GB2050811A - Safety aprons - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety apron of fire resistant material for wearing by a person seated in a chair. The apron has a body portion (2) for covering the upper torso, lap and thighs of the wearer. First straps (20) attached to the main body portion (2) secure the apron to the wearer, and a halter (18) receives the neck of the wearer. A knee flap (8) extends longitudinally from the body portion (2) and a pair of side flaps (4,6) extend transversely from the body portion (2). The side flaps and the knee flap are releasably interconnectible at adjacent side edges (10, 14; 12, 16) by press-studs such that the apron forms a continuous surface which extends, in use, from the upper torso to below the knees of the wearer and over the sides of the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Safety aprons The present invention relates to safety aprons.

In hospitals, nursing homes and the like, there are invariably a number of old and infirm patients who spend long periods each day confined to a wheel chair. Rarely is it possible for staff to be continually in attendance and the fact that these patients are allowed to smoke can give rise to a fire hazard. In isolated cases the patient has fallen asleep whilst smoking, the burning cigarette dropping onto the patient's clothes setting them alight. This can cause serious burns and in an extreme case has resulted in a fatality.

In an attempt to prevent such a tragedy, conventional fire blankets have been used. These are generally square or rectangular and are made from eitherglassfibre or asbestos material, both of which are acknowledged as a health hazard. For this reason they are not widely used.

Additionally, such blankets are not attractive, so for reasons of vanity, the patients do not like to wear them. These known blankets at best only cover the thighs of the wearer, and many pockets are formed between the patient and the chair where a cigarette can lodge and continue to smoulder until setting light to the patient's clothing. Thus such blankets are not particularly effective when put to this use.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety apron of fire resistant material for wearing by a person seated in a chair having a seat and an upright back, the apron comprising a main body portion for covering the upper torso, lap and thighs of the wearer, a halter connected to the main body portion for receiving the neck of the wear, first straps for securing the apron to the wearer, a knee flap extending longitudinally from the main body portion and a pair of side flaps extending transversely from the main body portion, the side flaps and knee flap being releasably interconnectible at adjacent side edges such that the apron provides a continuous surface which extends, in use, from the upper torso of the wearer to below the knees and over the sides of the seat.

Preferably, second straps are provided which are attached to the main body portion and pass around the back of the chair to secure the safety apron to the chair. The chair may additionally have arms, the side flaps of the safety apron being adapted to extend over the arms as well as the seat.

The safety apron may conveniently be used with a chair having vertically extending pillars, for supporting a tray or arm, at a location adjacent the front of the seat, these pillars being accommodated by the interconnection between the adjacent side edges of the flaps.

According to a further development of the invention, the halter connected to the main body portion for receiving the neck of the wearer has attached a pair of sleeves. Thus the protection afforded by the safety apron is extended to protect the arms of the wearer.

The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a safety apron in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a safety apron and Figure 3 illustrates the first embodiment in use.

The safety apron shown in Figure 1 comprises a main body portion 2, a pair of side flaps 4, and a knee flap 8. The apron is made from a material known by the registered name of NOMEX*IlI, which is well known for its fire resistant properties. The knee flap extends longitudinally from the main body portion and the side flaps extend transversely from the main body portion. Both the knee flap and the side flaps are substantially rectangular. An edge region 10,12 of each respective side flap 4, 6 is provided with press-studs 30 by means of which the side flap edge region is interconnectible with an adjacent edge region 14,16 of the knee flap 8 which is provided with mating press-studs 32.

At a position remote from the knee flap 8 there is provided a halter 18 preferably secured to the main body region. This halter receives the neck of a wearer. The halter may be a single strap (as illustrated) our a pair of straps which are releasably engageable. First straps 20 attached to the main body are adapted in use to locate the apron to the wearer, and preferably second straps 22, also attached to the main body, are adapted in use to locate the apron to the chair. Conveniently, first and second straps comprise a pair of straps which, as illustrated, are interconnectible by press-studs 34.

Alternatively, the straps may be fastened by tying or by other interconnectible fasteners.

In use, the halter 18 is placed over the patient's head and theEirst straps 20 located around the waist of the patient and secured in position. With the patient seated in a chair having a seat and an upright back, which may be a wheelchair, the main body region covers the torso and the thighs of the patient, whilst the side flaps hang down over the sides of the seat and the knee flap hangs down in front of the patient's knees. The adjacent edge regions 10,14 and 12,16 are interconnected by the press-studs 30,32 and the second straps 22 are fastened around the back of the chair. Thus the safety apron forms a continuous surface covering the body and thighs of the patient and passes over the sides and front of the seat.If a cigarette or such like is dropped and as a result falls onto the fire resistant apron, and because the apron has a continuous surface, having no pockets between the chair and the patient where the cigarette could become lodged, it will protect the patient's clothing from setting alight.

