  and  11   b.    
      By the selected shape of legs  11   a  and  11   b  and of bows  17   a  and  17   b  it is achieved that mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b  provides a uniform expansion of the openings both of garments having small openings and large openings.  
      Connecting member  14  is provided with one or a plurality of rectangular plates  24  each having a hole at their center and serving as locking means. Through the holes extends a screw having a rotatable wheel  25 , the end of the screw engaging in a thread of connecting member  14 . Plates  24  are thus rotatable about their holes and lockable in a given orientation by means of locking screw  25 , thereby allowing to spread legs  11   a  and  11   b  accordingly. Thus, locked plates  24  prevent that legs  11   a  and  11   b  are folded together, when the garment is slipped on bows  17   a  and  17   b  and subsequently donned. Unfolding of legs  11   a  and  11   b  is prevented by the attached garment itself as bows  17   a  and  17   b  are under load due to its elasticity. since the spreading angle of legs  11   a  and  11   b  is continuously adjustable, donning aid  10  is optimally adjustable to almost any foot and almost any ankle shape. Although plates  24  prevent the folding of legs  11   a  and  11   b , they do not prevent their unfolding. Legs  11   a  and  11   b  are therefore capable of being further expanded while putting on a garment and may thus adapt to the size of the leg up to and past the knee.  
      Also, instead of rectangular plates  24 , a plate having an oval shape may be used such that legs  11   a  and  11   b  are more or less expanded depending on the position of the plate.  
      Instead of plates  24  and locking screw  25 , it is also possible to use a locking member that is displaceable on an intermediate part (similar to intermediate part  66  and locking member  79  in  FIG. 3 ) to lock legs  11   a  and  11   b  in a determined position.  
      It is also possible to use ratchets as locking means, the ends of legs  11   a  and  11   b  being rigidly connected to a respective ratchet such that legs  11   a  and  11   b  may not be folded under load but only unfolded. As explained below,  FIG. 3  shows this variant of the locking means in the form of ratchets  82   a  and  82   b.    
      Further it is conceivable to lock legs  11   a  and  11   b  in a given position by means of clamping locks.  
      Open ends  26   a  and  26   b  of legs  11   a  and  11   b  are rounded, e.g. by means of plastic parts that are fitted on the leg ends. The rounded ends  26   a  and  26   b  allow donning aid  10  to be moved across a surface with little resistance, so that it is also possible e.g. for a person lying in bed to use the donning aid for putting on the piece of clothing.  
      Optionally, a telescopic design of open ends  26   a  and  26   b  may be provided such that legs  11   a  and  11   b  are extensible in order to be able to put on garments of larger sizes as well.  
      As appears in  FIG. 2 , a handle  28  is provided for holding and guiding donning aid  10 . Handle  28  has a telescopic configuration, thereby allowing its length to be adjusted to the size of the user and locked by means of a conical rotational lock (not shown). The end of handle  28  is attachable to a connecting piece  31  that is connected to a hinge  30  and lockable by means of a quick fastener  32 . It is thereby possible to remove handle  28  e.g. for stowing away donning aid  10 .  
      As appears in  FIG. 2 , the lateral parts of bows  17   a  and  17   b  are arranged approximately orthogonally to legs  11   a  and  11   b  so that no parts hinder the foot while slipping into the sock.  
      Hinge  30  with connecting piece  31 , which is connected to connecting member  14 , allows to adjust the angle of inclination between handle  28  and legs  11   a  and  11   b . A given inclination can be fixed by means of a clamping lock  33  provided on hinge  30 .  
      Hinge  30  is preferably so designed that handle  28  may be swung down such that it will not interfere while a garment is being slipped on bows  17   a ,  17   b . It is e.g. conceivable to use a fork joint for hinge  30  so that handle  28  is pivotable beyond 180 degrees, e.g. up to 270 degrees.  
      Optionally, donning aid  10  may further be provided with a catch hook  36  fastened to the head of connecting member  14  by means of an articulation  37 . Catch hook  36  serves for picking up garments that are e.g. lying on the floor without need for the user to bend down. To this end, the catch hook is first flipped open, as shown by the chain dotted lines  38  in  FIG. 2 , moved toward the garment, and donning aid  10  is pushed against the floor such that catch hook  36  snaps shut, thereby clamping the garment.  
      Donning aid  10  is used for donning e.g. a sock  39  as follows. According to the size of sock  39 , the spreading angle between the two legs  11   a  and  11   b  and thus between the two bow center portions  21   a  and  21   b  is adjusted by rotating plates  24  in such a manner that sock  39  may still be slipped on bows  17   a  and  17   b  but is nevertheless slightly extended. It will be noted that sock  39  is slipped on bows  17   a  and  17   b  such that the inside of sock  39  is turned outside.  
