Patent Publication Number: US-2021161236-A1

Title: Surgical cap with pocket

Description:
TECHNICAL DOMAIN 
     The present invention is related to a textile item (T) developed to be placed on the head of the health care providers. 
     The surgical cap is made of conventional fabrics but it has specific properties to be used in the hospital setting, it has at least one pocket, allowing the health care provider to simultaneously store personal belongings, such as rings, wrist watch, etc., safely and at close range, that in the setting of asepsis and sterilization would force the user to store it in a locker or other compartment, increasing the chance of losing such items. 
     Also, the present invention belongs to the area of protective clothing, for professional use, particularly in the hospital setting. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of caps and similar devices, as means for personal protection in settings where hygiene is a critical requirement, such as hospital setting particularly in operating rooms, is well established. 
     As a result of such practice, the use of personal items, such as wrist watches, bracelets, rings, keys, etc. is, in general, conditioned or even restricted in this type of settings where keeping the asepsis and sterilization is important. 
     Beside the previously motioned, the use of such protection devices in warm or hot environments becomes, itself, a problem as it increases the sensation of heat the user has while using them. 
     In the specific setting of the operating room, it becomes absolutely necessary to avoid the contamination from the intervenients as well as the sweat that may, eventually, be produced by the health care professionals, medical staff, nursing staff or other professionals. 
     About such matter, there have been various numbers of solutions for the creation of surgical caps, such as caps with a rubber band that tightens the cap around the head, limiting the exposure of the users&#39; hair and scalp with the environment around, caps with the front and upper parts made of an absorbent material, caps made of absorbent fabrics, disposable caps, etc. 
     Examples of such solutions are presented in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,723A and GB763721A. Both these documents refer to surgical caps, to be used in a hospital setting, and having the main function of hygienic control. Such caps also produce a certain degree of comfort to the user. 
     Despite the functions previously described, none of the documents refers the function of storing small personal objects. 
     Hats and caps with pockets are also known to exist. Mainly used for sports and leisure activities, such as fisherman hat, runner hat, etc. In general, these products are made of resistant fabrics, sometimes even waterproof fabrics, and have at least one or more pockets on the lateral aspect of the hat or at the junction of the brim with the hat. 
     Considering the above for such products, neither the materials used nor the application of such pockets to the surgical caps is adequate. 
     The surgical techniques routinely used nowadays often use the passage of electric current in the operating field. 
     As so, it is forbidden for the health care professionals to use personal objects in the conventional and most appropriate way, forcing them to leave their personal objects in a safe place outside the operating room, or leaving them inside their uniform pockets. Therefore, it is desirable to develop equipment allowed in such environment and has the capacity to store small metallic personal objects in a safe and close manner. 
     Such problem is solved with the development of the surgical cap of the present invention, which have, at least, one pocket made of non-conducting material. 
     Besides this, the surgical cap of the present invention also includes a sweat retention system and fixation system made of elastic rubber bands that adjust the cap to the head, thus making the surgical cap comfortable even after long periods of use or in hot settings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a textile item developed to be placed on the head of the health care providers. 
     This surgical cap is made of conventional fabrics, preferably coated in the outer layer by a material that is semipermeable, and has the main function, like other surgical caps, of creating a semipermeable system that maintains the users&#39; scalp and hair in a contained environment, preventing the passage of particles to the environment around namely hair, sweat or other biological particles. Besides of this function, the surgical cap of the present invention has a storing system for small personal objects, which is made of, at least, one small pocket. 
     Such pocket is made of non-conducting materials like rubber, latex, neoprene, preferably neoprene, since this material has good electrical isolation properties. 
     When present, the pockets&#39; closure system is an active pressure-based mechanism by means of a zipper, loop-and-hook, buttons, spring snap button, etc. Such system is difficult to implement in the existent surgical caps made of a less resistant or disposable material. 
     The elastic rubber bands that adjust the surgical cap tightly to the users&#39; head also create enough pressure to maintain resistance to the passive opening of such pocket. This closure mechanism is ensured by the pockets design that has two lapels of non-conducting materials, one superior and one inferior, in which the superior overlaps the inferior in a common area. By using such materials, and with such disposition, there is no need to have an active closure mechanism namely a zipper, loop-and-hook, buttons, spring snap button, etc. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, the expression “elastic rubber bands” has the same meaning of “elastic area”. 
     Being developed to be used as a self-protection product, preferably in the context of the medical care, the outer layer of the surgical cap is coated by a material resistant to the water and other liquids, including biological fluids, but being semipermeable it is breathable, and it allows the dissipation of the heat with the environment around. Nonetheless, it prevents the fall and dissemination of hair, sweat or other biological particles form the user to the environment around. The same outer layer also has antimicrobial properties blocking the proliferation of microorganisms that get deposited after each use by the professional. 
     Additionally, it is also necessary that such surgical cap is tightly adjusted to the user&#39;s head, for example by means of an elastic rubber band or an elastic area, or even by the incorporation of a fabric that is elastic and is used to create one of the surgical caps&#39; layers. 
