US3229305A

US3229305A - Garment for medical use

Info

Publication number: US3229305A
Application number: US297598A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kem R Nevitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-07-25
Filing date: 1963-07-25
Publication date: 1966-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-18

Description

Jan. 18, 1966 NEVlTT 3,229,305

GARMENT FOR MEDICAL USE Filed July 25, 1965 INVENTOR. KEM R. NEVITT BY/WJM" ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,229,305 GARMENT FOR MEDICAL USE Kern R. Nevitt, R0. Box 365, Fredonia, Kans. Filed July 25, 1963, Ser. No. 297,598 11 Claims. (Cl. 2-114) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the structure of two-piece garments suitable for use in the performance of surgical, obstetrical and like procedures, and to such garments that are sterilizable and yet impervious to liquids.

In the practice of medicine and especially in the practice of veterinary medicine, it is highly desirable during the performance of surgical and like procedures (by which is meant conducting examinations, giving treatments, performing obstetrical deliveries, etc.) that liquid impervious protection be afforded the doctor by a garrnent that does not impede his freedom of movement. It is also highly desirable that such garment should be readily susceptible to rapid, efficient and effective sterilization procedures (such as in a steam sterilizing autoclave), whereby the spread of infections and disease can be minimized.

It is also highly desirable that a garment such as described above be such as to afford a large degree of size adaptability to compensate for variations in the size of the persons who may have reason to wear a particular garment, or to compensate for the amount of outer clothing that the person may have need to Wear under the garment, it being noted that use of the garment may be called for under environmental conditions that can range from very cold to very hot.

Furthermore, it is also highly desirable that a garment such as described above afford an adequate degree of ventilation for the person wearing the same considering the desideratum of the garment providing liquid impervious protection.

A primary object of the instant invention is to provide a garment or suit that will afford liquid impervious protection to at least the forward portions of the body and legs of the person wearing the same, and that such garment be such as to withstand repeated subjections to sterilization in a steam autoclave without substantial deleterious effects.

Another important object of the invention in accordance with the preceding object is to provide a garment or suit having substantial size adaptability and affording a substantial degree of ventilation for the wearer, yet protects the wearer in surgical and obstetrical work and practices.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a garment that does not substantially interfere with the freedom of movement of the wearer, and which will provide a substantial degree of protection for the wearer from injuries such as might, for example, be inflicted in the practice of veterinary medicine by fang or claw. Also, a closely related object is to provide a protective garment which is itself resistant to stain from (and which protects or shelters a wearer and the wearers other clothing from) body fluids or excrements that thereby stain and/or which are odorous or otherwise objectionable (placental after-birth, blood, urine, feces, etc.).

Yet another object of substantial importance is to provide a garment in accordance with the foregoing objects which will be of simple construction, durable in use, and low in cost.

An important feature of the instant invention is that the garment is made primarily of a woven fabric that is coated with synthetic substance that renders the same substantially impervious to liquids, such coated fabric being sterilizable and otherwise easily cleaned.

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Another feature of importance is the construction of the garment being two-piece, with each piece being open to the rear to afford ventilation and size adjustability.

Another feature of the garment is that no obstruction to urinary relief of a male wearer is offered by the garment.

Still another feature is the simplicity of the parts and the small number and simplicity of assembly operations and corresponding low cost of the garments.

These and other objects and features of the invention will subsequently become apparent.

Broadly, the invention involves in a garment the improvement comprising a waistband adapted to extend about the Waist of a wearer, a pair of generally rectangular leg panels secured at upper edges thereof to and depending from adjacent portions of the extent of the waistband, each of said leg panels being adapted to Wrap about the front and outer side of a leg of a wearer with each leg panel having a remote vertical edge adapted to extend vertically adjacent the rear of a leg of a wearer when such leg panel is so wrapped, each of said leg panels being provided with a horizontal, generally rectangular extension along the margin thereof opposite the remote vertical edge below a position spaced below the waistband to constitute an inner leg panel, with said inner leg panel being adapted to wrap around the inner portion of a leg below the crotch of a wearer and having a free vertical edge adapted to extend vertically adjacent the rear of a leg of a wearer when such inner leg panel is so wrapped, and means to be disposed at the rear of a leg of a wearer and carried by the leg panel and the inner leg panel adjacent the respective remote and free vertical edges thereof for detachably connecting such edges.

