Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Article of Clothing
The invention relates to an article of clothing, comprising a textile carrier
material, which surrounds a body section of a wearer of the article of
clothing,
wherein an adhesion layer is arranged on the carrier material at that side of
the
carrier material which faces the body section, which adhesion layer contacts a
part of the body section during the intended use of the article of clothing,
wherein the textile carrier material without adhesion layer expands itself by
a
first elastic amount of expansion during application of a defined expansion
force.
Article of clothing according to the generic kind are used in the field of
sports
and medicinal to execute a compression on certain desired regions of the
body. Thereby, a stimulation is created which acts typically circularly, for
example in the region of an arm or of a leg, to improve the venous return and
to counteract a thrombosis or a lymph swelling.
Thereby, different methods are used to influence the biomechanical body
functions of the wearer of the article of clothing. Currently, among other
things a base compression and the application of different so-called tapes or
zones with a high strain resistance are in use. Those technologies work with a
differentiated contact pressure, which the different stretchability (expansion
force which has to be applied) of the different zones of the article of
clothing
carries out onto the body of the wearer of the article of clothing. A direct
contact of the active materials with the skin and a direct effect onto the
skin,
as it is postulated by the so-called kinesiological taping, does not exist at
those techniques.
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Other applications have to support joints and have to give hold to the same
respectively. Here, an application in the knee region should be mentioned as
an example at which the patella is left open. With respect to this concept an
article of clothing of the kind as mentioned above is known from EP 1 810
649 Bl. Here, a close-fitting article of clothing is described which is
provided
with a material with a high coefficient of friction at that side which faces
the
skin of the wearer. To limit the movement of muscles, joints and other body
parts, to prevent contusions, bruises, extensions of muscles, sprains, bone
fractures as well as other injuries a bandage is provided, for which reason
here
it is specifically provided to design the material with a high coefficient of
friction in such a manner that its elasticity is smaller than the elasticity
of the
textile basic material. The ability of movement of the textile which is
contacted by the material with the high coefficient of friction is thus
specifically restricted in its ability of movement.
Insofar applications exist which work with the base function of an unlimited
circularly compression as well as further developments with regional
compression. Unlimited circularly compression means the contact pressure by
means of a tight article of clothing which is created by the textile material
onto the body of the wearer. This pressure must be defined and must decline
from remote from the heart to near the heart ¨ i. e. from distal to proximal.
The blood circulation is stimulated by the reduction of the cross section of
the
veins ¨ at least in resting state ¨ and also the evacuation of waste products
is
accelerated.
Insofar, the described techniques work according to a simple principle at
which the (tension)force is substantially delivered by the material of the
article of clothing and at which it acts onto the body in an unspecific
manner.
Such compression garment is known as sports garment for the improvement
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in performance as well as for regeneration. Garment exists with a general
compression or with a specific contact pressure.
Thereby, materials with different stretchability are often used, as the case
may
be with so-called tapes and laminations respectively which are applied from
the outside. A direct effect onto the skin is not achieved with this.
DE 20 2010 016 255 Ul discloses an adhesion band which is inserted
between an article of clothing and the skin of the wearer to prevent a
slipping
of the article of clothing. In US 2006/0154053 Al an adhesive textile material
is described which shall adhere on the skin of a person. US 2008/0236417 Al
discloses the coating of stockings and socks to minimize their slipping on the
skin of the wearer.
The so-called kinesiological taping goes back to the Japanese chiropractor
Kenzo Kase. About 30 years ago he developed a special band-aid (tape)
which is highly elastically, breathable and eudemic. It rests onto the skin as
a
second skin. It stretches with every movement and contracts again without
limiting the freedom of movement. Compared with other band-aids and
bandages the musculature is not released so that it does not degenerate.
Instead, the skin is gently lifted and massaged during each movement by the
elastic tape. The flow of lymph and blood should be stimulated and support
the metabolism in the muscles and sinews. As a consequence tensions should
be reduced and inflammations should be regressed.
Usually, kinesiological taping is used to protect specific muscle groups
against injuries or also merely for the improvement in performance of an
athlete.
Nowadays, the kinesiological taping works with high elastic cotton bands
which are impregnated at the inner side with an adhesive film. This tape is
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glued onto the skin along the respective muscle strands which should be
supported or stimulated. The tape has the same stretchability than the human
skin and is applied onto the skin without additional tension. So it is ensured
that the tape does not form an additional mechanical enforcement. The tape
stimulates the muscle fibres and the subcutaneous metabolism, it improves the
biomechanical performance and supports the recreation.
It is the object of the invention to provide an article of clothing,
especially a
pair of trousers or a top for the use in sports, by which it is possible in a
simple and efficient manner to carry out a stimulation effect onto the skin,
wherein the effect should be used as it occurs during the kinesiological
taping.
