Full-fashioned garment in a fabric and optionally having intelligence capability

• US 6,474,367 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Park, Sungmee, Jayaraman, Sundaresan
• Primary Examiner(s): Falik, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUROMOTO JR, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US09/713,160
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 661/71, 112/470.05, 112/470.06, 112/470.16, 240/2, 222/7, 222/9, 139/383.R, 139/387.R
• US Class Current: 139/383.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1236 Patients' garments
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1263 Suits
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 11/02 Fabrics formed with pockets, tubes, loops, folds, tucks or flaps fabrics consisting of a single tube D03D3/02
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 3/02 Tubular fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/14 Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/55 Epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06Q 1/00 Decorating textiles
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of a single-piece woven garment which can be converted into a full-body garment, similar to an overall or a hospital gown, using a minimum number of seams and a minimum amount of cutting. The garment is made a two-dimensional fabric, with the various parts produced as a single piece. Additionally, the garment can include an integrated infrastructure component for collecting, processing, transmitting and receiving information, giving it intelligence capability.

Claims

1. A process for producing a one-piece garment from a single piece of two-dimensional fabric comprising:

(a) forming the fabric into a shape having (1) a mid-panel with a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, and a first end edge and a second end edge opposite thereto, (2) an end panel attached to said second end edge at approximately the midpoint of the end edge and extending beyond the first side edge, and (3) a second end panel attached to said first end edge at approximately the midpoint of the end edge and extending beyond the second side edge;

(b) folding the cut fabric along a first horizontal fold line located at the midpoint of the mid-panel;

(c) cutting the fabric at approximately the midpoint of the first horizontal fold line of the mid-panel, resulting in a hole big enough to accommodate a subject'"'"'s head;

(d) folding the cut fabric along a first vertical fold line of the first end panel, wherein the fold is located at the second side edge of the mid-panel;

(e) folding the cut fabric along a second vertical fold line of the second end panel, wherein the fold is located at the first side edge of the mid-panel;

(f) securing the resulting met edges of the fabric.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the met edges of the fabric are secured with stitches, snaps, a hook and loop-type fastener, or glue.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises;

(a)(i) forming the fabric into a shape having a first side panel, said first side panel having a top edge and a bottom edge opposite thereto, which side panel is attached to the mid-panel at approximately the mid-point of the first side edge, and a second side panel, said second side panel having a top edge and a bottom edge opposite thereto, attached to the mid-point of the mid-panel at approximately the second side edge;

(a)(ii) folding the fabric of step (a)(i) along a first horizontal fold line, wherein the top edge of the first side panel meets with the bottom edge of the first side panel and the top edge of the second side panel meets with the bottom edge of the second side panel; and

(a)(iii) securing the resulting met edges of the fabric.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the met edges are secured with stitches, snaps, a hook and loop-type fastener, or glue.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional fabric comprises:

a. a comfort component; and

b. an integrated information infrastructure component, wherein the information infrastructure component is selected from the group consisting of, individually or in any combination, penetration detection components, sensors, processors, wireless transmission devices, and electrically conductive components, said electrically conductive components comprising one or more individually insulated conductive fibers.

10. The process of claim 3, wherein the two-dimensional fabric comprises:

a. a comfort component; and

b. an integrated information infrastructure component, wherein the information infrastructure component is selected from the group consisting of, individually or in any combination, penetration detection components, sensors, processors, wireless transmission devices, and electrically conductive components, said electrically conductive components comprising one or more individually insulated conductive fibers.

5. A garment with legs, wherein the garment is fashioned from a fabric comprised of (a) a comfort component and (b) an integrated information infrastructure component, wherein the information infrastructure component is selected from the group consisting of, individually or in any combination, penetration detection components, sensors, processors, wireless transmission devices, and electrically conductive components, said electrically conductive components comprising one or more individually insulated conductive fibers.

6. A garment with legs and sleeves, wherein the garment is fashioned from a fabric comprised of (a) a comfort component and (b) an integrated information infrastructure component, wherein the information infrastructure component is selected from the group consisting of, individually or in any combination, penertration detection components, sensors, processors, wireless transmission devices, and electrically conductive components, said electrically conductive components comprising one or more individually insulated conductive fibers.

7. A process for producing a one-piece garment with legs, and optionally with sleeves, comprising:

(a) weaving a fabric into a shape having (1) a mid-panel with a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, and a first end edge and a second end edge opposite thereto, (2) an end panel attached to said second end edge at approximately the midpoint of the end edge and extending beyond the first side edge, and (3) a second end panel attached to said first end edge at approximately the midpoint of the end edge and extending beyond the second side edge; and

optionally (4) a first side panel, having a top edge and a bottom edge, which first side panel is attached to the mid-panel at approximately the mid-point of the first side edge and a second side panel, having a top edge and a bottom edge, which second side panel is attached to the mid-point of the mid-panel at approximately the second side edge;

(b) cutting the warp threads that are not woven into the fabric;

(c) folding the cut fabric along a first horizontal fold line located at the midpoint of the mid-panel;

(d) cutting the fabric at approximately the midpoint of the first horizontal fold line of the mid-panel, resulting in a hole big enough to accommodate a subject'"'"'s head;

(e) folding the cut fabric along a first vertical fold line of the first end panel, wherein the fold is located at the second side edge of the mid-panel;

(f) folding the cut fabric along a second vertical fold line of the second end panel, wherein the fold is located at the first side edge of the mid-panel;

(g) optionally, folding the fabric along the first horizontal fold line such that the top edge of the first side panel meets with the bottom edge of the first side panel and the top edge of the second side panel meets with the bottom edge of the second side panel; and

(h) securing the resulting met edges of the fabric.

8. the process of claim 7, wherein the fabric is woven from:

a. a comfort component and

b. an integrated information infrastructure component, wherein the information infrastructure component is selected from the group consisting of, individually or in any combination, penetration detection components, sensors, processors, wireless transmission devices, and electrically conductive components, said electrically conductive components comprising one or more individually insulated conductive fibers.