Abstract:
A garment is provided that positions and maintains therapeutic materials relative to a selected body part. A first version holds an icepack or optionally a heat emitting material proximate to a body part of a wearer, while minimally restricting the wearer&#39;s mobility. As one example, the wearer might be able to continue engaging in a sports activity while treating an edema of a body part with an icepack comprised in the garment. In another version, the garment might position and maintain heat emitting material or device relative to a first body part of a wearer while simultaneously positioning and maintaining a second therapeutic material, e.g., a cold pack, relative to a second body part of the wearer. In another version, the garment might position magnets or objects of psychological or spiritual significance, e.g., an object bearing a religious image or signage, separately, in combination or proximate to a therapeutic material

Description:
CONTINUATION-PART  
       [0001]     This nonprovisional patent application is a Continuation-in-Part to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/627,361, filed on Nov. 8 th , 2004. This nonprovisional patent application claims benefit of the filing and priority date of Nov. 8 th , 2004 of said Provisional Patent Application No. 60/627,361, and incorporates said provisional patent application herein in its entirety and for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to body wear, and, more particularly, to the therapeutic garments, including inner wear, outerwear, undergarments, and unitary garments.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Typically, it is known to administer various therapeutic remedies to assist in curing various conditions or alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with certain medical conditions, procedures, symptomatic sensations, and environmental factors. For example, an ice pack is often applied to a sprained ankle to both reduce the localized edema at the injury site and to manage or ameliorate the pain associated with such an injury. Heating pads provide thermal comfort when applied to preselected body areas, such as the lumbar region. Portable warmers may be used during outdoor events to impart warmth to the hands, feet, and so forth.  
         [0004]     Such remedies as known in the art, however, are typically designed for application to a specific region of the body. Thus, if one were to desire the benefits of a therapeutic agent for disparate injury sites on the body, one would have to apply separate devices to site. For example, if an accident victim were to treat a sprained ankle and a sprained elbow with ice packs, separate devices must be located, prepared, and applied separately to each area. It is understood that the term “agent” as used herein includes substances, devices and objects intended to, and selected to, provide a therapeutic and/or a psychological benefit to a person.  
         [0005]     In addition, in many cultures psychological or spiritual comfort may be realized by a person when certain materials and objects are placed proximate to a body part. For example, the positioning of a religious medallion, a fetish, an herb or other substances in relation to a body part may provide comfort or hope to an adherent of a particular religious faith or spiritual tradition.  
         [0006]     The placement of other objects or substances, such as magnets or homeopathic formulations, may provide psychological comfort to certain persons who maintain a belief in the therapeutic value of these objects or substances. Health gains encouraged, or contributed to, by a placebo effect and/or a psychological value of a person&#39;s belief in a positive influence of an object or substance may justify the expense and effort of positioning one or more such objects or substances proximate to a body part of the person in an easily sustainable method.  
         [0007]     Further, to ensure continued application to the correct area of the body, the prior art teaches that a user must often remain immobile during periods of application of certain prior art devices. Alternatively, the user must sometimes submit in the prior art to unwieldy and cumbersome attachment devices. For example, if a user wishes to apply an ice pack to a sprained elbow and remain mobile, the user may have to resort to use of a sling or other device to hold the ice pack in place during normal activity. In addition to the inconvenience and expense of procuring and attaching the ice pack and the sling to the injured arm, the sling itself renders the arm immobile.  
         [0008]     Still other devices known in the art require the use of cumbersome ancillary components that require external power sources and the like. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,967 to Rock et al. discloses and claims a textile article having a fabric body and an electrical resistance element capable to being electrically coupled to and uncoupled from an electrical power source (such as a wall outlet). Thus, a user of such a device must, at a minimum, find a proximal external power source and connect the element to the power source. As with other devices known in the art, such a device has a limited utility due to its requirement for an external power source. Further, such a device severely limits the mobility of a user and limits portability of the device.  
