US3411500A - Article of wear for applying a stress on the wearer - Google Patents

Description

J. D. GATTS 3,411,500

ARTICLE OF WEAR FOR APPLYING A STRESS ON THE WEARER Nov. 19, 1968 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1965 V INVENTOR. I James 2. Gain- ATTOR/Vf/ Nov. 19, 1968 3,411,500

ARTICLE OF WEAR FOR APPLYING A STRESS ON THE WEARER J. D. GATTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 50, 1965 INVENTOR. James a. Gazzs ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,411,500 ARTICLE OF WEAR FOR APPLYING A STRESS ON THE WEARER James David Gatts, 16 Lake Shore Blvd., Massapequa, N-Y. 11758 Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,204 11 Claims. (Cl. 128-68) The present invention relates to devices or articles which are adapted to be worn and which, when worn, provide the body of the wearer with predetermined stresses which must be opposed.

Under certain conditions, it is highly desirable to stress the body artificially so as to maintain at least part of the body in a predetermined condition. For example, a body in space or under certain space-simulating conditions is in a state referred to as weightlessness. Prolonged periods of weightlessness result in a lack of resistance to the muscles and bones, which is very unnatural and which, if experienced for prolonged periods, results in deterioration of the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system of the body. Much the same results are encountered during relatively long periods of bed rest when the muscles of the body as well as the bones thereo f do not encounter the usual resistance to which they are subjected during normal activities.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device which is capable of adding compressional force to the gravity resistant Ibony and muscular framework of the body in such a way as to substitute for or amplify the normal weight or acceleration which the body perceives in a normal environment or when subjected to a force of 1 g.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device in the form of a suitable harness or article of wear which can easily be slipped on or removed and which, when worn, assures proper stressing of the body to maintain its tone.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of the above type which is easy to adjust so that the forces derived from the structure of the invention can be regulated.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an article of the above type which can easily be adjusted to accommodate people of diiferent sizes.

Also, the objects of the present invention include the provision of harness which will simulate the acceleration of gravity while at the same time being very comfortable to wear.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a harness structure ofthe above type which is quite simple and inexpensive.

Also, the objects of the present invention include the provision of a structure which can produce localized stress effects on predetermined parts of the body, depending uponjthe stressing desired and/or the position taken by the user of the device.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is afront view of a harness according to the invention, illustrated while it is worn,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the harness of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the harness showing the user thereof in a seated condition.

Referring to FIG. 1, the harness or article of wear is generally identified by thenumeral 10 and is adapted to be worn by any individual, male or female, and is not to be limited in scope by the illustration of the male figure 12 in the drawing. Theharness 10 includes a Patented Nov. 19, 1968pelvic unit 14 to which is operatively connected a torsocompressing means, generally identified by thenumeral 16, for longitudinally compressing the torso as well as a leg compressing means, generally identified by thenumeral 18, for longitudinally compressing the legs of the wearer.

The harness orarticle 10 illustrated in the figures of the drawing is shown applied to the body of a male astronaut for the purpose of simulating the acceleration of gravity. Thus, the details illustrate the basic concept of the invention stripped bare of any covering suit or coverall to which the same may be sewn or otherwise connected. However, as the description proceeds, it will become clear to those skilled in the art that thearticle 10 may be a decorative garment in which thepelvic unit 14 is incorporated to be positioned about the waist of the pelvic area, thus permitting the garment to be made as any ordinary suit, jumper or coverall.

When worn by an astronaut, thepelvic unit 14 is adapted to be positioned on, about or in the vicinity of the pelvic area, as is apparent from FIG. 1. Thepelvic unit 14 includes apelvic belt 20 which is worn surrounding the waist of the wearer. Thepelvic belt 20 has a suitable buckle and is adjustable so it can be adapted to fit people of different sizes. Thepelvic unit 14 further includespelvic stirrup loops 22 which extend around the legs of the wearer at the pelvic region. Each of theloops 22 has-anend 24 fixed directly to thebelt 20, and from its fixedend 24 eachloop 22 extends around the rear upper leg portion, as indicated in FIG. 2, and then along the front upper leg portion at the pelvic area, the pair ofloops 22 passing between the legs in the manner indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

At the region of itsend 24, eachloop 22 includes a buckle-carryingportion 26 which carries abuckle 28 to which the free end of theloop 22 is adapted to be connected in the manner shown in FIG. 1, so that in this Way the size of theloops 22 can be adjusted to the particular individual. Theends 24 of theloops 22, which may be made of any suitable webbing, can be fastened to thebelt 20, which also can be made of any suitable webbing, by being sewn thereto, and, of course, the buckle-carryingelements 26 can also be sewn to theloops 22 in the region of theirends 24.

