Abstract: The invention relates to a variable tension chest support for use by patients having undergone thoracic surgery. The chest support may be worn directly on the skin of a patient and comprises a band of stretchable material and one or more grips which are wholly or partially concealed within pockets with which the patient may alter the tension of the chest encircling band. The device allows a patient to modify the level of tension applied to the chest, thus managing the recovery process, while providing a basic level of support at all times the support is in use.

Abstract: In combination with a bra having a front anchor strap portion and a rear anchor strap portion, an adjustable bra strap includes an elongated enclosed loop of flexible fabric with one end forming an attachment section. One end of the enclosed loop is coupled to the rear anchor strap portion and the other end is coupled to the front anchor strap portion. The enclosed loop extends through a first coupler with the attached coupler being movable longitudinally along one side of the enclosed loop. An element of a fastener is affixed to the attachment section and a complemental element is affixed to a facing portion of the enclosed loop. The element is positioned to mate with and releasably connect to the complement element in a selected orientation.

Abstract: A closure system comprises a hook and pile material having hooks on one side and pile on the other side. With regard to footwear, the present invention is a shoe comprising this material allowing a wearer to adjust the point of attachment of closure straps on the exterior of the outer member of the shoe, thereby allowing every shoe wearer to wear the strap across the throat of the shoe at a different location. With regard to apparel, the present invention is a closure system comprising a single-ply hook and pile material in which the overlapped piece, or the exterior piece attaches to the underlapped piece, or the interior piece that provides the wearer with the ability to customize the fitting of the apparel, including the tightness of the apparel around an individual.

Abstract: The shirt with hook and loop fasteners has a front panel, a rear panel, and a collar portion. The front panel is split, defining an overlap and an underlap. The overlap and underlap are detachably connected together by mating hook and loop fastener segments which are affixed to corresponding positions on an inner face of the overlap and an outer face of the underlap. A series of buttons are affixed to an outer face of the overlap but do not serve as fasteners. A neck button, disposed proximate the top edge of the underlap may be inserted through a buttonhole proximate the top edge of the overlap to hold the collar around the neck of the wearer. Once the overlap and the underlap are connected, the shirt may be worn with the collar open or closed and still resemble a conventional button shirtfront.

Abstract: An athletic garment and equipment system according to the present invention includes an athletic garment having at least one section of knitted elastomeric raised loop fabric of a preferred design. The system also includes an athletic pad, pad assembly or other athletic equipment including at least one male hook substrate piece. The section of elastomeric raised loop fabric may be stretched and fixed to the male hood substrate piece to secure the garment to the athletic pad.

Abstract: A cutaway vest generally includes a rear portion having an internal cummerbund, a front portion, and a pull cord. The cutaway vest includes a cutaway attachment in each shoulder and in the back for cutting away the shoulders, the sides, and the cummerbund upon pulling and removing a pull cord from the cutaway vest. The cutaway attachment may include a loop which is inserted through a ring and secured in place by a cable of the pull cord.

Abstract: The present invention relates to strap assemblies. More specifically, the present invention relates to strap assemblies for supporting one or more devices mountable on an individual or patient, such as a drainage reservoir or other medical devices. Furthermore, the strap assemblies of the present invention are designed to alleviate some of the discomfort in wearing such an assembly. The strap assemblies of the present invention generally comprise a waist strap, a shoulder strap device and one or more front straps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shirt which has a lower adjustable sleeve segment that is capable of being removably attached to an upper fixed segment. The shirt includes first and second indexing mechanisms which, when aligned, provide desired circumferential orientation of the lower section with respect to the upper section. The indexing mechanism may embody patches affixed to the upper and lower segments. The indexing mechanism may also be incorporated into the attachment mechanisms, such as distinctly colored buttons or distinctly colored thread which secure the buttons or form the button holes.

Abstract: A vest for a golfer. The vest includes a carrying mode, a wearing mode, a chest-engaging portion that engages the chest of the golfer, a back-engaging portion that is attached to the chest-engaging portion and engages the back of the golfer, and a, knock down golf club. The chest-engaging portion has six golf club head-holding pockets that are disposed in two columns of. Three pockets each and are small for holding detachable golf club heads. The back-engaging portion has a pair of golf club shaft-holding pockets that are disposed side by side, and are long, narrow, and vertically-oriented for holding segmented golf club shafts. The knock down golf club includes a shaft that includes a pair of separate portions that are disposed end to end in collinear relationship and threadably engaged to each other so ;Is to allow the shaft to be separated into the pair of separate portions and stored in one of the pair of golf club shaft-holding pockets.

Abstract: In a garment which can receive a printed circuit board having a sound synthetic chip (10), a sound outputting element (12), a switch (14), a battery (15) and the like mounted on the printed circuit board (20) and which is capable of outputting a sound or breaking the output of the sound by operating the switch (14), said garment comprises a button exposing hole (32) for exposing at least a portion of the button (14a) of said switch (14) and said sound outputting element (12) in front of it; and a moisture-proof paper (70) being positioned between an inner surface of said non-woven fabric pocket (30) and an rear surface of said printed circuit board (20).

