Patent Application
20230190517
This application claims priority to Spanish Patent Application No. 202132502, filed Dec. 21, 2021. The disclosures of the above-described applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a garment used to apply cold, for use in recovery following sporting activity.
The application of any agent to reduce the temperature of body tissues for therapeutic purposes is known as cryotherapy.
Cold can be applied locally using ice packs, instant ice packs, cold sprays, etc., or generally using ice baths, cryosaunas and the like.
The application of cold to body tissues and consequent temperature reduction thereof has a series of effects on said tissues, specifically:
The use of cryotherapy in sports is known on account of the extensive preventative and curative benefits thereof. In terms of prevention, applying cold to body tissues helps with muscle recovery and reduces fatigue, among other benefits. In terms of healing, applying cold helps to reduce the inflammation related to a large number of injuries, such as periostitis, tendinitis or bursitis etc., among other benefits.
Despite the benefits offered by cryotherapy in sporting activity, it is not in widespread use in
part because it is difficult to apply. With the exception of elite sportspeople, few sportspeople have access to ice baths, cold-water baths, cryosaunas or the like. This means that most sportspeople who use cryotherapy for preventive or curative purposes use ice packs or cold packs, which are bags or packs that contain a chemical substance with a high heat capacity and a high latent heat of fusion. The nature of such packs, in particular the size thereof, means that cold can only be applied to a relatively specific area of the body. For example, multiple ice packs or cold packs are required to treat a relatively large area, such as the legs. The use of multiple packs brings related problems, in particular relating to attaching the packs to a specific part of the body. In addition to the foregoing, such use of multiple packs causes issues related to the uniformity of the cold applied.
Cooling recovery garments are known in the prior art. Spanish utility model ES 1147037 U discloses cooling recovery leggings that have in their interior one or more bag compartments containing a viscose gel able to maintain low temperatures without solidifying. Said recovery leggings also have an inner lining designed to prevent ice burns. One drawback of this embodiment is that all of the disclosed compartment designs make the garment very expensive to produce. In one embodiment in which the gel cannot be removed, the main drawback is having to create a gel pack with an anatomical shape. This with the subsequent incorporation of the pack into the leggings is a complex process, which results in a high retail price for said leggings, thereby considerably reducing the probability of commercial success. Furthermore, this embodiment would also suffer from a heavy weight, resulting in a relative loss of comfort. In an embodiment in which the gel can be removed to be cooled in a freezer or the like for subsequent reinsertion into the leggings to be used by the user, said leggings have a plurality of pockets designed to receive a plurality of gel bars. Each pocket has a respective Velcro® closure. One of the drawbacks of this type of leggings is that removing and inserting the gel bars in the respective pockets can be somewhat awkward. Furthermore, this type of embodiment also has the problem of requiring the use of multiple gel bars of different lengths to achieve a good anatomical fit, which increases the range of gel bars required to mass produce this type of leggings, thereby increasing the sale price thereof and reducing the probability of commercial success.
Spanish utility model ES 1225460 U by the same applicant as the present invention discloses a cryotherapy garment that has several elongate horizontal receptacles designed to receive a cold-store material, in which each of said receptacles is formed by a closed fabric fold in the garment and each of said receptacles has two end openings for inserting a cylindrical pack of cold-store material. Said closed folds form receptacles suitable for receiving the pack of material during the same manufacturing process of the garment, and to be closed longitudinally by two closing lines using weaving techniques with circular sewing machines. The presence of two openings facilitates the simple insertion of packs of cold-store material. One opening enables insertion of a pack, while the other opening enables tools such as a cross-action clamp to be passed therethrough to insert the packs of cold-store material. The packs of cold-store material are concatenated capsules of malleable plastic, which obviates the need for a large stock of gel bars of different sizes, since a given number of capsules can be cut away to obtain a strip of cold-store material of suitable length for the destination receptacle, with the cut being made at a joining zone between capsules. The type of garment in document ES 1225460 U is a compressive garment made from an elastomeric material, which combines the effects of pressure and cold, and enables the packs to be inserted and held on account of the elasticity of the material. Despite resolving some of the problems, such as being easier to manufacture, not using Velcro® closures, and the greater logistical versatility and adaptability provided by the horizontal concatenated capsules, which also enhance mobility, there are still some drawbacks. The garment has the advantage of being more versatile and adaptable to the shape of the body. However, the garment has some drawbacks: the cylindrical shape of the capsules results in a suboptimal contact surface with the body, and the plastic gaps used to cut to different lengths results in a loss of space of at least 1 cm between adjacent capsules where there is no cold-store material. Furthermore, said concatenated capsules are difficult to insert on account of the elongate narrow shape of the receptacles, and tools or double openings may be required to insert said capsules depending on the circumstances. Moreover and similarly to other packs of cold-store material for cryogenic garments known in the prior art, these capsules have the drawback of being malleable, which further increases the variability of the fit with the body, and consequently the application of cold to the target areas. These packs tend to be somewhat fragile, and misuse or simple wear caused by friction from use can damage the pack and cause leaks of cryogel. Moreover, cryogel is not an easily obtainable material, making it more expensive and difficult to replace.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a product that facilitates the use of cryotherapy, in particular in the sporting domain, thereby resolving the aforementioned problems in the existing prior art.
