Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,~ 2~183~
The invention relates generally to sleepwear but more
particularly to a garment incorporating a pad or pads, the
purpose of which i8 to prevent contact of one leg against
the other during sleep or rest.
Many studies of sleep patterns of various individuals
have dealt with a variety of factors affecting a person
having a conlfortable and restful sleep. It has been
proven that a person' s quality of sleep rather than just
quantity of sleep has much to do with how well rested they
10 are when they awaken and how effective they are after
wakening, both physically and mentally.
One factor that disturbs sleep is the amount of
movement (tos~ing and turning~ which takes place during
sleep. The aforementioned studies have shown that the
15 average person changes positions during an average night ' 8
sleep up to forty times. Some movement is necessary to
avoid cramping frorn remaining in one position but most
movement is caused by discomfort re~ulting from body parts
bearing on one another or cramping in what should be
20 comfortable sleeping positions ~fetal position, legs one
on top of the other, or crossed).
When in the positions indicated, the knee bones,
shinbones and ankles bear one upon the other as well as
other parts of the leg causing discomfort within a short
25 period of time. This it has been ~ound results in
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21 ~1~31
constant shifting of position to achieve the necessary
comf ort .
Various methods and techniques have been proposed in
an attempt to obviate this currently re-occurring problem,
5 including the use of pillows, blankets and other devices
inserted between the legs. However, such methods are
cumbersome, uncomfortable and their purpose is lo~t should
such devices be dislodged during sleep.
Once such arrangement or device can be seen f rom
t~F~n~ n Patent No. 1,31~,999 iggued January 26, 1993, to
Robert Lonardo and entitled "Means for Preventing Skin
Abrasions for Patients Having Legs Substantially Locked in
~Tuxtaposition". This prior art patent is ~olely directed
to preventing skin abrasion for a medical condition known
15 as "Valgus", and utilizes a pad attached to a patient's
leg by means of straps.
Such a device, if used by a healthy person, would be
very uncomfortable, and certainlyr by virtue of its
physical att*~h--nt to the leg, affect the wearer to such
20 an extent that a restful sleep would be virtually
impossible .
It is therefore a principle object of the invention
to provlde an article of clothing or sleepwear garment,
which incorporates padding to provide comfortable
25 protection during sleep without the drawbacks of the prior
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831
art discussed above.
The invention therefore comprises an article of
sleepwear, adapted to ~n~ at least the lower portion
of the body of the wearer, including the legs and the feet
5 thereof, in skintight relation. At least one inside leg
portion of the sleepwear includes integral pad means
located 80 as to cover such portions of the wearer's knee,
shin, ankle and foot as may be ~usceptible to contact with
knee, shin, ankle or foot of the adjacent leg during
10 sleep. Thereby the padding cushions the effect of such
contact and facilitates restful and undiQturbed sleep.
The invention will now be described by way of
e~ample, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
in which:
Figure 1 is a partial inside leg view of a ~leeping
garment incorporating the protective pad according to this
invention;
Figure 2 is a full frontal leg view of the invention
according to Pigure 1;
Figure 3 is a full inside leg view of the invention
according to Pigure 1; and
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of a pad
according to Figure 1.
Referring specifically to Figures 1 through 3, it
25 will be appreciated that the structure involved has for
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~ 214183~
its purpose the protection of one leg from the other.
This is accomplished by providing as part of the sleepwear
or sleeping garment generally indicated at 10, additional
thickness in the form of padding 12, over areas of maximum
5 bearing which have the lea~t natural protection, ie: the
knees, shins, ankles and feet.
As shown in Figures 1 through 3, this padding extends
from above the wearer's knee to the foot, gradually
increasing in thickness to a maximum thickness approximate
10 the area of the knee, then continuing with le~ser
thicknes~ to cover the shin bone, then with increa~ing
thicknes~ to cover the ankle bone and parts of the foot.
In the preferred embodiment, the padding panel would start
approximately 6 inches above the knee covering the entire
15 knee plus the inside of the leg, encircling approximately
2/3 of the ~ eg at the area of the knee. The padding 12
then tapers to extend approximately half way around the
inside leg, covering the shin bone, the padding at this
location having les~er thickness. In the area of the
ankle and in~tep, the padding thickness is once again
20 increased and the padding material encircles the foot in
stirrup fashion. However, no padding is necessary or
indeed desirable under the foot.
A8 can be seen in E`igure 2, this frontal leg view
emphasize~ the thicker padding inside the leg next to the
25 knee and ankles. It di~closes the padding covering the
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~ 21~18~1
entire knee, but not the outs~ide portion of the leg. The
padding over the instep and inside ankIe i~ clearly seen.
The full inside leg view of Figure 3 emphasizes the
padding covering the front portion of the leg and
5 additional ly ~3how~ the extent of the padding panel on the
inside of the leg, extending beyond the in~ide seam of the
garment and at the knee, and following the in~3ide seam to
the ankle where in encircle~ the inside ankle bone.
In this disclosed embodiment, the padding panel 12 is
10 integral with the garrnent 10, and with reference to Figure
4, comprise3 an outer layer 13 of the ~3ame or similar
n~aterial to that of the garment 10, which layer 13 forms a
pocket within which i~ provided a padding material 14. The
pocket or filled padding panel 12 i8 then attached, for
15 example, stitching 15 to the garment 10 in the appropriate
area as ~pecif ied above .
While in the preferred ~rh~;r-nt, the padding panel
i~ permanently attached as by stitching, it will be
appreciated, that without departing f rom the spirit of the
20 invention, that the padding panel may be attached by other
means, for example, by adhe~ive, or the use of "velcro"
would provide for the adjustment of location of the panel
12 in relation to the leg of the wearer of the garment.
A~ i!3 seen, the sleepwear garment can be in the form
25 of tights, or if preferred, as a full one piece body
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~ 2~41~1
covering or suit. The latter may be to advantage since it
would tend to maintain more positively the padded portion
of the garment in its correct location relative to the
body of the wearer.
However, in either case, the garment must be designed
to fit snuggly in order to optimize the efficiency of the
padding botll f rom a practical and comfort point of view.
The material for the garment can be of any type that
is comfortable for sleep such aæ cotton, flannel, light
stretch lycra, double knit or sleepwear satin.
The padding material 14 must be such that it does not
lose its shape in use, the material could, for eTample, be
polyester fibrefill, layered ~[uilting fibrefill, or
indeed small poly beads contained between two layers of
15 material 13. The only criteria being that it must be
washable, and if compressed, be able to return to its
original shape and thickness.
The invention will now be e~emplified by the
following claims.
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