Supporter

Abstract

To provide a supporter that can mitigate external impacts without impairing the wearing comfort.SOLUTION: A supporter 1 includes: a supporter body 2 having a joint covering part 20 which is knitted in a tubular shape and covers a joint portion 7; and a pad 3 made of a cushioning material which absorbs external impacts. The joint covering part 20 in the supporter body 2 is composed of: a bent part covering region 21 which covers a bent part 71 of the joint portion 7; and a bent part surrounding covering region 22 which is on the outer periphery of the bent part covering region 21. The stretch resistance of the bent part surrounding covering region 22 is greater than the stretch resistance of the bent part covering region 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a supporter that is worn around a joint such as a knee or elbow to protect the joint. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as a supporter for protecting a joint, there is known one that is formed into a cylindrical shape from a stretchable fabric and has a pad that acts as a cushioning material to absorb external shocks (see Patent Document 1). Also widely known is one that is integrally constructed of a tubular supporter body made of a stretchable material and a support part made of a material with lower stretchability than the supporter body, and supports the joint with the support part (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3128372 [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-2245117 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the supporter of Patent Document 1 has a problem that the elasticity of the supporter body is not easily exhibited by fixing the pad to the supporter body, and the thickness of the pad makes it easy to get stuffy and uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, since the entire joint is covered by one pad when worn, if the pad is not flexible, it may cause problems in bending and stretching the joint. On the other hand, the supporter of Patent Document 2 does not have a structure to absorb external impacts, and therefore has a problem in that it cannot relieve pain caused by impacts received when performing movements that involve contact with the joint.

[0005] In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a supporter that can absorb external impacts without compromising the wearing comfort. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the supporter of the present invention is a supporter comprising a supporter body which is knitted into a cylindrical shape and has a joint covering part which covers the joint part, and a pad made of a cushioning material which absorbs external shock, wherein the joint covering part is composed of a bend covering region which covers the bend of the joint part, and a bend peripheral covering region which is on the outer periphery of the bend covering region, and the stretching resistance of the bend peripheral covering region is greater than the stretching resistance of the bend covering region. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the support body is structured to support the joint while the pad absorbs external shock, so that external shock can be absorbed without compromising the wearing comfort. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a supporter according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the supporter shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the supporter shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a pad provided in the supporter shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a front view of a supporter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a pad provided in the supporter shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a front view of a supporter according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a pad provided in the supporter shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9]FIG. 13 is a front view of a supporter according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a pad provided in the supporter shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 13 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the position of the pad in the supporter according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a supporter body in the supporter according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Each embodiment of the supporter of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each of the following embodiments, a supporter covering a knee joint will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the knee joint, and can also be applied to elbow joints, wrist joints, and ankle joints. In the following description, the side that contacts the joint (kneecap in the case of the knee joint) is the front or front side, while the side that contacts the back side of the joint (popliteus in the case of the knee joint) is the back or rear side, the side closer to the trunk (thigh side in the case of the knee joint) is the upper side, and the side farther from the trunk (lower leg side in the case of the knee joint) is the lower side.

[0010] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view of a supporter of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a rear view of the supporter, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the supporter. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a pad provided in the supporter.

[0011] 1 to 3, the supporter 1 of this embodiment includes a supporter main body 2 having a joint covering part 20 which is tubularly knitted and covers a joint part (knee joint part) 7, and a pad 3 made of a cushioning material which absorbs external shocks. The joint covering part 20 in the supporter main body 2 is composed of a bent part covering region 21 which covers a bent part (a connecting part between a femur 73 and a tibia 74) 71 of the joint part (knee joint part) 7, and a bent part surrounding covering region 22 on the outer periphery of the bent part covering region 21. The stretch resistance of the bent part surrounding covering region 22 is greater than the stretch resistance of the bent part covering region 21.

