Patent Publication Number: US-2016227906-A1

Title: Over-Garment for Comfortable Protection Below the Neck

Description:
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The invention provides an improved over-garment for comfortable protection below the neck of a person in a seated or reclining position while having a potentially taint-producing procedure performed on the person&#39;s head, by using an improved design creating greater and more-secure protection while allowing the withdrawal and re-insertion of the person&#39;s arms through the sleeves without disturbing the placement nor the performance of the over-garment. 
     UTILITY OF INVENTION 
     There is a need for an improved over-garment for comfortable protection below the neck in such fields of endeavor as hair salons, spas, physicians offices or clinics, especially field clinics, makeup application such as for the performing arts, and the like, where the person remains dressed in street clothes or other costume while sitting or reclining and performing or having performed some procedure on all or part of the person&#39;s head which might result in taint-producing circumstances such as hair cuttings falling down, chemical agents or reagents spilling down, blood or other substances spilling down, or water or other liquid spilling down. But many of the known techniques for increasing such protection come at the cost of decreasing the person&#39;s ability to reach both inside and outside of a protective over-garment without disturbing the placement or the performance of the over-garment. This invention increases both the protection afforded and the ease of accessing both the inside and outside of the over-garment without disturbing the over-garment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of an embodiment of the invention in use. 
         FIG. 3  shows a back view of an embodiment of the invention in use. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the withdrawal of a person&#39;s arm inside a sleeve without disturbing the invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the withdrawal and re-insertion of a person&#39;s arm through a sleeve without disturbing the invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the invention covering a person&#39;s legs and feet. 
     
    
    
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     A higher level of protection of the person and the person&#39;s clothes is achieved by functional design elements that: 
     Shape the over-garment so that no gaps in protection exist when the over-garment is used; 
     Eliminate seams in unfavorable places, to lessen leakage, and place such seams in places where their additional weight works to an advantage in the draping and the fitting of the over-garment; 
     Create armholes with the proper location, alignment, and dimensions to maximize both protection and mobility; 
     Can be easily and cheaply mass-manufactured; and 
     Will fit and function properly on persons of a wide variety of shapes and sizes. 
     An embodiment of the invention is an over-garment for use in hair salons, spas, and similar operations, where a practitioner is working upon a customer&#39;s hair, face, ears, nose, or other parts of a customer&#39;s head, where the customer remains clothed, where the customer is in a seated or reclining position, and where cuttings of hair, water and shampoo, and bleaches, colorings, and other chemicals used have a potentially tainting or otherwise injurious effect on the customer&#39;s clothes or skin. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is an over-garment for use during medical procedures upon a patient&#39;s head, having a potential for tainting or otherwise injuring a patient&#39;s clothes or skin, under conditions both where the patient does not remove clothes before the procedure, and also where the patient does remove clothes before the procedure and needs to be protected from staining or other injury to the skin—in addition to concerns about warmth and modesty, where the patient is in a seated or reclining position. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is an over-garment for use during the application of makeup, especially makeup being applied to a performing artist who is already dressed in a costume, or where the type of makeup being applied is especially prone to creating tainting or other injury. 
     The protective features of the invention are achieved by using material that is protective, by cutting and darting the material and constructing the over-garment to create a protective overlap and a secure fit, avoiding seams in locations where seams might be prone to leaking. The comfort features of the invention are achieved by using material that is also comfortable, by constructing the over-garment in such a way that it is also comfortable, and by providing sleeves having armholes that are sufficiently large enough in an oblique direction to accommodate the length from the shoulder to the elbow of the largest-sized person anticipated to use the over-garment, so that the person&#39;s arms may be withdrawn from and re-inserted into the sleeves while the over-garment is being worn without disturbing the placement nor the performance of the over-garment. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The dimensions and proportions for the improved over-garment for comfortable protection below the neck are based on the measured length from the shoulder to the bent elbow of the largest person anticipated to be accommodated in the over-garment. That length is essentially the combined length of the humerus bone and the parts of the scapula and clavicle extending over the upper end of the humerus plus the thickness of tissue covering the bones. The arm is much smaller in girth than in length, and can be placed through a small armhole with a threading motion, but that threading motion requires significant movement of the upper body, of the garment, or of both. In order to withdraw and insert the arm without shifting the entire upper body and without disturbing the placement and performance of the garment, the armhole needs to be sufficiently long in a generally vertical direction to accommodate the entire upper arm in the same plane as the armhole. 
