Medical isolation gown and method therefor

Abstract

A medical gown constructed by heat sealing a tubular plastic structure made by a blown film process. The medical gown having a front panel and a rear panel, two sleeves for covering the arms of a wearer, with the distal end of each sleeve including an opening for enabling the wearer to penetrate their hand therethrough. Each sleeve of the medical gown having an upper seal portion and a lower seal portion, a neck opening between the two upper seal portions of the two sleeves, a gap for accommodating the body of the wearer between the two lower sealed portions of the two sleeves. A perforated section below each sleeve is provided for severing each of the sleeves from the gown material for ease of donning and wearing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical gown for protecting a wearer, said gown comprising:
 a front panel and a rear panel, said front and rear panels forming a tubular structure, said tubular structure including an open bottom end for donning said medical gown;   a first sleeve defined by a first upper sealed region and a first lower sealed region;   a second sleeve defined by a second upper sealed region and second lower sealed region, each of the first and second sleeves being configured to cover an arm of the wearer to an area proximate a wrist of the wearer;   a gap provided at a distal end of each of said first and second sleeves, said gap being configured for penetration of a hand of the wearer therethrough; and   a neck opening defined by a first unsealed region between the first upper sealed region and the second upper sealed region.   
     
     
         2 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is comprised of a fluid impermeable material. 
     
     
         3 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is constructed from a plastic material. 
     
     
         4 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is constructed from a bioplastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is constructed from a polyolefin material comprising at least one of—linear low-density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene. 
     
     
         6 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is constructed from a material comprising a blend of—a grade of polyethylene, a filler, an anti-block additive, and a colorant. 
     
     
         7 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure is formed of a blown film having a continuous finite length. 
     
     
         8 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is configured for tearing and doffing after use. 
     
     
         9 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown is generally symmetrical along a vertical center line. 
     
     
         10 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical gown meets at least the minimum level regulatory requirements under the ANSI/AAMI PB70 standard. 
     
     
         11 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein said gown can be constructed in a plurality of sizes for accommodating a plurality of wearers. 
     
     
         12 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front and rear panels of the medical gown features a smooth surface. 
     
     
         13 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front and rear panels of the medical gown features an embossed surface. 
     
     
         14 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front and rear panels of the medical gown features a textured surface. 
     
     
         15 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein said neck opening defined by said first unsealed region ranges from about 8.5 inches to about 12.5 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein said neck opening defined by said first unsealed region is greater than 9 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap is greater than 1 inch. 
     
     
         18 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap is about 2 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the first upper sealed region ranges from 24 to 36 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the first lower sealed region ranges from 16 to 25 inches. 
     
     
         21 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein an unsealed length between the first lower sealed region of the first sleeve and the second lower sealed region of the second sleeve ranges from about 28 to 35 inches for accommodating a body portion of the wearer. 
     
     
         22 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the gown from the neck opening to the open bottom end ranges from 42 to 60 inches. 
     
     
         23 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure includes a first side edge and a second side edge. 
     
     
         24 . The medical gown according to  claim 23 , wherein the width of the tubular structure defined by the distance between the first side edge and the second side edge in a flat configuration ranges from 65 inches to 80 inches. 
     
     
         25 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the first sleeve is substantially straight with a uniform gap between the first upper sealed region and the first lower sealed region. 
     
     
         26 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein the second sleeve is substantially straight with a uniform gap between the second upper sealed region and the second lower sealed region. 
     
     
         27 . The medical gown according to  claim 25 , wherein the uniform gap is at least 9 inches. 
     
     
         28 . The medical gown according to  claim 26 , wherein the uniform gap is at least 9 inches. 
     
     
         29 . The medical gown according to  claim 25 , wherein the uniform gap is less than 12.5 inches. 
     
     
         30 . The medical gown according to  claim 26 , wherein the uniform gap is less than 12.5 inches. 
     
     
         31 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , comprising a further sealed region proximate and parallel to the first lower sealed region. 
     
     
         32 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first underarm perforated section located proximately below the first lower sealed region of the first sleeve, said first underarm perforated section being configured for severing said first sleeve from a first gown portion below said first sleeve, and   a second underarm perforated section located proximately below the second lower sealed region of the second sleeve, said second underarm perforated section being configured for severing said second sleeve from a second gown portion below said second sleeve.   
     
     
         33 . The medical gown according to  claim 32 , wherein the first gown portion below said first sleeve is denoted by a first flap to be wrapped around a body of the wearer of the medical gown; and, wherein the second gown portion below said second sleeve is denoted by a second flap to be wrapped around the body of the wearer of the medical gown. 
     
     
         34 . The medical gown according to  claim 33 , wherein the first and second gown portions below said first and second sleeves are configured for securing with an adhesive tape after donning by the wearer. 
     
     
         35 . The medical gown according to  claim 33 , further comprising a first auxiliary sealed region proximately below said first underarm perforated section, and a second auxiliary sealed region proximately below said second underarm perforated section. 
     
     
         36 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first auxiliary sealed region below said first lower sealed region and a perforated section in-between the first lower sealed region and the first auxiliary sealed region, wherein the perforated section is shorter than the first lower sealed region and the first auxiliary sealed region. 
     
     
         37 . The medical gown according to  claim 36 , further comprising a second auxiliary sealed region below said second lower sealed region and a perforated section in-between the second lower sealed region and the second auxiliary sealed region, wherein the perforated section is shorter than the second lower sealed region and the second auxiliary sealed region. 
     
     
         38 . The medical gown according to  claim 37 , wherein each of the first and second auxiliary sealed regions feature a dual lip seal configuration. 
     
     
         39 . The medical gown according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second lower sealed regions feature a dual lip seal configuration.