It will be noted that in this way thepelvic unit 14 is very securely mounted on the wearer. Theloops 22 will coact with thebelt 20 to resist upward movement of the latter while thebelt 20 cooperates with theloops 22 to resist downward movement of the loops. In this way, the pelvic unit is held and supported to reliably remain at its proper position on or about, and in the vicinity of the pelvic area. Because the rest of the harness structure shown in the drawing is connected directly to the pelvic unit, all of the structure remains properly positioned at the desired location on the wearer.

Themeans 16 for longitudinally compressing the torso includes a pair of elongated stretchable elastic torso tensors 30 which are respectively connected to front portions of thebelt 20 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. These elongated stretchable torso tensors 30 can take the form of any elasticized fabric or the like, which is strong but stretchable, or, if preferred, simple metal springs may be used. The elastic stretchable torso tensors 30 are connected at their bottom ends towebs 32 which are, in turn, fastened to thebelt 20. At their top ends, the torso tensors 30 are connected toadditional webs 34 which are fastened to ashoulder pad 36 formed with anopening 37 through which the head and neck of the wearer project in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The elastic torso tensors 30 may be in the form of elongated stretchable bands which are looped through openings of thewebs 32 and 34 or through metal loops carried thereby. One of the free ends of the elastic tensors is connected withslidable fittings 38 or the like capable of being shifted along the tensors for adjusting the extent to which they are tensioned.

The manner in which thepad 36 appear at the rear is indicated most clearly in FIG. 2 which also shows the rear of thebelt 20. A pair ofshoulder straps 40, made of any suitable webbing, are connected at their lower front ends, visible in FIG. 1, to the belt in any suitable way, as, for example, by way of the springs of or eyes 42. Theseshoulder straps 40 cross over each other, pass beneath theloops 44 carried by theshoulder pad 36, and then pass over the shoulders of the individual 12. They again cross each other at the back of the individual before reaching thebelt 20 where the rear ends of the shoulder straps are fixed to the belt in the manner indicated in FIG. 2. Therefore, theseshoulder straps 40 limit the extent to which the torso tensors can be tensioned during straightening up of the torso, inasmuch as the substantially nonstretchable shoulder straps will only permit a certain amount of stretching of the tensors 30 to take place. Thus, thesestraps 40 will also limit downward movement of thebelt 20 with respect to the shoulders of the individual 12.

The leg compressing means 18 includes a plurality of straps fixed to and extending downwardly from thebelt 20 and terminating in free ends situated at the inner and outer sides of the legs of the individual 12. These latter straps are arranged in four pairs. Thus, one pair of straps a and 50b (FIGS. 1 and 2) terminate at the outer side of the right leg, while a second pair ofstraps 52a and 52b are respectively situated at the front and rear and terminate at the inner side of the right leg of the individual 12. In much the same way, a pair of straps 54a and 54b are respectively fixed to thebelt 20 adjacent the left side of the wearer and extend downwardly from thebelt 20 to terminate in free ends situated at the outer side of the left leg of the individual 12.

Finally, a pair ofstraps 56a and 56b are fixed to thebelt 20, also at the left side of the wearer, and terminate along the inner side of the left leg. It is to be noted that the rightfront straps 50a and 52a are connected to thebelt 20 at the same location, and theleft front straps 54a and 56a are also connected to the left side of thebelt 20 at the same location, this reference to the right and left being with respect to the individual 12. In the same way, it is to be noted from FIG. 2 that the straps 50b and 52b are connected to the same location at the right rear of the individual, and the pair of straps 54b and 56b are connected to each other at the same location of thebelt 20 adjacent the left side of the individual 12.

Theharness 10 further includes holding or positioning means 60 in the form of a pair of foot stirrups which surround the instep of the wearer. Thesefoot stirrups 60 can simply take the form of loops made of webbing along the bottom and elasticized over the top so that they can slip onto the feet in the manner indicated in FIG. 1. When theharness 10 is formed as an integral part of a garment article, the holding or positioning means may take the form of elasticized cuffs that will snugly engage about the ankle or cuff of the wearer to serve as a lower part anchor or support for the compressing or stressingmeans 18.Additional straps 62 project upwardly from the stirrups in the manner indicated in FIG. 1, and these four straps '62 terminate at their upper ends in loops which are connected to fourleg tensors 64 in the form' of elongated stretchable elastic elements made of any'suitable elastic webbing, springs, or the like.