Abstract: A medical access shirt which includes a lower portion adapted to cover a person's torso, a right sleeve portion and a left sleeve portion connected to the lower portion. The upper part of the shirt includes front, back, right and left flaps. The front and back flaps are integral with the lower portion. Each flap has a top edge and a pair of side edges. Each flap has a top edge and a pair of side edges. The side edges of each of the front and back flaps have first releasable fastening elements for attachably engaging second releasable fastening elements at the side edges of the left and right side flaps so that the upper edges of the flaps form an annular collar and an access opening is formed between each pair of adjoining side edges of the flaps at the lower ends of the flaps.

Abstract: A garment fastening system for use with a pair of pants having a pair of adjoining leg segments joined at a crotch area, a waistband encircling the top opening of the pants which parts at a fly opening, wherein the fly opening consists of adjacent fly flaps, comprising hook and loop fastener strips permanently secured to each of the adjacent fly flaps to help individuals who have a difficulty in manipulating a zipper to dress into or out of the pants. In another embodiment, the garment fastening system is used with a dress shirt consisting of a pair of adjacent shirt halves, and a pair of shirt sleeve having a cuff opening, wherein the cuff opening consists of a pair of adjacent cuff flaps.

Abstract: An athletic training device to keep an athlete's arms or legs in a releasably fixed position adjacent to the athlete's torso. The device is primarily for boxing, but has application in any sport where a "ready" position requires arms or legs to be held in a certain position in close proximity to the torso, prior to extending them in competition. The device consists of patches on the arms and on the torso which releasably engage each other utilizing material such as a velcro-type hook and loop assembly. The patches may be held on the torso and arms by separate vests or sleeves, or may be attached to one unitary garment such as a shirt. The position in which the arms or other extremities are held against the torso may be adjusted by placement of the removably engagable patches. The removably engagable feature allows the device to be worn in practice competition, because it holds the arms in appropriate "ready" position but, upon release, allows a full range of motion without incumbrance.

Abstract: An orthopedic shirt used by a patient during a post-operative stage of a repair procedure or treatment involving a patient's shoulder, arm or upper body region, and used with an upper body immobilization device such as an abduction pillow, brace, cast, splint, and the like. The orthopedic shirt consists of a first panel and a second panel that are substantially cut so that either panel may serve as a front or a rear of the shirt. Each panel consists of an outer edge. Each panel further defines a sleeve portion also containing the outer edge. Releasable fasteners are disposed along at least one outer edge of the panels, and sleeve portions of the panels. These fasteners releasably interconnect the two panels, and segments of the sleeves. This releasable interconnection of the panels, and sleeves allows the patient to be dressed or undressed without involving the movement of an immobilized shoulder, an upper body region that has undergone trauma, or an upper body region that has undergone treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to clothing that comforts newborns in periods of stress. The clothing holds arms of the newborn close to its body and is easily put on and taken off. The clothing comprises first and second sections fitting on the newborn's torso, side sections fitting over newborns' shoulders and integrating the first and second sections together and wraps extending from the second section. The wraps extend to the first section where they fasten in holding the newborns arms and hands close to its body beneath the first section. The first section, tightly held to the newborns body by the wraps, holds the arms and hands at the chest and abdomen area. The clothing may be worn either with the first section extending from the collar over the front of the newborn or over the back of the newborn.

Abstract: A distinctive article can include an elastomerically stretchable side panel having a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension. A member of hook material is operably connected to a first, laterally outboard edge portion of the side panel, and each member of hook material includes a hook base layer which has an appointed fastening region and an appointed grip region. The fastening region has a plurality of hook elements which are integrally formed with the base layer and extend away from a base plane of the hook base layer. The hook elements are configured to operably engage a selected, cooperating loop material. The grip region has a relatively lower density of the hook elements per unit area, as compared to the fastening region. The fastening region is interposed between the side panel and the grip region. The grip region provides a laterally terminal edge of the article.

Abstract: A garment for permitting ease of enclosing portions of a human body. The inventive device includes a front garment panel positionable over an anterior portion of a human body. A rear garment panel is positionable over a posterior portion of the human body and can be removably coupled at opposed lateral edges thereof to opposed lateral edges of the front garment panel to fully enclose the selected portion of the human body.

Abstract: An invalid garment 10 having at least one seam 12-18. The seam 12-18 includes mating attaching members 36, 38 which are adapted to selectively close and open the seam. A method of making garment 10 is also disclosed and includes the steps of opening a closed seam and inserting members 36, 38 into the seam.

Abstract: A multi-purpose gown comprising a front and a back defining a body portion having arm openings and a neck opening. The front portion is dividable into a plurality of segments by various openings releasably closable by a plurality of fasteners. A strap extends in the front of the gown from the top to the bottom of the gown. The strap includes fasteners for attachment to fasteners arranged on the front portions of the gown. Alternatively, the gown may embody a front having overlapping panels that cover the abdomen, wherein each panel has an upper segment adapted to cover a breast, side, and front shoulder region of the wearer. The upper segments are releasably joined to the back by fasteners at the shoulder edges of the gown. When either one of these segments is in its open position, portions of the patient's chest, front shoulder and side torso regions are exposed, while minimizing body exposure and maintaining structural stability of the gown.