AU597963B2 - Improvements in and relating to protective clothing/workwear garments - Google Patents

Description

59to7 96 3 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Form FOR OFFICE USE Class It. Class Application Number: Lodged 7/+661cr 67 Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority; Related Art: Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT KIMBEIRY-CLA.K LIMITED Iiarkfteld, Maidston, Kent, ME2O RE'S, England PHILIP PURlCELL SANDERLOCK, SMITH B EADLE Riversdale Road, Box 410) Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122 Complete Specification for the invention enititled: IMPROVMENTS IN AND RELATIIc TO PROTECTIVE CLOTHUIN G/WORKWEAR GARMENTS The following statement Is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performing It known to me:- This invention relates to protective clothing/ workwear garments.

Some known workwear ga-:ments have afforded little actual protection to a wearer in hazardous environments, and have also tended to tear easily along seams or blanket stitches at points of stress.

A protective clothing or workwear garment in accordance with the invention is made of non-woven material and has no material joining members seam(s) or blanket stitch(es)) in material and has no seam(s) or blanket stitch(es) in *bt the shoulder blade stress area (as defined below) of 4 p the garment.

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SSuch a garment affords excellent protection a wearer in hazardous environments, and also tends not to tear easily along seams or blanket stitches.

The sho -4er blade stress area of the garment is that portion of the garment where during use stress is applied by the shoulder blades of the wearer.

Suitably, the two arm and torso portions of the garment are integral whereby the garment has no seams or blanket stitches at all therebetween. Alternatively, the two arm and torso portions of the garment are joined by seams or blanket stitches which are provided at a distance away from the shoulder blade stress areas.

Preferably, the two arm and torso portions of the garment are joined by seams or blanket stitches in the "drop shoulder" fashion.

-I 2 The two arm and torso portions of the garment may form a generally T shape (when the garment is laid flat), the inside edge of the arms forming an angle between 80 and 1100 (preferably around 100°) with the side of the torso portion. Such allows the wearer of the garment to raise their arms without the torso of the garment being lifted up.

The garment is advantageously made from a laminate non-woven material comprising two webs of spunbonded fibres sandwiching a central web of meltblown fibres. In particular, the garment may be made from the material disclosed in Pe._atent Application No.?7306~3,5 (the contents of which are incorporated herewith by reference). Such provides a garment which will afford excellent protection to a wearer.

EV The garment is preferably used as a functional, lightweight outer garment for mechanics, painters, asbestos strippers, sewage personnel, chemical personnel, tyre fitters and the like.

SThe invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a garment in accordLance with the invention, 'A Figure 2 is a rear View of the garment of Figure 1, and ;1 i II-- Figure 3 is a front view of a further garment in accordance with the invention.

The functional, lightweight outer protective clothing/workwear garment 10 shown in the drawings has a torso portion 12 in four parts 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d, two leg portions 14 and 16, and two arm portions 18 and The various portions of the garment 10 are joined together by the various seams and blanket stitches as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Such seams and stitches can be sewn to either the outside or inside of the garment.

The front of the torso portion 12 is also provided with a zip fastener 22.

In Figure 2, the shoulder blade stress areas of the garment are indicated by circles and the arrows A and B, and it will be noted that no seam or blanket stitch extends within these stress areas. The blanket stitches that are shown in Figures 1 and 2, are all positioned at a distance away from these stress areas, in a "drop shoulder" fashion.

The two arm portions 18 and 20, and torso parts 12a to d are arranged to form a generally "T" shape when the garment is laid flat, and the inside edge of the arm portions form an angle around 100° with the sides of the torso portions.

The garment is made from a laminate ncn-woven material comprising two webs of spunbonded fib)res sandwiching a central web of melt-blown fibres. Iti I II

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L i i ii ii i particular, the three web layer s pattern or ultrasonically bonded together and th surface(s) hot *calendered, to provide a garment having a particle, fibrous and liquid barrier.

The garment 10 is made fror material having a basis weight of less than about 4 ounces per square yard, whereby the garment can be usea as a lightweight outer protective clothing/workwear garment, In Figure 3, a similar garment to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 is illtstrated, except that the garment 24 of Figure 3 has a torso portion 26 in two parts 26a and 26b which are folded over and joined together front and back thereby eliminating the need for a shoulder seam.

15 The claims form part of the disclosure of this specification.

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Claims (6)

1. A protective clothing or work wear garment made of non-woven material comprising a trouser portion, a torso portion and two arm portions, the treuse-rportions being joined to the torso portion by material joining members in the "drop shoulder' fashion so that there are no material joining material in the shoulder blade stress areas of the garment, the two arm portions and the torso portion forming a generally T shape when the garment is laid flat.

2. A protective clothing or workwear garment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inside edge of the arms form an angle between 80 and 1100 with the side of the torso portion.

3. A protective clothing or workwear garment as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which is made from a laminate non- woven material.

4. A protective clothing or workwear garment as claimed in claim 3 wherein the laminate comprises two webs of spunbonded fibres sandwiching a central web of meltblown fibres.

5. A protective clothing or workwear garment as claimed in any preceding claim which is used as a functional and lightweight outer clothing/garment.

6. A protective clothing or workwear garment ts herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. i 900202, psspe.014,kimb.cla, 6 DATED THIS 2nd February, 1990 SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant KIMBERLEY-CLARK LIMITED 00 0 Go~ 900i),2, f psspe 014, kimb .cla,