Patient Garment

Abstract

A patient garment. The patient garment includes an upper garment having a front panel opposite a rear panel. An opening is disposed through the upper garment between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the opening receives a head of the wearer therethrough. The rear panel is divided into a pair of rear panel segments by a central divider. A first and second plurality of fasteners are disposed on opposing lateral sides of the front and rear panels, respectively. The first plurality of fasteners and the second plurality of fasteners are complementary and removably secure the front panel to the rear panel. A third plurality of fasteners secure the rear panel segments together. A lower garment includes a pair of legs opposite an open upper end. A cutout is disposed through a rear portion of the lower garment between the open upper end and the pair of legs.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/726,550 filed on Sep. 4, 2018. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to patient garments. More particularly, the present invention pertains to easily removable patient garments including a lower garment with a cutout disposed through a rear portion thereof.

Many hospitals use gown style patient garments, which are designed to provide easy access to a patient for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. However, these gowns typically are composed of a thin layer of material that fail to provide comfort, warmth, and modesty to a patient. Typically, most patients are accustomed and most comfortable when wearing clothing that mimics traditional dress, including pants, which may reduce a patient's comfort and cause the patient to feel exposed. Gowns are generally used as traditional pants are difficult to easily remove and replace on patients with limited motor control or otherwise unconscious. Additionally, gowns provide an open rear side for easy bathroom or bedpan usage, while also providing access for catheters and other medical connections. Therefore, a patient garment that provides easy access to a patient while simultaneously providing warmth, comfort, and modesty to the patient is desired.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing patient garments. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of patient garments now present in the known art, the present invention provides a patient garment wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when providing easy access to a patient's body while simultaneously providing comfort and warmth to the patient.

The present system comprises an upper garment having a front panel opposite a rear panel, wherein an opening is disposed through the upper garment between the front panel and the rear panel. The opening is configured to receive a head of a wearer therethrough. The rear panel is further divided into a pair of rear panel segment by a central divider. A first plurality of fasteners is disposed along opposing lateral sides of the front panel, and a second plurality of fasteners is disposed along opposing lateral sides of the rear panel, wherein the first and second pluralities of fasteners are complementary and configured to removably secure the front panel to the rear panel. A third plurality of fasteners is disposed along the central divider and are configured to removably secure a first segment of the pair of rear panel segments to a second segment of the pair of rear panel segments. A lower garment includes a pair of legs opposite an open upper end, wherein a cutout is disposed through a rear portion of the lower garment between the open upper end and the pair of legs. In some embodiments, the upper garment further comprises a pair of sleeves extending from an upper portion of the front panel and the rear panel.

In another embodiment, the front panel comprises a greater length than that of the rear panel. In other embodiments, the plurality of fasteners are disposed at regular intervals along the opposing lateral sides of the rear panel and the front panel. In yet another embodiment, the open upper end further comprises an elastic material therein, such that the open upper end is biased towards a closed position. In some embodiments, the open upper end further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are removably securable via complementary fasteners disposed on each of the first portion and the second portion. In another embodiment, the front panel further comprises a pocket thereon. In another embodiment, the pair of sleeves further comprise a fourth plurality of fasteners thereon, such that the pair of sleeves are configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the patient garment.

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the upper garment of an embodiment of the patient garment in an open configuration.

FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of the upper garment of an embodiment of the patient garment in a closed configuration.

FIG. 4 shows a rear perspective view of the lower garment of an embodiment of the patient garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the patient garment. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the patient garment. The patient garment 11 comprises an upper garment 12 having a front panel 13 opposite a rear panel 14. The front and rear panels 13, 14 are dimensioned to cover a front and rear of a patient's torso, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the front panel 13 further comprises a pocket 36 disposed on an exterior surface thereof, such that the pocket 36 is configured to receive an object therein for storage purposes. Particularly, the pocket 36 can be advantageously dimensioned to receive a patient monitoring device or telemetry unit therein, such that a patient can be continuously monitored. An opening 15 is disposed between the front and rear panels 13, 14, wherein the opening 15 is configured to receive a head of the wearer therethrough. In this way, the front panel 13 and the rear panel 14 are connected to each other on either side of the opening 15, allowing the upper garment 12 to drape over the patient's torso. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper garment 12 further comprises a pair of sleeves 31 extending from an upper portion of the upper garment 12, wherein the pair of sleeves 31 are configured to receive arms of a patient therethrough. In this way, the upper garment 12 provides the wearer with additional coverage for modesty, warmth, and comfort.