         [0009]     What is needed, then, is an economical device for therapeutic application to one or more reselected sites of substance or objects of therapeutic or psychological value. Preferably, the device provides multiple agents for concurrent use at multiple, preselected sites while preserving both the overall mobility and the localized mobility of the user. It is further preferable to provide such a device having various types of agents for individualized application goals, such agents being reusable and/or easily and economically replaceable. Finally, it is desirable to provide such a device that is easily transportable, accessible, and functional in a variety of environments. It is an object of the Present Invention to provide a garment that enables the positioning and maintenance of at least one material relative to a body part of a wearer for the purpose of medically or psychologically providing comfort or medical treatment to the wearer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Towards these objects, and other objects that will be made obvious in light of the present disclosure, a method and system are provided for positioning an agent in a sustainable manner by means of a garment. A first version is a therapeutic garment designed to be worn by a user for therapeutic application. The first version includes a modality agent and a means for accommodating a modality agent and positioning the modality agent in relation to a body part of the user to provide or encourage a therapeutic effect or psychological benefit.  
         [0011]     Various alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of the Present Invention provides one or more back and/or front panels of fabric; pockets for each removably housing one or more modality agents; buttons, hook and loop fasteners, a zipper, elastic bands to enable the opening and closing of a garment or a pocket of a garment; and/or signage. In various still alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of the Present Invention a modality agent is provided that may be or comprise a material providing heat to the user, a material drawing heat from the user, a magnet an electro-mechanical device, a chemical substance, a pneumatic agent, an object of religious significance, an object of spiritual significance, a homeopathic material, and/or a fetish.  
         [0012]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a frontal view of the jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a rear view of the jacket of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates an ice pack are sized and shaped to be housed within a pocket of the jacket of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a front view and a back view of the jacket of  FIG. 1  having specific dimensions, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  illustrates a plurality or modality agents that are sized and shaped to be housed within a pocket of the jacket of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his or her invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the Present Invention have been defined herein.  
         [0020]     Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, wherein like elements are referenced with the same numeral, there is shown generally at  10  a garment according to the present invention, the garment  10  is formed as a jacket  10  comprising a fabric  11  having a front left panel  12 , a front right panel  14 , a left sleeve  16 , a right sleeve  18 , a collar  20 , a back left panel  22 , a back right panel  24 . A zipper  25  reclosably connects the front left panel  12  and the front right panel  14 . Alternatively, the left front panel  12  and the right front panel  14  may be detachably coupled by a plurality of buttons  26 A and matching button receivers  26 B. The button receivers  2 B may each provide a slit  26 C in the fabric  11  sized to permit a button  26 A to pass through the slit  26 C. An elastic band  26 D maintains the left front panel  12  and the right front panel  14  in a coupled configuration, while enabling the left front panel  12  and the right front panel  14  to be drawn apart to enable a user to fit the garment  10  about the user&#39;s body and also to maintain the left front panel  12  and the right front panel  14  to and hold the jacket  10  close to the user&#39;s body while the jacket  10  is being worn by the user. A hook and loop fasteners assembly  27 , e.g., matching Velcro® strips  27 A and  28 B, comprises a first strip  27 A attached to the left front panel  12  and a second strip  27 B attached to the right front panel  14 . The first strip  27 A and the second strip  27 B are configured to be complementary to enable detachable coupling of the first strip  12  with the second strip  27 B, whereby the left front panel  12  and the right front panel  14  may be optionally drawn together and apart while worn by a user.  
         [0021]     The jacket  10  may be assembled by, for example, machine or hand sewing the applicable components to one another, gluing the components, or other suitable means as is known in the art. For example, front left panel  12  may be sewn to the back left panel  22 , while the front right panel  14  may be sewn to the back right panel  24 . The back left panel  22  may be joined to the back right panel  24  by sewing or other suitable means known in the art. A skilled artisan will note that various means to attach garment components may be used so long as the functionality described herein is carried out.  
         [0022]     The jacket  10  may be sized and shaped to conform to a clothing standard, such as  42  regular, or a shape conforming to a size specified in the European clothing EN 13402, other suitable clothing standard size designations of clothing known in the art. It is further understood that the fabric  11  may be or comprise neoprene; nylon; cotton; Polartec S® fabric; and poly-cotton, or other suitable material known in the art. Alternatively or additionally, the fabric  11  may be of comprise an absorbent material, an air permeable material, a liquid-impermeable material, an insulating material, a washable material, a dryable material, a foldable material, a colorfast material, or other suitable material known in the art.  
