Abstract:
Certain embodiments of the invention may include a garment adaptable for self-donning and for donning by another onto a wearer. The garment may include two longitudinal panels. Each longitudinal panel may be operatively attached to each other. Each panel may have a waistband portion, a hip portion and a leg portion. Each longitudinal panel may terminate with a first and second cooperating and fastening material that may be disposed substantially along the longitudinal hip and leg portions. Each panel may be moveable between a substantially flat open position and a second closed wearable position where each first and second cooperating and fastening materials of each panel may join the second closed wearable position. The cooperating and fastening material may include continuous strips of cooperating materials that may include mating components.

Description:
[0001]    This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application number Ser. No. 13/897,304, filed on May 17, 2013, which claims priority to provisional application number 61/648636, which was filed on May 18, 2012. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    Certain embodiments of the invention are generally related to articles of clothing adaptable for self-donning and/or donning and doffing by another onto a wearer. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Variety of garments exists on the market for self-donning or donning by another onto wearer. Some of these garments may be used by individuals with medical needs or those with certain physical challenges. Some of these garments allow easy access to certain parts of the body but require efforts by medical staff or the wearer. Other garments feature open designs allowing staff to quickly access bodily areas at the expense of privacy of patients. 
         [0004]    Therefore there is a need for garments that allow easy access to body parts for treatment and medical or other purposes while maintaining privacy and needless exposure. Certain embodiments of the invention provide such advantage as well as other advantages. 
         [0005]    Certain embodiments of the invention may include garments adaptable for self-donning and for donning by another onto a wearer. For example, a garment according to certain embodiments, may include two longitudinal panels. Each longitudinal panel may be operatively attached to each other. Each panel may have a waistband portion, a hip portion and a leg portion. Each longitudinal panel may include at least one cooperating and fastening material that may be disposed substantially along the longitudinal hip and leg portions. Each panel may be moveable between a substantially flat open position and a second closed wearable position where each first and second cooperating and fastening materials of each panel may join to form outer seam of each panel. The cooperating and fastening material may include strips, spots, of cooperating materials that may include mating components. 
         [0006]    Other systems, methods, aspects, features, embodiments and advantages of the invention disclosed herein will be, or will become, apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, aspects, features, embodiments and advantages be included within this description, and be within the scope of the accompanying claims. This summary is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key or essential features of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    It is to be understood that the drawings are solely for purpose of illustration. 
           [0008]    Furthermore, the components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the system disclosed herein. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment according to certain aspects of the invention in an open position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment according to certain aspects of the invention in closed position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a wearer doffing a certain embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows an expanded view of certain features of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment according to some aspects of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows some aspects of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows an alternative embodiment of some aspects of the invention disclosed in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows some aspects of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of certain embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of certain embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 6  in an open position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of certain embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 6  in a closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The following detailed description, which references to and incorporates the drawings, describes and illustrates one or more specific embodiments. These embodiments, offered not to limit but only to exemplify and teach, are shown and described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice what is claimed. Thus, for the sake of brevity, the description may omit certain information known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows certain embodiment according to certain aspects of the present invention. A Garment  100  may include at least two panels, a right panel  110  and a left panel  120 . Right panel  110  may include a waist portion  112 , a hip portion  114 , and a leg portion  116 . Left panel  120  may include a waist portion  122 , a hip portion  124 , and a leg portion  126 . Left panel  120  may include cooperating and fastening material  128  that may have the form of a substantially longitudinal strip  130  or semi-continuous or plurality of dots or any other forms. Strip  130  may be disposed at edge  132  in leg portion  126  of panel  120 . Strip  130  may be spatially distanced from strip  134 , which may include cooperating and fastening material  133 . Right panel  110  may include cooperating and fastening material  135  that may be in the form of substantially continuous strip  136 , or semi-continuous or plurality of dots, which may be disposed adjacent edge  140 . Right panel  110  may also include fastening and cooperating materials  141  in the form of continuous or substantially continuous strip  142 , which may also be in the form of plurality of dots or any other forms. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  describes a garment  100  configured for physically challenged individuals.  FIG. 1  shows garment  100  in an open position to allow individuals with physical challenges to sit on top of garment  100  aligning his left and right legs with right panel  110  and left panel  120 . To turn open garment  100  to a wearable garment, the individual may match strips  130  with strip  134 , and strip  136  with strip  142 . It should be noted that said strips may be joined in other ways. By linking the fastening and cooperating materials, the wearer transforms the open garment into a closed wearable garment with minimum physical effort. Cooperating and fastening materials may join to form outer seams  210  and  212  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0023]    Certain embodiments of the present invention may be easily donned even by wearers with physical disabilities. Once seated on garment  100  in its flat open state, all the releasable closures, for example,  114 ,  116 ,  124  and  126 , are brought to the front of the wearer&#39;s body and generally proximal to the wearer&#39;s midline  150 , where they are most easily accessible to either the wearer or an assistant. The frontal locations of the releasable closures enable the wearer to access all the closures with minimal twisting and bending of the wearer&#39;s body. Even in the confines of a wheelchair or hospital bed, the closures are accessible and easily connected. The wearer may be clothed by an aide or assistant without the embarrassment or effort of lifting up to position any parts of the pants underneath or around the wearer&#39;s groin area. Certain embodiments of the present invention may minimize what may be a humiliating experience undergone on a daily basis by a wearer who is physically challenged or hospitalized. 
