Isolation gown with stethoscope protection

Abstract

An improved hospital isolation gown comprises a stethoscope cover portion having tubular legs covering the ear pieces and a tubular main body receiving the chestpiece and tubing. In embodiments, the stethoscope cover may be provided separately, individually dispensed from a stack of identical covers, shipped and dispensed from the same box.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolation gown, comprising:
 a body cover having a body portion with a front surface, a neck hole, armholes and sleeves; and   a stethoscope cover attached to the front surface of the body cover;   the stethoscope cover having a tubular main body extending along the front surface of the body portion of the body cover and two tubular legs attached to the body portion, each tubular leg forming a common tube with the tubular main body and having an opening at a top end thereof opposite the main body to receive an ear piece of a stethoscope;   an opening formed by a horizontal slit in main body of the stethoscope cover where the tubular legs meet the tubular main body.   
     
     
         2 . The isolation gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal slit is formed on the rear of the stethoscope cover facing the front surface of the body cover. 
     
     
         3 . The isolation gown according to  claim 1 , comprising a plastic outer sleeve on a distal portion of the stethoscope cover. 
     
     
         4 . The isolation gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the body cover and the stethoscope cover are made from spunbond polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The isolation gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the stethoscope cover is attached to the body cover by stitching. 
     
     
         6 . The isolation gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the stethoscope from the top end of the two tubular legs to a bottom end of the tubular main body is about 20 inches to about 36 inches to accommodate a standard stethoscope with headset. 
     
     
         7 . An individually dispensed stethoscope isolation cover, comprising: a tubular main body having a front surface and a rear surface; two tubular legs attached to the body portion, each tubular leg forming a common tube with the tubular main body, and each tubular leg having an opening at one end thereof opposite the main body to receive an ear piece of a stethoscope; and an opening formed by a horizontal slit in the main body where the tubular legs meet the tubular main body. 
     
     
         8 . The individually dispensed isolation cover according to  claim 7 , wherein the horizontal slit is on the rear surface of the isolation cover. 
     
     
         9 . The individually dispensed stethoscope isolation cover according to  claim 8 , comprising creases on lateral sides of the tubular legs and creases on lateral sides of the tubular main body to ensure that the stethoscope isolation cover lies flat in a dispenser. 
     
     
         10 . The individually dispensed stethoscope isolation cover according to  claim 9 , having a fold where the tubular legs meet the tubular main body portion to ensure that the plan profile of a folded isolation cover is rectangular. 
     
     
         11 . The individually dispensed stethoscope isolation cover according to  claim 9 , provided in a stack of substantially identical stethoscope isolation covers folding flat and having a rectangular plan profile adapted to fit in a rectangular dispenser. 
     
     
         12 . A package of stethoscope isolation covers, comprising:
 a stack of substantially identical stethoscope isolation covers folding flat and having a rectangular plan profile, each isolation cover comprising, in an unfolded state, a tubular main body having a front surface and a rear surface; two tubular legs attached to the body portion, each tubular leg forming a common tube with the tubular main body, and each tubular leg having an opening at one end thereof opposite the main body to receive an ear piece of a stethoscope; and an opening formed by a horizontal slit in the tubular main body where the tubular legs meet the main body; and   a rectangular dispenser receiving the stack of stethoscope isolation covers and having an opening through which a single isolation cover may be withdrawn from the dispenser.   
     
     
         13 . The package of stethoscope isolation covers according to  claim 12 , wherein each stethoscope cover in the stack comprises a fold where the tubular legs meet the tubular main body, and creases on the lateral sides of the main body and the tubular legs. 
     
     
         14 . The package of stethoscope isolation covers according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the dispenser has a rectangular base having a length of 10 to 15 cm on a first side and a length of 15 to 20 cm on a second side.   
     
     
         15 . The package of stethoscope isolation covers according to  claim 12 , comprising a stack of 10 to 100 identical isolation covers. 
     
     
         16 . The package of stethoscope isolation covers according to  claim 12 , wherein the horizontal slit in each isolation cover is formed in the rear surface of the main body. 
     
     
         17 . The package of stethoscope isolation covers according to  claim 12 , wherein each stethoscope isolation cover is made from spunbond polymer fiber and the dispenser is a cardboard box.