Compression article

Abstract

A compression article and method for its production on a flat-bed knitting machine are provided for providing an improved fit to a body part. In the compression article, respectively the number of stitches per stitch row is matched to the radial circumference of the body part to be treated by the compression article. The compression article has a plurality of points which are distributed over its circumference and at which, in a stitch row, at least one of a stitch increase and a stitch reduction is realized. The number of stitches in the wale direction varies over the circumference of the compression article and is matched, in the longitudinal direction of the body part, to the shape of the body part to be treated.

Claims

1. A compression article, which is produced from a three-dimensional flat-knitted fabric created on a knitting machine and in which a number of stitches are provided in rows in a circumferential direction and wales in a longitudinal direction respectively and the number of stitches per row is matched to a radial circumference of a body part to be treated by the compression article, wherein, in order to match in the circumferential direction a shape of the body part to be treated, the compression article has a plurality of points at which, in a row, a stitch increase or a stitch reduction with respect to a preceding row is realized, and in that, moreover, the number of stitches in a wale varies over the circumference of the compression article whereby the compression article is additionally matched, in the longitudinal direction, to the shape of the body part to be treated and further in that the compression article is formed of a plurality of strip-shaped segments, which, in the circumferential direction, are separated from one another by zones of varying width in which the stitch increases or stitch decreases are located and the compression article is formed by closing the three-dimensional flat knitted fabric with a longitudinal seam.

2. A compression article produced from a knitted fabric created on a knitting machine and in which a number of stitches are provided in rows in a circumferential direction and wales in a longitudinal direction respectively and the number of stitches per row is matched to a radial circumference of the body part to be treated by the compression article, wherein the compression article is a compression stocking or sleeve formed of a double-layered knitted fabric and wherein, in order to match in the circumferential direction the shape of the body part to be treated, the compression article has a plurality of locations at which, in a row, a stitch increase or a stitch reduction with respect to a preceding row is realized, and in that, moreover, the number of stitches in a wale varies over the circumference of the compression article whereby the compression article is additionally matched, in the longitudinal direction, to the shape of the body part to be treated.

3. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, having a central longitudinal axis that conforms to a central longitudinal axis of the body part to be treated.

4. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compression article is a three-dimensional flat or circular knitted fabric.

5. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the double-layered knitted fabric is closed by a longitudinal seam.

6. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compression article is formed of a plurality of strip-shaped segments, which are separated from one another by zones of non-constant width in which the stitch increases or stitch decreases are located.

7. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compression article is formed of four strip-shaped segments.

8. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the segments have a different number of rows.

9. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side margins of the segments are non-parallel to one another.

10. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, comprising one or more elastic yarns.

11. The compression article as claimed in claim 10, wherein the one or more elastic yarns are present as weft threads in the knitted fabric.

12. The compression article as claimed in claim 10, wherein the one or more elastic yarns are present in the circumferential direction or in the longitudinal direction of the knitted fabric.

13. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of stitches in each row is arranged such that in use, the compression pressure exerted on the body part decreases from a distal end of the compression article toward a proximal end of the compression article.

14. The compression article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric is a double-layered or double-faced knitted fabric.

15. A method for producing a compression article on a knitting machine, comprising: measuring a body part to be supported by the compression article at individual measuring points; selecting a base pattern for the compression article from a catalogue of base patterns, the measurements of which best conform to the measured body part; adjusting a stitch count of stitch rows and stitch wales of the base pattern in accordance with the measurements of the body part in a circumferential and longitudinal direction of the body part between the measuring points to define a revised base pattern, wherein the revised base pattern comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending segments, respectively separated from one another in the circumferential direction of the compression article by zones in which the adjustment of the stitch count is implemented; knitting the revised base pattern on the knitting machine.

16. A method for producing a compression article on a knitting machine, comprising: measuring a body part to be supported by the compression article, by scanning of the body part; calculating a necessary number of stitches per stitch row in accordance with a measured circumference of the body part in that region of the body part that is covered by the stitch row; calculating a necessary number of stitches per wale of the compression article for covering the body part in the longitudinal direction thereof; calculating points within each stitch row at which a stitch increase or decrease is necessary with respect to a preceding stitch row and at which additional stitches in a wale are required, so that, a central longitudinal axis of the compression article conforms to a central longitudinal axis of the body part; knitting the compression article, using the calculated stitch counts per stitch row, the calculated points of a stitch increase or decrease in the stitch rows, and the calculated necessary numbers of stitches per wale.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein knitting of the compression article is performed on a flat-bed knitting machine or on a circular knitting machine.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the strip-shaped segments are knitted with common thread guides.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the compression article is produced as a seamless tubular knitted fabric.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein knitting of the compression article takes place using gusseting techniques.

21. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, having a central longitudinal axis that conforms to a central longitudinal axis of the body part to be treated.

22. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compression article is a three-dimensional flat or circular knitted fabric.

23. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compression article is a seamless tubular knitted fabric.

24. The compression article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the compression article is formed of four strip-shaped segments.

25. The compression article as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least some of the segments have a different number of rows.

26. The compression article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the side margins of the segments are non-parallel to one another.

27. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, comprising one or more elastic yarns.

28. The compression article as claimed in claim 27, wherein the one or more elastic yarns are present as weft threads in the knitted fabric.

29. The compression article as claimed in claim 27, wherein the one or more elastic yarns are present in the circumferential direction or in the longitudinal direction of the knitted fabric.

30. The compression article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the number of stitches in each row is arranged such that in use, the compression pressure exerted on the body part decreases from a distal end of the compression article toward a proximal end of the compression article.

31. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein knitting of the compression article is performed on a flat-bed knitting machine or on a circular knitting machine.

32. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the compression article is produced as a seamless tubular knitted fabric.

33. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein knitting of the compression article takes place using gusseting techniques.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reference to the following drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, explain the one or more embodiments of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of segments of a base pattern for a compression article.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of the compression article from FIG. 1 after completion on a flat-bed knitting machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) In the illustrated example, the compression article 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is produced on a flat-bed knitting machine and is divided in the design stage into four segments 11, 12, 13 and 14, which between them define zones 15-18 in which a stitch increase and/or a stitch reduction is carried out. The four segments 11 to 14 are knitted with common thread guides, so that the finished knitted fabric shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. The representation in FIG. 1 serves, however, to better illustrate the production method for the compression article 10 (also referred to as the compression knitted fabric herein).

(5) Each of the segments 11 to 14 is adapted in the zones 15 to 18 at the longitudinal margins of the segments 11 to 14 with respect to the stitch count in each stitch row such that the finished knitted compression article 10 is optimally matched in its shape to a body part to be supported. To this end, measurement data of the body part is first used to select a base pattern for the compression article 10 from a set of available patterns which already approximates to the desired shape of the compression article 10. The patterns of the segments 11 to 14 of this base pattern are subsequently revised such that the fit of the compression article 10 composed of the segments is optimally matched to the shape of the body part. This revision is made by adapting the stitch count per stitch row in the zones 15 to 18 at the longitudinal margins of the segments 11 to 14 and by providing gusseting zones 19 at least in some of the segments 11 to 14. Also the length of the wales of the segments 11 to 14 is varied in accordance with the body part shape. There is thus formed the three-dimensional compression article 10 shown in FIG. 2, which has merely to be closed by a longitudinal seam.

(6) The embodiments described above are descriptions of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various variations and modifications can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the design and scope of the present invention. The variations and modifications should all fall within the claimed scope defined by the claims of the present invention.