For this purpose, the present invention discloses a cryotherapy garment including various receptacles designed to receive a pack of cold-store material, in which each of said receptacles is formed by a closed fabric fold in the garment, each of said receptacles having an opening for insertion of the pack of cold-store material, and each receptacle receiving a respective pack, characterized in that said packs are made of a semi-rigid material.
Semi-rigid material means a material that can retain its shape when idle or when subjected to slight forces or stresses, but that can deform elastically and automatically return to its original shape if said stresses exceed certain values, and that can deform non-elastically or break if said stresses exceed even greater values.
The cold-store material is preferably provided in individual semi-rigid plastic packs. This prevents said packs from changing shape in response to the temperature of the cold-store material, for example when said material passes into its liquid form, thereby retaining a specific shape especially designed to enhance the efficiency of the transmission of cold to the body of the user.
Making the individual packs from semi-rigid material also has the advantage of enabling the shape of the packs to be designed specifically to find an optimum balance between the greatest possible cryogenic effect and ease of insertion of the packs into the receptacles.
In the present document, cold-store material preferably refers to any material with a high heat capacity and/or a high latent heat of fusion. The cold-store material is usually and preferably characterized by having a high thermal inertia and in particular a low melting point. The type of cold-store material most commonly found in the prior art is a eutectic material or gel. Other options are possible and can provide logistical, commercial or adaptability advantages for different products. Any type of cold-store material can be used for the present invention.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cold-store material is distilled water. In another equally advantageous embodiment of the invention, the material is alcohol water. Both embodiments are less costly than cryogenic gels, and logistically simpler to obtain and therefore to replace, as well as being adaptable to any shape of pack, which in this case are preferably small and rigid, on account of which low viscosity may be important to ensure that the packs are filled to maximum capacity.
Preferably, each pack of cold-store material has at least one flat face. Said flat face is designed to face the user's body, being in contact, following insertion thereof into an opening of a receptacle, with the surface of the garment designed to come into contact in turn with the user of the garment. More preferably, said flat face is the face with the largest surface area of the at least one pack. Even more preferably, the at least one pack of cold-store material has a pointed end to facilitate insertion of said at least one pack into the respective receptacle thereof. The face with the largest surface area is the face designed to face the body, thereby maximizing the potential heat conduction capacity.
Preferably, said at least one flat face has the same imprint as a conventional clothes iron. Preferably, said at least one flat face is formed by three straight sides, with two right angles therebetween, and two curved sides that form a point. One straight side is preferably a flat rear end, forming two right angles with the lateral sides, that start straight and curve tangentially at a given point eventually converging into a pointed end, said at least one flat face being symmetrical about its longitudinal axis. More preferably, the pack extends perpendicularly upwards from said flat face with the greatest surface area on the three sides joined by right angles, and extends upwards at an acute angle at the pointed end, thereby creating a three-dimensional point. Said three-dimensional point facilitates the initial insertion of the pack into a receptacle, without substantially reducing the contact surface with the user. Furthermore, the fact that the bullets have right angles except at the pointed end minimizes the space between said bullets, which are arranged next to one another, which also enhances the effect of the cryogenic treatment.
Even more preferably, considering said flat face with the larger surface area in the design of the pack to be the lower face, the pack has an upper flat face that is parallel to the lower flat face at the end that is not pointed, and that also curves tangentially downwards at the same point at which the lateral sides start to curve, joining the lateral sides to form the aforementioned three-dimensional point with a curved top surface. Even more preferably, the edges formed between all of the different faces are rounded to obviate sharp corners or edges that could scratch or wear the fabric, and in turn further facilitate insertion of the packs into the receptacles. By way of illustrative example, the bullets can preferably have an aerodynamic shape like a high-speed or bullet train.
In a preferred embodiment, the approximate dimensions of the bullets are as follows: 10 mm maximum height, 17 mm maximum width and 40 mm long, of which 20 mm has straight sides and the other 20 mm has curved sides, edge radii of 2 mm, lateral side radii of 30.17 mm, and radius of the top surface of the point of 32 mm. Other dimensions are also possible and the invention should not be considered to be limited to these dimensions.