The solution of this object by the invention is characterized in that the
textile
carrier material with adhesion layer expands itself by a second elastic amount
of expansion during application of the expansion force which is at least 65 %
of the first elastic amount of expansion, wherein the article of clothing is
cut
in such a manner that it attaches itself with an elastic tension around the
body
section of the wearer of the article of clothing which body section is covered
by the article of clothing and thereby the article of clothing is close-
fitting to
the skin of the wearer and so creates a defined compression which ensures a
pressing of the adhesion layer on the skin.
Preferably, the second elastic amount of expansion is at least 75 % of the
first
elastic amount of expansion.
Accordingly, it is thus provided that ¨ in distinction to the above mentioned
state of the art according EP 1 810 649 B1 ¨ an article of clothing made of a
textile carrier material is provided with an adhesion layer at the inner side,
i.
e. facing the skin of the wearer of the article of clothing, that however is
designed in such a manner that the resistance during stretching rises only
minimally which is expressed by the mentioned change of the elastic amount
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of expansion which results necessarily when the adhesion layer is applied
onto the textile carrier material.
A preferred embodiment of the concept according to the invention provides
5 that the adhesion layer is arranged on the textile carrier material
lamellar.
Here, a plurality of parallel lamellar regions of the adhesion layer can be
arranged on the textile carrier material.
The adhesion layer can be arranged on the textile carrier material also
wavelike, wherein it can be provided again that a plurality of parallel
wavelike regions of the adhesion layer is arranged on the textile carrier
material.
The adhesion layer can also be arranged on the textile carrier material as a
dot
pattern.
In all cases it is made sure by the proposed geometrical design of the
adhesion
layer that the mechanical resistance against tension remains as small as
possible which is created by the additional material of the adhesion layer
which is applied onto the textile carrier material.
Thereby, the lamellar or wavelike arranged adhesion layer can extend in the
direction of a provided longitudinal expansion of the article of clothing or
can
also run transverse to this direction. This longitudinal expansion corresponds
generally with the direction of the respective muscle fiber.
The adhesion layer consists preferably of silicone or comprises at least
silicone. It can be imprinted, glued or laminated on the textile carrier
material.
The textile carrier material consists preferably of polyester. An alternative
solution provides that the textile carrier material consists of a block
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copolymer from the components polyurethane and polyethylene glycol
(Elastan). It is also possible according to a preferred solution to employ a
combination of polyester and Elastan. Generally, it can be provided that the
textile carrier material consists of a synthetic spun fiber which is combined
with Elastan.
Elastan is a highly elastic synthetic fiber and is similar to rubber but has a
higher rigidity and is more durable. The urethane forms stiff elongated
sections which accumulate longitudinally to another and allow the cohesion of
the fibres due to the creation of additional valence forces. However, the
rubber-like blocks of poly alcohol are strongly balled up, but can be
stretched
easily. By this combination of stiff and elastic blocks the very high
elasticity
of more than 700 % is obtained.
By the proposed design the adhesion layer is pressed onto the skin surface and
a good hold on the skin is ensured due to the high coefficient of friction of
the
adhesion layer.
Preferably, the material of the adhesion layer has a coefficient of static
friction (on the skin) which is at least pt = 0.4, preferably at least IA =
0.5. In
contrast, the textile carrier material has preferably a coefficient of static
friction (on the skin) which is maximal p. = 0.3, preferably maximal p. =
0.25.
The proposed article of clothing thus is a tight fitting article of clothing
which
is especially printed or laminated with an adhesion layer on the inner side,
i.
e. at the side facing the skin. This adhesion layer in the form of a film has
a
coefficient of friction which is different from the textile basis material.
Those
different surface properties between textile carrier material and adhesion
layer
cause a stimulation effect during the wearing of the article of clothing which
stimulates or relaxes the bio-mechanical functions and defined muscle groups
respectively
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according to the embodiment. The arrangement and embodiment
of the zones can be carried out according to the principles of the described
kinesiological Taping.
Thus, the present invention uses the principle of the kinesiological taping
and
applies it specifically to a garment. A pressure with high friction resistance
is
applied at the inner side of the garment like a film. The garment is arranged
in
tight fit on the skin and creates so a defined compression which ensures a
pressing of the adhesion layer on the skin. The zones which are printed with
the adhesion layer thus correspond to the principles of the kinesiological
taping.
It is essential that the adhesion layer is arranged in the inner of the
garment
and lies on the skin during intentional use of the garment. Specific
manipulations of the body functions can be carried out via the material
properties of the adhesion layer as well as via the structure.
The stimulation effect is created only by the different static friction
properties
of the textile carrier material and adhesion layer. In distinction to other
pre-
known solutions (see the above discussed EP 1 810 649 B1) no mechanical
reinforcements shall be generated by an increased strain resistance. That
means that the muscular force must be raised only by the wearer of the
garment. Accordingly, the tonicity is obtained and it is trained respectively.
So, it is an essential aspect of the proposed solution that the strain
resistance
of the textile carrier material is kept and is modified as little as possible
respectively to accomplish the mentioned stimulation effect due to the
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