SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING PORTABLE PERSONAL MEDICAL DEVICE

Abstract

A garment for supporting a portable personal medical device such as an insulin pump may be provided with a double pocket. A first pocket may be sewn onto the garment at an esthetical desirable location on the garment. A second pocket may be configured to hold the device and may be positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket. An access port through the garment may be positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket and may be configured to permit passage of a connector from the device to a user of the device.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/289,543, filed on Dec. 23, 2009

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to portable personal medical devices and more particularly to a system for supporting such devices within clothing of a user.

Modern medical practice may employ various portable personal devices to monitor or maintain a person's state of health. For example, portable transmitters or recorders may be used to continuously transmit or record a patient's cardiac data or portable insulin pumps may be used to continuously maintain a proper level of insulin in a patient. These portable personal devices must be continuously carried by a patient and therefore must be either attached to the body or to clothing worn by the patient. An advantage of the portable nature of these devices is that the patient may use the device while continuing with ordinary day-to-day activity. In that regard, a patient may desire to conceal the devices when in use.

It may be seen that there is a need for system that will permit a portable personal medical device to be conveniently and effectively carried by a patient while being concealed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a garment for supporting a portable personal medical device may comprise an inner pocket configured to hold the device, an access port through the garment configured to permit passage of a connector from the device to a user of the device, and an outer pocket overlying the inner pocket.

In another aspect of the present invention, a garment for supporting a portable personal medical device may comprise a first pocket sewn onto the garment at an esthetical desirable location on the garment. A second pocket may be configured to hold the device and may be positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket. An access port through the garment may be positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket. The access port may be configured to permit passage of a connector from the device to a user of the device.

In still another aspect of the invention, a method for using a portable personal medical device may comprise the steps of: placing a garment with an inner pocket and an outer pocket overlying the inner pocket on a patient; placing the device in the inner pocket; passing a connector between the device and the patient through an access port in the garment; and attaching the connector to the patient.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a patient wearing a garment constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a pocket assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the pocket assembly of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the pocket assembly of FIG. 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide articles of clothing adapted to hold and support a portable personal medical device on a patient in a concealed manner.

Referring now to the Figures, it may be seen a user 13 of a portable personal medical device 18 may wear a garment 12 with a pocket assembly 10. The device 18 may be any one of numerous types of medical devices, e.g. an insulin pump, a cardiac monitor, a pump for chemotherapy medication and etc. For purposes of simplicity, the present invention is described herein using an insulin pump as an example of the device 18.

The device 18 may be supported on the user 13 by the garment 12. The garment 12 may have an inner pocket 16 for holding the device 18. The inner pocket 16 may be sewn onto the garment 12. An outer pocket 14 may be sewn onto the garment 12 to overlie the inner pocket 16. An access port 19 may be placed in the garment 12 in alignment with the inner pocket 16. In an exemplary embodiment the access port 19 may be a sewn buttonhole.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the device 18 may rest within the inner pocket 18. One or more connectors 20 may pass through the access port 19 to provide appropriate attachment of the device 18 to the user 13. In the case of an insulin pump, the device 18 may contain insulin and may administer the insulin, on an as-needed basis, through the connector 20, which may be a tube connected to an injection point (not shown) on the user 13.

The exterior pocket 14 may be larger than the inner pocket 16. Thus the inner pocket 16 and the access port 20 may be rendered occluded from view of an observer looking at the user 13 when the garment 12 is worn by the user 13. The inner pocket 16 may be made small enough to hold the device 18 securely in place. In that regard, it may be seen that the inner pocket 16, if exposed to view, might be considered unusual or unfashionable.

The outer pocket 14 may hide the inner pocket 16 from view. Because the outer pocket 14 does not need to securely hold the device 18, it may be made in any size. The pocket assembly 10 may be located at any point on the garment 12 that may be consistent with desirable esthetics for the garment. In other words, the user 13 would not be viewed as a wearer of a unique medically-oriented garment when wearing the garment 12. Instead, the user 12 would appear to be wearing a garment that is similar in appearance to any conventional garment that may have pockets as part of its expected design features.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A garment for supporting a portable personal medical device comprising:

an inner pocket configured to hold the device;

an access port through the garment configured to permit passage of a connector from the device to a user of the device; and

an outer pocket overlying the inner pocket.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the outer pocket is large enough to block visibility of the inner pocket from an observer of the user.

3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the inner pocket is sewn onto the garment.

4. The garment of claim 1 wherein the outer pocket is sewn onto the garment.

5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the access port is a sewn buttonhole.

6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the inner pocket is sized to securely hold an insulin pump.

7. A garment for supporting a portable personal medical device comprising:

a first pocket sewn onto the garment at an esthetical desirable location on the garment,

a second pocket configured to hold the device and positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket; and

an access port through the garment positioned on the garment to be occluded from view behind the first pocket,

the access port configured to permit passage of a connector from the device to a user of the device.

8. The garment of claim 7 wherein the access port comprises a sewn buttonhole.

9. A method for using a portable personal medical device comprising the steps of:

placing a garment with an inner pocket and an outer pocket overlying the inner pocket on a patient;

placing the device in the inner pocket;

passing a connector between the device and the patient through an access port in the garment; and

attaching the connector to the patient.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of administering insulin from the device through the connector to the patient.