Uncontaminated garment packaging

• US 8,162,137 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veltek Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Veltek Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Vellutato, Arthur L. Jr., Trombetta, Steven S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLADO, CYNTHIA FRANCISCA
• Application Number:
  US12/205,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20090084695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 206/278, 206/292, 533/96, 534/77, 534/29, 534/25, 224/31, 2 8/3, 211/4, 210/5
• US Class Current: 206/292
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/02 Overalls , e.g. bodysuits or bib overalls sweating suits A61H36/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/422 into a pocket
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/18 for wearing apparel, headwear or footwear

Abstract

A packaged garment includes a garment and a sealed bag. The garment has a torso portion, a sleeve portion connected to the torso portion, and a leg portion connected to the torso portion. The garment has an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The sealed bag contains the garment with the sleeve portion folded onto the torso portion, a portion of the sleeve portion folded at least once underneath the sleeve portion between the sleeve portion and the torso portion, and the leg portion folded onto the torso portion. The garment is manipulated so that the inner surface of the torso portion faces outward and the torso portion forms an inner space containing the sleeve portion and the leg portion.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a packaged garment having an outer surface, an inner surface opposite the outer surface, a torso portion, two sleeve portions coupled to the torso portion at respective arm accesses, and two leg portions coupled to the torso portion at respective leg accesses, the method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:

folding the two sleeve portions onto the torso portion;

folding the two leg portions onto the torso portion;

manipulating the folded garment so that the inner surface of the torso portion faces outward and the outer surface forms an inner space with the two sleeve portions and the two leg portions disposed therein, and the accesses of the two sleeve portions and the accesses of the two leg portions are accessible and unobstructed at peripheral edges of the inner space; and

sealing the folded garment in a bag.

2. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising the step of

sterilizing the garment and the bag.

3. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the step of sterilizing is by irradiation.

4. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the step of sealing the folded garment in the bag includes hermetically sealing the garment in the bag.

5. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the step of sealing the folded garment in the bag includes heat sealing the garment in the bag.

6. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, further comprising the step of disposing the bag in a shipping container.

7. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

disposing the bag in a sealing layer; and

disposing the sealing layer in a shipping container.

8. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve portions and the leg portions face outward.

9. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising the step of fully extending the sleeve portions and the leg portions within the torso portion.

10. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising the step of arranging the arm accesses and the leg accesses to lie substantially at an outer peripheral edge of the folded garment.

11. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising the step of rolling a portion of each of the two sleeve portions.

12. A method of manufacturing a packaged uncontaminated garment having an outer surface, and inner surface opposite the outer surface, a torso portion with an opening, sleeve portions coupled to the torso portion at respective arm accesses, and leg portions coupled to the torso portion at respective leg accesses, the method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:

folding the sleeve portions onto the torso portion;

folding the leg portions onto the torso portion over the sleeve portions;

manipulating the opening of the torso portion over the folded sleeve portions and leg portions so that the inner surface of the torso portion faces outward and the outer surface forms an inner space with the sleeve portions and the leg portions disposed therein, and the outer surface of the sleeve portions and the leg portions face outward within the inner space;

fully extending the sleeve portions and the leg portions within the inner space arranging arm accesses and leg accesses to lie substantially at an outer peripheral edge of the inner space so the arm accesses and leg access are accessible and unobstructed at the outer peripheral edge of the inner space; and

sealing the folded garment in a bag.

13. The method of manufacturing according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

hermetically sealing the bag;

disposing the sealed bag in a carton; and

irradiating the garment, the bag, and the carton externally at a predetermined level for a predetermined time interval.

14. The method of manufacturing according to claim 13, wherein the step of disposing the sealed bag in a carton further comprises the steps of:

disposing the bag in a sealing layer;

closing the sealing layer; and

disposing the sealing layer in a carton.

15. The method of manufacturing according to claim 12, further comprising the step of rolling a portion of the sleeve portion.