Surgeon Gown with Sealed Sleeves and Methods of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

A medical gown ( 1101 ) includes a layer of material ( 100,200 ) with a seam ( 801 ) disposed across the layer of material. The material can include a weave ( 110,210 ) of untwisted, continuous filament polyester. The material can also include a carbon filament ( 209,211 ). The seam is sealed by applying a tape ( 300,400 ) across the seam and applying heat to cause the tape to attach to the weave.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for sealing a seam of a medical gown, comprising:
 constructing the seam by sewing two layers of material together, each layer of material comprising a weave of untwisted continuous filament polyester;   applying a tape comprising another weave of untwisted continuous filament polyester and a thermoplastic hot melt adhesive along the seam; and   providing heat to the tape, thereby causing the tape to adhere to the weave.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the weave and the another weave each comprising a taffeta weave. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weave further comprises a carbon filament, the material comprising about ninety-nine percent of the untwisted continuous filament polyester and about one percent of the carbon filament by weight. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the another weave comprises a carbon filament, the material comprising about ninety-nine percent of the untwisted continuous filament polyester and about one percent of the carbon filament by weight. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the providing the heat comprising blowing hot air along the tape. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the providing the heat comprising passing a hot roller along the tape. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the providing the heat comprising applying a hot press to the tape. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the another weave defining a 2.2 ounce per square yard polyester material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the another weave defining a 2.6 ounce per square yard polyester material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the constructing the seam comprising creating a lay flat seam. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the lay flat seam comprising a stitch oriented substantially parallel with the two layers of material. 
     
     
         12 . A medical gown, comprising:
 a layer of material; and   a seam disposed along the layer of material;   the material comprising a weave of untwisted continuous poluester filament;   the seam sealed by a tape comprising wefts and warps of additional untwisted polyester filament and a thermoplastic hot melt adhesive attached to the weave.   
     
     
         13 . The medical gown of  claim 12 , the weave comprising a taffeta weave. 
     
     
         14 . The medical gown of  claim 12 , the layer of material further comprising a carbon filament, the material comprising about ninety-nine percent of the untwisted continuous filament polyester and about one percent of the carbon filament by weight. 
     
     
         15 . The medical gown of  claim 12 , the tape further comprising a carbon filament, the material comprising about ninety-nine percent of the untwisted continuous filament polyester and about one percent of the carbon filament by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The medical gown of  claim 15 , the tape further comprising a cured or partially cured thermosetting adhesive disposed between the wefts and warps of additional untwisted polyester filament and the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The medical gown of  claim 16 , the seam comprising a lay flat seam. 
     
     
         18 . The medical gown of  claim 17 , the lay flat seam comprising a stitch oriented substantially parallel with the layer of material and an orthogonal safety stitch. 
     
     
         19 . The medical gown of  claim 18 , the medical gown comprising a surgical gown. 
     
     
         20 . The medical gown of  claim 19 , the layer of material being color coded to indicate size.