[0012] The support body 2 is made up of a joint covering part 20 on its front side and a back covering part (popliteal fossa side covering part) 23 on its rear side, knitted in a circumferential band shape, and is provided with upper anchor parts 24 and lower anchor parts 25 above and below the joint covering part 20 and the back covering part 23. The support body 2 is made up of a tubular knitted fabric knitted by circular knitting, and is provided with desired functionality such as a taping function by applying different knitting to a base fabric, which is an elastic knitted fabric knitted with front yarn, back yarn, and rubber yarn (or a core yarn of elastic yarn such as polyurethane and a sheath yarn of polyester or nylon, for example, so-called "SCY" or "DCY") as knitting yarns, and knitted with plain knitting, rib knitting, pique knitting, tuck knitting, floating knitting, pile knitting, etc.

[0013] The joint covering part 20 arranged on the front surface of the supporter main body 2 has a polygonal bending part covering region 21 at its center, and a polygonal bending part peripheral covering region 22 is arranged so as to go around the outside of the bending part covering region 21. That is, when the wearer wears the supporter 1, the bending part covering region 21 is arranged at a position covering the kneecap (patella) 72 which is the bending part 71, and thus the bending part peripheral covering region 22 provided on the outer periphery of the bending part covering region 21 is arranged so as to go around the outside of the kneecap (patella) 72 which is the bending part 71.

[0014] The bend portion covering region 21 is located at a position corresponding to the kneecap (patella) 72, which is the bend portion 71, and is knitted with a knitted fabric that has a high degree of elasticity (low elasticity resistance) compared to the base fabric of the supporter main body 2. In this way, the bend portion covering region 21 is located at a position corresponding to the wearer's kneecap (patella) 72, and has a high degree of elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the supporter main body 2, so that it does not interfere with the movement of the wearer's knee, allows the knee to bend and straighten smoothly, and is able to absorb, by its high elasticity function, the force associated with the expansion and contraction of the wearer's skin during bending, straightening and rotational movements of the knee joint.

[0015] At this time, the bent portion covering region 21 is knitted in a mesh form by, for example, not making a certain stitch temporarily and making a stitch when knitting the next course. By knitting in a mesh form, the knitted fabric is highly stretchable and has a good breathability due to its high elasticity. As a result, the bent portion covering region 21 can grip the kneecap 72 of the wearer when the knee joint is bent, and can prevent the supporter 1 from shifting in any direction. In the example of this embodiment, the bent portion covering region 21 is octagonal, but is not limited to an octagonal shape, and can be a polygon other than an octagon or a round shape such as a circle or an ellipse as long as it can cover the bent portion 71.

[0016] The bent portion surrounding covering region 22 is disposed at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the kneecap (patella) 72, which is the bent portion 71, and is knitted with a knitted fabric having a low degree of elasticity (high elasticity resistance) compared to the base fabric of the supporter main body 2. This bent portion surrounding covering region 22 is provided so as to surround the kneecap (patella) 72, which is the bent portion 71, and in the example of this embodiment, is configured in a ring-like, approximately O-shape. Note that the shape of the bent portion surrounding covering region 22 is not limited to an approximately O-shape, and may be an approximately U-shape surrounding the left and right and lower sides of the kneecap (patella) 72, or an approximately C-shape surrounding one of the left and right sides and both the upper and lower sides of the kneecap (patella) 72.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the bend peripheral covering region 22 has a knitted structure in which the stretch yarn 221 is formed in a polygonal shape 222 in a surface view in a ground knitted structure (base fabric). That is, the bend peripheral covering region 22 is configured to have a knitted structure in which polygonal shapes 222 that are convex polygonal shapes are continuously arranged up, down, left and right by knitting the stretch yarn 221 in the ground knitted structure (base fabric). In the bend peripheral covering region 22, a knitted region knitted with a knitted yarn having a low degree of stretch is configured within the frame of the polygonal shape 222, so that the inside of the frame of the polygonal shape 222 becomes a knitted region with high rigidity. In addition, the inside of the frame of the polygonal shape 222 is also configured as a knitted region with high rigidity by providing within the frame of the polygonal shape 222 a region in a heat-shrink state that is heat-treated after knitting using a thermosetting knitted yarn.

