Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to hospital gowns and more specifically to gowns with specific pockets, slits to allow mounting catheter bag concealed inside gown of patient for maximum mobility and privacy with various monitors, catheters and lumens attached and passing through openings in gown to reach the patient&#39;s body and closures that are simple to use and provide for patient privacy with approximately 125% wrap around.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to hospital gowns and more specifically to gowns with specific pockets, slits to allow for maximum mobility of patient with various monitors, catheters and lumens attached and closures that are simple to use and provide for patient privacy. 
         [0003]    2. Prior Art 
         [0004]    The basic requirements for hospital gowns are ease of access to various areas of the patients body for examination or treatment purposes by the medical professionals involved; a sterile garment to provide coverage of the patient during examination, hospital stay or surgery; and minimum coverage for protection of patient modesty. Various attempts have been made to improve the design of hospital gowns in these areas with some attention to improving the ease of dressing the patient in such garments but with little attention to the convenience and mobility of the patient. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the multi-purpose hospital gown is to cover the patient&#39;s body for personal modesty without an over garment for ambulation to the bathroom or the hallways for other purposes. 
         [0006]    Another object of the multi-purpose hospital gown is to allow for ease in dressing a patient either by the patient or with the help of an attendant. 
         [0007]    Another object of the multi-purpose hospital gown is to provide a gown that is economical to manufacture and maintain. 
         [0008]    Another object is to provide a multi-purpose hospital gown that is constructed in such a manner as to enable easy access to either the patient&#39;s front or back area. 
         [0009]    Another object is to provide a multi-purpose hospital gown that is constructed with a telemetry pocket in the upper frontal area with a slot in the back for passage of the telemetry wires to the patient. 
         [0010]    Another object is to provide a multi-purpose hospital gown that is constructed with additional pockets on the lower frontal area for such items as J. P. Drains, Hema Vacs, and On-Q Pumps with slots in the gown to allow for passage of connecting apparatus. 
         [0011]    Another object is to provide a multi-purpose hospital gown that is constructed with slits on the lower right frontal area that are used for hooking a catheter bag on the inside of the gown allowing the patient to ambulate with the bag concealed. 
         [0012]    Another object is to provide a multi-purpose hospital gown that is constructed with releasable connections on the upper seams of the sleeves. 
         [0013]    Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice this invention, and be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention is described with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the outside surface of a Multi-purpose Hospital Gown body assembly; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the inside surface of a body assembly; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an inside view of right sleeve front; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an inside view of right sleeve back; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an inside view of left sleeve front; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an inside view of left sleeve back; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is an assembled view of right sleeve; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7A  is an assembled view of left sleeve; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective front view of gown as worn; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a perspective rear view of partially opened gown. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       [0000]    
       
           10 -Multi-purpose Hospital Gown 
           11 -body assembly 
           12 -body outside surface 
           13 -body inside surface 
           14 -waist rear tie strap 
           16 -right neck tie strap 
           18 -left neck tie strap 
           20 -lower left pocket 
           22 -telemetry pocket slot 
           24 -lower right pocket 
           26 -lower catheter bag slit 
           28 -upper catheter bag slit 
           29 -right sleeve assembly 
           30 -body edge right sleeve rear 
           31 -body to right sleeve rear seam 
           32 -body edge right sleeve front 
           33 -body to right sleeve rear seam 
           34 -neck front 
           35 -left sleeve assembly 
           36 -body edge left sleeve front 
           37 -body to left sleeve from seam 
           38 -body edge left sleeve rear 
           39 -body to left sleeve rear seam 
           40 -lower right pocket slot 
           41 -neck side right sleeve front 
           42 -lower left pocket slot 
           43 -neck side right sleeve rear 
           44 -telemetry pocket 
           45 -neck side left sleeve front 
           46 -waist front tie strap 
           47 -neck side left sleeve rear 
           48 -right sleeve front 
           50 -right sleeve rear 
           52 -left sleeve front 
           54 -left sleeve rear 
           56 -right sleeve front separable edge 
           58 -right sleeve front open end edge 
           59 -right sleeve front bottom edge 
           60 -right sleeve bottom seam 
           61 -right sleeve rear bottom edge 
           62 -right sleeve rear open end edge 
           64 -right sleeve rear separable edge 
           66 -female snap fastener 
           68 -male snap fastener 
           70 -right sleeve front edge 
           72 -right sleeve rear edge 
           74 -left sleeve front edge 
           76 -left sleeve rear edge 
           78 -left sleeve front open end edge 
           79 -left sleeve front bottom edge 
           80 -left sleeve bottom seam 
           81 -left sleeve rear bottom edge 
           82 -left sleeve rear open end edge 
           84 -left sleeve rear separable edge 
           86 -left sleeve front separable edge 
           88 -body right side 
           90 -body left side 
           92 -body bottom edge 
           94 -right end under arm clearance angle 
           95 -right arm pit 
           96 -body right top 
           97 -left arm pit 
           98 -body left top 
           99 -body frontal area 
       
     
       DESCRIPTION 
       [0089]    In order that the invention is fully understood it will now be described by way of the following examples in which Multi-purpose Hospital Gown  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1-9 . 
