Adaptive clothing apparatus for persons with impaired mobility

Abstract

An adaptive clothing apparatus designed for assisting persons with impaired mobility and/or impaired cognitive function includes a plurality of panels for covering the wearer's torso. The intuitive apparatus includes a front panel having attached thereto a wrapping panel, being a posterior torso encapsulator (PTE) panel, and a receiving panel. The PTE panel is equipped with dual fastening systems, being a side torso fastening system positioned in a lower section of the PTE panel and a shoulder fastening system positioned in an upper section of the PTE panel. The asymmetrical design of the apparatus allows the side torso fastening system to be positioned along the side of the user's torso forward of the user's axilla, such that the apparatus can be secured around a wearer by a care provider without difficulty, and without causing injury to the wearer, whether the wearer is in a standing, sitting, or lying position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A clothing apparatus to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a first panel comprising a sheet of material for covering the front of the user's torso;   a second panel and a third panel attached to opposite sides of the first panel;   sleeves disposed substantially medially between each of the first and second panel and the first and third panel;   wherein the second panel is sized to wrap around the user's back, and wherein the second panel comprises:
 a distal side portion having an upper section and lower section, 
 a side torso fastening system disposed substantially along the lower section of the distal side portion, and 
 a shoulder fastening system disposed above the upper section of the distal side portion, 
 wherein the lower section of the distal side portion extends beyond the distal end of the upper section of the distal side portion; and 
 wherein the upper section of the distal side portion is shaped and sized to fit substantially beneath and slightly forward of the user's axilla when the second panel is wrapped around the user's back, 
   and wherein the first panel further comprises:
 a side torso fastening interface for interacting with the side torso fastening system to secure the second panel to the first panel, wherein the side torso fastening interface is positioned on the first panel forward from the midline of the side of the user's torso; 
 a shoulder fastening interface for interacting with the shoulder fastening system to secure the second panel to the first panel in the area of the user's shoulder on the shoulder fastening interface side of the user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the third panel is sized to cover the user's shoulder blade on the side of the user's body closest to the third panel. 
     
     
         3 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the shoulder fastening system comprises a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the side torso fastening system comprises a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of fasteners is disposed along the length of the shoulder fastening system. 
     
     
         6 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of fasteners is disposed along the length of the side torso fastening system. 
     
     
         7 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the shoulder fastening interface is disposed in the area of the user's shoulder above the user's collarbone. 
     
     
         8 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the side torso fastening interface is positioned on the first panel rearward from the midline of the side of the user's torso. 
     
     
         9 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the side torso fastening interface is positioned on the first panel substantially on the midline of the side of the user's torso. 
     
     
         10 . A clothing apparatus to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a first panel comprising a sheet of material for covering the front of the user's torso;   a second panel and a third panel attached to opposite sides of the first panel;   sleeves disposed substantially medially between each of the first and second panel and the first and third panel;   wherein the second panel is sized to wrap around the user's back, and wherein the second panel comprises:
 a distal side portion having an upper section and lower section, 
 a side torso fastening system disposed substantially along the lower section of the distal side portion, and 
 a shoulder fastening system disposed above the upper section of the distal side portion, 
 wherein the lower section of the distal side portion extends beyond the distal end of the upper section of the distal side portion; and 
 wherein the upper section of the distal side portion is shaped and sized to fit substantially beneath and slightly forward of the user's axilla when the second panel is wrapped around the user's back, 
   and wherein the third panel further comprises:
 a side torso fastening interface for interacting with the side torso fastening system to secure the second panel to the third panel, wherein the side torso fastening interface is positioned on the third panel forward from the midline of the side of the user's torso; 
 a shoulder fastening interface for interacting with the shoulder fastening system to secure the second panel to the third panel in the area of the user's shoulder on the shoulder fastening interface side of the user. 
   
     
     
         11 . A clothing apparatus to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a first panel comprising a sheet of material for covering the front of the user's torso;   a second panel and a third panel attached to opposite sides of the first panel;   sleeves disposed substantially medially between each of the first and second panel and the first and third panel;   wherein the second panel is sized to wrap around the user's back, and wherein the second panel comprises:
 a distal side portion having an upper section and lower section, 
 a side torso fastening system disposed substantially along the lower section of the distal side portion, and 
 a shoulder fastening system disposed above the upper section of the distal side portion, 
 wherein the lower section of the distal side portion extends beyond the distal end of the upper section of the distal side portion; and 
 wherein the upper section of the distal side portion is shaped and sized to fit substantially beneath and slightly forward of the user's axilla when the second panel is wrapped around the user's back, 
   wherein the first panel further comprises:
 a side torso fastening interface for interacting with the side torso fastening system to secure the second panel to the first panel, wherein the side torso fastening interface is positioned on the first panel forward from the midline of the side of the user's torso; 
   and wherein the third panel further comprises:
 a shoulder fastening interface for interacting with the shoulder fastening system to secure the second panel to the third panel in the area of the user's shoulder on the shoulder fastening interface side of the user. 
   
     
     
         12 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the side torso fastening interface is disposed on the first panel and a second portion of the side torso fastening interface is disposed on the third panel. 
     
     
         13 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the shoulder fastening interface is disposed on the first panel and a second portion of the side torso fastening interface is disposed on the third panel. 
     
     
         14 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the third panel is tapered from a widest portion in the area of the user's shoulder blade to a narrowest portion in the vicinity of the user's waist. 
     
     
         15 . The clothing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second panels cover one of the user's shoulders when the apparatus is positioned on the user's torso, and wherein the user's other shoulder remains exposed until the second panel has been secured via operation of the side torso fastening system and the shoulder fastening system.