US3353189A - Disposable gown with one-piece body and sleeves having elastic sleeve closure - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1967 H. ZIMMON 3,353,189

DISPOSABLE GOWN WITH ONE-PIECE BODY AND SLEEVES HAVING ELASTIC SLEEVE CLOSURE Filed June 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I INVENTOR HAROLD Z/MMON Nov. 21, 1967 H. ZlMMON 3,353,189

DISPOSABLE GOWN WITH ONE-PIECE BODY AND SLEEVES HAVING ELASTIC SLEEVE CLOSURE Filed June 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE--5 INVENTOR.

HAROLD Z/MMON TTOKNE Y United States, Patent O M 3,353,189 DISPOSABLE GOWN W'ITH ONE-PIECE BODY AND SLEEVES HAVING ELASTIC SLEEVE CLOSURE Harold Zimmon, Redwood City, Calif. Zimmou & Company, Inc, 215 ONeill Ave., Belmont, Calif. 94002 Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,961

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-114) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A disposable gown is provided with a long sleeve having an elastic band secured to the lower end by means of a loop external to the sleeve. The band is stretched around the end of the sleeve to tighten the same around the wrist. Contamination through the bottom of the sleeve is thus prevented.

This invention relates to a disposable gown of a type which may be used for many different purposes. A principal field of use is where the atmosphere is contaminating and it is desirable to protect the garments and arms of the wearer from contamination. Conversely the gown may be used to protect a clean atmosphere from contamination from the clothes of the wearer. Accordingly, the gown is provided having a one-piece body and long sleeves, each sleeve being provided with an elastic band permanently secured externally of the lower end thereof, the band being of a length and resiliency so that it may be stretched back over the end of the sleeve to tightly encircle the lower end of the sleeve and tighten the same around the wrist. Such a gown finds utility in contagious areas of hospitals. Further, the gown may be used in nurseries to prevent contamination which may exist on the clothes of the wearer from endangering infants. Industrial uses for the garment exist where either the atmosphere is contaminated, or where it is essential to protect the atmosphere from contamination which may be carried by the clothes of the wearer.

A principal advantage of the invention is the fact that the device is inexpensive to manufacture, both with respect to material and labor. Heretofore attempts to produce such garments have proven unsatisfactory in competition with permanent, launderable products. The garments hereinafter described have a one-piece body which is seamed to the sleeves in a manner which simplifies manufacture. Thus, the gown may be worn only once or a few times and the inexpensiveness of its construction makes disposability preferable to laundry.

A feature of the invention is the fact that it is made of paper or unwove-n or woven fibre, or a combination thereof which is sufficiently strong to enable the garment to be used one or more times without tearing and, further, has an appearance which is sufiiciently presentable so that the garment may be worn in a hospital, physicians ofi'ice, industrial or commercial installation without embarrassment.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that the material is such that it may be incinerated after disposal.

A particular feature of the invention is the simplicity of the sleeve closure previosuly mentioned both from the standpoint of manufacture and use. A rubber band, or similar elastic band, is used and is attached at a point near the lower end of the sleeve. A suitable means of attachment is the use of a short loop of the same material of which the body is constructed through which the band fits. Such loop may be seamed into the longitudinal seam of the sleeve.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following sepcification and 3,353,189 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front-opening gown. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the front of the gown open.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the gown is constructed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the Hank from which the sleeve is constructed.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the elastic is used to close the sleeve.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of a modified rearopening gown.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the structure of FIG. 6 modified to show short sleeves.

FIG. 8 is a plan of a blank for the body of the gown of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a plan of a blank for the sleeve thereof.

Both the front-opening garment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the rear-opening garment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 are fabricated in such manner that the body is a single piece of material, such as paper or non-woven fibre, or other inexpensive and preferably disposable substance. The use of a belt in connection with such body is optional. The sleeves are each formed of either a single piece or two pieces of material as hereinafter explained, and are seamed to the body in a raglan-type sleeve.

