Abstract:
The invention relates to a gown having a gown body, an inflatable chamber capable of selectively inflating and deflating carried by the gown body, and a shaping element carried by the gown body. The shaping element is directly responsive to inflation of the inflatable chamber so that the shaping element is moved from an initial arrangement to a subsequent arrangement by inflation of the chamber. Upon subsequent deflation, the shaping member retains its shape. The entire structure is suitable for the self-assisted donning of a surgical gown.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   The present invention relates to gowns and other garments and particularly to surgical gowns. More particularly, this invention relates to mechanisms that enable a gown wearer to aseptically don the gown on his or her own through the use of selectively inflating and deflating gas filled chambers. Such a gown could be donned by the wearer without requiring him to move his hands outside a region commonly referred to as the “sterile zone”. This would serve to minimize the risk of hand contamination prior to a surgical procedure. 
   As is generally known, sterile surgical gowns are designed to greatly reduce, if not prevent, the transmission through the gown of liquid and biological contaminants that may become entrained therein. In surgical procedure environments, such contamination sources include the gown wearer&#39;s perspiration, and patient liquids including blood and life support liquids such as plasma and saline. 
   Surgical gowns were originally made of cotton or linen and were sterilized prior to the use in the operating room. These gowns, however, permitted transmission or “strike-through” of various liquids encountered in surgical procedures. In these instances, a path was established for transmission of bacteria and other contaminants to and from the wearer of the gown. Furthermore, these gowns were costly and required laundering and sterilization procedures prior to reuse. 
   Disposable surgical gowns have largely replaced linen surgical gowns. Surgical procedures can require surgical gowns that exhibit total liquid repellency to prevent strike-through, or surgical gowns that are not totally liquid impervious. Whether the surgical procedure dictates the use of a surgical gown that is or is not totally liquid impervious, it is generally preferred that gown closure about the wearer&#39;s body occur at the wearer&#39;s back and not the wearer&#39;s front. In this way, the portion of the gown that overlies the wearer&#39;s chest and abdomen may be formed from an uninterrupted sheet of material, albeit that the sheet of material may itself be formed from a plurality of pieces of material stitched or otherwise seamed together. 
   While a continuous gown front provides improved barrier protection in the areas of the gown most likely to contact or be contacted by liquids when compared to gown fronts which are gapped or interrupted by a closure means, the barrier protection provided by the back of the gown is also a concern for health care providers, gown manufacturers and patients alike. This is because traditional closure means used in disposable surgical gowns, for example, buttons, hooks, tape, and ties, require manual manipulation in order to fasten the side panels together in back of the gown. Moreover, the gown wearer typically requires assistance in closing the back of the gown for at least two reasons. First, the gown wearer often cannot reach the closure means on his or her own due to its location and second, even if he or she could, the wearer&#39;s hands would be placed outside the area directly observable by the wearer and into areas considered non-sterile, for example behind the back, below the waist, above the neckline. Hand placement in such non-sterile areas does not conform with accepted practices for maintaining aseptic techniques. Whether the surgical gown is disposable, reusable, liquid impervious, or partially liquid impervious, there exists a need for a back closure gown that enables a wearer, without assistance, to close the back of the gown without moving his or her hands into areas considered non-sterile. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One aspect of the present invention discloses a gown having a gown body, an inflatable chamber capable of selectively inflating and deflating carried by the gown body, and a shaping element also carried by the gown body. The shaping element is responsive to inflation of the inflatable chamber wherein the shaping element is changed from an initial arrangement to a subsequent arrangement wherein it remains upon inflation and deflation of the inflatable chamber. In some embodiments, the shaping element is folded over upon itself. The folded configuration of the shaping element may be any combination of a c-folded, z-folded, and other collapsible folded configuration. In other embodiments, the gown has a closed front portion and sides terminating in edges that when overlapped form an openable back portion. The deformed shaping element biases the sides away from the front portion which may cause the sides to close upon deflation of the chamber thereby forming the openable back portion. The gown may contain sides that are initially folded over the front portion and inflation of the chamber deforms the shaping element causing the sides to move away from the front portion thereby opening the gown for wearer entry. Other embodiments contemplate that the shaping element curves the sides around a wearer&#39;s body after deflation of the chamber. Such shaping elements may be positioned within a sleeve, pocket, or casing within the gown body. In still other embodiments, the shaping element may feature a reversible bend or reversible joint. There may be a corresponding inflatable chamber for each shaping element and in many embodiments the inflatable chamber and its corresponding shaping element are operationally linked. In many embodiments the chamber is inflated by a source of compressed fluid or a manual pump. The gown may allow for deflation of the chamber to a non-sterile zone. The shaping element itself may be a metal strip or a plastic material. In many embodiments the shaping member is malleable. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts a gown embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  depicts the  FIG. 1  gown, specifically illustrating shaping members and chambers; 
       FIG. 3  depicts a cross section of a chamber and shaping member in an initial collapsed condition; 
       FIG. 4  depicts the  FIG. 3  cross section in an expanded condition; 
       FIG. 5  depicts an alternative shaping member; and 
       FIGS. 6–9  depicts the donning sequence of the  FIG. 1  gown. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings. 
