Self-help devie for handling socks, supporet stockings and stockings in general

Abstract

Self-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockings in general, especially designed for people with difficult or impaired mobility, which comprises two essentially tubular pieces, which have a longitudinal opening and which can be attached to one another by the introduction of one in the other, where in one of said pieces the upper part of the garment is fixed to be put on passing it through its interior and then disposing it in surrounding manner thereof, whilst the second piece is hingedly attached to pull-rods to simultaneously place both pieces progressively putting the garment on the user's foot, whose toes are from the beginning in contact with the toe of the garment as this is totally housed inside the tubular pieces previously attached to one another. The device also comprises an accessory so that the user may comfortably remove the garment from the foot, the accessory being defined by a rod on whose lower end is fixed a piece for the blocking of the open end of the garment and, in these conditions, push it downwards to remove it from the foot.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention, as stated in the title of this specification, relates to a self-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockings in general, specially designed for people with difficult or impaired mobility in the joints of their legs, hips and / or back. More specifically, this device has the purpose of resolving the problems that those people must face when putting on or taking off their socks or stockings due to suffering, for example, degenerative joint diseases such as arthritis, among others. In this regard, this device is also extremely appropriate for helping people who, having undergone surgical interventions or having suffered traumatic accidents, have one or both legs or their waist totally or partially immobilized which, obviously, hinders or prevents them from putting on and taking off stockings and socks by themselves. It should be highlighted that their usefulness and practicality makes it indicated for any person who,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] With the purpose of resolving the drawbacks and deficiencies of the aids known up to present, the device object of the present utility model has been developed, which, as will clearly be seen on describing it with reference to the figures which illustrate it, offers outstanding advantages whereby people with impaired mobility, such as those who suffer from degenerative joint diseases or for other motives have reduced capacity of movement of his / her joints, can put on and take off by themselves the socks and stockings in general, even support stockings, with no difficulties and with such ease that this device is suitable for users of any age and strength; from a young person to an elderly person.

[0013] It is therefore an object of the present utility model to provide a self-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockings in general, especially designed for people with difficult or impaired movement such as those who suffer from degenerative joint diseases or who have suffered accidents whereby they have one or both legs totally or partially immobilized which hinders or prevents them from both putting on and taking off stockings and socks. It is also indicated for any person who, although not suffering any of said diseases, nor having undergone a surgical intervention, normally or occasionally uses support stockings (for example in the case of varicose veins and circulatory problems) or also indicated for persons with reduced mobility due to obesity, pregnancy, advanced age, etc., this apparatus being of the type formed by a pair of pull-roads at whose end are defined handles wherefrom the user holds the device during the putting on of the socks or stockings, and whose lower end is hingedly attached to a piece operationally linked to the garment to put it on the user's foot and slide it on the leg thereof. This device is particularly defined by the combination of a first and second pieces of essentially tubular geometry, independent, complementary and can be axially attached to one another by the complete introduction of one into the other, where the upper part of the garment, whether a sock or a stocking, is disposed in surrounding manner outside the first piece, while the lower part of the garment is totally housed inside the second piece as it is already inserted in the first, the second piece being hingedly attached to the pull-rods to displace as a whole said first and second pieces progressively covering the user's foot, whose toes are from the start in contact with the toe of the sock or stocking, and then the user's leg. The invention also provides an accessory to help take off the stockings or socks, which is defined by a rod, similar to the previous, at whose lower end is disposed a piece for the blocking of the open end of the garment and thus permit pushing it downwards towards to remove it from the foot.

Problems solved by technology

One of the drawbacks of these apparatus lies in the instability of the insole, due to the little consistency of the material in which it is produced and the use of cords for the pulling thereof, which leads to complications for introducing the foot into the corresponding sock or stocking.

Another drawback is that the insole must rest on the floor to offer a consistent platform whereby the foot can be introduced, so that the sock comes into direct contact with the floor, which should be avoided for reasons of hygiene.

These drawbacks are due to the fact that it has a single bar to pull, which makes it less efficient than these apparatus.

The lack of stability of the cylinder means that they cannot be put inside slender or especially narrow socks, therefore not being suitable, for example, for sports socks, or for support stockings.

A first consequence is that the foot is gradually introduced within the sock by force of pulling it, which hinders the introduction of the foot and, therefore, that apparatus is not suitable for socks which are difficult to put on, for example those that are especially narrow, for example those for sports use, and for those which a lot of effort is required, such as the case of support stockings.

Another negative consequence linked to the previous is that as the sock is introduced through the open thereof and far from its toe, at the same time as hindering its introduction as it may not leave the sock well positioned, but with creases, folds, etc.

That means that the sock must be pulled upwards and, consequently, it is not perfectly positioned, it is much more difficult to accommodate them and furthermore, those aids cannot be used with support stockings and narrow socks, due to the fact that the user should exert a great force pulling the support stockings and slender or narrow socks.

Therefore, the function of said aids is to pull the stockings and socks, which is a serious drawback.

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