Protective hospital gown

• US 4,845,779 A
• Filed: 03/24/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BAKER, DOROTHY (.125%), BAKER, HARDY (.125%), BRUMFIELD, JEANNIE HARRIS (.125%), BULLOCK, A. ABBOT (.250%), BULLOCK, BETTY C. (.250%), BULLOCK, HAROLD A. (.250%), Carolyn J. Martin, CARTWRIGHT, BRENT MARTING (2.250%), CARTWRIGHT, CECIL (19.250%), CARTWRIGHT, CECIL JOHN III (2.250%), CARTWRIGHT, ESTHER (19.250%), CARTWRIGHT, SUSAN LOUISE (2.250%), CAUTHEN, JAMES (.125%), CHENNAULT, W. L. (.125%), COLE, RONALD R. (.125%), COULTER, DENISE (1.000%), COULTER, LARRY (1.000%), DAIGLE, EDDIE, JR. (1.000%), DAIGRE, LISA (.125%), Edward O'Connor, FERGUSON, DIANE (.250%), FLETCHER, JOHN C. (.125%), FLETCHER, SALLY B. (.125%), GARY, PAT (.500%), George Williams, GOOCH, JOHN E., JR. (.250%), GRAY, DANNY N. (.250%), GRIFFITH, LORETTA (.250%), HARRIS, GERALDINE C. (.125%), HITT, BRUNELL (.250%), Jack B. Campbell, James R. Ellis, John Kirk, JOHNSTON, JAMES G. (.125%), Joseph A. Germy Jr, JOWERS, LELIA K. (.125%), JOWERS, WILLIAM C. (.125%), K-AB Partnership, KIRK, LINDA (.125%), LANG, PHILIP T. (.250%), LAUBSCHER, LAWRENCE JR. (2.500%), LINCOLN, TIMOTHY D. (2.750%), L Whitlock, MASIELLO, FRANK (.250%), MCMILLON, WILLIAM (.250%), MONTALVO, FRED (1.000%), Morgan R, MT. SALUS INVESTORS (.125%), MUIRHEAD, JOAN (1.000%), O'CONNOR, ANTOINETTE (.125%), Oliver W, PARKER, JIMMY (.125%), PASTERNAK, HARRY J. (.125%), PEDIGO, VELTA (.125%), PERRY, DAWN WELLS (.125%), PHILLIP, DARRELL (.125%), REESE, JUSTIN P. (.250%), Robert Griffith, Ronald M. Wheeler, Rory Lee, SCHEIDT, CHARLES (.125%), SCHEIDT, KATHLEEN GAIL (.125%), STERN, CAROL G. (.125%), STEVENS, MICHAEL K. (.125%), TATUM, JOSEPH (1.000%), Teknamed Corporation, United States Treasury Department Interal Revenue Service Jackson MS, Ventures Palmetto, Wall R, WHEELER, HOWARD DALE (.250%), WHEELER, JANET ELAINE (9.625%), WHEELER, JOSEPH REGAN (7.000%), WHEELER, JULIA DANIELLE (7.000%), WHEELER, KIMBERLY DAWN (7.000%), William B. Graham, WILLIAMSON, FRANCES B. (1.000%), WILLIAMSON, LAWSEN T. (1.000%), WORLEY, BARBARA (.750%), WORLEY, CHARLES (.750%), WORLEY, PERCY R. (.250%)
• Original Assignee: United States Treasury Department Interal Revenue Service Jackson MS
• Inventors: Germy, Joseph A. Jr., Wheeler, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette E.
• Application Number:
  US07/177,821
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 2/2, 2/2.1 R, 2/2.1 A, 2/69, 2/79, 2/84, 2/114, 2/171, 2/173, 2/202, 2/205, 2/206, 2/DIG. 7
• US Class Current: 2/84
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1153 with a hood
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1184 with protection for the eyes, e.g. using shield or visor
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1209 Surgeons' gowns or dresses
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2200/20 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/046 Balaclavas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/05 Splash shields for protection of the surgeon, e.g. splash guards connected to the apparatus A41D13/11 takes precedence

Abstract

A disposable hospital gown includes body, arm, and hood portions and gloves connected with the arm portions assembled so as to provide a unitary structure impervious to fluid. The hood portion contains an enlarged viewing opening in its front surface for receiving a clear plastic visor and a ventilating mask which are connected with the hood portion in sealing relation. A protective flap is sealed to the visor to cover the ventilating mask. The gown, hood and flap are formed of a barrier material which is impervious to bodily fluids and germs. A plurality of fasteners at the rear of the body portion close a vertical opening contained therein when the device is worn. The unitary gown thus protects the wearer'"'"'s body from contact with any fluids expelled from a patient'"'"'s body to prevent the transmission of any disease between the wearer and the patient.

Claims

1. A disposable head covering for protecting medical personnel from infection and germs transmitted by bodily fluids, comprising

(a) a hood formed of a barrier cloth material and having a generally conical configuration open at its bottom end, whereby said hood may be placed over the wearer'"'"'s head, said hood containing an enlarged viewing opening in the front portion thereof;

(b) a visor arranged within the top portion of said enlarged viewing opening and connected in sealed relation with said hood;

(c) a mask arranged within the bottom portion of said enlarged viewing opening and connected in sealed relation with the lower edge of said visor and with said hood; and

(d) a protective flap formed of barrier cloth material connected in sealed relation with said visor adjacent to the connection between said visor and said mask, said flap covering at least said mask, whereby the wearer'"'"'s head is covered completely by protective barrier material.

