US3853252A

US3853252A - Orthopedic device

Info

Publication number: US3853252A
Application number: US00356111A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Scianimanico
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-05-01
Filing date: 1973-05-01
Publication date: 1974-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-10
Also published as: JPS5013140A; CA1010336A; IT1010277B; DE2411783A1

Abstract

An orthopedic device to facilitate the putting on and removal of stockings from a handicapped person''s feet. The device has an elongated U-shaped slide member with rounded walls, the front edges of which are inclined toward the base and which terminate in a rounded portion. A lip extending outwardly and downwardly from the front end of the base is provided for facilitating the removal of the stockings. A pair of handles mounted to either side of the rounded walls are connected by a rounded portion attached to the outer surface of the walls and base of the Ushaped slide member. The rounded portion has a thickness which is sufficient to restrain a stocking from passing thereover during use of the orthopedic device.

Description

United States Patent [191 Scianimanico Dec. 10, 1974 ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE 211 Appl. No.: 356,111

[52] US. Cl. 223/111 [51] Int. Cl. A47j 51/06 [58] Field of Search 223/111, 118

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 732,854 7/1903 Hepner 223/118 2,828,057 3/1958 MacLauchlan 223/111 3,310,209 3/1967 Clauss 223/111 3,715,065 2/1973 Peck 223/111 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3/1961 Italy 223/113 Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Assistant Examiner-Peter Nerbun Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Basile and Weintraub [57] ABSTRACT An orthopedic device to facilitate the putting on and removal of stockings from a handicapped persons feet. The device has an elongated U-shaped slide member with rounded walls, the front edges of which are inclined toward the base and which terminate in a rounded portion. A lip extending outwardly and downwardly from the front end of the base is provided for facilitating the removal of the stockings. A pair of handles mounted to either side of the rounded walls are connected by a rounded portion attached to the outer surface of the walls and base of the U-shaped slide member. The rounded portion has a thickness which is sufficient to restrain a stocking from passing thereover during use of the orthopedic device.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 ORTHOPEDIC DEYICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled.

I in the art of orthopedic devices for facilitating the placdevices and, in particular, to orthopedic device for assisting in the putting on of stockings and the like and for the removal of such stockings from the foot of a handicapped person.

2. Description of the Prior Art In many instances, handicapped persons have only limited bending capacity ofthe body and legs. Such limited bending capabilities may be due to crippling arthritis, obesity, heart ailments or other physical handicaps, all of which prevent the user from bending sufficiently to place hosiery or stockings on their feet without aid. When such a handicapped person must use a tight fitting surgicalstocking, the task of placingthe stocking on is even more difficult than putting on an ordinary stocking. Many tools have heretofore been devised for assisting a handicapped person in putting on stockings, whether they be conventional stockings or the tight fitting surgical stocking. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,217, U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,271, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,209, U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,856, U.S. Pat. No. 2,796,207, US. Pat. No. 2,982,453, US; Pat. No. 2,939,618, U.S. Pat. No. 2,828,057 and U.S. Pat. No. 129,175. Although the various devices disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patents have functioned in an acceptable manner, they do not provide the ease of use which is required by the handicapped person,nor do any of these patents provide a means for removing the stockings once they are on the wearers foot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention which will be described subse- Y quently in greater detail comprises an orthopedic device for aiding a handicapped person in putting on and removing stockings. The device comprises a U-shaped slide member having a rounded wall with a pair of parallel handles extending from one end thereof, the handles being attached to the slide member by a rounded connecting piece which extends outwardly from the exterior surface of the slide member a sufficient distance to prevent the stockings from sliding thereover. The forward end of the U-shaped member is provided with a lip that extends outwardly and downwardly from the base of the U-shaped slide member and is utilized to facilitate the removal of stockings from the wearers foot.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved orthopedic device for facilitating the putting on and removal of stockings from a disabled person.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic device having all the advantageous characteristics of the prior art devices disclosed in the aforementioned United States Patents, but one which is extremely simple in its construction and use.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic device to facilitate the putting on and removal of stockings from handicapped persons and one which is durable and reliable throughout a long and useful life and which can be economically manu factured for sale at a reasonable price.

ing on and removal of hosiery for handicapped persons when the accompanying description of one example of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like components throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an orthopedic device constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the orthopedic device illustrated in FIG. 1 with a stocking in position thereon to facilitate the placement of the stockingon the foot of a handicapped person;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the orthopedic device illustrated in FIG. 1; 3