Another aspect of the invention comprises a twopiece garment wherein the first piece corresponds to the structure defined in the preceding paragraph and the second piece is a shirt-like garment having a single continuous panel front having a length such as to extend below the top of the inner leg panels, said shirt-like garment including a neck opening and aback panel, said back panel being centrally divided from the back of the neck opening to the bottom of the back panel to define parallel vertical edges centrally located with respect to the back of a wearer, and said back panel being provided with means adjacent the vertical edges thereof with means for releasably connecting such edges.

A final important aspect of the invention resides in the garment being made of a flat sheet comprising a woven fabric coated with a synthetic substance such that the sheet is impervious to liquids, very resistant to puncture of tearing, light in weight and flexible throughout a wide range of temperature of garment use, and resistant with out substantial deleterious effects to repeated sterilization procedures wherein each procedure involves the sheet being subjected to steam at a pressure of about fifteen pounds per square inch and a temperature of about 275 F. for about fifteen minutes; said fabric being woven of synthetic fibers selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, and mixtures thereof, and said synthetic coating substance being selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, neoprene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, and

inafter is described in detail in relation to a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the upper, shirt-like portion of the garment, the same being flattened out with the back side uppermost and with the string ties secured;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the garment showing the same opened out and flattened out (except for a short portion of the central extent of the waistband) with the outer side of the garment being uppermost; and,

FIGURE 3 is a rear quarter elevational view of the garment shown as worn by a person indicated in dashed outline.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, the numerals and 12 designate generally the upper or shirt-like portion of the two-piece garment and the lower portion of the two-piece garment, respectively.

The upper portion 10 of the garment comprises a back panel 14 connected by side stitched

seams

16 and 18 to a front panel 20. A neck opening 22 is defined at the upper central juncture of the

panels

14 and 20 that is reinforced about its periphery by stitching 24. On the opposite sides of the opening 22, the upper edges of the

panels

14 and 22 are joined along the shoulder lines by stitched

seams

26 and 28.

The back and

front panels

14 and 20 are secured to short left and

right sleeves

30 and 32 by stitched

seams

34 and 36, respectively, as shown. The outer ends of

sleeves

30 and 32 are provided with draw strings shown in dashed outline at 38 and 40, respectively, which can be drawn up and the free ends tied into bow knots 42 and 44 to fit sealingly and snugly about the mid-portion of the upper arms of the wearer indicated generally at 46.

The back panel 14 is split or centrally divided vertically along the line 48 from the neck opening 22 to the lower edge of the back panel 14 to define

back panel margins

50 and 52 bordering the line 48. Sets of

tie strings

54 and 56 are secured by stitching, not shown, to the

margins

50 and 52 and secured by bow knots to secure the

margins

50 and 52 to each other at vertically spaced positions in an arrangement that the

margins

50 and 52 can be spaced apart to accommodate larger persons, persons wearing a substantial amount of clothing underneath the garment portion 10, or to permit a large degree of ventilation. The neck opening 22 can be provided at the rear thereof with metal clasp hooks (not shown), or with a set of tie strings. If desired the neck opening can be provided with an upstanding collar, also not shown. Such obvious modifications and many others are deemed Well within the ordinary skill of the art.

The garment portion 10 must have a length such that complete frontal and side protection is given the wearer. As shown in FIGURE 3, the length is such as to extend at least as low as the crotch and preferably a little below the crotch of the wearer. It will be seen presently how such length cooperates with the garment portion 12 to afford the desired protection.

' Inasmuch as the flat sheet material used in the

panels

14 and 20, and the

sleeves

30 and 32 are the same as employed in the garment portion 12, the nature of such sheet materials will be subsequently described. Similar considerations apply also to the character of the tie strings and the stitching threads, it being necessary at this point only to note that the

draw strings

40 and 42 can be of the same character as the

tie strings

54 and 56.

