AU2016101670A4 - An Improved Coverall Garment - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The invention concerns a one-piece coverall garment which is substantially liquid-impervious, suitable to protect a wearer from water and/or chemical splashes, sprays or spills. 5 The garment has a torso portion, with a closure, a pair of leg portions at one end of the torso portion and a pair of arm portions. Each leg portion includes a foot portion having a sole, the sole having one or more anti slip elements. 21 ' 21

Description

An Improved Coverall Garment

Technical Field

This invention relates to a coverall garment of the type suitable to protect a wearer from water and/or chemical splashes, sprays or spills. Such coveralls are usually impervious to liquids and designed to be donned over the wearer's normal clothing. They are intended for use in those clean rooms when liquids may be encountered, or when dealing with cytotoxic drugs in chemotherapy, for instance.

Background of the Invention

Prior art coveralls are generally provided as a one-piece disposable garment, having full length legs, long sleeves, a torso portion with a closure and, optionally, a hood. The closure may have a protective flap over the closure. The ends of the sleeves and the legs may be elasticised to provide a close fit around the wearer's wrists and ankles.

In some versions, the garment is elasticised at the rear of the waist. Where a hood is included, the perimeter of the hood is elasticised, to cover the wearer's hair.

At the end of each sleeve, there may be a thumb loop, made of the same material as the coveralls. The purpose of the thumb loop is to ensure that the sleeves of the coveralls remain extended when gloves are worn, since gloves must sit over the sleeves to provide proper protection. These thumb loops often tear when gloves are being drawn onto the hands.

When protecting against liquids, especially dangerous or toxic chemicals, a user may rely on his normal footwear or may be provided with separate boot or shoe covers. Shoe covers are short and designed to cover the wearer's shoes while meeting the ends of the coverall legs.

However, this configuration does not fully protect against splashing: liquid can reach the wearer's foot or ankle in some cases.

Boot covers are intended to be worn externally of the coverall legs, being approximately knee high and tied below the knee. This configuration overcomes the splashing penetration possible when using shoe covers. However, the need to tie the boot covers can be problematic: if tied too loosely, the boot covers can sag or gape, allowing penetration of liquids. If tied too tightly, they can be uncomfortable and, in extreme cases, reduce circulation in the lower leg.

Liquid spills can make the floor slippery. If the user relies on his normal footwear, the soles may not be adequate to prevent slipping. If a wearer has shoe or boot covers, slipping can be a significant problem.

Prior art disposable coveralls are usually provided in a folded-up configuration, packed in individual bags. Time can be wasted in unfolding the coveralls prior to wearing.

It is desirable to provide a coverall garment which overcomes or substantially alleviates the problems with prior art shoe and boot covers in relation to slipping.

It is further desirable to improve current thumb loops, in some embodiments.

It is also desirable, at least in some embodiments, to enable rapid unfolding of coveralls prior to wearing.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a one-piece coverall garment which is substantially liquid-impervious and which includes: - a torso portion, having a closure; - a pair of legs portions at one end of the torso portion; and - a pair of arm portions; wherein each leg portion includes a foot portion having a sole, the sole having one or more anti-slip elements.

The garment of the invention is a one-piece garment. However, various portions or sub-portions may be made separately and joined, by stitching and other suitable means, to form an impervious one piece. In a preferred embodiment, the torso portion has two parts: an upper part which includes the arm portions and a lower part which includes the leg portions.

The upper torso part may have a seam along the under part of each arm, continuing along the lower part of the upper part of the torso portion.

The lower torso part preferably has no outer side seams, but has a seam located centrally of the rear of the lower torso part, and a gusset formed at the junction between the lower torso part and the leg portions, which preferably are seamed along the inner legs.

The foot portions are preferably sewn to the end of the leg portions, gathering the leg portions slightly. A closure - preferably a zip closure, is set into the front of the upper and lower torso portions. In this embodiment, a flap, securable by hook and loop tabs, covers the zip closure in use.

The upper and lower torso parts may be joined by stitching.

The sole of each foot portion may have one or more anti-slip elements. Preferably, the whole sole comprises the anti-slip element. The or each anti-slip element may take any suitable form. Preferably, it includes a non-slip tread which is made from a synthetic rubber. More preferably, each anti-slip element is thin and sufficiently flexible to allow the sole to be easily folded when packing the garment for sale.

One example of a suitable anti-slip element is a hatch patterned synthetic polymeric material.

Optionally, the coverall garment of the invention includes a hood.

It is desirable if the material from which the coverall garment is made is a polymer coated SMS laminate (an SMS laminate is composed of three layers: spunbond, meltblown, spunbond, as is known in the art). The polymer coating is chosen to render the SMS laminate liquid impervious. Another example of suitable material for the coverall garment is polyurethane film. Any suitable material may be used.

Preferably, the coverall garment includes at least one strap for each foot portion. Even more preferably, each strap is closable by a hook and loop closure, such as that sold under the trade mark 'Velcro'. The strap can be used to more closely conform the foot portion to the wearer's footwear.

If desired, instead of or in addition to the foot straps, the coverall garment may have an ankle strap located in the region of a wearer's ankle, to more closely conform the lower leg of the garment to the wearer's ankle. Preferably, each ankle strap is closable by a hook and loop closure, such as that sold under the trade mark'Velcro'.