The lower garment 25 comprises a pair of legs 26 opposite an open upper end 27. The pair of legs 26 are configured to receive the legs of the wearer therethrough. The lower garment 25 provides the user with greater coverage than traditional patient gowns utilized in the medical field, ensuring the patient is comfortable. The lower garment 25 further comprises a cutout (as shown in FIG. 4, 29) through a rear portion thereof. In this way, the lower garment 25 allows medical professionals to access the patient easily, while maintaining privacy when the patient is not actively being examined. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower garment 25 further comprises a slit 37 disposed on a lateral side of the lower garment 25. In some embodiments, the slit 37 is disposed on each lateral side of the lower garment 25. In this way, the slit 37 provides an opening through which a catheter, or other medical equipment, can extend. This allows a patient to remain mostly clothed when in a hospital unit, in order to promote patient comfort.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a top plan view of the upper garment of an embodiment of the patient garment in an open configuration and a rear perspective view of the upper garment of an embodiment of the patient garment in a closed configuration, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear panel of the upper garment is divided into a pair of rear panel segments comprising a first segment 23 and a second segment 24. The first segment 23 and the second segment 24 are defined by a central divider 17 extending along a length of the rear panel. This configuration allows the upper garment to be removed from a patient without requiring the upper garment be raised over the patient's head, which is particularly advantageous for unconscious, paralyzed, or otherwise immobile patients.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiments, the front panel 13 comprises a greater length than the rear panel. In this way, the rear panel does not obstruct the cutout of the lower garment, thereby preventing the rear panel from becoming soiled or otherwise impeding access to the patient. Furthermore, the greater length of the front panel 13 provides additional modesty to the patient in situations where the lower garment is not being worn, as the front panel 13 can also cover the groin region of the patient.

The upper garment is further securable to the patient via a variety of fasteners disposed about the upper garment. Each fastener discussed herein can comprise a variety of fastening means, including snaps, buttons, hook and loop, or the like, such that the patient garment is capable of quick removal during emergencies. Particularly, a first plurality of fasteners 18 is disposed on opposing lateral sides 19 of the front panel 13 and a second plurality of fasteners 20 is disposed on opposing lateral edges 21 of the rear panel. The first and second pluralities of fasteners 18, 20 are configured to removably secure to each other, thereby joining the front panel 13 to the rear panel on opposite sides of the patient's torso. It is contemplated that the first and second plurality of fasteners 18, 20 can be positioned on an interior surface of each of the front panel 13 and the rear panel, or alternatively on opposing surfaces of the front panel 13 and the rear panel. In this way, the upper garment can be secured about the patient's torso via either interior surface to interior surface connections, or exterior surface to interior surface connections.

In the illustrated embodiment, a third plurality of fasteners 22 is disposed along the central divider 17, wherein the third plurality of fasteners 22 are configured to removably secure the first segment 23 to the second segment 24. Additionally, in the shown embodiment, a fourth plurality of fasteners 32 are disposed on opposite sides of each of the pair of sleeves 31, the fourth plurality of fasteners 32 configured to selectively move the pair of sleeves 31 between an open position and a closed position, wherein the closed position, the pair of sleeves 31 fully encompass the wearer's arms. In the shown embodiment, each of the fasteners 18, 20, 22, 32 are disposed at regular intervals along the upper garment, providing spaces therebetween. These spaces allow wires, drainage, catheters, or other monitoring equipment connections to pass therethrough. In this way, the patient does not feel overly exposed, as is often the case with traditional patient gowns.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a rear perspective view of the lower garment of an embodiment of the patient garment. The lower garment 25 comprises a pair of legs 26 disposed opposite the open upper end 27, wherein the open upper end 27 is configured to encircle a wearer's waist when the lower garment 25 is worn. In the illustrated embodiment, a cutout 29 is disposed through a rear portion 30 of the lower garment 25 between the pair of legs 26 and the open upper end 27. The cutout 29 is configured to provide access to a patient, allowing the patient to relieve themselves without removing the lower garment 25 entirely. In this way, the lower garment 25 is easily used in combination with a bedpan or catheter, such that the patient can remain clothed. This allows a caregiver or medical professional to access the patient without removing the lower garment entirely, which is often difficult when the patient is otherwise immobile.