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the orthopedic de- 'vice illustrated in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the orthopedic device illustrated in FIG. 1 with the same in its initial position for removal of a stocking from the foot of a handicapped person.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing and, in particular, to FIG. 1 wherein there is illustrated an orthopedic device 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and comprising a slide member 12 having a handle 14 extending rearwardly thereof. A stocking 16 is adapted to be positioned on the slide member'l2 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 to facilitate the placing of the stocking 16 on the foot 18 of a handicapped person.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the orthopedic device 10 is illustrated as comprising the U-shaped slide member 12 having a base section 18 and upwardly and roundedly shaped

side walls

20 and 22. The

uppermost edges

24 and 25, respectively, of the

walls

20 and 22 terminate at a sufficient distance from one another to permit the insertion and passage of the foot 18 of the user. The forwardmost edges 26 (FIG. 4) of the

rounded walls

20 and 22 are inclined from the

uppermost edges

24 and 25 downwardly toward the front of the base 18 and are rounded off to form a juncture point at which the base 18 extends outwardly and downwardly to form a lip member 30 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The handle 14 comprises a rounded connecting portion 32 that has a contour that closely follows the contour of the outer surface of the slide member 12 and is attached to the rear end thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The rounded connecting portion 32 terminates in bent ends that extend rearwardly from the 'slide member 12 toform a pair of parallel rods 34 which, in turn, are rounded at their outermost ends 36 to provide an easy gripping means for the user. The unitary handle 14 is of sufficient thickness to permit the user to grasp the same and utilize the device 10 in a manner to be described hereinafter. The rounded connecting portion 32 of the handle 14 extends upwardly to approximately the mid-section of the

rounded walls

20 and 22.

The slide member 12 which may be conveniently fabricated from sheet aluminum bent into shape or alternately molded of a strong synthetic plastic member is opened at its top and at both its front and rear ends with its edges and interior surface being smooth to pre-- vent injury to the user. The handle 14, similarly, is fabricated from a metal, such as aluminum, however, the same may be fabricated from a strong plastic material.

In use, the stocking 16 will first be placed over the front end of the slide member 12, as illustrated in FIGS.

v1 and 2 with the leg of the stocking l6 beingbunched up slightly and over the entire slide member 12 with a portion of the stocking 16 being in abutment with the forward facing edge of the rounded connecting portion 32 of the handle 14. The front of the foot 18 will then be placed well within the slide member 12 so that the toe end of the stocking covers the front of the foot 18,

afterwhich the person using the handle 14 will pull upwardly on the same resulting in an upward sliding of the slide member 12 over the heel and the back of the leg of the user, carrying the stocking l6 therewith which slides off of the slide member 12 as the stocking 16 advances in covering the foot and leg of the user.

FIG. illustrates the manner in which the stocking 16 may be removed from the foot 18 of the handicapped person. The slide member 12 is positioned behind the users leg with the user grasping the handles 14 on either side of his leg while the lip 30 of the slide member 12 is inserted into the backside of the upper edge of the stocking 16. The device is worked downwardlyto remove the stocking 16 from the users foot 18.

It can thus be seen that the present invention has provided a new and improved orthopedic device for facilitating the removal and placing on of a stocking on the foot of a handicapped person.

It can also be seen that the orthopedic device of the present invention is provided with a unique handle which is easily used by the handicapped person because of its rigid construction and which, in addition to functioning to attach the handle to the slide member portion of the device, functions to prevent the stocking from riding over the rear edge of the device.

It can further be seen that the present invention provides an extremely simple means for facilitating the removal of a stocking from the foot of a handicapped person. This is accomplished by means of the lip 30 carried at the front end of the orthopedic device 10.

Although only one form of the present invention has been disclosed, it should be understood by those skilled in the art of orthopedic devices for facilitating the removal and putting on of stockings that other forms may be had, all coming within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A device for facilitating the putting on and the removal of stockings, said device comprising an elongated U-shaped slide member having rounded side walls extending upwardly from the base of said slide member, the front edges of said rounded side walls being inclined with respect to said base;

a handle comprising a pair of parallel rod members terminating in an integrally formed rounded connecting portion having a shape complimentary to the rear end of said slide member and attached to said rear end of said slide member on an exterior surface thereof, said handle for grasping by a user whereby a stocking engaged over the front end of said slide member is placed on the users foot by withdrawal of said slide member to pass the foot through the front end of said slide member said rounded connecting portion being of sufficient thickness to prevent said stocking from passing thereover when said slide member is reinserted into said stocking for the purpose of removing said stocking from said foot.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said front edges of said rounded side walls are rounded off to merge with said base; and tab means carried at said rounded off portion and extending outwardly and downwardly with respect to said base to form a lip adapted to engage a stocking carried by a foot to permit the insertion of said device into said stocking so as to facilitate the removal of said stocking from said foot.

Claims

1. A device for facilitating the putting on and the removal of stockings, said device comprising an elongated U-shaped slide member having rounded side walls extending upwardly from the base of said slide member, the front edges of said rounded side walls being inclined with respect to said base; a handle comprising a pair of parallel rod members terminating in an integrally formed rounded connecting portion having a shape complimentary to the rear end of said slide member and attached to said rear end of said slide member on an exterior surface thereof, said handle for grasping by a user whereby a stocking engaged over the front end of said slide member is placed on the user''s foot by withdrawal of said slide member to pass the foot through the front end of said slide member said rounded connecting portion being of sufficient thickness to prevent said stocking from passing thereover when said slide member is reinserted into said stocking for the purpose of removing said stocking from said foot.