Abstract:
An antimicrobial garment includes at least two textile layers fastened together, including an interior layer having antimicrobial properties and an exterior layer having a formal or professional aesthetic appearance. The garment is manufactured by either selecting a textile having antimicrobial properties, weaving antimicrobial textile fibers into a fabric, or treating a textile with an antimicrobial treatment, fastening a second textile, and tailoring the combination, together with additional materials as required, into a garment.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In a formal or professional environment, garments are often worn for several hours. Over time, as clothing remains on the human body, the apparel becomes an environment suitable for the growth of bacteria and other microbial agents. Associated with the growth of microbes are unpleasant malodors, garment discoloration, and skin infections. As the duration of time an article of clothing is worn grows longer, the infiltration of microbes through base layer apparel into exterior clothing inevitably occurs. Formal and professional apparel generate a warm, moist environment, as multiple layers enclose the body, further encouraging microbial contamination. 
         [0002]    Silver is a known antimicrobial agent, and the medical field has used silver for years to inhibit contamination. Further, the use of silver as an antimicrobial agent does not lead to the development of resistant microbe strains. As such, consumer products have increasingly utilized silver treatments. The textile industry has applied silver, as well as other metals, to develop antimicrobial garments. Treatment solutions featuring silver and other metal-based compounds as well as pre-treated textiles are commercially available, and the prior art teaches methods of manufacturing textiles with antimicrobial agents, such as the embedding approach of U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,599, the synthetic manufacture approach of U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,526, the interstitial precipitation approach of U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,420, or the extrusion approach of U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,843. Other methods teach application of antimicrobial compositions to at least one portion of a selected textile substrate. One such method involves antimicrobial compositions based on ion-exchange compounds to fabrics. Such compounds have included zeolites, zirconium phosphates, calcium phosphates, glasses, or mixtures thereof, as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,320, U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,829, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0035327. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,433 discloses a silver-based antimicrobial compound with a resin binder to enhance durability in laundering and drying the treated textile, as does U.S. Pat. No. 7,132,378. U.S. Pat. No. 7,291,570 teaches a textile treatment comprised of other than silver or silver ions. Zinc, iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, gold, manganese, magnesium, and other metals have been contemplated in addition to silver for use in treatment of textiles to obtain antimicrobial properties. U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,613 features the step of treating a fiber substrate with an antimicrobial compound comprising a metal complexed with a polymer. U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,856 takes a similar approach, forming the textile fiber itself from an antimicrobial compound and a component polymer, the antimicrobial compound comprising a metal complexed with a polymer. Other methods include that of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0154507, which describes the use of silver halide particles bound to the fibers, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0292486, which describes a polymeric matrix comprising silver salt particles applied to a substrate, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0252861, which describes silver salt crystals embedded in an adhesive material covering a sheet of fabric, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0047366, which describes antibacterial fibers spun with zinc sulfide. 
         [0004]    Antimicrobial textiles have also been adapted for use in garments wherein only one portion of the textile is treated. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0166832 describes silver-coated nylon fibers that can be used to create fabrics that are coated on only one side. U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,320 describes a garment manufactured through a knitting pattern designed to direct conventional yarns to the exterior of the garment and antimicrobial yarns to its interior, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,811 teaches a composite fabric comprised of two distinct layers formed concurrently by knitting a plaited construction. 
         [0005]    Each of the prior art references teaches a method of manufacturing a fabric with antimicrobial properties to inhibit contamination, whether the method involves topical application to a fiber or textile substrate or formation of the textile from fibers manufactured from antimicrobial compounds and other materials. However, although there exist a variety of antimicrobial textile products and methods of their manufacture, these materials have not been adapted for use in conjunction with conventional, aesthetically-pleasing, non-treated exterior material to create a formal or professional garment that is both resistant to microbial contamination on its interior and socially appropriate in outward appearance as formal or professional attire. A need therefore exists for formal and professional apparel that can be worn for prolonged periods of time without generating microbial contamination. The present invention meets this need. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The disclosure describes an antimicrobial garment and methods for manufacturing the same. The garment is manufactured by combining an antimicrobial textile with a conventional textile used in formal or professional apparel. The resultant garment thus has at least two textile layers. An interior layer features an applied antimicrobial treatment, an antimicrobial textile, or antimicrobial textile fibers woven into a fabric. An exterior layer is comprised of conventional textile material of the type typical of formal or professional apparel, in addition to other materials necessary to complete the garment. The layers are combined and tailored into a complete garment. 
