Abstract:
A protective garment is provided as a dual purpose burp cloth and bib, which is a flexible fabricated garment comprising fabric, paper or other similar material, of a predetermined size, cut in a rough configuration of a “C,” conceived as a protective layer, and providing excellent utility as both a burp cloth and a bib. Basic improvements to the prior art are the unique shape and the shoulder placement of the fasteners relevant to the bib utility.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    It is commonly know that the care of infants and toddlers requires numerous pieces of specialized equipment designed to perform various functions associated with that care. One activity common to the care of all infants and toddlers is the protection of the clothing of both the caregiver and the child from spills, spatters, and regurgitations which occur during and after feeding. The protection of a child&#39;s clothing during “messy” play is another activity often requiring a protective garment. 
         [0002]    The most relevant prior art describes multi-purpose burp clothes, with secondary uses ranging from changing pads, to bibs, to bottle holders. The two inventions described as a “dual purpose burp cloth and bib” are U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,027, entitled “Combination Burp Pad and Bib,” issued on Mar. 18, 1975 to B. Orr, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,471, entitled “Protective Garment for Use With Feeding, Burping, Nursing, and Changing Diapers of a Baby,” issued on Oct. 5, 1999 to T. Burton. Though similar in function, the present invention exhibits substantial stylistic and component improvements, such that it performs the dual functions far more efficiently that the prior art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    It is the primary function of this invention to reduce the number of specialized items needed by caregivers of young children, and to provide functional and design improvements over the prior art in each of the various utilities—as a burp cloth, as a bib, and as a play apron. 
         [0004]    It is the extended object of this invention to provide similar improved protection to the clothing of the wearers through variations in size, contour and construction. 
         [0005]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a protective garment comprises a front arm, a back arm, and a curved panel that connects the front arm of the garment to the back arm in opposition to create a “C” configuration, is depicted. When applied, the front arm is placed proximate to a portion of the wearer&#39;s chest, the curved panel is placed proximate to the wearer&#39;s shoulder, and the back arm is placed proximate to the wearer&#39;s back, providing improved coverage to the wearer by covering a greater portion of the wearer&#39;s upper torso compared to a typical protective garment. 
         [0006]    The protective garment of the present embodiment may further comprise a fastening means comprised of a front fastener attached near an end portion of the front arm, and a back fastener attached near an end portion of the back arm. When the front fastener and the back fastener come together, the protective garment fastens over an opposite shoulder of the wearer. Such placement of the fastening means allows a wearer to easily fasten and remove the garment compared to the common fastening placement of most protective garments, which is behind the neck. 
         [0007]    The bib utility of an embodiment of the present invention is dependent upon two specific elements: a “C” contour configuration and the shoulder placement of the front and back fasteners. However, the size dimensions of the preferred embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which also includes variations in size and proportion to fit wearer&#39;s of all sizes, from premature infant to full grown adult. Similarly, the variations in materials, size and proportion, greatly extend the possible uses of the present invention. For example, a significant reduction in the sizing of the garment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention adds the utility of the garment to be worn continually by teething infants, as a “drooler bib.” Alternately, an increase in the sizing of the garment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention extends the utility of the garment to adults who are unable to self-feed and to those engaged in activities requiring protective gear for their clothing. Likewise, a distortion in the dimensional sizing of a front arm of the garment, which extends across a portion of the chest, would provide additional protection for the abdomen, lap and upper thigh area, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0008]    It is understood by those familiar in the art that the description of the preferred embodiment and the variations depicted herein are not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    So the manner in which the features of the present invention may be understood in more detail, a more particular description of the embodiments of the present invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the present invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  presents a top view of a protective garment lay flat and unworn, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  presents a view of the protective garment of  FIG. 1  worn by an adult for use as a burp cloth, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  present views of the protective garment shown in  FIG. 1  worn by a small child for use as a bib, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  presents a fastening means of a protective