Neck Engaging Hospital Gown and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A protective garment comprising a gown and an improved collar mechanism and method of use for securing protective gowns, typically used in health care settings, around the neck of a user without the need to secure with ties, tabs, snaps or other securing devices. The collar mechanism is made pliable when fastened to the garment so as to be deformed without fracture when force is applied but with a sufficient memory when combined with the gown that allows the collar to return to its original position once the force is removed. The collar mechanism may be manufactured efficiently by using a rotary die cutting machine to created nested pairs of pieces of a two-piece embodiment arranged spirally on a stock.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/580,211, filed Oct. 15, 2009, entitled “Protective Garment with Flexible Collar,” which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/322,037, filed Jan. 27, 2009, entitled “Easy On and Off Collar for a Protective Garment,” which claims the priority of provisional application 61/137,365, filed Jul. 29, 2008, entitled “Hospital Gown with Easy On and Off Collar,” which applications are incorporated in their entirety here by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of protective garments, and specifically, to a collar member or collar enclosure that allows for quick and easy securing of the protective garment to the wearer's neck.

BACKGROUND

Protective garments are used in medical settings to cover patients and health care workers alike, to isolate the patients from ambient germs found on practitioners' clothing, and to isolate practitioners from germs and fluids from patients.

Typically a protective garment is disposable, but some are not. In use, the user places his or her arms through the sleeves and then the gown is secured around the neck with a tie, VELCRO® or sticky tape as well as around the wearer's waist with a tie.

Tying the collar portion of the protective garment can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Sometimes, the securing of the ties around the neck is not completely successful or not done at all. As a result, the gown can come open causing the gown to drop off at the shoulders of the wearer at inopportune times, thereby exposing both the patient and health care worker to the other.

A recent development in attempting to solve this problem has involved the use of a bib-like device that goes over the head of the wearer. This device suffers because it musses hair and can get caught on jewelry.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,818, incorporated in its entirety here by this reference, overcomes this problem by utilizing a collar member with elastic properties so that the gown can stay on the user without requiring ties. Nonetheless, there exists a need for an improved method of securing the collar around the neck of a health care worker that is more accommodating to a variety of body types and sizes and is cost efficient to manufacture.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed towards a protective garment such as a hospital or medical gown, having a collar stiffener or collar member for placement inside or outside of the hem of the collar or neckline of the gown, the collar stiffener comprising a member that fits inside or outside of the hem of the collar or neckline of the gown. The member terminates in a first end and a second end wherein the member is composed of a material that is pliable enough to move with the application of force.

In some embodiments, the member is composed of a material that in addition to being pliable enough to move with the application of force, contains sufficient memory so as to return to its original shape once the force is released.

The first end and the second end may be thicker than, the same size as, or thinner than the rod. In some embodiments, the first end and the second end may protrude from the hem slightly.

In some embodiments, the overall shape of the collar stiffener may be oval, elliptical, or teardrop shaped to improve comfort around a user's neck.

In some embodiments, the cross-sectional diameter of the collar stiffener may be modified to improve the structural integrity of the collar stiffener. In some embodiments, the collar stiffener may be flat so as to facilitate being fastenable to the outside of the protective garment around the neckline.

Another embodiment of the instant invention teaches a method of quickly securing a gown around a wearer's neck comprising the steps of: sewing a member into or outside of the hem of the neck of the gown, such that it will fit inside or outside of the hem of the collar of the gown; gripping the neck of the gown and expanding it to a position wide enough to wrap around the wearer's neck; wrapping the gown around the wearer's neck; and releasing the member. The member terminates in a first end and a second end wherein the member is composed of a material that is pliable enough to move with the application of force.

The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that the collar member is made of a material that, in addition to being pliable enough to move with the application of force, contains sufficient memory so as to return to its original shape once the forced is released.

