Patient garment

Abstract

A garment for health care use is disclosed. The garment comprises at least one rear panel, at least two front panels and a plurality of releasable seams, positioned along peripheral regions of said at least one rear panel and said at least two front panels for releasably connecting said at least two front panels to said at least one rear panel. Each of the at least two front panels is permanently connected to the at least one rear panel at least one position. At least a portion of one the front panels overlaps the other. The rear and front panels each comprise a plurality of flaps or regions which can be folded over when in use as worn by a wearer, to expose different areas of said wearer's body.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A garment for health care use, said garment comprising
 at least one rear panel;   at least two front panels; and   a plurality of releasable seams, positioned along peripheral regions of said at least one rear panel and said at least two front panels for releasably connecting said at least two front panels to said at least one rear panel; wherein   each of the at least two front panels is permanently connected to the at least one rear panel at at least one position;   at least a portion of one the front panels overlaps the other; and   said rear and front panels each comprise a plurality of flaps or regions which can be folded over when in use as worn by a wearer, to expose different areas of said wearer's body.   
     
     
         17 . The garment as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein a said releasable seam comprises
 a first seam area positioned at a peripheral region of a said panel; and   a second seam area positioned at a peripheral region of another said panel, wherein said first and second seam areas are attachable to each other and detachable from each other.   
     
     
         18 . A garment according to  claim 16  for covering an upper part of a wearer's body, wherein:
 the at least one rear panel is for extending across a wearer's back; 
 a first of the at least two front panels is for extending across a wearer's body from a left hand side of the body to a right hand side of the body, said first panel extending from a wearer's left shoulder to a wearer's right hip region; and 
 a second of the at least two front panels is for extending from a right hand side of the wearer's body, and extending from the wearer's right hand shoulder to a position overlapping at least a portion of said first front panel. 
 
     
     
         19 . The garment as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said first front panel extends from a said wearer's left hand side across a central portion of the body to the wearer's hip. 
     
     
         20 . The garment as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said second front panel extends from a position on the right hand side of said wearer, across said wearer's body to a position adjacent said wearer's left hip. 
     
     
         21 . The garment as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein each of the first and second front panels is permanently connected to the at least one rear panel at an under-arm position. 
     
     
         22 . The garment as claimed in  claim 18 , comprising a shirt, or top, or jacket. 
     
     
         23 . A garment according to  claim 16  for covering a lower part of a wearer's body, wherein:
 the at least one rear panel has first and second leg portions; 
 a first of the at least two front panels is a first leg panel attachable and detachable from said first leg portions; and 
 a second of the at least two front panels is a second leg panel attachable and detachable from said second rear leg portion. 
 
     
     
         24 . The garment as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein:
 each of the first and second leg panel has an upper edge, a lower edge and an outer edge; and   the rear panel has an upper waist region, and first and second leg regions; and an upper edge and first and second outer edges;   wherein an outer edge of said first leg panel is releasably connectable to an outer edge of said rear panel; and   an outer edge of said second leg panel is releasably connected to a corresponding outer edge of said rear panel.   
     
     
         25 . The garment as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said rear panel incorporates an elasticated waist band. 
     
     
         26 . The garment as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein an upper portion of said first leg panel extends, in use, across an upper portion of said second leg panel. 
     
     
         27 . The garment as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the upper portion of said first leg panel is a substantially triangular portion of the front panel overlapping the second leg panel, which can be folded over forwardly or outwardly across a line extending from the crotch to a position adjacent the wearer's right hip. 
     
     
         28 . The garment as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the upper portion of said second leg panel overlapped by the first leg panel can be folded outwardly about a line extending substantially from the wearer's crotch adjacent the wearer's left hip, whereby the wearer's groin region is exposed when both upper portions are folded outwardly. 
     
     
         29 . The garment as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising a pair of trousers. 
     
     
         30 . A garment according to any of  claims 16 , wherein each releasable seam comprises a hook and eye fastening.