Shower Jacket

Abstract

The shower jacket is provided as a one-piece body garment that has a minimum number of parts, which includes a front portion, a vertically right side slit portion underneath the arm section, divided into two segments that will be fastened. It has a fully closed back portion, as well as an opening for arms and the neck. Fasteners are for retaining the two segments of the vertical right-side portion segments together at three sections along the side of the garment in three-button sections. This component is for securing and covering up the entire body of the patient in order to provide warmth, privacy, safety, and a sense of modesty and dignity. It also has a convenient front four-compartment pocket to aid in supplying a patient's necessity items for the bath or shower. It allows easy access for patients with medical equipment, and for examinations to the body.

Description

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. Patent Documents
4,964,173	07/366,649	October 1990	Gordon et al
5,361,414	08/128,093	November 1994	Smith
5,575,006	08/349/748	November 1996	Wolfe
6,012,168	09/188/429	January 2000	Hutton, et al
6,237,153	09/451/039	May 2001	Bowens
6,499,143	09/829/663	December 2002	Garza
7,181,773	11/193/190	February 2007	Piraka
7,865,973	12/286/851	January 2011	Gibson
8,069,497	12/319,258	December 2011	Sheward et al

Foreign Patent Documents: Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment that can be used in any healthcare facility. It is designed to be hassle-free as it provides privacy, safety, dignity, and comfort while maintaining the dignity of all patients. There are several different garments used today that are configured to provide privacy to patients. Gowns used in the hospital or nursing home facilities today are generally open-back style, and provide some but not total control of privacy for patients. Patients need to feel warm and comfortable in their gowns as they await assistance from patient care personnel. Patients must change their clothes and change into the garment used at the facility they are entering. By changing into gowns that have an open-back style, patients may not feel comfortable, and the material is usually rather thin, which does not provide enough privacy or warmth to the patient. Other products on the market have more than one part to help provide privacy to the patient. Some examples are seen in the following U.S. patents:

Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,173, which illustrates that it has minimal parts, and a fully closed back portion as well as overlapping lower front portion that is capable of being detached temporarily via fastening means devoid any snap fasteners, which are subject to being released or opened for limited access to upper body areas and/or lower body areas as necessary as opposed to whole body exposure.

Gibson, U.S. Pat. No. 7,865,973 displays a self-contained, expandable hospital gown having a central retainment belt from which expandable adjustable upper and lower gown portions can be selectively deployed. Engagement and interlocking tabs provide deployment on the upper torso, extending portion and lower torso extending portion with independent retainment and positioning access openings associated therewith.

Sheward et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,497 presents hospital gowns with specific pockets, slits, to allow mounting catheter bag concealed inside gown of patient for maximum mobility and privacy with various monitors, caterers and lumens attached, passing through openings in gown to reach the patients body and closures that are simple to use and provide for patient privacy with approximately 125% wrap around.

Reardon et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,509, 689, shows a design for a bathing poncho, a disposable garment adapted to be donned while bathing or showering and drying off. The garments take the form of ponchos. The bathing or showering poncho will have a different color than the drying poncho. Both ponchos will have ties on the side thereof to secure the poncho and prevent inadvertent exposure.

Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,414, Wolfe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,006, Hutton, U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,168, Bowens, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,153, Garza, U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,143, Piraka, U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,773, displays a privacy gowns consisting of a body garment having a front portion, a vertically split rear portion divided into two segments, a pair of sleeves and a neck opening, so that the body garment can be worn by the patient. It has a fastener to retain the two segments of the vertically split rear portion together at the neck opening. It has a structure for covering up a lower separation of the two segments of the body garment at the waste to provide modesty, and to be quickly opened for examination and access to the body. The garments allow for medical equipment to be easily accessed. These garments also provide privacy separately over the patient's body versus providing a one-piece covering, with access to the body for examinations and medical equipment. One allow for warmth from cold drafts, while allow the body to be easily accessed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shower jacket; a body garment that has a minimum number of parts, having a fully enclosed back portion and a right side split portion underneath the right arm opening allowing access to the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide privacy and warmth as the material allows for the entire body to be covered. The material is thick enough as to not allow for cold drafts, and ease to maintain. It is thick, sturdy, wrinkle-free, and desires warm wash and it tumbles dry. This object of the invention is to provide dignity, a since of modesty to the patient by providing privacy, and to also provide ease of access for medical equipment and access to the body. This section of the garment is closed by a sequence of three-button sections down the right side of the garment.