   Several terms may be used herein to refer to various parts of the gown as the gown is worn. Thus, “front” refers to that part of the gown which overlays the chest or anterior plane of the wearer; “back” refers to that part of the gown which overlays the back or posterior plane of the wearer, “side” or “sides” refer to that part of the gown which overlays the side or lateral portion(s) of the wearer and which may extend to and overlap the back or front portions of the wearer and are generally located between the front and the back. The term “outer” or “outside” describes that surface of the gown which faces away from the wearer when the gown is being worn; “inner” or “inside” refers to the surface of the gown, or part thereof which faces either the clothes or body of the wearer, while “right” and “left” respectively refer to portions of the gown corresponding to the right and left hand sides of the gown, respectively, as the gown is depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
   Additionally, several terms may be used herein to refer to affixing one part of the gown to another part. These terms include “join”, “adjoin”, “secure”, “attach” and derivatives and synonyms thereof. The affixing of these pieces of gown parts to one another may be accomplished by any of several conventional methods. By way of example and not limitation, these methods include stitching, gluing, heat sealing, zipping, snapping, sonic or thermal bonding or using a hook and loop fastening system and other methods familiar to those skilled in the art. Such terms may also refer to closure means where portions of the gown are fastened to each other after the gown is donned by the wearer. 
   The gown may be formed from a single sheet of material and more particularly a continuous single sheet of material. Alternatively, the gown may be formed from a plurality of such sheets of material adjoined together. In order to provide a greater degree of detail by way of explanation, the gown embodiment described below is one comprising a plurality of sheets joined together. Turning now to the drawings and referring first to  FIG. 1  a gown  10  is depicted and arranged in the view so that the viewer is looking at the back  26  of the gown toward the front. The gown  10  includes a body  12  and left and right sleeves  14  and  16 , respectively. Both the left and right sleeves,  14  and  16 , respectively, may be provided with form fitting cuff sections  18 . The left sleeve  14  is secured to the body  12  at a left edge  20  and the right sleeve  16  is secured to the body  12  at a right edge  22 . 
   The body  12  has a closed front section  24  and a pair of opposed side panels, i.e., a right side panel  28  and a left side panel  30  which open and close about the wearer&#39;s back. The right side panel  28  may generally be defined by a right upper edge  32 , a right side panel edge  34 , a bottom edge  36 , and a right side edge  38 . The left side panel  30  may generally be defined by a left upper edge  40 , a left side panel edge  42 , a left side edge  44 , and a bottom edge  46 . As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the right side panel edge  34  and the left side panel edge  42  may be arranged so that the edges  34  and  42  are non-parallel when the surgical gown  10  is in use. In this configuration, a portion of the left side panel  30  around the left side panel edge  42  and a portion of the right side panel  28  around the right side panel edge  34  may overlie one another when the gown is in use and form an area of overlap  48 . It should be understood that the left side panel  30  and the right side panel  28  also need not be equal in size thus placing the edges  34  and  42  closer to one side of the gown or the other. 
   The front section  24  is defined by the upper edges  32  and  40 , a bottom edge  52 , the left side edge  44 , and the right side edge  38 . A neck opening  54 , defined by a neck edge  56 , may be formed generally between the right upper edge  32  and the left upper edge  40 . Other arrangements for neck openings are possible and may include their partial or complete coincidence with the gown&#39;s upper right and left edges. 
   The left side panel  30  is secured to the front section  24  along the left side edge  44 . The right side panel  28  is secured to the front section  24  along the right side edge  38 . As stated, the entire gown may be made of a single piece and therefore the right and left side panels  28  and  30  are simply continuations of the front section  24 . In any event, the left side edge  44  extends from the bottom edge  52  and terminates around the base of the left edge  20 . The right side edge  38  extends from the bottom edge  52  and terminates around the base of the right edge  22 . Notwithstanding the gown construction, i.e., whether it is a continuous sheet or made up of multiple panels joined to one another, a gown closure member  50  such as depicted in  FIG. 2  may be utilized to more affirmatively retain the gown in a closed condition after donning. The closure member depicted in this instance comprises a hook and loop type fastening mechanism, but other forms of closure may be used as well, including but not limited to ties, snaps, and adhesive tape and patches. 
