Liquid-proof sleeve and protective apparel incorporating same

Abstract

A liquid-proof protective-apparel sleeve includes a tubular inner piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric and a tubular outer piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric generally surrounding the tubular inner piece. In further detail, the tubular inner piece includes a stitched seam along its length, and the tubular outer piece includes a stitched seam along its length which is circumferentially offset from the seam of the tubular inner piece. If desired, the stitched seams may be generally free of a seam sealant. The liquid-proof protective-apparel sleeve and protective-apparel products incorporating the sleeve have a significantly greater liquid-resistance than conventional stitched-seam protective-apparel sleeves and protective-apparel products incorporating such sleeves. This enhanced liquid-resistance is achieved without a significant increase in acquisition costs, processing costs, and sleeve weight, and without sacrificing the comfortable feel typically associated with stitched-seam protective-apparel sleeves and protective-apparel products incorporating such sleeves.

1 . A liquid-proof protective-apparel sleeve, comprising: 
 a tubular inner piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric including a stitched seam along its length; and    a tubular outer piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric generally surrounding the inner piece, the outer piece including a stitched seam along its length which is circumferentially offset from the seam of the inner piece, the stitched seams being generally free of a seam sealant.    
   
   
       2 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is Level-4-barrier qualified.  
   
   
       3 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the inner piece is connected to the outer piece.  
   
   
       4 . The sleeve of  claim 3  wherein the sleeve includes a first end and a second end, and the inner piece is connected to the outer piece at the first end.  
   
   
       5 . The sleeve of  claim 4  wherein the first end of the sleeve is a cuff end.  
   
   
       6 . The sleeve of  claim 4  wherein the inner piece is connected to the outer piece at the second end.  
   
   
       7 . The sleeve of  claim 3  wherein the inner piece is bonded to the outer piece.  
   
   
       8 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes a fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       9 . The sleeve of  claim 8  wherein the inner piece defines an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a user's arm, the fabric layer of the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric facing the interior space.  
   
   
       10 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes a fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       11 . The sleeve of  claim 10  wherein the fabric layer of the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric faces exteriorly of the sleeve.  
   
   
       12 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes first and second fabric layers and a membrane layer therebetween.  
   
   
       13 . The sleeve of  claim 12  wherein the inner piece defines an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a user's arm, one of the fabric layers of the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric facing the interior space.  
   
   
       14 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes first and second fabric layers and a membrane layer therebetween.  
   
   
       15 . The sleeve of  claim 14  wherein one of the fabric layers of the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric faces exteriorly of the sleeve.  
   
   
       16 . The sleeve of  claim 1  wherein the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric and the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric each include a first fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       17 . The sleeve of  claim 16  wherein the inner and outer pieces define a region therebetween, the membrane layers of the pieces confronting the region.  
   
   
       18 . The sleeve of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the pieces further includes a second fabric layer, the membrane layer being positioned between the first and second fabric layers of the one of the pieces.  
   
   
       19 . The sleeve of  claim 18  wherein the second fabric layer is positioned between the tubular region and the membrane layer.  
   
   
       20 . The sleeve of  claim 8  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The sleeve of  claim 10  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The sleeve of  claim 16  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The sleeve of  claim 8  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The sleeve of  claim 10  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       25 . The sleeve of  claim 16  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The sleeve of  claim 1  further including a cuff.  
   
   
       27 . A liquid-proof protective-apparel garment, comprising: 
 a torso section;    a first liquid-proof sleeve connected to the torso section; and    a second liquid-proof sleeve connected to the torso section, the first and second sleeves each comprising:    a tubular inner piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric including a stitched seam along its length; and    a tubular outer piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric generally surrounding the inner piece, the outer piece including a stitched seam along its length which is circumferentially offset from the seam of the inner piece, the stitched seams being generally free of a seam sealant.    
   
   
       28 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein the sleeves each include a first end and a second end, the second end of each sleeve being stitched to the torso section.  
   
   
       29 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein the sleeves are Level-4-barrier qualified.  
   
   
       30 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner piece is connected to the outer piece.  
   
   
       31 . The garment of  claim 30  wherein the sleeves each include a first end and a second end, and, for each sleeve, the inner piece is connected to the outer piece at the first and second ends.  
   
   
       32 . The garment of  claim 30  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner piece is bonded to the outer piece.  
   
   
       33 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes a fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       34 . The garment of  claim 33  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner piece defines an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a user's arm, the fabric layer of the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric facing the interior space.  
   
   
       35 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes a fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       36 . The garment of  claim 35  wherein, for each sleeve, the fabric layer of the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric faces exteriorly of the sleeve.  
   
   
       37 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes first and second fabric layers and a membrane layer therebetween.  
   
   
       38 . The garment of  claim 37  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner piece defines an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a user's arm, one of the fabric layers of the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric facing the interior space.  
   
   
       39 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric includes first and second fabric layers and a membrane layer therebetween.  
   
   
       40 . The garment of  claim 39  wherein, for each sleeve, one of the fabric layers of the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric faces exteriorly of the sleeve.  
   
   
       41 . The garment of  claim 27  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric and the outer-piece membrane laminated or coated fabric each include a first fabric layer and a membrane layer.  
   
   
       42 . The garment of  claim 41  wherein, for each sleeve, the inner and outer pieces define a tubular region therebetween, the membrane layers of the pieces confronting the tubular region.  
   
   
       43 . The garment of  claim 42  wherein, for each sleeve, at least one of the pieces further includes a second fabric layer, the membrane layer being positioned between the first and second fabric layers of the one of the pieces.  
   
   
       44 . The garment of  claim 43  wherein, for each sleeve, the second fabric layer is positioned between the tubular region and the membrane layer.  
   
   
       45 . The garment of  claim 33  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       46 . The garment of  claim 35  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       47 . The garment of  claim 41  wherein the fabric is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a co-polyester, a polypropylene, a nylon, a polyethylene, a cotton, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       48 . The garment of  claim 33  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       49 . The garment of  claim 35  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       50 . The garment of  claim 41  wherein the membrane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyester, a nylon, a polyethylene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       51 . The garment of  claim 28  further including a cuff connected to the first end of each sleeve.  
   
   
       52 . A liquid-proof protective-apparel sleeve, comprising: 
 a tubular inner piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric including a stitched seam along its length; and    a tubular outer piece of membrane laminated or coated fabric generally surrounding the inner piece, the outer piece including a stitched seam along its length which is circumferentially offset from the seam of the inner piece.