Patent ID: 6990686

Claim:
An article of clothing for inhibiting the transfer of liquid from liquid-containing material contacting the exterior of said article of clothing through said article of clothing to the interior of said article of clothing, said article of clothing comprising: a back sized to cover at least a portion of the wearer's upper body, said back having a length extending between about the top of wearer's shoulder area and at least about the wearer's waist, said back including a back protective layer formed of a material inhibiting the transfer of liquid from said liquid-containing material, said back protective layer extending between about the top of wearer's shoulder area and about at least at the bottom of the lower shoulder area of the wearer, and a back absorbing layer formed of a liquid-absorbing material to absorb liquid from said liquid-containing material, said back-absorbing layer being positioned external to said back protective layer and sized to extend between about the top of wearer's shoulder area and about at least the lower shoulder area of the wearer; a front extending from said back toward the abdomen of said wearer and sized to cover at least a portion of the wearer's upper body, said front having a length extending between said back and about the upper abdomen of said wearer, said front including a front protective layer formed of a material inhibiting the transfer of liquid from said liquid-containing material, said front protective layer extending from said back protective layer to about the upper abdomen area of said wearer, and a front absorbing layer formed of a liquid-absorbing material to absorb liquid from said liquid-containing material, said front absorbing layer being positioned external to said front protective layer and sized to extend from said back absorbing layer toward about the lower rib cage of the wearer; and a raised surface formed of liquid absorbing material joined to the back of said article of clothing, for hindering a flow of liquid-containing material down the back of said article of clothing resulting when the wearer's back is oriented in a generally upright orientation and said liquid-containing material is deposited in the area of the wearer's upper back, said raised surface being positioned external to said back protective layer and said back liquid absorbing layer, and extending substantially across the width of said back.