FRICTION MITIGATING GARMENT

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to a garment, and specifically to an alopecia mitigating garment.

BACKGROUND

Caregivers, such as parents of infants and nursing home attendants, may hold the receiver of their care, in order to provide the care. For example, a mother may hold her baby in one arm while feeding the baby with a bottle of baby formula that is held in the hand of the other arm.

SUMMARY

A garment includes a sleeve of material and a first securing element. The material includes a contact surface that is low friction when in contact with a surface of a human body. The first securing element is attached to the sleeve of material secures a first end of the sleeve of material to an arm of a wearer of the garment. Additionally, the first securing element limits movement of the sleeve of material along the arm when the sleeve of material is in contact with the surface of the human body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is described with reference to the following Figures.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an alopecia mitigating garment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a use case for an alopecia mitigating garment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an alopecia mitigating garment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a use case for an alopecia mitigating garment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed.

As used herein, unless otherwise limited or defined, discussion of particular directions is provided by example only, with regard to particular embodiments or relevant illustrations. For example, discussion of “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” and “longitudinal” features and/or relative motion, e.g., movement “up” and “down,” is generally intended as a description only of the orientation of such features relative to a reference frame of a particular example or illustration. Correspondingly, for example, a “top” feature may sometimes be disposed below a “bottom” feature (and so on), in some arrangements or embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, embodiments may be arranged in a different orientation such that “top” and “bottom” features are arranged horizontally relative to each other, for example in a “left-to-right” orientation.

The use herein of the terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” and variations thereof, is meant to encompass the elements listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional elements. Embodiments recited as “including,” “comprising,” or “having” certain elements are also contemplated as “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” those certain elements.

As stated previously, caregivers may hold a receiver of their care, in order to provide the care. For example, a father may hold his baby in his lap while feeding the baby, and rest the baby's head on his arm. However, movement of the baby's head, or the father's arm, may cause contact friction between the baby's hair and the father's arm (or the material of the father's shirt sleeve covering his arm). Further, this friction may cause tension in the hair follicles on the baby's head, potentially resulting in broken hair follicles and/or loss of the hair follicles. This type of hair loss is referred to as friction alopecia, which can be a stressful condition for the care recipient, the care recipient's loved ones, and the caregiver. Additionally, when the baby's head is resting against an absorbent surface, such as the absorbent fabric of a shirt sleeve, or the skin on the caregiver's arm, moisture may migrate from the baby's hair to this surface. Further, this loss of moisture from the hair follicles may cause the hair follicles to become more brittle and/or more susceptible to breakage or loss. To reduce hair breakage or loss, it may be possible to place a head covering, such as a bonnet, on the care recipient that reduces contact friction between the care recipient's hair and the caregiver. However, smaller children, infants, and elderly patients may resist wearing a head covering and/or easily remove an item such as a bonnet.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a garment that a caregiver may wear while providing care that reduces alopecia for the care recipient. Such a garment may have a surface against which a care recipient's head may rest, thus providing reduced friction with, and reduced moisture migration from, the hair follicles in contact with the garment. Accordingly, such embodiments may enable a caregiver to provide care with reduced alopecia for the care recipient. In these ways, such embodiments may promote hair growth for the care recipient, and reduce stress for the: care recipient, care recipient's loved ones, and caregiver.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example alopecia mitigating garment 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the alopecia mitigating garment 100 may be a wearable full-arm bonnet sleeve. More specifically, the alopecia mitigating garment 100 includes a hair contact surface 101, a garment securing feature 102, and openings 103. The hair contact surface 101 may be made of relatively low friction material, such as silk, satin, rayon, like materials, and blends of such. In this context, low friction may refer to a fabric, or other material, having a coefficient of friction equal to or less than the coefficient of friction of these materials. The coefficient of friction may refer to the coefficient of friction between two pieces of the same material. For example, the coefficient of friction for silk may range from 0.2 to 0.3. Additionally, the coefficient of friction for satin may range from 0.15 to 0.2. In contrast, cotton, which is not a low friction material, may have a coefficient of friction of 0.5 or higher. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the hair contact surface 101 may be made from a material having a higher coefficient of friction than silk, but which is treated with a substance that reduces the coefficient of friction of the surface to approximate the coefficient of friction of silk, satin, and the like. Substances that reduce the coefficient of friction may include cationic, anionic, and nonionic fabric softeners. Additional substances that reduce the coefficient of friction may include silicone, oils, waxes, fluoropolymers (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene), like materials, and blends of such. Additionally, the type of knit may also affect the coefficient of friction of various materials. For example, a lace or jacquard knit type may increase the coefficient of friction of the material. Accordingly, some embodiments of the invention may be manufactured with knit types that reduce the coefficient of friction of the material and/or limit any increase in the coefficient of the material caused by the knit type.