It will be apparent that connecting devices other than the illustrated

tie strings

54 and 56 can be utilized that are largely equivalent thereto; however, tie strings are preferred because of the adjustability aiTorded thereby, their simplicity, low cost, reliability and ease of use. Also tie strings are not subject to corrosion nor do they present problems of strong metal to fabric connection as presented by many metallic fastening devices. Furthermore, tie

strings if damaged can be repaired or replaced by ordinary skills and without special materials, parts or tools.

Passing now to a consideration of the lower garment 12, the same will be seen to be comprised of an open waistband 60 having opposite ends to which tie strings 62 and 64 are stitched at 66 and 68.

A pair of leg and waistband portions designated generally at 70 and 72 are provided. Prior to assembly the leg and

waistband portions

70 and 72 are identical and a detailed description of one will suflice for both. The leg and waistband portion 72 is of a single and integral sheet of flexible material and comprises a leg panel 74, an inner leg panel 76, and a waistband portion 78. The leg and

inner leg panels

74 and 76 are jointly of generally rectangular configuration, with the waistband portion 78 constituting the upper end portion of the leg panel 74 and projecting laterally as a narrow strip in the same direction from the leg panel 74 than does the inner leg panel 76. The juncture of the leg panel 74 and the inner leg panel 76 may for purposes of definition be considered as an imaginary line drawn parallel to the opposite or remote

vertical edges

80 and 82 of the

panels

74 and 76 that passes through the juncture of the leg panel 74 with the projection strip portion 84 of the waistband portion 78.

The upper end of the inner leg panel 76 is cut away or deleted along an arcuate curve 86 such that the juncture of the curve 86 and the edge 82 is spaced considerably below the projecting waistband portion 84. As will be seen, such curve 86 is to allow the inner leg panel 76 to pass beneath the crotch of the wearer and to leave the trouser fly of the wearer exposed.

In the preferred construction, the waistband portion 78 (including the projecting portion 84 thereof) is of the same overall extent as the joint lateral extent of the

panels

74 and 76, in which case the

entire panels

74 and 76 and the waistband portion 78 (including the projecting portion 84 thereof) can be cut from a single exactly rectangular piece of sheet material by cutting out a pie-shaped section having two edges-a first corresponding to the curve 86 and a straight second edge 88 inter secting therewith at 90 that is parallel to the upper edge of the waistband portion 78. It is to be noted that the lateral spacing of the intersection 90 is closer to the edge 80 than to the edge 82.

A tie string 92 is fixed at 93 to the edge 82 (at the juncture of the curve 86 therewith), and a further tie string 94 is secured by stitching 96 to the edge 82 spaced below the tie string 92. A tie string 98 is stitched at 100 to the edge 80 at a position on the same horizontal line as the tie string 92, and a second tie string 102 is stitched to the edge 80 at 104, the

tie strings

98 and 102 having a greater vertical spacing than the

tie strings

92 and 94.

On assembly, the leg portion 70 is inverted relative to the leg portion 72, and positioned under the latter so that waistband portion 78 of the latter is superimposed and directly overlies such corresponding part (concealed) of the leg portion 70. The rectangular peripheries of the superimposed waistband portions of the

leg portions

70 and 72 are then stitched together at 66 and 68 (tie strings or strips 62 and 64 being disposed therebetween) and along the lines 106 and 108. If desired, a sheet of stiffening fabric can be interposed between the waistband portions of the

leg portions

70 and 72 and stitched therewith. Such stiffening fabric can be of heavy cotton or a synthetic fiber as disclosed above in a weight and stiffness comparable to that of conventional buckram.

