DISPOSABLE SAFETY GARMENT WITH IMPROVED DOFFING AND NECK CLOSURE

• US 20140173814A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Environmental & Safety Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quest Environmental & Safety Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Yadav, Sudhansu S., Dieterle, Mark, Marcum, Joseph T., Thompson, Elliott
• Granted Patent: US 9,248,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/457
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0012 Professional or protective garments with pockets for particular uses, e.g. game pockets or with holding means for tools or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/02 Overalls , e.g. bodysuits or bib overalls sweating suits A61H36/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/52 Disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2500/30 Non-woven
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/006 against contamination from chemicals, toxic or hostile environments; ABC suits
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 3/025 Clothing completely surrounding the wearer

Abstract

Nonwoven safety garments are described. Features of the stitching of some embodiments limit the number of particulates emitted from seams between cut edges. Attachments features may be included on the garments to enable secure, external attachment of measuring equipment. Doffing features, such as loops, are provided to help the wearer safely remove the garment, either by helping her pull off part or all of the garment or by starting to separate closure devices. In some embodiments, a repositionable closure on a neck flap covers the neck up to the bottom of a face mask or respirator, and a grasping tab helps the wearer safely open the repositionable closure and the neck flap.

Claims

1. A nonwoven safety garment for protecting against radiological, light splash, or biological hazards, comprising:

one or more pieces of material collectively having a plurality of edges;

at least one seam connecting at least two of the plurality of edges, together defining a garment that has an inside and an outside and covers substantially all of the wearer; and

a plurality of doffing loops positioned and attached to the outside of the garment with sufficient strength that a wearer can pull on one or more of the doffing loops to doff at least a portion of the garment.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of doffing loops are loops of fabric sewn onto the outside of garment.

3. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a closure that openably closes at least one of the at least one seams, and wherein

the closure at least partially opens when a separating force above a predetermined threshold is applied in a particular direction, and

at least one of the doffing loops is positioned and attached on the garment to transmit force above the predetermined threshold to the closure in the particular direction.

4. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a hood that includes:

an edge that defines a face opening;

a neck flap attached to a first side of the face opening, the neck flap bearing one part of a two-part attachment device; and

on a second side of the face opening, opposite the first side, a second part of the attachment device;

wherein, when the first part and the second part of the attachment device are in contact, the neck flap defines the bottom of the face opening.

5. The garment of claim 4, wherein the hood further includes one or more doffing loops, each positioned and attached to the outside of the hood so that a wearer can pull at least one of them to doff the hood.

6. The garment of claim 4, wherein the neck flap further includes one or more removal features, each positioned and attached to the outside of the neck flap so that, when the attachment device is in a closed position, a wearer can pull at least one of the removal features to move the attachment device to an open position.

7. The garment of claim 1, further comprising reinforced knees and elbows that retard or prevent passage of liquids through the garment at those points.

8. A method of making a safety garment for protecting against radiological, light splash, or biological hazards, comprising the acts of:

a) stitching at least one sheet of nonwoven material to define a garment that has an inside and an outside and covers substantially all of the wearer; and

b) attaching to the garment a plurality of doffing loops, each attached to the outside of the garment with sufficient strength that a wearer can pull on one or more of the doffing loops to doff at least a portion of the garment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of doffing loops are loops of fabric sewn onto the outside of the garment.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

attaching a reopenable closure to the garment at the stitching, and the closure opens at least partially when a separating force above a predetermined threshold is applied perpendicular to the direction of the stitching, and

at least one of the doffing loops is positioned and attached on the garment to transmit an applied force above the predetermined threshold perpendicular to the stitching at the closure.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising including in the garment a hood that includes:

an edge that defines a face opening;

a neck flap on a first side of the face opening, the neck flap bearing one part of a two-part attachment device; and

on a second side of the face opening, opposite the first side, a second part of the attachment device;

wherein, when the two-part attachment device is in a closed position, the neck flap defines the bottom of the face opening.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hood further includes one or more doffing loops, each positioned and attached to the outside of the hood so that a wearer can doff the hood by pulling on at least one of them.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the neck flap further includes one or more doffing features, each positioned and attached to the outside of the neck flap so that, when the attachment device is in the closed position, a wearer can pull at least one doffing feature to move the attachment device to an open position.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising reinforcing the knees and elbows of the garment to retard or prevent passage of liquids through the garment at those points.

15. A garment for protecting a wearer from radiological, chemical, or biological hazards, comprising:

a hood of nonwoven material bearing a first portion of a closure device; and

a neck flap, attached to the hood, and comprising a second portion of the closure device;

wherein, when the first portion and second portion of the closure device are in contact, the hood and neck flap define an opening around the face of the wearer.

16. The garment of claim 15, further comprising a suit body, connected to the hood, that covers the torso, arms, and legs of the wearer.

17. The garment of claim 16, wherein the hood and suit body in combination cover substantially all of the wearer except the face.

18. The garment of claim 16, wherein the hood and suit body in combination cover substantially all of the wearer except the face, hands, and feet.

19. The garment of claim 16, further comprising reinforced knees and elbows that retard or prevent passage of liquids through the garment at those points.