Accordingly, when in contact with human hair, the hair contact surface 101 may provide a reduced amount of friction against the hair, in comparison with the fabric of a blouse or shirt sleeve made from more coarse and/or untreated materials. Additionally, the hair contact surface 101 may reduce the amount of moisture that may migrate from the hair to the fabric of a sleeve made from more absorbent materials. In some embodiments, the full-arm bonnet sleeve may be of a length that is sufficient to reduce contact between the care recipient's hair and the arm (or fabric of a shirt or blouse sleeve) of the caregiver. More specifically, the length of the full-arm bonnet sleeve may be between three-quarter arm, and whole arm.

The garment securing feature 102 may secure the alopecia mitigating garment 100 to the arm of the wearer, e.g., the caregiver. In some embodiments, the garment securing feature 102 may be located at, or near, one (or both) end(s) (e.g., opening(s) 103) of the full-arm bonnet sleeve. In this way, the garment securing feature 102 may prevent or limit movement of the full-arm bonnet sleeve along the arm when the care recipient's head is in contact with this sleeve. Further, having a garment securing feature 102 at, or near, either end of the full-arm bonnet sleeve may make it possible for the wearer to put the full-arm bonnet sleeve on by sliding either opening 103 on the arm, followed by the other opening 103. Additionally, the caregiver may wear the alopecia reducing garment 100 over long-sleeved clothing, short-sleeved clothing, or the bare arm. Accordingly, the wearer may secure the alopecia mitigating garment 100 to the wearer's arm by sliding the sleeve along the arm on which the care recipient's head may rest. In some embodiments, the garment securing feature 102 may be a securing feature that is incorporated with, or otherwise attached to, the material of the hair contact surface 101. In one example, the garment securing feature 102 may include an elastic material, which may be attached to the hair contact surface in a similar fashion to the elastic material of a scrunchie (for fastening hair). For example, the elastic material may be incorporated within a channel formed of the folded material. Advantageously, a scrunchie-like garment securing feature may enable one-size-fits-all sizing for the alopecia mitigating garment 100. Alternatively, the garment securing feature 102 may include hook and loop Velcro fastener(s), buckle(s), button(s) (and button hole(s)), snap(s) (e.g., snap socket and stud), cord(s) and cord lock(s), and the like. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the securing feature may be attached to the garment with adhesive and/or stitching. In scenarios where the length of the full-arm bonnet sleeve is longer than the arm of the caregiver, the wearer may cover the arm with the alopecia reducing garment 100, and fold one of the garment securing features 102 back over the hair contact surface 101 at a location such that, when secured, the length of the sleeve covering the arm is shortened closer to the length of the wearer's arm.

In these ways, the full-arm bonnet sleeve may promote hair growth along the back and sides of the child's head by preventing hair breakage and loss caused by contact friction between the caregiver's clothing (or skin) and the care recipient's hair. Such embodiments may reduce alopecia for various hair types, including coarse hair. In these ways, the alopecia reducing garment 100 may protect the care recipient's hair as the care recipient is being fed, sleeping, playing, or resting on the caregiver's arm.

Further, the alopecia reducing garment 100 may be relatively lightweight, and manipulable for folding or otherwise compacting. In these ways, the alopecia reducing garment 100 may provide the convenience of transport and access. For example, it may be possible to store the folded up full-arm bonnet sleeve in a pants pocket, purse, and the like, for ease of transport and access. Additionally, the wearer may put the alopecia reducing garment 100 on by themselves, i.e., without assistance. Further, the alopecia reducing garment 100 may be useful for caregivers over a range of ages, regardless of gender, may promote hair growth in boys and girls, and help reduce friction alopecia in care recipients, whether they be babies or elders.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a caregiver 203 wearing the example alopecia mitigating garment 200 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the alopecia mitigating garment 200 is secured to the arm of the caregiver 203 by the garment securing features 202. More specifically, one garment securing feature 202 is securing the alopecia mitigating garment to the upper arm of the caregiver. Additionally, the other garment securing feature 202 is securing the alopecia mitigating garment 200 to the forearm of the caregiver.