[0018] In the bend-periphery covering region 22, a desired contraction force is generated in the direction of each side of the polygonal shape 222 by feeding the elastic yarn 221 to a knitting needle (not shown) and knitting the base knitted structure (base fabric) to form a polygonal shape 222. Therefore, within the frame of each polygonal shape 222, a force (contraction force) is generated that is a composite of the contraction forces in the directions of each side constituting the polygonal shape 222. As a result, the bend-periphery covering region 22 has a lower degree of elasticity (higher elasticity resistance) than the base fabric of the supporter main body 2, and supports the wearer's kneecap (patella) 72 from the lower leg 9 side toward the thigh 8 side, and also supports the medial collateral ligament. Therefore, the action of the bend-periphery covering region 22 can smooth the movement of the wearer's quadriceps and suppress the left-right swing of the knee.

[0019] The bent portion peripheral covering region 22, which has low elasticity (high elasticity resistance), is shaped to surround the wearer's kneecap (patella) 72, and exerts a force toward the center of the wearer. This allows the wearer's patella 72 to be reliably lifted vertically upward while the kneecap (patella) 72 is stably fixed without any lateral wobble. In the present embodiment, the polygonal shape 222 constituting the bent portion peripheral covering region 22 is formed of a regular hexagonal convex polygon, but it may be formed of a vertically or horizontally elongated hexagonal shape, or may be a polygonal shape other than a hexagon, such as a triangular shape or an octagonal shape.

[0020] In addition, in the bent portion peripheral covering region 22, the tension within the frame of the polygonal shape 222 may be adjusted by knitting the stretchable yarn with tension applied thereto to form a "D" shape, an asterisk shape, a cross shape, or other shapes (not shown). Furthermore, the polygonal shape 222 may be formed into a multiple line shape such as a double line shape, thereby adjusting the degree of stretch of the bent portion peripheral covering region 22.

[0021] The bending portion surrounding covering region 22 is continuously formed into a polygonal shape 222 by elastic threads 221, and a contraction force based on the tension generated within the polygonal shape 222 acts on the bending portion surrounding covering region 22, so that the bending portion surrounding covering region 22 also functions as a pressure region that presses from the outside to the inside. At this time, by applying a pressure of 9 hectopascals to 40 hectopascals to the bending portion surrounding covering region 22 as a pressure region that presses from the outside to the inside, it is possible to obtain effects such as improving blood circulation in the muscles and ligaments around the knee joint 7, and to make the movement of the knee joint 7 of the wearer smoother.

[0022] The back covering part (popliteal side covering part) 23 is continuously connected to the joint covering part 20 in the circumferential direction and is knitted in a position facing the joint covering part 20 so as to cover the popliteal fossa 10, which is the back side of the bent part 71 of the knee joint part 7, when the wearer wears the supporter 1. The back covering part (popliteal side covering part) 23 has a popliteal covering region 26 made of a knitted fabric that has high elasticity (low elasticity resistance) compared to the base fabric of the supporter main body 2, at a position where it abuts the popliteal fossa 10. By using a mesh knitted fabric as the main knitted fabric for this popliteal covering region 26, it is possible to reduce the elasticity resistance (increase the elasticity) in the longitudinal direction of the supporter 1 compared to the base fabric of the supporter main body 2. This not only improves breathability in the back covering part (popliteal fossa side covering part) 23, but also allows the back covering part (popliteal fossa side covering part) 23 to conform to the curved surface of the back of the knee (popliteal fossa 10) in the longitudinal direction of the wearer's leg, fitting snugly against the back of the wearer's knee (popliteal fossa 10) when the knee joint 7 is bent.

[0023] The upper anchor portion 24 and the lower anchor portion 25 are knitted around the upper end side and the lower end side of the supporter body 2, respectively, and have a low degree of elasticity in the circumferential direction (high elasticity resistance), thereby providing a strong tightening force in the circumferential direction. The upper anchor portion 24 is knitted around the thigh portion 8 above the knee joint portion 7 of the wearer, thereby fixing the supporter 1 to the thigh portion 8 of the wearer, and preventing the upper end side of the supporter 1 from slipping down when the knee joint portion 7 is bent. On the other hand, the lower anchor portion 25 is knitted around the lower leg portion 9 below the knee joint portion 7 of the wearer, thereby fixing the supporter 1 to the lower leg portion 9 of the wearer, and preventing the lower end side of the supporter 1 from slipping up when the knee joint portion 7 is bent.