The present invention enables the production of compressive garments that combine pressure with cold. This combines the benefits of cryotherapy with the benefits of using garments providing differential and uniform pressure. For this purpose, the fabric of the garment preferably includes an elastomer.
The presence of an opening per closed fold in combination with the use of a fabric with elastic properties provides enhanced holding of the packs in the receptacle. The openings of the receptacles are smaller in dimension than the packs, since the garment is made of an elastic material that enables the openings to open large enough to enable the packs to enter the receptacles, and the garment then adapts elastically to fit the shape of the pack, fastening the pack by elastic compression inside the receptacle.
In some embodiments, the longitudinal ends and one opposite end of the opening of said receptacle can be joined or interwoven together. In some embodiments, each of the longitudinal ends and one opposite end of the opening of said receptacle can be interwoven or joined to the garment. Preferably, said fold or folds are closed on both longitudinal sides and one of the ends thereof, thus forming the receptacles. When the garment is being worn and the user of the garment is in a standing position, the receptacles preferably form small vertical pockets. Preferably, the opening is found at the upper end of the receptacle. Advantageously, said closure is made using weaving techniques. This enables the receptacles to be produced simultaneously with the garment, for example using a circular knitting machine.
Said vertical pockets are preferably grouped adjacent to one another along the longest sides thereof, forming horizontal rows of two or more such vertical pockets. The horizontal rows preferably extend about the entire perimeter of the limb or body to be covered. More preferably, the garment has one or more of said horizontal rows arranged above one another such that the vertical pocket receptacles can form a grid or mesh pattern.
Preferably, the production of the garment and the arrangement of the receptacles ensure that the individual packs are spaced apart regularly. The gaps between the pockets or receptacles that make up the horizontal rows are as small as possible to ensure that the receptacles are as close as possible, thereby optimizing the cold application effect. As mentioned previously, the distance between said horizontal rows can preferably be the same as the distance between adjacent pockets, thereby creating the grid or mesh pattern, but alternatively, depending on the desired pattern, the gap between different receptacles containing the respective cold-store material can be variable, i.e. the gap between the different receptacles with the respective cold-store material varies within the garment. This variation in the gaps between the different receptacles can be used for aesthetic or functional reasons, i.e. depending on the desired effect, the part of the body being treated, etc., or a combination of the two.
Grouping the vertical pockets into horizontal rows both facilitates the mobility of said limbs or parts of the body and insertion of the bullets, since the more pronounced curvature of one limb or part of the body occurs incrementally as the individual bullets are positioned about the perimeter of the limb or part of the body, with the transverse dimension of the bullet being the smallest dimension and therefore the closest to a continuous curve.
The fact of providing the cold-store material in small individual packs also enhances adaptability, since the smaller elements provide greater resolution, enabling tighter fits to more complex shapes.
In another embodiment of the invention, the pockets can be arranged in the horizontal rows according to a quincunx pattern, offset against contiguous rows. This arrangement of the pockets can further facilitate insertion of the packs, since the presence of another pack in another of the rows does not interfere with insertion of a new pack, since the openings between packs are between the packs in contiguous rows.
Although the materials mentioned above are preferably used to make cryotherapy garments according to the present invention, said garments can also be made using other materials or fabrics.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cryotherapy garment according to the present invention can be leggings, i.e. a garment designed to cover the lower limbs of the user. Said leggings can be long, usually reaching approximately as far as the ankle, or short, reaching to above the knee of the user. The receptacles preferably cover the area from the iliac crest to the ankles, with the exception of the zones corresponding to the inside of the legs, genital area and intergluteal cleft.
In another embodiment, the garment according to the present invention can cover the user's torso, arranging receptacles in the torso area. Accordingly, for example, the cryotherapy garment according to the present invention can be a shirt, i.e. a garment designed to cover the torso. Said shirt can have straps, i.e. no sleeves, short sleeves or long sleeves.
In an alternative embodiment, the cryotherapy garment according to the present invention is a sleeve, i.e. a garment designed to cover only the user's arms, fully or partially.
In another alternative embodiment, the cryotherapy garment according to the present invention is a calf sleeve, i.e. a garment designed to cover the user's calf.
In another alternative embodiment, the cryotherapy garment according to the present invention is a set of garments comprising any combination of the following garments: long leggings, short leggings, shirt, sleeve, and calf sleeve.
The above list of garment types should not be understood to be exhaustive and the garment according to the present invention can, inter alia, comprise combinations thereof, for example a jumpsuit.