         [0090]    Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , body assembly  11  is disclosed. Body  11  is preferably constructed of soft, washable material and is approximately 72 inches wide and 44 inches tall. These exemplary dimensions are for an average adult gown although it is understood that the dimensions for the various pattern pieces could easily be altered for several different body sizes and shapes.  FIG. 1  shows lower right pocket slot  40  and lower left pocket slot  42  cut through body assembly  11  approximately 5 inches wide, providing access into pockets  24  and  20  respectively and through the tops of pockets  24  and  20  to the patient&#39;s body for apparatus attachment. Pockets  24  and  20  may be formed by sewing 6¾ inch material squares to body inside surface  13  with their bottom edges approximately 18 inches above body bottom edge  92 , directly below the center of neck front  34 , approximately 3 inches apart. Pockets  24  and  20  are designed to retain J. P. Drains, Hema Vacs, and On-Q Pumps or personal items if not required for a particular medical device.  FIG. 2  shows left bottom pocket  20  and right bottom pocket  24  sewed to body inside surface  13 . 
         [0091]    Telemetry pocket  44  may be formed by sewing a 6½ inch tall by 5½ inch wide patch of material to body outside surface  12  with its bottom edge approximately 25 inches above body bottom edge  92 , centered under neck front  34 .  FIG. 2  shows telemetry pocket slot  22  cut through body assembly  11 , directly behind Pocket  44  where pocket  44  is designed to retain most on-body monitoring telemetry units and slot  22  is provided for connection of monitoring apparatus to the patient&#39;s body. 
         [0092]    Right neck tie strap  16  and left neck tie strap  18  are attached to the upper ends of body assembly  11  at body right top  96  and body left top  98  respectively. Straps  16  and  18  are approximately 15 inches long as shown in both  FIGS. 1 and 2 . When tie straps  16  and  18  are tied together they form the closure means for the neck region of Multi-purpose hospital Gown  10 . Waist rear tie strap  14  extends away from body right side  88  approximately 15 inches in length and is attached at the base of right end under arm clearance angle  94 , approximately 29 inches above body bottom edge  92 . Waist front tie strap  46  is attached to body outside surface  12  approximately 29 inches above body bottom edge  92 , approximately 18 inches from body left side  90 . When tie straps  14  and  46  are tied together they form a closure means at waist level for the wrap around design of Multi-purpose Hospital gown  10 . Alternative closure means such as hooks and eyes, snaps or Velcro type fasteners are also contemplated as part of this invention. 
         [0093]      FIG. 1  also shows two approximately 2 inch long slots  26  and  28  with their bottoms positioned approximately 8½ an 15 inches from body bottom edge  92 , with their centerlines approximately 32½ inches from body right side  88 . Slots  26  and  28  are used for hooking a Foley Catheter bag (not part of this invention) on the inside of Multi-purpose Hospital Gown  10  providing privacy for patients so encumbered during required ambulation. 
         [0094]      FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  show the pattern pieces for the front and rear halves of right and left sleeves  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54  respectively. These sleeve halves are substantially identical with the exception of a plurality of male snap fasteners  68  and female snap fasteners  66  on opposing separable top edges  56  and  64  and  84  and  86 . In a preferred embodiment sleeve halves  48 ,  50 ,  52 , and  54  have open end edges  58 ,  62 ,  78  an  82  that are approximately 11 inches long. Bottom edges  59 ,  61 ,  79  and  81  are approximately 8 inches long and are connected to neck sides  41 ,  43 ,  45  and  47  by curves edges  70 ,  72 ,  74  and  76 . Neck sides  41 ,  43 ,  45  and  47  are approximately 2 inches long.  FIGS. 3 and 5  show four female snap fasteners  66  equally spaced along separable edges  56  and  86 .  FIGS. 4 and 6  show four male snap fasteners  68  at matching locations on their separable edges  64  and  84 . The fasteners shown are for exemplary purposes and other releasable fastening devices such as ties or hook and eye systems may provide the separable connection means. 
         [0095]      FIG. 7  shows right sleeve assembly  29  where bottom edges  59  and  61  are affixed in bottom seam  60  and left sleeve assembly  35  is shown in  FIG. 7A  where bottom edges  79  and  81  are affixed in bottom seam  80 . 
         [0096]      FIG. 8  is a perspective front view of Multi-purpose Hospital Gown  10  that illustrates the assembled gown and the pockets and Foley catheter bag hanging slots and the side tie in frontal area  99 .  FIG. 8  also shows the joining of right sleeve front  48  to body assembly  11  with body edge right sleeve front  32  sewn to edge  70  along seam  33  running from neck front  34  to right arm pit  95 . This view also shows the joining of left sleeve front  52  to body assembly  11  by affixing body edge left sleeve front  36  to edge  74  along seam  39  running from neck front  34  to left arm pit  97 .  FIG. 9  shows the joining of right sleeve rear  50  to body assembly  11  by affixing body edge right sleeve rear  30  to edge  72  along seam  31  running from right top  96  to right arm pit  95 . This view also shows the joining of left sleeve rear  54  to body assembly  11  by affixing body edge left sleeve rear  38  to edge  76  along seam  39  running from left top  98  to left arm pit  97 .  FIG. 9  is a perspective rear view of Multi-purpose Hospital gown  10  showing the rear ties at the neck and the wrap around feature. 
         [0097]    Although this invention has been described by detailing a preferred embodiment with several optional attachments it is not intended to be limited to this set of materials and dimensions. Rather, the scope of this invention is defined by the following claims.