   Looking now in more detail to  FIG. 2 , a chamber  60  is depicted upon an interior portion of one of the side panels, in this case the left side panel  30 . The chamber  60  may be formed of the same material as the base fabric of the panel  30  or may be a disparate material. The chamber  60  is capable of inflating and deflating at the discretion of the wearer. As such, the chamber  60  is constructed of materials, coated with a film or coating, or otherwise provided with the capability to contain a pressurized fluid for a time sufficient to allow the chamber to fill causing the gown  10  to unfold as described below. Additionally, the right side panel  28  depicts a similar chamber  60  on an exterior portion of the side panel. Though this configuration is possible it is primarily meant to illustrate that the chamber or chambers  60  may be placed on either or both the internal or external portions of a side panel. 
   Looking still to the right side panel  28  as depicted in  FIG. 2 , a deformable shaping element  62  of one possible configuration is shown. The shaping element  62  works directly in conjunction with the inflation and deflation of the chamber  60 . That is, upon inflation of the chamber  60 , the element  62  is deformed into a secondary condition differing from its initial configuration. As shown on the right side panel  28 , the shaping element  62  may be situated on an interior portion of the gown  10 . Likewise, the shaping element  62  may be situated on an exterior face of the chamber  60  itself, or it may be positioned within the chamber  60  itself resulting in it not being externally visible to an end user. In yet an alternative embodiment, the shaping element  62  may be situated proximate to the chamber  60 . The important aspect of the shaping element&#39;s location is that it be situated sufficiently near its corresponding chamber so that it reacts to the chamber&#39;s inflation in a manner described below and as such any reference to its specific location is meant to reflect only one possible embodiment. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 3 , an enlarged view through a cross section of one possible embodiment of chamber  60  and shaping element  62  is depicted. In this view, the shaping element  62  is configured as a collapsed or z-folded batten or stiffener affixed to the chamber  60  itself at a chamber wall  64 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the chamber  60  is in an initially collapsed condition since it has not been inflated and the shaping elements are in their initially collapsed configuration. Upon inflation of the chamber  60  as depicted in  FIG. 4 , it may be seen that the shaping element  62  is expanded or otherwise elongated. This is a result of the fluid pressure introduced and contained for a time within the chamber  60  plastically deforming or otherwise forcing the shaping element into a secondary or non-collapsed state. 
   To accommodate these capabilities, the shaping element  62  may be made of a malleable material such as a metal or plastic batten. The batten is characterized in that upon having an appropriate stress applied, for example by inflation of the chamber, the batten is stretched, unfolded, interlocked, plastically deformed or otherwise expanded to give a final overall length that is longer than the initial overall length. The term “plastic deformation” means the permanent change in shape or size of a body without fracture, produced by a sustained stress beyond the elastic limit of the material. Plastic deformation is understood to be nonreversible and, as such, subsequent deflation of the chamber  60  will not cause the batten which is used as the shaping element  62  in the gown  10  to revert to its initial state. 
   Looking now to  FIG. 5 , another possible configuration for the shaping member  62  is depicted. In this embodiment, the shaping member does not rely upon the property of plastic deformation. Rather it is configured as a series of interconnected and lockable elements. For example, two such elements  100  are depicted as being physically interconnected about a pivot point  102  or hinge of some manner. One or more locking mechanisms  104  are also provided so that once the elements  100  are pivoted a predetermined distance the locking mechanisms  104  engage one another and lock the elements  100  in a rigid or semi-rigid configuration. The structure of the locking mechanism  104  itself may vary considerably from the  FIG. 5  depiction. Other mechanisms capable of being manipulated and subsequently locked into a final configuration are known and would be understood by those skilled in the art. As such they are not depicted. Nevertheless, the overall configuration of the shaping elements  62  selected for use in such an embodiment should be provided in a first, unlocked and collapsed condition. Upon inflation of the chamber  60  as previously depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the elements  100  would be biased or otherwise caused to pivot about the pivot  102  until such time that they reach a second, locked position characterized in that the locking mechanism  104  snaps or otherwise locks into place. Whereupon deflation of the chamber  60  the locking mechanism  104  would remain in the second, locked position. As would be understood by those skilled in the art, a plurality of such elements  100  would be linked together to form each shaping element  62 . 
   By appropriate selection of material and design of the shaping elements, each shaping element  62  may be made to exhibit an inherent curved profile upon deformation or by engagement of the locking mechanism. This would occur in addition to an effective lengthening of the shaping member. Such a feature may be found useful to cause the gown  10  to curve around a wearer&#39;s back after straightening forces on the shaping element are released by deflation of the inflated chambers  60 . A gown may be provided with a plurality of such shaping elements  62  that upon activation assist the wearer in donning the gown without assistance. 