garment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a contoured, flexible fabricated protective garment  100  cut in the rough configuration of a letter “C.” The garment  100  has a front arm  102  and a back arm  104 , each attached to a curved panel  124 , such that the front arm  102  and back arm  104  are opposed to each other. A binding material  110  can be applied to the protective garment  100  for comfort purposes. In a preferred embodiment, dimensions of the protective garment  100  measure approximately at 22 inches in length as measured from an edge  106  of the front arm to an edge  108  of the back arm when the garment is placed flat and unworn, shown at reference numeral  114 , with an outer height  116  of approximately 11.5 inches as measured from an outer edge  122  of the curved panel  124  to a side edge  120  of the front arm  102 , and an inner height  118  of approximately 8 inches as measured from the outer edge  122  of the curved panel  124  to an inner edge  112  of the curved panel  124 . These dimensions of the preferred embodiment have been pre-determined as providing excellent utility as both a burp cloth and a bib for a toddler or small child. In this embodiment, the garment is fabricated from a cotton terry cloth, selected for softness and absorbency. The garment can have unfinished edges that can be bound by bias cut fabric  110 , selected for its softness, attractiveness, and ability to minimize fraying, shrinkage, stretching or other distortion of the constructed garment. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment of the present invention, as a burp cloth shown in  FIG. 2 , the protective garment  100  is placed over a shoulder  204  of a caregiver  202  with the curved panel  124  placed onto the shoulder  204  of the caregiver  202 , such that the inner edge  112  of the curved panel  202  is placed adjacent to a portion  206  of the 
         [0016]    In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A , a protective garment  100  is worn as a protective bib by a young child  302  during activities which require protection of the wearer&#39;s clothing from spills, spatters or other damaging effects. When used as a bib, the protective garment  100  is placed on the wearer  302  such that the curved panel  124  is worn over a shoulder  304  of the wearer  302 , where the inner edge  112  of the curved panel  124  is adjacent to a portion  306  of the wearer&#39;s neck that is adjoining the shoulder  304 . The front arm  102  and back arm  104  of the protective garment  100  then extend over a portion of the wearer&#39;s chest  308  and a portion of the wearer&#39;s back (not shown), respectively. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 3B , the front arm  102  and back arm  104  can be fastened together on top of an opposite 
         [0018]    Further, by fastening the garment  100  at the wearer&#39;s shoulder  310  instead of at the back of the wearer  302 , as is common with most typical bib&#39;s, a caregiver is not required to move behind the wearer  302  to fasten or unfasten the garment  100 , thereby adding convenience for the caregiver and increasing the comfort of the wearer, in that many children are upset by the movement of the caregiver outside their range of vision. It has also been noted that many small children resist wearing traditional bibs with rear fasteners which they remove by pulling downward from the front of the common bib. Hence, the placement of the fastening means  312  proximate to the opposite shoulder  310  of the wearer  302  minimizes the wearer&#39;s ability to remove the protective garment  100  by such downward tugging. Conversely, when worn by an older child or adult, the placement of the fastening means proximate to the wearer&#39;s shoulder simplifies placement and removal of the garment by the wearer who no longer needs to secure the fasteners behind his or her back. 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 4 , a protective garment  400  of yet another embodiment can further include a front fastener  406  attached to a portion  412  of a front arm  402  of the garment  400 , and a back fastener  408  attached to a portion  414  of a back arm  404  of the garment  400 , respectively, as a fastening means of the garment  400 . The front fastener  406  and back fastener  408  are placed on the garment  400 , such that a distance  410  measured between the front fastener  406  and back fastener  408  is approximately 9.5 inches when the garment  400  is placed flat and unworn. This placement of the front fastener  406  and the back fastener  408  has been pre-determined to accommodate the neck of the average infant or toddler when the garment of the present embodiment is in use as a bib. 
         [0020]    Whereas the preferred embodiment has predetermined materials, size specifications, and suggested uses, various embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0021]    Numerous material substitutions are appropriate, dependent on the intended use of the invention. Possible alternatives to terry cloth are: any soft and absorptive fabric, printed decorative fabric (either as a replacement fabric or as an additional layer), disposable paper, and water-repellent materials such as vinyl, rubber, or leather (either as a replacement fabric or as an additional layer), or other materials, as yet conceived. 
         [0022]    As to the front and back fasteners, alternative closures such as metal snaps, buckles, hook and loop tape or ties, or other devices as yet conceived, may be used. 
         [0023]    As to the edge finishing, various finishes, such as heat sealing, sewn edging, pressure sensitive tape, or other methods, as yet conceived, may be substituted.