[0024] The upper anchor portion 24 is a double knitted fabric obtained by folding back the knitted fabric at the upper end of the supporter body 2 to the inside of the supporter body 2 and sewing it, so that the degree of stretch in the circumferential direction of the supporter body 2 is higher (the stretch resistance is higher) than the base fabric of the supporter body 2. Similarly, the lower anchor portion 25 is a double knitted fabric obtained by folding back the knitted fabric at the lower end of the supporter body 2 to the inside of the supporter body 2 and sewing it, so that the degree of stretch in the circumferential direction of the supporter body 2 is lower (the stretch resistance is higher) than the base fabric of the supporter body 2. In this case, the knitted fabrics of the upper anchor portion 24, the base fabric of the supporter body 2, and the lower anchor portion 25 may be knitted with the same knitting method, or may be knitted with different knitting methods, for example.

[0025] 3 and 4, the pad 3 is fixed at a position overlapping the joint covering part 20 of the supporter main body 2. The pad 3 is configured in a substantially rectangular shape with its long sides aligned along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the supporter 1, and is fixed at a position overlapping the bend portion covering region 21. In addition, since the area of ​​the pad 3 is larger than the area of ​​the bend portion covering region 21, the pad 3 is fixed at a position overlapping with the bend portion surrounding covering region 22, which is the outer periphery of the bend portion covering region 21. On the other hand, since the area of ​​the pad 3 is smaller than the entire area of ​​the joint covering part 20, the pad 3 overlaps with a part of the bend portion surrounding covering region 22.

[0026] The width (short side length) W of the pad 3 in the circumferential direction (horizontal direction) of the supporter 1 is equal to or narrower than the width W1 of the joint covering part 20. More specifically, the width (short side length) W of the pad 3 is equal to or wider than the width W2 of the bend covering region 21 of the joint covering part 20, and narrower than the width W1 of the joint covering part 20. That is, the widths W, W1, and W2 of the pad 3, the joint covering part 20, and the bend covering region 21 are in the relationship W2≦W≦W1. By making the width W of the pad 3 equal to or larger than the width W2 of the bend covering region 21, the pad 3 has a width that can cover the tibial tuberosity of the patella 72 and the tibia 74, which affect the surface layer, among the bones that constitute the knee joint part 7.

[0027] The length (long side length) L of the pad 3 in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the supporter 1 is equal to or shorter than the length L1 of the joint covering part 20. More specifically, the length (long side length) L of the pad 3 is equal to or longer than the length L2 of the bend covering region 21 of the joint covering part 20, and is longer than the length L1 of the joint covering part 20. That is, the lengths L, L1, and L2 of the pad 3, the joint covering part 20, and the bend covering region 21 are in the relationship of L2≦L≦L1. By making the length L of the pad 3 equal to or longer than the length L2 of the bend covering region 21, the pad 3 has a length that can cover the patella 72 and the tibial tuberosity 75 of the tibia 74, which affect the surface layer, among the bones constituting the knee joint part 7.

[0028] In this embodiment, the width W of the pad 3 is approximately equal to the width W2 of the bend covering region 21, and the length L of the pad 3 is longer than the length L2 of the bend covering region 21, and the pad 3 is extended vertically relative to the bend covering region 21. That is, the pad 3 is disposed so as to cover the bend covering region 21 in the joint covering part 20 and a part of the bend surrounding covering region 22 located above and below the bend covering region 21. More specifically, the pad 3 is configured in a shape extended vertically relative to the bend covering region 21 by the length of the polygonal shape 222 in the bend surrounding covering region 22.

