U.S. patent application number 13/084131 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-13 for gown and method of use thereof.
Invention is credited to Brenda Burke.
Application Number | 20110247122 13/084131 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44759821 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110247122 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Burke; Brenda |
October 13, 2011 |
Gown And Method Of Use Thereof
Abstract
A gown for invalid and immobile patients comprising a torso
portion having a shoulder portion, sleeves, a slit forming an
inverted `V` winged opening along its posterior region, and
apertures for receiving the head above the shoulder portion and
hands beyond the sleeves.
Inventors: |
Burke; Brenda; (Atlanta,
GA) |
Family ID: |
44759821 |
Appl. No.: |
13/084131 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61322582 |
Apr 9, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/1245 20130101;
A41D 13/129 20130101; A41D 2400/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/114 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/12 20060101
A41D013/12 |
Claims
1. A gown for use by a partially or fully immobile patient,
comprising; a torso portion having a front portion and a rear
portion; a vertical slit extending at least a portion of the rear
portion; and an opening formed in the torso portion dimensioned for
receiving a head of a patient, wherein the gown can be donned on
the patient without having to lift or roll the patient.
2. The gown of claim 1, further comprising a first sleeve and a
second sleeve dimensioned for receiving arms of the patient.
3. The gown of claim 2, wherein the first sleeve and the second
sleeve are a short-sleeve length.
4. The gown of claim 2, wherein the first sleeve and the second
sleeve are a long-sleeve length.
5. The gown of claim 1, wherein the vertical slit is larger at a
bottom section of the rear portion than at a top section of the
rear portion.
6. The gown of claim 1, wherein the vertical slit is of uniform
width from a bottom section of the rear portion to a top section of
the rear portion.
7. The gown of claim 1, wherein the vertical slit is centered on
the rear portion.
8. The gown of claim 1, wherein the torso portion is fully
connected about the opening formed in the torso portion dimensioned
for receiving the head of the patient.
9. The gown of claim 1, wherein the torso portion is a full body
length of the patient.
10. The gown of claim 1, wherein the torso portion is a length of a
torso of the patient.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/322,582, filed Apr. 9, 2010, entitled "GOWN AND
METHOD OF USE THEREOF," the contents of which are incorporated by
reference herein in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to a gown for
patients and more particularly to a gown capable of being easily
donned by patients while fully or partially immobile.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The current design of hospital gowns presents application
problems for patients that are bed-ridden or have a limited range
of mobility. Typically, these gowns are short-sleeved garments that
are provided to the patient by the hospital and worn by patients to
assist in their overall care. In this regard, gowns are primarily
thin in weight and loose fitting in order to regulate a patient's
body temperature. Furthermore, these garments allow a patient to
readily use a bed pan, receive medical shots through their
buttocks, and be quickly observed and tended to in case of a
medical emergency.
[0004] Unfortunately, under the present design, a patient must be
repositioned in order to secure a gown to their body. Traditionally
this has been done by tying a string behind a patient at the
patient's back and/or waist regions. At this point, the patient
must either be suspended or supported in an upright position.
Naturally, this places individuals with mobility issues at an
increased risk for acute pain, discomfort, and further injury. As
such, there is an unmet need for a hospital gown that can be donned
by a patient who remains in a prostrate or sitting position, for
example lying on a bed or sitting in a wheelchair.
SUMMARY
[0005] Briefly described, in an embodiment, a hospital gown that
may be donned by a patient lying (e.g., in a bed) or sitting (e.g.,
in a wheelchair) overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and
meets the recognized need for such a gown by providing a solid,
contoured front and a vertical slit that extends nearly the length
of the gown. The slit may start just below the shoulder blades,
under a head opening, and may form an inverted `V` that allows for
an open lower region. The openness of the gown's design allows a
patient to easily slide his or her arms and head through matching
holes of the gown while remaining in their hospital bed. Because
the head opening may be constructed with a completely attached
collar-area, thus requiring no tying of strings or use of other
attachment means to secure the opening about the patient's neck,
the presently disclosed hospital gown may be donned by a patient
without require that the patient sit up, stand, or otherwise be
moved from a lying or sitting position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Accordingly, the present disclosure will be understood best
through consideration of, and with reference to, the following
drawing Figures, viewed in conjunction with the Detailed
Description referring thereto, in which like reference numbers
throughout the various Figures designate like structure, and in
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present
invention in use on a wheelchair patient;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a rear view of an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present
invention in use on a bed patient.