         [0007]    Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a view of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partial section of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partial section of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a view of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a view of a garment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Various embodiments and applications thereof, as herein described, are not intended to be limiting; rather, the scope of the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. Further, any referenced examples are only intended to describe some of the various embodiments of the claimed invention and are not intended to be limiting. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a garment  10  is shown in accordance with the present invention. An antimicrobial treatment, typically silver or metal-based, is applied to a selected textile to create an interior layer  12 . Alternatively, the interior layer  12  may be comprised of a textile having antimicrobial properties or antimicrobial textile fibers woven into a fabric. Like the textile receiving topical application of an antimicrobial treatment, these alternative embodiments exhibit the desired antimicrobial properties and similarly resist contamination, discoloration, and malodors. A second textile is selected for use as an exterior layer  14 . The exterior layer  14  is of a type typically used in formal or professional apparel and provides the garment  10  with an acceptable outward appearance that is appropriate for the formal or professional environment in which the garment  10  is intended to be worn. At least one interior layer  12  is fastened to at least one exterior layer  14  with a fastener  16 . Together, the layers are tailored into a garment  10 . 
         [0016]    The antimicrobial treatment is a metal-based compound, preferably silver-based, and resists bacterial or other microbial contamination despite prolonged contact with human skin in a warm, moist environment. Any antimicrobial treatment is acceptable for use. The preferred embodiment employs antimicrobial nanoparticles available in a water-dispersible powder from NanoHorizons, Inc. under the trade name SmartSilver™. In response to moisture, such as perspiration, the antimicrobial treatment releases silver ions, which destroy the microbes. Any method of application of an antimicrobial compound may be utilized. 
         [0017]    The interior layer  12  is comprised of any textile or combination of textiles, whether the textile possesses antimicrobial properties or requires antimicrobial treatment. Such textiles include silk, rayon, cotton-backed satin, viscose, emerzine, cupro/cupramonium rayon (bemberg), wood pulp, cotton, alpara, polyester, acetate poult, acetate microfiber, acetate/bemberg, acetate/viscose, bemberg 100% ponginette, bemberg taffeta shot, bemberg twill, silk/viscose, viscose/acetate shot twill, viscose/rayon heavy twill, viscose S/L regency, viscose satin, viscose twill, acetate surah and polyester taffeta; however, any material or combination of materials apparent to those skilled in the art may be utilized, as the embodiment is not limited to any particular material. Textile fibers having antimicrobial properties may alternatively be woven into a fabric to comprise the interior layer  12 . 
         [0018]    Any suitable textile or combination of textiles may be used to comprise the exterior layer  14 . Such textiles include wool, silk, lambswool, angora, merino wool, cashmere, camelhair, covert cloth, worsted flannel, woolen flannel, mohair, worsted spun flannel, worsted spun cashmere, vicuna, cashmere flannel, wool fresco, high twist wool, Harris tweed, cotton corduroy, cotton needle cord, cotton moleskin, linen mohair, linen, cotton, solaro, whipcord, botany wool, serge, kid mohair, mohair barathea, gabardine, super  100 &#39;s, super  110 &#39;s, super  120 &#39;s, super  130 &#39;s, super  150 &#39;s, super  180 &#39;s, super  200 &#39;s, wool cheviot, Shetland wool, Scottish tweed, donnegal, moleskin, wool crepe, Irish linen, calvary twill, doeskins, melton, barathea, flax, jute, bamboo and hemp; however, any material or combination of materials apparent to those skilled in the art may be utilized, as the embodiment is not limited to any particular material. Because formal or professional apparel may include more than one interior layer  12  and one exterior layer  14 , the embodiment may comprise additional layers constructed of any additional material necessary to manufacture a complete garment  10 . 
         [0019]    Any suitable fastener  16  may be used to fasten the interior layer  12  to the exterior layer  14 . Such fasteners include stitches, glue, buttons, zippers, snaps, toggles, buckles, tape, hook and loop connectors, or sewing; however any fastener apparent to those skilled in the art may be utilized, as the embodiment is not limited to any particular fastener. 
         [0020]    The interior layer  12  and exterior layer  14 , together with any additional materials necessary to complete the garment  10 , are constructed into a wearable garment  10 . Fastening of the interior layer  12  to the exterior layer  14  with the fastener  16  is undertaken as part of the overall manufacturing process, and does not necessarily constitute an isolated step in the method of manufacture; rather, fastening of the layers and any additional materials may be ongoing as the manufacturing process progresses. Example embodiments include suits, pants or slacks, sport coats, vests, over coats, tuxedos, shirts, neckties, bowties, and other formal or professional apparel featuring at least one interior layer  12  fastened to at least one exterior layer  14 . The present invention includes any of the aforementioned garments or any like garments known to those skilled in the art, so long as the interior layer  12  of the garment  10  possesses antimicrobial properties. 
         [0021]    It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently performed embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.