Blank 11 for the front opening gown of FIG. 1 has a bottom edge 12 which is preferably straight and comprises the ultimate width of the back-panel B and front panels R, L. Blank 11 may be cut from a roll of material, edge 12 coinciding with one edge of the roll. Lower side edge 13 on each side of the blank is disposed at an angle with respect to edge 12 of about and extends up to a point 14 about two-thirds of the overall length of the garment and immediately opposite the underside of the arm opening. Above point 14, the upper side edge 16 curves upwardly-inwardly at a much more abrupt slant than does edge 13, the angle between edge 16 and a vertical line being approximately 30. Edge 16 terminates in a point 17. On the side of point 17 opposite edge 16 the front sleeve defining edge 18 slants downwardlyinwardly at about the same angle with respect to the vertical as does side 16 and terminates in an arcuate upward curve 19 which defines the lower edge of the arm opening. Above arcuate portion 19 the rear arm defining edge 21 slants upwardly-inwardly at approximately the same angle as edge 18 and terminates in a horizontal or slightly downwardly curved back edge 22. The body of the garment may be approximately symmetrical with respect to the vertical reference line 23. Belt opening slits 24 may be formed on one or both sides 24, 26, as indicated in FIG. 3, for half belts 27, 28, which are attached to the side edges 13 at the same elevation as slits 24, 26. It will be understood that the use of such half belts is optional.

The blank 31 for a sleeve is shown in FIG. 4 and may consist of a single piece of material or two parts 32, 33 seamed together at transverse seam 34 in order to conserve material. The bottom edge 36 of the sleeve is straight and the side edges slant upwardly-outwardly to provide fullness for the upper arm, terminating at points 38, 39. On the right-hand side of the blank as shown in FIG. 4, the upper side edge 41 curves upwardly-inwardly in approximately a parabolic curve terminating at point 42 and then extending in straight upward-inward edge 46. On the opposite side of the sleeve, commencing at point 39, the sleeve edge 47 slants upwardly-inwardly and terminates at point 48, the same point at which edge 46 terminates. The sleeve is fabricated by seaming the side edges 37 together in a longitudinal seam 51, as hereinafter explained. The point 48 is joined to the point 20 where edges 21, 22 of the body meet. Edge 46 extends between point 20 and point 17, which is attached to point 44. Edge 41 is attached to edge 16 and edge 47 is attached to edge 21. Points 38, 39 coincide approximately at the bottom of curve 19.

Adjacent the bottom of seam 51, joining edges 37 of the sleeve, a short loop 52 of material is attached into the seam, the material being preferably the same as that of which the blank of the sleeve is constructed. An elastic or rubber band 53 fits through loop 52 and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the band is not used to close the sleeve hangs suspended by loop 52 externally. When the sleeve is closed to prevent contamination of the atmosphere or to prevent contaminated atmosphere from atfecting the clothes of the wearer, the elastic band 53 is stretched down over and around the hand '54 of the wearer and brought up around the opposite side of the sleeve opposite seam 51, as shown in FIG. 5. When the band is allowed to contract it tightens around the outside of bottom edge 36' of the sleeve, gathering the sleeve together around the wrist.

FIGS. 6w 9, inclusive, show the construction of a rear opening garment. The blank 61 for the garment shown in FIG. 8 has a bottom edge 62, preferably straight and comprising the entire width of the front F, the leftrear panel L, and the right-rear panel R. Side edge 63 may be straight (as shown) or may be slanted to provide an overlap when the garment is worn. Each side 63 terminates in an upper point 64 and thereafter, the side 63 slants upwardly-inwardly at an angle of approximately 15 terminating in a point 67. The rear sleeve-opening edge 68 curves downwardly, terminating at a lower point 69 at the bottom of the armhole opening. Beyond point 69 edge 71 slants upwardly-inwardly terminating at point 72, which is lower than point 67 The front neck-opening '73 is curved downwardly. As will be seen from FIG. 8, blank 61 may be symmetrical about medial vertical reference line 74.

