Cough suppressant garment and system and method for suppressing coughing

Abstract

A cough suppressant garment may be worn around the neck of the user. The cough suppressant garment may have three layers, and one or more of the three layers may be manufactured from a woven material, such as, for example, cotton. An end of the cough suppressant garment may reversibly attach to an opposite end of the cough suppressant garment to maintain a position of the cough suppressant garment on the neck of the user.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A garment worn on a neck of a user to suppress coughing of the user, the garment comprising:
 a first layer of woven material wherein the first layer has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge and further wherein the first edge is located in a position opposite to the second edge, the third edge is located in a position opposite to the fourth edge, the first edge is parallel to the second edge, and the third edge is parallel to the fourth edge wherein the first edge and the second edge are perpendicular to the third edge and the fourth edge;   a second layer of woven material wherein the second layer has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge and further wherein the first edge is located in a position opposite to the second edge, the third edge is located in a position opposite to the fourth edge, the first edge is parallel to the second edge, and the third edge is parallel to the fourth edge wherein the first edge and the second edge are perpendicular to the third edge and the fourth edge and further wherein the first edge of the second layer is integral with the first edge of the first layer;   an insert located between the first layer and the second layer wherein the insert extends from the first edge of the first layer to the second edge of the first layer and further wherein the insert extends from the third edge of the first layer to the fourth edge of the first layer;   thread which connects the second edge of the first layer to the second edge of the second layer, connects the third edge of the first layer to the third edge of the second layer, and connects the fourth edge of the first layer to the fourth edge of the second layer;   first male fasteners which extend in a direction generally outward from the first layer wherein the first male fasteners are located in a position adjacent to the first edge of the first layer and the first edge of the second layer; and   first female fasteners which extend in a direction generally inward into the second layer wherein the first female fasteners are located in a position adjacent to the second edge of the first layer and the second edge of the second layer and further wherein the first male fasteners insert into the first female fasteners to connect the first edge of the first layer and the first edge of the second layer to the fourth edge of the first layer and the fourth edge of the second layer wherein the first male fasteners separate from the first female fasteners to separate the first edge of the first layer and the first edge of the second layer from the fourth edge of the first layer and the fourth edge of the second layer.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the insert is made from woven material. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the first layer, the insert and the second layer are approximately 100% cotton. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the insert has a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising:
 second male fasteners located at a greater distance from the first edge of the first layer and the first edge of the second layer relative to the first male fasteners wherein the second male fasteners extend in a direction generally outward from the first layer. 
 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising:
 second female fasteners located at a greater distance from the second edge of the first layer and the second edge of the second layer relative to the first female fasteners wherein the second female fasteners extend in a direction generally inward into the second layer. 
 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the first edge of the first layer, the second edge of the first layer, the first edge of the second layer, and the second edge of the second layer have a length between approximately 2.5 inches and approximately 3.0 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the third edge of the first layer, the fourth edge of the first layer, the third edge of the second layer, and the fourth edge of the second layer have a length between approximately fifteen inches and approximately twenty-four inches. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the first layer, the insert and the second layer form three layers and further wherein the three layers are the only layers of the garment. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a lip located in each of the female fasteners wherein each of the male fasteners has a groove wherein the lip inserts into the groove to connect the female fasteners to the male fasteners and further wherein the lip separates from the groove to separate the female fasteners from the male fasteners. 
 
     
     
         11 . A system for suppressing coughing of a user having a neck, the system comprising:
 a garment having a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge wherein the first edge is located in a position opposite to the second edge, the third edge is located in a position opposite to the fourth edge, the first edge is parallel to the second edge, and the third edge is parallel to the fourth edge and further wherein the first edge and the second edge are perpendicular to the third edge and the fourth edge wherein the garment has a first side and a second side and further wherein the first side is located in a position opposite to the second side wherein the first side contacts the neck of the user;   an insert located within the garment wherein the insert is located between the first side and the second side of the garment and further wherein the insert extends from the first edge to the second edge and further wherein the insert extends from the third edge to the fourth edge;   a first hook-and-loop portion attached to the first side of the garment wherein the first hook-and-loop portion is located adjacent to the first edge; and   a second hook-and-loop portion attached to the second side of the garment wherein the second hook-and-loop portion is located adjacent to the second edge wherein the first hook-and-loop portion connects to the second hook-and-loop portion to connect the first edge to the second edge and further wherein the first hook-and-loop portion separates from the second hook-and-loop portion to separate the first edge from the second edge.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the garment has a rectangular shape wherein the first edge, the second edge, the third edge and the fourth edge are the only edges of the garment. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the garment is made of woven material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising:
 thread connected to the garment wherein the garment is formed from one piece of material having a midline, a first end and a second end and further wherein the midline forms the first edge of the garment wherein the thread connects the first end of the one piece of material to the second end of the one piece of material to form the second edge of the garment. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method for suppressing coughing of a user having a neck, the method comprising the steps of:
 placing a garment having a rectangular shape on the neck of the user wherein the garment has a first end and a second end and further wherein the first end is located in a position opposite to the second end wherein first connecting means are attached to the first end and second connecting means are attached to the second end and further wherein the first connecting means and the second connecting means are attached to opposite sides of the garment;   connecting the first connecting means to the second connecting means wherein connecting the first connecting means to the second connecting means attaches the first end to the second end;   separating the first connecting means from the second connecting means wherein separating the first connecting means from the second connecting means separates the first end from the second end; and   removing the garment from the neck of the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the garment has three layers of woven material and further wherein the three layers of woven material are the only layers of the garment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 connecting the first connecting means to third connecting means wherein the third connecting means are attached to the second end of the garment and further wherein a radius of the garment is smaller when the first connecting means are connected to the third connecting means instead of the second connecting means. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 inserting male fasteners into female fasteners to attach the first end to the second end wherein separating the male fasteners from the female fasteners separates the first end from the second end and further wherein the first connecting means are the male fasteners and the second connecting means are the female fasteners. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 connecting a first hook-and-loop portion to a second hook-and-loop portion to attach the first end to the second end wherein separating the first hook-and-loop portion from the second hook-and-loop portion separates the first end from the second end and further wherein the first connecting means is the first hook-and-loop portion and the second connecting means is the second hook-and-loop portion. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 connecting a magnet to a portion containing iron to attach the first end to the second end wherein separating the magnet from the portion containing iron separates the first end from the second end and further wherein the first connecting means is the magnet and the second connecting means is the portion containing iron.