Bib garment adapted to resist removal from a front torso of a wearer thereof and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A bib garment adapted to resist removal from a front torso of a wearer, and a method of manufacturing the garment is disclosed. The garment includes a front panel covering the front torso of an infant, and an optional “crumb catcher” protruding from the front panel to protect the infant's clothing from soiling by liquid and solid food falling from the infant's mouth. The garment is anchored to the infant by straps and anchor arrangements. Fastener arrangements inaccessible to the infant are provided for fastening the garment to the infant. Thus, the garment is configured to resist removal by the infant while being fed, even when the infant repeatedly pulls or tugs on the garment. An embodiment of the garment for adults, such as an adult suffering from dementia who may attempt to remove the garment, allows feeding without soiling the adult's clothing and resists removal by the adult.

1 . A bib garment adapted to resist removal from a front torso of a wearer thereof, the bib garment including:
 (a) a front panel;   (b) a first anchor arrangement attached to the front panel;   (c) a second anchor arrangement attached to the front panel;   (d) a first strap attached to the front panel and adapted to diagonally extend across a medial region of a rear torso of the wearer, into engagement with the second anchor arrangement and therefrom to terminate near the medial region;   (e) a second strap attached to the front panel and adapted to diagonally extend across the medial region, into engagement with the first anchor arrangement and therefrom to terminate near the medial region; and   (f) a fastener arrangement attached to the first strap and the second strap.   
     
     
         2 . The bib garment of  claim 1 , further including a pouch attached to the front panel. 
     
     
         3 . The bib garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein the first strap has a first strap elastic portion; and   (b) wherein the second strap has a second strap elastic portion.   
     
     
         4 . The bib garment of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel has a front panel elastic portion. 
     
     
         5 . The bib garment of  1 , wherein the front panel is formed of a material impervious to liquid absorption. 
     
     
         6 . The bib garment of  claim 1 , further including a liquid-absorbing backing layer attached to the front panel. 
     
     
         7 . A bib garment adapted to resist removal from a front torso of a wearer thereof, including:
 a front panel for covering the front torso of the wearer, the front panel having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion spaced-apart from the first shoulder portion, the front panel being formed of a material creating a substantially impervious barrier to liquids;   a first anchor arrangement attached to the front panel, the first anchor arrangement including a first ring-shaped member;   a second anchor arrangement attached to the front panel and disposed laterally opposite the first anchor arrangement, the second anchor arrangement including a second ring-shaped member;   a first strap attached to the first shoulder portion and adapted to diagonally extend across a medial region of a rear torso of the wearer, into sliding engagement with the second anchor arrangement and slidably therefrom to terminate near the medial region, the first strap having a first strap elastic portion for adjustably conforming the first strap to the rear torso of the wearer;   a second strap attached to the second shoulder portion and adapted to diagonally extend across the medial region and cross the first strap, into sliding engagement with the first anchor arrangement and slidably therefrom to terminate near the medial region, the second strap having a second strap elastic portion for adjustably conforming the second strap to the rear torso of the wearer; and   a fastener arrangement attached to the first strap and the second strap for releasably fastening the first strap to the second strap.   
     
     
         8 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , further including a pouch attached to the front panel for receiving an article thereinto. 
     
     
         9 . The bib garment of  claim 8 , wherein the pouch has a pouch elastic portion for elastically expanding the pouch. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , wherein the front panel has a front panel elastic portion for adjustably conforming to the front torso of the wearer. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , further including a liquid-absorbing backing layer attached to a back of the front panel for absorbing a liquid passing through the front panel. 
     
     
         14 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , further including:
 (a) a liquid-absorbing backing layer attached to a back of the front panel for absorbing a liquid passing through the front panel; and   (b) a liquid-impervious backing layer attached to a back of the liquid-absorbing backing layer for preventing the liquid from contacting the wearer.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The bib garment of  claim 7 ,
 (a) wherein the first anchor arrangement is a first loop defined by a first slit cut in the front panel; and   (b) wherein the second anchor arrangement is a second loop defined by a second slit cut in the front panel.   
     
     
         17 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener arrangement includes a hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
         18 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener arrangement includes a snap fastener. 
     
     
         19 . The bib garment of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener arrangement includes a buckle fastener. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a bib garment adapted to resist removal from a front torso of a wearer thereof, the method including:
 (a) providing a front panel;   (b) attaching a first anchor arrangement to the front panel;   (c) attaching a second anchor arrangement to the front panel;   (d) attaching a first strap to the front panel, the first strap being adapted to diagonally extend across a medial region of a rear torso of the wearer, into engagement with the second anchor arrangement and therefrom to terminate near the medial region;   (e) attaching a second strap to the front panel, the second strap being adapted to diagonally extend across the medial region, into engagement with the first anchor arrangement and therefrom to terminate near the medial region; and   (f) attaching a fastener arrangement to the first strap and the second strap.