2. A head covering as defined in claim 1, wherein said mask contains an opening in the top central portion thereof, whereby when said hood is placed over the wearer'"'"'s head, the wearer'"'"'s nose is aligned with said mask opening.

3. A head covering as defined in claim 2, and further comprising tie means connected with said hood for tightening said hood around the neck of the wearer to hold the covering on the wearer'"'"'s head.

4. A head covering as defined in claim 3, wherein said hood contains a vertical slit in the rear portion thereof, and further comprising means connected with said hood for closing said slit.

5. A head covering as defined in claim 4, wherein said visor is formed of clear synthetic plastic material.

6. A head covering as defined in claim 5, wherein said barrier cloth material comprises a blend of polyester and pulp materials.

7. A head covering as defined in claim 6, wherein said mask is formed of gauze material.

8. A head covering as defined in claim 7, wherein a hot melt adhesive is used for said sealed connections.

9. A head covering as defined in claim 6, wherein said hood contains a pair of slits in the side portions thereof, respectively, adjacent to the ears of the wearer to receive the ends of a stethoscope.

10. A unitary, disposable medical gown, comprising

(a) a generally cylindrical body portion adapted for covering at least the torso of the wearer;

(b) a pair of arm portions connected at one end with said body portion;

(c) a hood connected with the front upper edge of said body portion between said arm portions, said hood having a generally conical configuration open at its bottom end, whereby said hood may be placed over the wearer'"'"'s head, said hood containing an enlarged viewing opening in the front portion thereof;

(d) a visor arranged within the top portion of said enlarged viewing opening and connected in sealed relation with said hood;

(e) a mask arranged within the bottom portion of said enlarged viewing opening and connected in sealed relation with the lower edge of said visor and with said hood; and

(f) a protective flap formed of barrier cloth material connected in sealed relation with said visor adjacent to the connection between said visor and said mask, said flap covering at least said mask, whereby the wearer'"'"'s head is covered completely by protective barrier material.

11. A medical gown as defined in claim 10, wherein said mask contains an opening in the top central portion thereof, whereby when said hood is placed over the wearer'"'"'s head, the wearer'"'"'s nose is aligned with said mask opening.

12. A medical gown as defined in claim 11, wherein said body portion, said arm portions, said hood, and said flap are formed of a barrier cloth material.

13. A medical gown as defined in claim 12, and further comprising tie means connected with said hood and with said body portion for tightening said hood and said body portion about the neck and torso, respectively, of the wearer to hold the gown on the wearer.

14. A medical gown as defined in claim 13, wherein said hood contains a vertical slit in the rear portion thereof, and further comprising means connected with said hood for closing said slit.

15. A medical gown as defined in claim 14, wherein said visor is formed of clear synthetic plastic material.

16. A medical gown as defined in claim 15, wherein said mask is formed of gauze material.

17. A medical gown as defined in claim 16, wherein said hood contains a pair of slits in the side portions thereof, respectively, adjacent to the ears of the wearer to receive the ends of a stethoscope.

18. A medical gown as defined in claim 12, and further comprising a pair of gloves connected in sealed relation with the other ends of said arm portions, respectively.

19. A medical gown as defined in claim 12, and further comprising a pair of leg and foot portions extending from the bottom of said body portion.

20. A unitary, disposable, hospital gown, comprising

(a) a generally cylindrical body portion adapted for covering at least the torso of the wearer;

(b) a pair of arm portions connected at one end with said body portion;

(c) a hood portion connected in sealed relation with the upper edge of said body portion between said arm portions, said hood portion containing a plurality of ventilation openings in the top portion thereof and an enlarged viewing opening in the front portion thereof; and

(d) visor means arranged within said enlarged viewing opening and connected in sealed relation with said hood portion, whereby the gown provides protection to the wearer from infection and germs transmitted by bodily fluids.

21. A hospital gown as defined in claim 20, wherein said body portion has a vertical opening at the rear thereof, and further comprising fastening means connected with said body portion for closing said rear vertical opening.

22. A hospital gown as defined in claim 21, and further comprising a generally circular stay connected with said hood portion adjacent the upper surface thereof to space said hood portion and said visor means from the wearer'"'"'s face.

23. A hospital gown as defined in claim 21, and further comprising a pair of surgical gloves connected with the other ends of said arm portions, respectively.

24. A hospital gown as defined in claim 23, wherein said gloves are sewn to the other ends of said arm portions, respectively.

25. A hospital gown as defined in claim 23, wherein said gloves are heat sealed to the other ends of said arm portions, respectively.

26. A hospital gown as defined in claim 23, wherein said visor means is formed of transparent synthetic plastic material.

27. A hospital gown as defined in claim 26, wherein said visor means is heat sealed to said hood portion.

28. A hospital gown as defined in claim 27, and further comprising a pair of leg and foot portions extending from the bottom of said body portion.

29. A hospital gown as defined in claim 28, and further comprising mask means arranged within said enlarged viewing opening below said visor means and connected in sealed relation with said visor means and said hood portion.

30. A hospital gown as defined in claim 29, wherein said body, arm, hood, leg and foot portions are formed of a barrier cloth material.

31. A hospital gown as defined in claim 29, wherein the area between said hood and body portions is elastically gathered about the neck of the wearer.

32. A hospital gown as defined in claim 31, wherein the area between said hood and body portion contains a drawstring for adjusting the elastic portion about the neck of the wearer.

33. A hospital gown as defined in claim 29, wherein said body, arm, hood, leg and foot portions are treated with gamma radiation for sterilization.

34. A hospital gown as defined in claim 33, wherein said sterilized gown is folded and wrapped individually in a sterile package.