The safety apron has been decribed above with reference to a chair having a seat and a back only, i.e.

with no arms or such like. However, the apron in accordance with the invention is particularly suited for use with a wheelchair having vertically extending pillars located adjacent the front of the seat, which pillars support either the arms of the chair or a tray passing between the two pillars in front of the patient. Such a chair having vertically extending pillars is illustrated in Figure 3 (the tray being removed for clarity). In use, the side flaps are positioned over the sides of the seat so that the lower end of the pillar is enclosed when the knee and side flaps are interconnected. The upper end of each pillar projects through an aperture formed at the apex of the adjacent edge regions of the knee and side flaps. The safety apron achieves the same degree of protection when used on a chair with or without arms.

The straps may conveniently be made from an elastic material, or alternatively from Nomex*lli. The fastening means between the adjacent edge regions of the knee and side flaps may, as an alternative to the press-studs, be performed by a rip fastener such as velcro.

In a second embodiment described with reference to Figure 2 the same reference numerals have been used to denote identical portions of the safety apron.

The safety apron again has a main body portion 2, a pair of rectangular flaps 4,6 extending transversely from the main body region and a knee flap 8 extending transversely from the main body region.

First and second straps 20,22 are provided for locating the apron to the wearer and the chain respectively.

The halter 18 of the first embodiment for receiving the neck of the wearer has been modified in this second embodiment to include a pair of sleeves 24,26 and a pair of shoulder panels 28,38 which in use extend around the back of the wearer. These shoulder panels have edges 40 which are provided with fasteners 42 whereby the modified halter is held in position around the neck of the wearer.

In use the safety apron provides the same continuous surface extending around the front and sides of the seat and protecting the lower torso and thighs of the wearer. However, the modified halter extends the protection afforded by the apron to the upper torso and the arms of the wearer. Conveniently, the sleeves have elasticated arms.

It will be appreciated that the protection for the arms and upper torso could be provided by a separate item to be used in conjunction with the first embodiment and fastened to the apron by pressstuds.

Alternatively a pair of separate arm sleeves elasticated at upper arm end and the wrist end and made of Nomex* lil material may be provided for use with the first embodiment to afford protection for the arms.

The form of the safety apron is such that it may conveniently be used when a patient wishes to smoke in bed. For example, the halter portion of the safety apron is placed around the patient's neck and the first straps fastened around the patient's waist.

The main body portion and the side and knee flaps are arranged to overlie the bed clothes. Alternatively, the top of the apron can be folded under the bed clothes at the head of the bed with the side and knee flaps overlying the bed clothes. The second straps being used to secure the apron to the bed.

Claims (13)

1. A safety apron of fire resistant material for wearing by a person seated in a chair having a seat and an upright back, the apron comprising a main body portion for covering the upper torso, lap and thighs of the wearer, a halter connected to the main body portion for receiving the neck of the wearer, first straps for securing the main body portion of the apron to the wearer, a knee flap extending longitudinally from the main body portion and a pair offside flaps extending tranverselyfrom the main body portion. The side flaps and knee flap being releasably interconnectible at adjacent side edges such that the apron provides a continuous surface which extends, in use, from the upper torso of the wearer to below the knees and over at least the lateral sides of the seat.

2. An apron as claimed in claim 1 in which second straps are provided which are attached to the main body portion for passing around the back of the chair to secure the safety apron to the chair.

3. An apron as claimed in claim 1 or 2 for use in connection with a chair having arms, wherein the flaps of the safety apron are adapted to extend over the arms as well as the seat.

4. An apron as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 for use in connection with a chair having vertically extending piilars, for supporting a tray or arm, at a location adjacent the front of the seat, wherein these pillars are accommodated by the interconnection between the adjacent side edges of the flaps.

5. An apron as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in combination with a pair of separate sleeves made from flame resistant material, the upper arm end and the wrist end of the sleeve being elasticated.

6. An apron as claimed in any preceding claim in which the halter connected to the main body portion for receiving the neck of the wearer has attached thereto a pair of sleeves for protection of the arms of the wearer.

7. An apron as claimed in any preceding claim in which the halter for receiving the neck of the wearer has two straps attached to the main body portion which are releasably interconnectible at their free ends by means of press studs.

8. An apron as claimed in any preceding claim in which the side flaps and knee flap are interconnectible by press-studs.

9. An apron as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 in which the side flaps and knee flap are interconnectible by velcro-type fasteners.

10. An apron as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first straps are made of an elasticated material and are connected by press-studs.

11. An apron as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9 in which the second straps are elasticated and are connected by press-studs.

12. A safety apron as claimed in any preceding claim which is constructed from a flame resistant material, such as Nomex* III.

13. A safety apron constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.