[0011] It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended
solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are,
therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the invention to
any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except
insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0012] In describing embodiments of the hospital gown for invalid
and immobile patients and methods therein of the present invention
illustrated in the Figures, specific terminology is employed for
the sake of clarity. The claimed invention, however, is not
intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and
it is to be understood that each specific element includes all
technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a similar purpose.
[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in an embodiment, gown 10 includes
vertical slit 20, head opening 30, first sleeve 40, second sleeve
50 and body portion 60. Body portion 60 may include rear section
66, front section 68, shoulder section 62, and bottom section 64.
First sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50 may form openings 42 and 52,
respectively. First sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50 may be of any
length, including a short-sleeve length and a long-sleeve
length.
[0014] Head opening 30 may be formed in shoulder section 62, where
shoulder section 62 may be fully connected about, and forming, head
opening 30. In this way, gown 10 may be placed over a patient's
head and about a patient's neck without requiring that the patient
sit up or be other moved from a sitting or prostrate position.
Shoulder section 62's formation of head opening 30 ensures that
gown 10 may be securely worn by a patient without the use of
strings, buttons, snaps, or any other attachment means. Head
opening 30 may be dimensioned for receiving the head of a wearer,
and first sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50 are dimensioned for
receiving the arms of a wearer.
[0015] Vertical slit 20 may extend from point 22, just below
shoulder section 62, to bottom section 64, wherein vertical slit 20
is preferably centered on rear section 66 of body portion 60.
Vertical slit 20 may taper outward starting from point 22 in a
downward direction toward bottom section 64, such that the opening
of vertical slit 20 is greater at bottom section 64 than at point
22. Alternatively, vertical slit 20 may be of uniform width from
point 22 to bottom section 64. Vertical slit 20 may allow doctors,
nurses, and care givers convenient access to a patient to provide
medical care, perform injections, etc. Note that in some
embodiments, rear section 66 may also include strings, ties, snaps,
buttons, etc., that may be used to further secure gown 10 or
otherwise hold closed vertical slit 20 if desired.
[0016] In use, the arms of a wearer may be extended through first
sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50, and the head of the wearer may be
extended through head opening 30. Vertical opening 20 is opened
sufficiently to allow gown 10 to be worn over the torso of the
wearer. Gown 10 can be placed on a wearer without the need to lift
or roll the wearer.
[0017] For example, as seen in FIG. 1, a patient in a wheelchair
may easily be able to don gown 10 by extending the patient's arms
through first sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50, and by extending the
patient's head through head opening 30. Similarly, as seen in FIG.
4, a patient that is prostrate or otherwise lying in a bed may
easily be able to don gown 10 by extending the patient's arms
through first sleeve 40 and second sleeve 50, and by extending the
patient's head through head opening 30. Thus, patients situated in
such configurations may be able to don a gown and thereby be
comfortably covered without performing potentially painful
movements to don or secure such a garment.
[0018] Gown 10 may be constructed of any material or fabric, and
may be of any size, shape, and/or color. For example, in some
embodiments, gown 10 may be sized according to the needs of the
patient, e.g., larger sizes for larger patients and smaller sizes
for smaller patients. In another example, gown 10 may be of a short
length such that it only covers a patient's torso, or gown 10 may
be a long length that covers a patient's legs and torso. Any length
or size of gown 10 is contemplated as within the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0019] Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the
within disclosures are exemplary only and that various other
alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the
scope and spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present
invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated
herein.
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