In the illustrated example, eachtensor 64 has a pair of elongated stretchable elements connected at one end by a pin on which astrap 62 is looped and at their opposite end by a pin to which a pair of the interconnected straps, extending downwardly from thebelt 20, are connected in the manner shown in the drawing. Thus, it will be seen that the pair ofstraps 50a and 50b are connected to theleg tensors 64 shown at the left in FIG. 1, these tensors extending along the outer side of the right leg, and in the same way thestraps 52a and 52b are connected to thetensor 64 which extends along the inner side of the right leg, and so on.

The free ends of the pair ofstraps 50a and 50b, in addition to being connected to theleg tensor assembly 64 situated at the outer side of the right leg of the individual 12, are also connected to a legtensor stabilizing belt 66 which surrounds and is buckled on the upper leg of the wearer in the manner shown in FIG. 1. This stabilizingbelt 66 is also fixed to the free ends of thestraps 52a and and 52b which are connected to the upper end of thetensor 64 which extends along the inner side of the right leg of the individual 12, so that this stabilizing belt when positioned onto the leg by way of its buckle will stabilize the location of the tensors with respect to the leg along which they extend. In the same way a stabilizingbelt 68 is provided for the left leg of the individual 12, thisbelt 68 being fixed to the free ends of the remaining pairs of straps which are connected to the top ends of the leg tensors which respectively extend along the inner and outer sides of the left leg of the wearer.

It is a simple matter to place the harness of the invention on the body and to remove it. With thebelt 20 unbuckled as well as with thepelvic stirrup loops 22 unbuckled, theshoulder pad 36 can be slipped over the head of the wearer. After thebelt 20 is buckled, thepelvic stirrup loops 22 can be buckled and then the wearer can slip his feet into thefoot stirrups 60 and buckle the legtensor stabilizing belts 66 and 68. The structure can be removed through the reverse of these operations in a very quick and easy manner. Thesliders 38 can he slipped along the torso tensors 30 to adjust the tension thereof, and in the same way thewebs 62 havesliders 70 which can he slipped therealong in a well known manner to adjust the tension in thetensors 64.

While the invention has been described as taking the form of a harness composed of various belts and buckles, straps, pads, stirrups, and the like, it is to be understood that the harness of the invention can take many other forms. For example, the harness may include a simple pair of trousers which has tensor elements in the form of elastic side seams extending along the inner and outer trouser legs. With such a construction, the bottom ends of the trouser legs can be held to the foot of the wearer by ankle or leg engaging cuffs or by the use of any suitable web passing beneath the sole of the foot, so that with this construction also longitudinal compression of the legs can be achieved. In the same way, an upper garment may be provided to longitudinally compress the torso, and it is also possible to provide sleeves of garments with longitudinally extending elastic elements for applying a longitudinal compressive force on the arms between the wrist and shoulders.

Also, it is possible to incorporate other devices into the structure or to use such other devices with the structure. For example, the individual 12 is shown wearing known venous back pressure cuffs 72.

Thus, in actual practice, it has been found that when the structure of the invention is worn by a person subjected to a condition of weightlessness or rest, it can subject the wearer to a simulation of the normal acceleration of gravity by applying its force constantly along the longitudinal axis of the human body. The compressional force is applied to the body in units which act independently as well as in unison depending upon the position or posture of the body at any given moment. For example, in the position of the individual 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is quite clear that the upper torso-compressing means compresses the torso longitudinally While the leg-compressing means 18 compresses the legs longitudinally, so that these two units act simultaneously to longitudinally compress the body.

However, if the wearer assumes a seated position as indicated in FIG. 3, the longitudinal compression of the legs may be eliminated, as indicated in FIG. 3, while the longitudinal compression of the torso is maintained, so that either one of the body-compressing units may operate independently of the other. If desired, the length of each compression unit may be further divided into smaller parts to apply constant stresses and compression forces to preselected portions of the body of the wearer. Thus, in the case of thecompression unit 18, additional stabilizer supports may be provided to surround the knees. These will enable the leg tensors to be divided into shorter lengths, each of which may stress separate parts of the body from the pelvic or waist area to the extreme ends of the feet. Hence, even during the sitting position of FIG. 3, the wearer will be subjected to compressive forces that will motivate his muscles and skeletal structures.