Further, the caregiver 203 is feeding an infant 204, whose head is resting against, and whose hair 205 is in contact with, the hair contact surface 201 of the alopecia mitigating garment 200. Accordingly, the hair contact surface 201 is providing a reduced friction, and moisture resistant, surface for the hair 205 on the back and side(s) of the infant's head. Accordingly, the alopecia mitigating garment 200 may reduce the amount of contact friction with the hair 205 during caregiving, in comparison to the contact friction caused by materials having higher coefficient's of friction. Additionally, because the material of the alopecia mitigating garment 200 is moisture resistant, i.e., less absorbent than human skin or the fabric of the caregiver's shirt, such embodiments may reduce the amount of moisture that may otherwise migrate from the infant's hair 205 during caregiving. In this example, the caregiving may cover a time period that includes the feeding and a subsequent time after feeding, during which the infant 204 may sleep, for example. In these ways, the alopecia mitigating garment 200 may reduce the incidence of alopecia (caused directly by friction and indirectly by moisture migration) in a care recipient.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an alopecia mitigating garment 300 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the alopecia mitigating garment 300 may be a wearable bonnet bib. The wearable bonnet bib may be a piece of fabric, or other material, that the wearer may drape over some, or all, of their torso. Similar to the alopecia mitigating garment 100 described with respect to FIG. 1, the alopecia mitigating garment 300 includes a hair contact surface 301 and a garment securing feature 302. As stated previously, the hair contact surface 301 may be made of relatively low friction, and moisture resistant, material, such as silk, satin, rayon, and the like. Also, as stated previously, the hair contact surface 301 may be made of material having a higher coefficient of friction, but which is treated with a substance, such a lubricant that lowers the coefficient of friction for the material. Accordingly, when in contact with human hair, the hair contact surface 301 may provide a reduced amount of friction against the hair, in comparison with human skin and/or the fabric of a blouse or shirt sleeve made from more coarse materials. Additionally, the hair contact surface 301 may reduce the amount of moisture that may migrate from the hair to the fabric of a sleeve made from more absorbent materials, or human skin. In some embodiments, the bonnet bib may be over-sized, i.e., large enough to wear over a blouse, shirt, sweater, and the like. Further, the bonnet bib may be of a length that is sufficient to reduce contact between the care recipient's hair and: the fabric of the front of a shirt or blouse that is worn by the caregiver and/or the caregiver's bare torso. More specifically, the length of the bonnet bib may be between half-torso and full torso.

In this example, the garment securing feature 302 may be a scrunchie-like neck band that secures the bonnet bib to the neck of the caregiver. In this way, the garment securing feature 302 may secure the bonnet bib to the body in a similar fashion to a baby's bib. Accordingly, the caregiver may place the bonnet bib over their head, put their head through the scrunchie-like neck band, thus placing the relatively low friction material of the hair contact surface 301 over at least a portion of the torso of the caregiver. Accordingly, an infant may rest in the caregiver's lap, with the back of their head against the hair contact surface 301.

Similar to the garment securing feature 102, described with respect to FIG. 1, the garment securing feature 302 may be incorporated with, or otherwise attached to, the material of the hair contact surface 301. As stated previously, the garment securing feature 302 may include an elastic material similar to the elastic material in a scrunchie for fastening hair. Alternatively, the garment securing feature 302 may include loop and hook Velcro fastener(s), buckle(s), button(s), snap(s), cord(s) and cord lock(s), and the like.

In these ways, the bonnet bib may promote hair growth along the back and sides of the child's head by reducing hair breakage and loss caused by contact friction with the caregiver's clothing (or skin). Additionally, the bonnet bib can be beneficial for numerous hair types, including coarse hair. In these ways, the alopecia reducing garment 300 may protect the care recipient's hair as the care recipient is being fed, sleeping, playing, or resting on the caregiver's arm.

Additionally similar to the alopecia reducing garment 100, the alopecia reducing garment 300 may be relatively lightweight, and be possible to fold or otherwise be made compact. Thus, the alopecia reducing garment 300 may provide the convenience of transport and access through storage in a pants pocket, purse, and the like, for ease of transport and access. Additionally, the wearer may put the alopecia reducing garment 300 on by themselves, i.e., without assistance.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a caregiver 403 wearing the example alopecia mitigating garment 400 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the alopecia mitigating garment 400 is secured to the neck of the caregiver 403 by the garment securing feature 402. Further, the caregiver 403 is holding, in their lap, an infant 404 whose head is resting against, and whose hair 405 is in contact with, the hair contact surface 401 of the alopecia mitigating garment 400. Accordingly, the hair contact surface 401 is providing a reduced friction, and moisture resistant, surface for the hair 405 on the back and side(s) of the infant's head. Accordingly, the alopecia mitigating garment 400 may reduce the amount of friction between the hair 405 and the arm of the caregiver 403 during caregiving. In this example, the caregiving may cover a time period that includes times of play and rest. Additionally, because the material of the alopecia mitigating garment 400 is moisture resistant, such embodiments may reduce (in comparison to more absorbent materials and human skin) the amount of moisture that migrates from the infant's hair 405 during caregiving. In these ways, the alopecia mitigating garment 400 may reduce the incidence of alopecia (caused directly by friction and indirectly by moisture migration) in a care recipient.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention(s), including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention(s). Certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The patentable scope of the invention(s) is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have features or structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.