Front Opening Isolation Gown

Abstract

A personal protective equipment (PPE) isolation gown is provided that can be used by workers in the healthcare industry. The isolation gown has a front opening configuration and is further designed with fasteners that facilitate ease of adjustment and donning and removing without substantial risk of the transfer of potentially harmful microorganisms, particularly to the hair on the head or neck of a wearer, and also is relatively more efficient to manufacture, thereby providing a cost-effective alternative to various styles of currently available isolation gowns.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A front opening isolation gown comprising:
 a central body that wraps around a torso area of a wearer and a pair of opposing left and right sleeves attached to the central body and extending in a direction away from the central body and a neck opening that accommodates a neck of the wearer, the central body and right and left sleeves including a front and a back, the front of the central body being separated into a right portion and a left portion, with the right portion including an overlapping section and the left portion including a corresponding overlapped section that is defined when the gown is donned and secured; and   a plurality of fasteners provided at the front, with each fastener having corresponding first and second parts that cooperate with one another to define the fastener and secure the right and left portions together, each first part being situated on the overlapping section of the right portion and each corresponding second part situated on the corresponding overlapped section of left portion of the gown,   wherein, when the gown is donned and secured, at least one of a first and second fastener is situated at approximately a left shoulder region of the wearer, a third fastener is situated about intermediate a top and bottom of the gown, and a fourth fastener is situated between the third fastener and the bottom of the gown.   
     
     
         2 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein, when the gown is donned and secured, the at least one of the first and second fasteners includes each of the first and second fasteners being situated at approximately the left shoulder region of the wearer and adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         3 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the at least one of a first and second fastener, the third fastener, and the fourth fastener are selected from one of a snap, hook and loop closure, or tie closure. 
     
     
         4 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the at least one of a first and second fastener is a snap or a hook and loop closure. 
     
     
         5 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the third fastener is a tie closure 
     
     
         6 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the fourth fastener is a hook and loop closure. 
     
     
         7 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the first part of the at least one of the first and second fasteners is provided on the overlapping section of the right portion of the gown proximate a junction at which a top edge of the gown meets a vertical edge of the right portion. 
     
     
         8 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the first part of the third fastener is provided on the overlapping section of the right portion intermediate the top and bottom of the gown at a location that approximates a waist area of the wearer, the second corresponding part of the second fastener is provided on the outer surface of the left portion of the central body intermediate the top and bottom of the gown and spaced apart from a vertical edge of the left portion. 
     
     
         9 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the first part of the fourth fastener is provided on the inner surface of the overlapping section and adjacent a vertical edge of the right portion below and spaced apart from the first part of the third fastener, the corresponding second part of the fourth fastener is provided on the outer surface of the overlapped section of the left portion generally intermediate the corresponding second part of the third fastener and the bottom of the gown and proximate a vertical edge of the left portion. 
     
     
         10 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the first part of the fourth fastener is provided on the inner surface of the overlapping section and adjacent a vertical edge of the right portion below and spaced apart from the first part of the third fastener, the corresponding second part of the fourth fastener is provided on the outer surface of the overlapped section of the left portion generally below and spaced apart from the corresponding second part of the third fastener and spaced apart from a vertical edge of the left portion so that the vertical edge of the left portion generally lies along a midline of the gown when the gown is donned and secured. 
     
     
         11 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the right and left sleeves define a set-in style sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the right and left sleeves define a raglan style sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the right and left sleeves are long sleeves with each sleeve having a terminal cuff. 
     
     
         14 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the isolation gown is yellow in color. 
     
     
         15 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the central body and/or right and sleeve sleeves include ESD (electrostatic dissipative)/anti-static yarns. 
     
     
         16 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 15  wherein the ESD yarns include nylon or carbon fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 1  wherein the gown includes or is composed solely of liquid resistant material. 
     
     
         18 . A front opening isolation gown comprising:
 a central body that wraps around a torso area of a wearer and a pair of opposing left and right sleeves attached to the central body and extending in a direction away from the central body and a neck opening that accommodates the neck of the wearer, the central body and right and left sleeves including a front and a back, the front of the central body being separated into a right portion and a left portion, with the right portion including an overlapping section and the left portion including a corresponding overlapped section that is defined when the gown is donned and secured; and   a plurality of fasteners provided at the front, with each fastener having corresponding first and second parts that cooperate with one another to define the fastener and secure the right and left portions together, each first part being situated on the overlapping section of the right portion and each corresponding second part situated on the corresponding overlapped section of left portion of the gown,   wherein, when the gown is donned and secured, each of a first and second fastener is situated at approximately a left shoulder region of the wearer, a third fastener is situated about intermediate a top and bottom of the gown, and a fourth fastener is situated between the third fastener and the bottom of the gown, the first fastener, the second fastener, the third fastener, and the fourth fastener are selected from one of a snap, hook and loop closure, or tie closure.   
     
     
         19 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 18  wherein the first fastener is a snap, the second fastener and the fourth fastener are a hook and loop closure, and the third fastener is a tie closure. 
     
     
         20 . A front opening isolation gown comprising:
 a central body that wraps around a torso area of a wearer and a pair of opposing left and right sleeves attached to the central body and extending in a direction away from the central body and a neck opening that accommodates a neck of the wearer, the central body and right and left sleeves including a front and a back, the front of the central body being separated into a right portion and a left portion, with one of the right portion or left portion including an overlapping section and the other of the left portion or right portion including a corresponding overlapped section that is defined when the gown is donned and secured; and   a plurality of fasteners provided at the front, with each fastener having corresponding first and second parts that cooperate with one another to define the fastener and secure the right and left portions together, each first part being situated on the overlapping section and each corresponding second part situated on the corresponding overlapped section,   wherein, when the gown is donned and secured, at least one of a first and second fastener is situated at approximately a shoulder region of the wearer, a third fastener is situated about intermediate a top and bottom of the gown, and a fourth fastener is situated between the third fastener and the bottom of the gown.   
     
     
         21 . The front opening isolation gown of  claim 20  wherein the at least one of a first and second fastener, the third fastener, and the fourth fastener are selected from one of a snap, hook and loop closure, or tie closure. 
     
     
         22 . A method of donning the front opening isolation gown of  claim 20  that comprises placing a wearer's right and left arms into and through the right and left sleeves, wrapping the central body around the torso of the wearer, and fastening the first and second parts of the fasteners at the front of the gown so that the right and left portions are secured, the overlapping section overlaps the corresponding overlapped section, and the neck opening accommodates the neck of the wearer, when the gown is donned.