[0029] The pad 3 has a plurality of cuts 31 on its outer periphery, making it bendable. In the configuration of Figs. 1 and 3, the cuts 31 of the pad 3 extend along the circumferential direction (horizontal direction) of the supporter main body 2, making the pad 3 bendable along the joint part 7. In the example of this embodiment, the cuts 31 are provided symmetrically from the left and right outer edges of the pad 3 toward the center, and the left and right cuts 31 are provided equally in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the pad 3. In addition, the left and right cuts 31 are provided at two locations along the longitudinal direction of the pad 3. That is, a pair of left and right cuts 31 are provided above and below the pad 3.

[0030] The pad 3 with the cuts 31 is composed of shock absorbing sections 32 that come into contact with the wearer's joints 7 to absorb external shocks, and bending and stretching sections 33 that connect adjacent shock absorbing sections 32. In this embodiment, three shock absorbing sections 32 are arranged in series along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the supporter main body 2, and two upper and lower bending and stretching sections 33 that are sandwiched by the tips of the cuts 31 connect the vertically adjacent shock absorbing sections 32.

[0031] Since the width W3 of the bending / extending portion 33 is narrower than the width W4 of the shock absorbing portion 32 in the circumferential direction (lateral direction) of the supporter main body 2, the bending / extending portion 33 can bend and extend the shock absorbing portion 32, thereby displacing the position of each shock absorbing portion 32. When using the pad 3, the wearer of the supporter 1 can smoothly bend and extend the knee joint 7, and can cover the knee joint 7 with the pad 3 to suppress external impacts, regardless of whether the knee joint 7 is in a flexed or extended state.

[0032] In the pad 3 of this embodiment, the upper impact absorbing portion 32 is disposed at a position overlapping both the bend covering region 21 and the bend peripheral covering region 22 so as to bridge the upper boundary between the bend covering region 21 and the bend peripheral covering region 22. The central impact absorbing portion 32 is disposed at the vertical center position of the bend covering region 21, and the lower impact absorbing portion 32 is disposed at a position overlapping both the bend covering region 21 and the bend peripheral covering region 22 so as to bridge the lower boundary between the bend covering region 21 and the bend peripheral covering region 22.

[0033] With this configuration, when the wearer wears the supporter 1 on the knee joint 7, the upper and central shock absorbing parts 32 come into contact with the bent part 71 at a position covering the kneecap (patella) 72, and the central and lower shock absorbing parts 32 come into contact with the bent part 71 at a position covering the tibial tuberosity 75 of the tibia 74. In either case of extension or flexion of the knee joint 7, the shock absorbing parts 32 are displaced following the movement of the knee joint 7, so that the parts corresponding to the kneecap (patella) 72 and the tibial tuberosity 75 are always covered by the pad 3. Therefore, even when the wearer works in a kneeling or upright sitting position, the pad 3 reduces the external force applied to the bent part 71, so that the wearer does not feel pain.

[0034] In this way, by disposing the pad 3, which deforms following the movement of the bending part 71 of the joint part 7, in the bending part surrounding covering region 22 made of a knitted fabric with low elasticity (high elasticity resistance), the kneecap (patella) 72 can be stabilized without swaying from side to side, and the relative relationship between the pad 3 and the bending part 71 can be fixed regardless of the bending and stretching movement of the joint part 7. Therefore, the supporter 1 is comfortable to wear when worn, and can reliably mitigate external impacts. In addition, since the pad 3 can accurately suppress external impacts, the pad 3 can be made thin, and when the supporter 1 is worn, it is difficult to tell from the outside of the clothing that the supporter 1 is being worn, resulting in good design.

[0035] One surface of the pad 3 is covered with the fabric of the supporter body 2, and the other surface of the pad 3 is covered with the fixing fabric 35 adhered to the supporter body 2, so that the pad 3 is sandwiched and fixed between the supporter body 2 and the fixing fabric 35. At this time, the pad 3 is adhered and fixed to the supporter body 2 together with the fixing fabric by adhesive. That is, the pad 3 is attached to the fixing fabric 35 by adhesive or the like so as to cover the kneecap (patella) 72 when the supporter 1 is attached to the joint part 7. Then, the fixing fabric 35 to which the pad 3 is attached is attached to the back side of the joint covering part 20 of the supporter body 2 by adhesive, and the pad 3 is fixed. The pad 3 is fixed together with the fixing fabric 35 by various attachment methods such as adhesive, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, and even sewing.