         [0024]    Many variations of cooperating and fastening material types and shapes may be used here. For example, cooperating and fastening materials in the shapes of points, bullets, circles, and so forth, may be used. Variety of materials may be used, such as Velcro, zippers, buttons, snaps, laces, hook and eye, buckles, magnets may be hidden in the garment, electrical joints, electromagnetic contacts, thermo contact, thermoelectric contacts, snap buckles, bolt snaps, and so forth may be employed. 
         [0025]    The present invention is adaptable to various fabrics, patterns, and textures, including fine fabrics such as silk and synthetics, or casual fabrics such as denim or corduroy, to name but a few. The releasable closures may be positioned in locations where conventional pants have fabric seams and, in the case of the fly closure, conventional zippers and buttons, so that the article of clothing of the present invention need not be readily identifiable as specialized clothing. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows certain embodiments of the present invention in a second wearable closed position. A wearer may join parts of hip portion  114  to mating portion  124 , leg portion  116  to portion  126  forming outer seam  210  and  212  and creating waist portion  216  and crotch region  214 , and thereby forming a garment  200  around wearer&#39;s body without the need to move or twist wearer&#39;s body to don article of clothing. Waist portion  216  may include substantially continuous elastic strip  218  that may extend inside outer top edge  220 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows some uses of certain embodiments of the article of clothing of the present invention  300 . A wearer  310  may be an individual with certain physical challenges. After donning article of clothing  300 , wearer  310  may need to undergo certain medical or physical tests. Wearer  310  may easily expose any bodily parts by releasing outer seams  210  and/or  212 , which may form a continuous outer seam in certain embodiments. Wearer  310  may expose certain bodily parts without having to move or twist his body and without the need for assistance from others. In  FIG. 3 , outer seam is shown as Velcro cooperating and fastening materials  320 . However, variety of designs and materials may be used. For example, cooperating and fastening materials in the shapes of points, bullets, circles, and so forth, may be used. Variety of materials may be used, such as Velcro, zippers, buttons, snaps, laces, hook and eye, buckles, magnets may be hidden in the garment, electrical joints, electromagnetic contacts, thermo contact, thermoelectric contacts, snap buckles, bolt snaps, and so forth may be employed. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows certain embodiment  400  having alternative cooperating and fastening materials  410  including plurality of releasably engaging teeth  412  and  414  to allow wearer  310  to releasably engage and disengage teeth  412  and  414  as desired to expose needed bodily parts for treatment and/or medical attention. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment  500  according to certain aspects of the present invention in a closed position. Pants  500  may include a fly portion  502 , shown in a closed position  504 . Fly portion  502  may include a plurality of cooperating elements  507  shown in detail in the following figure,  FIG. 6 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows fly portion  502  in an open position. Cooperating elements  507  may include a plug  512  or plurality of plugs on one side  508  of fly portion  502 , and corresponding plurality of jacks  514  on the other side  510  of fly portion  502 . A wearer can easily open or close fly portion  502  by bringing together plugs  512  and jacks  514  that may operate in snap mechanism or pulling them apart. A wearer with physical challenges can easily open or close the entire fly portion  502  in a quick manner in a hospital or medical environment settings. Additional cooperating elements  516  on side  512  and corresponding elements  518  on side  514  may also be added to allow the wearer to undo or do any portion of pants  501 . Pants  501  may consists entirely of cooperating elements  507  spread out across pants  501  to allow wearer to release any portion of pants  501 . Cooperating elements are not limited to snap mechanisms and may include Velcro, zippers, buttons, laces, hook and eye, buckles, magnets, electrical joints, electromagnetic contacts, thermo contact, thermoelectric contacts, and so forth. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows embodiment  600  according to certain aspects of the present invention. Pants  501  may include fly portion  502  configured to allow physically challenged persons to easily open or close desired portions of pants  501  to respond to medical or physiological needs. Embodiment  600  may include at least two portions, a right portion  602  and a left portion  604 . Portions  602  and  604  may be rectangular, elliptical, or any other shape. Preferably portions  602  and  602  have complimentary shapes. Portion  602  may include releasably coupling mechanism  606  and portion  604  may include releasably coupling mechanism  608 . Releasable coupling mechanisms may include Velcro or similar equivalent couplings. Pants  501  may include a plurality of coupling mechanisms. Pants  501  may be formed entirely from coupling mechanisms  610  and/or  612  allowing physically challenged persons to releasably attached or detach any portions of pants  501 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows closed position  700  of pants  501 . Portion  606  is shown coupled to portion  608 . A coupling mechanism here may include snap button  614  and corresponding button  616  on the other side. A plurality of snap buttons may be used across pants  501 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of an embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 6 . Portion  510  may include a plurality of snap bolts  512  spaced apart along portion  510  and a plurality of corresponding snap bolts  514  spaced apart on portion  508  along vertical strips  511 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 10  shows another embodiment including a plurality of snap bolts  514  and  512  disposed on vertical strips  511  in an open position. 
         [0035]      FIG. 11  shows snap bolts  514  and  512  in a closed position releasably securing portions  508  and  510  of fly portion  502 . 
         [0036]    The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or variant described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or variants. All of the embodiments and variants described in this description are exemplary embodiments and variants provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and not necessarily to limit the scope of legal protection afforded the appended claims. 
         [0037]    The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use that which is defined by the appended claims. The following claims are not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments and modifications will readily occur to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings. Therefore, the following claims are intended to cover all such embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawings.