Abstract:
A cover fits over a wearer&#39;s head, shoulders, back and chest to protect the wearer during feeding. The cover includes a collar portion that can stretch and deform to accommodate different sizes of persons.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, and to the particular field of bibs. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Feeding an infant can be a messy job. As any person who has undertaken this task can attest, the infant sometimes deposits more food on themselves than in their mouth. In some instances, the infant must actually be bathed in order to remove the food. This may is also the case when feeding handicapped, elderly, and mentally-challenged persons 
     For this reason, the wearing apparel art contains many inventions related to bibs which will protect the front of the wearer from food that is dropped. These bibs work well to protect a part of the wearer and, perhaps, some of the wearer&#39;s clothing. 
     However, many infants or mentally-challenged persons have a habit of rubbing food into their hair and around their faces. A bib that protects the front of their clothing will not protect the wearer&#39;s head. Thus, even though the wearer has worn a bib, a caretaker finds herself bathing the wearer anyway. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a bib-like cover which completely protects a wearer. In particular, there is a need for an infant bib which covers the infant&#39;s head. 
     While the wearing apparel art does contain examples of bibs that can protect the wearer&#39;s hair, these bibs have several shortcomings that prevent their full acceptance. 
     For example, the head portion of such bibs may not fit all infants. That is, if one infant is larger than another, one of the infants may not be fully protected. Still further, the bib may not be comfortable for the wearer, who may then object to wearing the bib. If a bib fits an infant at one time, the infant is likely to outgrow the bib. This may force a caretaker to purchase a bib that is too large or to purchase additional bibs as the infant grows. As above discussed, if the bib does not properly fit the wearer, it may not adequately protect the wearer. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an bib which is comfortable for the wearer. There is yet a further need for a bib which can account for size of the wearer. 
     Many people like to take their infants out to eat. Even in such situations, many infants require a bib. Many people like to have the infant well dressed when dining out. However, many bibs are designed for protection and not for style. In such instances, the caretaker must make a decision about whether to use a bib that is functional but is not aesthetically pleasing, or to purchase a separate bib that can be aesthetically pleasing, but which may not fully protect the infant. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an infant bib which has an aesthetically pleasing appearance yet will fully protect the infant. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a bib-like cover which completely protects a wearer. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which covers the wearer&#39;s head. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which is comfortable for the wearer. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an bib which can account for size of the wearer. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which has an aestheically pleasing appearance, yet still fully protects the wearer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a bib-like cover which comprises a body portion which includes a shoulder portion which extends over a wearer&#39;s shoulders when worn, a back portion which is located adjacent to the wearer&#39;s back when worn, and a front portion which is located adjacent to a wearer&#39;s chest when worn; a head portion which extends over a wearer&#39;s head when worn and which includes an expansion joint; a collar portion which completely surrounds a wearer&#39;s neck when worn and which includes an inferior rim fixed to the body portion and a superior rim fixed to the head portion, the collar portion being in overlapping relationship with the head portion; an inferior rim on the back portion of the body portion; an inferior rim on the front portion of the body portion, the inferior rim on the back portion of the body portion being superior to the inferior rim on the front portion of the body portion with respect to the wearer when the body portion is worn; the body portion and the head portion and the collar portion all being one piece and unitary with each other; and the neck portion being formed of stretchable material. 
     The specific formation of the bib-like cover allows the cover to completely surround the wearer&#39;s head and face during feeding yet will be comfortable, even if used on wearer&#39;s of different sizes and will still remain aesthetically pleasing. The expandable nature of the bib will permit the bib to be used even if an infant grows. The bib is formed of easily washable materials and thus is easy to care for and clean. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a bib-like cover embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevataional view of the bib-like cover shown in FIG. 1, the opposite side being identical to the side shown in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a bib-like cover  10  which comprises a one-piece body cover  12  which includes two identical shoulder sections  14  and  16  each of which covers a shoulder area of a wearer when body cover  12  is in place on the wearer. The shoulder sections  14 ,  16  are identical so only one shoulder section will be described with the description being applicable to either shoulder section. Each shoulder section has a neck area  18  which is located next to a wearer&#39;s neck when the shoulder section is in place on the wearer, an outer rim  20  which is located next to a wearer&#39;s deltoid area and which is spaced apart from the neck area  18  of the shoulder section when the bib and the shoulder section is in place on the wearer. Each shoulder section further includes a shoulder section outer surface  22  and a shoulder section bottom surface  24  which is located adjacent to the wearer when the shoulder section is in place on the wearer. 
