Protective garment containing malleable insert

Abstract

A protective garment having plastically bendable shaping members affixed to the base fabric of the garment to facilitate shortening or lengthening of the garment by selective manipulation or bending of the shaping member or members. Such a garment is adjustable by the wearer and allows a single size garment to accommodate various wearer shapes and sizes.

1 . An expandable garment comprising: 
 a garment body having two sleeves attached thereto, the garment body and sleeves formed of a nonwoven fabric having a first fabric surface and a second fabric surface opposite the first fabric surface,    a plastically bendable shaping member affixed to the second fabric surface for selectively lengthening and shortening a portion of the garment.    
   
   
       2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the plastically bendable shaping element comprises a soft wire insert.  
   
   
       3 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the plastically bendable shaping element comprises a sheet of malleable material.  
   
   
       4 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the plastically bendable shaping element comprises a coiled wire such that the coiled wire spirals from a portion of the sleeve proximate to a wearer's shoulder to a portion of the sleeve proximate to a wearer's hand.  
   
   
       5 . The garment of  claim 1  comprising a second material disposed over and encasing the plastically bendable shaping member.  
   
   
       6 . The garment of  claim 5  wherein the second material comprises a second nonwoven fabric.  
   
   
       7 . The garment of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the nonwoven fabrics comprises a polyolefin.  
   
   
       8 . The garment of  claim 5  wherein the second material comprises an adhesive tape.  
   
   
       9 . A surgical gown comprising: 
 a garment body;    two sleeves, each having length defined between a shoulder end and a hand end, each attached to the garment body at the shoulder end, and each comprising a shaping member affixed to an inner surface of the sleeve so that bending the insert decreases sleeve length and unbending the insert increases sleeve length.    soft malleable metallic wire    
   
   
       10 . The gown of  claim 9  wherein the shaping member comprises a soft plastically deformable wire.  
   
   
       11 . The gown of  claim 9  wherein the shaping member comprises a soft plastically deformable sheet material.  
   
   
       12 . The gown of  claim 9  wherein the shaping member is oriented parallel to the sleeve length.  
   
   
       13 . The gown of  claim 9  wherein the shaping member is spirally wound around the circumference of the sleeve over the sleeve length.  
   
   
       14 . The gown of  claim 9  comprising a material for encasing the shaping member.  
   
   
       15 . The gown of  claim 14  wherein the material comprises a second nonwoven fabric bonded to the first nonwoven fabric.  
   
   
       16 . The gown of  claim 14  wherein the material comprises an adhesive tape.  
   
   
       17 . The gown of  claim 9  comprising adhering the insert directly to the inner surface of the sleeve.  
   
   
       18 . The gown of  claim 9  comprising at least one additional shaping member affixed to the gown body for adjustably lengthening and shortening gown length.  
   
   
       19 . The gown of  claim 9  comprising a plurality of inserts throughout the gown to enable customized fitting of the gown.