A SELF-OPERATED DEVICE FOR THE DISABLED FOR PUTTING ON STOCKINGS AND SIMILAR GARMENTS

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The present invention concerns the field of medical aid devices for persons with temporary or permanent motorial handicaps.

More in detail, the present invention concerns a device that allows individuals suffering from a reduced physical mobility to put on easily and without strain garments like socks, elastic or non-elastic stockings, tights or the like.

It is well known that to persons suffering from either temporary or permanent motorial handicaps, obesity, back from surgical operations, or simply elderly people, the easy gesture of correctly putting on a sock or more generally a stocking may be an insurmountable problem.

It is the aim of the present invention to realize a device that can be used autonomously by the disabled, that assists him while putting on socks, stockings or similar garments, sparing him to bend his bust or to bend his lower limbs.

In a previous patent filed under no. RM1993A000774 on November 23 ^rdi 1993 in the name of the same applicant, a device is described for responding to above mentioned needs.

However, said device provided a non optimal functioning level, strongly depending on the elasticity of the different fabrics used for making garments like socks and stockings in general, and it could not be used for putting on containing stockings with a high compression factor.

It is the aim of the present invention to solve the above mentioned inconveniences by means of a self-operated device for the disabled for putting on stockings or socks and similar garments, characterized in that it comprises:

- a widener (1 , 11) of an approximately semicylindrical shape, onto which socks (C), stockings and similar garments can be put and kept in open position;

- hooking means (4, 5) for strengthening the hold of said widener (1) on the garments applied thereto, respectively placed in the back part of the widener (1) and above the lateral walls of the same;

- handles (7) allowing the use of the device according to the present invention, linked to stiff rods (8) hinged on joints (9) or other equivalent means connected by means of pins (10) or other equivalent means to said widener (1).

The advantages of the device according to the present invention are many and important:

- it allows to correctly put on, without great physical strain, garments like socks and stockings in general, elastic and containing stockings (18-22 mm Hg), tights (using two devices according to the present invention at the same time), etc.:

- it gives back autonomy to persons suffering from a reduced physical mobility;

- it is easy to use and does not require particular servicing.

The present invention will be described more in detail herein below

with the help of the enclosed drawings in which some embodiments are shown.

Figures 1 , 2 show a complete axonometric and plant view of a self- operated device for the disabled for putting on socks or stockings in general, according to the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a complete axonometric view of a shape variant of the device according to the present invention.

Figures 4, 5 show a complete axonometric and plant view of a realization variant of the device according to the present invention, so as to enable people to put on stockings, socks in general or containing elastic stockings.

Figure 6 shows, in axonometric scheme, the functioning principle of the device according to the present invention.

Relating now to the details of the figures, the self-operated device for the disabled for putting on socks or stockings in general, according to the present invention, mainly consists of:

- a widener 1 of approximately semicylindrical shape, onto which it is possible to put and keep in open position socks C, stockings or similar garments, provided with rounded top ends 2 for facilitating said operation, together with one or more lateral slits 3 further increasing the overall flexibility of the element;

- hooking means 4, 5 for strengthening the hold of the widener 1 onto socks C or stockings in general applied to the same, respectively placed in the back part of said element and on top of its lateral walls;

- one or more tension ribbons 6 determining the detaching of the garments from said widener 1 , connected to back hooking means 4 and, optionally, to upper hooking means 5;

- handles 7 allowing the use of the device according to the present invention, linked to stiff rods 8 whose structure is fixed or alternatively telescopic in order to make them adjustable, according to the height of the user, hinged onto joints 9 or other equivalent means and connected to said widener 1 by means of pins 10 or other equivalent means.

According to the present invention, the user can adjust the stiff rods 8 if they are of the telescopic type so as to reach the ends of his own lower limbs with the widener 1 , i.e. without bending, the user will pull the sock C, or the stocking in general, onto said widener, securing the upper edge B thereof to the special hooking means 4, 5 and inserting between the upper edge of the garment and said hooking means 4, 5 a part of the tension ribbons 6 connected thereto.

Then, grasping the device according to the present invention by the special handles 7, and without bending, the user will insert his own foot inside sock C or inside a stocking in general, maintained in open position by the widener 1 and, making his limb slide inside said widener, he will be able to put on the garment without any strain.

Said widener 1 rotates on the telescopic rods 8, that are hinged to joints 9 applied to said widener by means of pins 10, and can autonomously assume, under the push of the limb inserted into the same, a position that facilitates the correct dressing of the garment

applied to it.

Operating onto said tension ribbons 6, the user of the device according to the present invention will release the sock C or the stocking in general, which is now correctly put on, from the hooking means 4, 5 holding it connected to said widener 1 , and he will take off the device from the garment appropriately moving it by means of said handles 7.

Said hooking means 4, 5 may be realized in different shapes, dimensions and number so as to suit the functioning of the device according to the present invention to the different consistence of the fabrics out of which socks, elastic or non elastic stockings, tights and similar garments are usually made of.

In presence of pathologies requiring the use of containing elastic stockings, with even an high compression factor, the device according to the present invention may be provided with an alternative widener 11 , characterized in special shapes 12 for strengthening the hold on the mentioned garments and determining the opening of the upper edge B of the same.

A reinforcing element 13, applied to said widener 11 or integrated into the structure of the same, prevents it from suffering deformations due to the stocking applied thereto which might compromise the correct sliding of the foot inside the same and thus the correct dressing of the garment.

Materials, shape and details can be different form those described above, still remaining within the scope of the invention.