Drawings showing an embodiment of a cryotherapy garment according to the present invention are attached to enhance comprehension by way of explanatory but non-limiting example.
In the figures, the same or equivalent elements have been designated using the same numerals.
As shown, the different receptacles 3 are positioned next to one another, forming a set of rows 5 spaced apart substantially equidistantly from one another, although in other embodiments said gaps may vary depending on the area of the body where the receptacles are positioned and the desired effect, among other aspects. The gaps between rows 5 of receptacles may also be determined for aesthetic reasons. Similarly, the distance between the receptacles within the rows can also vary, either depending on the area of the body where the receptacles are positioned, the desired effect, or aesthetic reasons.
As shown, the rows 5 of receptacles in this embodiment are arranged essentially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the respective trouser leg 6 and 7, i.e. substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the leg of the user of the garment 1. The receptacles that form said rows 5 are arranged essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective trouser leg thereof. In other words, the pockets are vertical and the rows are horizontal, when the garment is being worn and the user is in a standing position. As a result, the receptacles are arranged in a grid or matrix pattern. Similarly, in embodiments of garments in which the garment covers the arms and/or the torso of the user of the garment, as is the case with the shirt 100 or the sleeve 10, the receptacles and the respective cold-store material thereof can also be arranged in the same matrix pattern, with rows 5 that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arms and/or the torso formed by a set of adjacent receptacles 3 arranged parallel to said axis.
The receptacles 3 are folds forming tubular pockets that have an opening 4 with a perimeter smaller than the transverse perimeter of the pack 20 of cold-store material 2. The transverse perimeter of the receptacles 3 is also smaller than the transverse perimeter of said pack 20. Since the fabric used to make the entire garment, including receptacles 3 and openings 4, is made of elastic material, the opening 4 can be widened to enable passage of the pack 20, and the receptacle 3 can be fitted to and hold said pack 20 by constriction. This figure shows how a differently coloured layer of the structure is centred in front of the pack 20, thereby forming a line that resembles a seam.
It should be noted that if the elasticity of the receptacles 3 so permits, another type of pack of cold-store material can be inserted, or solid cold-store material such as ice cubes can be inserted directly.
In another embodiment that is not shown, each of the legs 6 and 7 of the garment 1 can have a zone with no receptacles 3 or cold-store material 2. Said zones can coincide approximately with the location of the joints of the user of the garments. For the garment 1, the zones could be the knees and/or ankles, and for the garment 10 or 100, said zone with no cold-store material could preferably be the zone about the user's elbow.
In the embodiment showing a set of garments, the garment 1 has a zone 8 with no cold-store material that coincides with the genital area of the user of the garment 1. Among other objectives, the absence of cold-store material is intended to increase usage comfort of the garment 1, since said zone is particularly sensitive to the cold.
In the aforementioned embodiments of the invention, the fabric of the garments, in addition to embodying the different garments 1, 10 and 100 and holding the cold-store material 2, is also used to prevent direct contact between said cold-store material 2 and the skin of the user of said garment, which could cause wounds and/or ice burns to said user. Although the fabric of the garment 10 in the example embodiment shown in
Although the figures show and describe an example embodiment of garments according to the present invention in which said garments are leggings, sleeves or short-sleeve shirts, the invention should also be understood to apply equally to embodiments in which the garment is a long sleeve shirt, a calf sleeve, etc.
Moreover, although the figures show and describe a design of the packs for the cold-store material, other designs may be used to optimise the cited handling parameters for the cold-store material and the cryogenic effect that said material can have for the user.
An example object of said optimisation could be a pack in which the flat face of largest surface area is formed by five straight sides forming an elongate pentagon that is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis thereof. As in the embodiment shown, said pentagon would have three sides with two right angles, but the point would be formed by two straight sides forming an obtuse angle with the lateral sides. This would slightly increase the surface area of the flat face used for treatment without significantly adversely affecting handling of the material in the receptacles.
Another object of said optimisation could be a design in which the flat face of largest surface area is an elongate hexagon that is pointed at both ends thereof. This would facilitate both the insertion and extraction of the material to and from the receptacles. Combining this design with the embodiment in which the receptacles are arranged in a quincunx pattern would arrange the receptacles in the form of a swarm of bees, which would further reduce the space between the receptacles, thereby further optimizing the surface area used for treatment.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a number of representative examples, it will be appreciated that these exemplary embodiments are in no way limiting on the present invention and therefore any of the variants included, directly or as equivalents, within the content of the attached claims must be considered to be included within the scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| U202132502 | Dec 2021 | ES | national |