The present invention also covers the process for manufacturing the collar stiffener in a cost-effective manner from a stock of cardboard or plastic by minimizing waste from the stock of cardboard or plastic. The present invention may also be manufactured by injection molding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the collar stiffener of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of one of the ends of an embodiment of the collar stiffener;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the ends of an embodiment of the collar stiffener;

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the collar portion as it sits in the hem of the collar of a gown and wraps around the neck of a wearer;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the collar stiffener of the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the collar stiffener demonstrating the memory of it as it expands and contracts to fit around a user's neck;

FIG. 7 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the collar portion as it sits in the hem of the collar of a gown and wraps around the neck of a wearer;

FIG. 8 is a close up view of a second alternate embodiment of the tip of the collar enclosure of the instant invention;

FIG. 9 is a close up view of a third alternate embodiment of the tip of the collar enclosure of the instant invention;

FIG. 10 is a close up view of a second alternate embodiment of the tip of the collar enclosure of the instant invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the front of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the rear of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a close-up of the collar portion shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14A-D are close-up views of various closures for the collar member or the waist closure member;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a collar member;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a collar member;

FIG. 17 is the collar member as shown in FIG. 16 applied to a protective garment;

FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a nested pair of collar members; and

FIG. 19 is an embodiment of a stock showing the efficient arrangement of collar member pieces for manufacturing the collar member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

The present invention is directed to a protective garment that can be donned quickly, easily, and securely, with or without the assistance of others. The protective garment comprises a gown 30 to cover the wearer's body and a stiffening member or collar member 10 to secure the gown 30 to the wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 11-13, the gown 30 may be a standard hospital or medical gown, such as those worn by health care professionals. The gown has a closed-off front portion 42 that continues towards the back in opposite directions to form two back flaps 44, 46. The closed-off front portion 42 prevents exposure of the wearer's torso to the environment. The back flaps 44, 46 create an opening 45 through which the wearer can don the gown 30. Together the front portion 42 and the rear flaps 44, 46 can cover the wearer's entire torso from the neck to below the waistline. The rear flaps 44, 46 may be joined or overlapped to close off the back portion. This allows the back portion to be open but closeable by bringing the back flaps 44, 46 together behind the torso and securing the back flaps 44, 46 together by any means, if necessary.

A waist closure member 52 or other fastening means, such as adhesives, magnets, hook-and-loop fasteners, elastic rods, snaps, slip locks, or the like, may be used to secure the rear flaps 44, 46 closed.

Two sleeves 48, 50 may also be integrally formed into the gown 30 or may be stitched, glued, or otherwise fastened to the gown 30. Any stitch portions of the gown may utilize a welded seam for aesthetics as well as for improving impermeability. The sleeves 48, 50 may each comprise an elastic cuff 54, 56 to impart a tightness around the wrists. The elastic cuffs 54, 56 allow the wearer to prevent unwanted exposure to the environment through the cuffs and to allow the wearer to pull the sleeves 48, 50 and gloves off together without having to touch the gloves. Other means for imparting a tightness around the cuffs 54, 56 include flaps, straps, wraps, ties, and the like. The other means for imparting tightness may utilize quick-release fastening means such as adhesives, hook-and-loop fasteners, buttons, thumb or finger loops, and the like.

The gown 30 may be constructed of any type of fabric, cloth, plastic, or any other textile suitable for wearing. The types of material used may range from level zero to level four fabric. For example, in some embodiments, the gown 30 may be made from a level zero fabric, such as spunbond polyester to provide a basic barrier protection. In some embodiments, the gown 30 may be made from a level two or three fabric, such as a tri-layer SMS fabric to provide a fluid resistant barrier, while allowing breathability. The gown may be disposable or reusable. The gown 30 may be any color, although utilizing a yellow color tends to be cheaper for manufacturing purposes. In some embodiments, the gowns may be color-coded to designate the staff's role or function. Thus, each health care worker can know the role of another by the color of their gowns 30.

At the top of the gown 30, the front portion 42 and rear flaps 44, 46 define a collar or neckline 40, which is generally where the gown 30 ends at the top, creating a circular or oval shaped opening to receive a user's neck. A collar member 10 associated with the collar 40 is designed to engage a wearer's neck to securely hold the gown 30 to the wearer's body. The collar member 10 may be fastened or otherwise secured to the collar portion 40 of the gown 30. In some embodiments, the collar member 10 may be stitched to the collar 40. In some embodiments, the collar 40 may comprise a hem 28. Utilizing the hem 28 to secure the collar member 10 to the gown 30 allows the collar member 10 to maintain some adjustability as the collar member 10 may slide in and out of the hem 28. In some embodiments, the collar member 28 may be inserted into the hem 28 and also fastened to the collar 40, for example, by stitching.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hem 28 may be a single continuous hem extending from one back flap 44 through the front portion 42, to the second back flap 46 along the collar or neckline 40 of the gown 30. In some embodiments, the hem 28 may not extend the full perimeter of the collar portion 40. In some embodiments, a plurality of short segments of hems 28 may be intermittently spaced around the periphery of the collar portion 40.