         [0023]     A plurality of pockets  28 - 36 . is shown. The pockets  28 - 36 , such as sleeve pockets  28 , may be accessed externally (from the outside of the jacket  10 ) via openings  38 , whereby one or more modality agents, such as a temperature moderator ice pack  42 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , may be inserted. The pockets  28 - 36  may be shaped and sized in a rectangle shape having a width W of four inches and a depth D of five inches (please note the pocket  28  of  FIG. 2 ), and to accept and enclose an agent  42 - 60  fitting within a volume defined by three orthogonal axes of one inch height H, three inch width W 2  and four inch length L, as per  FIGS. 3 and 6 . Means for closure such as by hook and loop fasteners assemblies  40 , e.g., matching Velcro® strips  40 , may be used to reclosably connect the openings  38  of the pocket. Similarly, upper back pocket  30  and mid back pocket  32  may be accessed externally via openings  38 , said openings  38  reclosable connected by hook and loop fasteners assemblies  40 , e.g., Velcro® strips  40 . Chest pocket  34  and shoulder pockets  36  may be accessed via openings  38 . Thus, for example, when one or more ice packs  42  are inserted into pockets  28 - 36  of the jacket  10 , and the jacket  10  is donned, the ice packs  42  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) may be brought into proximal contact with various muscle, joint, and ligament regions of the wearer. The cooling properties of the ice packs  42  are imparted to such regions, providing various therapeutic benefits to the wearer without limiting the wearer&#39;s mobility or activities. Each ice pack  42  is sized and shaped to fit within a volume defined by three orthogonal axes of one inch height H, three inch width W 2  and four inch length L and to be wholly placed into a pocket  28 - 36 . The ice packs may comprise frozen water provided to the user at a temperature near or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit  
         [0024]     With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , there are shown front and back views, respectively, of a jacket of the present invention, ordered by an individual for a custom fit, for example.  
         [0025]     In various alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of the Present Invention the garment  10  may be configured to embody a unitary garment, an undergarment, an outer garment, or pants. The garment  10  may be sized and shaped to conform to a suitable clothing size standard known in the art, to include a size specified in the European clothing EN 13402, or other suitable clothing standard size designations of clothing known in the art, to include an American, English or metric suitable clothing size designation standard.  
         [0026]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  presents a plurality of agents  44 - 60  that are sized and shaped to fit within a volume defined by three orthogonal axes of one inch height H, three inch width W 2  and four inch length L and to be wholly placed into a pocket  28 - 36 . It is understood that the sizes and shapes of the pockets  28 - 36  and the agents  42 - 60  may be varied to support a more controlled placement of the agent  42 - 60  within a pocket  28 - 36  to desirably position and maintain the agent  42 - 60  in relation to a modality point or body part of a wearer of the jacket  10  to support a psychological or therapeutic effect.  
         [0027]     A temperature moderator thermal heat agent  44  is provided at a temperature preferably higher than a body temperature of the wearer of the jacket, and more preferably at a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and less than a temperature that will damage body tissue of the wearer. Agent  46  is an electromechanical device including a battery  46 A and a vibrator  46 B housed in a case  46 C. The battery  46 A delivers electrical power via leads  46 D to the vibrator  46 B, and the vibrator  46 B converts the received electrical power into mechanical vibrational energy. Locating the electromechanical device  46  in a pocket  28 - 36  enables the wearer the garment to receive vibrational therapy at a body part of modality point located proximate to the pocket  28 - 36  housing the electromechanical device  46 . A chemical component agent  48  comprises thermal material  48 A that may be either heated or cooled to either provide heat to a modality point or to lower the temperature of a modality point of a body part. A pneumatic component  50  includes a compressed gas  50 A and an enclosure  50 B, the enclosure  50 B capturing and maintaining the compressed gas at a pressure higher than an ambient atmospheric pressure. A magnet agent  52  is a magnetized material and is shaped in a circular disk having a one inch radius within a plane defined by the L and W 2  axes and a half inch height H. An object of religious significance  54  is a medal  54  having a surface  54 A visually presenting an image  54 B of religious significance. An object of spiritual significance  56  comprises a medal  56  having a surface  56 A visually presenting an image  56 B of spiritual significance. A homeopathic material  58  comprises Allium Cepa, i.e. elements of an onion  58 A. A fetish  60  is a mineral crystal.  