[0036] The fixing fabric 35 is made of a material that has a high adhesive effect, so that the pad 3 can be reliably fixed to the support body 2. Furthermore, by making the degree of stretch of the fixing fabric 35 equal to that of the bend covering region 21, the pad 3 can be fixed without impairing the effect of the joint covering part 20 of the support body 2. In this case, the fixing fabric 35 may be made of the same knit fabric as the support body 2.

[0037] The cushioning material constituting the pad 3 is not particularly limited as long as it has cushioning properties and flexibility, and is formed from synthetic resin, elastomer, rubber, etc., and may be formed using one of these materials alone or two or more of them in combination. The pad 3 may be formed from a foam or a non-foam. From the viewpoint of a good fit when worn and shock absorption, it is preferable that the cushioning material constituting the pad 3 is formed from a foam. When the cushioning material of the pad 3 is a foam, the foaming ratio is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 1.05 to 3 times, for example.

[0038] In the above-mentioned cushioning material, examples of synthetic resins include olefin-based resins such as polyethylene (PE) and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA resin), urethane-based resins such as polyurethane, styrene-based resins such as polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer resin (AS resin), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin (ABS resin), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0039] As the elastomer, a relatively soft thermoplastic elastomer can be used, for example, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer-based elastomer, a styrene-based elastomer such as a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), an olefin-based elastomer, a urethane-based elastomer, an ester-based elastomer, a fluorine-based elastomer, a silicone-based elastomer, etc.

[0040] Further, examples of rubber include diene-based rubbers such as natural rubber (NR), isoprene rubber (IR), and butadiene rubber (BR), diene-based copolymer rubbers such as styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber (SBR) and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), and non-diene rubbers such as ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), butyl rubber (IIR), and urethane rubber.

[0041] In this embodiment, the pad 3 may be provided with not only the cut 31 but also cuts in a direction other than the circumferential direction (horizontal direction), such as the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), so as to form a three-dimensional shape that follows the curvature of the joint site 7. Also, the pad 3 has three shock absorbing parts 32 arranged in series along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), but two or more shock absorbing parts 32 may be arranged side by side.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pair of left and right cuts 31 are configured symmetrically, but the pair of left and right cuts 31 may be configured asymmetrically. In this case, the pair of left and right cuts 31 are formed so that the flexion and extension portion 33 is located at the center position of the bending portion 71 (the center position of the kneecap (patella) 72). In addition, the cuts 31 are configured in a region overlapping the bending portion covering region 21, but the area of ​​the bending portion covering region 21 may be reduced, and the cuts 31 may be configured in a region overlapping the bending portion periphery covering region 22.

[0043] <Second embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 is a front view of the supporter of this embodiment, and Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pad provided on the supporter. In this embodiment, the same parts as those of the supporter of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the details thereof will be omitted, with reference to the description of the first embodiment.

[0044] In the first embodiment, the pad 3 is configured as a single pad having a cut 31, but in the supporter 1A of this embodiment, a plurality of pads 3A to 3C are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the supporter main body 2, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. In this embodiment, the upper pad 3A is arranged at a position overlapping both the bent portion covering region 21 and the bent portion peripheral covering region 22 so as to bridge the upper boundary between the bent portion covering region 21 and the bent portion peripheral covering region 22. The central pad 3B is arranged at the vertical center position of the bent portion covering region 21, and the lower pad 3A is arranged at a position overlapping both the bent portion covering region 21 and the bent portion peripheral covering region 22 so as to bridge the lower boundary between the bent portion covering region 21 and the bent portion peripheral covering region 22.

