MEDICAL MODESTY GARMENT

• US 20100212063A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Geisinger Clinic (Kaiser Permanente Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Geisinger Clinic (Kaiser Permanente Inc.)
• Inventors: Zaleski, Linda, Baucom, David
• Application Number:
  US12/306,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20100212063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/114
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1254 for the lower part of the body A41D13/0506 takes precedence

Abstract

A medical modesty garment is disclosed which allows easy access to and removal from a patient'"'"'s body while providing improved patient modesty and privacy. The medical modesty garment may comprise a lower garment shaped like shorts, and/or an upper garment shaped like a tee shirt. The medical modesty garment of the invention may comprise perforations that may be torn to provide selective access to a patient'"'"'s body or that may be torn to easily remove the garment from the patient.

Claims

1. A lower garment for a person'"'"'s lower torso for use in a health-care setting, the lower garment comprising:

a body having a waist opening forming an upper margin, a first leg opening, and a second leg opening;

a crotch perforation extending between the first and second leg openings, the leg openings and the crotch perforation defining a lower margin;

a first lateral perforation extending between the upper margin and the first leg opening and a second lateral perforation extending between the upper margin and the second leg opening and located approximately opposite the first lateral perforation, the lateral perforations at least partly define an anterior portion and a posterior portion of the garment, the lateral perforations and the crotch perforation enable (i) removal of the anterior portion of the garment if a wearer is supine and (ii) removal of the posterior portion of the garment if the wearer is prone;

a closure located either in the anterior portion or the posterior portion and capable of drawing together portions of the garment near the waist opening to change the waist opening dimension;

a pair of front perforations formed in the anterior portion of the garment and extending upward from the lower margin, the front perforations at least partly defining a front panel, the front perforations enable at least partial opening of the front panel relative to a remainder of the garment to enable access to the groin area of the person; and

at least one rear perforation extending between the upper margin and the lower margin.

2. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a pair of short pant legs.

3. The lower garment of claim 2 further comprising at least one leg perforation in each one of the legs, the leg perforation is capable of rupturing to accommodate leg sizes.

4. The lower garment of claim 2 further comprising a closure located in each one of the pant legs, the closure is capable of drawing together portions of the garment of or near the leg to change the leg opening dimension.

5. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the closure includes a first closure portion located on a first body portion and at least one second closure portion located on a second body portion, the first closure portion and the at least one second closure portion are capable of being brought together to reduce the waist opening dimension.

6. The lower garment of claim 5 wherein the first closure portion is one of a hoop portion or a loop portion, and at least one second closure portion is the other one of the hoop portion or the loop portion.

7. The lower garment of claim 6 wherein the at least one second closure portion is a plural number of the hook portions or the loop portions, thereby enabling the closure to be adjustable as to waist opening dimension.

8. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the closure includes elastic.

9. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the closure includes a frangible pleat that is ruptured to expand the waist opening.

10. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein each one of the perforations is a series of holes formed in the body.

11. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the body is formed of a radiolucent material.

12. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the first lateral perforation and the second lateral perforation are longitudinal.

13. The lower garment of claim 2 wherein the first lateral perforation and the second lateral perforation are disposed at midpoints of the sides of the garment.

14. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the front perforations extend to the upper margin.

15. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the rear perforation is centrally located.

16. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the crotch perforation has a lower tear strength than each one of the tear strengths of the lateral perforations.

17. An upper garment for a person'"'"'s upper torso for use in a health-care setting, the upper garment comprising:

a body having a waist opening, a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening;

a first upper perforation extending between the neck opening and the first arm opening and a second upper perforation extending between the neck opening and the second arm opening, the neck opening and first and second upper perforations defining an upper margin,

a first lateral perforation extending from the waist opening to the first arm opening and a second lateral perforation extending from the waist opening to the second arm opening, the first and second upper perforations and the first and second lateral perforations enable (i) removal of an anterior portion of the garment if a wearer is supine and (ii) removal of a posterior portion of the garment if the wearer is prone;

at least one front perforation extending downwardly from the upper margin, whereby rupturing of the front perforation enables or enhances access to the chest of the wearer.

18. The upper garment of claim 17 wherein the front perforation extends downwardly from the neck opening and has an end that is spaced apart from the waist opening.

19. The upper garment of claim 17 further comprising at least one rear perforation extending downwardly from the upper margin.

20. The upper garment of claim 19 wherein the rear perforation extends downwardly from the neck opening and has an end spaced apart from the waist opening.

21. The upper garment of claim 17 further comprising a pair of short arms located on opposing sides of the neck opening and terminating in the arm openings, the upper perforations extending along an upper portion of the arms.

22. The upper garment of claim 17 further at least one of a perforation in the body, the perforation is capable of rupturing to accommodate torso sizes.

23. The upper garment of claim 17 further comprising a closure located either in an anterior portion or a posterior portion of the upper garment and capable of drawing together portions of the garment to change a dimension thereof.

24. The upper garment of claim 23 wherein the closure is located near the waist opening and is capable of changing the waist opening dimension.

25. The upper garment of claim 23 wherein the closure includes a first closure portion located on a first body portion and at least one second closure portion located on a second body portion, the first closure portion and the at least one second closure portion are capable of being brought together to reduce the waist opening dimension.

26. The upper garment of claim 25 wherein the first closure portion is one of a hoop portion or a loop portion, and at least one second closure portion is the other one of the hoop portion or the loop portion.

27. The upper garment of claim 26 wherein the at least one second closure portion is a plural number of the hook portions or the loop portions, thereby enabling the closure to be adjustable as to garment dimension.

28. The lower garment of claim 23 wherein the closure includes elastic.

29. The lower garment of claim 23 wherein the closure includes a frangible pleat that is ruptured to expand the waist opening.

30. The lower garment of claim 17 wherein each one of the perforations is a series of holes formed in the body.