The collar member 10 is fed into or sewn to the hem 28 of the neck of the protective garment 30. The member 10 may stick out of either side a half inch to one inch where the ties are typically found in the back of the open portion of standard garments. In some embodiments, the collar member 10 may not stick out at all. The user 34 simply spreads the two ends 12, 14 of the collar member 10 to a distance that allows it to reach around the wearer's neck 32 and releases it to fit around the user's neck without the need to tie, VELCRO® or sticky tab the back of the garment together, thereby keeping the collar 40 closed and the garment's shoulders in proper position during use. Once the user is done with the garment, it is simply pulled off of the neck and arms and discarded. There is no need to untie or separate any VELCRO® or sticky tabs by reaching up and around the neck 32 to do so.

Furthermore, when installing this collar member 10 along the neckline or collar 40, the manufacturer could optionally leave the standard ties 57 remaining, or any other fastener, such as VELCRO® or sticky tabs, as a secondary means of securement. When a health care worker 34 wears the garment for an extended period of time, then it may be desirable to include a secondary means of securement. However, typically health care workers are quickly in and out of areas that require the gowns. A hospital or other health care setting can use up to thirty gowns per shift.

The collar member 10 can be made of nylon, plastic or metal wire, or any other material that is pliable. In some embodiments, the collar member is made with nylon 66. In some embodiments, the collar member 10 may possess an elasticity. In other words, the material can also have a memory that will allow the collar member 10 to be bent or expanded to an open configuration when a force is applied and return to the closed position once force is removed without damaging the device.

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the collar member 10. The collar member 10 comprises generally an elongated, rod shaped main portion 16 having a first end 12 and a second end 14 opposite the first end 12 and with a generally circular cross section. The main portion 16 may take on other cross-sectional shapes, such as triangles, squares, ovals, ellipses, other polygons, “T”-shapes, “I”-shapes, cross shapes, star shapes, and the like. Shapes that increase surface area tend to increase the strength of the collar member 10, whereas shapes that decrease surface area makes the collar member 10 smoother to slide more easily into a hem 28.

The main portion 16 is generally an elongated rod formed into a curved shape so as to wrap around a user's neck similar to the neckline 40. The overall curved shape may be circular, oval, elliptical, tear-drop, egg-shaped, and the like. Any other shape that allows the collar member 10 to encircle the wearer's neck 32 is also suitable, such as triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, and the like. The neckline 40 would have a similar shape as the collar member 40.

Having a cylindrical collar member 10 allows the collar member 10 to be made in a cost-effective manner. In addition, existing gowns 30 require only minimal changes, if any, to receive the collar member 10. For example, collar members 10 may be directly fastened to existing collar portions 40, or hems 28 may be sewn into the collar portions 40 to receive the collar member 10. In either case, the existing gown 30 does not require expensive alterations.

The first end 12 and second end 14 of the collar member 10 may serve to secure the member 10 on the collar 40 of the gown 30 so that it does not move within the collar 40. In some embodiments, the first end 12 and the second end 14 may have a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the main portion 16. For example, the first and second ends 12, 14 may be flattened or tapered. A top view of the first end (which is the same as the second end) is shown in FIG. 2. The smaller thickness portion is shown as 12a. FIG. 3 shows the end 12 in side view. The thin portion 12a should be of sufficient thickness to allow the placement therethrough of a sewing needle, allowing for the ends 12 and 14 to be sewn directly to the hem 28 of the collar. Alternatively, each end 12, 14 may have a hole through which thread or other fastening means may be inserted to fasten the collar member 10 to the collar 40.

In some embodiments, the first and second ends 112, 114 may be thicker than the main body portion 116 as illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. In these drawings, the collar member is referred to as 110, the main body is 116, the first end is 112 and the second end is 114 for clarity only; however, features pertaining to these elements may also apply to other same or similarly named element, and vice versa, except as indicated. Increasing the thickness of the ends reduces the chances of the ends slipping back into the hem 28 in embodiments where the collar member 110 is not affixed to the collar 40 or hem 28. It also allows the ends to be more easily grasped. Increasing the thickness of the first and second ends 112, 114 may be achieved in a number of different ways. For example, the tip may be a folded tip 22, folded over itself to create a thicker cross section as seen in FIG. 8. Alternatively, the tip may be an enlarged tip 24, for example by making the tip into a ball-shape to create a thicker cross section as seen in FIG. 9. The tip 26 can also have the same general shape as the main portion 16, but be fabricated thicker or thinner as seen in FIG. 10.