The structure of the invention adds a compression force to the gravity resistant bony and muscular framework of the body so as to amplify the normal weight or acceleration in which the body perceives in a l g environment. The upper unit of the structure applies the force from the shoulders to the pelvis, while the lower unit applies it from the pelvis to the feet. The above-described basic mechanism of the invention may be varied by including a circumferential glove-like tensor supporting device around the bony thorax necessitating increased muscular work to expand the chest and incorporating the leg tensor stabilizing device into a pair of trousers, coveralls, or the like, as indicated above. Also, other straps may be located on the lower limbs. In addition, the leg tensor pressure may be used to actuate the venous constricting cuffs 72 about the thighs in a cyclic fashion. Thesecuffs 72, which are per se well known, may be made of elastic and are designed in such a manner as to exert a constant pressure despite variations in the cross sectional area of the upper thigh.

The harness of the invention was tested during two weeks of complete bed rest by a man who wore the harness, with pre and post bed rest physiological and biochemical testing. The test results indicate the structure of the invention has pronounced effectiveness in:

(1) Reducing loss of muscular mass and strength due to a loss of gravitational stress along the longitudinal axis of the body from conditions such as bed rest or weightlessness.

(2) Reducing urinary excretion of bony calcium salts due to loss of normal compression stress along the weight supporting skeleton of the body.

1 (g) Maintaining the veni constrictor reflex in the lower (4) Reducing loss of cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary reserve due to the relative immobilization of bed rest or the loss of the exercise of supporting the body against the acceleration of gravity in a 1 g environment.

(5) Reducing the fatigue, backache, decreased metabolic rate, boredom, and depression associated with bed rest.

In consequence, the present article may be employed to maintain musculoskeletal and cardiovascular conditioning where gravitational acceleration or forces to which the wearer is subjected is at a level less than 1 g and.

musculoskeletal structures of the body resulting in 7 strengthening such structures and increasing cardiopulmonary reserve capacity. It may be used as an exerciser by incorporation into a lightweight under or over garment that will allow the wearer to be subjected to constant stresses on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, thereby constantly exercising such systems during periods of wear, which can be accomplished during the performance of most daily activities.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrates and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadings on the body comprising a pelvic unit adapted to be worn on the pelvic area, and means operatively connected to such pelvic unit and adapted to be applied to a portion of the body of the wearer to apply a constant longitudinal compressive force to the applied portion of the body of the wearer between the pelvic unit and said means connected thereto,

and wherein said pelvic unit includes a pelvic belt adapted to completely encircle the waist and leg means connected at each end of said belt and extending therefrom about a respective one of the legs of the wearer,

said belt resisting longitudinal downward movement of said leg means and said leg means resisting longitudinal upward movement of said belt to stabilize said pelvic unit about the pelvic area.

2. An article for simulating gravitational mass load ings on the body comprising a pelvic unit adapted to be worn on the pelvic area, said pelvic unit including a pelvic belt adapted to completely encircle the waist,

a shoulder unit adapted to be received about the shoulders of the wearer,

elongated spring means extending from said belt to said shoulder unit,

said spring means being under tension for compressing the torso longitudinally,

and leg means, one about each of the legs and connected with the said pelvic belt,

said leg means resisting the upward movement of the spring means and said belt resisting the downward movement of said leg means to stabilize the pelvic unit on the pelvic area.

3. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadings on the body comprising as recited in claim 2,

and wherein Said elongated spring means includes a pair of elongated torso tensor elements which are elastically stretchable and which are connected at one end to said pelvic belt.

4. An article as recited in claim 3,

and wherein said shoulder unit includes a shoulder pad situated beneath and connected with said torso tensors.

5. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadings on the body comprising a pelvic unit adapted to be worn about the pelvic area,

said pelvic unit including a belt adapted to completely encircle the waist, a shoulder unit adapted to be received about the shoulders,

stretchable means connected to said pelvic belt and extending therefrom to said shoulder unit for applying a longitudinal compressive force to the torso,

a pair of elongated stretchable means connected at one end to said pelvic belt and respectively extending therefrom along the legs of the wearer,

said pair of stretchable means having means to position the same along the sides of the legs of the wearer to apply a tension between said pelvic unit and said positioning means, and means to stabilize the pelvic unit, one about each of the legs and connected with 7 said belt to resist the longitudinal upward movement of the stretchable means between said belt and shoulders while the pelvic belt resists the downward movement of the stretchable means between the pelvic belt and legs. 6. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadings on the body comprising a pelvic unit adapted to be worn on the pelvic area, and two sets of elongated stretchable elastic means connected at one end to said pelvic unit and respeca pelvic belt adapted to be worn around the Waist,