         [0028]     The present invention may be directed to, inter alia, a device such as a therapeutic garment for therapeutic application of modality agents, defined herein as an object or device that has, generates, or transfers therapeutic properties, to various, preselected parts of the body, and/or may provide a psychological value to a user. For example, an aspect of the present invention provides for a unitary (all-in-one or one piece) therapeutic garment having pouches for modality agents. The pouches may correspond to modality points, defined herein as predetermined areas or regions of the body such that wearing of the therapeutic garment brings the modality agent into close physical proximity to the point, allowing a transference of therapeutic properties such as warmth or cooling properties from the modality agent to the modality point either on or in the body, positioning the modality agent to support a psychological affect, i.e., an optimistic attitude, to a person.  
         [0029]     The present invention has broad application across a range of uses and environments. An example of this may be found in a physical training environment where pre-exercise and post-exercise periods call for application of various modality agents to various groups of muscles. For example, therapeutic garments having warming modality agents may be used in preparation for a workout, while therapeutic garments having cooling modality agents may be used after a workout to reduce muscle, joint, and ligament inflammation as well as promote the recovery process for muscle tissue damaged during training sessions. Similarly, sports participants may find remediation from injuries incurred during play by use of the therapeutic garment, thus allowing the injured player to complete the activity before seeking other remedies for the injury.  
         [0030]     Another example of application is a hospital environment. Various therapeutic garments such as a hospital jacket or brassiere may be configured with cooling modality agents to provide pain relief and act as an anti-swelling agent when positioned on or near the site of a surgical trauma (for example, in the chest region after breast augmentation surgery or breast surgery). Alternatively, patients suffering from conditions such as elevated body temperature may gain some relief from the fever by application of a therapeutic garment configured with cooling modality agents. Yet another example of application may be found in a physical therapy environment. Physical therapists may suggest patient use of therapeutic garments having various modality agents to ameliorate pain sensation while the patient completes a physical therapy session.  
         [0031]     Still another example of application may address environmental or climate conditions. For example, a jacket configured with various warming modality agents may be worn for attendance at outdoor spectator events or participation in various activities in a cool or cold weather to inhibit or stall the onset of a chill.  
         [0032]     Certain aspects of the present invention may maintain or promote mobility of the user by allowing for freedom of movement of articulated areas of the body. By contrast, devices of the prior and current art often require affixation to a jointed area of the body, resulting in partial or complete immobility of that area.  
         [0033]     Unlike devices of the prior art and current art, the present invention may provide for removable self-containment of the modality agents. For example, certain aspects of the present invention may provide therapeutic garments having pouches at preselected locations for housing modality agents such as ice packs. One or more ice packs may be added or removed from various pouches at will, providing a highly flexible and specialized therapeutic treatment program.  
         [0034]     Various aspects of the present invention may include various therapeutic garment designs. For example, certain aspects of the present include, but are not limited to, a unitary therapeutic garment; outerwear garments such as jackets or pants; and undergarments such as brassieres, socks or undershirts.  
         [0035]     Such designs may be utilized to provide a “mix and match” wardrobe suited to a user&#39;s needs. For example, one or more undergarments may be combined with a jacket and pants to provide an outfit having the therapeutic properties desired by the user.  
         [0036]     Further, such therapeutic garments may be utilized according to a user&#39;s needs as they change over time. For example, a user may initially select an undershirt having warming modality agents positioned proximally to upper region of the back to be worn for a workout in the gym. After completion of the workout, the user may remove the warming modality agents from the undershirt and add outer therapeutic garments with additional modality agents, such as a jacket and outer pants, the jacket having cooling modality agents added for transference of cooling properties to major muscle groups in the upper arms. In this manner, the present invention provides for highly flexible use tailored to an individual&#39;s particular needs. By contrast, devices of the prior art and current art typically limit application to a specific area of the body and may also limit mobility of that region of the body. Further, such prior art devices typically disallow application of more than one device to overlapping body regions at one time.  