In some embodiments, the ends 12, 14 may further comprise a fastening means 58. For example, the ends 12, 14 may have adhesives, ties, hook-and-loop fasteners, magnets, snaps, buttons, hooks, clips, weights, slips, cords, resistance fits, and the like for quick and easy securement and release. Attachment of the fastening means is, therefore, virtually automatic as the elastic nature of the collar member 10 brings the fastening means together to provide added security. In some embodiments, the main portion 16 may have a degree of plasticity or pliability that allows the main portion 16 to be bent into particular shapes and retain those shapes. In embodiments in which the collar member 10 is not affixed to the collar portion 40, the first and second ends 12, 14 can be brought together and the entire collar member 10 rotated about the neck of the user until the first and second ends 12, 14 enter into the hemmed portion 28 to further secure the collar member 10 on the neck.

A larger version of the collar member 10 comprising the same or similar features, material, and characteristics may be used as a waist closure member 52. In other words, the waist closure member 52 may also be an elongated, elastic, rod-like member. The waist closure member 52 may be circular, oval, or elliptical in shape. The waist area may also comprise a hem 60 through which the waist closure member 52 may be inserted analogous to the hem 28 in the collar portion 40. Other closure means can also be used for the waist closure member, such as adhesives, ties, hook-and-loop fasteners, magnets, snaps, buttons, hooks, clips, weights, slips, cords, resistance fits, and the like for quick and easy securement and release. In some embodiments, the waist closure member 52 may have a degree of plasticity or pliability that allows the waist closure member 52 to be bent into particular shapes and retain those shapes.

FIGS. 14A-14D show suitable examples of fastening means that can be attached to the ends of the collar member 10 and/or the waist closure member 52. As shown in FIG. 14A, the ends 12, 14 may comprise a hook system 58a in which one end 12 or 14 comprises an eyelet 70 and the other end 12 or 14 comprises a hook 72 to secure the hook 72 in the eyelet 70 to help keep the gown closed.

As shown in FIG. 14B, the ends 12, 14 may comprise end snaps 58b in which one end 12 or 14 comprises an insertion member 76 and the other end 12 or 14 comprises a receiving member 74 comprising an orifice configured to receive the insertion member 76 to secure the end snaps 58b due to resistance to help keep the gown closed. In some embodiment, the insertion member 76 may further comprise a means for increasing resistance inside the receiving member 74. For example, the tip of the insertion member may be enlarged or bulbous with the receiving member 74 having a reciprocal pocket to accommodate the bulbous tip. In some embodiments, the insertion member 76 may be ribbed or have flanges and the receiving member 74 may have reciprocal pockets to receive the ribs or flanges.

As shown in FIG. 14C, the ends 12, 14 may comprise a magnet system 58c in which one end 12 or 14 comprises a positive pole 78 and the other end 12 or 14 comprises a negative pole 80 to attract the positive pole 78 to secure the magnets 58c to help keep the gown closed.

As shown in FIG. 14D, the ends 12, 14 may comprise a slip lock 58d in which one end 12 or 14 comprises a slit 82 and the other end 12 or 14 comprises a barbed insertion member 84 insertable into the slit 82 to secure the slip lock 58d to help keep the gown closed. The barbs 86 are angled in such a way as to slide into the slit 82 in a first direction but to catch the slit 82 to encumber the removal of the barbed insertion member 84 in a second direction. In some embodiments, the slit portion 82 or the barbed insertion member portion 84 may further comprise perforations 88 so that pulling on the collar member 10 or the waist closure member 52 with the appropriate force causes the slip lock to tear at the perforations to easily remove the gown. The perforations 88 are, however, sturdy enough not to tear during normal wear.

The protective garment may be made by providing a gown 30 having a collar 40 and securing the collar member 10 to the collar 40 of the gown 30. The collar member 10 may be secured to the gown 30 by stitching, with adhesives, or any other fastening means. In some embodiments, a hem 28 is created at the collar 40 by folding the collar portion 40 of the gown 30 back on itself and affixing the collar portion 40 in the folded configuration. This creates a small tunnel through which the collar member 10 may be inserted. Once inserted into the hem 28, the collar member 10 may be affixed to the collar 40.