Another object of the invention is that it has a four-compartment pocket that has a snap closure, and when it is pulled apart displays three smaller sections, and one larger section to provide ease of transport for the patient healthcare needs; soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, combs, body wash, and towels, etc. Personnel no longer have to pile the patient's necessity on top of the lap of the patient, or carry them separate to the bath or shower. All the patient's necessities are at hands reach.

Another object of the invention is to provide safety for the patient and a sense of control for staff personnel. They no longer have to use fitted or flat sheets, towels, or the patient's robe to cover the body during transport. The shower jacket hangs securely along side the shower chair or wheelchair to provide safety. It does not hug or tug when the patient is transported in any standard wheelchair or shower chair.

These objects of the invention will provide the patient and personnel with control of the activities of daily living as patients care for themselves and as healthcare personnel tend to the care of their patients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will more fully be understood and apparent in the following detailed descriptions and illustrations in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1; Page 1, displays a full view of the shower jacket. It shows the shower jacket in all its parts. The outline of the shower jacket (1), the neck opening (2), the arm openings (3), the front pocket (4), the pockets (5), and the button snaps alongside the right side of the shower jacket and along the shoulder of the shower jacket (6).

FIG. 2; Page 1, displays the shower chair with the shower jacket covering it. It shows the top portion of the chair across (1), the bottom part of the chair, displaying a visual of the length from the bottom of the shower jacket to the bottom of the chair (2), the bottom of the shower chair is displayed showing that it will still cover the patient down to the wheels of the shower chair (3).

FIG. 3; Page 1, displays the shower jacket on the wheel chair. Corresponding with the number of parts outline in FIG. 1; the outline of the shower jacket (1), the neck opening (2), the arm openings (3), the front pocket (4), the pockets (5), and the button snaps alongside the right side of the shower jacket and along the shoulder of the shower jacket (6).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shower jacket is provided as a unique named for its cause. It consists of a one-piece body garment that has a minimum number of parts, which includes a front portion, a vertically right side slit portion underneath the arm section, divided into two segments. It has a fully closed back portion, as well as an opening for arms and the neck. Fasteners are for retaining the two segments of the vertical right-side portion together at three sections along the side in three-button sections. This component is for securing and covering up the entire body of the patient in order to provide warmth, privacy, safety, and a sense of modesty and dignity. It also has a convenient front four-compartment pocket to aid in supplying a patient's necessity items for the bath or shower. It is made of a sturdy, washable, comfortable, and wrinkle-free material that will provide warmth and comfort for the patient. It is designed to be secure, hassle-free, and covers the entire body while in any standardized wheel chair or shower chair. There will be two color codes for the small and large size shower jackets to fit the shower chairs comfortably. It allows easy access for patients with medical equipment, and for examinations to the body.

What is claimed is that the shower jacket is designed to provide privacy, dignity, safety, and warmth and comfort to all patients in the nursing home or healthcare facility by maintaining protection and security to the patient and body while the patient is being transported to the shower or bath: Therefore, the shower jacket will provide the following:

Claims

1. It is easy to take on and off; it slides over the head and shoulder and along side any standardized wheelchair or shower chair.

2. It provides protection for patients with neck surgery, or crate devices implanted. For patients who have arm amputations or contractions by covering the entire body, even when the patients move their arm. The arms openings have are designed to go over the top of the shower chair, which aids in privacy.

3. There is a large pocket in front, made with three small sections and one large section of 100% cotton, and smooth, hypoallergenic, wrinkle-free, warm-wash, tumble dry material.

4. It provides safety by fitting securely around the shower chair; either small industrial standard size or large industrial standard size chairs. Therefore, patients or patient care personnel do not have to worry about using fitted or flat sheets, towels, or blankets to cover the patients during transport. These other items have been known to potentially cause accidents during transport.

5. It provides ease of locking and unlocking the wheels of the shower chairs or wheelchairs, due to the shower jacket not hanging to the floor, but at an appropriate length for patient care. Also, there is no tugging or pulling, or the need to use other objects like towels, fitted or flat sheets, patient's robes to cover the patient's body and risk of accidents.

6. The shower jacket allows for self-respect or formality in patients behavior or well-being. It gives patients honor, respect, protection, and self-esteem.