Compression Garments And A Method Of Manufacture

Abstract

The invention provides a compression garment (50) for clothing a body part, such as a lower torso and the legs. The body part includes a muscle ridge, such as a lateral edge of the gluteus maximus (49). Compression garment (50) has first and second panels of stretchable material joined by a seam (32). At least part of the seam (32) is adapted to correspond to at least part of the muscle ridge, being at the edge of the gluteus maximus (49). The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a compression garment, using an algorithm to calculate size changes to produce desired compression.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to compression garments and to methods of manufacture. In particular, this invention is concerned with compression garments such as shorts, long tights and tops, either as single garments or in a combination of garments worn as a suit.BACKGROUND[0002]A detailed discussion of the prior art and studies relating to muscles and muscle activity is contained in Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2004995456 (the “Provisional Application”), the contents of which are imported herein by reference.[0003]Prior art compression garments are designed to fit the body snugly, but without consideration as to the extent to which muscles increase in bulk and mass during activity. Such prior art garments can become non-static or counter-gradient in this situation. Once a person wearing a static compression garment increases muscle mass with activity, the garment can become tighter in the vicinity of the muscle, which can increase as much as 3-...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0106]In garments constructed on panels cut on the horizontal plane with respect to the grain of the fabric, the present invention preferably uses articulation points of fabric inserts of similar grade stretch or recovery. Alternatively, higher levels of stretch and recovery can be used strategically to reduce this ill-fit. Ill-fitting panels means compression values are lost when required in those areas. To overcome this, the present invention can use panels cut in an ‘angle warping’ form where stretch and recovery is reversed by cutting it across the fabric grain at the different angle and degree. Normally, in the existing art, circular knit fabric has been used in the whole garment as a way of reducing this ill-fit, however circular knit is not capable of all the function requirements of the present invention.

[0107]These articulation points that relate to the knee and hip are preferably not positioned at the knee or hip itself but on panels in the near vicinity, allowing better stretch and recovery around the articulation.

[0108]Where articulations occur and the fit has to remain tight and functioning with appropriate levels of compression, the method of construction of the present invention allows shaping of the areas of the hip and knee to be taken into account by using the reduction algorithm to reduce the panel at that point by a desired amount to achieve fit. By incorporating panels cut on a different bias (a bias created not to allow the fabric used to hang to fit the form better, but a bias articulation to allow better function of body activity under load) compression can be anchored specifically to these articulation points, allowing a homogenous fit between body and garment.

Problems solved by technology

This alters the effect of the static compression and can create undesirable effects, in being undesirably tight or in providing more compression in the wrong places.

In turn, this can impede circulation and reduce the effect of lymphatic drainage.

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