Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
f : ~31144
DISPOSABLB GARMENT
The present invention relates to a single disposable and
biodegradable garment, preferably intended for young children and
infants, and more particularly for newborn babies.
Various types of g~r~nts for infants are known, but most do not
meet the specific needs of newborn babies and infants. Many are simply
adapted from hospital garments designed for adults, and such garments
are not suitable for newborn babies and fnfants. Furthermore, although
some types of these garments are described as disposable, they are not
biodegradable, and thus contribute to landfill problems and damage to
the envi,. -. t.
One such garment is a sleeved vest in cotton or wool with
fastenings in the back, which requires lifting the baby's back to close
the garment, which is uncomfortable for the baby. Another type is a
vest which eliminates the disadvantage of fastening in the back, but has
the disadvantage of having to be slipped over the head, which again
causes some discomfort to the baby. Trousers or pants with attached
boots in cotton or wool may be available, but need to be slipped over
the baby's diapers, which requires that the baby's pelvis and legs be
lifted, again causing discomfort. Without the trousers, the baby can be
more easily manipulated and have its diapers changed, but it is not
adequately protected from the cold. With the trousers, the baby's
freedom of ~e..lent and the ease with which its diapers can be changed
is decreased.
Another type of garment is the one piece footed pajama in cotton or
wool, which covers the baby from head to foot. This garment requires
that the baby have his arms and legs all be slipped into it, and they
are fastened in the back, requiring that the baby be lifted and turned
around for the g~ t to be closed. Many of the same disadvantages of
the vest and trouser combination still apply.
The drawbacks of these g~rrents are that they are difficult and
expensive to make, and thus difficult to justify as being disposable.
They also have the drawback of requiring repeated manipulation of the
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baby, which iB unpleasant for the baby and can be stressful for the
parent, and makes it difficult to tend to the baby~s needs.
One type of g~ --t currently available is laid flat, and then
fastened around the baby which is placed on top of it. The drawback of
this garment is that it is not disposable, and is too complex to be
fastened around the baby quickly and efficiently.
It is desirable to have a garment specifically made for babies and
infants, comprising a single sheet of material, in which the baby can be
easily dressed without having to slip it over the head or legs, which
allows easy access to the baby so that it can be changed and have its
other needs tended to with ease, which is not constricting of the baby's
freedom of movement, which keeps the baby warm, and which is not only
disposable but biodegradable. Preferably, the biodegradable material of
which the g~ ~ t is composed is a soft and absorbent paper produced by
Kimberly-Clark Inc., which breaks down fully when completely wet, and
is completely environ~ent~lly safe. Another advantage would be to have
a removable bib attached to the garment, which leaves the garment clean
and dry when this bib becomes soiled or wet and is removed.
The present invention consists of a front and bottom closured
g~ t for infants and newborn babies. The garment comprises a single
body portion, with complementary sleeve portions, of a sheet of
biodegradable and environmentally safe material. The material is folded
transversely of its length to provide front and back panels. The fold
also defines the top margin of the complementary raglan sleeves. The
fold has a centrally located opening for the head, which is formed by
removing a section of the material. The bottom margin of both the front
and back panels has a cuff formed by folding a small fraction of the
material back up towards the top of the garment and con~inuously joining
it to the inner surface of the panels to form a double thickness of
material along the bottom margin of the garment.
The back panel has a fold along the center of the longitudinal
axis, which is further folded to one side to form a pleat of three times
the thickness of the material. This pleat extends from the neck opening
at the top margin of the garment to the bottom margin of the garment,
2 ~ 4~
and is joined only at the top margin. The pleat allows the wearer a
greater freedom of movement.
The front panel has a pleat formed identically to that on the back
panel, with the exception that the inner fold on this pleat is cut along
the longitu~in~l axis of the front panel to form a front access opening.
The folded longitudinal margin of the overlapping portion of the front
panel is continuously joined to the inside of the body of the garment
where it overlaps the pleat. The pleat is then closed for the bottom
fourth of the longitudinal length of the garment by continuously joining
the edges of the pleat along the width of the pleat. The front access
opening has a m~nu~lly openabie means of closure. The front access
open;ng allows the ~ ~ t to be opened from the a quarter of the way up
from the bottom margin to the neck opening and facilitates the dressing
and changing of the wearer.
m e front panel is continuously joined to the back panel along the
longitudinal side margin for the full length of the garment and along
the bottom margin of the sleeves. This defines a bottom access opening
~t~n~; ng the full width of the garment. The bottom access opening has
a manually openable means of closure. The double thickness of material
along the bottom margin and along the front access opening makes the
area of attachment of the ~nu~l ly operable means of closure sturdy
enough to support them. When both access openings are closed, the
t keeps the wearer warm.
Both sleeves have the edge furthest from the body of the garment
folded back towards the body of the garment for a small fraction of the
full length of each sleeve and joined, at the bottom margin of the
sleeve, to the body of the sleeve to form a sleeve cuff comprised of a
double thickness of the material. The sleeve cuff comprises the full
circumference of each sleeve, and as it is only joined to the body of he
sleeve at one point, it may be folded away from the body of the garment
to cover the hand of the wearer.
The front panel of the garment has a bib attached to it below the
neck opening by means of a manually operable means of closure. The bib
is composed of a flexible, biodegradable and environmentally safe
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material. The bib can be removed when it becomes soiled or wet. In one
embodiment of the invention, a new bib may then be attached.
The ~'nu~l ly openable means of closure for one or both of access
openings in the g~ --t, as well as for the attachment of the bib, may
be comprised of a plurality of releasable fasteners.
The bib may be perforated along the top margin for ease of removal.