A belt 76 may be attached at location 77 on the middle of the front F and when the garment is worn, brought around and tied in a knot 78 at the back. If desired, tapes 79 may be attached at the neck edge at corners 64 for further attachment of the gown.

The sleeve blank 76 has a bottom edge 77, upwardlyoutwardly slanted sides 78, terminating at points 79, 81,

respectively. Side edge 82 curves upwardly-inwardly from I point 81, terminating at point 83, and then extending in a stretch 84 slanted upwardly-inwardly at a less abrupt angle terminating at medial point 86. From point. 86, the opposite edge 67 slants downwardly-outwardly to a juncture with point 79. As shown in FIG. 9, the blank 76 may be of a single piece or maybe an upper piece 88, a lower piece 89, seamed together at a transverse seam 91 to, conserve material.

In assembly of the sleeves on the body, the edges 78 are seamedtogether in a longitudinal seam 92, points 79 and -81 coinciding and being joined to point 69. Edge 87 is joined to edge 71, point 86 coinciding with point 72. Edge 84 becomes part of the neck-opening of the garment constituting a continuation of edge 73. Points 83 and 67 coincide, and edge 82 is joined to edge 68.

In FIG. 6, a sleeveclosure similar to'that shown in the modification of FIGS. 1 to 5, illustrated, there being a loop 93 seamed into the seam 92 adjacentat lower end and receiving a loop of the elastic band 94, which is drawn over the hand and around the sleeve to close the sleeve off as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, short sleeves are shown, the portion 89 of the blank being omitted and line 91 coinciding roughly with the bottom edge of the sleeve.

What is claimed is: V a

1. A gown having a body and sleeves, an elastic band dimensioned to fit snugly around the wrist of the wearer, and a short loop attached to said sleeve and extending outside said sleeve adjacent the lower end of said sleeve, said band passing transversely through said loop, said band located externally of said sleeve.

2. A gown according to claim 1 in which said body and sleeves are made of a disposable, paper-like material, said loop made of said material.

3. A gown according to claim 1 in which said body is made of a unitary body blank and said sleeves are of raglan style, said body blank having a bottom edge, upwardly extending side edges and an irregular top edge,

said top edge having a central neck edge, deep, curved arm opening edges outward to either side of said neck edge terminating in points at the upperextremity of said top edge.

, 4. A gown according to claim 3 in which said gown opens at the front and the upper portions of said side' edges curve upward-inward to said points, each said sleeve formed of a sleeve blank having an irregular top edge having a central portion connected between one of said points and the adjacent end of said neck edge of said body blank, said sleeve blanks having curved edges to either side of said central portion, said curve-d edges seamed to said arm opening edges of said body blank.

5. A gown according to claim 3 in which said gown opens at the back and said body blank has short edges outward of'said points intersecting the upper ends of said side edges, said short edges comprising portions of the neck opening of the completed gown, each said. sleeve formed of a sleeve blank having an irregular top edge having a central portion connected between one of said points and the adjacent end of said neck edge of said body blank, said sleeve blanks having curved edges to either side of said central portion, said curved edges seamed to said arm opening edges of said body blank.

6. A gown having a body and sleeves, an elastic band dimensioned to fit snugly around the wrist of the wearer,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,217 1/1935 Pilla 2125 X 2,668,294 2/ 1954 Gilpin 2-114 2,701,364 -2/l955 Palm 2-l'14 2,846,686 8/ 1958 Tames 2-1l4 JORDAN FRANKLIN,- Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR., Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A GOWN HAVING A BODY AND SLEEVES, AN ELASTIC BAND DIMENSIONED TO FIT SNUGLY AROUND THE WRIST OF THE WEARER, AND A SHORT LOOP ATTACHED TO SAID SLEEVE AND EXTENDING OUTSIDE SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF SAID SLEEVE, SAID BAND PASSING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID LOOP, SAID BAND LOCATED EXTERNALLY OF SAID SLEEVE.

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