     In this invention, a target length is determined by measuring or looking up the shoulder-to-bent-elbow length of the largest person anticipated to be accommodated in the over-garment, then adding either a small amount of approximately one-half inch to accommodate normal street clothing or a different amount to accommodate different clothing or lack of clothing, and finally adding another small amount of approximately one-quarter-to-one-half inch to accommodate any special properties of the materials chosen to construct the over-garment and to provide a margin of error. 
     A target length of 18 inches yields an over-garment that will optimally fit large adult persons and all smaller persons, but might be too large and a waste of material for an over-garment that was anticipated to be used only by children or small persons. A target length of 20 inches yields an over-garment that will optimally fit very large persons and all smaller persons, and might be appropriate in circumstances where unusually large persons are regularly seen, but might be too large and a waste of material for use by medium or small-sized persons. A target length of 16 inches will optimally fit medium-sized adult persons, and 14 inches will optimally fit small-sized adult persons and children. 
     An over-garment based on a target length of 18 inches optimally fits the vast majority of adult persons, and would be the appropriate size where only a single size is provided. At the sacrifice of providing an optimum fit and therefore optimum comfort, persons with upper arms longer than the target length of an over-garment can nevertheless be accommodated in and protected by such a smaller garment, but would unlikely be able to withdraw and re-insert their arms through the sleeves without disturbing the placement and performance of the garment. Because the measured length from the shoulder to the bent elbow of a person closely correlates with that person&#39;s overall size, it is possible and convenient to specify many of the dimensions and proportions of the over-garment in terms of fractions or multiples of target length. For example, an overall width of 3 times target length and an overall length of 4 times target length will ensure that the over-garment properly fits and fully covers a person having the upper-arm length from which the target length is derived. Except for the size of the armhole, defined below, the other dimensions and proportions are not critical to effective use of the over-garment, and the use of approximations of the target length or fractions or multiples of the target length, from 15% under to 25% over, will provide a fully effective over-garment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the over-garment for comfortable protection below the neck  10  comprises a piece of taint-proof comfortable material having a top edge of length approximately 3 times target length and 2 side edges having at least 4 times target length approximately perpendicular to the top edge. For ease of reference, a median line in the middle of and perpendicular to the top edge and parallel to and equidistant between the side edges is defined. Such a median line would be a vertical line running through the middle of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  &amp;  FIG. 3  illustrate an embodiment of the over-garment in use in a hair-styling situation, protecting the customer and the customer&#39;s clothes from hair cuttings  41  and spilled liquid  42 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the easy and comfortable withdrawal and re-insertion of the person&#39;s arm through the sleeve  30  and armhole  32  of the over-garment without disturbing the placement nor the performance of the over-garment. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the easy and comfortable withdrawal and re-insertion of the person&#39;s arm through the over-garment&#39;s sleeve  30  and the wristband  31 , which has an elastic or stretchable property that provides a secure, comfortable fit without preventing withdrawal and re-insertion of the arm. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of the over-garment which is sufficiently long to cover and protect the person&#39;s legs and feet and pants and shoes. 
     The taint-proof comfortable material used for constructing the over-garment should have the protective property of being impermeable or at least highly resistant to whatever taint-producing substance is anticipated, including liquid water, from an obverse side of the material which will comprise the outer, protective side of the over-garment. The taint-proof comfortable material should also have the comfortable property of being permeable or semi-permeable to water vapor from the reverse side of the material which will comprise the inner side of the over-garment facing the person. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , from the center of the top edge of the material, a straight cut opening  14  is made along the median line for approximately target length. Then a head opening  20  is made as an extension of the cut opening oriented along the median line but expanding into a generally circular or oval shape cut-out of a circumference large enough to accommodate the thickest neck anticipated. A circumference of 18 inches will fit all but the very largest necks. After the cut opening and the head opening are made, at least 2 darts  11  are made in the material in order to pull open the cut opening  14  and head opening  20  and in order to create an angled over-panel  12  and an angled under-panel  13  from the material. The darts  11  are placed in both side edges, starting at each side edge approximately 2 target lengths down from the top edge, and running generally perpendicular to each side edge for an arbitrary distance sufficient to create the desired oblique angle for the over-panel and under-panel. The exact placement and length of the darts is not critical because an armhole will later be cut and will encompass part of the dart or line of the dart. 
     The angled over-panel  12  having an over-panel inside edge  15  and the angled under-panel  13  having an under-panel inside edge  16  are now at angles oblique to the median line and symmetrically opposing across the median line. The enlarged cut opening  14  and opposing-angled panels  12 ,  13  when draped over a person&#39;s shoulders in use provide a more secure and more comfortable overlapping closure, fit, and removal for persons of varying sizes. The precise angle of the panels is not critical; angles from 5 to 25 degrees inclusive are effective, and angles from 10 to 15 degrees inclusive are optimum. 
