Hospital gown

A hospital gown with means for fully closing an openable seam, while affording selective access to portions of a patient's body through the seam. The closing or fastening elements are either continuous along the seam or are relatively closely spaced so that no significant gaps remain when all of the closing elements are secured together. Several normally closed and openable seams may be provided in alternative embodiments to afford access to different portions of the patient's body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to hospital gowns and more particularly to 
a gown which provides selective access to different portions of a 
patient's body for examination or treatment purposes. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Anyone who has had a medical examination and has had to wear a hospital 
gown or "johnny" has felt discomfort at the least, and quite possibly 
extreme dislike for the gown and for the need to wear only the gown, no 
matter how short the time of wearing may be. In addition to impinging upon 
a patient's modesty there are many practical medical limitations to 
current hospital gowns. They typically have a full length opening in 
either the back or front side and may be held together by means of one or 
two ties. These ties are typically widely spaced, often positioned at the 
top and possibly at the waist, if there is a second tie at all. The prior 
art securing means are normally point devices but they may be continuous 
or elongated closures along one or more seams. 
Some prior art gowns are formed of separable pieces which can become 
separated when openable seams are open. Parts could be lost during 
laundering or general handling. Examples of this configuration are U.S. 
Pat. No(s). 818,351; 1,462,515; 4,612,673 and 4,759,083. Many such gowns 
have openable structural seams. This permits the gown to fall open or off 
when these seams are opened. For example, see U.S. Pat. No(s). 818,351; 
1,462,515; 2,768,383; 3,276,036; 4,612,673; 4,759,083; 4,920,578. 
Additionally, doctors are typically pressed for time and dislike the need 
to place the patient into awkward positions for purposes of conducting 
exams which typically require the gown to be untied before gaining access 
to the subject portion of the patient's body. Further, many patients are 
unable to move easily or at all and it is extremely difficult for a nurse, 
hospital assistant or physician to get the patient into the appropriate 
position for a proper exam. In those situations the typical previously 
known hospital gown may be more of a distraction or a hindrance than a 
useful covering for the patient. In some instances, the examination or 
treatment may require complete removal of the gown. This may be true in 
instances where the patient is connected to some type of external device 
such as an infusion or transfusion means where tubes may run under the 
gown down a portion of the length of the patient's body or along the 
patient's arm to the injection point. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Broadly speaking, this invention concerns a hospital gown which provides 
selective access to different portions of a patient's body while at the 
same time ensuring the complete or nearly complete modesty of the patient. 
The gown of this invention is formed with selectively openable, floating 
seams which are positioned at locations not coincident with the gown's 
normal structural seams. Those seams are fully closable along their entire 
lengths by appropriate closure means. The closure means may be selectively 
openable at any location along the floating seam without the need for 
opening either end of the seam or any particular length of it. A full 
length selectively openable and closable seam is also provided. 
In alternative embodiments, the gown may be formed with a full-length seam 
on both front and back sides. Where it is anticipated that it may be 
necessary to gain access to more than one quadrant of the body for several 
medical examinations or procedures, the gown may be formed with several 
openings such as full-length openings on each side of the front of the 
gown and full-length openings along each side of the back of the gown. 
Additionally, the sleeves may be openable from the neck to the end of the 
sleeve to permit application or removal of such devices as tubes for 
infusion purposes. Several different types of closure elements may be 
provided to accomplish the desired purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 
thereof, there is shown hospital gown 71 generally comprising front 72, 
arms 73 and 74, neck 75, and back panels 76 and 77 (FIG. 3). Chest or 
upper torso access panel 81 is secured at side joining points 82 and 83 
and has openable floating seams 84, 85 and 86 which are selectively 
secured in a closed position by suitable means such as hook and pile 
elements 87, or snap fasteners or equivalent. The fastening means are of 
the type which are not detectable on an X-ray. The shoulders and upper 
arms of the patient are accessible through openable seams 91 and 92 which 
are selectively secured together by elements 93. Back opening or seam 94 
is selectively secured in the closed position by elements 95. Seam 94 need 
not be centered but it should open all the way through collar 75 as shown 
in FIG. 3. Access to the lower body quadrants may be made through closable 
seams 96 and 97 which extend from bottom hem 101 upwardly a substantial 
distance but short of joining points 82 and 83. 
An important aspect of the invention is that the openable and closable 
seams of the gown, which are provided for emergency or medical procedure 
access, are not part of its main structural framework. Seams 84, 85, 86, 
91 and 92 are free floating. That is, they are located independent from 
structural seams, with several significant advantages. The structural, 
normally sewn, seams are in their normal locations, that is, vertically 
along the sides, across the tops of the shoulders and down the arms of the 
gown. When front panel 81 is opened, partially or fully, the gown is 
otherwise intact and the body of the gown supports the rest of the gown 
(see FIG. 2). No other part of the gown falls away when the front panel is 
open. When one or both upper chest or shoulder seams 91 and 92 are open, 
the gown is likewise still fully supported on the patient. With the back 
seam closed, at least at the collar, even with both seams 91 and 92 open, 
the neck opening is still continuous and the gown does not fall away from 
the patient. 
The versatility of this gown can be appreciated by referring to FIGS. 2 and 
4. If access is needed to the upper left quadrant of the patient's body, 
seams 85 and 92 are opened and lower sleeve portion 102 can be folded away 
as shown in FIG. 4. Seams 84, 91 and part of seam 86 would remain closed. 