The ~n~lally openable means of closure for one or both of access
openings in the garment, as well as for the attachment of the bib, may
be comprised of a plurality of adhesive tabs.
The means of joining the material may be biodegradable and
enviL-~ --t~lly safe thread. The means of joining the material may also
be ultrasonic bonding. The means of joining the material may also be
the application of heat.
The flexible, biodegradable and environmental-ly safe material of
which the garment is composed may also be comprised of a plurality of
layers of biodegradable paper with a thin layer of polyethylene film as
the inner layer. The inner layer serves to better protect the wearer
from wetness.
The flexible material of which the garment is composed may be
disposable and not biodegradable.
The ~ ~nt may also be adapted for use as a surgical gown.
The invention, as exemplified by a preferred embodiment, is
described with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention shown in
Figure 1; and
Figure 2 is a back view of an embodiment of the invention shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the invention shown in Figure 1 before
it is folded transversely of its length;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the invention shown in Figure 1
with the front access opening and bib opened;
Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention shown,
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a garment 10 comprises a single body portion 12, complementary sleeve
portions 14 and 16, and a neck openihg 18. The garment is made from a
sheet of flexible, biodegradable and environmentally safe material. The
material must be reasonably soft and comfortable, non-toxic and non-
allergenic. Suitable for this purpose is a soft and absorbent paper
produced by Kimberly-Clark Inc. Since the gown is discarded after a
single use, the material employed need not be launderable and therefore
may be of low cost construction.
The g~ -nt is dimensioned to be worn by a newborn baby or an
infant, and is loose fitting. It will be appreciated that gowns of
essentially the same construction and materials may be made in larger
æizes, for use by older children and adults. ~he garment is front and
bottom cloæured to allow eaæy access to the wearer and yet retain heat.
As is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the garment is folded
transversely along its length at fold 20 to provide front and back
panels. The front panel is shown in Figure 1, and the back panel is
shown in Figure 2. The line along which it is folded can be seen more
easily in Figure 3. The fold 20 thus defines the top margin of the
~a ~~', and the top margin of the raglan sleeves 14 and 16. As can be
seen in Figure 1, the sleeves are of equal length. The fold 20 has a
centrally located opening 18 for the head of the wearer, formed by
removing a section of the material. The bottom margin of the garment
has a cuff 22 formed by folding a small fraction of the material back up
towards the top of the garment and continuously joining it to the inner
surface of the panels to form a double thickness of material along the
bottom margin of the garment.
As shown in Figure 2, the back panel has a pleat 24, which is
formed by folding the garment along the centre of the longitudinal axis,
and then folding the material again to one side. This pleat 24 extends
from the neck opening at the top margin of the garment to the bottom
margin of the g~ ~ t, and is joined only at the top margin, at point
26. This pleat allows the wearer greater freedom of movement.
As shown in Figure 1, the front panel has a similar pleat 28, which
is formed in an identical mAnner to the pleat 24 on the back panel.
213114~ .
However, the inner fold 30 on the pleat 28 is cut along the longitudinal
axis of the front panel to form a front access opening. The front
access opening has a ~:~n~lly openable means of closure, preferably a
plurality of adhesive tabs 32. The folded longitudinal margin 34 of the
overlapping portion of the front panel is continuously joined to the
inside of the body of the garment 12 where it overlaps the other side of
the body of the g~ ent 12 to create a double thickness of material on
the overlapping portion of the front access opening. This makes the
point of att~' t of a manually openable means of closure more sturdy.
10 The pleat is then closed for the bottom fourth of the longitudinal
length of the garment by continuously joining the edges of the pleat
along the width of the pleat where it had previously been cu~. This
prevents the wearer from kicking his or her feet out of the garment.
The front access opening allows the garment to be opened from a quarter
of the distance from the bottom of the garment to the neck opening and
facilitates the dressing and changing of the wearer.
The front panel is continuously joined to the back panel along the
longitudinal side margin 36 for the full length of the garment on both
sides, and along the bottom margin of the sleeves. This defines a
20 bottom access op~;ng 38 extending the fur'l length of the garment. The
bottom access opening has a m~nl~l ly openable means of closure,
preferably a plurality of adhesive tabs. The double thickness of
material on the cuff 22 along the bottom margin of the garment makes the
area of attachment of the rn~nl~l ly openable means of closure more
sturdy. The bottom access opening also facilitates the dressing and
changing of the wearer. When both aacess openings are closed, the
garment keeps the wearer warm.
Both sleeves 14 and 16 have the edge furthest from the body of the
~A - t folded back towards the body of the g~rm~nt for a small fraction
30 of the full length of each sleeve to form cuffs 40 and 42. The cuffs
thus form a double thickness of material for the full circumference of
each sleeve, and are joined to the body of each sleeve only at points 44
and 46, allowing the cuff to be folded forward to cover the hand of the
wearer for added warmth and protection.
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As is shown in Figure 1, bib 48 is attached to the front panel by
means of a m~nll~lly openable means of closure, preferably adhesive tabs,
just below the neck opening 18. The bib is composed of a flexible,
biodegradable and envi~o~ ntally safe material. The bib can be removed
when it becomes soiled or wet, leaving the garment clean and dry.
Seaming is preferably carried out by stitching of the material with
biodegradable and environmentally safe thread.
Figure 4 illustrates a finished garment in a three ~;m~nsional
perspective view, while Figure 5 illustrates the same garment with the
front access opening-open and the bib partially removed.
Although only a single e-mbodiment of the present invention has been
described and illustrated, the present invention is not limited to the
features of this embodiment, but includes all variations and
modifications with the scope of the claims.