      Sock  39  is then pushed down until at least the ankle portion of the sock appears and essentially rests on bow center portions  21   a  and  21   b.    
      Handle  28  is adjusted in length and inclination and locked. Then the user brings donning aid  10  to his foot and introduces the latter into sock  39 . To assist, donning aid  10  may simultaneously be moved toward the knee, thereby unrolling sock  39  on the calf without wrinkles.  
      A user may apply donning aid  10  both standing up and sitting or lying down, however requiring that both hands are functioning.  
      Among others, donning aid  10  offers the following advantages:  
      Donning aid  10  may be used for putting on different kinds of garments, e g. garments having one opening such as socks, skirts, etc., or more than one opening such as briefs, pants, etc.  
      Since the garment may at least partly be slipped on mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b , it is prevented that the garment may fall down while introducing the corresponding body part. Thus, even if the foot should be a little moist, thereby making it more difficult to put on a sock, it is ensured that the sock is securely retained by mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b  while the foot is introduced and is subsequently unrolled along the leg with decreasing resistance.  
      The joint action of locking means  24 ,  25  and of expanding mechanism  11   a ,  11   b  prevents that mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b  folds together under load but does not prevent its expansion. In this manner it is achieved that a garment that is being donned is always well tensioned while mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b  may adapt to the size of the corresponding body part by its expansion.  
      Hinge  30  allows to swing handle  28  down so that it will not hinder the user while attaching a garment that is to be donned to mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b . Thus, the user may e.g. place donning aid  10  on his thighs while sitting down, swing down handle  28  and squeeze it between his legs and slip the garment on mounting portion  17   a ,  17   b . Handle  28  is subsequently swung back up for putting on the garment. This procedure is also particularly advantageous for corpulent users.  
      Furthermore, with regard to expanding mechanism  11   a ,  11   b , it is also conceivable to use donning aid  10  to assist in donning garments for the upper part of the body, such as shirts or jackets. Optionally, donning aid  10  may further be provided with additional retaining means such as clamps, thereby allowing an additional retention of a garment slipped on the mounting portion. In this case, donning aid  10  is e.g. fastened to a post so that it is positioned at a suitable height and the user may slip on the garment without bending down.  
     2ND EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment of a dressing aid in the form of a donning aid  40  that is suitable for putting on pieces of clothing having one or two openings.  
      Similarly to the first embodiment, the donning aid according to  FIG. 3  comprises two legs  41   a  and  41   b  for forming an expanding mechanism, one end of each leg being hinged to a connecting member  44 . Legs  41   a  and  41   b  are interconnected by a spring  45  to prevent dangling. Legs  41   a  and  41   b  comprise respective bows  47   a  and  47   b  whose ends are inserted in circular recesses  48   a ,  49   a  and  48   b ,  49   b  of respective legs  41   a ,  41   b . The open ends  56   a  and  56   b  of legs  41   a  and  41   b  are provided with rounded plastic parts so that they easily slide on a surface.  
      Undressing aid  40  further comprises a U-shaped intermediate portion  66  that is fixed to connecting member  44 .  
      Intermediate portion  66  is provided with two bows  67   a  and  67   b  that are inserted in round recesses  68   a ,  69   a  and  68   b ,  69   b , respectively.  
      Bows  47   a ,  47   b ,  67   a , and  67   b  have a circular cross-section and are substantially U-shaped when viewed laterally.  
      Bows  47   a  and  47   b  on legs  41   a  and  41   b  are slightly offset from bows  67   a  and  67   b  on intermediate portion  66 , as shown in  FIG. 3  by chain dotted lines  46 . In the case of a medium spreading angle of the two legs  41   a  and  41   b , according to the solid lines in  FIG. 3 , the bow center portions  51   a ,  51   b  and  71   a ,  71   b  are at the same height approximately. Thus it is ensured that the openings e.g. of underpants mounted on bows  51   a ,  51   b ,  71   a ,  71   b  do not form a slot but are extended as evenly as possible.  
      Optionally, an extensible design of open ends  56   a  and  56   b  of legs  41   a  and  41   b  may be provided. Thus, as shown by the chain dotted lines  76  in  FIG. 3 , it is possible to lengthen legs  41   a  and  41   b  while they are widely spread for putting on garments of larger sizes. Legs  41   a  and  41   b  may further be provided with retaining clamps  77  for fastening e.g. the waistband of a pair of pants or a skirt.  