More of the chest area would be accessed by also folding down front panel 
81. The entire upper torso could be accessed by opening seams 84, 85, 86, 
91 and 92. Similarly, access to any portion of the back is provided 
through seam 94. Further aspects of versatility are that the gown may be 
worn with seam 94 in the front, and the more specific openings being 
available at the back. It is a unisex garment, one size fits all. 
Considering the gown of this invention in the aspect shown, with the front 
being shown in FIG. 1, it is important to note that there are no front 
openings in the main framework of the gown, yet there is complete and 
selective access to all areas of the body from the lower torso to the top. 
The access panels are totally independent of the structural seams. Because 
of this structure, when front seams are opened, the body of the gown 
supports the rest of the gown. With conventional prior art on-seam 
openings the gown tends to fall away, exposing a much larger portion of 
the patient than is desired or needed. In other words, this gown provides 
selective access, yet remains intact. Further, this gown is unitary; 
pieces cannot be separated during general handling or laundering, even 
with all openable seams open. 
Another advantage of this gown is that the entire garment can be removed 
and changed while an IV or transfusion is in process without disturbing 
the involved apparatus. Other advantages are that the back opening 
overlaps to ensure access without unnecessary exposure, and it is easier 
for arthritic patients or patients with restricted mobility to open or 
close the back, all the while responding to desires for maximum coverage 
for modesty reasons. 
With reference now to the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5, there is shown 
gown 11 formed of body 12, sleeves 13 and 14, neck or collar element 15 
and a seam comprised of segments 16 and 17. In this embodiment, the gown 
incorporates cotton rib knit neck 15 which provides a higher, softer 
collar than in prior art hospital gowns. This results in a more 
comfortable and better fit. The gown is fully washable, all fabric 
bleachable and dryer safe. It is preferred that the gown be made of a 
cotton/polyester blend. 
Seam 16 extends the entire length of body 12 of the gown from the point of 
contact with sleeve 13. Seam 16 is contiguous with sleeve seam 17 which 
extends from the upper end of seam 16 at the point where sleeve 13 joins 
body 12 through neck 15. In one aspect of this embodiment, a pair of 
mating hook and loop fastener strips 21 and 22 (often referred to under 
the trademark Velcro) are secured to opposite sides of seams 16 and 17. 
This structure permits any portion of the gown to be selectively opened 
only for the length needed and immediately reclosed after the examination 
or medical procedure is completed. As shown in the drawing, hook and loop 
fastener strips 21 and 22 commence at a location spaced somewhat above 
bottom edge or hem 23 of the gown. The length of that unsecurable seam is 
a matter of choice and would normally be a relatively small percentage of 
the total length of the seam, possibly eight to twelve inches above the 
hem. 
Gown 31 of FIG. 6 is formed with longer sleeves 32 and 33 than those in 
FIG. 5. In this embodiment, openable seam 34 extends the full length of 
body 35, through neck 36, and does not incorporate the sleeve seam as was 
true of FIG. 5. 
The hospital gowns of FIGS. 5 and 6 are unisex and can be worn with the 
openable seam in the front or in the back. For example, the back opening 
orientation would be used for spinal exams and procedures and the front 
opening would be employed for breast exams and the like. 
With the gown of FIGS. 5 and 6, it is possible to open any relatively short 
portion of seam 16, 17 or seam 34, top, bottom or middle, without exposing 
more of the patient's body than is necessary. This closure means ensures 
modesty without the previous "flap-in-the-back" exposure worry. 
By using hook and loop strips along the openable seam, or discrete plastic 
snap fasteners or the like, the seam can be openable as desired and the 
closure means is not X-ray detectable. As an alternative to extended or 
continuous elongated hook and loop strips, short segments of the same 
fastener means at spaced intervals could be used. This means of closure 
would function much like discrete snap fasteners. 
Another advantage is that when a patient is connected to diagnostic or 
treatment devices, for example, tubes for transfusion, or wires for 
monitoring, access can be gained to the applicable position of the body 
without removal of the gown. 
In another alternative embodiment, a gown may be formed with either seam 
16, 17 or seam 34 in both the front and the back so there is equal access 
to both sides of the patient's body without removing and reversing the 
gown. Thus there is no question of gown orientation when instructions are 
given by medical personnel for the patient to put on the gown. 
The alternative embodiment of FIG. 7 has several selectively openable 
seams. Gown 41 is formed with body 42 having longitudinal seams 43, 44 and 
45, 46, each combination being similar to seam 16, 17 in FIG. 5. This gown 
may have a similar dual openable seam arrangement on the other side to 
provide ready access to any quadrant of the patient's body, while 
continuing to afford reasonable covering for the patient. For patients 
with multiple medical problems, this embodiment provides continued 
covering of the patient while affording selective access to substantially 
any part of the patient's body. 
Another feature of the FIG. 7 embodiment is an openable seam in each arm. 
Seam 51 runs from collar 52 to the end of sleeve 53. Similarly, seam 54 
runs from collar 52 to the end of sleeve 55. In many instances, tubes or 
wires may be located along a patient's arm from the shoulder to some point 
of application near or in the wrist or hand. This was cumbersome when 
changes were necessary with prior gowns. Either the tube had to be 
threaded down the sleeve or the gown had to be removed. With this 
invention the arm is fully accessible as needed without the need for 
removal of the gown or threading the tube beneath the collar and sleeve. 
Alternative fastening means such as snaps 61 are shown for closing seam 45 
in FIG. 7. 
In view of the above description, it is likely that modifications and 
improvements will occur to those skilled in the art which are within the 
scope of the accompanying claims.