[0045] By arranging the pads 3A to 3C slightly apart from each other, the pads 3A to 3C can be moved in accordance with the movement of the knee joint 7. Therefore, the wearer of the supporter 1A can smoothly perform bending and stretching movements of the knee joint 7, just as when using the pad 3 having the cuts 31, and can suppress external impacts by covering the knee joint 7 with the pads 3A to 3C regardless of whether the knee joint 7 is in a flexed or extended state.

[0046] In this embodiment, the three pads 3A to 3C are arranged in series along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), but two or more pads may be arranged side by side. Also, a plurality of pads may be arranged in a matrix shape not only in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) but also in the circumferential direction (horizontal direction). Furthermore, the pads 3A to 3C may be provided with cuts in a direction other than the circumferential direction (horizontal direction), such as the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), to form a three-dimensional shape that follows the curvature of the joint part (knee joint part) 7.

[0047] <Third embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 7 is a front view of the supporter of this embodiment, and Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pad provided on the supporter. In this embodiment, the same parts as those of the supporter of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the details thereof will be omitted, with reference to the description of the first embodiment.

[0048] In the first embodiment, the pad 3 is extended vertically relative to the bend covering region 21, and the pad 3 overlaps the entire bend covering region 21. However, in the supporter 1B of this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the pad 3 is disposed at a position where it overlaps with a part of the bend surrounding covering region 22. In the example of this embodiment, the pad 3D is fixed at a position where it overlaps with the lower part of the bend covering region 21 and a part of the bend surrounding covering region 22 below the bend covering region 21. At this time, by configuring the cut 31 of the pad 3D near the boundary position between the bend covering region 21 and the bend surrounding covering region 22 as shown in Fig. 8, the pad 3D can be bent and straightened in accordance with the movement of the knee joint part 7.

[0049] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned pad 3D and the pad 3A of the second embodiment may be arranged vertically. The pad 3D may be divided into two pads, one above the other, and the two pads may be arranged in series along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, the pad 3D may be provided with not only the cut 31 but also cuts in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) or other directions other than the circumferential direction (horizontal direction), so that a three-dimensional shape that follows the curvature of the joint site 7 can be formed.

[0050] <Fourth embodiment> A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 9 is a front view of the supporter of this embodiment, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pad provided on the supporter. In this embodiment, the same parts as those of the supporter of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the details thereof will be omitted, with reference to the description of the first embodiment.

[0051] In the first embodiment, the pad 3 is arranged at a position overlapping the bend covering region 21, but in the supporter 1C of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pad 3E is arranged outside the bend covering region 21. At this time, the pad 3E is fixed at a position overlapping the bend periphery covering region 22 outside the bend covering region 21, and more specifically, the pad 3E is arranged on the opposite side (lower side) of the bend covering region 21 from the wearer's trunk.

[0052] With this configuration, when the supporter 1C is worn, the pad 3E is disposed at a position covering the tibial tuberosity 75 of the tibia 74 below the kneecap (patella) 72 at the bent portion 71 of the joint portion 7 of the wearer. As a result, the pad 3E not only functions without interfering with the action of the joint covering portion 20 of the supporter main body 2, but also supports the kneecap (patella) 72 from below, so that the kneecap (patella) 72 can be stabilized without shaking to the left and right. In addition, the pad 3E is displaced following the movement of the bent portion 71, so that it is always disposed at a position covering the tibial tuberosity 75, regardless of the bending and extension of the bent portion 71, and therefore can reliably mitigate impacts from the outside. In addition, since the area of ​​the pad 3E can be narrowed, it becomes difficult to tell from the outside of the clothing that the supporter 1 is worn, and the design is good.

[0053] The pad 3E has a straight upper side and is configured in a substantially semicircular shape that is long vertically, so that it can reliably absorb impacts on the bent portion 71 without impairing the circumferential (lateral) elasticity of the supporter main body 2. The shape of the pad 3E is not limited to this substantially semicircular shape, and may be configured in a substantially rectangular shape, a trapezoid shape with the upper base longer than the lower base, or an inverted triangular shape with the base side on the upper side and the apex side on the lower side. The upper edge of the pad 3E may be configured in an arc shape that surrounds the kneecap (patella) 72.