     Still, because the user will wear the surgical cap for several hours, the surgical cap of the present invention has an elastic system positioned laterally, in the form of an elastic rubber band, that applies a gentle and disperse pressure over the surface of the users&#39; head adjusting its shape. The user may apply extra pressure, if needed, by using the laces placed in the posterior aspect of the surgical cap which are in continuity with the elastic rubber band. 
     The surgical cap of the present invention also includes a sweat retention system, separated from the users&#39; skin, to avoid overheating and maceration of its skin. By using a pocket with micro-perforations, placed on the frontal aspect of the surgical cap, an absorbent material film contained in it will promote the function of absorption and removal the excess of sweat produced and, through the semipermeable coating on the outer layer, the surgical cap will prevent that such excess will pass to the exterior and may fall into the working area, preferably the operating field. It is also in this material of the outer layer that the users&#39; name can be placed through methods of embroidery or others adequate for this purpose. 
     The material composing the layer is elastic, and adjustable to the users&#39; head, but through its semipermeable mechanism it allows the dissipation of the heat. 
     It is in this outer layer that the previously mentioned pocket is located, allowing the storage of small personal objects, and it is preferably placed at the lateral aspect of the head. 
     Access to the inside of such pocket is easy, but opening it is only possible in an intentional and active manner by the user due to the existence of the counter-resistance mechanism that prevents the accidental opening of the pocket and falling of its content. 
     The preferable existence of an intermediate layer made of antimicrobial material has the function of adding an extra barrier to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms from the commensal or nosocomial flora, leading to a more controlled and less contaminated environment. 
     The inner layer is breathable, but it has the function of a first barrier against the passage of hair, sweat or other biological particles. The same inner layer has antimicrobial properties that prevent the proliferation of microorganisms that get placed in it after the usage of the surgical cap by the health care professional. 
     Such layer makes the coating of the intermediate layer, when this is present, acting both as a barrier to inhibit the proliferation of the microbial flora. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1 —Composed by the figures A, B and C it shows the state of the products, with a pocket, to be used on the head. 
         FIG. 2 —Lateral view of the surgical cap (T) of the present invention, in a preferable embodiment, with only one pocket (P), which comprises: 
       (a) Superior lapel of the pocket, made of non-conducting material, 
       (b) Inferior lapel of the pocket, made of non-conducting material, 
       (c) Inner aspect of the pocket (P) with an elastic bed, for example an elastic rubber band (not shown), conferring a better adjustment to the users&#39; head shape and maintaining the pockets&#39; content under pressure; 
         FIG. 3 —Another lateral view of the surgical cap (T) of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, in which the pocket (P) is placed on the elastic area or elastic rubber band (d) of the surgical cap (T), conferring a better adjustment to the users&#39; head shape and thus avoiding the need of having to have an active closure mechanism for the pocket (P); 
         FIG. 4 —View of the inner aspect of the surgical cap (T) of the present invention, front to back, in a preferred embodiment, in which: 
       (e) Inner pocket to place the absorbent film, which acts as an anti-sweat filter, 
       (f) Micro-Perforated fabric that creates the inner pocket and is in contact with the skin of the frontal part of the users&#39; head; 
         FIG. 5 —View of the surgical cap of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, in a cut section, presenting three layers of fabrics, in which: 
       C 1 —Layer of fabric for finalization and protection (external), 
       C 2 —Layer of antimicrobial fabric (intermediate), 
       C 3 —Breathable layer (inner) 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a textile item (T) developed to be placed on the head of the health care providers, specifically in a hospital setting (T). 
     The surgical cap (T) is made of conventional fabrics but it has specific properties to be used in the hospital setting. The fabrics of the surgical cap (T) ( FIG. 5 ) is composed of two layers, preferably three layers, in which the external layer is made of a fabric for finalization and protection (C 1 ), having a antimicrobial and semipermeable functions, and it can also be elastic and/or have elastic rubber bands (d), to allow a better adjustment to the users&#39; head shape. 
     The intermediate layer (C 2 ), which exists in a preferred embodiment, is made of antimicrobial material. 
     The inner or base layer, is breathable and has antimicrobial properties (C 3 ), has a sweat retention system that is made of a micro-perforated pocket (e), for the placement of an absorbent film (f), i.e. an anti-sweat filter, located in the frontal area of the head and in contact with the skin to retain the users&#39; sweat. 
     Also, the surgical cap has a storage system to store small personal objects with, at least, one pocket (P) ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ), made of a non-conducting material, for example neoprene. Such pocket comprises a superior lapel (a) that lays over the inferior lapel (b). 
     In a preferred embodiment, at least on pocket (P) has an active closure mechanism, for example loop-and-hook, buttons, spring snap button, etc., for better containment of the personal objects within it. 
     In another preferred embodiment, at least one of the pockets (P), can be placed over the elastic rubber bands (d) of the surgical cap, without any closure mechanism. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the surgical cap (t) has two pockets (P 1  and P 2 ) (non-represented figure), both with an active closure mechanism, both without a closure mechanism or one pocket (P 1 ) has an active closure mechanism and the other has no closure mechanism. 
     The surgical cap of the present invention, besides being a product for self-protection, in a professional context, in particular in the hospital setting, also has, as additional advantages, the capacity of being more comfortable, by means of the adjustment system or the anti-sweat barrier system, and the capacity to store small personal objects, close to the users, even in environments of strict asepsis and sterilization.