AU2006201559A1 - Apron - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT GERALDINE FRANCES COWDELL GERALDINE FRANCES COWDELL CALLINAN LAWRIE, 711 High Street, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia

APRON

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 12/04/06,rrl 5630.cover,1

APRON

The present invention relates to an apron or the like to be worn by a carer when bathing a baby, toddler or young child. More particularly but not exclusively, it relates to an apron which is comfortable for both parties, but protects the carer's clothing from becoming wet.

When a mother or other carer is bathing a baby, toddler or small child (henceforth, the general term "infant" will be used for convenience), water is frequently splashed about, including on to the carer. Also, a wet infant will often cuddle up to the carer while being removed from the bath. As a result, the carer's clothing may become wet and uncomfortable, and the carer may need to change into dry clothes.

It might be possible for the carer to wear a cloth apron with a glossy plastic coating, such as is often worn while washing dishes, which would serve to keep the carer's clothes largely dry. However, such an apron would not be comfortable for the infant, should he or she wish to grasp or cuddle up to the carer while being placed in the bath or removed therefrom. It would also tend to be slippery when wet, a potential problem when attempting to deal with an active infant.

It is hence an object of the present invention to provide an apron or similar overgarment which acts to protect a carer's clothing from becoming wet while bathing an infant, while obviating the above disadvantages of existing aprons.

According to the present invention, there is provided an overgarment adapted to be worn when bathing an infant, comprising a sheet of flexible material having at least two conjoined layers and extending generally to cover at least a frontal portion of a body of a wearer, a first of said at least two layers forming, in use, an outer surface of the overgarment and comprising a soft, water-absorbent textile material and a second of said at least two layers comprising a textile material impermeable to liquid.

12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,2 Preferably, the first layer comprises a towelling material, optionally a towelling material comprising cotton.

Advantageously, the second layer comprises a textile material optionally woven from a plastics yarn such as a polyester or a polyamide fibre.

Said textile material may be impregnated or coated with a flexible waterproof composition, for example comprising poly(vinyl chloride) or polyurethane.

Alternatively, said textile material may comprise a breathable textile material, impervious to liquid water but permeable to water vapour.

The overgarment preferably comprises only machine-washable materials.

The layers may be sewn together.

The layers may be joined together solely adjacent their margins.

The overgarment may be provided with reinforcement means extending around the margins of the layers.

Preferably, the overgarment also extends generally to cover at least a frontal portion of the upper legs of a wearer.

The overgarment is preferably provided with fastening means adapted to secure it in place on the wearer's body.

Said fastening means may comprise strap means.

Said fastening means may be adjustable to fit a particular wearer's body.

12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,3 The fastening means may comprise corresponding patches of hook and loop repositionable fastening material.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a frontal elevation of an apron embodying the present invention; and Figure 2 is a scrap schematic cross-section of a margin of the apron shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the Figures and to Figure 1 in particular, an apron 1 embodying the invention has a bib portion 2 adapted to cover a majority of a front of a wearer's upper torso while leaving shoulders and arms free, and a skirt portion 3 adapted to cover a front and sides of the wearer's abdomen and upper legs. The bib portion 2 and skirt portion 3 in this example join seamlessly as a single panel.

Two waist ties 4 extend outwardly from opposite margins of the apron 1, adjacent ajuncture of the bib 2 and skirt 3 portions. These may be passed behind the wearer's body and tied together to secure the skirt portion 3 of the apron 1 in place.

Two neck straps 5 extend from an upper, in use, margin of the bib portion 2, and may be passed behind the wearer's neck and tied together to position the apron 1 vertically on the wearer's body and to secure the bib portion 2 in place.

The apron 1 comprises two layers of woven textile material, as shown in Figure 2. An outer, in use, layer 6 comprises a cotton towelling material, and an inner, in use, layer 7 comprises a woven polyamide textile impregnated with a flexible polyurethane or poly(vinyl chloride) waterproofing material. A doubled strip of woven tape 8 extends around a margin of each layer 6, 7, and the layers 6, 7 are sewn together by stitches 9 passing through the margin of each layer 6, 7 and the 12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,4 tape 8. It is not generally found necessary to stitch or otherwise bond the layers 6, 7 together, apart from at their margins.

Instead of waist ties 4 and neck straps 5 adapted to be knotted together to give a desired length, corresponding patches of hook and loop repositionable fastening fabric may be provided to allow the respective ties 4 and straps 5 to be fastened adjustably together. Buckles or the like may also be used if preferred. The neck straps 5 may be replaced by a single continuous neck loop.

When wearing the apron 1, a carer is protected from a majority of splashes produced by a boisterous infant being bathed. Any splashes of water sufficiently large to penetrate the outer towelling layer 6 are prevented from reaching the carer's clothing by the waterproof inner layer 7.

The towelling outer layer 6 is comfortable to the touch, should it come into contact with the skin of an infant, while he or she is being put into a bath, removed therefrom, or sat on the carer's lap to be dried. It also absorbs any drips from a wet infant before they run down on to a floor or the carer's legs and feet. It is also easily graspable by the infant, for example should she or he feel insecure while being put into or lifted out of the bath.

The waterproofed textile inner layer 7 is sufficiently flexible to be comfortable for the carer to wear. If preferred, a lining layer may also be provided, forming an inner, in use, surface of the apron, but this will not generally be necessary.

The entire apron 1 is machine washable without requiring special care, which is of particular benefit should the infant be of an age at which it may soil the apron.

Instead of the apron 1 shown, a tabard or smock may be used. In each case, a front panel of the respective garment will comprise the two-layer structure shown in Figure 2, while a rear panel may comprise a conventional textile. Optionally, one or 12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,5 both shoulder portions of a tabard or smock may similarly comprise said two-layer structure, so that a very young infant, for example, may be held to the carer's upper chest and shoulder.

Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification, they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components referred to, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature, integer, step, component or group thereof.

12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,6

Claims (9)

1. An overgarment adapted to be worn while bathing an infant, comprising a sheet of flexible material having at least two conjoined layers and extending generally to cover in use at least a frontal portion of a body of a wearer, a first of said at least two layers forming, in use, an outer surface of the overgarment and comprising a soft, water-absorbent textile material and a second of said at least two layers comprising a textile material impermeable to liquid.

2. An overgarment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a towelling material, optionally comprising a natural fibre, such as cotton.

3. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second layer comprises a textile material woven from a plastics yarn such as a polyester or a polyamide fibre.

4. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second layer comprises a textile material impregnated or coated with a flexible waterproof composition, for example comprising poly(vinyl chloride) or polyurethane.

An overgarment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second layer comprises a breathable textile material, impervious to liquid water but permeable to water vapour.

6. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the layers are sewn together.

7. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the layers are joined together solely adjacent their margins.

8. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, adapted in 12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,7 use to extend generally to cover at least a frontal portion of the upper legs of a wearer.

9. An overgarment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, provided with fastening means adapted to secure it in place on the wearer's body, optionally adjustably. An overgarment adapted to be worn while bathing an infant, substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 12 th day of April, 2006. GERALDINE FRANCES COWDELL By her Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE 12/04/06,rr 15630.spec,8