US3451062A

US3451062A - Disposable examination gown

Info

Publication number: US3451062A
Application number: US534903A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-03-16
Filing date: 1966-03-16
Publication date: 1969-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 1986-06-24
Also published as: CH538260A; DE1920615B2; US3574864A; GB1261091A; US3745587A; DE1920615A1

Description

June 24, 1969 BRADLEY 3,451,062

DI SPOSABLE EXAMINATION GOWN Filed March 16, 1966 F/G. 5 I INVENTOR THEODORE BRADLEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,451,062 DISPOSABLE EXAMINATION GOWN Theodore Bradley, 147 El Dorado St., Monterey, Calif. 93940 Filed Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 534,903 Int. Cl. A41d 9/00 US. Cl. 2114 2 Claims Lewis, Ir. (Patent 3,154,789); Derrick (Patent 3,155,984);

MacDonald (Patent 3,160,891); and I-Irubecky (Patent 3,196,874) have addressed themselves to the problem of designing disposable examining gowns. However, the present gown designs are believed to constitute important improvements in this field.

Ofiice disposable examining. gowns ideally must be designed to permit observation and examination of both breasts at the same time, as pathology in the breast, which may cause minor distortion of the breast or difference in the size of the two breasts, may not be obvious when one breast is observed by itself, but may be immediately obvious when the two breasts are compared.

Similarly, it is important to be able to examine the base of the neck and the axillae in continuity with the examination of the breasts since the tail of the breast extends into the axilla, and since pathology in the breast spreads to the lymph nodes in the axilla and to the lymph nodes in the base of the neck. Examination of the axilla is best done with the patients hands first on their hips so that the examiners fingers may palpate the lymph nodes in the apex of the axilla and then with the patients arms raised upwards over the head so that the lymph nodes along the lateral wall of the axilla may be palpated. This examination should be continuous with the examination of the breast since pathology in the breast spreads to the axilla. Gowns that allow the breasts to be examined by turning flaps laterally will obscure the axillae and prevent the breasts and axillae from being examined in continuity. Ausculation of the chest requires, of course, a comparison of the two sides of front of chest, and then both sides of back of chest. Thus, disposable examining gowns must provide for examination of both front and back.

The problems inherent in the design of hospital disposable gowns are somewhat different than present in gowns designed for ofiice use. During operation on the abdomen, pelvis or extremities, the gown frequently becomes stained with blood and must be removed at the end of operation and new gown placed on still unconscious patient. However, intravenous fluids are frequently running into one of the patients arms and if the gown has sleeves, it is difficult to remove'same without interrupting the intravenous fluids and possibly contaminating the entire intravenous setup. In similar manner, bandages or casts on the patients arms prevent placement or removal of arm from sleeve of gown.

In the hospital, the patient is frequently unconscious following an operation or an obstetrical delivery and itis inadvisable to sit the unconscious patient up in order .to place the gown over the patients head. Similarly,gowns that require the patient to step into them are unacceptable. Also, it is unsatisfactory to try to pull the examination gown over the lower extremities and up over the lower trunk while the patient is unconscious. Of'course, gowns must adequately cover the patients trunk, arms and shoul- 'ice ders to avoid exposure and embarrassment. In addition, the ties on the back of conventional hospital gowns are frequently uncomfortable when the patient lies on his back. Whereas simplicity in design and low cost of manufacture is necessary in disposable gowns, the requirement of withstanding stresses and strains of a patient sleeping are still present. Finally, it is generally recognized that gowns held together by snaps or ties are unacceptable as patient is exposed when bending over.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide both office and hospital disposable examining gowns characterized by simplicity in design and low cost of manufacture, while permitting all examination functions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an office disposable gown permitting examination of breasts, axilla and base of neck in continuity without obstruction by gown.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an office disposable gown permitting covering of front of chest while back of chest is examined.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a hospital disposable examination gown capable of being placed and removed from patient while presenting no obstructions to bandages, casts or intravenous fluid setups.

Another object of the present oifice and hospital disposable examination gown designs is to provide simplified technique for reattaching portions of gowns, as desired.

Still further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is plan view of first embodiment of hospital disposable gown illustrating configuration of single sheet;

FIG. 2 is back view of assembled first embodiment of hospital disposable gown;

FIG. 3 is plan view of second embodiment of hospital disposable gown illustrating configuration of single sheet;

FIG. 4 is back view of assembled second embodiment of hospital disposable gown;

FIG. 5 is plan view of third embodiment of hospital disposable gown illustrating configuration of single sheet; and

FIG. 6 is back view of assembled third embodiment of hospital disposable gown.