FIG. 4 shows the collar 40 as it appears when in use. The user grips the member 10 at any point to spread the distance between the ends from the first position 18 to a second position 20 that is wide enough to allow the member 10 to easily pass around a user's neck (see FIG. 6).

FIG. 4 shows the collar member 10 housed inside the hem 28 of the collar of a gown 30 as it fits around the neck 32 of a user 34. The first end 12 and second end 14 can protrude from the hem 28 slightly to allow for easy grip (see the alternate embodiments FIGS. 5-10). In the preferred embodiment, however, the first end 12 and second end 14 do not protrude from the hem 28 and are designed to allow the ends 12, 14 to be sewn directly into the hem 28.

FIGS. 15 and 16, show another embodiment of a collar member 210 having an overall oval, teardrop, or egg shape to comfortably fit around a user's neck. Features pertaining to these and the following elements may also apply to other same or similarly named element, and vice versa, except as indicated. The collar member 210 may be a one-piece unit (FIG. 15) or a two-piece unit (FIG. 16).

In the one-piece embodiment, the first and second ends 212, 214 overlap each other to assure that the gown 30 is closed when the collar member 210 is in its natural configuration. For example, the first and second ends 212, 214 terminate at the edges 47, 49 of the first and second back flaps 44, 46. Because the first and second ends 212, 214 overlap with each other, the first and second back flaps 44, 46 are forced to overlap with each other as well; thereby, creating a complete closure on the backside. In the preferred embodiment, the overlap may be approximately one inch.

Viewed from the perspective of being worn around a user's neck, the first end 212 runs horizontally in one direction and curves into a middle portion 216 at a radius of curvature R1. The middle portion 216 has its own radius of curvature R2. The second end 214 runs horizontally in the opposite direction and curves into a second middle portion 217 at a radius of curvature R3. The second middle portion 217 has its own radius of curvature R4. The middle portion 216 and second middle portion 217 curve into each other at the bottom 204 at a radius of curvature R5. In the preferred embodiment, R1 is greater than R3 and R2 is greater than R4.

In some embodiments, the curvature at R1 and R3 may be modified to strengthen the collar member 210 or increase the pliability of the collar member 210. For example, the portions of the collar member 210 at the curvatures R1 and R3 may be thicker or thinner than the rest of the collar member 210. In some embodiments, the portions of the collar member 210 at curvatures R1 and R3 may be ribbed like bendable straws to increase the flexibility.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16, the collar member 210 may be a two-piece unit comprising a first piece 210a and a second piece 210b. Being a two-piece member, each piece now has a first free end 212a, 212b and a second free 214a, 214b, resulting in a total of four free ends for a collar member 210 prior to final assembly onto the gown 30. Although each piece 210a, 210b can be identical pieces, in the preferred embodiment, the two pieces 210a, 210b are deliberately made in different sizes to improve the manufacturing cost.

The general shape of the two pieces 210a, 210b are similar in that the general shape is the same, but on a different scale; thereby, excluding the scope of being identical. The term “similar” is not used to describe objects that were intended to be identical but for minor, unintended variations created in the manufacturing process. Rather, the term “similar” is used because of the purposeful and noticeable (to the naked eye) change in the scale of an object having a particular shape relative to another object having the same shape.

Thus, both pieces 210a, 210b have a generally “C”-shaped configuration. Each piece 210a and 210b has two free ends 212a, 214a and 212b, 214b, respectively, connected by a curved middle portion 216a, 216b, respectively. In the assembled configuration, the two pieces are arranged in a mirror image-like formation with the first free ends 212a and 212b of each piece generally parallel to each other and overlapping, and the second free ends 214a and 214b of each piece generally parallel to each other and overlapping. Having the first free ends 212a, 212b parallel to each other also allows the gown 30 to be donned without having to pull the free ends 212a, 212b apart. Essentially, the user need only to push the outer edges 222a, 222b at the first free ends 212a, 212b against the user's neck to slide the collar member 210 onto a user's neck. Due to the pliability of the collar member and the fact that the first free ends 212a, 212b are parallel, the first free ends 212a, 212b will give temporarily to allow the neck to pass through.

To create the oval or teardrop shape, the middle portion 216a of the first piece 210a comprises two different radius of curvatures R1, R2. The first radius of curvature R1 occurs at the junction where the middle portion 216a transitions into the first end 212a. The second radius of curvature R2 gives the middle portion 216a its curved shape.