     Two armholes  32  are created in the material, disposed symmetrically about the median line, with each armhole having a center at the intersection of a line perpendicular to each side edge at the darts and parallel to the side edges, at approximately three-fourths or 75% target length from each side edge. In order to accommodate the withdrawal and re-insertion of the largest anticipated person&#39;s arms through the sleeves without disturbing the placement nor the performance of the over-garment, each armhole is made to have an armhole size that is equal to the appropriate target length across a diameter or major axis line that runs generally vertically when the over-garment is in use. Although circular armholes can be used, there is no particular benefit to having an armhole of the full target length along the diameter or axis line that runs horizontally when the over-garment is in use, because a smaller armhole in that dimension will suffice as long as the smaller dimension of the bent arm can be accommodated. Placement of the major axis or greatest length of the armhole so that it will be generally vertically oriented when the over-garment is in use is achieved by placing the armhole at an angle that is oblique to the midline when the over-garment is laid flat. 
     With the center point of the armhole already established above, sizing and placement of the armhole  32  is accomplished by marking a shoulder point  33  that is one-half 50% target length from the center of the armhole and defines a line running from the center at an oblique angle toward the head opening  20  and therefore toward the midline. Then a bent-elbow point  34  is found along an extension of the defined line at a distance one-half 50% target length from the center in a direction away from the shoulder point  33 , where the linear distance between the shoulder point  33  and the bent-elbow point  34  is the armhole size  35 , and is equal to the target length. The other dimensions of the armhole can be set using any reasonable values yielding a generally oval-shaped or rhomboid-shaped armhole of sufficient size for the passage of an arm. 2 sleeves  30 , each having a sleeve length of approximately 1.5 target lengths, are attached to an armhole  32 , at one end of the sleeve, and a wristband  31  is provided at the other end of the sleeve, creating openings for the person&#39;s hands to emerge from the sleeves, and having elastic or stretching qualities to provide a close fit to the person&#39;s wrists. A sleeve of approximately 1.5 target lengths is sufficiently long to cover down to the wrist of the largest person anticipated, and the wristband allows for a secure, comfortable fit for smaller persons who can let any extra sleeve length gather behind the wristband. The method of attaching the sleeve to the armhole can be sewing, overlock-stitching, gluing, heat or solvent bonding, or any method appropriate for the taint-proof comfortable material chosen. 
     In use, the configuration and dimensions of the sleeve  30  with wristband  31  attached to the armhole  32  of the proper armhole size  35  and proper angled orientation of the shoulder point  33  and the bent-elbow point  34  protect the person&#39;s arms while accommodating withdrawal and re-insertion of the person&#39;s arms through the sleeves without disturbing the placement nor the performance of the over-garment. 
     Several over-fasteners  22  are affixed along the entire over-panel inside edge  15  and along the over-panel side of the head opening  20 , and several under-fasteners  23  are affixed upon the angled under-panel  13  in a line running from near the head opening generally diagonally toward the corner of the under-panel farthest from the head opening. The over-fasteners and under-fasteners are meant to couple and uncouple with each other to effect the secure, comfortable closing of the over-garment. The use of several fasteners and the pattern of their placement provide for the secure, comfortable closing of the over-garment when worn by persons of various sizes and shapes, because coupling at only a few points is sufficient to close the over-garment, and the selection of those few appropriate points depends upon the size and shape of the specific person using the over-garment. 
     Such fasteners could be discreet fasteners such as snaps or hook-and-loop spots, or such fasteners could be continuous strips of fasteners offering various points of coupling, such as strips of hook-and-loop material, or strips of material with pre-mounted snaps. 
     Optionally, a band  21  of the same or different material can be attached to the over-garment surrounding the head opening  20  where it will be in contact with the person&#39;s neck, or such a band can be attached to the edges of the over-garment, including the over-panel inside edge  15  and the under-panel inside edge  16 , or such a band can be attached at the locations of the over-fasteners  22  and under-fasteners  23 , where such a band might provide simpler manufacture, additional durability to the garment, or additional comfort to the person. 
     Optionally, an additional piece of material can be joined at a seam  17  if the seam is on the bottom edge, oriented perpendicular to the midline, and is located at least 3 times the target length distance away from the shoulder points  33 , so that in use on a seated person the seam will be horizontal and below the level of the person&#39;s knees, lessening the likelihood that tainting substances will travel along or seep through the seam. 
     While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to its preferred embodiments, the principles and modes of operation of the invention have also been described in this specification. The invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular forms disclosed, which are illustrative rather than restrictive. Modifications, variations, and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as described by the following claims.