The hospital disposable gown, as seen in FIG. l-6, is generally designated by reference numeral 50 and consists of a single sheet of paper 52 or other disposable material cut to predetermined'pattern to provide neck opening, sleeves and the like, as desired. As seen in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, single sheet 52 is provided with neck -'opening 54, surrounded by tapered cut-out portions 56 '68 may be made in sheet 52 with fastening technique located along diagonal lines 70. As seen in the rear view of FIG. 6, a flap is thus provided in this version-of dis- .posable gown 50. 1

Of course,

free edges

56, 58, 62, 64, 65 and of sheets 52 of the FIGS. 1-6 embodiments of hosptial gown 50 may be secured by several techniques, some of whichwill now be described. For instance, adhesive similar to that 3 used on self-sealing envelopes may be employed. As such adhesive, however, will not readily separate to allow gowns to be removed, perforations 72 may be employed proximal to adhesive on edge 62, as illustrated in the FIGS. 1-2 embodiment. In order to replace gown after perforations 72 have been torn, a line of adhesive 74 proximal to line of perforations 72 is employed. In this manner, the free edges of gown 50 may be adhered together after being torn apart. That is, as seen on the right hand side of sheet 52 in FIG. 1 from the free edge proximally there is a line of adhesive 62, a line of perforations 72 and a second line of adhesive 74 on reverse side. Of course, similar construction may be employed in the FIGS. 3-6 embodiments.

Alternatively, adhesive, characterized by low peel adherence and high shear adherence, may be coated on one surface of the free edges. The low peel adherence will enable free edges 65 of the FIGS. 35 gown embodiment, for example, to be easily peeled apart permitting sleeves 66 to be readily opened to remove gown. Also, this adhesive will adhere when it is pressed together again, thereby enabling the gown to be replaced on patient after it is removed for examination.

Immediately after the operation or obstetrical delivery, hospital gown 50 is placed on the front of patient with arms in sleeves of gown. Gown 50 is not fastened at the patients back until consciousness is regained permitting patient to be rolled on side or placed in sitting position. All this is accomplished with hospital gown 50, without providing conventional large flaps that get in way until fastened around patients back. Obviously, conventional snap assemblies, with resulting discomfort, are avoided in the present gown design. In general, it may be said that such conventional snap arrangements are not acceptable, as usually such arrangements are only found at top of gown permitting lower two-thirds of patients back to be exposed when walking as well as separating and bunching up during sleeping hours.

Obivously, the cuts made in sheet of paper of hospital gown 50 may be varied to provide a choice of models with various shapes of sleeves or flaps to cover shoulders. Similarly, the cuts in upper lateral section or inside of sheet may be varied to provide differed shapes or length of flaps to wrap around patient and cover patients back. Optionally, the sleeves of gown may be omitted, and shoulders and upper arms simply protected by widening shoulder straps creating flap which will extend over shoulders and cover upper arm.

The sleeve may be positioned at the top of the arm to close under the armor the sleeve may be positioned under the arm to close at the top of the armor the sleeve may be positioned at one side of the arm to close at the other side of the arm.

Manifestly, changes in shape of offices disposable gown 10, as well as alternative technique for attaching shoulder straps and panels of disposable material, may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of invention. Similarly, revision of length and direction of cuts in hospital gown, as well as alteration of position or size of neck opening and sleeves, may be resorted to without departing from spirit and scope of invention. Finally, fastening and reattachment technique of hospital disposable gown may be varied without departing from scope of invention.

I claim:

1. A disposable examination gown, comprising (a) a single shet of disposable material having a top portion containing a cut-out neck area and two slits running downwardly from the top edge of said sheet defining arm openings as the outermost side portions of said sheet are folded inwardly,

(b) first means for separating and reattaching the ends of said outermost side portions including two sealing rows spaced from each other with perforations located therebetween, and

(c) second means for separating and reattaching adjacent selected portions of said top edge after said outermost side portions of said sheet are folded inwardly.

2. A disposable examination gown as in claim 1,

wherein said two sealing rows are located on opposite sides of said sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 782,819 2/1905 Bikle 275 1,489,046 4/ 1924 Thompson 2-114 2,701,364 2/1955 Palm 21 14 3,276,036 10/1966 Cater 2-114 2,692,989 11/1954 Ielstrup 2-114 2,973,523 3/1961 Brainard et a1. 2-114 X 3,156,927 11/1964 Grimm et a1. 2114 X 3,218,649 11/1965 Ricter 2-l 14 3,230,546 1/ 1966 Sabee 2-114 RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR., Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A DISPOSABLE EXAMINATION GOWN, COMPRISING (B) A SINGLE SHET OF DISPOSABLE MATERIAL HAVING A TOP PORTION CONTAINING A CUT-OUT NECK AREA AND TWO SLITS RUNNING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP EDGE OF SAID SHEET DEFINING ARM OPENINGS AS THE OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET ARE FOLDED INWARDLY, (B) FIRST MEANS FOR SEPARATING AND REATTACHING THE ENDS OF SAID OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS INCLUDING TWO SEALING ROWS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER WITH PERFORATIONS LOCATED THEREBETWEEN, AND (C) SECOND MEANS FOR SEPARATING AND REATTACHING ADJACENT SELECTED PORTIONS OF SAID TOP EDGE AFTER SAID OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET ARE FOLDED INWARDLY.