The leg portion 70 has

parts

110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122 and 124 corresponding to

parts

80, 82, 86, 90, 92, 94, 98and 102 of the previously described leg portion 72. The lower edge of the waistband 60 intermediate the positions 90 and 116 is reinforced by a strip of seam of fabric binding 126 folded over the same and stitched thereto, as shown at 128. The curved edge 86 of the inner leg panel 76 and the corresponding curved edge 114 of the leg portion 70 are similarly reinforced by binding strips 130 and 132 stitched thereto.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the manner of wearing the garment pieces and 12, as shown, the sets of tie strings 54 and 56 secure the shirt-like garment on the wearer. As to the garment portion 12, the tie strings 62 and 64 secured the waistband 60 about the waist of a wearer with a bow knot 134 at the center of the back of the wearer. The tie string 92 is knotted to the tie string 98 at 136 with the inner leg panel 76 passing below the crotch of the wearer. The tie strings 94 and 102 are, like

strings

92 and 98, knotted at the rear of the leg of the wearer, as shown at 138. Leg portion 70 is similarly connected. As will be apparent, the lower edge of the garment 10 extends below the level at which the top of the inner leg panels wrap about the legs of the wearer so that the

leg portions

70 and 72 together with the front panel of the garment 10 afford complete protection to the front portions of the person of the wearer.

Obviously the construction of the garment 12, like garment 10, afiords adjustability for size and ventilation for the wearer, it being noted that the entire rear of the garment 12 is also open. It will be seen that the

twopiece garment

10 and 12 does not constitute any obstacle for a male wearer seeking urinary relief that involves release of any fastening device whatever.

The character of the flat sheet materials used in the two-

piece garment

10 and 12 is considered important. The back panel 10, the front panel 20, and the sleeves and 32 of the garment piece 10, and the

leg portions

70 and 72 of the garment piece 12 are all made of a fiat sheet material comprised of a coated woven fabric. The fibers of the woven fabric are selected from a group consisting of nylon, polyester, and mixtures thereof, with nylon being especially preferred. The woven fabric is coated so as to be impervious to liquids with a synthetic substance selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, neoprene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, and mixtures thereof, with silicone rubber being especially preferred.

Coated fabrics of the character specified above are resistant to puncture and tearing, are light and remain flexible throughout the range of temperature of use, and can stand up without substantial deleterious effect from repeated sterilizing procedures, wherein each pro cedure can comprise subjecting the garment to steam under a pressure of about fifteen pounds per square inch at a temperature of about 275 F. for about fifteen minutes. Also, the garment can be easily rinsed or scrubbed in clear or soapy water. An incidental advantage is that the coated fabric is somewhat resistant to staining, and can withstand treatments for removing status.

A coated fabric sheet material found to be well suited for the purpose is marketed by The Connecticut Hard Rubber Company, 407 E. St, New Haven 9, Connecticut, under the manufacturers designation FGAAO, and specification BMS l-l7A Type 11, Grade B. This material has a thread count of x 42 and a thickness of 0.006". Thread counts of somewhat less than this to about 5 8 x 42 are especially preferred and a thickness of somewhat less than this to about 0.009" is especially preferred. This same manufacturer makes a nylon resin coated nylon fabric that can be used. The silicone rubber coated nylon fabric designated by such manufacturer as SGAOl is also useful.

Vinyl plastics are useful also provided the sterilization temperatures are not excessive. In general, selection of the fabric and the coating should be in keeping with the temperatures used during sterilization. If cold sterilization processes are to be used, choice or selection should be made on basis of resistance to the sterilizing chemicals to be used. It is preferred that the garment be suitable for steam sterilization because such mode of sterilization is deemed much superior.

As hereinbefore used, the term polyester has reference to synthetic polyester fibers such as marketed by E. I. du Pont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware, under the trademark Dacron; and chlorosulfonated polyethylene makes reference to a synthetic coating material marketed by the same company under the trademark Hypalon.

The

drawstrings

38 and 40, the tie strings 54, 56, 62, 64, 92, 98, 102, 118, 120, 122, and 124, and the re inforcing strips are fabric (preferably not coated), and can be cotton or woven of fibers of the character indicated as suitable for the sheet material. Thread used for stitching can be cotton or made of such fibers as indicated suitable for the sheet material.

