Outer Garment for the Handicapped or Elderly

Abstract

This invention relates to an outer garment, having a first and second front panels and a back panel wherein the front panels are integrally connected at their upper ends to the back panel; first and second front flaps horizontally extending respectively from the first and second front panels; first and second back flaps horizontally extending from both sides of the back panel; a front fastening means for fastening the first and second front panels together; a first fastening means for fastening the first front and back flaps together; and a second fastening means for fastening the second front and back flaps together. The panels and flaps are essentially coextensive and integrally constructed such that they form a two-dimensional panel. In addition, in the unfolded view of the outer garment, inner edges of the first and second front panels form an angle of about 70-90 degrees.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outer garment, which comprises:
 a first front panel;   a second front panel wherein the first and second front panels cover a frontal torso of a wearer;   a back panel for covering a back torso of the wearer wherein the first and second front panels are connected at their upper ends to the back panel and the first and second front panels and the back panel define a neck opening to allow the first and second front panels and the back panel to be fitted over a head of the wearer and to be supported upon the wearer's shoulders;   a first front flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the first front panel to the horizontally outer direction;   a second front flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the second front panel to the horizontally outer direction for covering the side of the torso of the wearer;   a first back flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the back panel to horizontally outer direction, substantially similar to the extending direction of the first front flap;   a second back flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the back panel to horizontally outer direction, substantially similar to the extending direction of the second front flap;   a front fastening means provided near inner edges of the first and second front panels for fastening the first and second front panels together;   a first fastening means provided on the first back flap and the upper part of the first front flap for fastening the first front and back flaps together; and   a second fastening means provided on the second back flap and the upper part of the second front flap for fastening the second front and back flaps together.   
     
     
         2 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second front panels, the back panel, the first and second front flaps, and the first and second back flaps are essentially coextensive and integrally constructed such that the front and back panels form a two-dimensional panel. 
     
     
         3 . The outer garment of  claim 2 , wherein a rim is provided continuously on the outer boundary of the outer garment. 
     
     
         4 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein a seam is provided between the first front panel and the back panel and between the second front panel and the back panel. 
     
     
         5 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein in the unfolded view of the outer garment, an inner edge of the first front panel and an inner edge of the second front panel form an angle of about 90 degrees or less. 
     
     
         6 . The outer garment of  claim 5 , wherein the angle is about 70-90 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The outer garment of  claim 6 , wherein the angle is about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastening means is comprised of at least one male snap portion and at least one female snap portion;
 wherein the second fastening means is comprised of at least one male snap portion and at least one female snap portion;   
     
     
         9 . The outer garment of  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of snap portions are provided on the first and second front flaps at relatively horizontally spaced apart locations on the outer surface of the outer garment so that one of the snap portions can be fastened from outer side of the outer garment. 
     
     
         10 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastening means is comprised of a hook and loop fastening material. 
     
     
         11 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein one of the hook and loop fastening material is a strip relatively horizontally attached respectively to the first and second front flaps. 
     
     
         12 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of creases are provided on the back panel to prevent the back panel from being spaced apart from the back of a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The outer garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasably attached bib. 
     
     
         14 . The outer garment of  claim 13 , wherein the releasably attached bib is attached to the outer garment by means of a hook and loop bib fastening material. 
     
     
         15 . The outer garment of  claim 14 , wherein two strips of the hook and loop bib fastening material are provided near the upper ends of the first and second front panels. 
     
     
         16 . The outer garment of  claim 15 , wherein the two strips of the hook and loop bib fastening material on the first and second front panels are disposed inside a pocket of about the size of the strips so that the two strips of the hook and loop bib fastening material are not visible from outside. 
     
     
         17 . An outer garment, which comprises:
 a first front panel;   a second front panel wherein the first and second front panels cover a frontal torso of a wearer;   a back panel for covering a back torso of the wearer wherein the first and second front panels are connected at their upper ends to the back panel and the first and second front panels and the back panel define a neck opening to allow the first and second front panels and the back panel to be fitted over a head of the wearer and to be supported upon the wearer's shoulders;   a first front flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the first front panel to the horizontally outer direction;   a second front flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the second front panel to the horizontally outer direction for covering the side of the torso of the wearer;   a first back flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the back panel to horizontally outer direction, substantially similar to the extending direction of the first front flap;   a second back flap, adapted for wrapping around the side of the torso of the wearer, extending from the lower part of the back panel to horizontally outer direction, substantially similar to the extending direction of the second front flap;   a front fastening means provided near inner edges of the first and second front panels for fastening the first and second front panels together;   a first fastening means provided on the first back flap and the upper part of the first front flap for fastening the first front and back flaps together; and   a second fastening means provided on the second back flap and the upper part of the second front flap for fastening the second front and back flaps together;   
       wherein the vertical length of the first and second front panels is substantially greater than the vertical length of the back panel; 
       wherein the vertical length of the first and second front flaps is substantially greater than the vertical length of the first and second back flaps. 
     
     
         18 . The outer garment of  claim 17 , wherein in the unfolded view of the outer garment, an inner edge of the first front panel and an inner edge of the second front panel form an angle of about 70-90 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The outer garment of  claim 17 , wherein the first fastening means is comprised of at least one male snap portion and at least one female snap portion;
 wherein the second fastening means is comprised of at least one male snap portion and at least one female snap portion;   
     
     
         20 . The outer garment of  claim 17 , wherein the releasably attached bib is attached to the outer garment by means of a hook and loop bib fastening material, and two strips of the hook and loop bib fastening material are provided near the upper ends of the first and second front panels.