Pregnancy Compression Garment with Elastic Abdominal Section
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compression garments for pregnancy fail to provide a constant and uniform compression pressure outside the abdominal area without affecting the uterus or fetus, and are difficult to adjust to changing body circumference during pregnancy.
Innovation Solution
A compression body part or pantyhose with a posterior compression section made of knitted fabric containing a compression-imparting weft thread and an anterior abdominal section made of stretchable knitted fabric with a net-like hole pattern, allowing automatic adjustment to the abdominal circumference and minimizing compression pressure on the abdomen, while maintaining compression pressure on the underlying tissue outside the abdominal area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compression pressure is applied to the abdomen during pregnancy, then compression therapy effect is improved, but the uterus and fetus are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The compression garment is divided into two distinct sections: an abdominal section with reduced compression for pregnancy safety, and a leg section with full compression for therapeutic effect. This segmentation allows the garment to provide compression therapy to the legs while protecting the abdomen and fetus from harmful pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different compression levels are applied to different body regions: the abdominal section uses reduced compression to protect the fetus, while the leg section maintains full compression pressure for effective lymphedema and varicose vein treatment. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between therapeutic effectiveness and fetal safety.
2Reliability
If compression pressure is increased to improve compression therapy, then lymphatic drainage and edema resorption are enhanced, but the garment becomes difficult to adjust to changing body size
Solution Approach 1:
The abdominal section incorporates an elastic knit fabric with a net-like hole pattern that dynamically adapts to changing abdominal circumference during pregnancy. This dynamic structure allows the garment to maintain proper fit and compression levels in the leg sections while accommodating the growing abdomen, resolving the contradiction between maintaining therapeutic compression and adapting to body changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the garment structure is made complex to adjust to changing body circumference, then adaptability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the abdominal section by using elastic knit fabric with a specific net-like hole pattern, which inherently provides stretch and adaptability. This material-based solution achieves adaptability to changing body circumference without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving adaptability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the knit fabric is made more elastic to accommodate changing abdominal circumference, then adaptability is improved, but compression pressure stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is segmented into an abdominal section with high elasticity for adaptability and a leg section with stable compression properties for consistent therapy. This segmentation allows each section to optimize its properties independently: the abdominal section adapts to body changes while the leg section maintains stable compression pressure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and compression stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures a constant and uniform compression pressure outside the abdominal area, supports lymph fluid drainage and edema resorption, increases breathability, and prevents varicose veins by adapting to changing body circumference during pregnancy without harming the fetus.
Implementation Method 1
The abdominal section is formed from an elastic knit fabric without a weft thread and with a plurality of openings in the knit fabric. The openings in the base knit fabric of the abdominal section are designed as a net, grid, or perforation. The openings in the knit fabric of the abdominal section preferably form a regular, matrix-like hole pattern similar to a perforation or net. This hole pattern makes the knit fabric of the abdominal section more elastic both longitudinally and circumferentially, thus enabling automatic adaptation to the patient's changing abdominal circumference during pregnancy.
Implementation Method 2
When applied to a body extremity, such as a leg or arm, they exert compression pressure on the extremity. This compression pressure compresses the tissue of the extremity and promotes the drainage of lymphatic fluid and the resorption of edema.
Implementation Method 3
The openings in the knit fabric of the abdominal section preferably form a regular, matrix-like hole pattern similar to a perforation or net. This hole pattern makes the knit fabric of the abdominal section more elastic both longitudinally and circumferentially, thus enabling automatic adaptation to the patient's changing abdominal circumference during pregnancy. Furthermore, the openwork pattern increases breathability in the abdominal area.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a compression garment or compression stockings with a body section for the compression treatment of edema or varicose veins during pregnancy, the body section (1) has a posterior compression section (2) made of a compression knit fabric with a compression weft thread, as well as an anterior abdominal section (3), the abdominal section of which lies in the patient's abdominal area when the body section (1) is worn. To allow the body section to adapt to the increasing abdominal girth during pregnancy, the abdominal section (3) is made of an elastic knit fabric without a weft thread and has multiple openings (4), the openings (4) in the base knit of the abdominal section (3) being net-like, grid-like, or perforated.