In a preferred embodiment, at the end of each arm portion is a thumb loop made of elastic. The use of an elastic thumb loop can avoid the problem with prior art thumb loops, which can tear if made from the same material as the coverall garment. The thumb loop is preferably attached to the arm portion by stitching.

The garment of the invention may have elastic at all or any of the following sites: the end of each arm, at the back of the waist area, in the ankle region, around the periphery of the hood and across the back of the hood, if a hood is provided.

Optionally, the coverall garment of the invention is provided to a user in a folded configuration, such that a gripping tab is exposed. A user may take hold of the gripping tab and, with one shake, cause the garment to unfold so as to be ready to be worn.

The garment of the invention is preferably made in a plurality of sizes, such as small, medium and large.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a coverall garment according to the invention, folded for transportation or storage before use, except for the hood, which has been unfolded for illustration;

Figure 2 shows the garment of Figure 1, after unfolding by gripping the tab;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the garment of Figures 1 and 2, from the front; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the garment of Figures 1 to 3, from the rear.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

Possible and preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are not all drawn to the same scale.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 3, disposable garment 10 is supplied for sale in a folded configuration and inserted into a bag (not shown). As seen in Figure 1, torso portion 12 has been folded, as have arm portions 14 and 16 and leg portions 18 and 20 (shown in Figure 3).

In this embodiment, a hood 22 is included. For the purpose of illustration Figure 1 shows hood 22 after it has been unfolded from its sale configuration, where it is folded behind torso portion 12.

Hood 22 is attached to torso portion 12 along seam line 24. Included in seam line 24 is gripping tab 26. Gripping tab 26 is preferably in a colour which distinguishes it from the remainder of garment 10. Gripping tab 26 may include information such as a size 28 (in this example, 'L' for 'large') of garment 10.

To assist in shaping, hood 22 is made in two parts, joined at seam 36. Edge 38 of hood 22 is elasticised so that hood 22 fits closely around the wearer's face in use.

At the end of each arm portion 14, 16 edges 17, 19 are elasticised. In addition, a thumb loop 21, made of elastic, is sewn to each of edges 17, 19.

Torso portion 12 has a closure 30, in this embodiment being a zip closure, protected by flap 32. Flap 32 is closable by a hook and loop fastener located at the top of torso portion 12. One part of the hook and loop fastener is shown at 34. The corresponding part of the hook and loop fastener is not seen in Figure 1.

Closure 30 is shown in Figure 1 as partly open, to better illustrate gripping tab 26. However, in the 'sale' configuration, closure 30 will normally be fully closed.

Turning now to Figure 2, this shows garment 10 after an intended wearer has taken hold of gripping tab 26 and flicked garment 10 open, in one easy motion. Garment 10 is immediately ready to be worn, by opening closure 30 and stepping into garment 10.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, each leg portion 18, 20 includes a foot portion 40, 42, attached to leg portions 18, 20 at seams 44, 46 respectively.

Near the base of each leg portion 18, 20, located near the ankle region of the wearer, is a pair of straps 48, 50. On leg portion 18, pair of straps 48 is shown in the closed position in Figure 2 and in the open position in Figure 3. On leg portion 20 (Figure 3), pair of straps 50 is shown closed round the ankle region of the wearer. The pair of straps is closed using a hook and loop style fastener. The purpose of the pair of straps 48, 50 is to make leg portions 18, 20 conform more closely to the ankle of the wearer.

Located approximately halfway along each of foot portions 40, 42 is a pair of straps 52, 54. On foot portion 40, pair of straps 52 is shown in the closed position in Figure 2 and in the open position in Figure 3. On foot portion 42 (Figure 3), pair of straps 54 is shown closed round the footwear of the wearer. The pair of straps is closed using a hook and loop style fastener. The purpose of the pair of straps 52, 54 is to make foot portions 40, 42 conform more closely to the footwear of the wearer, inside foot portions 40, 42.

Turning now to Figure 4, each foot portion has a sole, 56, made of antiskid material. In this embodiment, the material is vinyl. The material has a three-dimensional, crosshatched pattern as shown.

Also shown in this Figure is an elastic insert 58 at the back of the wearer's waist and a seam 60, joining an upper part of torso 12 to the lower part of torso 12.

Industrial Applicability

The coverall garment of the present invention has many advantages. It can provide a disposable, liquid impervious coverall having integrated footwear covers with anti-skid soles, providing good protection from splashes and spills. It may include elastic thumb loops to aid in the wearing of gloves without tearing the loops.

Claims (5)

1. Claims

   1. A one-piece coverall garment which is substantially liquid-impervious and which includes: a torso portion, having a closure; a pair of legs portions at one end of the torso portion; and a pair of arm portions; wherein each leg portion includes a foot portion having a sole, the sole having one or more anti-slip elements.
2. 2. The garment of claim 1, wherein each sole has a single anti-slip element which substantially covers the sole.
3. 3. The garment of claim 1 or 2, wherein each arm portion has a thumb loop made of elastic
4. 4. The garment of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each foot portion has a pair of straps closable by a hook and loop fastener.
5. 5. The garment of any one of claims 1 to 4 which included a hood attached to the torso portion by a seam and a gripping tab attached to the seam.