Anti-osteoarthritis and anti-hypothermia garment and device

Abstract

A multilayered material is provided that exhibits therapeutic effects for relieving the pain and swelling of various forms of arthritis (particularly osteoarthritis), delaying the onset of osteoarthritis, or preventing hypothermia or alleviating conditions caused by hypothermia. The flexible, breathable multilayered material includes a first layer of soft and hypoallergenic material (e.g., cotton, silk, linen), a second layer of soft, heat retentive material (e.g., wool, cashmere) contacting the first layer, and a third layer of water repellent material contacting the second layer. Additionally, the multilayered material provides a thin, flexible, breathable fabric that can be used to construct various garments, devices, and gears to combat harsh weather conditions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multilayered material, comprising: 
 a first layer of soft and hypoallergenic material;    a second layer of soft, heat retentive material contacting the first layer; and    a third layer of water repellent material contacting the second layer, wherein each of the layers is breathable.    
     
     
         2 . A multilayered material according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a fourth layer of soft, heat retentive material contacting the third layer; and    a fifth layer of water repellent material contacting the fourth layer.    
     
     
         3 . A multilayered material according to  claim 2 , wherein the layers are stitched to form a garment, a device, or gear.  
     
     
         4 . A multilayered material according to  claim 3 , wherein the garment includes one of a hat, a jacket, pajamas, pants, a suit, a glove, a sock, stockings, a scarf, a robe, a skirt, a dress, and undergarment.  
     
     
         5 . A multilayered material according to  claim 3 , wherein the garment loosely covers a body joint for relief of a musculo-skeletal disorder.  
     
     
         6 . A multilayered material according to  claim 3 , wherein the garment loosely covers a body joint for preventing or minimizing effects of hypothermia.  
     
     
         7 . A multilayered material according to  claim 3 , wherein the gear includes one of a tent, a sleeping bag, a shoe, a slipper, a blanket, and bed linen.  
     
     
         8 . A multilayered material according to  claim 1 , wherein the second layer augments body heat.  
     
     
         9 . A multilayered garment, comprising: 
 a plurality of coverings aligned with respective areas of a body, wherein each of the plurality of coverings is multilayered fabric material that includes, 
 a first layer of soft, flexible, lightweight, hypoallergenic, and breathable material,  
 a second layer of soft, flexible, lightweight, heat retentive, and breathable material overlaid on the first layer, and  
 a third layer of water repellent, breathable material overlaid on the second layer.  
   
     
     
         10 . A multilayered garment according to  claim 9 , wherein the garment is a body suit.  
     
     
         11 . A multilayered material according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of coverings loosely covers joints of the body for relief of arthritic pain or for minimizing effects of hypothermia.  
     
     
         12 . A method for constructing a garment, a device, or a gear, the method comprising: 
 layering a plurality of fabric materials according to a sequence indicating a first one of the fabric materials to be adjacent to a second one of the fabric materials to be adjacent to a third one of the fabric materials, wherein the first one of the fabric materials is soft, flexible, hypoallergenic, and breathable, the second one of the fabric materials is soft, flexible, heat retentive, and breathable, and the third one of the fabric materials is flexible, synthetic, water repellent, and breathable; and    stitching the plurality of fabric materials to form the garment or the gear.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the stitching step is performed to produce the garment that includes one of a hat, a jacket, pajamas, pants, a suit, a glove, a sock, stockings, a scarf, a robe, a skirt, a dress, and undergarment.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the stitching step is performed to produce the gear that includes one of a tent, a sleeping bag, a shoe, a slipper, a blanket, and bed linen.  
     
     
         15 . A therapeutic garment comprising: 
 a plurality of sections for loosely covering areas of a body, each of the sections being a multilayered flexible and breathable material to retain body heat at the covered areas to delay onset of forms of arthritis, relieving the pain thereof, and reducing effects of hypothermia, wherein said multilayered material includes, 
 an inner layer of soft, flexible, breathable, and non-irritant fabric material, a middle layer of soft, flexible, and breathable fabric material having heat retention characteristics, and  
 an outer layer of flexible, and breathable material having water repellent characteristics.  
   
     
     
         16 . A garment according to  claim 15 , wherein the covered areas correspond to body joints.  
     
     
         17 . A garment according to  claim 15 , wherein the covered areas correspond to body parts.  
     
     
         18 . A garment for enclosing selected movable joints of humans and animals subject to arthritis, osteoarthritis and hypothermia, the garment comprising a multilayered flexible, and breathable material having body heat retention and augmentation characteristics surrounding at least one of the joints of the body, in order to retain heat in such joints for delaying onset of forms of arthritis, relieving the pain thereof and reducing effects of hypothermia.  
     
     
         19 . A garment according to  claim 18 , wherein said multilayered flexible material includes, 
 an inner layer of soft, flexible, breathable fabric material that does not irritate the exterior surface of the joints,    a middle layer of soft, flexible, breathable fabric material having heat retention characteristics, and    an outer layer of flexible, breathable, synthetic material having water repellent characteristics.    
     
     
         20 . A body joint covering for enclosing selected movable joints of humans and animals subject to arthritis, ostearthritis and hypothermia, the body joint covering comprising: 
 a multilayered flexible material having two opposite open ends surrounding and containing the joint and retaining body heat in such joints which delays onset of forms of arthritis, relieving the pain thereof and reducing effects of hypothermia, 
 said multilayered flexible material including, 
 an inner tubular layer of soft, lightweight flexible fabric material that does not irritate the exterior surface of the joints,  
 a middle tubular layer of soft, lightweight flexible fabric material having high heat retention characteristics, and  
 an outer tubular layer of lightweight flexible synthetic material having water repellent characteristics,  
 
   wherein said inner tubular layer being retained by the two opposite ends while being spaced from and loosely worn around the selected movable joint to allow freedom of movement of the joint within the body joint covering while retaining heat thereabout.