      Intermediate portion  66  comprises a locking member  79  which is attached to and displaceable along intermediate portion  66  and lockable by means of a clamping lock  80 . The two ends of locking member  79  are provided with pins  81   a  and  81   b  on which legs  41   a  and  41   b  are resting. Depending on the position of locking member  79 , legs  41   a  and  41   b  are more or less spread apart. While locking member  79  prevents that the pairs of bows  51   a ,  71   a  resp.  51   b ,  71   b  contract when a garment is slipped on, they may still unfold. Legs  41   a  and  41   b  may thus adapt to the size of the legs while dressing aid  40  is moved up along the legs.  
       FIG. 3  also shows another variant of the locking means according to which the ends of legs  41   a  and  41   b  are fixed to respective ratchets  82   a  and  82   b  (toothed crown with a pawl), thereby preventing that legs  41   a  and  41   b  are folded under load. Ratchets  82   a  and  82   b  may be used in conjunction with or instead of locking member  80 .  
      Similarly as in the first embodiment, connecting member  44  comprises a hinge  30  with a connecting piece  31  and a clamping lock  33 , thereby allowing to attach a length adjustable handle by means of a quick fastener.  
      Mounting portion  40  illustrated in  FIG. 3  comprises two pairs of bows  51   a ,  71   a  and  51   b ,  71   b  so that garments having one or two openings may be slipped on. Donning aid  40  generally allows putting on all garments for the lower part of the body, such as e.g. socks, knee-length socks, stockings, underskirts, skirts, pants, panty hoses, underpants, briefs, etc.  
      To put on socks, donning aid  40  is used similarly as donning aid  10  according to the first embodiment. Thus, the user slips the socks on the two pairs of bows  51   a ,  71   a  resp.  51   b ,  71   b  and steps into the opened socks with his feet.  
      For putting on a panty hose, for example, locking member  79  is locked in a corresponding position to spread legs  41   a  and  41   b  and the legs of the panty hose are slipped on the pairs of bows  51   a ,  71   a  and  51   b ,  71   b  about evenly until their ankle portions are visible. Then the user introduces one leg after another into the panty hose and moves donning aid  40  toward his trunk past his knees. Since legs  41   a  and  41   b  are only resting on pins  81   a  and  81   b , they may spread further and thereby adapt to the shape of the legs whose circumference increases upwards.  
      Putting on e.g. a pair of pants is achieved by spreading legs  41   a  and  41   b  according to the circumference of the pants and by slipping each of the two legs of pants on a pair of bows  51   a ,  71   a  resp.  51   b ,  71   b.  As the case may be, the leg ends  56   a  and  56   b  are extended and the waistband is additionally secured by retaining clamps  77 . Then the user introduces one leg after another into the legs of pants and moves donning aid  40  upwards until he can seize the waistband with his arms.  
     3RD EMBODIMENT  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show another embodiment of a dressing aid that serves for taking off e.g. a sock (undressing aid). Undressing aid  90  comprises a curved center portion  91  whose ends  92   a  and  92   b  are provided with plastic parts having a rounded shape.  
      Attached to center portion  91  is a connecting piece  93  having a handle  94  for holding and guiding the undressing aid screwed thereto. It is also possible to provide the center portion with a quick fastener  32  as described above such that one and the same handle  28  may be connected to dressing aids  10 ,  40 ,  90  according to the three described embodiments.  
      Two holders  95   a  and  95   b  that are bent forward are screwed to center portion  91 . Holders  95   a ,  95   b  are connected to respective elongate guide portions  96   a  and  96   b  having an approximately mirror-symmetrical shape. Respective guide portions  96   a  and  96   b  have a substantially circular contour  97   a  resp.  97   b  in the shape of a six whose surface is curved similarly to a shoe horn. Guide portions  96   a  and  96   b  together form a guide member having a central recess  98 . Also, guide portions  96   a  resp.  96   b  are mounted in a spread configuration such that they converge but a space with no material is left in the middle between the two guide port ions approximately.  
      For removing a stocking that is being worn, guide member  96   a ,  96   b  is inserted between the leg and the stocking such that the opening of the stocking is enlarged by the spread guide portions  96   a  and  96   b . The latter are then pushed toward the heel, recess  98  being moved along the Achilles tendon approximately while the stocking is pulled off. Since the respective lower parts of guide portions  96   a  and  96   b  are a little larger than their upper parts, the removed stocking will not fall down but remains caught on guide members  96   a ,  96   b . Thus the stocking can be brought to the hand without the need for the user to bend down.  
      Suitable materials for the manufacture of dressing aids  10 ,  40 ,  90  are synthetic materials and metals while light materials are preferred to keep the mass of the dressing aids as low as possible. Handle  28  resp.  94  as well as bows  17   a ,  17   b ,  47   a ,  47   b ,  67   a , and  67   b  are removable so that dressing aids  10 ,  40 ,  90  may be carried along (e.g. in a plane) as a compact hand luggage.