Protective salon garment

Abstract

An improved protective salon garment is disclosed. The garment may be a cape, a smock, a gown, or an apron which includes a protective portion that is constructed of a textile barrier fabric that is substantially impermeable to water, but is also permeable to air and water vapor, thereby providing effective and comfortable protection to wearers. The garment includes a protective portion having a neck opening and fastening means for securing the protective portion about the neck and torso of a person.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An improved protective salon garment comprising: 
 (a) a cloak portion constructed of at least one sheet of substantially textile barrier fabric, wherein the fabric is substantially impervious to water, and has air permeability between greater than zero and about 3 cubic foot per minute per square foot; and    (b) means for releasably securing the cloak portion about a person's neck and torso in preparation for hair cutting, hair styling, shampooing, hair treatment, or application of cosmetics;    (c) wherein the cloak portion has a suitable size and shape to substantially cover desired portions of a person's torso when the cloak portion is secured about the person's neck.    
     
     
         2 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric is calendared and has a fluorochemical finish.  
     
     
         3 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 2  wherein the fluorochemical finish is fluorocarbon.  
     
     
         4 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric further includes an antimicrobial finish.  
     
     
         5 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the barrier fabric has a water repellency spray test rating of at least about 70 when tested according to AATCC 127-1998.  
     
     
         6 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the barrier fabric is comprised of woven synthetic yarn.  
     
     
         7 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 6  wherein the synthetic yarn is selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and polypropylene.  
     
     
         8 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 6  wherein the woven barrier fabric comprises warp and weft yarns having a weight in a range from about 30 denier to about 250 denier.  
     
     
         9 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 6  wherein the woven barrier fabric comprises warp and weft yarns having a weight of about 70 denier.  
     
     
         10 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 9  wherein the woven synthetic barrier fabric has a weight of about 2.3 ounces per square yard.  
     
     
         11 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 9 , wherein the barrier fabric has a finished coverage of at least about 200 threads per inch.  
     
     
         12 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the barrier fabric has a resistance to water penetration under hydrostatic pressure of at least about 40 cm.  
     
     
         13 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric has a water vapor transmission rate that is at least about 900 g/24 hrs./sq ft.  
     
     
         14 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) the sheet includes a collar end, a bottom end, and two opposing side edges;    (b) the collar end of the sheet includes a neck opening dividing the collar end of the sheet into left and right shoulder portions, wherein the neck opening is centered between the two side edges and the left and right shoulder portions are substantially equal in size, thereby forming a salon cape; and    (c) the means for securing the sheet about a person's neck comprises complementary fastener portions attached to either side of the neck opening, wherein the complementary fastener portions can be fastened together to close the neck opening around a person's neck.    
     
     
         15 . A salon cape according to  claim 14 , wherein the complementary fastener portions comprise at least one set of snaps attached on opposed sides of the neck opening.  
     
     
         16 . A salon cape according to  claim 14 , wherein the complementary fastener portions comprise matching hook and loop strips attached on opposed sides of the neck opening.  
     
     
         17 . A salon cape according to  claim 14  wherein the protective sheet is substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         18 . A salon cape according to  claim 14  further including at least one loop attached to an edge of the protective sheet, wherein the at least one loop can be used to hang the salon cape.  
     
     
         19 . An improved salon cape comprising: 
 (a) a protective sheet comprised of a textile barrier fabric, wherein the barrier fabric has a fluorocarbon finish, is substantially water impermeable, and is comprised of woven polyester yarn which is calendared, and the barrier fabric includes: 
 (i) a fluorocarbon finish;  
 (ii) air permeability between about zero and about 3 cubic foot per minute per square foot;  
 (iii) a water repellency spray test rating of at least about 70 when tested according to AATCC 127-1998;  
 (iv) warp and weft yarns having a weight of about 70 denier;  
 (v) a weight in a range from about 2.3 ounces per square yard to about 2.4 ounces per square yard;  
 (vi) a resistance to water penetration under hydrostatic pressure of at least about 40 cm. per second;  
 (vii) a water vapor transmission rate that is at least about 900 g/24 hrs./sq ft.; and  
 (viii) a finished coverage of at least about 200 threads per inch; and  
   (b) means for releasably securing the protective sheet about a person's neck in preparation for hair styling, shampooing, or cosmetology;    (c) wherein the protective sheet has a suitable size and shape to substantially cover the torso of a person when the sheet is secured about the person's neck.    
     