In the illustrated embodiment, the open upper end 27 further comprises a first portion 33 and a second portion 34, wherein the first portion 33 and the second portion 34 are removably securable to each other via a complementary fastener 35 disposed on each of the first and second portions 33, 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the complementary fastener 35 comprises a hook and loop fastener, however, alternate quick-release fastening means are contemplated, as previously discussed. In this way, the open upper end 27 is adjustable and easily removable from a patient, allowing the lower garment 25 to be used with patients of various sizes. In some embodiments, the open upper end 27 further comprises an elastic material therein, wherein the elastic material biases the open upper end 27 radially inwards, so as to secure the lower garment 25 about a waist of the wearer.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A patient garment, comprising:

an upper garment having a front panel opposite a rear panel;

an opening through the upper garment between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the opening is configured to receive a head of a wearer therethrough;

wherein the rear panel is divided into a pair of rear panel segments by a central divider;

a first plurality of fasteners disposed along opposing lateral sides of the front panel;

a second plurality of fasteners disposed along opposing lateral sides of the rear panel;

wherein the first plurality of fasteners and the second plurality of fasteners are complementary and configured to removably secure the front panel to the rear panel;

a third plurality of fasteners disposed along the central divider, such that a first segment of the pair of rear panel segments is removably securable to a second segment of the pair of rear panel segments;

a lower garment having a pair of legs opposite an open upper end;

wherein a cutout is disposed through a rear portion of the lower garment between the open upper end and the pair of legs.

2. The patient garment of claim 1, wherein the front panel comprises a greater length than that of the rear panel.

3. The patient garment of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of fasteners are disposed at regular intervals along the opposing lateral sides of the rear panel and the front panel.

4. The patient garment of claim 1, wherein the open upper end further comprises an elastic material therein, such that the open upper end is biased towards a closed position.

5. The patient garment of claim 1, wherein the open upper end further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are removably securable via complementary fasteners disposed on each of the first portion and the second portion.

6. The patient garment of claim 1, wherein the front panel further comprises a pocket on an exterior surface thereof.

7. The patient garment of claim 1, further comprising a slit extending through a lateral side of the lower garment.

8. A patient garment, comprising:

an upper garment having a front panel opposite a rear panel;

an opening through the upper garment between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the opening is configured to receive a head of a wearer therethrough;

a pair of sleeves extending from an upper portion of the front panel and the rear panel;

wherein the rear panel is divided into a pair of rear panel segments by a central divider;

a first plurality of fasteners disposed along opposing lateral sides of the front panel;

a second plurality of fasteners disposed along opposing lateral sides of the rear panel;

wherein the first plurality of fasteners and the second plurality of fasteners are complementary and configured to removably secure the front panel to the rear panel;

a lower garment having a pair of legs opposite an open upper end;

wherein a cutout is disposed through a rear portion of the lower garment between the open upper end and the pair of legs.

9. The patient garment of claim 8, further comprising a third plurality of fasteners disposed along the central divider, such that a first segment of the pair of rear panel segments is removably securable to a second segment of the pair of rear panel segments.

10. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the pair of sleeves further comprises a fourth plurality of fasteners thereon, such that the pair of sleeves are configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position.

11. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the front panel comprises a greater length than that of the rear panel.

12. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the first and second plurality of fasteners are disposed at regular intervals along the opposing lateral sides of the rear panel and the front panel.

13. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the open upper end further comprises an elastic material therein, such that the open upper end is biased towards a closed position.

14. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the open upper end further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are removably securable via complementary fasteners disposed on each of the first portion and the second portion.

15. The patient garment of claim 8, wherein the front panel further comprises a pocket on an exterior surface thereof.

16. The patient garment of claim 8, further comprising a slit extending through a lateral side of the lower garment.