a shoulder pad spaced from said belt and adapted to rest on the shoulders,

a pair of stretchable torso tensors respectively extending from said belt to said pad and being under tension when worn so as to longitudinally compress the torso,

a plurality of straps extending from said belt downwardly therefrom and having free ends respectively situated along the inner sides and outer sides of the tively extending therefrom along the sides of the 10 legs, legs to the feet of the wearer, a pair of foot stirrup means adapted to be worn on the said sets of elastic means being respectively connected feet and spaced from said free ends of said straps, with the feet and being under tension for longituand a plurality of leg tensors connected to said foot dinally compressing the legs of the wearer, said pelstirrup means and said free ends of said straps, vic unit including a belt to encircle the waist to resaid leg tensors respectively extending along the inner sist downward movement of the pelvic unit, and leg sides and outer sides of the legs and being under tenmeans connected with said belt to resist upward sion at least when the wearer is standing, so as to movement of the pelvic unit. longitudinally compress the legs and means about 7. An article of wear for applying a stress on the each of the legs and connected with said belt wherewearer as recited in claim 6, by the belt and the leg means stabilize said article and wherein a stabilizing means is connected with a on the body.

respective one of said sets of elastic means and sur- 11. An article as recited inclaim 10, rounds the thigh of the wearer for stabilizing its reand wherein a pair of shoulder straps are connected spective one of said Sets of elastic means. at front ends to said pelvic belt, extend therefrom 8. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadover the shoulders of the wearer along said shoulder ings on the body comprising pad, and are again connected at free ends to said a pelvic belt adapted to be worn around the waist, belt at the rear of the wearer, so that said shoulder a plurality of straps connected to said belt and exstraps limit the extent to which said torso tensors tending downwardly therefrom, can be tensioned. said straps respectively having free ends terminating at the inner sides and outer sides of the legs, References Cited a plurality of stretchable elastic leg tensors respectively UNITED STATES PATENTS connected to said free ends of said straps and extending therefrom respectively along the inner sides 975454 11/1910 244 1,544,162 6/1925 LaVlgne 12880 and outer sides of the legs, and foot stirrup means engaging the feet, said foot 1548711 8/1925 Cooper 128' 80 stirrup means including means extending along the 11/1926 McNabb 128 80 sides of the legs and connected to said leg tensors 1663641 3/1928 Smanwood 272 80 for maintaining the latter under tension at least 40 2097376 10/1937 Marshman 272 8O when the wearer is standing, so that the legs of the 3099261 7/1963 Doss ct 128 1'O1 wearer are subjected to a longitudinal compressive FOREIGN PATENTS force, and leg means connected with said belt to re- 488,296 9/1918 France sist upward movement of the pelvic unit. 296,110 1/1917 Germany. 9. An article as recited in claim 8, 204581 V1923 Great Britairh and wherein a pair of leg tensor stabilizing belts are connected to the free ends of said straps and are adapted respectively to completely encircle the upper leg portions of the wearer for stabilizing the leg tensors with respect to said leg portions. 10. An article for simulating gravitational mass loadings on the body comprising OTHER REFERENCES Douglas ad Newsweek, Sept. 26, 1955.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN ARTICLE FOR SIMULATING GRAVITATIONAL MASS LOADINGS ON THE BODY COMPRISING A PELVIC UNIT ADAPTED TO BE WORN ON THE PELVIC AREA, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SUCH PELVIC UNIT AND ADAPTED TO BE APPLIED TO A PORTION OF THE BODY OF THE WEARER TO APPLY A CONSTANT LONGITUDINAL COMPRESSIVE FORCE TO THE APPLIED PORTION OF THE BODY OF THE WEARER BETWEEN THE PELVIC UNIT AND SAID MEANS CONNECTED THERETO, AND WHEREIN SAID PELVIC UNIT INCLUDES A PELVIC BELT ADAPTED TO COMPLETELY ENCIRCLE THE WAIST AND LEG MEANS CONNECTED AT EACH END OF SAID BELT AND EXTENDING THEREFROM ABOUT A RESPECTIVE ONE OF THE LEGS OF THE WEARER, SAID BELT RESISTING LONGITUDINAL DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID LEG MEANS AND SAID LEG MEANS RESISTING LONGITUDINAL UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BELT TO STABILIZE SAID PELVIC UNIT ABOUT THE PELVIC AREA.

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