Similarly, the middle portion 216b of the second piece 210b comprises a third and fourth radius of curvatures R3, R4. The third radius of curvature R3 occurs at the junction where the middle portion 216b transitions into the first free end 212b. The fourth radius of curvature R4 gives the middle portion 216b its curved shape.

In the preferred embodiment, the second radius of curvature R2 is greater than the first radius of curvature R1 and the fourth radius of curvature R4 is greater than the third radius of curvature R3 to allow the first free end 212a of the first piece 210a to be parallel to and overlap the first free end 212b of the second piece 210b, as shown in FIG. 16. By way of example only, R1 may have a radius of curvature of approximately 1.5 inch, R2 may have a radius of curvature of approximately 5 inches, R3 may have a radius of curvature of approximately 1.25 inch, and R4 may have a radius of curvature of approximately 4.75 inches.

In the preferred embodiment, the two-piece collar member 210 is generally flat with each piece 210a, 210b having an inner edge 220a, 220b, respectively, and an outer edge 222a, 222b, respectively, defining a first side 224a, 224b, respectively, and a second side 226a, 226b, respectively, opposite the first side 224a, 224b, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment, the first piece 210a is slightly larger than the second piece 210b. Therefore, when the two pieces 210a, 210b are assembled together in a mirror image-like configuration, the inner edge 220a of the first piece 210a at the first free end 212a abuts the outer edge 222b of the second piece 210b at its first free end 212b. Similarly, the inner edge 220a of the first piece 210a at the second terminal end 214a abuts the outer edge 222b of the second piece 210b at the second free end 214b. This can be achieved because the first terminal ends 212a, 212b and the second terminal ends 214a, 214b of each piece are parallel to each other due to the combined radius of curvatures R1, R2, R3, and R4.

Normally, for the collar member 210 to perform its retention function, the material used must inherently possess elastic properties, such as those seen in plastics and metals. However, utilizing a two-piece embodiment opens the door for utilizing cheaper material that does not necessarily have elastic properties, (at least to the extent of plastics and metals) and would have never been considered as an option, without compromising the retention function of the collar member 210. For example, cardboard, chipboard, and the like can now be used as a collar member 210 at costs that are significantly cheaper than plastic or metal.

Since the two pieces 210a, 210b are separate, the two pieces 210a, 210b need not possess elastic properties to provide the retention function as in other collar members. This is because the elastic property of the collar member 210 need not be inherent, but rather acquired after the two pieces 210a, 210b are fastened to the gown 30. In order to fasten the two pieces 210a, 210b to a gown 30, the collar or neckline 40 of the gown 30 must be modified to resemble the overall shape of the assembled collar member 210 in the proper orientation. The neckline 40 may be slightly smaller than the assembled collar member 210 so that when the collar member 210 is fastened to the neckline 40 a small outline of the neckline 40 remains uncovered by the collar member 210. This allows the user's neck to be covered by the gown 30 rather than the collar member 210.

The collar member 210 can be fastened to the neckline 40 by any means. As shown in FIG. 17, in the preferred embodiment, the collar member 210 is glued to the neckline 40, for example, with a hot glue gun. The bottom portion of the neckline 40 can be cut to create a bottom flap 302 that folds on top of the second ends 214a, 214b of the collar member 210 and fastens to the second ends 214a, 214b and the gown 30. This creates a surprisingly strong connection between the two pieces 210a, 210b as well as creating the resiliency and elasticity required to wrap around the user's neck 32 and remain intact.

The first ends 212a, 212b are fastened to their respective back flaps 44, 46, respectively. Each back flap 44, 46 may have a tab 304, 306 that is integrally formed with the back flap 44, 46 that can be folded down on top of and fastened to the first ends 212a, 212b of the collar member 210 and the back flaps 44, 46 to secure the first ends 212a, 212b to the gown 30. A pair of ties 57 can still extend from the back flaps 44, 46 adjacent to the first ends 212a, 212b of the collar member 210. Alternatively, the tabs 304, 306 may be separate, distinct pieces from the back flaps 44, 46. In other words, the tabs 304, 306 may be, for example, patches that are fastened to the back flaps 44, 46. Similarly, the pair of ties 57 may be attached to the tabs 304, 306 or may be integrally formed extensions of the tabs 304, 306. Alternatively, the pair of ties 57 may be attached to the back flaps 44, 46 or integrally formed with the back flaps 44, 46.