         [0037]     In various aspects of the present invention therapeutic garments may be articulated to promote free movement (full or substantially full range of movement) in the wearer. In various aspects, therapeutic garments may have various features such to facilitate donning or doffing the therapeutic garment. For example, jackets may have front closures comprising buttons, zippers, snaps and/or other suitable fastener known in the art.  
         [0038]     In addition, various aspects of the present invention provide personalized or selectable size and position options. For example, a user may stipulate certain therapeutic garment measurements such that a therapeutic garment is made to such specifications. Additionally, the therapeutic garment may be structured to permit adjustable positioning of the modality agents with respect to the modality point. For example, a bed jacket therapeutic garment having a tie or belt about the midsection may be adjustably cinched to wring the modality agents into varying degrees of proximity to the corresponding modality points.  
         [0039]     Various materials or combinations of materials may be used in such a therapeutic garment. For example, the material may comprise neoprene, cotton, poly-cotton (a blend of polyester and cotton), Polartec 222 S® fabric, or other materials to meet the wearer&#39;s needs. Various textiles may be used to construct uni-layer or multi-layer therapeutic garments.  
         [0040]     Further, material qualities and characteristics of the therapeutic garments may be selected to suit one or more objectives, including, for example, durability, maintainability, temperature control, and so forth. For example, a fabric may be selected for a therapeutic garment that combines colorfast and anti-wrinkle qualities together with the ability to machine-wash and machine-dry the therapeutic garment, thus providing a versatile solution for therapeutic wear. Additionally, the fabric may be selected to provide, for example, insulation, absorbent qualities, high penetration resistance, air permeable (breathable) qualities, a liquid-impermeable quality, and so forth. Further, the therapeutic garment may be constructed of an easily foldable material to facilitate packing and transportation of the therapeutic garment.  
         [0041]     One or more aspects or elements of various alternate preferred embodiments of the Present Invention may also include amenities and accessories intended to promote ease of wear, user comfort, maintainability, aesthetic characteristics, or other desirable attributes. Examples of the foregoing include elasticized wrist or ankle portions; pockets; collars; stylized color and pattern combinations; and decorative trim or appliques.  
         [0042]     Various aspects of the therapeutic garment may include various means for accommodation of one or more modality agents. For example, a therapeutic garment may be configured with one or more external or internal pockets for receiving and housing one or more modality agents. External and internal pockets may, for example, include means for closure such as hook and loop fasteners to include Velcro® strips, and/or buttons, zippers, or other suitable fasteners known in the art. Additionally, for example, the jacket could have a material that permits removable attachment of pockets. Similarly, means for accommodating one or more modality agents may include (but are not limited to) internal or external pouches; means for attachments, such (but not limited) as Velcro® strips, ties, snaps or buttons.  
         [0043]     Means for accommodation may be positioned at one or more predetermined locations on or in the therapeutic garment. Means for location may vary in size, dimension, shape, type, or other ways to, for example, accommodate a variety of modality agents. Further, means for accommodation may comprise various materials, such as, but not limited to, water impermeable, air permeable, etc.  
         [0044]     In various aspects of the present invention, the modality agents may provide for a variety of therapeutic benefits via a variety of materials, constructs, and so forth. For example, temperature moderators may be utilized to provide or transfer warmth or cooling properties to modality points. The temperature moderators may include, for example, a thermal agent such as a hot water container having hot water therein, the thermal agent inserted into a preselected pouch of the user&#39;s therapeutic garment. In another example, a cooling agent may be used to impart cooling aspects of a modality agent to the proximal modality point.  
         [0045]     Modality agents may comprise, for example, chemical components, electrical-mechanical components, pneumatic components, or other components and combinations of components. For example, various aspects of the present invention may include modality agents comprising dry ice for cooling applications or air pouches for exerting a light pressure on a particular body region. As one skilled in the art will note, the therapeutic garment accommodates a full range of modality agents, including basic, economical agents, such as, but not limited to, ice packs, or collections of cold material such as ice, assembled from common items found in the home. Further, the range of agents includes both easily replaceable agents, such as, but not limited, ice packs and a variety of reusable agents, such as, but not limited to, easily portable heating elements using, for example, batteries as a power source.  
         [0046]     The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. A skilled artisan will recognize that various other means and configurations for embodying the present invention are possible, so long as the functionality described herein is carried out. The examples given should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and the full scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.