   In donning such a garment, first the wearer would remove the gown from its sterile packaging, if provided, and allow the gown to unfold as done presently in the industry. The wearer would begin donning the gown  10  as shown in  FIG. 6  by placing his or her arms into the sleeves  14  and  16 , drawing the front section  24  into contact with his or her chest, again, as would be familiar to anyone skilled in the art. However, unlike prior art gowns, the wearer would next cause the chamber or plurality of chambers  60  to inflate. Inflation of these chambers  60  plastically deforms or moves the shaping element or elements  62  as described supra causing the gown&#39;s side panels to extend or otherwise lengthen, thus moving laterally away from the sides of the wearer. Once the shaping elements are properly positioned, that is interlocked or plastically extended, the chambers  60  would next be deflated causing the extended side panels to wrap around the wearer in a desired manner, as discussed infra. 
   Inflation of the chamber or chambers  60  may be achieved by supplying a gaseous fluid directly or by a conduit connected to the chambers. Supply of the inflating gas may be provided by a container holding a predetermined amount of compressed gas. As one possible example, a cartridge or other container that delivers the requisite amount of gas for proper plastic deformation or extension of the shaping elements to occur may be provided. Other techniques may include the use of a manually actuated bladder such as a squeeze bulb which may be fitted with a one-way valve that transfers air from the ambient environment into the chamber causing the chamber to inflate thereby causing the requisite extension or plastic deformation of the shaping member. 
   Such containers and/or bladders may be connected externally to the front to the side panels of the gown in areas that allow manipulation while conforming to accepted aseptic practices. Alternatively such containers and bladders may be integrated into the gown&#39;s design so that their manipulation for inflating the chambers is done by contacting the external surface of the gown in ways that conform to accepted aseptic practices, for example compressing a bladder against the wearer&#39;s body, activating a switch, turning a button, etc. Such manipulation is envisioned as occurring within the front area of the gown below the neckline and above the waist while remaining within the wearer&#39;s directly observable filed of vision. These techniques would be known and understood by those skilled in the art. 
   In any event, deflation of the chambers  60  would subsequently follow the extension or deformation of the shaping members. Means for deflation  100  may include detachment of external connections at the external surface of the gown such that the compressed gas in the chambers  60  are vented, activating switches or turning buttons to open a valve port to vent the compressed gas out of the chambers  60 , removing a protective cover over pre-existing vent holes between the exterior surface of the gown and the chambers  60 , physical separation of a portion of the externally facing barrier wall of the chambers within a pre-defined boundary (for scored lines defining a perimeter), opening of a zip-lock type seal or closure device as depicted, for example, in  FIG. 2 , venting to an attached evacuated chamber, etc. Deflation of the inflation chambers  60  vents the gas towards non-sterile parts of the gown, such as the back, through the inside walls of the gown, or to evacuated chambers carried on the gown so that no contamination of the external surfaces of the front and lateral sides of the gown occurs. 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9  the donning sequence of the gown is depicted in a series of cross-sectional views centered on the wearer&#39;s torso  80 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , a point subsequent to  FIG. 6 , i.e., when the front section  24  is in contact with the chest of the wearer, it is noted that right side panel  28  and left side panel  30  may be in a folded orientation across the wearer&#39;s torso  80 . As such a bend or joint  82  in the shaping element  62  may prove useful as evident in this view.  FIG. 8  depicts the chambers  60  inflated at which time the bend or joint  82  is straightened, the shaping elements  62  fully extended, and the side panels  28  and  30 , respectively, are extended outward, lateral to the wearer&#39;s torso  80 . At this point, the shaping elements  62  are in their lengthened or deformed orientation. Once the chambers  60  are deflated as shown in  FIG. 9 , the shaping elements  62  biases the left and right side panels into their respective positions wrapping around the wearer. 
   The joint  82 , as shown in  FIG. 9  may be formed on element  62  in such a way that upon inflation of chamber  60  the joint  80  snaps into its final orientation, as described supra. They to the proper unfolding and folding of this self-donning gown are the behavior of the shaping elements  62  before, during, and after inflation of the chambers. The shaping element or elements  62  must be stiff enough to force fabric areas of the gown into preferred positions, yet be malleable enough to straighten when the chambers  60  are inflated while posing no harm to the wearer. 
   It is noted that the present invention may be made from a multitude of materials including nonwoven materials suitable for disposable uses. For examples the gown may be made of stretchable nonwoven material so that the gown is less likely to tear during the donning or wearing of the gown. A material well-suited for use with the present invention is a three-layer nonwoven polypropylene material known as SMS. SMS is an acronym for Spunbond, Meltblown, Spunbond, the process by which the three layers are constructed and then laminated together. See for examples U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 to Brock et al. One particular advantage is that the SMS material exhibits enhanced fluid barrier characteristics. It should be noted, however, that other nonwovens as well as other materials including wovens, films, foam/film laminates and combinations thereof may be used to construct the gown of the present invention. It is also contemplated that the gown may be coated with a liquid impervious coating to prevent fluid absorption into the gown material. 
   Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.