To manufacture the collar member 210 in a cost-effective manner the two pieces are cut out from a rectangular or square stock 200, for example, using a rotary die cutting machine. The die is uniquely designed to cut out at least 10 pairs of collar member pieces 210a, 210b from a single sheet of stock 200 measuring approximately 12 inch by 12 inch, resulting in a minimal amount of waste. To accomplish this, the die may be designed to create one piece 210a of the pair nested within the other piece 210b; in other words, with the first piece 210a spooning the second piece 210b as shown in FIG. 18. The die is further configured such that a plurality of these spooning pairs can be arranged in a spiral configuration with one of the ends 212a, 212b or 214a, 214b of each piece converging near the center of the stock 200 and the opposite ends 214a, 214b or 212a, 212b adjacent to the edges of the stock as shown in FIG. 19. Based on this teaching, a person of ordinary skill in the art can alter the size of the stock sheet to include more or fewer pairs of collar member pieces 210a, 210b. For example, a 10 by 10 inch stock can be used to hold few collar member pieces 210a, 210b, or a 16 by 16 inch stock may be used to hold more than 10 pairs of collar member pieces 210a, 210b.

To further minimize cost, the collar member may be manufactured from cardboard material. Normally, cardboard would not be an optimal choice because it lacks the elastic property and strength required to keep a gown 30 on a wearer's neck 32 like metal or plastic would. However, when cardboard is fastened to the gown 30, the combination of the cardboard on the gown 30 creates a surprisingly strong elastic property sufficient to keep the garment 30 on the wearer's neck 32.

The following example is provided to illustrate the amount of savings created by the two-piece embodiment. The standard collar member may be approximately 7 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide. Assuming the most ideal conditions, to create a one-piece embodiment out of an elastic material, such as styrene, a 7 inch by 5.5 inch stock would only yield one unit. The 7 inch by 5.5 inch collar member 210 may be the equivalent of a 21 inch linear strip having a width of approximately 0.25 inch. Therefore, a single unit requires approximately 5.25 square inches of material. The area of a 7 inch by 5.5 inch stock is 38.5 square inches. Therefore, at most 13.6% of the stock yields a usable product and the 86.4% of the stock is waste and unusable.

To create a two-piece embodiment, since an elastic material is not required, cheaper cardboard material can be used. Furthermore, the two-piece embodiment would still be the equivalent of the same 21 inch long strip having a width of approximately 0.25 inch. Because this is a two-piece embodiment, the spiral arrangement with nested pairs as shown in FIG. 19 can be utilized. Therefore, a 12 inch by 12 inch stock 200 can yield 10 units, requiring 52.5 square inches of material. Since the area of a 12 inch by 12 inch stock is 144 square inches, the two-piece material results in approximately 36% of usable material and approximately 64% waste.

The thickness of the collar member ranges from approximately twenty-thousandth of an inch to approximately eighty-thousandth of an inch. In the preferred embodiment, plastic material ranges from approximately forty-thousandth of an inch to approximately fifty-thousandth of an inch. For cardboard or chipboard material, the preferred thickness is approximately sixty-thousandth of an inch.

More savings can be appreciated as the collar member is broken down into more pieces since more of the smaller pieces can fit on the same stock. However, there may come a point when the assembly process of too many pieces could outweigh the cost savings from minimizing wasted stock.

The sorting process may be streamlined by having a mark placed on one of the pieces 210a or 210b before, during, or after the cutting process. This will help the assembler identify which pieces go together after the pieces have been removed from the stock 200. In some embodiments, the sorting and assembly process may be alternatively streamlined by making the two pieces 210a, 210b identical. This may not minimize wasted stock; however, it could increase assembly speed by not having to sort two different pieces. During assembly, the two identical pieces 210a, 210b can be arranged with the first free ends 212a, 212b abutting end-to-end and the second free ends 214a, 214b abutting end-to-end so as to create one smooth, continuous oval collar member.

Alternatively, rather than an end-to-end arrangement, identical pieces 210a, 210b can be arranged inner edge 220a to outer edge 222b as in FIG. 16 with the modification that inner edge 220b would be abutting outer edge 222a.

In the preferred embodiment, the entire process can be automated using rotary die cutting machine using a cylindrical die on a rotary press. A long sheet of stock material is fed through the rotary press to cut out the one-piece embodiment shown in FIG. 15 or the two-piece embodiment shown in FIG. 16-19. In the two-piece embodiment, a vacuum system can be used separate the two different pieces into different batches. For example, a vacuum system can be used to hold the first or second piece 210a or 210b while the complementary piece 210b or 210a is ejected into a bin. Once cleared from the complementary piece, the held piece can be ejected into a separate bin. The two pieces 210a, 210b can then be easily matched up and secured to the gown 30 as shown in FIG. 17.