Inasmuch as the invention is obviously susceptible to numerous variations and modifications of the illustrated and described preferred embodiment, the latter having been described in extensive detail only to convey a full and complete understanding of the basic principles of the invention; attention is directed to the appended claims in order to ascertain the actual scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a garment, the improvement comprising first and second substantially identical pieces, each of said pieces comprising a generally rectangular fiat sheet of flexible material having first and second opposite side edges and an end edge connecting said side edges, said piece hav ing a generally triangular-shaped opening at the first side edge thereof defined intermediate first and second lines convergently extending from the first side edge toward the second side edge and intersecting at a position intermediate and spaced from said side edges, said first line being spaced from and generally parallel to the end edge, said first line being disposed between the second line and the end edge, said pieces being superposed in at least substantial overlapping relation from side to side with the second piece being inverted with respect to the first piece in an arrangement such that the end edges of the pieces are parallel and superposed for at least a major portion of their lineal extents, and said pieces being secured to each other solely adjacent and along the overlapping lineal extent of their end edges.

2. The combination of claim 1, including a discontinuous waistband having a pair of free ends and which waistband is in part comprised of said superposed and secured lineal extents of the pieces, and means carried by the waistband adjacent the free ends of the latter for detachably connecting said free ends of the waistband.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet material of each of said pieces is unitary.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said sheet material is substantially impervious to liquids and is sufliciently resistant to treatment by steam at temperatures as great as about 275 F. to withstand autoclave steriliza tion without substantial deleterious effects.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said sheet material comprises a woven fabric together with a synthetic coating selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, neoprene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said coating is silicone rubber.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein said coating is neoprene.

8. The combination of claim 4, wherein the sheet material is comprised of a woven fabric that has a synthetic coating, said fabric being woven of fibers composed of a substance selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyethelene terephthalate, and mixtures thereof.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said fibers are nylon.

10. The combination of claim 8, wherein said fibers are a synthetic polyethelene terephthalate.

7 '8 11. The combination of claim 4, wherein said sheet 2,679,049 5/ 1954 Daniels 283 material is comprised of woven fibers of nylon coated with 2,766,164 10/ 1956 Salem. silicone rubber. 3,111,680 11/ 1963 Horowitz et a1. 2-227 References Cited by the Examiner 5 FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 173,120 12/ 1921 Great Britain. 1 01 07 2 1912 Potter 2 51 613,289 11/1948 Great Britain. 1,478,349 12/1923 Oberndorfer 251 2,520,026 8/1950 Beitchman X JORDAN FRANKLIN, P1 lmary Examzner. 2,525,070 10/ 1950 Greenwald. 10 M. J. COLITZ, Assistant Examiner. 2,668,294 2/1954 Gilpin 2114

Claims

1. IN A GARMENT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL PIECES, EACH OF SAID PIECES COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FIRST SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES AND AN END EDGE CONNECTING SAID SIDE EDGES, SAID PIECE HAVING A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR-SHAPED OPENING AT THE FIRST LINE EDGE THEREOF DEFINED INTERMEDIATE FIRST AND SECOND LINES CONVERGENTLY EXTENDING FROM THE FIRST SIDE EDGE TOWARD THE SECOND SIDE EDGE AND INTERSECTING AT A POSITION INTERMEDIATE AND SPACED FROM SAID SIDE EDGES, SAID FIRST LINE BEING SPACED FROM AND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE END EDGE, SAID FIRST LINE BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SECOND LINE AND THE END EDGE, SAID PIECES BEING SUPERPOSED IN AT LEAST SUBSTANTIAL OVERLAPPING RELATION FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITH THE SECOND PIECE BEING INVERTED WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST PIECE IN AN ARRANGEMENT SUCH THAT THE END EDGES OF THE PIECES ARE PARALLEL AND SUPERPOSED FOR AT LEAST A MAJOR PORTION OF THEIR LINEAL EXTENTS AND SAID PIECES BEING SECURED TO EACH OTHER SOLELY ADJACENT AND ALONG THE OVERLAPPING LINEAL EXTENT OF THEIR END EDGES.