     
         20 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) the cloak portion comprises a back panel, an inner front panel, an outer front panel, a collar opening, a pair of opposed sleeves, at least one pair of ties;    (b) the inner and outer front panels each include a free edge and are shaped and sized to cooperatively overlap to cover the frontal area of a person's torso when the outer front panel overlaps the inner front panel, thereby forming a smock;    (c) the collar opening includes a fastening means for releasably securing the smock about a person's neck when said inner and outer front panels are in overlapping arrangement;    (d) the at least one pair of ties is arranged to releasably secure the outer front panel in overlapping arrangement over the inner front panel such that the smock substantially covers the frontal area of a person wearing the smock when the at least one pair of ties is tied together.    
     
     
         21 . A salon smock according to  claim 20  wherein the at least one sheet of substantially water impermeable textile fabric forming the back panel, inner front panel, outer front panel, and sleeves is comprised of woven synthetic yarn, is calendared, and includes: 
 (a) a fluorochemical finish;  
 (b) a water repellency spray test rating of at least about 70;  
 (c) warp and weft yarns having a weight in the range from about 30 to about 250 denier, said yarns being of a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and polypropylene;  
 (d) a resistance to water penetration under hydrostatic pressure of at least about 40 cm.; and  
 (e) a water vapor transmission rate that is at least about 900 g/24 hrs./sq ft.  
 
     
     
         22 . An improved protective salon garment according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) the cloak portion comprises a back panel, a first front panel, and a second front panel, wherein the first and second front panels include front edges; and    (b) the salon garment includes securing means for releasably connecting the front edges of the first and second front panels together such that the connected panels substantially cover the frontal area of a person, thereby forming a stylist's gown.    
     
     
         23 . A stylist's gown according to  claim 22  wherein the at least one sheet of substantially water impermeable textile fabric forming the back panel, first front panel, and second front panel is comprised of woven synthetic yarn, is calendared and includes: 
 (a) a fluorochemical finish;  
 (b) a water repellency spray test rating of at least about 70;  
 (c) warp and weft yarns having a weight in the range from about 30 to about 250 denier, said yarns being of a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and polypropylene;  
 (d) a resistance to water penetration under hydrostatic pressure of at least about 40 cm.; and  
 (e) a water vapor transmission rate that is at least about 900 g/24 hrs./sq ft.  
 
     
     
         24 . A stylist's gown according to  claim 23  wherein the cloak portion further includes first and second sleeve portions for covering the arms of a person wearing the gown.  
     
     
         25 . A stylist's apron comprising: 
 (a) a protective panel sized and shaped to substantially cover the frontal area of a person wearing the apron, and having an upper end and two lateral edges, said panel constructed of substantially water impermeable textile fabric which is comprised of woven synthetic yarn, is calendared, and includes: 
 (i) a fluorochemical finish;  
 (ii) a water repellency spray test rating of at least about 70;  
 (iii) warp and weft yarns having a weight in the range from about 30 to about 250 denier, said yarns being of a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and polypropylene;  
 (iv) a resistance to water penetration under hydrostatic pressure of at least about 40 cm.; and  
 (vi) a water vapor transmission rate that is at least about 1000 g/24 hrs./sq ft.  
   (b) a neck strap having a first end and a second end, wherein said ends are attached to said upper end of said panel to form a neck loop suitable for placement about a persons shoulders and neck for suspending said apron therefrom; and    (c) a first waist strap connected to one lateral edge of said panel and a second waist strap connected to the other lateral edge of said panel, wherein said waist straps are suited for tying together about a person's waist to secure said apron to the person's frontal area.    
     
     
         26 . A method of producing affordable protective salon garments for use by barbers, hair stylists, beauticians, and cosmetologists, said method comprising: 
 (a) identifying a source of barrier fabric seconds originally produced for medical or other high technology applications, but which do not meet the required fabric standards for said high technology applications;    (b) procuring said fabric seconds from said source at a cost that is substantially less than the cost for said barrier fabric which meets the standards required for said high technology applications;    (c) producing said garments from the procured fabric seconds.