[0054] In the example of this embodiment, the pad 3E is fixed so that its upper end is located near the boundary between the bent portion covering region 21 and the bent portion periphery covering region 22, and is arranged so as to overlap a part of the bent portion periphery covering region 22 below the bent portion covering region 21. That is, the bent portion periphery covering region 22 below the bent portion covering region 21 has a region that does not overlap with the pad 3E below. Note that the positional relationship between the pad 3E and the joint covering part 20 of the supporter main body 2 is not limited to this example, and for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the pad 3E may be fixed at a position spaced downward from the bent portion covering region 21, and the bent portion periphery covering region 22 below the bent portion covering region 21 may have a region that does not overlap with the pad 3E above.

[0055] 12, the shape of the bent portion surrounding covering region 22A of the joint covering part 20A in the supporter body 2A may be configured to be an approximately A-shape with an open lower end, instead of the above-mentioned approximately O-shape. In this case, the bent portion surrounding covering region 22A on the lower side of the bent portion covering region 21 is configured to be an inverted U-shape surrounding the base fabric of the supporter body 2A. In a supporter 1D equipped with a supporter body 2A configured in this way, the pad 3E may be fixed to the area surrounded by the bent portion surrounding covering region 22A on the lower side of the bent portion covering region 21.

[0056] In this embodiment, the pad 3E is configured without a cut, but similarly to the first and third embodiments, a pair of cuts 31 on the left and right in the circumferential direction (horizontal direction) may be provided. Also, the pad 3E may be provided with cuts in a direction other than the circumferential direction (horizontal direction), such as the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), to form a three-dimensional shape that conforms to the curvature of the knee joint 7. Furthermore, the pad 3E may be configured with a plurality of pads, which may be arranged in series in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) or circumferential direction (horizontal direction), or may be arranged in a matrix up, down, left, and right.

[0057] In each of the above embodiments, the pad 3 is fixed to the inside (rear side) of the supporter body 2, but the pad 3 may be fixed to the outside (front side) of the supporter body 2. In each of the above embodiments, the supporter is described as being attached to the knee joint, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the supporter may be attached to a joint (ankle, wrist, elbow, etc.) that performs bending movements similarly to the knee joint.

[0058] Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and the detailed configuration, shape, material, quantity, method, etc. can be changed, added, or deleted as desired without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1. Supporter 1A Supporter 1B Supporter 1C Supporter 1D Supporter 2 Supporter body 2A Supporter Body 3 Pad 3A Pad 3B Pad 3C Pad 3D Pad 3E Pad 7 Knee joint area (joint area) 8 Thigh 9 Lower leg 10 Popliteal fossa 20 Joint Coverage 20A Joint Coverage Section 21 Bend Coverage Area 22 Covering area around bend 22A Coverage area around bend 23 Back cover part 24 Upper anchor part 25 Lower anchor part 26 Popliteal Coverage Area 31 Cut 32 Shock absorbing part 33 Bending part 35 Fixing fabric 71 Bend 72 Kneecap 73 Femur 74 Tibia 75 Tibial tuberosity 221 Elastic thread 222 Polygonal shape

Claims

1. A supporter comprising a supporter body that is tubularly knitted and has a joint covering portion that covers a joint, and a pad made of a cushioning material that absorbs external shocks, A supporter characterized in that the joint covering portion is composed of a bend covering region that covers the bend of the joint site and a bend peripheral covering region that is on the outer periphery of the bend covering region, and the stretch resistance of the bend peripheral covering region is greater than the stretch resistance of the bend covering region.

2. The supporter according to claim 1, wherein the pad is fixed at a position overlapping the joint covering portion.

3. The supporter according to claim 2, wherein the pad is fixed at a position overlapping the bend covering area.

4. 4. The supporter according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the pad is fixed at a position overlapping the covering area around the bent portion.

5. The supporter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the region covering the periphery of the bent portion has a knitted structure in which elastic yarns are formed in a ground knitting structure in a polygonal shape when viewed from the surface.

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