     The body cover  12  of the bib further includes a front cover  30  which covers a chest area of the wearer when in place and which includes a front cover outer surface  32  which is one-piece and unitary with the shoulder section outer surface  22  of the shoulder sections and a front cover bottom surface  34  which is located adjacent to the wearer when the front cover is in place and which is one-piece and unitary with the shoulder section bottom surface  24  of the shoulder sections. A front cover inferior rim  36  is positioned on a wearer&#39;s chest when the bib is worn and two front cover side rims  38  and  40  extend from the front cover inferior rim  36  over the wearer&#39;s shoulder and are one-piece and unitary with the outer rims  20  of the shoulder sections. A neck area  44  of the front cover  30  is located next to the neck area of an wearer when the front cover  30  is in place on the wearer. 
     The body cover  12  of the bib  10  further includes a rear cover  50  which covers a back area of the wearer when in place and includes a rear cover outer surface  52  which is one-piece and unitary with the shoulder section outer surface  22  of the shoulder sections and a rear cover bottom surface  54  which is located adjacent to the wearer when the rear cover  50  is in place. The rear cover bottom surface  54  is one-piece and unitary with the shoulder section bottom surface  24  of the shoulder sections. The rear cover  50  further includes a rear cover inferior rim  56 . Rear cover inferior rim  56  is located in a position which is superior to front cover inferior rim  36  with respect to the neck of the wearer when the body cover is in place on the wearer. 
     Two rear cover side rims, such as side rim  58 , are one-piece and unitary with the outer rims  20  of the shoulder sections. Rear cover  50  further includes a neck area  60  which is located next to the neck area of a wearer when the rear cover  50  is in place on the wearer. 
     The neck areas  18  of the shoulder sections, the front cover  30  and the rear cover  50  are continuous and uninterrupted with each other and completely surround the neck of the wearer when the body cover  12  is in place on the wearer. The outer rims  20  of the shoulder sections and the side rims of the front cover  30  and the rear cover  50  are continuous and uninterrupted with each other to define a one-piece outer rim extending from the rear cover inferior rim  56  to the front cover inferior rim  36 . A one-piece uninterrupted hem  62  is located on the outer rims  20  of the shoulder sections and the side rims of the front and rear covers  30 ,  50  and on the rear cover inferior rim  56  and on the front cover inferior rim  36 . 
     The bib  10  further includes a head cover  70  which covers a wearer&#39;s head when in place. Head cover  70  includes two side sections  72  and  74  and a neck area  76  which is located next to the neck of the wearer when the head cover  70  is worn. The neck area  76  includes a neck rim  78  and a face rim  80 . Face rim  80  is located adjacent to a wearer&#39;s face when the head cover  70  is worn. An inside surface  82  of the head cover  70  is located adjacent to the wearer&#39;s head when the head cover  70  is worn. The head cover  70  further includes an outside surface  84 . 
     The head cover  70  further includes a one-piece body  86  which extends from the neck rim  78  of the neck area  76  of each of the two side sections  72 ,  74  and from the face rim  80  and covers the wearer&#39;s head when the head cover  70  is worn. An expansion joint  88  is defined in the body  86  of the head cover  70  to extend from the face rim  80  to the neck area  76 . The expansion joint  88  permits the head cover  70  to fit snugly about a wearer&#39;s head and will accommodate various head sizes. This will permit one bib to be used on a growing child and/or on children of several different head sizes and remain secure and snug. A face hem  90  is located adjacent to the face rim  80  of the head cover  70 . 
     A neck portion  92  completely surrounds the wearer&#39;s neck when the bib  10  is worn. Neck portion  92  includes an inferior rim  94  which is one-piece and unitary with the body cover  12 , and a superior rim  96  which is one-piece and unitary with the head cover  70 . An inside surface  98  of the neck portion  92  is located adjacent to the outside surface  84  of the head cover  70 , and an outside surface  100  of the neck portion  92  is spaced apart from the inside surface  98  of the neck portion  92 . A thickness dimension T of the neck portion  92  is measured between the inside surface  98  of the neck portion  92  to the outside surface  100  of the neck portion  92 . 
     The outside surface  84  of the head cover  70  is spaced apart from the outside surface  100  of the neck portion  92  by a distance equal to the thickness of the neck portion  92 . The inferior rim  94  of the neck portion  92  is coincident with the neck rim  78  of the neck area  76  of the head cover  70 , and the neck portion  92  is in overlapping relationship with the head cover  70  in the neck area  76  of the head cover  70 . The neck portion  92  is formed of stretchable knit fabric. The outer surfaces of the body cover  12  are covered by washable material, such as cotton or the like so the bib  10  can be easily laundered. The body cover  12  and the neck portion  92  and the head cover  70  are all one-pieced and unitary with each other so the bib  10  can be cleaned and no food can become lodged in crevices or the like. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.