These embodiments can also be manufactured by injection molding techniques with similar cost savings and reduction in waste due to the reduced tool space based on the configurations and arrangement of the pieces 210a, 210b during manufacturing described above.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A two-piece collar member for a protective garment, comprising:

a. a first collar piece having i. a first curvature, wherein the first collar piece comprises a first inner edge and a first outer edge, the first inner edge and the first outer edge defining a first flat surface, a second flat surface opposite the first flat surface, ii. a first terminal end, and iii. a second terminal end opposite the first terminal end; and

b. a second collar piece similar to the first curved collar piece, the second collar piece having i. a second curvature, wherein the second collar piece comprises a second inner edge and a second outer edge, the second inner edge and the second outer edge defining a third flat surface, a fourth flat surface opposite the third flat surface, ii. a third terminal end, and iii. a fourth terminal end opposite the third terminal end,

c. wherein the first curvature is defined by a first radius of curvature and a second radius of curvature,

d. wherein the second curvature is defined by a third radius of curvature and a fourth radius of curvature, and

e. wherein the third radius of curvature is smaller than the first radius of curvature and the fourth radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature, such that the second outer edge of the second collar piece abuts the first inner edge of the first collar piece.

2. The two-piece collar member of claim 1, wherein the first and second collar pieces are made from cardboard.

3. The two-piece collar member of claim 1, wherein the first and second collar pieces are fastenable to a neckline of a protective garment.

4. The two-piece collar member of claim 3, wherein the neckline comprises a securing flap securable to the second terminal end and the fourth terminal end of the first and second collar pieces, respectively.

5. The two-piece collar member of claim 3, wherein the protective garment comprises a second securing flap and a third securing flap securable to the first terminal end and the third terminal end, respectively.

6. A method of manufacturing two-piece collar members for a protective garment, comprising: cutting a stock to generate a plurality of two-piece collar members spirally arranged in a square area, wherein each two-piece collar member comprises a larger, curved piece and a smaller, curved piece, wherein the smaller, curved piece is nested within the larger, curved piece, wherein each of the larger, curved pieces and each of the smaller, curved pieces comprise a first terminal end, a second terminal end, and a curved middle portion connecting the first terminal end with the second terminal end.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising fastening the two-piece collar member to a neckline of a protective garment with the first terminal ends of each piece adjacent to each other and the second terminal ends of each piece adjacent to each other, and the curved middle portions positioned away from each other to form an oval shape.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating a securing flap at a bottom of the neckline.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

a. folding the securing flap over the second terminal ends; and

b. fastening the securing flap to the gown and the second terminal ends.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating a pair of securing flaps at a top of the neckline.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

a. folding a first securing flap over the first terminal end of the larger, curved piece;

b. folding a second securing flap over the first terminal and of the smaller, curved piece;

c. fastening the first securing flap onto the first terminal end of the larger, curved piece and the protective garment; and

d. fastening the second securing flap on to the first terminal end of the smaller, curved piece and the protective garment.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein an amount of wasted stock generated is less than 80%.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein an amount of wasted stock generated is less than 70%.

14. A protective garment, comprising:

a. a curved collar member having an outer edge, an inner edge opposite the outer edge, a first free end, and a second free end opposite the first free end, wherein the outer edge and inner edge define a first flat surface and a second flat surface opposite the first flat surface, wherein the curved collar member comprises at least two different radii of curvature so as to form an oval configuration such that the inner edge at the first free end abuts the outer edge at the second free end when in its natural state; and

b. a gown having an oval shaped neckline, wherein the curved collar member is fastened to the oval shaped neckline of the gown.

15. The protective garment of claim 14, wherein the curved collar member further comprises a third free end and a fourth free end opposite the first free end and the second free end, thereby creating a two-piece curved collar member, wherein each piece is generally C-shaped.

16. The protective garment of claim 15, wherein a first piece of the two-piece curved collar member is at least the same size as a second piece of the two-piece curved collar member.

17. The protective garment of claim 16, wherein the first piece of the two-piece curved collar member is larger than second piece of the two-piece curved collar member.

18. The protective garment of claim 14, wherein a cross-section of the collar member is a flat, rectangular shape.