Tubular support for enclosing a body member

Claim 2

A tubular support for enclosing a body member, comprising: an elastic generally tubular member having an opening for receiving a body member, said elastic member being stretchable in all directions, and a facing on the interior surface of said elastic member having a relatively low coefficient of friction, said facing having the same stretch rate in all directions as the elastic member and being free of tension when not stretched on the body member, said facing and elastic member having absolute memory and constant equal gripping pressure on all parts of the body member covered and intended to be supported.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 in which: said facing is a sheet of knitted nylon bonded to the elastic member.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 in which: a sheet of said knitted nylon is bonded to the exterior of said elastic member to form an outer facing.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 in which: said inner facing has a coefficient of friction with epidermis lower than rubber and cotton.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said elastic member is formed of two parts sewn and bonded together along elongated opposing edges, said opening being at one end and a second opening being at the other end, said openings and said elastic member being generally elliptical.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 5 in which: said elastic member and facings are generally L-shaped, and the outer joint of the L-legs being removed to form a heel opening whereby said elastic member is adapted to fit over ankle and foot portions.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 2 in which: said elastic member is cellular rubber having closed cells, said elastic member being substantially thicker than said facing.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 1 in which: said facing has a coefficient of friction with epidermis lower than rubber.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 1 in which: said facing has a coefficient of friction with epidermis lower than cotton.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said elastic member is formed of two parts sewn and bonded together along elongated opposing edges, said opening being at one end and being generally slot-shaped having inwardly concave ends, a second opening at the other end of the elastic member and being generally elliptical, and a tubular thumb engaging member extending outwardly from one of said opposing edges, said thumb member extending upwardly in the direction of said opening at said one end but away therefrom, said opening at said one end having generally convex edges bowing outwardly from said concave ends.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said elastic member has a sewn and bonded seam in the elongated direction on one side thereof, said opening being at one end and a second opening being at the other end, said openings and said elastic member being generally elliptical, said elastic member being curved along the elongated direction so as to be concave on said one side and convex on an opposing side, a bonded and sewn seam transverse to said seam in the elongated direction, extending on both sides of the elongated seam for a fraction of the circumference of the tubular member.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said opening being at one end and a second opening being at the other end, and a strap extending outwardly away from said other end in the elongated direction of said elastic tubular member, said strap being continuous from one side of said tubular member to an opposite side thereof outwardly of said second opening.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said elastic member is formed of at least two parts sewn and bonded together along elongated edges, said opening being at one end and being adapted to fit around a lower part of the neck of the wearer, a second lower opening adapted to extend around the sternum area, the elastic member being adapted to extend upwardly from the sternum level and over the shoulders and back, sleeves for the arms extending downwardly from the shoulders to approximately the sternum level, a sewn and bonded back panel adapted to narrow the back on comparison with the chest to hold the shoulders rearwardly and the back generally erect, and a zippered front opening extending from the neck opening to the sternum.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 4 in which: said elastic member is formed of at least two parts sewn and bonded together along elongated edges to form high waisted pants, said opening being at the upper end of the pants and being adapted to fit approximately at the level of the sternum, the back of the pants being cut to fit lower than the front and the lower end of the legs having openings just above the knees, a gusset sewn and bonded in the crotch, and a zippered opening near a side of the front.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 1 in which: said elastic member is formed from a sheet sewn and bonded together along opposing edges.